Series: Jesus
101
“A Very Good Place to Start” (Matthew 4:1)
THREE KINDS OF KNOWING
?1.
Know (about) Christ
?2. Know Him
personally
?3. Know enough to
resemble Him
?SOMETHING
MORE
John 17:23
I in them and you in me
?MEASURING
SUCCESS
1 John 2:3
We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands.
…6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
“He has
become my righteousness, holiness, and redemption”
?“A
fundamental orientation of the heart
?”An
understanding and commitment to the ‘really real’
?“Behavior
as an indication of how well we know Jesus
?“Make Jesus
our ‘story’
(James Sire. Naming the Elephant)
?STRATEGY
(for this series)
?1)
Examine (facts about Jesus)
?2)
Experience (relationship with Jesus) “…power
of His resurrection”
?3)
Express (“Squeeze out” the person of Jesus)
“…fellowship of sharing his
sufferings”
Matt 4:1
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted by the devil…when He had fasted for forty days and forty
nights He became very hungry. During that time the devil
came…”
Jesus was led
by the Spirit
Jesus was
led into
the wilderness
While He
was there the
Devil came
THERE IS A
PURPOSE IN THE WILDERNESS
1.
To
create brokenness
Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Isa 57:15 For this is what the high
and lofty One says —
he who lives forever, whose name is
holy: "I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is
contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly
and to revive the heart of the contrite.
2.
To understand the ways of God
Ps 103:7 He made known his ways to
Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:
3.
To
experience God’s victory
Ps 23:4-5 Even though I walk through
the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you
are with me;
your rod and your staff, they
comfort me, 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of
my enemies
LESSONS FROM
THE WILDERNESS
1.
The
wilderness crucifies false spirituality
Rom 12:3 Because of the privilege
and authority God has given me, I give you this warning: Do not
think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think
of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure
of faith God has given you.
2.
The
wilderness reinforces dependence on God
Numbers 14:32 But as for you, you
will drop dead in this wilderness
Psalm 27:9 Do not turn your back.
Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my
helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my
salvation!
3.
The
wilderness prepares us for new levels of ministry
Luke 4:14 Then Jesus returned to
Galilee, filled with the Holy spirit’s power. Reports about Him
spread quickly through the whole region.
EXPRESS
“To inoculate against the praises of
man, God will baptize you in the criticism of man, until you
become dead to the control of man.” (Sherwood Carthen)
What does God need to “squeeze” out
of us?
What “false spirituality” exists
How can our “wilderness” create a
greater dependence?
What new levels of ministry do we
need to prepare for?
