In Christ We Have It All (Part 4)

Pastor Rocklyn Clarke - Sunday September 19, 2010

© 2010 Life Church Ministries, Inc.

http://www.LifeChurchBoston.org/

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Notes
V Introduction
V Bible Reading:
* 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 4)
> Raw Material
> 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 focusing on letting Ephesians 1 transform our thinking.
* You need to know who you are.
V You need to know what you have and 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!
V You need to know what you can do and how to do it.
* Base Jumping - write a letter explaining why you died.
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* 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?
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.
V Your old assets
* Your own righteousness
* Your old status
* Your old agenda
* Your old sins
V Your new assets:
* You have peace with God - Romans 5
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 20:32
* 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.
V Your old ability:
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V Your new ability:
* I can do what God says I can do!
V I can know God's will.
* Talk to God and hear his voice
* Know him - Ephesians 1:15-23
* I can partner with God in the work of his Kingdom.
* Reach out to the lost
* Lead
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 How Do You Do It (God's Will)?
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.
* Lack of patient trust in God - insistence on quick results.
V Rely on God's grace
V Grace is activated by our alignment with God's agenda
* 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 15:9-10 - 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.
* We receive grace by approaching God's throne - 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.
* God's grace is enough for us. - 2Corinthians 12:7-10
V Renew your mind.
* Faith comes by hearing God's Word - Romans 10:12-17
* You need a transformed mind. - Romans 12:1-2
* Let God's Word build you up - Acts 20:32
* Let the Ephesians 1 passage transform your thinking
V Sowing and Reaping
* God’s Word is seed that gets planted in our hearts and lives.
* God says: “Teach them to plant my Word like a seed in their hearts.”
V I'm teaching you to plant so that you will be able to harvest.
* "Sow a thought and you reap an action; sow an action and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny."
~ James Allen
* Will the Word sown in your heart be fruitful? - Luke 8:4-15
V Sowing and reaping is not fast!
V As time goes on, many of the new habits, skills, and tools we need to master require a significant investment in time and a non-trivial learning curve.
* This is a result of growth. The more we grow, the more of the "easy" habits we've already mastered.
* President Obama has observed that by the time things get to his desk they're almost always difficult. If they weren't difficult, they would have been done by someone on a lower level.
* Self-sorting of dissimilar sized objects
* We need to persevere - 2Peter 1:3-9
V Conclusion
* How deep are you willing to allow this passage to get in your life?
* Will you embrace your new identity, assets, and ability in Christ?
* Are you willing to faithfully plant God's Word in your heart?
* Are you willing to retain the Word?
* Are you willing to persevere?
* Will you produce a good crop?
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 identity 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 Romans 12:1-2
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.
V Discussion Questions / Topics:
* In what ways did you allow your mind to be renewed this past week?
* How will you allow your mind to be renewed next week?
V Luke 8:4-15
While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, “‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
“This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
V Discussion Questions / Topics:
* This parable describes seed falling on four different locations. Which situation best describes your life this past week? Which one best describes your Christian life in general?
V Life Group Witnessing Activities
V Key Passage - Ephesians 1:15-23
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.
V Activities
* Begin praying this prayer four yourself and for the members of your life group.
> Scriptures For 09/19/2010 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.