Micro-Church Week 16
Discover Bible Study
Extended Notes from Sunday, April 17, 2022
CONTEXT
Easter Sunday! We had a great time celebrating the risen Savior. Our message Sunday focused on the interaction and response of Jesus toward his disciples. We said:
1. He knows us better than we know ourselves
2. Salvation was not given based on our performance (he knew we couldn’t earn it)
3. His first instructions were to gather and build the church.
The crucifixion was a choice made out of love for us. It was this choice of love that provided salvation for us. As we experience the grace of God in our lives, there is a tension between trying to live in grace and at the same time live lives that are worthy of the gift that He gave. (see Matthew 10:38)
This week, let’s dive a little deeper into how our lives interact with the world of Jesus on the cross. Look at Hebrews 12:1-3.
Hebrews 12:1–3 (NKJV)
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.
What do you notice about Jesus in this passage?
Being “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” is reference to the stories of the people listed in Hebrews 11. Hebrews 11 is sometimes called the “Roll call of faith”. Are there people in your life who have encouraged you by their faith in Jesus? Discuss.
The writer of Hebrews presents the idea that we should strive to run our race well. What are some practical ways that you could lay aside sin (things that are contradictory to a Godly lifestyle) AND weights (things that aren’t necessarily sin, but might be hindering your walk with Jesus) in your life?
Take some time to pray with your micro-church as we encourage one another to run the race that is set before us.
Easter Sunday
Matthew 26:30–35 (NKJV)
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 31 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:
‘I will strike the Shepherd, And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’
32 But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.” 33 Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble.” 34 Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” 35 Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And so said all the disciples.
Christ was keenly and painfully aware of how the disciples would respond in the upcoming moments when the pressure was applied.
In the midst of KNOWING that they were going to scatter like sheep, he never deviates from the plan.
A few thoughts about how Christ interacted with his disciples before his arrest, during the crucifixion and after his resurrection:
Before his arrest:
He knows me better than I know me!
He knew how much the disciples were capable of handling.
He even told Peter that before sunrise he would deny his relationship with Christ 3 times
That's exactly what happened - you need to understand that
He knows your tendencies
He knows your weaknesses
He knows your limits
It doesn't negate or talk him out of his plan - but it does mean that I need more grace in my life!
When I put myself in subjection to the Lordship of a risen Christ, I put myself:
At the leadership of someone who is intimately aware of my strengths and weaknesses
Hebrews 4:15-16 (NKJV) 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
He not only understands my weaknesses but also the strength of my challenges!
He stillL loves me enough to die for me
John 3:16–17 (NKJV) 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
During his crucifixion:
Jesus didn't offer salvation based on your performance, because he gave it knowing that your performance wasn't good enough.
Jesus willingly goes forward with the plan knowing that his disciples were about to bail.
Chances are, you've not been absolutely faithful to Jesus
Ephesians 2:8–9 (NKJV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
The thief on the cross:
The good news of the Gospel is based on what he has done, not what we have done!
It's built on:
His ability
His faithfulness
His goodness
After his resurrection:
His response after his resurrection was to gather and to build the church.
Here's the response of Jesus in Matthew:
Community among believers
Matthew 28:9–10 (NKJV) 9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
Communion with the Spirit
Luke 24:48–49 (NKJV) 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
The commission of making disciples
Matthew 28:18–20 (NKJV) 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
His first order of business was revealing himself to his disciples and building the new testament church
He wasn't just thinking of his 11 disciples - he was building a church in Hattiesburg!
Palm Sunday - Hosanna!
Luke 19:28–42 (NKJV)
28 When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ” 32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, manyspread their clothes on the road. 37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.” 41 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, 42 saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that makefor your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
Today - our question is:
How do we respond to Jesus???
I would make a case that if we are not responding to Jesus - then we are, in fact, responding to Jesus.
IN THIS TRIUMPHANT ENTRY
The response of the disciples:
Luke 19:35 (NKJV)
35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, manyspread their clothes on the road.
Obedience - Jesus gave them an opportunity to fulfill scripture
They didn't understand the significance of the donkey
Only in obedience did they realize that they had a part in fulfilling Zechariah 9:9
Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV) 9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.
Selflessness - they placed their own clothes for Christ to sit on
There is some symbolism here -->
In my life, I get the choice to be selfish or to allow Christ to ride on:
My finances
My lifestyle
Sometimes as disciples, we get it mixed up:
We feel like we should be riding the donkey
We should be affirmed and acknowledged
"Give me your saddle! I'm on parade!"
"I'm blessed and highly favored"
The response of the multitudes:
John 12:17–18 (NKJV)
17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.
They were praising him because of what he had done in the life of Lazarus
The work that Christ does in you, impacts those around you
When people are resurrected, the praises of the city come alive
Matthew 21:9 (NKJV)
9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David!‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ Hosanna in the highest!”
Hosanna!
The response of the pharisees:
Luke 19:39 (NKJV)
39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”
Stop! This is out of control!
Because agendas don't like the moving of the Spirit
The response of Jesus:
Luke 19:40 (NKJV)
40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
This moment was the transition!
Christ had not made much room for public acknowledgement of Him being the Messiah.
This moment - he went public about who he was!
Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV) 9 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.
He was affirming what they were proclaiming - He WAS the Messiah!
The declaration of the day was this:
If we are silent - God will raise up someone else to praise him!
First Wednesday
John 17:6-12
John 17:6–12 (NKJV)
6 “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. 7 Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. 8For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. 9 “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. 10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
Christ was committed to the community that God gave Him.
Community is chosen by God
Community is stewarded by the church
Community is protected by the power of his name
1. According to what we see and feel here, how do you think God sees community?
2. In this passage, what part does God play in building community?
3. What do you think our role is in building community?
Among believers? With non-believers?
4. Strategy! What are some practical steps we can take to build community in our micro-church - that is:
Deep!
Wide!
Four life-giving lessons from the life of Jesus
4 Lessons that we learn from the life of Jesus
1.PACE
Here's where I'm probably least like Jesus!
We don't find him rushing around like a chicken with his head cut off for 3 and a half years
As a matter of fact, sometimes he was accused of showing up late (Martha/Mary/Lazarus)
But he was on guided by the pace of the Holy Spirit and not by the pace of the people around him.
Don't let the people around you give you your pace!
Don't let Instagram dictate your pace!
Hey parents! Don't let your children dictate the pace of life!
You were called to teach them a healthy pace!
When you place limitations on your time and attention it unlocks depth in the moments you are in
A FRANTIC PACE is a symptom of giving a yes
to things that should've been given a no
The reason Jesus was so effective is because he had availability to be in the moment instead of trying to be somewhere else
Guard your pace
Guard your time
Guard your priorities
- The reason Jesus guarded his pace was because he was focused on the mission -
2. Jesus was on Mission
Woman at the Well:
John 4:28–34 (NKJV)
28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, 29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him. 31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” 32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” 33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?” 34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.
Jesus was fueled by the task given to him by the Father.
I've got to start seeing my life through the lens of mission rather than a collection of days and moments
When you live on mission
Every conversation has purpose
Every day has potential to be impactful
As I reconcile purpose with pace I realize:
My mission is where I am, not where I am going to be.
3. Jesus "peopled" well
As I look into the character of Jesus, I think I have found the driving factors of healthy relationships:
BUT LOVE IS A CHOICE - I'm talking about actions that are driven by love.
John 1:14 (NKJV)
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Scripture says that he was FULL of GRACE & TRUTH
Grace
- also translated in Luke 6 as credit
The idea here is that he gave room for people to be people
Giving grace to someone means that you don't have unreachable (or unstated) expectations over their life
It means that you:
GIVE people room to get some things wrong
GIVE people the benefit of the doubt
GIVE forgiveness even if they don't ask for it
Grace is a spirit of giving not a spirit of loaning
Loaning expects to be paid back. Giving needs no repayment
TRUTH
He was full of truth
Jesus was understanding and authentic!
The quality of his moments spent with people were reflections of the quality of his moments alone.
4. Jesus had communion with God
John 17:1–5 (NKJV)
1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, 2 as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. 4 I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. 5And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
Over and over, the rhythm of Jesus was to spend moments with people, then go away to spend moments with God.
Matthew 14:22–23 (NKJV)
22 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away. 23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
“The intensity of the moments spent under the shadow of the Almighty is the measure of your usefulness as a worker.”
-Oswald Chambers, Approved unto God
Do you want to people better?
Develop your prayer life
Parent better?
Develop your communion with God
Husband better? Wife better?
Develop your devotional life
All of the things that we have discussed today are moved by one needle:
Pace, Mission, Relationships:
My communion with God
Christ Over Us
Colossians 3:1–17 (NKJV)
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Truth 1.
Here's what scripture says:
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
What you look for is what you'll find!
Why would it surprise us that where we look is what we see!?
2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV)
7 For we walk by faith, not by sight.
This is why spiritual disciplines are important!
To have a genuine move of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we must spend time looking at the real thing!
Truth 2:
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Life is hard, but did you die?
We've talked at length already about this straight-forward, but difficult dichotomy:
To gain my life I have to lose it!
This is why so many people never experience extraordinary christianity
If we aren’t willing to try something that doesn’t make sense, I’m only left with ordinary activities in my life.
What is faith that makes sense? - Logic
It is illogical that Christ would give himself for me
It doesn't make sense that God would use me to pastor a church
It isn't logical that I can give away a significant percentage of my income and live a life that is MORE blessed!
Truth 3.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave norfree, but Christ is all and in all. 12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
The character of Christ isn't accidental.
Osmosis Jesus doesn't exist
Sniper Jesus doesn't exist
I'm never going to one day wake up as a well-discipled, mature christian!
If I am going to become spiritually mature
It must be intentional
Look for truth
Look for mentorship
Look for moments to PRACTICE faith
(Remember - we find what we look for! Truth 1 above)
Here's what Paul told the church at Colossae
Put off sin
Put on the nature of Christ
Put on love - The bond of perfection
Love is literally the glue that holds the good stuff together
The Context
When I read through this passage initially, it seems that this passage addresses us personally and has nothing to do with anyone else.
In reality, this passage has just as much to do with the people around you as it does you
13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. 14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
THE ACTIVITY OF CHRIST IN MY LIFE IS ABOUT MORE THAN ME!
The kingdom is not nearly as much about "ME AND HIM" as it is about "WE AND THEM"
The context of the activity of God in my life is not my life alone, but it is my life as it relates to the people around me!
Christ over culture
Colossians 2:4–23 (NKJV)
4 Now this I say lest anyone should deceive you with persuasive words.
5 For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.
We are warned to watch out for:
Persuasive words (v.4)
Philosophies (v.8)
Empty deceit (v.8)
Traditions with no biblical basis (v.8)
How do we guard ourselves?
We must learn to search out the word for ourselves
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16 So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17 which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. 18 Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
The church at Colossae dealt with imposing views:
Roman Empire
Syncretism
They had a very liberal culture on one side telling them that they could do anything
They had a very religious conservative culture on the other telling them they could do nothing
In the midst of all of that there were misunderstandings saying that they could just mix all of it together as they wanted
I see such a parallel between the Colossian church and the American church -
SO many people have SO many opinions!
You can find a church that will bless the things you want blessed and affirm the things you want affirmed!
You have to realize that the culture of the local church has been and always will be under attack
We aren't looking for cheap culture
Do you remember the day that Jesus had an absolute fit?
Flipping tables
Correcting
Chasing people out of the temple
Mark 11:15–17 (NKJV)
15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ”
Do you remember why? They had made redemption cheap and worldly
Christ himself fought against a system that had been made cheap
We aren't looking for church culture
On the other side of the equation - look how Christ treated the religious
Mark 12:38–13:1 (NKJV)
38 Then He said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, 39 the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, 40 who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” 41 Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. 42 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. 43 So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; 44 for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.” 1 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, “Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!”
Just as Christ stood against CHEAP culture - he was just as outspoken about creating a culture that was prohibitively expensive
The church has always fought a religious spirit that tried to make the kingdom of Jesus
A works-based society
Something for the rich
Something for those with church background
Something for those with a religious vocabulary
So:
We are fighting against "cheap culture"
We are fighting against "Church culture"
BUT WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?
We are fighting the battle of having a KINGDOM CULTURE
Kingdom culture:
Puts Jesus above our opinions
Puts Jesus above our preferences
Puts Jesus above our comfort
Matthew 16:18–19 (ESV)
18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
We are fighting for kingdom culture!
"It can't be cheap, and it can't be expensive " ???
"It can't be worldly and can't be religious" ???
This is the paradox of the church!
Christ always presented these seemingly opposite ideas:
Matthew 16:25 (NKJV) 25 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.
Luke 14:11 (NKJV) 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
John 16:33 (NKJV) 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
We have been called to live in this weird paradox ourselves:
Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
It is a substitutionary thing that happens when I give my life to Christ and He gives his life to me:
To receive salvation, ALL I need is Jesus
But
To receive salvation, I need ALL of Jesus
Christ Over All
Today, we are going to begin a series like I've not done - a comprehensive walk through a book of the Bible - Colossians
Written to the church of Colossae, likely in the spring of 57 AD
Written by Paul during his first imprisonment in Rome (House arrest, Acts 28:16,30)
Acts 28:16 (NKJV)
16 Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.
Acts 28:30–31 (NKJV)
30 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.
Here were the main struggles for the Colossian church:
The Roman Empire
It was a HUGE
From England to India (4,200 miles)
The US is only like 2,800 miles wide from coast to coast
It lasted for 1500 years
We, as a country, this coming July will be (HOW MANY?) 246 years old!
Syncretism
It was a melting pot of culture
Religions were taking little pieces of things they liked from each other and implementing it into their belief system
COEXIST
Colossae had a reputation for being a place that was in love with mysticism, new age beliefs, and cultism
You may or may not recognize this, but the culture of a local church is ALWAYS under attack (Can't stay here!, we'll talk about this next week!)
They were a church who was struggling to keep the main thing the main thing
Paul is reminding them of the MAIN thing: CHRIST
Let's Jump in,
Chapter 1:1-8
We open up the letter with the usual Pauline greeting
He is greeting the church, mentioning those who are with him or helping him write the letter, establishing his relationship as a pastor and teacher:
Colossians 1:1–8 (NKJV)
1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, 2 To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of your love for all the saints; 5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which has come to you, as it has also in all the world, and is bringing forth fruit, as it is also among you since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth; 7 as you also learned from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf, 8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.
In verse 3, he tells them that he "always" prays for them.
He goes on in verse number 9 and tells them exactly how he prays:
Colossians 1:9–11 (NKJV)
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
In that prayer, there is a shift that happens in verse number 12
Colossians 1:12 (NKJV)
12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.
He seamlessly pivots into a Thesis of Jesus
Colossians 1:13–18 (NKJV)
13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, 14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
He makes some declarations here about Jesus -
The recurring theme is: CHRIST OVER ALL
What would happen if I went through my week with a "Christ over all" attitude?
This is the point of the Gospel
It puts Jesus at the center of:
Every decision
Every conversation
Every desire
Every pursuit
Paul is urging us here - put Jesus at the center of our lives!
Colossians 1:19–20 (NKJV)
19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.
In Him, by Him
That looks surprisingly a lot like what Jesus said in John 15:
John 15:5 (NKJV)
5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
"In him, by him" is different that "By Him, For me"
We must make sure our theology puts Christ over all and not Christ over all for me.
Let's keep going:
Colossians 1:21–23 (NKJV)
21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
THIS IS HUGE THEOLOGICALLY
The idea, that I can
Say a prayer at one point
Join a church role
Shake the pastor's hand
AND ENJOY SALVATION BEYOND ANY MORE OBLIGATION IS NOT BIBLICAL
He is speaking to those who Jesus
"has reconciled - to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in His sight"
he goes on to QUALIFY that condition:
23 if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard
SALVATION is not a one-time, check the box event
SALVATION is CONTINUING IN THE FAITH
It doesn't mean you are perfect
It doesn't mean you don't have struggles
It doesn't mean that you always get everything right
It means that you keep going - Eternal life is a journey that begins now!
That's why we act the way we do around here
Next steps
Micro-churches
Sunday celebrations
Missions
Teams
We have a "no one left behind" kind of attitude
That was Paul's desire - that is why He prayed for the church constantly - if we go back and look at the way he prayed, it was obvious that He viewed discipleship as an ongoing process:
Colossians 1:9–11 (NKJV)
9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
If you look at this prayer, it is a model of a disciple in the making:
Hearing truth v.9
Understanding truth v.9
Living out truth v.10
Seeing fruit of that truth in their lives v.10
Increasing in truth v.10
Maturing in that truth v.11
This is a process that keeps happening again and again!
Look Up
Luke 21:25–28 (ESV)
25 “And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, 26 people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
There is a "macro" concept here: The coming of Jesus
It is the idea that Christ will return to a world that is not necessarily doing great
You may have heard your whole life that Jesus was coming back - that doesn't make it any less real
The chaos becomes more broad-spread around us, the more important it becomes to narrow our attention
28 Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
"Straighten up and fly right" - Grandma
It's easy to excuse ourselves from repentance just because of our belief system isn't flawed
Repentance is more about how I act than what I believe
It is more than acknowledging that something is wrong - it is turning from it!
Jesus demonstrated in "The Lord's prayer" the necessity for daily repentance.
What does repentance do for me?
1. It enriches my life!
Proverbs 13:15 (NKJV) 15 Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.
2. It aligns me for the blessings of God!
Deuteronomy 28:1–6 (ESV) 1 “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. 4 Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. 5 Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. 6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.
John 14:15 (ESV) 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
I cannot expect God to bless my life if I'm living with sin!
To expect God to make exception for my sin is to expect God to make exception to His character!
1 Peter 1:14–16 (NKJV) 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
3. It brings me into fellowship with God!
The whole premise of Jesus was his coming to break down the wall that stood between us!
Fellowship with God - Abiding in Jesus - is the context of this passage:
This passage is Jesus reminding the disciples that when they are surrounded by chaos and turmoil - it's time to pay close attention to God
I feel like we are living in a significant moment in history
With 2020
With 2021
Now in 2022
We have never been surrounded by as much turmoil and chaos as right now!
Now is the time to pay close attention to your relationship with God
Jesus said - LOOK UP!
If the enemy can keep your head down -
He'll convince you that there's nothing ahead
He'll convince you that you're alone
Hebrews 12:1–2 (NKJV)
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sinwhich so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Grace to Grace
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:17-18
We all
This is talking to all Christians.
Don’t count yourself out.
The bible is written personally to you!
Unveiled faces
Before we came to Christ, we could not see how beautiful Jesus was.
Now that we do see, everything has changed.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
Have you ever wondered why you understand the Gospel and some people just aren’t getting it? It is because the enemy is blinding them from seeing the Gospel.
The enemy loves to blind people from the Gospel because he knows that if their face is unveiled to who Jesus is then they will start to become like Jesus.
The enemy’s job becomes harder the more people whose face is being unveiled to the reality of who Jesus is.
For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains uplifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
1 Corinthians 3:12-16
Without being born again you can’t see the real meaning of this bible.
Without being born again you can’t see why Jesus is such a big deal.
We used to be veiled to the beauty of the Gospel, but now we see.
The results of being able to see the Gospel is that we slowly start to look like Jesus.
Being transformed
This transformation is not immediate.
If we cannot understand that we are being transformed and are not instantly transformed, we will walk our whole Christian life defeated.
One Degree of Glory to Another
As we behold his glory, we are all at different stages of growth.
It is not fair for me to compare myself to someone who has been beholding the glory of the Lord a lot longer than me. They should be further along.
This Comes From the Lord who is Spirit
The Lord is in control of my growth.
He saves you and grows you.
We would be terrible at being in control of our growth.
“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work will bring it to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 1:6
Jesus is the one who saves me and grows me.
“I planted, apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”
1 Corinthians 3:6-7
Are these verses saying that I can just sit back and do nothing while the Lord Grows me? That is not what I am saying or what the bible is saying
Hunger and Thirst
The way that the Lord grows you is by putting a hunger and a thirst in your heart for him.
Growth in the Lord is not a passive thing. Growth in the Lord is an active thing. He just provides the hunger and the thirst.
If you are a follower of Jesus. You might not be as far along in your walk as you want, but if you have hunger and thirst for him you are right where he wants you to be.
As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
Psalms 42:1-2
I am nothing compared to the apostles and other men and women of God. The thing I have in common with them is the same hunger and thirst.
Don’t get discouraged when you see where you are in your walk compared to compared to where other people are at. This is not a competition.
Don’t check to see if you are crossing all the t’s and dotting all of the I’s, but make sure that you have a hunger and a thirst for Jesus Christ.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.”
Matthew 5:6
The bible doesn’t say they might, but they shall be satisfied.
Don’t stop pursuing him when you aren’t getting results as fast as you want them.
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
Matthew 13:31-32
The seed isn’t giving anything to the kingdom.
The tree then became something that everything flocked to.
In Step With The Spirit
Galatians 5:25 (ESV): 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
We want to learn to be people of the Spirit
To be a disciple, who:
Reads
Prays
Worships
Serves
Gives
Goes
I need the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
Here's what Jesus said:
John 16:6–7 (ESV)
6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
If I am going to benefit from the leadership of the Spirit, I have to learn how to be led by the Spirit!
3 Lessons I need to learn:
I learn the pace of the Spirit
Israel in the wilderness: Cloud by day and fire by night
Exodus 13:21–22 (ESV) 21 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
When the cloud stopped, they set up camp
When the cloud moved, they moved
Wouldn't it be great if we had a visible sign that we could follow!?
We do not have that
Jesus said:
John 16:12–13 (ESV) 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
In other words, instead of the Spirit on the outside, leading, he now resides on the inside and leads
It may not be VISIBLE, but it's every bit as REAL
I learn to go when the Spirit says go
I learn to stop when the Spirit says to stop
I'm learning the pace of the Spirit
I learn the power of the Spirit
Israel: Ark of the covenant
2 Samuel 6:12–15 (ESV) 12 And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. 13 And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. 14 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn.
Everywhere it went, the Ark had profound impact
The Philistines stole it, tried to put it in their pagan temple and it cursed them
Israel goes to get it, Uzzah touched it and fell dead
It ended up at Obed-Edom's house and everything he did was blessed
They had to bring it back home!
Here's what they learned:
The ark (Spirit) has to be treated with respect
There were stipulations about how it was handled
Just SAYING you are a Christian doesn't mean that your life reflects how the Spirit should be housed and handled!
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NKJV) 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
I learn the prompting of the Spirit
Paul being led by the Spirit
Acts 16:6–10 (NKJV): 6 Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. 7 After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. 8 So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. 9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.
As I am led by the Spirit, I learn to follow the smallest of directions - this is why quiet moments with God are important.
Some people think that everything that God does will be a neon flashing sign to them - sometimes He leads with the slightest whispers
What kind of disciple would I be if I could hear the Spirit speaking and leading over all the noise?
Over my coworkers
Over drama
Over my own emotions
Over all of the outside influences:
Social media
TV
Culture
As we bring this to a close:
I want to stay in step with the Spirit
Here's a prayer:
Holy Spirit - teach me to hear you, understand you, and keep in step with you. Teach me and empower me to take the next step.
Finding Hope
Psalm 137:1–4 (NKJV)
1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion. 2 We hung our harps Upon the willows in the midst of it. 3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, And those who plundered us requested mirth, Saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” 4 How shall we sing the Lord’s song In a foreign land?
Have you ever read a more hopeless passage?
Judah (Jerusalem) falls to the Babylonian army and the people are deported for 70 years
Our questions today:
How is your hope?
How do you know your hope is depleted?
You're not getting in your steps
Do you have a watch or something that reminds you to move?
I need one of those spiritually
"By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down"
Here's how I know I need a moment spent with Jesus - I find myself wanting to "sit down" spiritually
It's being spiritually depleted
We are Spiritual beings - we cannot continually give out without having input
You've got more feels than faith
we wept when we remembered Zion
When you lose hope, it is easy to forget where you're going and focus on what has been.
If you have more stories about what God HAS DONE than you do about what God is GOING TO DO
You've given up your giftings
"We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst"
What we see here is that they hung up the callings and just had a moment of grief
The fruit of the Spirit is: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness & self-control
Operating in your calling is part of your expression of worship
Job - do you remember him? EVERYTHING went wrong
He responds this way:
Job 14:7–9 (ESV)
7 “For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease.
8 Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil,
9 yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant.
What Job is saying:
Even when you don't feel hopeful, you're not hopeless
Even when we read Psalm 137, and it feels like the most hopeless thing you've ever read
God doesn't leave us without hope!
We turn the page and go into Psalm 138:
Psalm 138:2–3 (NKJV)
2 I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. 3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.
That's why David told us:
Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)
5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
David said:
3 In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.
You may have lost your motivation, your vision, and your productivity
BUT YOU'VE NOT LOST YOUR VOICE
Legacy Sunday
Part of understanding where we are going as a church is rooted in understanding where we came from.
Today, we are living out what was only dreams and ideas on paper just a few short years ago!
Question: On a level from 1-10, how is your spiritual vision? (5 is not an answer)
Proverbs 29:18 (ESV)
18 Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.
Is this a picture of our society or what?!
People cast off restraint
So, our ability to see in the spirit affects everyone around us:
Our family
Our co-workers
Our peers
Today - we want to de-mystify the idea of having "prophetic vision"
Shift our thinking from "weird prophetic person"
To - being a person who is simply able to hear from and be led by the Holy Spirit
Amos 3:7 (ESV)
7 “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
Now, the argument becomes - But Pastor; that's old testament stuff - don't be weird!
1 Corinthians 14:1 (ESV)
1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.
This is NT - the is the apostle Paul - and the context is that when the New Testament church is operational -
People are empowered to speak truth into each others lives
1 Corinthians 14:3 (ESV)
3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
Do you know what a prophet (Old Testament and New Testament) did?
They spoke the truth of God's word in proper, current context!
So - to speak the word in context - you must have vision!!!
Let's go back to the question:
How is your spiritual vision?
Let's talk about vision!
Habakkuk 2:2–3 (NKJV)
2 Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. 3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
So I want to give you some steps to improve your vision:
Spend time looking!
In 2 Kings 6 - the King of Syria sends a whole army to kill Elisha
2 Kings 6:15–17 (ESV) 15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Sometimes you need to spend time looking before you really learn how to see
It's like adjusting your eyes to a dark room - the longer you stay there, the better you can see!
Write it down!
"Write the vision and make it plain"
Here's the most applicable - easy to do thing that you're going to hear all day long
Write down what you feel like God is saying!
Write down the things you're praying about!
Write down the scripture that is on your heart!
My notebooks are full of stuff that I feel like God is saying - sometimes I go back months or years later and realize that what I wrote then made no sense, but now I understand completely!
Share it!
Notice in the verse in Habakkuk the "vision" was meant to be shared with someone else!
Micro-churches - share your vision
Hub City Church - share your vision
Wait for it! - It will come to pass!
While you wait, work on your part
Look again (for clarity)
Read it again (for encouragement)
Share it (for clarity and encouragement)
Our next year and years to come are depending on the people of Hub City Church to have vision.
To be inspired by the Spirit
To start businesses
To answer the call to missions
There is no telling what the end will look like - but here's what you have to know -
You cannot wait until you understand the ending before you start the beginning!
3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.
Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV)
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.
God is putting vision in your heart - but it is eternal
You are a piece of the eternal puzzle
Next Steps - Week Two
The Biblical case for STAYING CONNECTED to your church:
Hebrews 10:24–25 (ESV) 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Psalm 92:12–14 (NIV) 12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,
What are the tangible steps of connecting with church?
Be there!
Interaction is important
Serve there!
Serve team
Missions team
Invest there!
Giving financially is scriptural and positions you for blessings
Tithes - go to general fund:
Malachi 3:10 (ESV) 10 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.
Missions - Fire Bible project - THIS IS NOT YOUR TITHE
This is part of your "offering"
Connecting with Micro-Church
Your MC is a place that will model that same things we're talking about here in Next Steps:
A place to connect
A place to grow
A place to serve
Micro-church is the place that your primary connections will happen in Hub City Church!
Connecting with your world
Go places (BE present)
Use a name
Connect someone with your MC - it's the front door to our church!
Or.... Bring them here
Be responsible for them
Introduce them to people
Be early
Fresh Start - Real Response
James 2:26 (NKJV)
26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
Romans 12:3 (NKJV)
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
Romans 12:6 (NKJV)
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
How I handle the faith that I have today will determine my level of faith tomorrow!
So my goal then, is to always respond with the faith that I have
The Holy Spirit will be stretching us and leading us into deeper understanding and experience.
Matthew 9:35–10:15 (NKJV)
35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” 1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. 12 And when you go into a household, greet it. 13 If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15 Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!
PRAY!
In this passage -
Prayer is a result of compassion
Jesus had compassion on them
Prayer sees past the symptoms and is touched by the sickness
Prayer is inclusive - it wants MORE laborers, because the need is great
Do you pray in a "Me" language?
Here's what I mean when I'm talking about prayer as a RESPONSE
Before I take Jesus to someone, I should take that someone to Jesus
We expand the kingdom by operating in the Spirit
For that to work, I must spend time in prayer!
Prayer is only part of the equation - TRUE prayer partners with action!
GO!
Here's what we see about Jesus' encounter that day:
He PRAYED because he SAW them, and he SAW them because he WENT!
The original instructions to the church were to be a people who GO!
Matthew 28:18–20 (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Gotherefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
The idea - that I should be making disciples while I'm going through life.
We are literally commissioned or sent with the gospel
So I go to work on Monday like I'm going on a mission trip!
When you're at a restaurant - you've got to know that you're SENT to the particular server that waits your table that evening.
Here's a question - Are you going anywhere on purpose?
I would challenge you to spend time thinking about where you are going and not just wonder where you've been.
GIVE!
9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food. 11 “Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out.
Jesus sends his disciples out and promises them that their needs would be met:
God has commanded a blessing for the people that are sending those who are going.
Compassion ministry vs. sending missionaries
The Spirit spoke to us this year and said this is a year for us to RESPOND
Here's what that means:
We are going to PRAY!
We are going to GO!
We are going to GIVE!
Fresh Start - Real Community
Colossians 1:15–18 (NKJV)
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Because Jesus is the head of the body of Christ - If you love Christ, then a love of the church is natural.
Our understanding of biblical community is shaped by the book of Acts:
What does Biblical Christian Community look like?
Community Prays together... and sees results
I love what we see in the Acts 12 when Peter was put in prison:
Acts 12:5 (NKJV) 5 Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.
Acts 12:11–12 (NKJV) 11 And when Peter had come to himself, he said, “Now I know for certain that the Lord has sent His angel, and has delivered me from the hand of Herod and from all the expectation of the Jewish people.” 12 So, when he had considered this, he came to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying.
Our Micro-Churches are full of stories of praying together and God moving on that behalf!
Jobs because a micro-church prayed
Healing because a micro-church prayed
Salvations because a micro-church prayed
Community Grows in their Biblical understanding together.... and sees it applied to life
Biblical truth that doesn't make a difference in your life is just religious knowledge
It makes you more like a pharisee than makes you more like Jesus
Here's why you need community surrounding you as you learn biblical truth -
You can't see your blind spots
Galatians 2:11–13 (NKJV)
11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.
Sometimes your people have to call you out!
You need to give somebody permission to get in your business
Do you love the person next to you enough to GIVE them permission?
Community Serves together.... Because cities are changed by GROUPS not INDIVIDUALS
Acts 17:5–6 (NKJV) 5 But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.
I love that everything that was happening there was always referenced to Jason's Micro-Church!
Your Micro-Church was never meant to be a group that meets together in private to be good little disciples
Your MC is a place where Mission begins
Your MC is a place where strategies form
Strategies to reach your community
Strategies to reach your workplace
It is where the kingdom expansion starts!
Community Worships together..... And heaven is replicated on earth!
Look what happens when Paul and Silas on their missionary journey:
Acts 16:24–26 (NKJV) 24 Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. 25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.
When we worship together - chains fall off
That's awesome for us!
Imagine being in that moment, you are bound by chains in the darkest of the jails!
In a moment of boldness worship happens
You begin feeling the peace of God and then a:
TANGIBLE change happens!?
(Did you know that tangible change might be waiting for your moment to worship?)
Fresh Start - Real Devotion
As we begin the new year, we have to go back to the basics again
We are laying a foundation to build on this year
One of the things that we will be doing this year is REPEATING ideas
Not sermons
Not the same thing weekly, but theoretically:
Real devotion
Real community
Real response
Making the goodness of Jesus unavoidable
Being disciples who make friends, and being friends who make disciples
One of the things that we are striving to develop here is REAL DEVOTIONAL LIFE
That means that I have a consistent, vibrant walk with God
John 15:4–5,8 (NKJV)
4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
I want to go back and read a portion of scripture that (to me) is a picture of a REAL devotional life: DANIEL
We don't have time to go into the whole story, but we will pull out some excerpts of his life
This was the same guy who they threw into a pit for lions to eat and found his alive and well the next morning!
Israel here is in Babylonian Exile
Daniel 6:7–10 (ESV)
7 All the high officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the document and injunction. 10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.
ONE - His time was structured but it was not a routine!
Do not misunderstand what I said last week - we need structure in our time spent with God
Here are some ways to add structure to your time spent with Jesus:
Bible reading plans
Start off in the NT, read it sequentially
Read one chapter of Proverbs for every day of the month
YouVersion has a ton - give yourself something that you can handle, don't be a hero
Guided prayers
Use Psalms or other Scriptural prayers and walk through them personally:
FOR EXAMPLE: Colossians 1:9–11 (ESV) 9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy;
Again, youVersion has a resource here
Have a time and place
Turn your work commute into a prayer time!
Listen to a worship song and then respond in your own words!
We want to create habits, not checklists!
This year: my responses will condition my reactions
So that bill that the king had put into law, was the very thing that they used against Daniel (because he was one of the King's main guys)
Daniel 6:16–22 (ESV)
16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18 Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. 19 Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”
Learning to build structure into your time spent with God will pay dividends in the supernatural!
Daniel 9:20–23 (ESV)
20 While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my plea before the Lord my God for the holy hill of my God, 21 while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the first, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. 22 He made me understand, speaking with me and saying, “O Daniel, I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. 23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved. Therefore consider the word and understand the vision.
TWO - His HABIT of prayer was the key to revelation
In times of prayer he was having visions
In OTHER times of prayer he was receiving understanding
In other words - one prayer moment wasn't the key to it all!
Time spent in the word and in prayer BUILDS upon itself
One of the things that we have to be mindful of is CONSISTENCY - I want to be faithful to my appointments with Jesus.
Revelation comes from persistence - one experience is not enough.
Daniel 10:10–14 (ESV)
10 And behold, a hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. 11 And he said to me, “O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling. 12 Then he said to me, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. 13 The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia, 14 and came to make you understand what is to happen to your people in the latter days. For the vision is for days yet to come.”
His prayers were heard, but his answers were delayed
When you can't feel it, doesn't mean that it's not working
There is a war happening in the supernatural realm
DON'T STOP PRAYING!
I love what Gabriel told Daniel in 9:23
23 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out
Sometimes I have to remind myself that I'm praying prayers that may have already been answered - I just don't know it yet!
James 5:16 (NKJV)
16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
Fresh Start - Prove It
Revelation 12:10–11 (NKJV)
10 Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
We're going to pick up this Sunday - THIS YEAR - talking about being an overcomer
The Bible says that they were made overcomers by:
The blood of the Lamb
The word of their testimony
If I've experienced the life-changing power of the work of Jesus Christ and let that reality be part of my everyday conversations - I'll live a life that is marked by power.
To be an overcomer (or conquerer), we need to understand that we will experience things that need to be overcome or conquered
The accuser
→One of the words that is used to describe the devil is "accuser". The original word used there is actually kategoreo (where we get “category”).
His weapon is to categorize people
The lie that he tells is that you'll never escape the mold that you came from
If Satan can categorize you, he will convince you that you only amount to the things that "category" can do
You are not the first one he has tried to categorize:
Moses felt unable to lead because he wasn't eloquent
Gideon felt inferior because he was from a small family
Abraham felt like he missed it because he was too old
Jeremiah felt limited because he was too young
They categorized Jesus because he was a carpenter's son from Nazareth
They categorized the disciples because they were from Galilee
They categorized Paul because he had persecuted the church
At some point in your life (probably right now!) you could name a reason why you can't be what God has called you to be!
This lie will keep you from ever stepping into a new level of faith
I'll only do the things that I'm comfortable with
I'll pray the prayers that I'm comfortable praying
I'll see the same things that I've been seeing
THIS YEAR - I'M READY TO SEE THE FULNESS OF THE KINGDOM AT WORK IN MY LIFE!
Hub City Church is going to see some people who go to the next level spiritually this year!
Here's the reality - We're going forward and if you choose to go with us - nobody can stop you!
Not sure if you agree with that? Prove it!
Romans 12:1–2 (NKJV)
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
I love the statement there: “PROVE” the will of God
You can’t fact check faith
Google can’t quantify the goodness of God
God is not limited by logic
The only way to prove it is to live it out!
But I cannot stay in my category and take it to the next level and stay in my category
It's time for someone to break the mold that you've been living in!
The kingdom of God is built on those who don’t fit the mold!
It came to pass - The power of responding
Luke 2:8–20 (ESV)
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
There is so much power in the gospel! It’s work in my life depends on my response - Let’s look at the shepherds and how they responded to the good news of Jesus.
The setting: The shepherds were in their fields, doing their thing and all of a sudden the skies light up with the glory of the Lord and presence of angels.
The hear an announcement that the son of God - the savior of the world - is born!
Here’s how they respond:
1. They respond to the gospel by moving toward the gospel
When they heard the gospel, they knew that they had to see the gospel
Now, we need to make a distinction between their initial experience with the gospel, and their RESPONSE to the gospel
In their initial experience - the gospel comes to them
The angel of the Lord showed up where they were and announced the good news of Jesus
In their RESPONSE - they go to Jesus
We can't make the mistake of thinking that the gospel always comes all the way to me -
Sometimes I have to move toward Him
This idea will revolutionize your devotional time
Jesus in Matthew 6:33 -
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
"Seek First" the Kingdom
Sometimes we "leave room" for the kingdom, but are we SEEKING the kingdom
If I'm seeking the kingdom, I'm not stagnant:
Because - You can’t stay where you are and go with God
I serve a God who builds things
I serve a God who blesses things
I serve a God who is healing broken marriages
He is guiding me
He is helping me
He is promoting me
He is correcting me
That's why I am seeking Him - because without Him, this is as good as it will ever get!
The shepherds had an amazing experience in that field - they saw and heard angels!
But when they started seeking, they found the Son of God!
If you are going to see the gospel in your life, you will have to seek the gospel!
2. They respond to the gospel by sharing the gospel
When they saw the gospel, they spoke the gospel
Verse 17: They told the things that they had seen and heard concerning Jesus
One of the most important aspects of the church is our sharing with one another what God is doing in us and around us
This is why community is important!
Micro-church is important!
Sometimes we believe that because we don't have a lot of religious training that our experience doesn't matter!
There is nobody in this story less "religiously qualified" than these shepherds
You don't have to have a title to make a difference!
Share your story!
Let me remind you: Your story is vital in the kingdom
Your experience matters
The other people of this story (including Mary!) were impacted by what the shepherds were saying!
3. They respond to the gospel with worship and praise
There is a necessary response to the gospel - and it is that we give him the glory and praise him for the gift that he gave us!
They "returned" to their fields, but something had changed inside them and they were living lives that reflected thankfulness and gratitude over the blessings of God in their lives.
When I allow this gift of Christmas to really shape who I am - it will produce fruitfulness in my life that demonstrates his goodness to me!
We talk about making the goodness of Jesus unavoidable in our city - it has to start when I'm at!
I want to return home today - changed by Him
I want to return to work next week - changed by Him
I want to return to my daily activities - giving him glory and praising Him for all that he has done in my life.
This morning, as we celebrate Christmas, let us be careful not to think that the gospel came to be relegated to December 25th where we give a head-nod to little baby Jesus
I want to challenge you to respond to the gospel by:
Seeking the gospel
Sharing the gospel
Making worship part of your lifestyle