In Christ We Have It All (Part 3)

Pastor Rocklyn Clarke - Sunday August 29, 2010

© 2010 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.LifeChurchBoston.org/

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Notes
V Introduction
V Bible Reading 8/22 - 8/28:
* OT Timeline:
* OT Contemporary Books:
> Review
V New Material
* Answer some of last week's discussion questions
> Preparation
> Misc
V In Christ We Have It All (Part 3)
V 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
V 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
V 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.
V For the Message:
* Hebrews 4:14-16
* Romans 10:17
V ready to hear from God:
* Psalm 131?
V Sermon Illustration:
* Our mission is not to permanently destroy the world’s system. It’s there to provide a “powerful delusion” for those who refuse to believe the truth. Our mission is to continually unravel the world’s system as a witness to the power and authority of God’s Kingdom.
V Use Airplane Metaphor For next message in series:
* stalling
* tailspin
* The way up is down?
> Preparation - Ephesians 1:3-10
> Standing Issues
V Introduction
* Welcome to our second service at the Hampton Inn & Suites.
V Welcome Cards -
* “I want to call your attention to the Welcome Card that you were given on your way into the auditorium”
V These cards do two things for us:
* They help us get to know our new visitors better.
* They also give anyone (visitors or members) a chance to express a need or to give us feedback.
* By filling it out you will help us to better serve you.
V 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.
* 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.
V Transition
* Levels of thinking affect how we interact with God's Word.
V You need to know some things:
* Knowing who you are makes a difference.
* Knowing what you have makes a difference.
* Knowing what you can do makes a difference.
V Today we're going to be focusing on knowing what we have in Christ.
* You need to know what you have.
* You need to know how to use it.
V Airplane Illustration
* Airplanes are powerful machines that require skill to use.
V Airplane files because air flow over its wings generates lift.
* Wings can't fall off a flying plane - the wings are flying the plane!
* The plane can fall off it's wings however - check youtube clips.
V Airplane stalls
* Airplanes can stall when they are pitched too highly.
* Stall recovery requires speed achieved by descending.
* It's critical to get this right!
* You've got to know how to use what you have!
* Read 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.
* Exegetical Idea: We have every spiritual blessing in Christ!
V What does this mean?
* We should bless / praise (eujloghto/ß) God who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
V The blessing is a series of linked concepts:
* We have been chosen in Christ for holiness and blamelessness.
V We were predestined for adoption as God's sons through Christ.
* God has male and female sons. - Galatians 3:26-29
* 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.
* Having made known to us the secret of his will to bring everything in heaven and earth under Christ.
* Homiletical Idea: In Christ We Have It All
V Is it True? Do I believe it?
* Foreknow --> Predestined --> Called -, etc. - Romans 8:28-39
* We have everything we need - 2Peter 1:3-9
V What difference does it make? So What?
* Every blessing means there is nothing left out.
* This is something we should be praising God for!
* God has changed your identity - who you are!
* God has changed your assets - what you have!
* God has changed your ability - what you can do!
V Purpose of the Sermon (what listeners should do)
* Understand what believing Ephesians 1:3-10 looks like.
* Recognize their various layers of belief.
* Identify and eliminate their obstacles to believing Ephesians 1:3-10.
* Commit themselves to renewing their minds based on this revelation.
V Understand what believing Ephesians 1:3-10 looks like.
V Who you are in Christ.
V Your old identity:
* What is your identity? Who do you see yourself as?
V Where do you draw your identity from?
* Race / Ethnicity?
* Social Class?
* Nationality?
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V Your new identity:
* You are blessed in heavenly places with every spiritual blessing.
* You are chosen to be holy and blameless.
* You are an adopted son of God.
* Confess: "I am who God says I am!"
V What you have in Christ. (next week)
V Your old assets
* Your own righteousness
* Your old status
* Your old agenda
* Your old sins
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*
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V Your new assets:
V You have redemption
* freeing for ransom
* the forgiveness of sins.
V You have God's grace
"Grace is 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" - Pastor James Ryle
* Freely given to you.
* Lavished on you with all wisdom and understanding.
* Grace --> gifts - Romans 12:3-8
* God's grace is enough - 2Corinthians 12:7-10
* The Word of God's Grace - Acts 20:25-32
* God's grace causes us to reign in this life - Romans 5:15-21
But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
* I have what God says I have!
V What you can do in Christ. (later)
V Your old ability:
*
*
*
*
*
V Your new ability:
* I can partner with God in the work of his Kingdom.
* I can do what God says I can do!
V God is raising up people who will do his will with no visible means of support:
* Walking on water
* “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” - wire work.
V Identify and eliminate your obstacles to believing Ephesians 1:3-10.
V The Old You
* Your old identity.
V Your old attitude.
* "I'm a failure."
* "I can't make it."
* "It would be just my luck."
* “I’m so far behind, I'll never catch up.”
V Poor spiritual nutrition:
* Lack of exposure to God's Word.
* Lack of understanding of God's Word.
* Lack of application of God's Word.
V Lack of patient trust in God.
* God contains our bad feelings like mothers contain their children’s bad feelings. Checkout “The MOM Factor” on this.
* I make mistakes, but God is bigger than my mistakes.
V Renew your mind based on this revelation.
* You need a transformed mind. - Romans 12:1-2
V God’s Word is seed that gets planted in our hearts and lives.
* Confess it - demolish strongholds.
* “Teach them to plant my Word like a seed in their hearts.”
* God's Word works! - Isaiah 55:10-11
* Stay in God’s presence and in fellowship until your change comes.
V New Attitude:
* “I can do everything through Christ . . .” - Philippians 4:13
* “I have everything I need” - 2Peter 1:3-4
* “If any of you lacks wisdom . . .” - James 1:1-8
* “I don’t have a spirit of timidity . . .” - 2Timothy 1:1-7
* Learn how grace works:
V Grace is activated by our alignment with God's agenda
* Acts 4:23-31 - The apostles testify about the resurrection (Part 1)
On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them. You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father David: “‘Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the Lord and against his Anointed One.’ Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.
* Acts 4:32-35 - The apostles testify about the resurrection (Part 2)
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
* Acts 14:1-3 - Paul and Barnabus speak boldly for the Lord
At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.
* 1Corinthians 15:1-8 - Paul works hard by God's grace (Part 1)
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
* 1Corinthians 15:9-10 - Paul works hard by God's grace (Part 2)
For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them — yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.
* Hebrews 4:14-16 - We receive grace by approaching God's throne
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
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V Conclusion
* How deep are you willing to allow this passage to get in your life?
* Are you willing to hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on it?
* What's your plan?
* Are you willing to embrace your new identity in Christ?
* Are you willing to embrace your new assets in Christ?
* Are you willing to embrace your new ability in Christ?
V Altar Call / Welcome Cards / Communion ?
* Welcome Cards - refer to script
* 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.
* Earlier in the service we mentioned the welcome cards and we encouraged you to begin filling them out.
V Right now we want you to complete your welcome card. We especially want you to use this card if:
* if you’re a first time visitor
* if you’ve never filled one out before,
* if you want to tell us about a decision you made today,
* if you want to ask us for more information, or to give us feedback.
* Please be sure to include your up to date contact information unless we already have it.
* MC & Worship Team continue with tithes, offerings, and worship
* Benediction - Numbers 6:24-26
“‘“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.”’
* Men's Prayer
V Life Group Material
V Life Group Word Material
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.
V 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.
V Discussion Questions / Topics:
* Describe what you see as the new identify that God has given you according to this passage.
* In what ways have you already embraced this identity?
* In what ways do you still need to embrace this identity?
V 2Peter 1:3-4
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.
V Discussion Questions / Topics:
* Have you behaved this past week like someone who has everything he/she needs for life and godliness? Discuss.
* How can this verse make a difference in your life this week?
V 2Corinthians 12:7-10
To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
V Discussion Questions / Topics:
* How has God's grace (i.e. his empowering presence) been sufficient for you this past week?
* Are there any "thorns in your flesh" that you've been asking God to remove? Discuss.
V Acts 4:32-35
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
V Discussion Questions / Topics:
* Have you shared the good news about the resurrection of Jesus with anyone lately? What happened?
* Have you experienced God's grace (i.e. his empowering presence) as you served him this week? Discuss.
V Life Group Witnessing Activities
V Key Passage - Hebrews 4:14-16
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
V Activities
* Share with your brothers and sisters some of the things that you need grace for this week.
* Spend some time praying for each others needs.
> Scriptures For 08/29/2010 Life Church Sermon
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (NIV) Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.