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Notes
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Introduction
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Bible Reading 8/15 - 8/21:
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OT Timeline:
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OT Contemporary Books:
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Review
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In Christ We Have It All (Part 1)
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Raw Material
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Prayer Obstacles - what do I do about these?
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Anxiety - restless thoughts
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Meditate on suitable passages: 1John 4:4; Phil 4:6-7; 1Pet 5:7
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PRAY EARLY!!!
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Write a blog entry on James Ryles’ definition of grace.
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The empowering presence of God that enables you to be who he has called you to be and to do what he has called you to do
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For a message:
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Make sure you know God - “I never knew you”: Visiting, feeding, clothing those in need aren’t to be done as rules, but rather as a reflection of knowing Jesus.
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1Cor 13 “if I have not love”: Giving to the poor must be done out of love.
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Find Bible passage connection between this love and knowing God
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For the message
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Saying "I've never believed in any other God!" is like saying "I only root for the Celtics!". This is not the same as playing on the team and putting points on the board.
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Preparation - Ephesians 1:3-10
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Select the Passage - Ephesians 1:3-10
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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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We have every spiritual blessing in Christ!
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Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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Explain It: What does this mean?
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Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
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The blessing falls into 4 categories:
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We have been chosen in Christ for holiness and blamelessness.
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We have been adopted as God's sons through Christ.
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We have redemption in Christ.
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We have been made partners in the work of God's Kingdom.
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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We're being made like Jesus - 2Corinthians 3:12-18
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
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This is something we should be praising God for!
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We can be holy and blameless.
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We are God's sons!
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We have been set free from bondage to sin.
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We are part of the family business.
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea:
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
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Recognize their various layers of belief.
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Understand who they are in Christ.
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Understand what they have in Christ.
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Understand what they can do in Christ.
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Commit themselves to renewing their minds based on this revelation.
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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:
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Use accessible language.
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Use modern day parables based on every day occurrences:
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Sitting at a stop light
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Driving through a green light
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Approaching a yellow light
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Being cut off in traffic
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Going shopping
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Going to a mall
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Going to school; sitting in class
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Going to work; sitting in your office;
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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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This is our last week here at the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School.
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Welcome Cards -
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“I want to call your attention to the Welcome Card that you were given on your way into the auditorium”
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These cards do two things for us:
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They help us get to know our new visitors better.
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They also give anyone (visitors or members) a chance to express a need or to give us feedback.
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By filling it out you will help us to better serve you.
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We're going to provide time for you to complete the cards at the end of our service, but we encourage you to start filling them out now.
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Please use this card:
• if you’re a first time visitor or if you’ve never filled one out before,
• to tell us about a decision you made today,
• to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
Please include your contact information unless we already have it. At the end of service we’ll ask you to complete the card and then place it in the designated box or give it to someone from our staff on your way out.
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There are many systems that are best understood in terms of layers.
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Features of the layer model:
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Each layer provides services to the layer above it.
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Each layer requests services from the layer below it.
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OSI Model
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Application Layer
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Presentation Layer
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Session Layer
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Transport Layer
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Network Layer
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Data Link Layer
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Physical Layer
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Postal Service (simplified)
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Mail contents
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Mail envelopes
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Mail carriers
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Mail sorting and dispatching
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Vehicles: cars, trucks, planes, etc.
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Streets, roads, sky
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Telephone Systems (simplified)
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Long distance relationship
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Telephone calls
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Telephone dialing and call routing infrastructure
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Telephone wires
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Real estate rights of way
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This is true of belief systems.
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Don't cross at a red light is superseded by the need to rescue a child in the path of an oncoming car.
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Child safety sits at a deeper level than obeying traffic lights.
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As a child I once ran away, but couldn't bring myself to cross the street.
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Transition
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Levels of thinking affect how we interact with God's Word.
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Let's see how this insight can help us with today's passage:
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Read the Passage - Ephesians 1:3-10
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
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Exegetical Idea: We have every spiritual blessing in Christ!
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Homiletical Idea: In Christ We Have It All
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Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
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Prepare themselves to fully embrace this passage.
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Understand who they are in Christ. (next week)
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Understand what they have in Christ. (later)
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Understand what they can do in Christ. (later)
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Commit themselves to renewing their minds based on this revelation.
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Prepare yourself to fully embrace this passage.
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You've seen this passage before.
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Why isn't making a bigger difference in the lives of believers?
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What's getting in the way?
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Sometimes we lose out because we don't allow the information we need to settle deeply enough in our thinking.
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Our trip to Sag Harbor
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Aunt Charlotte had called me to give me the address and phone number of the place where they were staying.
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I didn't enter this information into my iPhone.
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Describe what happened when we got there.
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Last night I discovered the address and phone number written on a post-it on my laptop - which I had brought with me for the trip.
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Sometimes there are obstacles that keep us from thinking right.
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Some systems have problems in their upper layers.
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Some systems have problems in deeper layers.
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A clogged sink
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Liquid-Plumr sinks down to the clog and dissolves it.
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We need God's Word in our deepest levels of thought:
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Like Liquid-Plumr
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Like the high priests's sword - Hebrews 4:9-16
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Conversion process
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Warning about treatment of unsaved family members
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The "cross-fade" metaphor
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old lifestyle loses credibility due to contradictions
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internal contradictions
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external contradictions
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commitment to old lifestyle wanes due to lost credibility
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Kingdom of God becomes more and more credible
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Phase 1
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No effective awareness of Kingdom of God
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Complete commitment to independance from God
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Attitude Examples
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I lie because it works and anyone who has sense does too.
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Phase 2
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Awareness of Kingdom of God
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Commitment to Kingdom growing
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Commitment to old lifestyle exceeds commitment to Kingdom
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Attitude Examples
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I lie because it works for me, but I know there are some people who can get along without lying.
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Phase 3
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Commitment to Kingdom of God matches commitment to old lifestyle
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Candidate may have one or more experiences that are labelled as conversion experiences
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Candidate is "double-minded"
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Attitude Examples
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I lie, but I'm thinking about giving it up.
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Phase 4
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Commitment to Kingdom of God exceeds commitment to old lifestyle
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Candidate settles into practical church membership
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Attitude Examples
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I usually tell the truth, but there are some situations where lying is acceptable.
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Phase 5
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All lingering commitment to old lifestyle is extinguished - this is full repentance
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Candidate is fully committed to those aspects of the Kingdom that he/she knows about
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There is a clear path for future spiritual growth
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Attitude Examples
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Lying is wrong and I rarely do it - if I lie, it's because I was in a sudden jam and fell back on an old habit.
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Peter's Progression in Faith
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John 1:39-42
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Mat 4:18-22
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Luke 5:1-11
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Sometimes there are too many layers between our minds and the Bible.
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Our behavior
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Out thinking
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Social norms at church
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Church tradition - so I don't actually have to read the Bible
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Perception that someone else will do my Bible reading for me.
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Outdated translation
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The Bible
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How can we get everything God wants us to get from this passage?
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Let it transform your mind (Romans 12:1-2):
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Hear it!
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Read it!
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Study it!
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Memorize it!
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Meditate on it!
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Ask yourself key questions:
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How does this line up with the way I'm used to seeing myself?
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What things in my life reinforce my belief in this scripture?
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What things in my life work against my belief in this scripture?
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Do my brothers and sisters see me lining up with this scripture?
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Who you are in Christ. (next week)
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What does this mean?
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Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
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The blessing falls into 4 categories:
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We have been chosen in Christ for holiness and blamelessness.
|
|
|
|
We have been adopted as God's sons through Christ.
|
|
|
|
Is it True? Do I believe it?
|
|
|
|
We're being made like Jesus - 2Corinthians 3:12-18
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What difference does it make? So What?
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Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
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This is something we should be praising God for!
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Because I’ve been greatly blessed, I can afford to be selfless. I can focus on giving whatever God has arranged for me to give at any given time.
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We can be holy and blameless.
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We are God's sons!
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I am who God says I am!
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What you have in Christ. (later)
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What does this mean?
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Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
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The blessing falls into 4 categories:
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|
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|
We have been chosen in Christ for holiness and blamelessness.
|
|
|
|
We have been adopted as God's sons through Christ.
|
|
|
|
We have redemption in Christ.
|
|
|
|
We have been made partners in the work of God's Kingdom.
|
|
|
|
Is it True? Do I believe it?
|
|
|
|
We're being made like Jesus - 2Corinthians 3:12-18
|
|
|
|
What difference does it make? So What?
|
|
|
|
Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
|
|
|
|
This is something we should be praising God for!
|
|
|
|
Because I’ve been greatly blessed, I can afford to be selfless. I can focus on giving whatever God has arranged for me to give at any given time.
|
|
|
|
We can be holy and blameless.
|
|
|
|
We are God's sons!
|
|
|
|
We have been set free from bondage to sin.
|
|
|
|
We are part of the family business.
|
|
|
|
I have what God says I have!
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What you can do in Christ. (later)
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|
|
|
What does this mean?
|
|
|
|
Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
|
|
|
|
The blessing falls into 4 categories:
|
|
|
|
We have been chosen in Christ for holiness and blamelessness.
|
|
|
|
We have been adopted as God's sons through Christ.
|
|
|
|
We have redemption in Christ.
|
|
|
|
We have been made partners in the work of God's Kingdom.
|
|
|
|
Is it True? Do I believe it?
|
|
|
|
We're being made like Jesus - 2Corinthians 3:12-18
|
|
|
|
What difference does it make? So What?
|
|
|
|
Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
|
|
|
|
This is something we should be praising God for!
|
|
|
|
Because I’ve been greatly blessed, I can afford to be selfless. I can focus on giving whatever God has arranged for me to give at any given time.
|
|
|
|
We can be holy and blameless.
|
|
|
|
We are God's sons!
|
|
|
|
We have been set free from bondage to sin.
|
|
|
|
We are part of the family business.
|
|
|
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I can do what God says I can do!
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Renewing your mind based on this revelation.
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Conclusion
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How deep are you willing to allow this passage to get in your life?
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Are you willing to hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on it?
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What's your plan?
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Is your plan private, or do your brothers and sisters know about it?
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Are you going to do anything about this today?
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New Material
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Preparation
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Expository Preaching
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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.
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|
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|
Select the Passage
|
|
|
|
Study the Passage
|
|
|
|
NIV
|
|
|
|
Hebrew Study Bible
|
|
|
|
KJV
|
|
|
|
The Message
|
|
|
|
NASB
|
|
|
|
RSV
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
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|
|
|
Subject
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|
Tools: How, Who, What, When, Where, Why
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Complement
|
|
|
|
Analyze the Exegetical Idea
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|
|
|
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
|
|
|
|
In Christ We Have It All (Part 2)
|
|
|
|
Raw Material
|
|
|
|
Write a blog entry on James Ryles’ definition of grace.
|
|
|
|
|
The empowering presence of God that enables you to be who he has called you to be and to do what he has called you to do
|
|
|
|
For a message:
|
|
|
|
Make sure you know God - “I never knew you”: Visiting, feeding, clothing those in need aren’t to be done as rules, but rather as a reflection of knowing Jesus.
|
|
|
|
1Cor 13 “if I have not love”: Giving to the poor must be done out of love.
|
|
|
|
Find Bible passage connection between this love and knowing God
|
|
|
|
For the message
|
|
|
|
Saying "I've never believed in any other God!" is like saying "I only root for the Celtics!". This is not the same as playing on the team and putting points on the board.
|
|
|
|
Preparation - Ephesians
|
|
|
|
Select the Passage - Ephesians 1:3-10
|
|
|
|
|
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
|
|
|
|
Study the Passage
|
|
|
|
NIV
|
|
|
|
Hebrew Study Bible
|
|
|
|
KJV
|
|
|
|
The Message
|
|
|
|
NASB
|
|
|
|
RSV
|
|
|
|
Discover the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
|
We have every spiritual blessing in Christ!
|
|
|
|
Analyze the Exegetical Idea
|
|
|
|
Explain It: What does this mean?
|
|
|
|
We should bless / praise (eujloghto/ß) God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
|
|
|
|
The blessing is a series of linked concepts:
|
|
|
|
We have been chosen in Christ for holiness and blamelessness.
|
|
|
|
We were predestined for adoption as God's sons through Christ.
|
|
|
|
according to God's good pleasure and will,
|
|
|
|
to the praise of God's glorious grace
|
|
|
|
It's in God's grace that he made us accepted in Jesus.
|
|
|
|
It's in Jesus that we have redemption through his blood (the forgiveness of sins) according to the riches of his grace.
|
|
|
|
His grace is what he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
|
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Having made known to us the secret of his will to bring everything in heaven and earth under Christ.
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Prove It: Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Foreknow --> Predestined --> Called -, etc. - Romans 8:28-39
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We have everything we need - 2Peter 1:3-9
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Apply It: What difference does it make? So What?
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Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
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This is something we should be praising God for!
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We can be holy and blameless.
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We are God's sons!
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We have been set free from slavery to sin.
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We are part of the family business.
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Formulate the Homiletical Idea:
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Determine the Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
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Recognize their various layers of belief.
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Help the saints identify and eliminate the obstacles that keep them from believing Ephesians 1:3-10.
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Understand what believing Ephesians 1:3-10 looks like.
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Understand who they are in Christ.
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Understand what they have in Christ.
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Understand what they can do in Christ.
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Commit themselves to renewing their minds based on this revelation.
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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:
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Use accessible language.
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Use modern day parables based on every day occurrences:
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Sitting at a stop light
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Driving through a green light
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Approaching a yellow light
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Being cut off in traffic
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Going shopping
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Going to a mall
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Going to school; sitting in class
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Going to work; sitting in your office;
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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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Welcome to our first service at the Hampton Inn & Suites.
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Welcome Cards -
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“I want to call your attention to the Welcome Card that you were given on your way into the auditorium”
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These cards do two things for us:
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They help us get to know our new visitors better.
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They also give anyone (visitors or members) a chance to express a need or to give us feedback.
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By filling it out you will help us to better serve you.
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We're going to provide time for you to complete the cards at the end of our service, but we encourage you to start filling them out now.
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Please use this card:
• if you’re a first time visitor or if you’ve never filled one out before,
• to tell us about a decision you made today,
• to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
Please include your contact information unless we already have it. At the end of service we’ll ask you to complete the card and then place it in the designated box or give it to someone from our staff on your way out.
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Transition
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Levels of thinking affect how we interact with God's Word.
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Read the Passage - Ephesians 1:3-10
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
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Exegetical Idea: We have every spiritual blessing in Christ!
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What does this mean?
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We should bless / praise (eujloghto/ß) God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
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The blessing is a series of linked concepts:
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We have been chosen in Christ for holiness and blamelessness.
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We were predestined for adoption as God's sons through Christ.
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God has male and female sons. - - Galatians 3:26-29
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according to God's good pleasure and will,
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to the praise of God's glorious grace
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It's in God's grace that he made us accepted in Jesus.
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It's in Jesus that we have redemption through his blood (the forgiveness of sins) according to the riches of his grace.
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His grace is what he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.
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Having made known to us the secret of his will to bring everything in heaven and earth under Christ.
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Homiletical Idea: In Christ We Have It All
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Is it True? Do I believe it?
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Foreknow --> Predestined --> Called -, etc. - Romans 8:28-39
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We have everything we need - 2Peter 1:3-9
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What difference does it make? So What?
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Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
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This is something we should be praising God for!
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God has changed your identity - who you are!
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God has changed your assets - what you have!
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God has changed your ability - what you can do!
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Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
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Understand what believing Ephesians 1:3-10 looks like.
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Recognize their various layers of belief.
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Identify and eliminate their obstacles to believing Ephesians 1:3-10.
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Commit themselves to renewing their minds based on this revelation.
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Understand what believing Ephesians 1:3-10 looks like.
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Who you are in Christ.
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Your old identity:
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What is your identity? Who do you see yourself as?
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Where do you draw your identity from?
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Race / Ethnicity?
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Social Class?
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Nationality?
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Your new identity:
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You are blessed in heavenly places with every spiritual blessing.
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You are chosen to be holy and blameless.
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You are an adopted son of God.
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Confess: "I am who God says I am!"
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What you have in Christ. (next week)
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Your old assets
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Your new assets:
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You have God's grace freely given to you.
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You have redemption the forgiveness of sins.
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You have God's grace lavished on you with all wisdom and understanding.
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I have what God says I have!
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What you can do in Christ. (later)
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Your old ability:
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You new ability:
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I can partner with God in the work of his Kingdom.
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I can do what God says I can do!
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Recognize their various layers of belief.
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Your old identity.
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Identify and eliminate their obstacles to believing Ephesians 1:3-10.
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Lack of exposure to God's Word.
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Lack of understanding of God's Word.
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Lack of application of God's Word.
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Lack of patient trust in God.
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God contains our bad feelings like mothers contain their children’s bad feelings. Checkout “The MOM Factor” on this.
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Renewing your mind based on this revelation.
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You need a transformed mind. - Romans 12:1-2
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God’s Word is seed that gets planted in our hearts and lives.
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Confess it - demolish strongholds.
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“Teach them to plant my Word like a seed in their hearts.”
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God's Word works! - Isaiah 55:6-11
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Stay in God’s presence and in fellowship until your change comes.
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Conclusion
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How deep are you willing to allow this passage to get in your life?
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Are you willing to hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on it?
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What's your plan?
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Are you willing to embrace your new identity in Christ?
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Are you willing to embrace your new assets in Christ?
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Are you willing to embrace your new ability in Christ?
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Altar Call / Welcome Cards / Communion ?
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Welcome Cards - refer to script
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We're almost ready to close this portion of our service, but first we want to give you a chance to respond to what you've heard.
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Earlier in the service we mentioned the welcome cards and we encouraged you to begin filling them out.
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Right now we want you to complete your welcome card. We especially want you to use this card if:
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if you’re a first time visitor
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if you’ve never filled one out before,
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if you want to tell us about a decision you made today,
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if you want to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
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Please be sure to include your up to date contact information unless we already have it.
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MC & Worship Team continue with tithes, offerings, and worship
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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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Life Group Material
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Life Group Word Material
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These are sample discussion questions / topics. Your life group leaders may choose to adjust these questions, substitute new ones, or spend the Word section of the meeting in a different way altogether.
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
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Ephesians 1:3-10
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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Describe what you see as the new identify that God has given you according to this passage.
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In what ways have you already embraced this identity?
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In what ways do you still need to embrace this identity?
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Romans 12:1-2
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Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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What have you done this past week to renew your mind?
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What will you do this week to renew your mind?
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Isaiah 55:6-11
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Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
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Discussion Questions / Topics:
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What scriptures has God been using in your life recently?
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How have you cooperated with God's Word this past week?
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What can you do specifically this week to cooperate with what God's Word has been sent to do in your life?
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Life Group Witnessing Activities
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Key Passage - John 4:21-24
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Activities
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Read Ephesians 1:3-10 five times and write down any questions you have. You get extra credit for asking someone else in the congregation what they believe the passage means.
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Scriptures For 08/22/2010 Life Church Sermon
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Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.
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Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will — to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment — to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
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In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.
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For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
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You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.
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And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all — how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
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His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
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Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.
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Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
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