Life Church Message 2008-06-29 - Get In The Game (Part 4)

Get In The Game: Introduction

Consumer Christianity

Real Life Illustration

Preoccupation with what you can receive.

Great preaching

Great singing

Great children's ministry

Great youth ministry

Biblical Christianity

Losing your life to save your life

Peter rebukes Jesus - Mark 8:27-38

". . . take up your cross daily . . ." - Luke 9:18-26

Consumer Christians try to "save their lives" and ultimately lose them.

Biblical Illustration

The Church at Sardis (Rev 3:1-7) - Dead despite reputation

The Church at Laodicea (Rev 3:14-22) - Lukewarm

Fine linen = righteous acts of the saints - Rev 19:8

Moving from Consumer Christianity to Biblical Christianity

Our approach to Christianity is producing death rather than life!

There is a way that seems right but leads to death - Prov 14:12; 16:25

Get In The Game: Can These Dry Bones Live?

Passage: Ezek 37:1-14

Exegetical Idea

God speaks through a chosen messenger to resurrect a dead nation.

Analysis

What does this mean?

Begins with God's hand on an anointed messenger.

God takes him to a valley full of dead bones (unclean - Mat 23:27).

The bones are naked, separated, dry, and dead.

Phase 1 - tendons, flesh, and skin

Phase 2 - breath (Spirit)

Phase 3 - a vast army

Resurrection, restoration

Do I believe it?

Yes - God uses his Word to do things - Isa 55:10-11; Heb 4:12

Yes - God uses men to deliver his Word - (Cornelius - Acts 10)

Yes - God has revived his people several times in history

The Reformation - Martin Luther

The Pentecostal Revival of 1905 - William J. Seymour

The Faith Movement

The Cell Ministry Movement

What difference does it make? So What?

Much of the Church is failing to engage this generation.

Insanity - doing the same thing but expecting different results.

To accomplish God's purposes we must change.

Every follower of Jesus has a valley of dry bones tailor-made for him/her. Are you willing to be sent to your valley? Will you speak God's Word to the dry bones there and see them resurrected?

Homiletical Idea

Speak God's Word to restore the dead in your life to God's purposes.

How Do I Obey This Word?

Be a Team Player

Talk to your leaders about this.

Ask for help.

Who (Not What) Are the "Dead Bones" In Your Life?

Where are the believers in your life?

Who in your life knows Jesus but isn't reproducing himself/herself?

What God Is Saying To You About Them?

Are you spending time talking to God?

Are you listening to God?

Are you writing down what you hear?

Pray

Intercede for the "dead bones":

Pray biblically - Eph 1:15-23; Eph 3:14-19; Col 1:9-12

Pray for a Word from God for them

Speak

Speak what God tells you to say.

Speak when God tells you to speak.

Get In The Game: Carry Out The Mission - Luke 4:14-44

What is the mission? - Luke 4:14-21

Initial Message: "Repent, the Kingdom of God is near!" - Mat 4:17

Based on God's Word - not yours: Isa 42:1-8; 49:7-10; 61:1-11

Why are we here?

Christians are followers of "The Christ" - Jesus.

Disciples want to be like their teacher.

Jesus, the Christ and our teacher, had a mission and a message.

His followers embrace both the mission and the message.

Jesus' Mission

Other focused - the mission is directed towards others.

Many so-called believers are focused on themselves

"Insurance Christians" - Following the rules to avoid hell.

"Consumer Christians" - Focused on what they can get from God

Material things

Feeling good

Transcendent experiences

Consider churches in Revelation other than Sardis and Laodicea

Reflect on ways that we reward consumer Christianity

Life at the cusp of reformation

Change is at hand.

"My unbiblical practices are OK because everyone else is doing the same thing."

If we don't embrace this mission how can we be called Christians?

Jesus' Message

It has specific content: good news, freedom, sight, release, favor.

Some people get the message wrong.

The Four Corners drunk and Caesar Augustus

You need to get the message right:

Good news for people who have been facing bad news.

Freedom for those who don't have it.

Healing - especially sight for those who know they are blind.

Release for those enduring oppression.

Incorporate examples from your own life.

If you don't know what God is offering you won't value it.

If you don't value what God is offering you won't seek it.

If you don't seek what God is offering you won't get it.

It has a time frame: the "year" of God's favor.

For a limited time only - 2Cor 5:1 - 6:2

How can I align myself with Jesus' mission? - Luke 4:1-21

Recognize your current degree of alignment or lack thereof.

Help for "Insurance Christians"

Help for "Consumer Christians"

May view the Kingdom as more of a restaurant or supermarket rather than as a farm.

Help for "Cultural Christians"

Identify with him.

Be other-focused

Proclaim his message.

Initial Message: "Repent, the Kingdom of God is near!" - Mat 4:17

Some people get the message wrong.

The Four Corners drunk and Caesar Augustus - Luke 2:1-7

You need to get the message right:

Good news for people who have been facing bad news.

Freedom for those who don't have it.

Healing - especially sight for those who know they are blind.

Release for those enduring oppression.

Use this passage as a template - reread it and meditate on it.

Be reconciled to God - 2Cor 5:1 - 6:2

What is the message?

Everyone should be able to share the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ in a way that's easy for others to understand.

Disadvantages of traditional evangelical approaches.

Romans Road Map

A B C

Impressions we inadvertently convey

The Bible is a jig-saw puzzle that only skilled people can handle.

The Bible is a collection of "magic" verses.

It's Simple

Salvation Principles:

God exists!

God loves you and wants to have a relationship with you.

A relationship with God has to be on his terms.

God's terms are: follow Jesus!

Salvation Stages

Meet Jesus and hear his message

Repent, embrace the message and follow Jesus

Jesus reveals the Father to you and you join his family

Take your place in the family business

Participate in bigger and bigger corporate takeovers

Survive the final takeover and get a company of your own

Following Jesus With Your Whole Body

Head (brain, eyes, ears, nose, mouth)

Hands (serving and giving)

Heart (repenting, believing)

Reproductive Organs

Feet

Simple Salvation Passages

Parable Of The Sower - Luke 8:4-15

Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, Lost Son - Luke 15

Zacchaeus - Luke 19:1-10

"For God so loved the world . . ." - John 2:23 - 3:21

Jesus heals a man born blind - John 9:1 - 10:42

Cornelius' Household - John 10:1 - 11:18

Day Of Pentecost - Acts 2:1-47

Good illustration of "closing the deal"

Paul in Pamphylia - Acts 13:13-52

Paul's gospel - 1Cor 15:1-11

Paul in Athens - Acts 17:16-34

Rom 10

Key Illustrations

Faith - Heb 11

Grace - Luke 15:11-32 (lost son)

Repentance - Luke 3:1-14; Luke 15:11-32 (lost son)

Don't Lose Your Reward - 1Cor 3:10-15

God's Family Business - Where do you fit in?

Front office vs. factory floor

MacDonald's: Counter vs. Kitchen

Toyota: Vehicle Showroom vs. Factory

Understand its implications.

Preparation

Expository Preaching

Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers.

Select the Passage

Study the Passage

NIV

Hebrew Study Bible

KJV

The Message

NASB

RSV

Discover the Exegetical Idea

Subject

Tools: How, Who, What, When, Where, Why

Complement

Analyze the Exegetical Idea

Explain It: What does this mean?

Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?

Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?

Formulate the Homiletical Idea

Determine the Purpose of the Sermon

Make it plain

Use accessible language and modern parables

Make sure people do something with the word God gives you for them.

Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose

Outline the Sermon

Get In The Game: Carry Out The Mission - Luke 4:14-44 (continued)

What happens when I share the message? - Luke 4:22-44

What happened when Jesus shared the message?

People who knew Jesus growing up didn't take his ministry seriously.

They knew Jesus in a "worldly" way - 2Cor 5:16-17

Prophets sometimes bypass the chosen in favor of the open.

Elijah and the widow at Zarephath - 1Kings 17:1-16

Israel under Ahab was not receptive to Elijah.

Elisha and Naaman the Syrian - 2Kings 5:1-14

Israel under Joram (Ahab's son) was not receptive to Elisha.

The Nazarenes had only themselves to blame for their failure to experience what Jesus had to offer.

We have only ourselves to blame for our lack of growth

Spiritual maturity doesn't come easily.

Trained themselves to distinguish good from evil - Heb 5:7-14

train - gumnazw (gymnazo)

More than classroom instruction:

Learning to play basketball

Learning to drive

Making your muscles sore

Don't be like the servant with the 1 mina - Luke 19:11-27

The Restaurant Test

Do you treat God's Kingdom like:

A restaurant

A supermaket

A shopping mall

A farm

Restaurants and supermarkets don't grow anything. Only farms grow food.

People who received Jesus as a prophet experienced his blessing

If it happened to Jesus, it will happen to you. - Mat 10:24-42

Some people may patronize you.

Show them the implications of their attitude.

Don't be afraid of opposition.

Keep moving.

Be The Message

Demonstrate its validity - through God's power.

Multiply The Message

Develop a network of potential disciples.

Minister God's power to their households.

Keep spreading the message to every network that will receive you.

Neither unpopularity nor popularity hindered Jesus from his mission.

If you're sitting down waiting to be trained you're not following Jesus.

Sometimes we put ourselves in settings that force us to grow in ways we don't expect.

Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)

Scripture References: Luke 4:22-44; 2Cor 5:11 - 6:2; Heb 5:7-14

We have been discussing "Insurance Christians", "Consumer Christians", and "Cultural Christians". Do any of these describe you? Why or why not?

The people of Nazareth missed a blessing because they only knew Jesus in a worldly or fleshly way. In what ways do your own familiar or comfortable perceptions keep you from receiving what God has for you?

Mature believers have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. In what ways have you embraced training for spiritual maturity?

Is your approach to spiritual maturity more like sitting in a classroom, learning to play a sport, learning to drive, or something else?

Some people approach Christianity like a patron at a restaurant expecting to enjoy a custom meal in exchange for a fee. Some are more like customers at a supermarket or shopping mall. Still others are like workers on a farm. Discuss which of these best describes you and why.

Witnessing Activities For This Week's Life Group Meetings

Divide into groups of 2 or 3 and use one of the following passages to explain salvation to your partner.