Month: November 2012

  • GOSPEL THREADS [4]

    THE URGENCY OF ETERNITY
    Romans 6:23
    10/31/2012

    INTRO
    • Sharing the gospel is SIMPLE, not easy.
    • Review...
        > God is the just and gracious CREATOR of all things.
        > We are each CREATED by God, but we are all CORRUPT by sin.
        > Jesus alone is able to REMOVE our sin and RECONCILE us to God.
        > We are reconciled to God only through FAITH in Jesus.
    • Today... Our eternal destiny is dependent on our RESPONSE to Jesus... THE GOSPEL IS IMPORTANT B/C ETERNITY IS FOREVER!
    • When it comes to eternity, You can TURN FROM Jesus or TURN TO Jesus, life and death hang in the balance and there is NO MIDDLE option.

    1. THREAD #5: THE URGENCY OF ETERNITY
    • Our eternal destiny is dependent on our response to Jesus.
    • Will you turn FROM Jesus?
    • Or will you turn TO Jesus
    • If we LIVE without Christ now... We will DIE without Christ forever

    2. SEWING GOSPEL THREADS...
    • God is the just and gracious Creator of all things. We are each created by God, but we are all corrupted by sin. Jesus alone is able to remove our sin and reconcile us to God. We are reconciled to God only through faith in Jesus. Our eternal destiny is dependent on our response to Jesus.
    • Minimize your conversations about TEMPORARY things.
    • Maximize your conversations about ETERNAL things.
    • Talking about responding to the Gospel.
        > Be CLEAR - Trust the POWER of the Gospel.
        > Be CHRIST-CENTERED - Point people to an ENCOUNTER with Jesus.
        > Be CONFIDENT - Trust the WORK of the Spirit.
        > Be CAREFUL - Remember the goal is not DECISIONS; the goal is DISCIPLES.
    • Talking about HELL...
        > Speak about God’s judgment with humble FEAR.
        > speak about how we would be right under Gods judgment ourselves if not for the completely and utterly unmerited, undeserved GRACE of Christ
        > Speak about God’s wrath with honest COMPASSION.
    • Talking about HEAVEN...
        > Take advantage of every opportunity to talk about the hope of being with GOD
        > Take advantage of every opportunity to talk about the fact that dying is GAIN.

    3. CALVARY AND THE URGENCY OF ETERNITY.
    • Rom 9:1-5 Do we realize people’s CONDITION?
    • Do we possess the heart of CHRIST?
    • Do we want our lives to COUNT?

    CONCLUSION
    • Remember the goal is not DECISIONS; the goal is DISCIPLES
    • I want us to go to Christ because we can’t manufacture Romans 9 in our hearts. We can’t manufacture this in our lives. We don’t know what it all looks like. We need Christ to do it in us and I want to call us as a faith family, I want to call us to run to Christ and to ask him, “Give us your heart, help us to realize the reality of the things we’re saying, help us to realize people’s condition, and God help us to make our lives count.”

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  • GOSPEL THREADS [3]

    News About Christ & Faith
    Romans 3:21-31
    10/24/2012

    INTRO
    •The Gospel is a confrontational message, but it can be woven into our everyday conversation
    • Review...
        > THREAD #1 God is the just and gracious Creator of all things.
        > THREAD #2 We are each created by God, but we are all corrupted by sin.
        > Did you look INTENTIONALLY for opportunities to sew these 2 threads?
    •Read Romans 3:21-31

    1. THREAD #3: THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST
    • Jesus alone is able to remove our sin and reconcile us to God.
        > if we realize how HOLY God is and how SINFUL man is, we realize there is a CHASM that cannot be bridged by just ANYONE or just ANY WAY or just ANY SYSTEM
    • (1) Jesus’ LIFE displayed the RIGHTEOUSNESS of God.
        > Reminder - He is fully MAN and He is fully GOD (turn Rom 1:3&4)
    • (2) Jesus’ DEATH satisfied the WRATH of God.
    • (3) Jesus’ RESURRECTION demonstrated the POWER of God.

    2. THREAD #4: THE NECESSITY OF FAITH
    • We are reconciled to God only through faith in Jesus.
    • up until this point (God, Man, Christ)... you can know all these things and still not be RECONCILED to God! (James 2:19)
    • We can be right with God, HOW? Rom 5:1
    • Faith involves TURNING (read Rom 6:1-4).
        > from SIN = Read Rom 6:11-14
        > From our SELVES = Rom 7:24-25,This is the whole point of Romans.We can’t manufacture righteousness before God.
        > Faith is a turning FROM something (sin/self), and a turning TOWARD something (Jesus)...
    • Faith involves TRUSTING (Read Rom 8:10-11).
        > Jesus as LORD = Rom 10:9-13
        > Jesus as SAVIOR = Rom 10:13

    3. SEWING GOSPEL THREADS...
    • remember the goal here is not just to talk about the gospel once. It’s to talk about how the gospel infiltrates our conversations on a daily basis, how the gospel permeates our minds and our mouths so that we SHARE this gospel daily.

    (a) Jesus alone is able to remove our sin and reconcile us to God.
    • Take advantage of every opportunity you have to tell HIS story.
    • Talking about Jesus’ LIFE, look for opportunities...
        > to highlight Jesus’ EXAMPLE for us.
        > to acknowledge Jesus’ WORK in us.
        > to point out Jesus’ IDENTIFICATION with us.
    • Talking about Jesus’ DEATH, never stop...
        > emphasizing the GRAVITY of sin.
        > talking about your GRATITUDE for Christ
    • Talking about Jesus’ RESURRECTION, speak...
        > about difficulties with HOPE.
        > about death with JOY.

    (b) We are reconciled to God only through faith in Jesus.
    • Take every opportunity you have to tell YOUR story.
    • Talking about turning, point to...
        > the FORGIVENESS of Christ when people see their sin.
        > the PRESENCE of Christ when people come to the end of themselves.
    • Talking about trusting...
        > Encourage people to see the LORDSHIP of Christ.
        > Urge people to receive the LOVE of Christ

    CONCLUSION
    • THE CHALLENGE...
        > challenge you to memorize these threads
        > pray and look intentionally each day this week for opportunities to sew these threads.

     

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  • GOSPEL THREADS [2]

     

    News About God & Man
    Romans 3:10-21
    10/10/2012

    INTRO
    • Jesus'' work in our life, so captivates us, that the story of God speaks out of our LIFE and LIPS
    • Today we will consider the first 2 of our Gospel Threads...

    1. THREAD #1: THE CHARACTER OF GOD
    • God is the just and gracious Creator of all things.
    > God is the starting point for the Gospel. IF YOU DONT HAVE A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF GOD YOU WILL NEVER HAVE A PROPER UNDERSTANDING OF THE GOSPEL.
    > What is it about Gods character that is important for us to communicate, as it relates to the gospel?
    • Rom 1:18-20 He is our CREATOR - We BELONG to Him (also Rom 4:17)
    • Rom 2:2-5, 16; 3:25-26 He is our JUDGE - We are ACCOUNTABLE to Him
    • Rom 3:23-24 He is our SAVIOR - We NEED Him.

    2. THREAD #2: THE SINFULNESS OF MAN
    • We are each created by God, but we are all corrupted by sin.
    • Rom 1:21, 25 We have REBELLED against God (3:10-18, 23)
    • We are SEPARATED from God (Rom 6:.16-21; 7:14)
    • We are DEAD without God (Rom 5:12, 15)

    3. SEWING GOSPEL THREADS...
    (a) God is the just and gracious Creator of all things
    • Talk about God like He is Someone you KNOW & someone you WORSHIP.
    • Talking about God as CREATOR...
        > Acknowledge the glory of God in CREATION every chance you have
        > Acknowledge the presence of God in SPECIFIC facets of life
           - God is WORKING in my life (in this way).
           - God is BLESSING me (in this way).
           - God is LEADING me (in this direction).
           - God is GUIDING me (to make this decision).
           - God is TEACHING me (this truth).
           - God is SHOWING me (this realization).
           - Does the way you talk draw attention to God or to you?
    • Talking about God as JUDGE...
        > Express CONFIDENCE in God even when things go wrong.
        > Express HUMILITY before God (and others) when you do something wrong.
    • Talking about God as SAVIOR...
        > Constantly point out evidences of God’s GRACE in and around you.
        > Credit God as the source of everything GOOD in and around you.
    • Remember, its not about have some hour long “presentation” to dump on someone, its about simple opportunities to share truth about God. Conversations about the good news. Sewing one thread at a time.

    (b) We are each created by God, but we are all corrupted by sin.
    • Speak RESPECTFULLY to and about all people as individuals created in Gods image
    • Look INTENTIONALLY for opportunities to encourage others.
    • Talking about our REBELLION...
        > Speak HUMBLY about the seriousness of sin... When we make light of sin, we communicate to others that sin is to be taken lightly
        > Speak HONESTLY about our propensity to sin.
    • Talking about our SEPARATION...
        > Acknowledge the ROOT and CONSEQUENCES of sin.
        > point to our DEPENDENCE on & DESPERATION for God.

    CONCLUSION
    THE CHALLENGE...
    • Memorize these two threads.
    • Everyday this week, look INTENTIONALLY for ways to sew these 2 threads.

     

     

     

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  • GOSPEL THREADS [1]


    The Gospel & How to Share It!
    Romans 1:1-17
    10/03/2012

    INTRO
    •Gospel Threads = weave gospel truths into peoples lives until they have the full quilt of the gospel.
    •This series is NOT about giving you some kind of guilt trip… BUT about being overwhelmed by the Gospel of Christ
    •How can these simple threads of the Gospel become part of our daily conversation?... we are hear to lead people to Christ… the Gospel should so captivate us that we can’t not share it!
    •Foundations for Personal Evangelism...


    1. WE NEED TO REMEMBER WHOSE WE ARE  vs 1-2
    •Rom 1:1-2  “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,”
    •Notice, Paul’s entire identity is wrapped up in Christ… servant of Christ, called by Christ, sent by Christ, set apart for Christ
    •We are SERVANTS of the Gospel.
    •We are SENT OUT with the Gospel.
    •We are SET APART for the Gospel.


    2. WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE WHAT WE BELIEVE  vs 3-4
    •Vs 3-4  “concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,”
    •The Gospel...The just and gracious God of the universe looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to pay the penalty for sin on the cross and to show His power over sin and death in the resurrection so that all who repent and trust in Him alone will be reconciled to God forever. 
    •The Threads...
       >  The Character of GOD
       >  The Sinfulness of MAN
       >  The Sufficiency of CHRIST
       >  The Necessity of FAITH
       >  The Urgency of ETERNITY
    •How do we let these threads flow into our conversation on a DAILY BASIS… continually, all over Byesville, Cambridge, Guernsey County… THEN look for opportunities to pull all the threads together to help people see the beauty of Christ.


    3. WE NEED TO REALIZE WHY WE’RE HERE  vs 5
    •Vs 5  “through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations”
    •WORSHIP - We are here to EXALT His Name.
       >  The gospel is aimed at the GLORY of God.
       >  God is the GIVER of the Gospel
       >  God is the GIFT of the Gospel
       >  God is the GOAL of the Gospel… read Rom 15:8
    •DISCIPLESHIP - We are here to PENETRATE the nations… this is why we are here Calvary!


    4. WE NEED TO RESOLVE HOW WE’LL LIVE  vs 16-17
    •We will live like nothing can SHAME us
    •We will live like nothing can STOP us


    CONCLUSION
    •The Ultimate Question… Will the Gospel STOP with you or SPREAD through you?
       >  Do you need to receive the Gospel yourself? – settle that today!
       >  Do you need to surrender your life as a servant of the gospel? – settle that today!
    •Pray ?  God use us to make much of your Name in Guernsey Co. !!!