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Notes
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Introduction
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Bible Reading 8/2 - 8/8: 2 Chronicles 32:1 - Ezra 8:20; Romans 15:23 - 1Corinthians 4:21; Psalm 25:16 - 30:12; Proverbs 20:16-30
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Review
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Use The Whole Package (Part 1)
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Preparation - Ephesians 1:1-14
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Expository Preaching
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Select the Passage - Ephesians 1:1-14
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Study the Passage
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NIV
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Hebrew Study Bible
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KJV
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The Message
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NASB
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RSV
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Discover the Exegetical Idea
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Praise God for blessing us in heaven with every spiritual blessing in Christ: choosing us to be set apart, predestining us for adoption, redeeming us through his blood, and revealing to us his plan to place everything under Jesus.
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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Praise (eulogetoz - eujloghto/ß Gk) God who has "praised" (eulogetoz - eujloghto/ß Gk) us . . .
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We should praise (speak well of) God.
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God has "spoken well" of us. Since God's words always accomplish what he intends (Isa 55:10-11), his "praise" of us becomes blessing.
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Chosen in him (Jesus) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless
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In love predestined to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ
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according to his pleasure and will
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to the praise of his grace freely given to us in Jesus
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Redemption through his (Jesus') blood - the forgiveness of sins
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according to the riches of his grace
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grace lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding
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Made known the mystery of his will . . . to bring all things together under one head, even Christ
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Jesus' high priestly prayer - John 17:20-26
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Holy, blameless, adoption - Rev 21:1-8
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Grace - John 1:10-18
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Forgiveness - Luke 24:44-53; Acts 10:43-43
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Under one head - Christ - Philip 2:9-11; Col 1:13-20;
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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Every blessing that Paul describes here is "in Christ".
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We can be confident about holiness and blamelessness because God has chosen us for this goal.
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We are part of God's family!
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We've been redeemed and forgiven. We don't have to walk in guilt any longer!
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God has freely lavished his grace on us!
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It's all about Jesus!
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea
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God gave you the whole package in his Son Jesus Christ. Give it up for God, and use the package!
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
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I want people who hear this message to:
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Understand that in Jesus we've been given the whole package.
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Recognize the key items in that package.
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Desire to experience the full benefits of the package.
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Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
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Outline the Sermon
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Standing Issues
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From a word Bishop gave me:
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Make sure people do something with God's message.
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Make it plain: Use accessible language and modern parables.
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Keep it simple.
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Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
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Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
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Introduction
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The steering wheel radio controls on our Chrysler van.
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Have you ever gotten a "package deal"?
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What was in the package?
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Did you use all of the benefits in the package?
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Whenever you're offered a package you need to find out what's in it and how you can use it.
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Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition?
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Read the passage: Ephesians 1:1-14
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God gave you the whole package in his Son Jesus Christ. Give it up for God, and use the package!
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What does this mean?
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Praise (eulogetoz - eujloghto/ß Gk) God who has "praised" (eulogetoz - eujloghto/ß Gk) us . . .
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We should praise (speak well of) God.
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God has "spoken well" of us. Since God's words always accomplish what he intends (Isa 55:10-11), his "praise" of us becomes blessing.
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Every blessing that Paul describes here is "in Christ".
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Chosen
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Chosen in him (Jesus). Jesus is the chosen one.
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Chosen before the creation of the world
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Chosen to be holy and blameless
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Illustrations:
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A young man who enlists in the army as an alternative to jail might end up in the special forces (e.g. army rangers). He would be chosen (in the army) for his special mission.
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Predestined
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Predestined in love
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Predestined to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ
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Predestined according to his pleasure and will
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Predestined to the praise of his grace freely given to us in Jesus
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Redeemed
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Redeemed through his (Jesus') blood - the forgiveness of sins
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Redeemed according to the riches of his grace
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Grace lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding
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Illustrations:
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Hospitals redeem us from ill health.
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"In the Know"
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"In the Know" according to God's good pleasure
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"In the Know" about the mystery of God's will
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God's will that he purposed in Christ
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God's will to be put in effect at the fulfillment of time
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God's will to bring everything together under Christ
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Illustrations:
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Your boss shows you the big picture - the company strategy.
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Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Grace - John 1:10-18
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You have been given fullness in Christ - Colossians 2:6-9
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What difference does it make? So What?
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Read passage: Ephesians 1:15-23
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Understanding is the key to experiencing God's power! - Eph 1:19
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You need God's power in your life!
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Print out this passage and place it where you can see it daily.
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Ask God to do the following things for you:
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give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation,
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enable you to know him better,
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enlighten the eyes of your heart,
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enable you to know the hope to which he has called you (i.e. the great future God has in store for you.
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help you to recognize what a rich inheritance his people are for him,
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help you to understand that the same kind of power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work on your behalf,
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help you to understand that everything has been placed under Jesus' feet and what this means for you as a part of Jesus' body.
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Conclusion
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In Jesus we've been given the whole package.
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We need to know what's in the package:
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Chosen
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Predestined
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Redeemed
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"In the know"
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You need to know how to make use of the package.
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God gave you the whole package in his Son Jesus Christ. Give it up for God, and use the package!
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Use The Whole Package (Part 2): Chosen
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Preparation - Ephesians 1:1-14
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Expository Preaching
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Select the Passage - Ephesians 1:3-4
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Study the Passage
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NIV
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Hebrew Study Bible
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KJV
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The Message
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NASB
|
|
|
|
RSV
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
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|
|
|
|
Praise God for blessing us in heaven with every spiritual blessing in Christ: choosing us to be set apart, predestining us for adoption, redeeming us through his blood, and revealing to us his plan to place everything under Jesus.
Holiness and blamelessness are God's intention for us.
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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Who chose? God.
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Whom did God choose? Us.
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Where did he choose us? In Christ.
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When did he choose us? Before time began.
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Why did he choose us? So that we would be holy and blameless.
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Chosen in him (Jesus) before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless
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Inspired by a quote from C. S. Lewis:
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Sin requires a reset from the creator like "supervisor to aisle 3".
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We must absorb the "spiritual DNA" that nullifies sin. That "DNA" must come from the death of a god-man (i.e. Jesus).
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Eat the sacrifice (research this).
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Eat my flesh and drink my blood.
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Take eat.
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Holy, blameless, adoption - Rev 21:1-8
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|
|
|
Grace - John 1:10-18
|
|
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
|
|
|
|
Every blessing that Paul describes here is "in Christ".
|
|
|
|
We can be confident about holiness and blamelessness because God has chosen us for this goal.
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It's all about Jesus!
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Misc
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Devotional time is a morning reboot (computers, bootstrap loader, etc.)
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Eph 1:3-14 is excellent reboot material.
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Faith for transformation (Life Church is called to transform a la Vision)
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Faith that Eph 1:4 (called to be holy and blameless) is true about me.
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Call those things that are not as though they were.
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Speak God's words after him like a baby imitating its parents.
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea
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|
|
|
Believe that you can be holy and blameless because this is what God has chosen you for.
|
|
|
|
Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
|
|
|
|
I want people who hear this message to:
|
|
|
|
Understand that in Jesus we've been given the whole package.
|
|
|
|
Believe that God has chosen us to be holy and blameless.
|
|
|
|
Understand how to use this passage to achieve this goal.
|
|
|
|
Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
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|
|
|
Outline the Sermon
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
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|
|
|
|
Holiness and blamelessness are God's intention for us.
|
|
|
|
Formulate the Homiletical Idea
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|
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Believe that you can be holy and blameless because this is what God has chosen you for.
|
|
|
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
|
|
|
|
I want people who hear this message to:
|
|
|
|
Understand that in Jesus we've been given the whole package.
|
|
|
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Believe that God has chosen us to be holy and blameless.
|
|
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Understand how to use this passage to achieve this goal.
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|
Standing Issues
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|
|
From a word Bishop gave me:
|
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|
Make sure people do something with God's message.
|
|
|
|
Make it plain: Use accessible language and modern parables.
|
|
|
|
Keep it simple.
|
|
|
|
Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
|
|
|
|
Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
|
|
|
|
Introduction
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God gave you the whole package in his Son Jesus Christ. Give it up for God, and use the package!
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I used to have a pair of cowboy boots.
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The boots have straps to help you put them on.
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Bootstraps
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Meaning
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"pull yourself up by your own bootstraps"
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"bootstrapping" - in use by the 1800s
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Bootstrapping - examples
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Cars
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Internal combustion engine needs electric spark (spark plugs) to ignite fuel and power the cylinder.
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Electricity for the spark comes from the battery
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The battery is recharged by the generator / alternator
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The generator is powered by the engine.
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Something has to get the party started: the starter
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What else needs to "bootstrap" itself? Computers!
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Computers
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Bootstrap loader "bootstraps" the computer.
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"Bootstrap" --> "boot" --> "reboot"
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Rebooting restarts the installed software from scratch.
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Your computer's performance after reboot is only as good as the quality of the installed software.
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Transition
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We've seen that both cars and computers have to "bootstrap".
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For computers, bootstrapping (or rebooting) raises another issue - installation.
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Computers: Installed software
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Every computer starts out with an operating system that enables it to do what it was purchased to do.
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Sometimes your system software becomes:
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Outdated
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Vendor develops new bug fixes or security patches.
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Corrupted
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Power failure, tripping over the power cord, etc.
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You might be infected with a virus.
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You need an "upgrade" (e.g. a newer MacOS , Windows, or Linux).
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Upgrade (new operating system) / Fresh Installation
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Rebooting reloads the system software and starts over.
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Transition
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We've looked at boots, bootstraps, and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.
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We've observed that both cars and computers "bootstrap" in some way.
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We've seen that before they "bootstrap", computers need installed software to "reboot" from.
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Now we're going to take a look at how a "fresh installation" and "rebooting" are relevant to our spiritual lives.
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Software Installation, Reboots, and People
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People are like computers in some ways.
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We have mental software that needs attention.
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Our mental software is corrupted
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We're born that way.
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We're infected with a virus - sin.
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Our mental software quickly becomes outdated
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We have a problem!
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God has a solution!
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Chosen in Christ
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Read the passage: Ephesians 1:1-10
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We've been chosen in Christ to be holy and blameless in God's sight!
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God has an upgrade planned for us!
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Before we're saved we're not plugged in to the network - we can't download the upgrade.
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We have to install the CD-ROM or DVD-ROM (i.e. the Bible).
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Upgrade - new operating system
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Salvation - chosen in Christ
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Included in Christ - Ephesians 1:13-14
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What does this mean?
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Who chose? God.
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Whom did God choose? Us.
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Where did he choose us? In Christ.
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When did he choose us? Before time began.
|
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|
|
Why did he choose us? So that we would be holy and blameless.
|
|
|
|
Inspired by a quote from C. S. Lewis:
|
|
|
|
Sin requires a reset from the creator like "supervisor to aisle 3".
|
|
|
|
We must absorb the "spiritual DNA" that nullifies sin. That "DNA" must come from the death of a god-man (i.e. Jesus).
|
|
|
|
Eat the sacrifice (research this).
|
|
|
|
Eat my flesh and drink my blood. - John 6:48-58
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Take eat.
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Jesus' DNA is in his Word.
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Is it True? Do I believe it?
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We've seen the importance of holiness and blamelessness at the "beginning of the story (Paul wrote circa 61 AD at the beginning of church history).
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Let's see what the Bible says about this subject at the "end" of the story.
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Other passages confirm the importance of holiness - Rev 21:1-8
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What difference does it make? So What?
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Once we're in Christ we have new "mental software".
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Nevertheless, we have to live our Christian lives in a sinful messy world.
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Leaks
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At Life Church we are called to transform lives.
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This transformation only happens by faith.
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Believe that Eph 1:4 is true about you.
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Call those things that are not as though they were. - Romans 4:13-25
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Speak God's words after him like a baby imitating its parents.
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What Abraham and Sarah spoke via their new names came to pass!
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Get excited!
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I'm a software engineer.
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I get excited when I have both a goal and a viable path to it.
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I get excited when I have a goal and a word from God supporting it.
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Conclusion
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|
|
In Jesus we've been given the whole package.
|
|
|
|
We need to know what's in the package:
|
|
|
|
You need to know how to make use of the package.
|
|
|
|
We have been chosen in Christ to be holy and blameless in God's sight!
|
|
|
|
We can be confident about holiness and blamelessness because God has chosen us for this goal.
|
|
|
|
Reboot - daily or more frequently if needed
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|
|
|
Rebooting reloads the system software and starts over.
|
|
|
|
Devotional time
|
|
|
|
Ephesians 1:1-14 is excellent reboot material.
|
|
|
|
Use The Whole Package (Part 3): Adopted
|
|
|
|
Preparation - Ephesians 1:4b-10
|
|
|
|
Expository Preaching
|
|
|
|
Select the Passage - Ephesians 1:4b-6
|
|
|
|
Study the Passage
|
|
|
|
NIV
|
|
|
|
Hebrew Study Bible
|
|
|
|
KJV
|
|
|
|
The Message
|
|
|
|
NASB
|
|
|
|
RSV
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
|
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
God has predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. This was an expression of his love that he enjoyed and wanted to do, and he did it through the grace that he gave us freely in Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Analyze the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
Explain It: What does this mean?
|
|
|
|
Predestined - (proori÷zw Gk. - proorizo) -
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pro (fore) horizo (limit, appoint)
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Adopted as sons
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Sons of God - Rom 8:19-25
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You are all sons of God through Jesus Christ - Gal 3:23 - 4:7
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God has male and female sons.
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Women in God's Kingdom are female sons of God.
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Men in God's Kingdom are part of Christ's bride.
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God is treating you as sons - Heb 12:1-8
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Illustration: My transition from student employee to IS staff.
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Through Jesus Christ
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According to
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God's pleasure - Mat 3:17; Mat 17:5
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God's will - (Jesus' will - Matthew 8:1-3) Mat 26:36-39
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God's Grace
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Glorious (chabod Heb.) - weighty
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Freely given to us in Jesus - caritow Gk. - charitoo
|
|
|
|
Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
|
|
|
|
Predestined - Romans 8:26-39
|
|
|
|
You are all sons of God through Jesus Christ - Gal 3:23 - 4:7
|
|
|
|
Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
|
|
|
|
Sons inherit property - daughter’s don’t
|
|
|
|
Exception: Zelophehad’s daughters
|
|
|
|
Daughters inherit in the absence of sons - Num 27:1-11
|
|
|
|
Inheriting daughters must marry within clan - Num 36:1-12
|
|
|
|
Fulfillment - Joshua 17:3-4
|
|
|
|
Sons take responsibility for the family business
|
|
|
|
Be sons of your heavenly Father - Mat 5:43-48
|
|
|
|
Love the Father by loving his children. - 1John 4:19-53
|
|
|
|
Sons turn spiritual blessings into material change on earth.
|
|
|
|
Through prayer and faith (including confession).
|
|
|
|
"Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven"
|
|
|
|
Devotional time is a morning reboot (computers, bootstrap loader, etc.)
|
|
|
|
Eph 1:3-14 is excellent reboot material.
|
|
|
|
Devotion - our devotional time is important to God.
|
|
|
|
What do you get for the man who has everything?
|
|
|
|
Sons should spend time with their fathers.
|
|
|
|
Cat’s In The Cradle
|
|
|
|
Faith for transformation (Life Church is called to transform a la Vision)
|
|
|
|
Faith that Eph 1:4b-6 (predestined to be adopted as sons) is true about me.
|
|
|
|
Call those things that are not as though they were.
|
|
|
|
Speak God's words after him like a baby imitating its parents.
|
|
|
|
Say what God says about you.
|
|
|
|
Reprint Life Church Confession Of Faith
|
|
|
|
Develop new confession based on Ephesians 1:3-10
|
|
|
|
Formulate the Homiletical Idea
|
|
|
|
The Great Adoption
|
|
|
|
Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
|
|
|
|
I want believers who hear this message to:
|
|
|
|
Understand that in Jesus we've been given the whole package.
|
|
|
|
Believe that God has adopted them as his sons.
|
|
|
|
Act like sons.
|
|
|
|
Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
|
|
|
|
Outline the Sermon
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
|
God has predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. This was an expression of his love that he enjoyed and wanted to do, and he did it through the grace that he gave us freely in Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Formulate the Homiletical Idea
|
|
|
|
The Great Adoption
|
|
|
|
Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
|
|
|
|
I want believers who hear this message to:
|
|
|
|
Understand that in Jesus we've been given the whole package.
|
|
|
|
Believe that God has adopted them as his sons.
|
|
|
|
Act like sons.
|
|
|
|
Standing Issues
|
|
|
|
From a word Bishop gave me:
|
|
|
|
Make sure people do something with God's message.
|
|
|
|
Make it plain: Use accessible language and modern parables.
|
|
|
|
Keep it simple.
|
|
|
|
Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
|
|
|
|
Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
|
|
|
God gave you the whole package in his Son Jesus Christ. Give it up for God, and use the package!
|
|
|
|
We had a party for God this morning! Were you there?
|
|
|
|
“Neighbor - did God enjoy your contribution to our congregational worship today?”
|
|
|
|
There is no substitute for your individual experience with God - it's important!
|
|
|
|
There is no substitute for your corporate experience with God - it's important too!
|
|
|
|
Would you turn down an invitation to a party for your parents?
|
|
|
|
We shouldn't miss God's party - the congregational worship experience if we understand that God is our father.
|
|
|
|
Read the Passage
|
|
|
|
|
In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
|
|
|
|
Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
|
God has predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ. This was an expression of his love that he enjoyed and wanted to do, and he did it through the grace that he gave us freely in Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Explain It: What does this mean?
|
|
|
|
Predestined - (proori÷zw Gk. - proorizo) -
|
|
|
|
pro (fore) horizo (limit, appoint)
|
|
|
|
Adopted as sons
|
|
|
|
Sons of God - Romans 8:19-25
|
|
|
|
You are all sons of God through Jesus Christ - Gal 3:23-29
|
|
|
|
God has male and female sons.
|
|
|
|
Sonship in the Kingdom is not gender-based.
|
|
|
|
Women in God's Kingdom are female sons of God.
|
|
|
|
Men in God's Kingdom are part of Christ's bride.
|
|
|
|
God is treating you as sons - Hebrews 12:1-8
|
|
|
|
|
In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons.
|
|
|
|
Illustration: My transition from student employee to IS staff.
|
|
|
|
Through Jesus Christ
|
|
|
|
According to
|
|
|
|
God's pleasure
|
|
|
|
Matthew 3:17
|
|
|
|
|
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
|
|
|
|
Matthew 17:5
|
|
|
|
|
While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
|
|
|
|
God's will
|
|
|
|
Jesus' will - Matthew 8:1-3
|
|
|
|
|
When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.
|
|
|
|
Mat 26:36-39
|
|
|
|
|
Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
|
|
|
|
God's Grace
|
|
|
|
Glorious (chabod Heb.) - weighty
|
|
|
|
Freely given to us in Jesus - caritow Gk. - charitoo
|
|
|
|
Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
|
|
|
|
Predestined - Romans 8:26-30
|
|
|
|
You are all sons of God through Jesus Christ - Gal 4:1-7
|
|
|
|
Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
|
|
|
|
Sons inherit property - daughter’s don’t
|
|
|
|
Exception: Zelophehad’s daughters
|
|
|
|
Daughters inherit in the absence of sons - Num 27:1-11
|
|
|
|
Inheriting daughters must marry within clan - Num 36:1-12
|
|
|
|
Fulfillment - Joshua 17:3-4
|
|
|
|
Sons take responsibility for the family business
|
|
|
|
Be sons of your heavenly Father - Mat 5:43-48
|
|
|
|
Love the Father by loving his children. - 1John 4:19-53
|
|
|
|
The staff at the hospital where my mother is being treated pay attention when I speak up about her treatment because I'm her son.
|
|
|
|
Other examples
|
|
|
|
"The Godfather" - Michael Corleone
|
|
|
|
"Star Wars" - Luke
|
|
|
|
"The Lion King" - Simba
|
|
|
|
Sons turn spiritual blessings into material change on earth.
|
|
|
|
Through prayer and faith (including confession).
|
|
|
|
"Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven"
|
|
|
|
Devotional time is a morning reboot (computers, bootstrap loader, etc.)
|
|
|
|
Ephesians 1:4b-6 is excellent reboot material.
|
|
|
|
Devotion - our devotional time is important to God.
|
|
|
|
What do you get for the man who has everything?
|
|
|
|
Sons should spend time with their fathers.
|
|
|
|
Cat’s In The Cradle
|
|
|
|
Faith for transformation (Life Church is called to transform á la Vision)
|
|
|
|
Faith that Ephesians 1:4b-6 (predestined to be adopted as sons) is true about me.
|
|
|
|
Call those things that are not as though they were.
|
|
|
|
Speak God's words after him like a baby imitating its parents.
|
|
|
|
Say what God says about you.
|
|
|
|
Reprint Life Church Confession Of Faith
|
|
|
|
Develop new confession based on Ephesians 1:3-10
|
|
|
|
Conclusion
|
|
|
|
God has adopted you as sons - act like it!
|
|
|
|
Look yourself in the mirror and start saying to yourself what God's Word says about you.
|
|
|
|
New Material
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
|
|
|
|
Make it plain
|
|
|
|
Use accessible language and modern parables.
|
|
|
|
Make sure people do something with God's message.
|
|
|
|
Keep it simple.
|
|
|
|
Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
|
|
|
|
Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
|
|
|
|
Outline the Sermon
|
|
|
|
Use The Whole Package (Part 4): Redeemed
|
|
|
|
Preparation - Ephesians 1:7-8
|
|
|
|
Expository Preaching
|
|
|
|
Select the Passage - Ephesians 1:7-8
|
|
|
|
Study the Passage
|
|
|
|
NIV
|
|
|
|
Hebrew Study Bible
|
|
|
|
KJV
|
|
|
|
The Message
|
|
|
|
NASB
|
|
|
|
RSV
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
|
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
Jesus' blood provides redemption and forgiveness for us because we belong to him. This redemption is an expression of the grace that God has expertly and abundantly applied to us.
|
|
|
|
Analyze the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
Explain It: What does this mean?
|
|
|
|
Redemption - "freeing for ransom"
|
|
|
|
Who will rescue us? - Romans 7:21 - 8:4
|
|
|
|
"purchased men for God" - Revelation 5:6-10
|
|
|
|
Rescued from the dominion of darkness - Colossians 1:9-14
|
|
|
|
American reporters held hostage in North Korea
|
|
|
|
Forgiveness
|
|
|
|
"Blessed is he whose transgressions . . ." - Psalm 32:0-7
|
|
|
|
Grace (Charis - caris Gk) -
|
|
|
|
Lavished with all wisdom and understanding
|
|
|
|
- superabundant
|
|
|
|
People who spread money around purposefully and wisely?
|
|
|
|
Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
|
|
|
|
Redeemed
|
|
|
|
All have sinned - Romans 3:21-24
|
|
|
|
Forgiveness
|
|
|
|
Grace
|
|
|
|
Freely given to us in Christ - Ephesians 1:6
|
|
|
|
Lavished with all wisdom and understanding
|
|
|
|
Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
|
|
|
|
Redemption
|
|
|
|
You are no longer a sinner!
|
|
|
|
"that is what some of you were" - 1Corinthians 6:9-11
|
|
|
|
If Christ has not been raised - 1Corinthians 15:12-19
|
|
|
|
Forgiveness
|
|
|
|
Those who have been forgiven show it - Luke 7:36-50
|
|
|
|
Grace lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding
|
|
|
|
Life for believers is not supposed to be a series of adventures in which they continually face disaster only to have God rescue them at the last minute.
|
|
|
|
Life for believers should be a series of adventures in which they build something for the Father and get to know him better in the process.
|
|
|
|
You have everything you need - Eph 1:3; 2Pet 1:3-4; 2Cor 1:20
|
|
|
|
What do you think God redeemed you for? You are blessed!
|
|
|
|
What does blessed mean? What did it look life or the OT and NT saints?
|
|
|
|
Blessing comes by persevering in God’s plan and believing what he says! - Galatians 3:1-14; Romans 10:17
|
|
|
|
Redemption really counts at my times of deepest shame.
|
|
|
|
Our blood circulates life (nutrients, oxygen) to our entire body. It enables the body’s cells to serve each other.
|
|
|
|
The blood of Jesus redeems us and enables the members of his body to serve one another, building each other up. This is a major channel of grace.
|
|
|
|
Devotional time is a morning reboot (computers, bootstrap loader, etc.)
|
|
|
|
Ephesians 1:3-14 is excellent reboot material.
|
|
|
|
Devotion - our devotional time is important to God.
|
|
|
|
What do you get for the man who has everything?
|
|
|
|
Sons should spend time with their fathers.
|
|
|
|
Cat’s In The Cradle
|
|
|
|
Faith for transformation (Life Church is called to transform a la Vision)
|
|
|
|
Faith that Eph 1:4b-6 (predestined to be adopted as sons) is true about me.
|
|
|
|
Call those things that are not as though they were.
|
|
|
|
Speak God's words after him like a baby imitating its parents.
|
|
|
|
Say what God says about you.
|
|
|
|
Reprint Life Church Confession Of Faith
|
|
|
|
Develop new confession based on Ephesians 1:3-10
|
|
|
|
Formulate the Homiletical Idea
|
|
|
|
Your "package" includes redemption that Jesus paid for with his life. It's a "super-size" redemption that includes forgiveness of sins and everything else you need backed by God's "piled on" grace.
|
|
|
|
Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
|
|
|
|
I want believers who hear this message to:
|
|
|
|
Understand that in Jesus we've been given the whole package.
|
|
|
|
Understand that they've been redeemed and what that means.
|
|
|
|
Understand what it cost Jesus and the Father to redeem us.
|
|
|
|
Make full use of their redemption to be all God want them to be.
|
|
|
|
Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
|
|
|
|
Outline the Sermon
|
|
|
|
Standing Issues
|
|
|
|
From a word Bishop gave me:
|
|
|
|
Make sure people do something with God's message.
|
|
|
|
Make it plain:
|
|
|
|
Use accessible language.
|
|
|
|
Use modern day parables based on every day occurrences:
|
|
|
|
Sitting at a stop light
|
|
|
|
Driving through a green light
|
|
|
|
Approaching a yellow light
|
|
|
|
Being cut off in traffic
|
|
|
|
Going shopping
|
|
|
|
Going to a mall
|
|
|
|
Going to school; sitting in class
|
|
|
|
Going to work; sitting in your office;
|
|
|
|
Keep it simple.
|
|
|
|
Use illustrations of truth out of my own experience.
|
|
|
|
Impart faith to obey the Word and receive God's promises.
|
|
|
|
Introduction
|
|
|
|
We had another party for God this morning! Were you there?
|
|
|
|
Did God enjoy your contribution to our worship today?
|
|
|
|
There is no substitute for your individual experience with God!
|
|
|
|
There is no substitute for your corporate experience with God!
|
|
|
|
Would you turn down an invitation to a party for your parents?
|
|
|
|
God is your Father - don't miss his party!
|
|
|
|
Our history with automobile repairs.
|
|
|
|
1983: Toyota Tercel Wagon
|
|
|
|
Radiator breakdown at McDonald's on American Legion Highway
|
|
|
|
My do it yourself repairs.
|
|
|
|
1988: Toyota Corolla Al-Trac
|
|
|
|
More do-it-yourself repairs: brakes, alternator
|
|
|
|
The radio antenna and the blizzard
|
|
|
|
2002: Chrysler Town & Country Limited
|
|
|
|
7 year / 70,000 mile warranty
|
|
|
|
The joy of a warranty-covered repair (we've had many).
|
|
|
|
Sometimes you have coverage for something and don't realize it.
|
|
|
|
It's upsetting to know that you paid or something unnecessarily!
|
|
|
|
It's upsetting to know that you went without unnecessarily!
|
|
|
|
It's a blessing to get for free what you planned to pay for.
|
|
|
|
It's a blessing to get for free what you wanted but couldn't afford.
|
|
|
|
Read the Passage Context - Ephesians 1:3-10
|
|
|
|
Read the Passage - Ephesians 1:7-8
|
|
|
|
|
God gave you the whole package in his Son Jesus Christ!
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
|
|
|
|
Formulate the Homiletical Idea
|
|
|
|
|
Your "package" includes redemption that Jesus paid for with his life. It's a "super-size" redemption that includes forgiveness of sins and everything else you need backed by God's "piled on" grace.
|
|
|
|
Redemption - What does it mean? What did it cost?
|
|
|
|
Redemption - Part of this nutritious breakfast (i.e. the package)!
|
|
|
|
Redemption - (apolutrwsis Gk. apolutrosis) "freeing for ransom"
|
|
|
|
Redemption - what it cost
|
|
|
|
Bill Clinton and the American reporters held hostage in North Korea
|
|
|
|
Who will rescue us? - Romans 7:21 - 8:4
|
|
|
|
"purchased men for God" - Revelation 5:6-10
|
|
|
|
Rescued from the dominion of darkness - Colossians 1:13-14
|
|
|
|
Forgiveness
|
|
|
|
"Blessed is he whose transgressions . . ." - Psalm 32:0-7
|
|
|
|
Grace (Charis - caris Gk) -
|
|
|
|
Lavished with all wisdom and understanding
|
|
|
|
- superabundant
|
|
|
|
People who spread money around purposefully and wisely?
|
|
|
|
Redemption - Is it true? Do I believe it? Do you have it?
|
|
|
|
Redeemed
|
|
|
|
All have sinned - Romans 3:21-24
|
|
|
|
Forgiveness
|
|
|
|
Grace
|
|
|
|
Freely given to us in Christ - Ephesians 1:6
|
|
|
|
Lavished with all wisdom and understanding
|
|
|
|
Have you been redeemed?
|
|
|
|
Redemption - Make the most of it!
|
|
|
|
Redemption
|
|
|
|
You are no longer a sinner!
|
|
|
|
"that is what some of you were" - 1Corinthians 6:9-11
|
|
|
|
If Christ has not been raised - 1Corinthians 15:12-19
|
|
|
|
Forgiveness
|
|
|
|
Those who have been forgiven show it - Luke 7:36-50
|
|
|
|
Redemption really counts at my times of deepest shame.
|
|
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Our blood circulates life (nutrients, oxygen) to our entire body. It enables the body’s cells to serve each other.
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The blood of Jesus redeems us and enables the members of his body to serve one another, building each other up. This is a major channel of grace.
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Grace lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding
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Life for believers is not supposed to be a series of adventures in which they continually face disaster only to have God rescue them at the last minute.
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Life for believers should be a series of adventures in which they build something for the Father and get to know him better in the process.
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You have everything you need - Eph 1:3; 2Pet 1:3-4; 2Cor 1:20
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What do you think God redeemed you for?
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You are blessed! What does blessed mean?
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Abraham became a father of nations and received all the resources he needed to secure his legacy.
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Jesus taught his disciples about being blessed - Mat 5:1-12
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Their blessing could be summed up as receiving the Kingdom. In the Kingdom they had purpose, provision, etc.
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Blessing comes by faith in God’s Word (i.e believing what he says)! - Galatians 3:1-14; Romans 10:17
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Conclusion
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God redeemed you (men and women) in order to adopt you as a son!
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Redeemed people can receive grace for transformation in their lives.
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This grace often comes through other believers.
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Stay connected to other believers who can speak into your life.
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You need to believe what God says about you!
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Believe that you have been redeemed through Jesus' death for you.
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Speak God's words after him like a baby imitating its parents.
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Say what God says about you.
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Reprint Life Church Confession Of Faith
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Develop new confession based on Ephesians 1:3-10
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Expect to see the fruit of redemption operating in your life.
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Call those things that are not as though they were. - Rom 4:13-25
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Reset yourself every morning with God's Word.
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Speak God's Word into your situation.
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Altar Call / Welcome Cards / Communion
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Welcome Cards - refer to script
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Benediction - Numbers 6:24-26
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“‘“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”’
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Men's Prayer
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Discussion Questions / Topics (based on the indicated scriptures)
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Ephesians 1:3-8
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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Followers of Jesus have been chosen by God to be holy and blameless, adopted as sons, and redeemed. Do you really believe this? How was this reflected in your life this past week?
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How do the phrases "riches of God's grace", and "lavished on us" line up with the way you usually think about your salvation?
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Do you take time to speak what God says to you in this area? Discuss.
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1Corinthians 6:9-11; Colossians 1:13-14
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1Corinthians 6:9-11
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
Colossians 1:13-14
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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Do you struggle with shame? Discuss.
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Do the brothers and sisters in your life group to speak into your life? What affects their ministry to you? What affects your ministry to them?
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What role does believing that you are redeemed play in this?
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Luke 7:36-50
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Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is — that she is a sinner.”
Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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Do you express your love to the Lord? If so, in what ways?
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Do you see yourself in this passage? Discuss.
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What does this passage teach you?
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Witnessing Activities
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Review the Luke 7:36-50 passage above.
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Break up into groups of 2 - 3 and practice using it to tell someone about salvation through Jesus.
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Consider the following questions in your presentation:
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What do you think of the woman's behavior? Can you relate to what she did? Can you relate to the feelings she was expressing?
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How did the Pharisee's attitude resemble that of other people you have known?
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Have you been forgiven much or little?
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Jesus forgave the woman's sins. What's up with that?
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Jesus said the woman's faith had saved her. How did she express her faith? How might you express your faith to receive forgiveness?
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Scriptures For 08/09/2009 Life Church Sermon
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
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So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God — through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
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Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
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For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
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But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
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Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
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Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is — that she is a sinner.”
Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
“Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.”
“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
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