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Notes
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Introduction
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Bible Reading 8/30 - 9/5: Job 34:1 - 42:17; Ecclesiastes 1:1 - 10:3; 2Corinthians 4:1 - 8:15; Psalm 44:1 - 49:20; Proverbs 22:10-21
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OT Timeline:
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OT Contemporary Books:
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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
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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.
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?
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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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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.
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|
|
|
Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
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|
|
|
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.
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Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
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|
|
Outline the Sermon
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|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
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Holiness and blamelessness are God's intention for us.
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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.
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|
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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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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.
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|
|
|
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.
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|
Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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|
|
|
Explain It: What does this mean?
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|
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
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
|
|
Abraham became a father of nations and received all the resources he needed to secure his legacy.
|
|
|
|
Jesus taught his disciples about being blessed - Mat 5:1-12
|
|
|
|
Their blessing could be summed up as receiving the Kingdom. In the Kingdom they had purpose, provision, etc.
|
|
|
|
Blessing comes by faith in God’s Word (i.e believing what he says)! - Galatians 3:1-14; Romans 10:17
|
|
|
|
Conclusion
|
|
|
|
God redeemed you (men and women) in order to adopt you as a son!
|
|
|
|
Redeemed people can receive grace for transformation in their lives.
|
|
|
|
This grace often comes through other believers.
|
|
|
|
Stay connected to other believers who can speak into your life.
|
|
|
|
You need to believe what God says about you!
|
|
|
|
Believe that you have been redeemed through Jesus' death for you.
|
|
|
|
Speak God's words after him like a baby imitating its parents.
|
|
|
|
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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Use The Whole Package (Part 5): In The Plan
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Preparation - Ephesians 1:9-10
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Expository Preaching
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Select the Passage - Ephesians 1:9-10
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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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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.
God has revealed to us his plan, mysterious, pleasing to him, and based in Christ, to unite everything in heaven and on earth under Christ at the end of time.
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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God plans to unite everything under Christ.
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under one head - anakefalaiw Gk. anakephalaioo - "to bring to a head"; "to sum up"
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This will be achieved at the end of time.
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This plan is pleasing to God.
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This plan is itself based in Christ.
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This plan is a mystery that God has revealed to us.
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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God plans to unite everything under Christ at the end of time.
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Every knee will bow - Philip 2:5-11
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"everything under his feet" - 1Corinthians 15:20-28; Ephesians 1:18-23;
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This plan is pleasing to God.
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The Father is pleased to give us the Kingdom - Luke 12:22-34
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This plan is itself based in Christ. - Ephesians 4:11-16
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This plan is a mystery that God has revealed to us. - Ephesians 3:2-11;
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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Knowing God's plan makes us responsible
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There are three ways you can be related to a plan:
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originate it
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implement it
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submit to it
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In the case of God’s plan, the following truths apply:
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Only God is the originator
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We will all submit to his plan eventually
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We can choose to participate in implementing the plan
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When God reveals his plan we need to align ourselves with it.
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Parable of the Shrewd Manager: Luke 16:1-15
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Context
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Addressed to Pharisees and teachers of the law who criticized Jesus' association with "sinners".
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Parable of the lost sheep
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Parable of the lost coin
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Parable of the lost Son
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Key Concepts:
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Manager - oikodomeo Gk. oikodomeo
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The Pharisees were "managers" over Israel
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They multiplied the "debts" the people "owed" to God
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Luke 16:1-8 provides the natural example
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Luke 16:9-15 applies the example to the Kingdom
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worldly wealth: our assets and resources
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gain friends: win souls into God's Kingdom
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We must use our resources to win people for God
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If we do we will receive true riches in heaven
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The way the we use our resources has consequences:
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Faithfulness with little qualifies you for handling much
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Unfaithfulness with little disqualifies you for handling much
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If we faithfully use the resources we have to build the Kingdom, we have a basis for receiving more.
|
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It's not about the money!
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It's about what God values - people!
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I’m offering prime real estate in the Kingdom. This is a chance to build on it. Will you build with wood hay or stubble, or gold, silver, or precious stones? 1Cor 3:10-15
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Where do you see opportunities? When was the last time you grabbed an opportunity?
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Devotional time is a morning reboot
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Ephesians 1:3-14 is excellent reboot material.
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Devotion - our devotional time is important to God.
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What do you get for the man who has everything?
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Sons should spend time with their fathers.
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Cat’s In The Cradle
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Faith for transformation (Life Church Vision is transformation
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Faith that Eph 1:4b-6 (predestined to be adopted as sons) 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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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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Formulate the Homiletical Idea
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God has let us in on a mystery: in Christ he will, with pleasure and in the fullness of time, unite everything in heaven and earth under Christ.
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
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I want believers who hear this message to:
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Align themselves under the headship of Jesus.
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Take their part in aligning the world under the headship of Jesus.
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Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
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Outline the Sermon
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
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I want believers who hear this message to:
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Align themselves under the headship of Jesus.
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Take their part in aligning the world under the headship of Jesus.
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Introduction
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We had another party for God this morning! Were you there?
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Did God enjoy your contribution to our worship today?
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There is no substitute for your individual experience with God!
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There is no substitute for your corporate experience with God!
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Would you turn down an invitation to a party for your parents?
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God is your Father - don't miss his party!
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Our history with automobile repairs.
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1983: Toyota Tercel Wagon
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Radiator breakdown at McDonald's on American Legion Highway
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My do it yourself repairs.
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1988: Toyota Corolla Al-Trac
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More do-it-yourself repairs: brakes, alternator
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The radio antenna and the blizzard
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2002: Chrysler Town & Country Limited
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7 year / 70,000 mile warranty
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The joy of a warranty-covered repair (we've had many).
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Sometimes you have coverage for something and don't realize it.
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It's upsetting to know that you paid or something unnecessarily!
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It's upsetting to know that you went without unnecessarily!
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It's a blessing to get for free what you planned to pay for.
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It's a blessing to get for free what you wanted but couldn't afford.
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Read the Passage Context - Ephesians 1:3-10
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Read the Passage - Ephesians 1:9-10
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|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
Formulate the Homiletical Idea
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|
God gave you the whole package in his Son Jesus Christ!
God has let us in on a mystery: in Christ he will, with pleasure and in the fullness of time, line up everything in heaven and earth under Christ.
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What does this mean?
|
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Five Key Components:
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God plans to line up everything under Christ - this is his purpose.
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|
|
This will be achieved at the end of time.
|
|
|
|
This plan is pleasing to God.
|
|
|
|
This plan is itself based in Christ.
|
|
|
|
This plan is a mystery that God has revealed to us.
|
|
|
|
God plans to unite everything under Christ at the end of time.
|
|
|
|
under one head - anakefalaiw Gk. anakephalaioo - "to bring to a head"; "to sum up"
|
|
|
|
Every knee will bow - Philippians 2:3-11
|
|
|
|
"everything under his feet" - Ephesians 1:15-23
|
|
|
|
This plan is pleasing to God.
|
|
|
|
Ultimately, it's about God's desire, not yours!
|
|
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|
The Father is pleased to give us the Kingdom - Luke 12:22-34
|
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This plan is itself based in Christ. - Ephesians 4:11-16
|
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Purpose and Means
|
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"purposed in Christ"
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"in Christ" - Christ is the means to the purpose.
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Those who are "in Christ" should align with God's purpose.
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"bring everything . . . under one head, even Christ"
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"under . . . Christ" - Christ is the key to the purpose.
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Purpose: to line up everything under Christ.
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Illustrations:
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Means and purpose are different
|
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|
2008 Presidential campaigns of Obama and McCain - Each had the presidency as their purpose, but since neither was an incumbent neither could use the presidency as a means.
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Means and purpose are the same
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2004 Presidential campaign of George W. Bush - His purpose was re-election as president and as an incumbent, he used his presidency as part of his means.
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You should be a part of God's plan to line up everything under Christ.
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You do this through being "in" Christ - via the relationship, not rules!
|
|
|
|
What difference does it make? So What?
|
|
|
|
Being let in on God's plan makes us responsible
|
|
|
|
There are three ways you can be related to a plan:
|
|
|
|
originate it
|
|
|
|
implement it
|
|
|
|
submit to it
|
|
|
|
In the case of God’s plan, the following truths apply:
|
|
|
|
Only God is the originator
|
|
|
|
We will all submit to his plan eventually
|
|
|
|
We can choose to participate in implementing the plan
|
|
|
|
Three choices:
|
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|
Don't acknowledge Jesus as Lord now.
|
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|
You will bow the knee eventually - Philip
|
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|
Your destiny is the burning lake (along with Satan and demons)
|
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|
Acknowledge Jesus as Lord; never engage God's plan
|
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|
|
Burying your mina leads to humiliation! - Luke 19:11-27
|
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|
Acknowledge Jesus as Lord; actively engage God's plan
|
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|
|
Using your mina leads to reward! - Luke 19:11-27
|
|
|
|
What are you going to do? Will you engage God's plan?
|
|
|
|
How do I engage God's plan?
|
|
|
|
Acknowledge the plan's purpose: aligning the world under Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Align yourself under the headship of Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Join the Father in aligning the world under the headship of Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Align yourself under the headship of Jesus.
|
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|
Don't focus on following "the rules"!
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|
Embrace the relationship!
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|
Prayer
|
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|
The Word
|
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|
Pray - build your relationship with God!!!
|
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|
Set aside exclusive time with God every day!
|
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|
Prayer Pattern - Matthew 6:5-15
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|
Our Father in heaven - Pray to your Father in heave
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|
Hallowed be you name
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Open with worship
|
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|
Show respect, reverence God's name
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|
Tell God about himself.
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Your Kingdom come your will be done
|
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|
Ask God to reign and carry out his will
|
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|
On earth as it is in heaven
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|
Ask God to do this on the earth where it counts for us.
|
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|
Make this "exercise really effective" in connecting with God.
|
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|
Get specific and local!
|
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|
What do you already know about God's will?
|
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|
What does God want to happen in your situation?
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|
Ask for it to be done.
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|
Give us today our daily bread - Ask for today's needs.
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|
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven . . .
|
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|
Pray for the forgiveness you need.
|
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|
Give the forgiveness that others need from you.
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|
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one
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|
What's coming down the road? Ask God to intercept it.
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|
For yours is the Kingdom and the power and the glory.
|
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|
Close with worship
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Upcoming prayer workshop
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Coming soon!
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Sunday mornings at 9am
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Will last about 4 weeks.
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Teaching, prayer, questions and answers
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The Word
|
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|
How to get a handle on the Word - Navigators "Word Hand"
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|
Hear the Word.
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|
Read the Word.
|
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|
Study the Word.
|
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|
Memorize the Word.
|
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|
Meditate on the Word.
|
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|
|
How to use the Word.
|
|
|
|
Speak the Word into your own life.
|
|
|
|
Say what God says about you.
|
|
|
|
Call things that are not as though they were. - Rom 4:17
|
|
|
|
Abram (High Father) ----> Abraham (Father of multitude)
|
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|
|
Sarai (Princess) ----> Sarah (Princess of multitude)
|
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|
|
Revised Confession Of Faith including Eph 1:3-10 content
|
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|
|
Speak God's words after him like a baby imitating its parents.
|
|
|
|
Confession
|
|
|
|
It is not a "magic formula" for making things happen.
|
|
|
|
It helps you recognize some of your unbiblical thinking.
|
|
|
|
It helps you reprogram your mind.
|
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|
|
Do the Word (i.e. put the Word into practice).
|
|
|
|
Join the Father in aligning the world under the headship of Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Commit your resources (time, money, property,relationships).
|
|
|
|
Parable of the Shrewd Manager: Luke 16:1-15
|
|
|
|
Context
|
|
|
|
Addressed to Pharisees and teachers of the law who criticized Jesus' association with "sinners".
|
|
|
|
Parable of the lost sheep
|
|
|
|
Parable of the lost coin
|
|
|
|
Parable of the lost Son
|
|
|
|
Key Concepts:
|
|
|
|
Manager - oikodomeo Gk. oikodomeo
|
|
|
|
The Pharisees were "managers" over Israel
|
|
|
|
They multiplied the "debts" the people "owed" to God
|
|
|
|
Luke 16:1-8 provides the natural example
|
|
|
|
Luke 16:9-15 applies the example to the Kingdom
|
|
|
|
worldly wealth: our assets and resources
|
|
|
|
gain friends: win souls into God's Kingdom
|
|
|
|
We must use our resources to win people for God
|
|
|
|
If we do we will receive true riches in heaven
|
|
|
|
The way the we use our resources has consequences:
|
|
|
|
Faithfulness with little qualifies you for handling much
|
|
|
|
Unfaithfulness with little disqualifies you for handling much
|
|
|
|
If we faithfully use the resources we have to build the Kingdom, we have a basis for receiving more.
|
|
|
|
It's not about the money!
|
|
|
|
It's about what God values - people!
|
|
|
|
Seize your opportunities
|
|
|
|
Ask God to show you the opportunities around you.
|
|
|
|
Ask God to give you opportunities to tell others about Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Take a risk
|
|
|
|
Let people ask you questions, then get them answers.
|
|
|
|
Don't force doctrine on people; ask good questions:
|
|
|
|
Luck
|
|
|
|
What's the luckiest thing that ever happened to you?
|
|
|
|
What will you do if your lottery ticket wins?
|
|
|
|
Club
|
|
|
|
What's the best night you ever had at the club?
|
|
|
|
How's the music?
|
|
|
|
Where do you see opportunities? When was the last time you grabbed an opportunity?
|
|
|
|
I’m offering prime real estate in the Kingdom. This is a chance to build on it. Will you build with wood hay or stubble, or gold, silver, or precious stones? 1Corinthians 3:10-15
|
|
|
|
Pick up a weapon and stand a post!
|
|
|
|
Speak the Word into the circumstances around you!
|
|
|
|
Carry the prayer burden for others!
|
|
|
|
Serve in ministry!
|
|
|
|
Make outreach a lifestyle!
|
|
|
|
Conclusion
|
|
|
|
Being let in on God's plan makes us responsible for what we know!
|
|
|
|
How do I engage God's plan? Through letting him connect with us.
|
|
|
|
Acknowledge God's purpose: aligning the world under Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Align yourself under the Jesus' headship through prayer and the Word.
|
|
|
|
Join the Father in aligning the world under the headship of Jesus.
|
|
|
|
Commit your resources.
|
|
|
|
Seize your opportunities.
|
|
|
|
Grab a weapon and stand a post!
|
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
The Cross (Part 1)
|
|
|
|
Preparation - Luke 9:23-26
|
|
|
|
Expository Preaching
|
|
|
|
Select the Passage - Luke 9:18-26
|
|
|
|
Study the Passage
|
|
|
|
NIV
|
|
|
|
Hebrew Study Bible
|
|
|
|
KJV
|
|
|
|
The Message
|
|
|
|
NASB
|
|
|
|
RSV
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
|
If you try to save your life - you'll end up losing it. If instead you lose your life by following Jesus in the way of the cross, you will save it.
|
|
|
|
Analyze the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
Explain It: What does this mean?
|
|
|
|
". . . deny himself . . ."
|
|
|
|
". . . take up your cross . . ."
|
|
|
|
Suffering: " . . . the Son of Man must suffer many things . . ."
|
|
|
|
Rejection: ". . . rejected by the elders, chief priests, and . . ."
|
|
|
|
Death: ". . . he must be killed . . ."
|
|
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Crucifixion
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". . . daily . . ."
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". . . and follow me."
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"whoever wants to save his life will lose it"
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"whoever loses his life for me will save it"
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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What sparked this? Mark 8:27-38 (Peter's rebuke of Jesus)
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Sometimes we reject difficult circumstances that are actually sent by God. - Jeremiah 45:1-5
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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Attitude of the cross
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Experience of the cross
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If we reject the experience of the cross, we risk the Lord's anger.
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Trying to save your own life will make it useless for God.
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Losing your life daily is the path to saving it.
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea
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Take up the cross - it will save your life!
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
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I want believers who hear this message to:
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Deny themselves.
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Take up the cross daily.
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Follow Jesus.
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Learn to lose their lives.
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Take up the cross - it will save your life!
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Decide How to Accomplish This Purpose
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Outline the Sermon
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon
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I want believers who hear this message to:
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Deny themselves.
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Take up the cross daily.
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Follow Jesus.
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Learn to lose their lives.
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Introduction
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We had another party for God this morning! Were you there?
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Did God enjoy your contribution to our worship today?
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There is no substitute for your individual experience with God!
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There is no substitute for your corporate experience with God!
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Would you turn down an invitation to a party for your parents?
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God is your Father - don't miss his party!
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Plane on a conveyor belt - mental categories.
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The Word today will challenge our mental categories.
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Read the Passage - Luke 9:23-26
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Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
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Exegetical Idea
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If you try to save your life - you'll end up losing it. If instead you lose your life by following Jesus in the way of the cross, you will save it.
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Homiletical Idea
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Take up the cross - it will save your life!
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What does this mean?
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What sparked this? Mark 8:27-38 (Peter's rebuke of Jesus)
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". . . deny himself . . ."
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". . . take up your cross . . ."
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Symbolism
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The cross is not just a pretty jewelry item.
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It is a symbol of public humiliating death.
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Like a noose as a symbol of intimidation against Blacks.
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Suffering: " . . . the Son of Man must suffer many things . . ."
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Rejection: ". . . rejected by the elders, chief priests, and . . ."
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Death: ". . . he must be killed . . ."
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Crucifixion
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Explain - public humiliating execution
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Jesus' Crucifixion - Mark 15:1-39
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". . . daily . . ."
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". . . and follow me."
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"whoever wants to save his life will lose it"
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"whoever loses his life for me will save it"
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Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Sometimes we reject difficult circumstances that are actually sent by God. - Jeremiah 45:1-5
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It happened to Peter shortly after he had spoken revelation truth.
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It can happen to you!
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What difference does it make? So What?
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Attitude of the cross
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Experience of the cross
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If we reject the experience of the cross, we risk the Lord's anger.
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Trying to save your own life will make it useless for God.
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Losing your life daily is the path to saving it.
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Goals for believers who hear this message:
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Deny themselves.
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Take up their cross daily.
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Follow Jesus.
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Learn to lose their lives.
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Deny yourself
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Tell yourself "No!".
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It's not just saying "no" to sin.
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It's saying "no" to things that would otherwise be legitimate.
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Make your agenda take a "back seat".
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Drop the "I've got to get mine!" attitude.
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Jesus could have recreated the Sanhedrin and led the revolution the people wanted. Instead he chose the cross.
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Deny yourself in order to take up your cross!
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Illustrations:
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When I get up in the morning I am usually most eager to start tackling my "to do" list so that I can feel productive. I'm learning to deny myself in this area and set aside time to pray and read God's Word.
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Take up your cross daily
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Accept your own suffering in a sinful world.
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You should be out of sync with the world.
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Example - Americans' highest values are not necessarily God's highest values:
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Liberals - human dignity, mutual support
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Conservatives - freedom, self-reliance
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Accept rejection as a result of identifying with Jesus.
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People reject us for the stupid things other believers say and do.
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People reject us because of the message of the cross.
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Accept the death of some of your plans and dreams.
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The cross feels like failure.
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On the cross Jesus looked like a failure.
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Watching Jesus on the cross the disciples felt like failures.
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The cross is the doorway to the greatest success you can ever know!
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Your cross may be different from mine, but you need to take it up daily.
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Illustrations:
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I'm learning to let some of my daily agenda items go in order to be prioritize obeying the Lord.
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When I came back to New Covenant I was ready to let my dreams of pastoring die.
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Follow Jesus
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Pay attention to what Jesus says!
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Do what Jesus says!
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Follow Jesus, not just his followers.
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Don't substitute subcultural norms for God's Word.
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Conclusion
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Determine every day to lose your life for the Kingdom.
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What's your ritual? (e.g. Green Lantern's oath)
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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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Matthew 16:13-23
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When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”
Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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Peter recognized that Jesus was the Christ and Jesus praised him for it. Shortly afterwards Jesus rebuked him for not accepting that Jesus was destined to suffer, be rejected, and be killed. Have you ever done something unwise shortly after accomplishing something for God?
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Have you ever been unwilling to accept that suffering might be part of God's plan for someone you know? Discuss.
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Luke 9:23-26
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Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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If you've denied yourself recently, discuss how you did so and for what purpose.
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If you have not denied yourself recently, discuss some ways in which God might want you to.
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In what ways have you taken up your cross today?
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We follow Jesus by paying attention to what he said and doing it. Have you followed Jesus today? Discuss.
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Witnessing Activities
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Discuss the people you know personally who aren't followers of Jesus.
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What opportunities have you had recently to influence these people?
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How might denying yourself move them closer to salvation?
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Scriptures For 09/06/2009 Life Church Sermon
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Luke 9:18-26 (controlling passage)
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Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say I am?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “The Christ of God.”
Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone. And he said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.”
Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
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Mark 8:27-38 (Peter's rebuke of Jesus)
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Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”
“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”
Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him.
He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. He spoke plainly about this, and Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.”
Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.”
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Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.
“Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate.
“Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.
The chief priests accused him of many things. So again Pilate asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”
But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.
Now it was the custom at the Feast to release a prisoner whom the people requested. A man called Barabbas was in prison with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the uprising. The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did.
“Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead.
“What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them.
“Crucify him!” they shouted.
“Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!”
Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
It was the third hour when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!”
In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.
At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
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1Corinthians 1:10-31 - "the message of the cross is foolishness . . ."
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1Corinthians 2:1-5 - "nothing . . . except Jesus Christ . . . crucified."
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Galatians 6:12-16 - "May I never boast except in the cross . . ."
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Philippians 3:17-21 - "many live as enemies of the cross of Christ"
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Colossians 2:8-15 - "he took it away, nailing it to the cross"
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Colossians 2:20 - 3:4 - "You died . . . life is now hidden with Christ"
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Hebrews 12:1-13 - "Endured the cross, scorning its shame"
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