United In Christ · Growing In Grace · Reaching Out In Love

Sunday Morning Sermon Summary

Note to the visitor:  These are Pastor Paul’s sermon notes from Sunday Morning.  They probably won’t make much sense if you weren’t in the service.  Feel free to contact Pastor Paul if you’d like more detailed information.
For past sermons, please visit the Sermon Archive. 

►ARE WE THERE YET?

1 John 3:16-24

Sunday, June 28, 2009

ME:     Pastor for the first time; feeling frustrated by the “fruit” of my life so far; wanting to know my life counted for something… wanting to know “am I there yet” (at least when the end of my life comes). Caring for my parents, attending my Dad’s memorial service(s), realizing that my Mom is “loving” people even in her dementia…Needing to be very specific about what I need to believe, what I need to do to “finish well.”

WE:    Anybody with me on that?

GOD:  ►THREE TESTS: (Watch for the 3 Tests as you read this passage…)

1 John 3:16-24 ►This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 ►If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 ►Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. 19 This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 ►Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 ►And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. 24 Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. AND THIS IS HOW WE KNOW THAT HE LIVES IN US: WE KNOW IT BY THE SPIRIT HE GAVE US.

ALREADY - NOT THERE YET!

1.     ►ALREADY! Christ’s First Coming: breaking Satan’s power

Hebrews 9:26-28 But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 28 so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

2.    ►NOT YET! Christ’s Second Coming: destroying Satan’s Kingdom

1 Corinthians 15:24-27 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

3.    ►IN THE MEANTIME… Between His comings: undoing Satan’s works (Extending His kingdom – a “window…”)

Luke 4:18-19 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,

to release the oppressed,   19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."   

Matthew 11:4-6 "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. 6 Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." 

 ►IT’S NEVER OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER! Mark 13:32-33 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

►SO WHAT?

Matthew 24:14 This gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world…

Your frying pan is too small:  Man fishing on opposite side of lake from man catching large fish and small fishing, throwing the large fish back: “they don’t fit in my frying pan”!

Lee Strobel, The Unexpected Adventure.  The amplified life of a 3 Test Christian:

            Bible study becomes more intense because we’re not merely reading Scripture as a devotional or academic exercise, but we’re searching for fresh insights and wisdom to use in reaching our spiritually confused neighbors;

            Prayer life becomes more focused and intentional because we’re pleading for God’s help and guidance in bringing the gospel to family members who don’t know Christ;

Lee Strobel. “I’ll be the first to admit I don’t understand everything about prayer.  I know that God lets each person decide whether or not to follow Him, and we can’t impose our will on someone else, as much as we’d like to.  But I’m just naïve enough to believe the Bible when it says, ‘The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’ (James 5:16).  In fact, I like the quote popularly attributed to Mother Teresa: ‘When I pray, coincidences happen.  When I stop, they don’t’”

            Our worship becomes increasingly heartfelt because we’re praising the God of the second chance, who loves our wandering friends even more than we do;

            Our dependence on God reaches new heights, because we know that apart from the Holy Spirit there’s no way we can bring anyone to the point of putting their trust in Jesus.

“This is the missing ingredient in so many Christian’s lives. I’ve never heard anyone complain by saying, ‘My spiritual life is so dry right now; it’s like living in a desert!’ and then add, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m actively trying to reach a friend for Christ.’

“FAITH is God-directed risk” If you want to increase your faith, then share your faith with others!

►NOW WHAT? What phone call do you need to make? What email do you know you ought to send? Which neighbor should you invite for a backyard BBQ? What relative do you need to reach out to? Who is the old friend you need to reconnect with?  ASK THE HS TO SHOW YOU THE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE – BIG AND SMALL – TO ENGAGE IN THE ADVENTURE.  THEN STEP OUT AND FOLLOW HIS LEAD TODAY!

CLOSING PRAYER

Matthew 5:16 – Father, let my light shine before men that they may see my good works (God work), and glorify my Father who is in heaven.

Benediction

Practical steps we can all take to ignite our passion for helping people find Christ

            1)   Pray, admit our heart has grown cold, ask God to renew it

            2)   Show up!  Get around people who need to hear about Jesus – love, live (good works) and stick your verbal neck out!

            3)   “Study to show yourself approved…” “Always be ready to give an answer…” Read, hang around people who are sharing their faith, someone who can help you jump start your fervor for sharing your faith.

            4)   When you do share your faith, keep a record (journal, etc.) and refer to it often, YOUR SMALL GROUP IS A GREAT PLACE TO SHARE THESE STORIES.  Encourage each other, and more as you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25).

My List:

Audrey Gould

Steve Abatecola

Billy

Craig Mooneyham

Shay Lopez

James Honeycutt

Sol and Armando

Brandon and Api

Legend:

Green: Mission and Vision
Blue: Illustrations and quotes
Red: Scripture

Note to the visitor:  These are Pastor Paul’s sermon notes from Sunday Morning.  They probably won’t make much sense if you weren’t in the service.  Feel free to contact Pastor Paul if you’d like more detailed information.
For past sermons, please visit the Sermon Archive. 

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