Guest Speaker - Cole Parleir

Advent

Preparing for God's Promise of Christ

What is Advent?

Growing up in a plethora of Protestant and Charismatic churches in NC, I had no idea what ‘advent’ was.  It was either because we didn’t talk about it or I was just caught up in the kids Christmas play and didn’t realize what was happening.  Learning of different denominations of Christianity and the traditional Christian calendar, I now know what Advent is. My life has more structure now in general, praise the Lord!

In case you are like me and don't know what the Advent season is and the word advent, it comes from the Latin word ‘advenire’ which is two words, ‘ad’ meaning ‘to’ and ‘venire’ meaning ‘come.’  Together we get the word advent meaning: something to come.  Think “arrival,’ no not the aliens and their language.

Dictionary.com says it’s a noun meaning
A coming into place, view, or being; arrival.
the coming of Christ into the world.

The period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, so welcome to the advent season -  since it started last Sunday!

Synonyms
Onset, beginning, commencement, start.

What is the “Christ” or the “Messiah”?

Messiah
Hebrew for ‘anointed one’

Christ
Greek translation of messiah meaning, ‘anointed one’

The anointed one
anoint means to “smear or rub with oil”
Synonymous
Consecrate, bless, ordain, hallow

Anointed to do what?
To be the victor over Satan and sin prophesied since the fall

“And I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.””-Genesis‬ 3:15‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”-Romans‬ 16:20‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The blessing to all peoples through Abraham, the father of faith:
““I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.””
--Genesis‬ 12:2-3‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

““Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.””---Acts‬ 3:24-26‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Passover Lamb of God

“Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.”--Exodus‬ 12:21-23‬ NIV‬    ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is Godʼs Chosen One.”--John‬ 1:29-34‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Prophet like Moses

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.”---Deuteronomy‬ 18:15-19‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”--John‬ 6:14‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Suffering Savior for the sins of the world

“See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness— so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand. “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord ʼs will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”--Isaiah‬ 52:13-53:12‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”--1 Peter‬ 2:21-25‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”--Isaiah‬ 9:1-7‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Immanuel – God with Us

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”--Isaiah‬ 7:14‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”--Matthew‬ 1:21-25‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‬‬The Son of God and The Son of Man

“Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”--John‬ 1:49-51‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Light of the world

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husbandʼs will, but born of God.”--John‬ 1:9-13‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Word

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”--John‬ 1:14-18‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬

Who is the Christ?

Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one.

“And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him (Jesus). He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."--Luke‬ 4:17-19‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Peter, by revelation from the Father:
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”--Matthew‬ 16:13-19‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬
 

One Solitary Life by Dr. James Allen Francis (Son of Man)

“Let us turn now to the story. A child is born in an obscure village. He is brought up in another obscure village. He works in a carpenter shop until he is thirty, and then for three brief years is an itinerant preacher, proclaiming a message and living a life. He never writes a book. He never holds an office. He never raises an army. He never has a family of his own. He never owns a home. He never goes to college. He never travels two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He gathers a little group of friends about him and teaches them his way of life. While still a young man, the tide of popular feeling turns against him. One denies him; another betrays him. He is turned over to his enemies. He goes through the mockery of a trial; he is nailed to a cross between two thieves, and when dead is laid in a borrowed grave by the kindness of a friend.

Those are the facts of his human life. He rises from the dead. Today we look back across nineteen hundred years and ask, What kind of trail has he left across the centuries? When we try to sum up his influence, all the armies that ever marched, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned are absolutely picayune in their influence on mankind compared with that of this one solitary life…”

This one solitary life is the only life. He is the beginning and the end, the way the truth and the life, the only way to God the Father, the savior of the world, the Lord of heaven and earth, the healer, the redeemer, the vine, the king of all, the Christ, the Messiah, the teacher, the giver of the Holy Spirit….and the soon to return king, savior, and judge.  

Response

If today you have realized for the first time the grand story of God's plan to save the earth, to save you by washing your sins away because of Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, the Lord forevermore, respond today.

Jesus says,

““All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”” - Matthew‬ 11:27-30‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Father has chosen to reveal Himself to you today. Will you accept God's invitation to come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, repenting of your sins and trusting in Jesus to give you eternal life and bring you into a relationship the Father?

Thankful

Thankful

Focusing on what we are thankful for should never be done just once a year.  Just as people are thinking about beginning new exercise routines after their Thanksgiving feasting, so we need to have a plan for how we will work out a heart of gratitude.  A heart of thankfulness should be seen as a muscle that must be developed in a lifestyle of worshiping Jesus.  Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a happy, healthy Christian and one who feels like they are barely making it?  Today we will do a little "C.S.I." work to uncover the keys in Christ-centered understanding of blessings, the importance of sharing blessings and the discipline of taking inventory of our blessings.  

Things are not always easy for us but these are things that Christians throughout history have learned to buoy their walks with God.  The more difficult your circumstance, the more this rings true.

Psalm 50:23
"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"

C.S.I. of Thankfulness: 

What separates a happy, healthy Christian from one who is embittered and struggling?

1) Christ-centered in their understanding of blessings 

They have their hearts set on the eternal.

Hebrews 12:27-29
This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. 

“Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.”
-AW Tozer

Hebrews 13:12-15
So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 

In practice:
Exercise your faith by daily expressing a sacrifice of praise to God. Circumstances will come and go. Invite God into your daily existence through the exercise of a submitted praise that He might bring you into His salvation.  Jesus has and will continue to work on your behalf. 

“Guidance, like all God’s acts of blessing under the covenant of grace, is a sovereign act. Not merely does God will to guide us in the sense of showing us his way, that we may tread it; he wills also to guide us in the more fundamental sense of ensuring that, whatever happens, whatever mistakes we may make, we shall come safely home. Slippings and strayings there will be, no doubt, but the everlasting arms are beneath us; we shall be caught, rescued, restored. This is God’s promise; this is how good he is.”
—J.I. Packer 

2) Share their Blessings 

With possessions

Hebrews 13:16
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. 

“Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God’s goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it. Could you therefore work miracles, you could not do more for yourself than by this thankful spirit, for it turns all that it touches into happiness.”  
-William Law in the 18th century classic, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life

In practice:
Honor God with your giving and share what He's given you that others might honor Him as well.  

With parlance

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. 

In practice:
Start and end every conversation with a sincere expression of that for which you can thank God. It will change your attitude, mood, the atmosphere of your surroundings and relationships. 

3) Inventory their Blessings

“Everything about God is great, vast, incomparable. He never forgets, never fails, never falters, never forfeits His word.”
―Arthur W. Pink 

Psalm 103:1-5
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 

"In one 2003 study, gratitude experts Robert Emmons of the University of California at Davis and Michael McCullough of the University of Miami asked some participants to keep a record of what they were grateful for, while others were asked to list the hassles in their lives. After several weeks, those in the gratitude group had a more positive outlook on life, exercised more and reported fewer physical problems.

Emmons also has compiled a list of health data points from his and others’ studies on gratitude that show there are many emotional and physical health benefits of being consciously thankful. For example, practicing gratitude is related to 23 percent lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and led to a 7 percent reduction in biomarkers of inflammation in patients with congestive heart failure. There are studies that suggest gratitude led to reductions in depression and blood pressure and improvement in sleep quality among those with chronic pain and insomnia. In one study, 88 percent of suicidal patients reported feeling less hopeless after writing a letter of gratitude."
―https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2016/11/24/the-science-behind-why-you-shouldnt-stop-giving-thanks-after-thanksgiving/

In practice:
Start your prayer life each day with thanking God for all of the good that you can think of. Journal it and testify to God's faithfulness for your and others' future faith endeavors. 

Psalm 100:1-5
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. 

Understand that in addition to family, provision, health and friends, the greatest blessing for which we should give thanks is Christ purchasing our salvation at the cross.  Come to Him and rest in His salvation with a thankful heart today and always. 

“Since no man is excluded from calling upon God the gate of salvation is open to all. There is nothing else to hinder us from entering, but our own unbelief.” 
—John Calvin

Second City Church: Thankful Sermon 2016

What Now? - Part 2

How to Reconcile With Family and Friends After the Election

The Wall Street Journal article

Psalm 62:1-12
For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken. How long will all of you attack a man to batter him, like a leaning wall, a tottering fence? They only plan to thrust him down from his high position. They take pleasure in falsehood. They bless with their mouths, but inwardly they curse. Selah For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Those of low estate are but a breath; those of high estate are a delusion; in the balances they go up; they are together lighter than a breath. Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. Once God has spoken; twice have I heard this: that power belongs to God, and that to you, O Lord, belongs steadfast love. For you will render to a man according to his work.

Exodus 25:8
And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.

Numbers 35:6
“The cities that you give to the Levites shall be the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit the manslayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two cities.

Numbers 35:9-29
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person without intent may flee there. The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, that the manslayer may not die until he stands before the congregation for judgment. And the cities that you give shall be your six cities of refuge. You shall give three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. These six cities shall be for refuge for the people of Israel, and for the stranger and for the sojourner among them, that anyone who kills any person without intent may flee there. “But if he struck him down with an iron object, so that he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. And if he struck him down with a stone tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. Or if he struck him down with a wooden tool that could cause death, and he died, he is a murderer. The murderer shall be put to death. The avenger of blood shall himself put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. And if he pushed him out of hatred or hurled something at him, lying in wait, so that he died, or in enmity struck him down with his hand, so that he died, then he who struck the blow shall be put to death. He is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him. “But if he pushed him suddenly without enmity, or hurled anything on him without lying in wait or used a stone that could cause death, and without seeing him dropped it on him, so that he died, though he was not his enemy and did not seek his harm, then the congregation shall judge between the manslayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these rules. And the congregation shall rescue the manslayer from the hand of the avenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to his city of refuge to which he had fled, and he shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. But if the manslayer shall at any time go beyond the boundaries of his city of refuge to which he fled, and the avenger of blood finds him outside the boundaries of his city of refuge, and the avenger of blood kills the manslayer, he shall not be guilty of blood. For he must remain in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest, but after the death of the high priest the manslayer may return to the land of his possession. And these things shall be for a statute and rule for you throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.

Model Christ

The church is to be like a city of refuge.

1 Peter 2:9-10 
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 

Proverbs 31:8-9
Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy. 

Leviticus 19:33-34
“When a stranger sojourns with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. You shall treat the stranger who sojourns with you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.

Perhaps second-hand cares, like second-hand clothes, come easily off and on.
- Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

The Church has largely replaced the Gospel of the Kingdom with the Gospel of salvation. It's the beauty of the salvation message that makes it so easy to miss the fact that it is only a part of the whole message that Jesus gave us. The Gospel of salvation is focused on getting people saved and going to Heaven. The Gospel of the Kingdom is focused on the transformation of lives, cities, and nations through the effect of God's present rule- this is made manifest by bringing the reality of Heaven to earth. We must not confuse our destiny with our assignment. Heaven is my destiny, while bringing the Kingdom is my assignment. The focus of the Kingdom message is the rightful dominion of God over everything. Whatever is inconsistent with Heaven- namely, disease, torment, hatred, division, sin habits, etc.- must come under the authority of the King. These kinds of issues are broken off of people's lives because inferior realms cannot stand wherever the dominion of God becomes manifest. As we succeed in displaying this message, we are positioned to bring about cultural change in...
- Bill Johnson, God is Good, p. 67

Point People to Christ

Exodus 4:27-31 
The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Hebrews 7:23-25 
The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. 

Galatians 3:27-29 
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

Ephesians 2:11-22
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 

What do I do with people who are insensitive?

Luke 23:32-43
Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Second City Church: What Now? Sermon 2016

What Now?

What Now?

Our Trust

Psalm 146:1-10 
Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!  

Joshua 5:13-15
When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the Lord's army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. 

I know that many people are disappointed, scared and hurt.  God is not a xenophobe, mysoginist or racist.  He is no respecter of persons and He is righteous, loving and just.  God is and forever will be on His throne.  So do not fear, but pray.  As the church, we had work to do before the election and we have work to do after.  The world was fallen before November 8th, separated from a holy and just God, and it is separated today.  The gospel was God's peace making, reconciling and restorative answer before shifts in power, and it is continually our mission now.  Let's unify to heal and to be peacemakers who sow in peace that we might raise a harvest of righteousness to the honor of God.  This is Jesus' charge to the church.

Matthew 5:2-9
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 

Romans 13

Exodus 22:28
“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people." 

2 Chronicles 7:13-16
When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 

Christ stands in the gap as our intercessor.  He cares about all the issues. 

We undoubtedly have work to do as the church, because neither side fully represented the kingdom of God.

Proverbs 21:1
The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.

Proverbs 21:30
No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord.

Our Temperment

1 Timothy 2:1-6
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

The issue is what is in people's hearts. This is what we depend on Jesus to change. 

Our recent events expose issues that were under the surface of our society for years but now are brought to the surface.  The events expose the idolatrous notions of our hearts and where we place our ultimate trust, to whom we look to fix our world. 

In issues being exposed, this can be our finest hour. 

Our responsibility now is to be the church and do our part, in humility, faith and grace, to help economically, academically and socially to bring about the order that Christ's kingdom represents. 

May God be seen as in charge, that it is our responsibility to pray and the focus should forever be the gospel.

Romans 12:14-18 
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

James 1:19-21 
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 

Avoid the poison - take a break from the inciting that comes from social media if it is causing you to sin. 

Second City Church: What Now? Sermon 2016

Guest Speaker - Reggie Roberson

Prevailing Through Prayer

It would be crazy of me not to mention and congratulate the city for a winning an amazing World Series. In winning the World Series Cleveland was prevented from capturing two of the major sports titles. It was nerve wracking and yet at the same time a wonderful thing to prevail and win.

That's what I want to talk about this morning -prevailing. The specific title of this message is going to be prevailing through prayer.

Prevail

1. Having superior power or influence.

2. Effectual

So the focus this morning is on prayer that brings in the superior power and influence of God that produces a dynamic effect.

As I was praying for you, Second City Church, I felt by the Spirit of God to encourage you that God is going to move in some blatant and subtle supernatural ways in your life and the lives of those you know and in those who you have never met. The way we like to say that in church terms is that there's going to be a harvest. God is on the move yet He is inviting us to move with Him. You may find yourself in a place where there is a personal challenge that seems impossible or you may look around and become overwhelmed by the culture in Chicago and lack of receptivity and responsiveness to the hope of the gospel. With God all things are possible and we are able to prevail over personal challenges and culture. One of the keys to this supernatural move is in fact prevailing in prayer.

(NCCU story)

Let's take an exclusive peak into a prayer that prevailed in Acts 4 to discover these dynamics of prevailing prayer.

Luke begins the book of Acts with a story about the resurrected Jesus telling His disciples to wait in the city until they receive a special endowment of power. They do what they know to do which is pray. One day while they are praying during the celebration called Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes in power and fills each of the 120 gathered. Because it was a celebration, many nations were gathered there and Peter shared the gospel and 3000 people got baptized. Sometime shortly after this, Peter and John are going up to the Temple at the hour of prayer and they see a man at the gate called Beautiful who is lame. They reach out there hands to him to help him get up in Jesus' name and he gets miraculously healed. Many people witness this healing and know this man because he was lame for 40 years. They marvel at Peter and John and the miracle they performed. He shares the gospel with them and many believed and became followers of Christ -approximately 2000 more men bring the number to 5000 in men alone and plus 120. The rulers in Jerusalem came and heard them telling people about Jesus and were angry because they thought they already dealt with him. They arrested them and asked them by what power did you heal this man. Peter shares the gospel again. The rulers confer with each other and have nothing to say and decide to release them but warn them to not speak in the name of Jesus any more or something worse will happen. The Christ followers tell them that they can't stop speaking about what they’ve seen and heard. This is where our story picks up:

Acts‬ ‭4:23-33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'— for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”‭‭

Main point: There are four dynamics of prevailing prayer that this passage reveals:   

Together

Persistent

Biblical

Faith

Together v. 23, 24

Our text says that Peter and John went to their Christ-following friends. They lifted up their voices together.  Why did they pray together? A fuller display of Christ comes when we pray together and dynamic power in agreement. It is true that God lives in the individual person who receives Christ in his or her life. However, much of the Bible is written to groups of people who Paul says Christ lives in you plural.

Colossians 1:27 Christ in you all is the hope of glory.  
Colossians 2:9 in you all is the fullness of the Godhead

In other words, a fuller expression of Christ’s wisdom and power is displayed when we pray with other followers of Christ.  There is dynamic power released when believers agree in prayer. We are better together!  

Engagement Testimony Prayers

Do you have friends who you tell what you're facing and pray with them?

Action point: Get with family members, husbands and wives, co-workers, friends. We are better together.  

(Story of two women who were going to pray at work).

If you are going to see prayers that prevail you will need to have people who are praying for you and with you.  

Persistent v. 24

They lifted their voices immediately. The didn’t sit around wondering what to do.  Prayer was a familiar thing for these followers of Christ.  Persistence is both passion and consistency. This particular passage in Acts 4 is not the first time disciples prayed.

Jesus taught them in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:5-14 how…

Prayer is conversation in which you invite God to be involved in your world in a direct way- nothing more or nothing less (doesn’t require a special position- body or organizationally, some special clothes, nonverbal expressions, or vocal tones or language changing).  It’s you speaking like you would to someone you honor and who you knew loved you.  This prayer or conversation that Jesus taught them was not only about speaking but also and even more so about listening.

There all types of prayers or conversations you can have...adoration, confession, petition, intercession, thanksgiving and heavenly tongues-praying in the spirit.  

These Christ followers became aware of all of these types of prayers before our main passage in Acts 4.  There is actually a mention of these followers of Christ praying in each preceding chapter:

They prayed at all times and seasons:  

Exciting times

“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”‭‭ Acts‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭ESV
‬‬Expectation from risen Christ about power!

Mundane times

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:42‬ ‭ESV‬

“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Challenging times

Acts 4 (main text)  

Crisis should not be the only time we pray because it can be hard to receive God’s guidance. Anxiety and confusion may prevent us from hearing God’s answer for the crisis (airplane story). When you’ve created a familiar space where you’ve heard God before, then it’s easier to hear despite the crisis.  Yet if a crisis is where you start to pray, then continue during the mundane times, and the exciting times as well.

Do you have daily scheduled times of prayer?

Action point: We need to schedule regular moments of prayer throughout the day before you start work, when you arrive at work, before you eat a meal, before you go to bed.

When you pray with others and pray persistently, you set yourself up to experience prayers that prevail.

Biblical v.25-26

Something incredibly profound takes place in our main text.  These followers of Christ are having a conversation with God and in the middle of their prayer and they use a Bible passage in Psalm 2:1-2 as a reference point for their prayer.  

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed...” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:1-2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Psalm 2:1-2 they believed talked about what Christ experienced and what they were experiencing from these rulers.  Why did they use a Bible passage in prayer? The Bible helps us to understand God’s plan and reveals His will.

They understood that praying in light of the Bible, in reference to the Bible, or using Bible Scriptures meant that they were praying in agreement with God's will and plan.  Praying in agreement with God’s will and plan makes for a prayer that will prevail.  God is not going to release His power and wisdom into something that is not His will. Prayer is really about praying God’s will back to Him.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 John 5:14

Deuteronomy 6 story

That Psalm 2:1-2 Bible passage came out of them because they put it inside of their hearts before the challenge and crisis came.  What Bible passage or verse have you put in your heart? Do you read the Bible daily? Do you learn about, and memorize scripture?

We should put Bible Scriptures in us and pray them.

When you pray the Bible you can pray boldly because you know that God hears you and will agree with what you are praying because you pray His will. Biblical prayers are likely to be prevailing prayers.     

Faith

The choice to pray in Faith: Faith is placing your confidence and trust in God. The depth or strength of your faith is directly related to your view of God.

(Paul)- My God will supply all your needs Phil. 4:13
-according to my gospel my God will judge the living and the dead 2 Tim. 4:1
 All things were for him and by him Col. 1:16

Let’s look at how their view of God is expressed through this Acts 4 prayer that prevails:

“And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said….‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is personal

He's not an it or an energy, influence, or a force.  He is a person that communicates and connects with us.

Prayer strengthens our relationship and connection with God.  Prayer provided space to experience God in a real way although He is invisible.    

“And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord... ‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is sovereign

Their perspective of God was that He is on the throne and has superior power and influence over even the nations or leaders.

He has the authority and right to determine affairs, events, and how their prayer got answered.

We have to let God answer our prayers the way He wants to.  We often get in trouble when we create a picture in our mind of how God should do something.  Most of the time life never ends up the exact way you pictured it.  This is the mercy of God -He withholds from you some things that would not have been good for you at the time you asked for them. The mystery of prayer is that God allows us to partner with Him to see His will take place in our life and in the lives of others, yet He does it they way He wants to do it.  

(Debt reduction story)

“And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,”‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is great

They acknowledge God’s infinite power as the creator.  Surely if He makes the heavens and the earth then He can make our situations right and/or make us right in the situations.

Acknowledging God’s greatness lifts us out of impossibilities to possibilities and out of weakness to strength- out of heaviness into joy -out of fear into faith.  

(Getting into NCCU with Reverend Page)

Our prayer should not magnify our problems but should magnify God! God deserves the glory because He is great!

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 4:29-30

God is helper

They understood they needed help and that they could access God's wisdom, power, and goodness as they were faced with challenging situations.  As a result, they were a humble people. Humility is a critical part of faith because humility in a person recognizes a need for God and attracts His grace or power.   

“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."”‭‭James‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

One reason why people don’t prevail in prayer is because they think they got it.  That is, they don’t need God to help them.  You're trusting in your own strength and ability to fulfill your God given purpose.  This is a great misunderstanding of God’s plan for your life and His plan for those you serve (in your different vocations). God’s plan for your life is always going to transcend your natural abilities and talents.  What God wants to do in your careers, work, relationships, and your heart is too great for just your own abilities. The Gospel says that no matter how much we try we can never fulfill God’s plan for our life on our own.  We need His strength and power.  You don’t just need natural, you need you supernatural. When we turn away from trusting in ourselves and our own ability and put our trust in God, He sends the Helper or Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. God is a helper.  In whatever challenge you are facing you must believe that God is a helper.  

(There was a woman...Story with my mother and noonday prayer and my testimony...)

Conclusion: Don't be discouraged by not seeing immediate results and delays - a harvest is coming. Let's partner with God.

Let's prevail in prayer as we pray…

Together

Persistently

Biblically

Faith

Second City Church: Guest Speaker Reggie Roberson 2016

Unstuck

Change of Heart

Psalm 51:7-13

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 

Change of Sight

2 Kings 6:15-19

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?” He said, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 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. And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria. 

Change of Direction

John 8:1-11  

Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”

Second City Church: Unstuck Sermon Series 2016

Guest Speaker - Peter Ahlin

(1)    What will the world do?

a.       Living without awareness

(Matt 24:37-39) -- 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.

b.      Lawlessness spreading

(Genesis 6:5) The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

(Matt 24:12) Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.

c.       Laughing at any concept of judgment and accountability

(2 Peter 3:3-6)  In the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. 4 They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. 6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.

(2)    What is God doing?

a.       Preserving the heavens and earth for the day of judgment

(2 Peter 3:7,10) -- 7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.  10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

b.      Preparing new heavens and a new earth

(2 Peter 3:13) 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

c.       Patiently waiting that as many as possible would be saved

(2 Peter 3:8-9) With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

(3)    What should we do? 

a.       Stand firm

Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

Since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.

(Matthew 24:12-13; II Peter 3:17)

b.      Spotlessly live

(2 Peter 3:11,14) 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives! … Since you are looking forward to this [i.e. news heavens and new earth], make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.  (both judgment and reward motivate this)

c.       Speed His coming!

(2 Peter 3:12) 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.

Second City Church: Guest Speaker Peter Ahlin 2016

Body Talk: Part 4

Our Place Within the City

There are at least three things to which God responds positively:

Love, faith, and obedience.  All of these will be required as you are making your way through the daily grind to the destiny that God has for you.  This is what the men and women of Scripture had to learn.  As we reflect today on the church's place within the city, we will be reminded of the security Christ provides for you, what creates stability within a city and Christ's sanctions for the church within it.

Your Security

LOVE

1 Corinthians 12:7
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 

Working for the benefit of a church, company, and city in which you find yourself is a gospel imperative. 

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

You are working for the prosperity of the city to the degree that it honors the Lord.

Is it possible to have a love motivation in your work when profit is a goal or your academics when advancement is the key?

Everyone wants to advance in life. However, the question is:

Do you ultimately depend on God's favor or your own political maneuvering for promotion?

1 Timothy 5:24-25
The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later. So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. 

Do you live this way in your church?  In the workplace?

1 Chronicles 29:10-19
Therefore David blessed the Lord in the presence of all the assembly. And David said: “Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name. “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. For we are strangers before you and sojourners, as all our fathers were. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no abiding. O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. I know, my God, that you test the heart and have pleasure in uprightness. In the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. O Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts toward you. Grant to Solomon my son a whole heart that he may keep your commandments, your testimonies, and your statutes, performing all, and that he may build the palace for which I have made provision.” 

Sometimes the lack of promotion that you are experiencing is God's hand trying to give you time.  He is lovingly trying to protect you and others from putting you in a place that will cause damage to yourself, your family and others. 

1 Timothy 3:8-13
Deacons likewise must be dignified, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. And let them also be tested first; then let them serve as deacons if they prove themselves blameless. Their wives likewise must be dignified, not slanderers, but sober-minded, faithful in all things. Let deacons each be the husband of one wife, managing their children and their own households well. For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 

Psalm 75:1-10
We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. “At the set time that I appoint I will judge with equity. When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’ and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn; do not lift up your horn on high, or speak with haughty neck.’” For not from the east or from the west and not from the wilderness comes lifting up, but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another. For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine, well mixed, and he pours out from it, and all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs. But I will declare it forever; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob. All the horns of the wicked I will cut off, but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up. 

Matthew 23:1-12
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

"The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away."
- Attributed to Pablo Picasso

A City's Stability

FAITH

The book of Revelation speaks of Christ's final product, the new city, the Heavenly Jerusalem coming down from Heaven to be the future home of righteousness, worship and God's people, the saints. In the meantime, until Christ's restoration of all things, we are to bless the cities in which we live. 

Proverbs 11:9-12
With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness. By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted, but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent. 

God appoints men and women of His Kingdom who will see with the eye of faith to bless and build cities to His glory rather than bemoan them.   

A Nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but it's lowest ones
- Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members
- Mahatma Gandhi

 Christ's Sanction

OBEDIENCE

What we are primarily discussing and attempting to shape through the Scripture is not simply behavior or beliefs, but a worldview through which you invite God to direct your story as you interact with the world in your everyday experiences.  We know how He does this since e is the God who does not change (Malachi 3:6) and has given us examples of this through his interactions with men, women and societies of the past.  A Biblical worldview touches your values, your ambitions, your moral interpretations and your entire life trajectory.  

A sanction can mean one of two things:

1. a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule. 
2. official permission or approval for an action.

In the gospel narrative, we see both in operation, the fall and the curse, salvation through Christ's cross and redemption through a return to obedience. 

Jeremiah 29:1-14
These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream, for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord. “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Second City Church: Body Talk Sermon Series 2016

Body Talk: Part 3

Our Place in One Another's Lives

CHRIST CARES

John 11:1-16
Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory ofGod, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” 

CHRIST HEALS

"How can you cope with the end a world and the beginning of another one? How can you put an earthquake into a test-tube, or the sea into a bottle? How can you live with the terrifying thought that the hurricane has become human, that the fire has become flesh, that life itself came to life and walked in our midst? Christianity either means that, or it means nothing. It is either the more devastating disclosure of the deepest reality in the world, or it’s a sham, a nonsense, a bit of deceitful play-acting. Most of us, unable to cope with saying either of those things, condemn ourselves to live in the shallow world in between…
– N.T. Wright, For All God’s Worth

Fighting through very real hurts and disappointments

"Faultfinding without suggestions for improvement is a waste of time." - Ralph C. Smedley, Founders of Toastmasters International

Matthew 7:1-5
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."

CHRIST CREATES COMMUNITY

God's design:

No one is an independent contractor. What I do affects my family (in Christ) and what my family (in Christ) does affects me. 

John 11:38-44
Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.” 

Referenced this clip in the message. Listen to the podcast. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lCdY8xS_TGE

Ephesians 5:18-21
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 

Proverbs 18:1
Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. 

Jesus is the one who miraculously raises dead parts of our hearts and existence to life.  He then commands that those in your church family help unwrap the grave's clothes and help you get released when you are stuck. The only way it doesn't work is if you don't submit (Ephesians5:18-21) or avail yourself (Proverbs 18:21) (picture Lazarus trying to hop away).  

Come to Christ and His cross to be transformed.  Engage His people to see the grave clothes come off.  Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Repentance and humility - choosing to do things His way will bring us into that life.

Second City Church: Body Talk Sermon Series 2016

Body Talk: Part 2

Is your identity what you do or who you belong to?  What you do can change or be taken from you, but if you live out of who you belong to, joyful obedience is your sole goal and primary reward.  

Saul's Insecurity

Where do you receive your honor, security and praise?

Saul, who lacked depth in his identity in God, was insecure when God called him (I Samuel 10) and proud when God rejected him because he lacked depth in the Lord.  Saul was always looking for public recognition for his validation.  He was jealous of King David's success and looked to tear him down.

1 Samuel 15:24-31
Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin and return with me that I may bow before the Lord.” And Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you. For you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.” As Samuel turned to go away, Saul seized the skirt of his robe, and it tore. And Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for he is not a man, that he should have regret.” Then he said, “I have sinned; yet honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may bow before the Lord your God.” So Samuel turned back after Saul, and Saul bowed before the Lord. 

Proverbs 27:21
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise. 

How are you passive aggressive with your brothers and sisters in the church? In your workplace? 

Saul tried to have the Philistines kill David. 

Romans 12:14-21
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 

Christ's Security

Finding your identity in Christ enables you to respond securely to His call and humbly to His reproofs. 

1 Peter 2:20-25
For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 

A secret life in the Lord allowed David to write Psalms, privately kill the lion and the bear in defense of his father's flock, publicly defeat Goliath and faithfully shepherd the people Israel, leading them in the Lord's battles. 

David was not insecure, but humble, when the Lord made His promises to David.  There is a stark difference between insecurity and humility, which the Lord commands.  One finds its rest in God.  The other finds it in the shifting sands of anything but the Lord. 

This humility allowed David to respond gracefully when the going got tough. 

"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him."
-David Brinkley

David's Humility

How do I know if my heart is in the right place?

2 Samuel 7:18-29
Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, “Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have brought about all this greatness, to make your servant know it. Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like your people Israel, the one nation on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name and doing for them great and awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its gods? And you established for yourself your people Israel to be your people forever. And you, O Lord, became their God. And now, O Lord God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, and do as you have spoken. And your name will be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is God over Israel,’ and the house of your servant David will be established before you. For you, O Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you. And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue forever before you. For you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed forever.” 

Jesus is our perfect example of both security and humility, dying on the cross for our sins and rising again in the triumphant power of God.  He calls us to follow His lead.

Second City Church: Body Talk Sermon Series 2016

Body Talk

Christ's Goal

Matthew 4:12-22
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

"You're not born to make a living.  You are born to make a difference." 
- Dr. Allan Santiago

Christ's Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-13
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 

1 Corinthians 12:14-31
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.  If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. 

Christ's Good News 

Matthew 8:14-17
And when Jesus entered Peter's house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.”

Second City Church: Body Talk Sermon Series 2016

Back to Church Sunday - Back to What?

Christ

God's church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. It helps you see God and His plan for the world clearly through the preaching of His eternal word.

1 Timothy 3:14-16
I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.

Matthew 16:13-20
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 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. 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.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. 

Community

God's church is a family. We share life together during the ups and the downs, during the trials and successes as we pursue Christ and His Kingdom.

Matthew 12:46, 48-50
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” 

"Christian brotherhood is not an ideal which we must realize; it is rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate." 
-Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together (1939) 

Comfort

God's church is a refuge. It is a place to find healing and wholeness in God in the midst of life's struggles.

Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.

Change

God's church is your vehicle for change. It's people help you and society get there.

2 Timothy 2:19
But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity.” 

Renaming the city:  The church should be on the front lines of addressing issues such as:

Systemic Poverty
Racism

Matthew 16:21-28
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

"If God gives you a few more years, remember, it is not yours.  Your time must honor God, your home must honor God, your activity must honor God, and everything you do must honor God." 
- A.W. Tozer

Second City Church: Back To Church Sunday Sermon 2016

Faith of Our Fathers: Part 4

Hebrews 11:30-40
By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies. And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. 

Lessons Learned:

Go with God's Plan (even if it seems absurd to you and others) 

Jericho

Choose the Right Team  

Rahab 

(Sensitive issues in our culture today can invite reproach when it has to do with moral absolutes and the commands of God.) 

Rahab's life was redeemed, she was grafted into the family of God and she became a physical descendant of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).

Advance the Cause of Christ  

They conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Reach for the Resurrection

Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. 

Live for the reward of tomorrow, not today. 

The resurrection cannot be tamed or tethered by any utilitarian test. It is a vast watershed in history, or it is nothing. It cannot be tested for truth; it is the test of lesser truths. No light can be thrown on it; its own light blinds the investigator. It does not compel belief; it resists it. But once accepted as fact, it tells more about the universe, about history, and about man's state and fate than all the mountains of other facts in the human accumulation.
- Editorial in Life © 1956, Time, Inc.

See from the whole to the part. 

Your life is part of a larger story in Christ.

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect. 

Easter means—hope prevails over despair. Jesus reigns as Lord of Lords and King of Kings. … Easter says to us that despite everything to the contrary, his will for us will prevail, love will prevail over hate, justice over injustice and oppression, peace over exploitation and bitterness.
- Desmond Tutu in Crying in the Wilderness

Second City Church: Faith of Our Fathers Sermon Series 2016

Faith of Our Fathers: Part 3

Seeing is Believing

Hebrews 11:23-28
By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. 

An Inkling

Faith begins by acknowledging the Holy Spirit's stirrings in your heart where you begin to perceive something different that He wants to do.  What do you see in your life, family or environment that needs to change to reflect God's kingdom?

Moses' parents hid him because they saw he was beautiful.  You need to develop a hiding place in God where He can turn those inklings into a path formation. 

An Identity Shift

Faith is built with an identity shift where you begin to see yourself, your world and your purpose through Christ's cross, gospel and eternal purposes.

Moses refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter. 

Who do you identify with?  Who's your family?

Moses chose to be mistreated with the people of God rather than enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.  He would leave the fleeting pleasures of sin but use the relationships that he had developed for the glory of God. You are called to do the same.

This is what the past is for! Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see.
- Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place

By faith, Moses considered the reproach of Christ of greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt.

Have you come to that place in your heart?

How do you give yourself to what is eternal, enduring, can not spoil, wrinkle or fade (Matthew 6:19-21 ; I Peter 1:22-25)?

1 Peter 1:3-7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 

Moses was looking forward to the reward.  It takes faith to look forward to your reward that comes from the hand of God. 

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose." Jim Elliot, missionary to Auca indians in Ecuador”
- Elisabeth Elliot, The Journals of Jim Elliot

An Initiative

Faith results in obedience expressed in some form of action.  

Moses left Egypt, not fearing Pharoah's wrath, enduring as seeing him who is invisible.  

Do you have the Lord always set before you?  Do you see Jesus, the author and perfect of our faith?

Psalm 16:7-8
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 

By faith, Moses led the Israelites to keep the Passover and the sprinkling the blood, which represents our cleansing by the blood of Christ spilled on the cross for our sins, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. 

What has God commanded you to do to protect your family, friends and those you lead?

It may seem foolish, arbitrary and unimportant in the sight of the world, but it is actually wisdom and leads to the salvation of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25
For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Hebrews 11:29
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. 

As we obey God in faith, He works miracles.  By faith, the Israelites crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians who did know or love God were drowned.  The favor of God will allow you to experience such miracles when you see what He sees, and, therefore, what others can not.

Repentance and faith in Jesus Christ leading to His atoning work on the cross is the beginning and the end to walking out all of this.  It is by grace and grace alone, by grace, through faith.

Second City Church: Faith of Our Fathers Sermon Series 2016

Faith of Our Fathers: Part 2

God clearly says in His word that the righteous will live by faith (Habbakuk 2:4; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38).  Well today, we hope to study and show how, in fact, we live by faith in the person and promises of God.

Before (A Place)

Hebrews 11:8-16
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. 

God has a new city, a heavenly Jerusalem prepared for those who love Him.

John 14:1-3
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 

By His sovereignty, God calls you to both a place and a people to accomplish His will.  There, by faith, we are able to see God birth posterity, which is to be the inheritance of every believer - be a disciple and make disciples.

“The Christian says, 'Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire: well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or to be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage. I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others to do the same.” - C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

During (A People)

Hebrews 11:17-20
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. 

There will always be a series of tests in the middle of the faith walk to see what you love more than Jesus or are willing to give up for Him.

Luke 14:25-27
Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 

What do you love more than Jesus today?
Is it your comfort?  Your career?  A relationship in which you find yourself?  Is it your idea of success, maintaining your own identity or creating your own happiness?

God will require even the thing that He's promised you to be placed on the altar if it gets in the way of your unadulterated love for, worship of and service to Him.

Is there a promise that you are clinging to more than you are clinging to the person of Jesus?

God tests the object of His promises in our hearts not because He doesn't want to give you the fulfillment of the promise, but so that you won't lose the promise maker in the midst of the pursuit of the promise.  Our tendency as humans is to gravitate towards loving our stuff and our ideas of happiness more than the giver of life Himself.  We like what we can control, not what we can't.  However, we will never control God.  We are called to give Him control.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”
- C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

After (A Purpose/Promise)

Hebrews 11:21-22
By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones. 

Your life of faith is meant to bring both blessing and structure to future generations who will also look to and honor Christ.

Repent and give Christ control at the cross today.  Because of His death, burial and resurrection, He can make you new giving you a place, a people and a purpose/promise in His Kingdom.

Second City Church: Faith of Our Father Sermon Series 2016

Faith of Our Fathers: Part 1

Hebrews 11:1-7
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

100 Meter
Cain and Abel
Give God what He already asked for

200 Meters
Enoch
Walk with God

4x100 Relay or 10,000 Meter
Noah
Build in faithfulness because the flood will surely come

Pastor Rollan shared this quote:

"Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway."

Second City Church: Faith of Our Father Sermon Series 2016

What's Love Got To Do With It?: Love Life in the Son

1 John 5:1-21 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is the one who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God’s testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him. If you see any brother or sister commit a sin that does not lead to death, you should pray and God will give them life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.

Know Your Limits

God's commands are not burdensome because the alternative is even more so - death.

God helps those He heals.

“when we are powerless to do a thing, it is a great joy that we can come and step inside the ability of Jesus” ― Corrie ten Boom

Know God's Expectation For You

“There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.” ― John Calvin

Romans 14:17-19 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Know Your Team

"To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with.” ― Mark Twain

2 Corinthians 2:12-16 When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest because I did not find my brother Titus there. So I took leave of them and went on to Macedonia. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Second City Church- What's Love Got To Do With It? Sermon Series 2016

What's Love Got to Do With It? : Love the Truth

What's Love Got to Do With It? : Love the Truth

1 John 4:1-21 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Love the Holy Spirit

1 John 4:1-3 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

At the time of the Apostle John's writing, the early church was combating the early heresy of Gnosticism in its seed form.  (Gnosticism notes in Archeological Study Bible)

Just as much as you've chosen to love Jesus and follow Him, you must understand that much of the world and its systems are being driven along by an antichrist spirit - that which rejects Jesus, His divinity, His authority and, thus, His commands.  This is nothing new, but started in the Garden of Eden with Satan's assault on God's Word and continued through the post-resurrection period in which the apostles wrote.

“It is no more narrow to claim that one religion is right than to claim that one way to think about all religions (namely that all are equal) is right. We are all exclusive in our beliefs about religion, but in different ways. ― Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

As follower of Jesus, you must learn to distinguish between the truth and a lie, between that which is inspired of the Holy Spirit of God and that which is not.  It will determine whether you become a product/casualty of our culture or a shaper of it in regards to such things as:

Morality Acts of justice, benevolence, charity and generosity Speaking on behalf of the victim, disadvantaged and the poor

“When we look at the whole scope of this story line, we see clearly that Christianity is not only about getting one’s individual sins forgiven so we can go to heaven. That is an important means of God’s salvation, but not the final end or purpose of it. The purpose of Jesus’s coming is to put the whole world right, to renew and restore the creation, not to escape it. It is not just to bring personal forgiveness and peace, but also justice and shalom to the world. God created both the body and soul, and the resurrection of Jesus shows that he is going to redeem both body and soul. The work of the Spirit of God is not only to save souls but also to care and cultivate the face of the earth, the material world.” ― Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Not every piece of advice is good advice.  Not everything presenting itself as spiritual teaching is sound teaching or of God.  The messages that you receive shape you more than you realize.  How have you been subtly been swept into the tide of the culture, the pattern of this world, through the messages that you passively receive through your Facebook newsfeed, advice from friends who do not love or know the Lord, about issues that you deem archaic when really they are simply politically incorrect.

Jesus has a kingdom that is not of this world and those who are following Him are not trying to conform to this one.  They come into alignment with His thoughts regarding the issues of life including such things as:

Family Finances Human Sexuality The Sanctity of Marriage and Human Life in all of its stages of development

“Think of people you consider fanatical. They're overbearing, self-righteous, opinionated, insensitive, and harsh. Why? It's not because they are too Christian, it's because they are not Christian enough. They are fanatically zealous and courageous, but they are not fanatically humble, sensitive, loving, emphatic, forgiving, or understanding- as Christ was... What strikes us as overly fanatical is actually a failure to be fully committed to Christ and his gospel.” ― Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Do not be surprised when an antichrist philosophy becomes the norm in a culture.

1 John 4:4-6 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

“What one generation tolerates, the next generation will embrace.” ― John Wesley

How do you love your brother, and minister to family,  friends and co- workers in the midst of such an environment?

As we know the truths we must maintain, we will better love our neighbor: i.e. - Nicene Creed Apostle's Creed Purple Book Bible Study

Love Your Neighbor

Calling your neighbor to repent of their sin and put their trust in Jesus that they might receive forgiveness of sins, healing and eternal life is an act of love.

Matthew 22:37-40 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

1 John 4:7-18 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Love will perpetually have you make invitations to Jesus, His gospel and gospel environments because that love also drives out your fear of punishment from others (rejection, etc.).  You will care more about their rescue and salvation than your own good standing in their sight because you love them more than yourself or your comforts.

Romans 9:3-4 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.

At the heart of the Christian’s view of spiritual reality is a man who gave his life in sacrifice for people who did not believe in him, a man who died asking for forgiveness for the people who were killing him. Therefore, Christianity is an exclusive claim, but it is the most inclusive exclusive claim because it wants you to exclusively believe in this man who died for his enemies, and asks you to love and care for yours.

So, does the message that Jesus is the only way to God necessarily lead to intolerance? Christians can only become intolerant to the degree thatthey misunderstand the heart of the gospel – namely, the good news that Almighty God himself came to serve us and die for us, so we could be saved not because of our right beliefs and behavior, but by the gift of his unmerited grace. That message, rightly grasped, cannot lead to coercion or intolerance. The gospel has within it deep resources for humility and respect. It is up to Christians to prove this assertion with their lives. -Timothy Keller, The Reason For God

Love Your Brothers and Sisters

1 John 4:19-21  We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

How Do We Love Our Brothers and Sisters?

Jude 1:20-23 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. 

Refuse to Maintain Offense and Entertain Conjectured Accusation Against Your Brothers and Sisters in Christ

Matthew 5:21-26  “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. 

Give both neighbors, sisters and brothers the same truth, the truth of the gospel.

It is the clear picture of Christ's propitiation (turning away the wrath of God by making amends for the offense of sin - this was done at and through the cross of Jesus) and a picture of God's heart for reconciliation.  It is the hope that once reconciled, He will be with you always, through life's ups and downs and on into eternity.

“It is not the strength of your faith but the object of your faith that actually saves you. Strong faith in a weak branch is fatally inferior to weak faith in a strong branch.”  ― Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Second City Church- What's Love Got To Do With It? Sermon Series 2016

What's Love Got To Do With It: Love Jesus

1 John 3

Intro and Recap

1. Part 1
   1. Love the light
2. Part 2
   1. Love the will of God
3. Peter Ahlin
   1. Patience and trust in God’s plan
4. Reggie Roberson’s Prophetic Word
   1. New wave of 100 people coming into the church this fall
   2. Get prepared
   3. Don’t be intimidated by their status, both influential and the poor are coming
5. A word from the Lord to preface today’s message
   1. ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:12-13‬ ‭NIV
      1. “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.”
   2. Revelation 2:1-7
      1. “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. 2 I know your deeds,your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.  7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
   3. Part 3: Love Jesus
   4. PRAY

Message: Love Jesus (and everything else follows)

Read 1 John 3

Overview

The theme from chapter one and two carries on into chapter 3. I love the Gospel of John and the letters from John because he makes the Gospel, the message of Christ, so clear and cut and dry. John uses easy language of comparing two opposite things to make the right choice obvious.  When reading John’s writings it’s hard to come to a conclusion that isn’t expressly given.

John is rightly called the disciple whom Jesus loved.  The interesting thing is that John labeled himself this!  John was SO CONFIDENT not in his love for Christ, but in Jesus’s love for him that he could boldly call the himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.’  John talked about love ALL THE TIME!  This radical sacrificial love that God had lavished on him changed him.  It became his primary message to the world and what he used as the test of a child of God.

1. 1. Love Jesus by recognizing (believing in) His love for you.
      1. God the Father has lavished His love on us, and the result is we are children of God.
         1. 1 Jn. 4:19
            1. We love because he first loved us!
         2. John 1:11-13
            1. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
         3. John 3:16
            1. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son so that whoever believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.
         4. John 15:13
            1. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
               1. This is lavish love.
         5. We are children of God now but what will we become?
            1. 1st John 3:2
               1. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
            2. Expand:
               1. Children look like their parents, and increasingly so as they grow.  Think about a baby: small, certain color, maybe a little hair. They all have pretty much the same features and same build, so maybe they’re a little hard to distinguish from each other with the few exceptions of birthmarks or skin color.  Probably none of us would be able to walk into the baby ward with their Dad and point out which one is his without a little help (praise the Lord for for name tags!).  But the Dad and Mom could probably tell.
               2. Now fast forward to when the kid is 5, then 15, then 30.  As the child grows it begins to look, act, and think more and more like their parent even if the parent didn’t raise them.  Now imagine the child that was raised by their parent:  they wouldn’t only look like them due to DNA, but they would most likely have the same or very similar thought patterns, beliefs, character traits, and ethics.  I never thought I looked much like my Dad (Mike Parleir) or acted like him, but now that I am 33 years old I find myself looking and sounding and thinking more and more like him.
               3. As John points out, the world may not recognize who God’s children are because it does not recognize God, so in turn, they of course would not know what His children look like.
                  1. Saying: It takes one to know one.  It takes a child of God (or God)  to recognize a child of God.
               4. In this same trajectory, the child of God who remains in the vine of Jesus will be like Him when He returns.  
                  1. John 15:9-13
                     1. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
         6. Reiterate Point:
            1. Love Christ by recognizing (believing in) His love for you.

• Love Jesus by purifying yourself (live holy).

• 1st John 3:3

• “All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”

1. 1. 1. 1. 1. The hope is Jesus’ return.
         2. When we have tasted God’s pure sacrificial love we can not and will not stay the same or remain in the sin we used to tolerate. This is not us saving ourselves. This is us yielding our hearts to our lover, our lord, our saviour and asking Him to have His way in us, otherwise known as sanctification.
         3. Integrity: confessing your sin before the devil does.
         4. Phillipians 2:11-13
            1. Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
         5. Example:
            1. It’s like an engagement period. We are the bride to be and Christ is the groom to be. Christ has declared His love by bearing the cross of our shame, bought the ring of the Holy Spirit and given it to His soon to be bride so the onlooking world will know by this token (deposit of the Holy Spirit) she’s about to get married.  She in turn prepares to become one with her husband by aligning her body, soul, and mind to be all that she was designed to be because she herself is the gift to her husband.  All of this is fueled by the already declared unfailing love of Christ.  She knows she won’t be rejected. Rather, she knows who she is and will be loved as she is.
      2. 1st John 3:4-5
         1. Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness. 5 But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins. And in him is no sin. 6 No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.  7 Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. 8 The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
         2. Point:
            1. Don’t be deceived, or as John says, “led astray,” by thinking that your actions don’t matter.  John makes it very plain that because Jesus had to physically take on a body, be physically crucified, and raised from the dead with a physical yet spiritual resurrected body, our actions in this life, in this body, are of eternal importance.
            2. There are only two sides to choose from: child of God or child of the devil.  Those who do what are righteous are children of God, and those who do what is sinful is of the devil.
            3. They key to focus on here is “keeps on sinning.”  Remember in chapter 2 when John wrote to “children whose sins had been forgiven” as well as “young men who have overcome the evil one”? Babies poop in their pants quite often because they are being trained and growing to use a toilet.  This is fine, because God is a loving father and every time we mess up we have an advocate in Jesus who washes us clean. But when your 13-year old is still wearing diapers, then there’s a problem.  At this point they should be helping change the diapers of their younger siblings.
      3. 1st John 9-10
         1. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.
            1. The Self Test:
               1. Do I do what is right consistently?
               2. Do I  love my brother and sister consistently?  

• Love Jesus by loving your brothers and sisters.

1. 1. 1. 1st John 3:16-18
         1. 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 and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
            1. Jesus set the standard for us by giving His very life, and commands we do the same.  This takes faith and grace.
               1. Galatians 2:19-21
                  1. 19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

• Love Jesus by obeying Him with action.

1. 1. 1. 1st John 3:18-22
         1. Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. 19 This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that 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 keep his commands and do what pleases him.
      2. Obedient action leads to
         1. Knowing we belong to God
         2. Sets our hearts at peace when anxiety tries to rule
         3. Answered prayers

• Summary and Action Points

1. 1. 1st John 3:23-24
      1. 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 The one who keeps God’s commands lives 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.
   2. Receive God the Father’s lavish love by receiving Jesus Christ as your lord and saviour, letting His blood cleanse you of your sin and guilt.  Be born again today.
   3. If you have received Jesus as Lord and Savior but have been stuck in habitual sin or your heart has been condemned, receive freedom today by confessing your sin and receiving God’s grace by praying with someone.

Further Notes on Loving Well

1. 1. Loving people well is understanding that they will do what they see you doing more than what they hear you saying.
      1. This is why we need Christian community. We need to live in a life sharing community.
   2. Husbands: God won't answer your prayers if you're not living right (1 Peter 3:7).
      1. Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers
   3. Elders and deacons (those who serve and love the church) must prove themselves by living (not just being) holy - (1 Tim 3).
   4. The prayers of the righteous are powerful and effective.
      1. James 5:16
         1. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
   5. When you pray you do not get what you ask for because of selfish reasons for asking.
   6. Some vessels are for common use and some are for special use. Living holy sets you apart for special use.
      1. 2 Timothy 2:20-21
         1. 20 In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use. 21 Those who cleanse themselves from the latter will be instruments for special purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” ‭‭John‬ ‭13:17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

““A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭13:34-35‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”” ‭‭John‬ ‭14:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” ‭‭John‬ ‭15:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Love: the willingness accompanied by the action of self-sacrifice for the benefit of another.

What's purity got to do with loving well?

• We can only give what we have, so if we’re tainted, so is our love which is not as beneficial to the recipient.

The most important command of God:

1. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength.
2. Love your neighbor as yourself.
   1. Who's my neighbor? Everyone!
   2. The golden rule: Do to others as you would have them do to you.

It's all about love baby!

1st John 1

God is light (truth). Walking with God is living in truth (the light). The truth is all are sinners, so walking with God is admitting sin. This admittance leads to Jesus’s blood purifying us from all sin if we confess and believe. Truth brings fellowship.

1st John 2

Because the truth is we’re all sinners, we need Jesus as an advocate with the Father. Since not only the Jews are sinners, but the Gentiles (whole world), Jesus’s atoning (at-one-ment) sacrifice is sufficient for the whole world, anyone who believes.

Walking in the light, knowing God, is proven by our obedience to His commands. Love for God equates to obedience to God, and perfect obedience is perfect love. Jesus’s love is perfect because His life was sinless (perfect obedience). “Whoever claims to live in him must love as Jesus did.”

1st John 3

John tells us that we are children of God, so we should act like it and not just talk about it.  Children grow up.  When God’s children grow up we are not quite sure what we will be like, but we know it will happen when Jesus returns, and when we see him as he is we will then become like him.  This hope purifies us as He promised it would in 1 John 1:9 because this hope leads to the actions of confession and repentance which leads to forgiveness and purification.

Hate is darkness. Love is light.

Hate leads to stumbling. Love leads to a perfect walk.

Hate blinds people from the destination. Love enlightens people and reveals the destination.

God’s kingdom is light, truth, and love through obedience. Satan’s kingdom is darkness, falsehood, and hate through lawlessness.

Love for the world and love for the Father cannot coexist in the same heart, because you can only have one master, since love is obedience.

Love for the world looks like:

1. Lust of the flesh
2. Lust of the eyes
3. Pride of life

Love for the world is darkness because it deceives us saying “these temporal creations will give you eternal life,” when in reality they do not fulfill (the heart desires eternal life) and lead to death.

Contrary to the love for the world is love for God which results in doing God’s will which lasts forever and leads to eternal life.

Hope leads to faith that leads to love.

Perfect faith leads to perfect love. Perfect love casts out fear of punishment because perfect love is perfect obedience which does not warrant punishment. Our righteousness is in Christ because no one has done this, and we all have wrath stored up outside of faith in Christ.

“Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:22-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Above all…

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Labor prompted by love. -Paul

Love is the fuel for all lasting labor.

Loving deliverance does not always bring obedience  but loving obedience to God always brings deliverance. Loving God and obeying God re-wires are heart in the moment to wear our desire for deliverance is overshadowed with our pleasure of being intimate with God.

In matters of love time becomes secondary to intimacy and this is why for those who love Jesus and eternity is what we will have as our reward. Do you remember when you were in love with another person and there was no amount of time that could pacify the desire to be with them? And this is why we get married so that we can wake up together work together eat together clean together sleep together and do it all over again for all the days of our lives because of love. This is salvation, being born again into the family and household of God not primarily as a servant the primarily as a child and family member who serves because of a love that plops labor.

Love labors.

Love leads to reward.

“Whoever pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭21:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Love dies.

Application:

1. Social Media Conversations
2. Honor one another.

Second City Church - What's Love Got To Do With It Sermon Series 2016

What's Love Got to Do With It?: Love the Will of God

 

The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way, I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.

Luke 13:22-30 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Our Advocate

1 John 2:1-11 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Our Application

1 John 2:12-17 I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, children, because you know the Father. I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

This explains the cycle of our development in Christ. God's goal for His people is maturation, where they know Him intimately and become fathers and mothers in the faith to others.

Maturation in Christ means beginning to take responsibility for others beyond merely worrying about your own sin. This is the defining role of a parent. The word of God beginning to abide in a young man/woman is the bridge from being born-again/an infant/child in Christ to a parent. Children can confidently know the Lord as fathers/mothers in the faith do. The difference is time and the experience of God's faithfulness.

Our Advantage

1 John 2:18-27 Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us. But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Second City Church - What's Love Got to Do With It Sermon Series 2016