“Needy People Please Apply”
June 19, 2022
Acts 4:32-37
A. The Gospel is for Needy People.
Fact: Christ came for needy people. “Those who
are well have no need for a physician,” he
said on one occasion (Matthew 9:12).
Fact: The only people for whom there is no hope
are those who refuse to recognize that
they are needy.
Fact: That’s when we are at our best, when we have
recognized that Christ calls us to minister to
the needy.
Fact: Wherever and whatever we can do for the
needy, that is our mission and our ministry.
Fact: We need to recognize that people are needy
in all kinds of ways.
Fact: But neediness comes in many forms,
and we have many other needs that may
be just as pressing.
Fact: There’s much we need to do as a
congregation before we can say that there
are no needy people among us.
“Love one another, as I have loved you”
Acts 2:1-4
#1. The Holy Spirit exalts Jesus.
~This is the Spirit’s first and primary work, the
number-one item on His job description.
~ It is always the Spirit’s mission to exalt Jesus.
#2. The Holy Spirit convicts us.
Fact: It is the Spirit’s mission to convict us in three
areas:
#1. He gives us an awakened sense of sin,
particularly the sin of unbelief in Jesus.
#2. The Spirit wants to affirm to us the
righteousness of Jesus.
#3. The Spirit brings an acknowledgment that
judgment has already been passed against
the evil one.
#3. The Holy Spirit regenerates us.
~ Jesus said in John 3:5;
“Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit”
~ Spiritual regeneration comes through the Spirit’s
presence.
#4. The Holy Spirit lives in us.
~ I Corinthians 3:16, says:
“Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
~ The Spirit’s presence helps us to resist the
power of the evil one.
#5. The Holy Spirit seals believers.
~ The apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:13-14;
“When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession.”
~ He also wrote in Ephesians 4:30:
“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you
were sealed for the day of redemption”
~ To use that analogy, Paul said there is coming a
day when you will be completely God’s—in
eternity.
#6. The Holy Spirit guides us.
~ Living in the Spirit is a personal relationship.
Fact: When you maintain a life of prayer and
communion with the Lord, you can lean on
he impressions you get while praying.
~ There are many instances of the Spirit’s
guidance in Scripture.
#7. The Holy Spirit prompts us to worship.
~ The Spirit prompts believers to worship and
adore the ever-living God.
~ As we take the time to worship, our spiritual well
is always being filled.
#8. The Holy Spirit empowers us for witness.
~ Jesus said, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for
the gift my Father promised. . . . You will receive
power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and
you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”
(Acts 1:4, 8).
Fact: There is a balance between the worship of
the Lord and the work of the Lord.
~ The Spirit’s task is to instill strength in us in the
moment of worship, so that we can go out
empowered to do the work of the Lord.
#9. The Holy Spirit enables us to understand and
apply what is taught in the Word of God.
~ The Spirit not only inspired the Scripture, but He
also caused it to be inspiring. (2 Timothy 3:16)
“All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness”.
Fact: Whatever the Spirit does will line up with
Scripture because the Spirit inspired
Scripture to begin with.
– These two will always agree. Amen!!!
– The Spirit causes us to understand God’s Word.
#10. The Holy Spirit will give life to our mortal bodies.
~This is a work of the Holy Spirit that’s yet to
come.
“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you”
(Romans 8:11).
“Give the Holy Spirit Room”
Love Reigns Over Our Future
Fact: Worry is an all-consuming use of our time,
energy and attention on things that we cannot
control.
Fact: The only true way to cure this sickness of worry
is to trust in the love of God and let is rule in our
lives.
Fact: The reason He gives is because our lives are
made up of more than just our physical desires.
Fact: Trusting God for the future instills deep hope that
He is there before we ever get there.
Fact: God has a preferred future that He longs for you
to live into.
Question: The question is how do you know when
opportunities in the future are God’s plan?
#1. Does this opportunity align with scripture?
#2. Will this opportunity make me more like Jesus?
#3. Will this opportunity benefit others?
Mark Twain once said:
“The two most important days of your life are the day when you are born and the day you find out why.”
Fact: It is about priority.
Fact: Jesus says if we seek God first that everything
else will have a way of falling in place.
Love Reigns Over Our Present
Fact: Our lives are largely made up of the
decisions we make, and that can be a
painful litmus test to whom or what has our
allegiance.
Fact: Our past is a collection of wise or unwise
choices that we made along the way.
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Fact: We often are not satisfied with our lot in life
and so we try and do things on our own.
Fact: When we turn our attention to the mercy of
God, then we are compelled to live our lives
as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing
to God.
Fact: This is why Jesus’ death was considered the
ultimate sacrifice for all humanity.
(Psalm 51:16-17)
Fact: It was not about the sacrifice itself; it was
about the heart behind the sacrifice.
Fact: The true sacrifice of a follower of Jesus is a
contrite heart and an obedient spirit.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Fact: The world around us has patterns that lead
to a broken life.
Fact: When we understand God’s love and mercy
for us, we find the reason to transform our
Fact: Paul says that the best way to the will of God
is by trading our own will in and creating
better patterns for our lives.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.”
Fact: When we trust in the Lord and question our
understanding, we will begin to see the
straight paths God has laid before us.
Love Reigns Over Our Past
Fact:
My past does not define me. I am more
than what I have done.
A. OUT WITH THE OLD AND IN WITH THE NEW.
Fact: When God comes into our lives, He does not
simply overlook our sinful past. Instead, He
forgives it and removes it so that it does
not have power over us anymore.
Fact: To confess means to “agree with God”.
Fact: When we confess our sin against God and
receive His forgiveness, we experience a
restored relationship with Him.
Fact: He does not want anyone to live a life
weighed down by a sinful past or shackled by
shame and guilt.
Fact: A love for God is better caught than taught.
People want to SEE you live it out.
Fact: A love for God is contagious. People want to
HEAR that it means something to you.
Fact: Jesus wants to make His appeal to the world
through the way we live and the things we
say.
RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Love Reigns
It WAS the love of God that caused Jesus to come to earth and to offer himself as a sacrifice on the cross to forgive the world of its sins.
Fact: This kind of thinking and teaching caused a lot of
conflict in the area that Jesus served in.
Fact: Both Herod and Jesus could not reign over
Israel.
Fact:
None of them understood that the true test of Jesus’ power and authority was not in His ability to save Himself from crucifixion, but in His ability to overcome the death that the crucifixion would result in.
Fact: Herod was not the last one to be threatened by
the Kingship of Jesus.
Fact: Easter is the day that Jesus was given all
authority on heaven and on earth.
Fact: His final instruction for all of his followers was to
go into the whole world and make disciples.
Fact: To be a disciple is to be in a life-long process
of becoming more like Jesus.
Luke 19:28-40
Fact: (There were shouts of;)
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”.
Fact: There are two expectations being played out.
#1. The Hope of the People.
#2. The Passion of Christ.
Question: “The Passion”, What does it mean?
Answer: It means the Sufferings of the Christ.
Fact:
To pursue a king’s crown would defeat the purpose of the cross.
To be obedient to the cross would bring about a future crown.
Fact:
Man cannot reach up to God so in grace, God
comes down to where human beings are.
Fact:
He chose to ignore the crowds
version of Palm Sunday and go with His.
(Psalm 84:1-12)
Question: What is the valley of Baca?
Answer: It is the valley of hardship or weeping.
Fact: It received its name from the weeping of the
Jews. (Judges 2:1-5)
#1. We Receive God’s Perspective on Time. (vs. 1-4)
Question: What is the greatest danger in the
valley’s you go through?
Answer: The greatest danger is to lose your
perspective on time.
Question: How does the psalmist get through
the valley of Baca?
Answer: In verse 1, he thinks about the
tabernacle he is heading towards or
the place of worship.
Question: How does he know that God will see
him through to his destination?
Answer: Because in verse 3, he acknowledges
that the sparrows made it to God’s
house.
#2. We Receive God’s Strength on our Weakness.
(v. 5)
Question: What is the psalmist saying in
verse 5?
Answer: Two things that provoke us to
passion:
Question: Who is it that is strong?
Answer: Verse 5 tells us, “Who have set their
hearts on the pilgrimage.”
#3. We Receive God’s Grace to Overcome.
(Verses 6-9)
Question: How do you know that the valley
doesn’t swallow you up?
Answer: Verse 6 says: “They make it a place
of springs: the autumn rains also
cover it with pools.”
Question: How do you go through it?
#1. When you are passing through the
valley, start making wells.
#2. The rain fills the pools where you are.
Fact: Baca can become a well instead of a grave.
#4. We Receive God’s Reward for Right Choices.
(Vs. 10, 11)
Question: What is verse 10 saying to us?
Answer: Because in the valley, people are
tempted to envy those who seem
Even in the Valley:
We know it pays to serve God. We know it pays
to remain faithful. We know it pays to
Charles Spurgeon said:
“The most favorable circumstances in earthly pleasures cannot be compared so much as one in a thousand to the delights in serving God.”
Scripture: I Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let
you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
The Bottom Line
How Obedience is the True Certificate
of Christian Character.
Question: Why was Saul rejected by the Lord
after being anointed king for the Lord?
Answer: In verse 3, he was told to “slay,
destroy and spare not the Amelekites.”
Question: Why did God say to Saul, “Destory
Amalek and Agag”?
Answer: Because in Deuteronomy 25:17-19,
fear God and smote Israel when the
Israelites were faint and weary.
B.) The Compromise of the King. (vs. 4-9)
Question: What did God clearly tell Saul to do?
Answer: Verse 3, “Destroy everything and
spare nothing”.
Question: What did Saul do in verse 9?
Answer: He made a costly error:
#1. He spared Agag the ruler of the Amalekites.
#2. He kept the best cattle and spoils for himself.
#3. He had the nerve to cover up and lie about
his activity.
Question: Why did Saul allow the will of the
people to override the will of God?
Answer: Found in verse 24; “Because he
feared the people and obeyed their voice”.
C.) The Confrontation of the Prophet. (vs. 10-21)
Question: How did God expose Saul’s lie in
verse 13, when Saul said: “I have
performed the commandment of the Lord”?
Answer: Verse 14 says: “And Samuel said,
what meaneth then this bleating of the
sheep?”
D.) The Calling to your Heart and Mine. (vs. 22-24)
Question: What does these verses mean?
“Obedience is better than sacrifice”. “Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft”. “Stubbornness is an iniquity, like idolatry”.
Answer: God wants obedience more than
anything else.
Question: Why was Saul de-throned?
Answer: Because God couldn’t trust him to
do want He wanted.
“It better to obey than to sacrifice”
“God’s Divine Blueprint of Discipleship”
Fact: The purpose of growing healthy disciples is:
#1. To enable people to reproduce after Christ’s kind.
#2. To see people go from consumers to producers.
#3. To watch people’s mindset grow from
“What’s in it for me?” (to) “What’s in it for God?”
Fact: Chapter 1-3 deal with doctrine and
Chapters 4-6 deals with duty.
Fact: Chapters 1-3 reveals our wealth as believers and
Chapters 4-6 reveals our walk as believers.
Question: What has God given to us to be healthy believers?
#1. We’ve been given “GRACE”. (v. 7)
#2. We’ve been given “Gifts”. (v. 11)
Fact: God reveals 5 gifts He has given to His church.
#1. Apostles – those who go into virgin territory to
plant a new body of believers.
#2. Prophets – those who proclaim God’s Word to
warn and awaken the body of Christ.
#3. Evangelists – those called specifically to bring
unbelievers to decisions of Christ.
#4. Pastors – those called to assume responsibility
for the spiritual welfare of a local body
of believers.
#5. Teachers – those gifted by God to clarify and
communicate the truth so that others
can learn it, apply it and grow.
Question: Why has God given us grace and gifts?
Answer: To prepare God’s people for service.
Question: Why has God given us His grace (v. 7)
and spiritual leaders (v. 11)?
Answer: “To prepare us for the work of the
ministry”. (v. 12)
Question: Why has God given us grace and gifts
(spiritual favor and spiritual leaders)?
Answer: 3 reasons in verse 13:
#1. “To be unified in the faith” (which means
to come into agreement with the Word of
God).
#2. “To know Jesus better” (which means to
grow and grow and grow into a deeper
relationship with Jesus).
#3. To be perfected” (Attaining the full
measure of perfection).
Question: What is “perfection” in verse 13?
Answer: The word “perfection” means:
“Mature and Whole”.
In Other Words:
God pours out grace and puts spiritual leaders in our lives – to help us become more like Jesus!
C.) You are “Protected”. (v. 14)
Question: What is it that God wants to protect us from?
Answer: 4 Dangers in verse 14:
#1. “Winds of doctrine”
#2. “The sleight of men”
#3. “Cunning craftiness”
#4. “Deception”
D.) You are “Progressive”. (. 15)
Question: What does it mean to “speak the truth in love”?
Answer: The Greek meaning of the word for “speak” is:
“To speak and act truthfully &
To be truthful at all times.”
Question: What causes someone to be harsh and
abrasive?
Answer: Unresolved injury and issues internally.
(James 4:1-3)
E.) You are “Productive”. (v. 16)
Question: What is the result of following the divine
blueprint from God?
Answer: Verse 16 gives us 3 ways this happens:
#1. Each individual will become mature, stable,
obedient and fruitful.
#2. The local body will become a coordinated
team with every member contributing to the
whole.
#3. The Lord will see to it that the church
“grows and increases in maturity”.
Fact:
The church should grow God’s way through nutrition not by abrasion.
The Journey of Discipleship – The Comfort
Question: Who is it that promises to comfort every
believer in v. 3?
#1. God is our Father:
#2. God is a Father of Mercy:
#3. God is the God of all comfort:
Question: Why is there a need of Divine comfort in
every believer?
Answer: Because of what everyone experiences
in vs. 4,5,6 & 8:
~ In verse 4, “Who comforts us in all our tribulation”.
~ In verse 5, “For as the sufferings of Christ abound
in us”.
~ In verse 6, “And whether we be afflicted”.
~ In verse 8, “For we would not, brethren, have you
ignorant of our trouble”.
Question: Why do we need to know that God is the
God of all Comfort?
Answer: Because of what every one of us will
face at some time in verse 4:
“Who comforts us in all our (WHAT?) Tribulation?”
Question: What does the word tribulation mean?
Answer: It means: “To be weighed down
exceedingly” and “To be passed under
a heavy load”.
C.) The “Comfort” of your Encouragement. (vs. 5 & 7)
Question: What is God saying to us through Paul?
Answer: Something that takes the worry out of
living:
“As you partake of any sufferings,
you will also partake of God’s comfort”.
Question: Why does Paul have such a confident
expectation to pass on to us?
Answer: Because Paul has discovered, that when
the pressures of life increase, so does
the supply of Divine Grace!
Question: How do we receive this grace?
Answer: Paul looked away from himself and his
feelings and focused on the Lord where
grace comes from.
D.) The “Cause” of your Encouragement.
Question: Why does God go to such great lengths
to comfort me in every season? Why
such great ministry by the Holy Spirit to
your heart and mine?
Answer: Verse 4 has the answer: “So that we
may be able to help others in the
journey”!
Question: How does God redeem your hard
places for His purpose and glory?
Answer: #1. God uses our own weaknesses to
pour out His Spirit and makes us
strong.
#2. God use our weaknesses to make
us strong, so that we can comfort
and encourage others in need
of being made strong!
In Fact:
Your suffering in this life, mixed with God’s supply of abundant grace by His Spirit, Are having a Profound affect on People.
Question: What happens to a believer who
suffers, looks to God and gets grace
and doesn’t get bitter, angry, sour and
full of self-pity?
Answer: #1. You provoke others to be
encouraged!
#2. You provoke others to endure
and be faithful!
#3. You provoke others to be saved
and trust the One who is helping
you!
The Journey of Discipleship –
The Closeness
Question: What was John doing?
Answer: He was leaning on the breast of Jesus.
Question: Why was John leaning on the breast of
Jesus?
Answer: Because He desired to be close to
Jesus as he could.
Question: Why is John leaning on Jesus?
Answer: Because he has a desire to be closer.
Question: Why is verse 23 in your Bible?
Answer: To reveal the affection that the Lord
wants to have with us.
Question: What does John standing by the cross
have to do with me?
Answer: It reveals the second word that keeps us
close to Jesus: “Standing”
Question: What is the big deal about standing at
the cross where Jesus is dying?
Answer: Any supporters of Jesus ran the risk of
ridicule, arrest and execution.
Question: But what disciple is close to Jesus?
Why is John standing there?
Answer: One word “Devotion”.
C.) We see John “Running”. (John 20:4)
Question: Why is John running with Peter to the
empty tomb?
Answer: Because of what John just heard:
“He is not there”.
Question: Why is John running?
Answer: One Word – “Determination”.
Question: What does John’s “running
determination” have to do with me?
Answer: It leads me closer to Jesus.
Fact:
Mary’s witness is not good enough! Peter’s witness is not good enough! I must understand and determine that I too am invited to discover a living Jesus.
D.) We see John “Following”. (John 21:20)
Question: So what does it mean to follow Jesus
here in verses 19 and 22?
Answer: It means to serve God where God puts
you and leave everyone else to serve
where God puts them.
Question: Why is John running?
Answer: One Word – “Decision”.
Question:
What is the reward of closeness to Jesus?
#1. You will experience God’s presence in your life.
#2. You will experience God’s plan for your life.
#3. You will experience God’s power in your life.
#4. You will experience God’s purpose for your life.
The Journey of Discipleship – The Cooperation
1 Corinthians 12:1-27
February 13 & 20, 2022
Question: How does God reveal a Cooperation spirit
in the church?
Answer: He spells it out in 3 ways.
#1. In verse 4, there are different gifts, but they
all come from the same Holy Spirit.
#2. In verse 5, there are different ministries but
it is the Lord who gives the authority to
minister in His name.
#3. In verse 6, there are different operations
but it is the same God who is working in
power to enable us to serve.
Question: What does it mean to “Profit”?
Answer: The Greek word for “profit” is
(SYMPHONIA) which means:
“Edification, Advantage or Benefit”
Question: What was happening to Corinthians
Christians?
Answer: Some believers, were entertaining
unhealthy thoughts (as many do today):
feeling…
~ Less gifted, Less able, Less worthy, Less
significant, Less important or Less valuable.
Question: What does God have to say to every
heart?
Answer: In verses 18, gives us the answer:
“But God has set the members every one of
them in the body,as it has pleased Him.”
Fact: A Cooperating Disciple understand that it is the
Lord who presides over His church and orders a
Divine arrangement.
C.) I must Understand Spiritual “Cooperation”.
(v. 21-27)
Question: What do Cooperating Disciples never
say to each other?
Answer: In verse 21, “I have no need of you”.
Question: Why this instruction?
Answer: Because some Christians felt more
significant than other Corinthians.
Question: What does God say?
Answer: That the least gifted member is as
important as the most gifted member.
Question: Why this theology in church life?
Answer: Because it is the foundation of all
cooperation.
Fact: It allows you to cooperate and appreciate those
different from yourself.
The Journey of Discipleship – The Commitment
Acts 2:41-47
January 30 & February 6, 2022
Vision for the church:
(The Two Greatest needs in the church)
Question: What were they all committed to?
Answer: (v. 42) “They devoted themselves to the
apostles’ teaching”
Question: How does a committed disciple receive the Word so that it benefits them?
Answer: (v. 41) says “They gladly received His Word”.
In other Words
A Committed Disciple is committed to allow the
Word of God to renew their minds.
Question: What does it mean to continue
“steadfastly in fellowship”?
Answer: The word fellowship (KOINONIA) means:
– “To have in common, To be attached to other
believers, To join in and worship with others,
To share with one Another, To sometimes give
– and sometimes receive”
Fact: The words “One accord” means “Co-spirited” or
“Unity”.
C.) A Commitment to “Prayer” from the Heart. (v. 42)
Question: What does this word “Prayers” mean?
Answer: The word for prayers here means:
#1. All forms of communication with God.
#2. To unite in prayer with the body of believers.
#3. To persevere with one accord in taking hold
of God.
Fact: It is no secret that the earlier disciple prayed
together in their households, in private and in the
Question: What happens when God shows up in
response to prayer?
Answer: “Many signs and wonders were there.”
D.) A Commitment to “Praise” and “Worship”. (v. 47)
Question: What does it mean to worship God with
“Singleness of Heart”?
Answer: The word “Singleness” means:
“Without hardness”
Question: What is the result of this kind of
heartfelt sincere worship?
Answer: “Gladness of heart” is the result of
pure worship!!!
Question: What is my part in the process?
Answer: “Singleness of heart”
E.) A Commitment to “Penetrate” Society. (v.45-47)
Fact: Outreach and it goes in two directions:
#1. Within the church body. (v. 45)
#2.Without the church body. (v. 47)
The Journey of Discipleship – The Character
2 Peter 1:1-15
January 23, 2022
Fact: In verse 1, Peter calls himself a “servant” of
Christ.
Question: What is a servant?
Answer: The word servant (Doulos) means:
~ A slave that is totally possessed by the master.
~ A slave that exists for his masters interests.
~ A slave that is at his masters’ disposal.
~ A slave that is totally subservient to the master.
The Five Resources that are available to us:
#1. We have the resource of Righteousness.
#2. We have the resource of Grace.
#3. We have the resource of Peace.
#4. We have the resource of the Holy Spirit.
#5. We have the resource of the Word of God.
Question: What are we to “make every effort to add
to our faith” (to be a healthy disciple)?
Answer: We are responsible to respond to God’s
grace by make every effort to add more
of these characters in our life’s:
#1. We are responsible for our “goodness”. (v. 5)
#2. We are responsible for our “knowledge”. (v. 5)
#3. We are responsible for our “self-control”. (v. 6)
#4. We are responsible for our “perseverance”. (v. 6
#5. We are responsible for our “godliness”. (v. 6)
#6. We are responsible for our “love”. (v. 7)
Question: What is Peter saying here?
Answer: That disciples with character, accept
responsibility for their goodness,
knowledge, self-control, perseverance,
godliness and love.
C.) The “Reward” of Our Character. (vs. 9-11)
~ 3 Guaranteed Rewards that we will receive.
#1. We will be Fruitful: (v. 8)
#2. We will be Protected: (v. 10)
The Journey of Discipleship – The Cost
Question: What does Jesus means when He says
we can’t be His disciples unless we hate
relatives, brethren and our own life?
Answer: #1. That no earthly affection must ever
come between our love for Christ.
#2. That no earthly affection must ever be
allowed to compete with Jesus.
#3. That no genuine disciple will allow someone
else to detour them in Christian living.
Why Not?
Because one of the qualifications of discipleship is to detach yourself from anyone or anything that causes you to compromise your spiritual growth.
Question: What does it mean to “bear your cross”?
Answer: #1. The Greek word for “cross” is
(STAUROS), meaning: “Any
hardship you encounter in doing the
will of God.”
#2. The Greek word for “bear”
(BASTAZO) means: “To endure,
receive, carry, take up and bear with
joy and without complaint.”
Fact:
Put these two words together: Bear and Cross a means:
“To encounter any hardship in doing the will of God with joy and without complaining considering a joy to follow in the steps of Jesus”.
Statements of Truth:
#1. Real disciples endure hardship for the cause of Jesus.
#2. Real disciples live with power and grace to be sustained at
all times.
#3. Real disciples allow the crosses of life to chisel away at the
flesh and transform the spiritual man or woman.
Question: What is Jesus saying to every would be
disciple?
Answer: That everyone of us are building a
house to live in:
Question: What is Jesus getting at?
Answer: #1. The builder didn’t count the cost and
left it undone.
#2. All that saw it, began to mock him.
Fact:
Disciples are people who ponder, consider, contemplate, deliberate, weigh it out – this thing of following Jesus.
Question: What is Jesus saying here?
Answer: The king had to make a decision:
#1. He was being invaded by the enemy.
#2. He must decide to fight or surrender.
#3. He has to consider the consequences of
surrendering and the consequences of
fighting.
Fact:
Verse 31, has four words. “one coming against him”.
A Scripture Truth to Live By – Luke 14:33:
“In the same way, any of you who does not give up
everything he has, cannot be my disciple.”
The Journey of Discipleship – The Call
(Matthew 28:19-20)
January 9, 2022
A Truth that Matters!
We as Christians should reproduce
and share Jesus Christ with others.
(Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 14:27, 33; John 8:31;
John 13:35; John 15:8; Luke 6:40)
A “Disciple” defined from Scripture is:
#1. A person of concrete action, commitment and
obedience to Jesus.
#2. A person who puts Jesus before themselves and
their possessions.
#3. A person who is 100% committed to the teachings
of Jesus.
#4. A person who is growing, fellowshipping, serving
and reproducing after Christ’s kind.
#5. A person who takes up their cross without
complaint or feeling cheated.
#6. A person who genuinely expresses love and joy
towards people.
#7. A person who is totally dedicated to world
evangelism and bears fruit which glorifies God.
Simply this, “A Disciple Is:”
~ Upward – You live to please God in all you do.
~ Inward – You are spiritually growing and
healthy on the inside.
~ Outward – You are passionate when it comes to
reaching lost people.
#1. Because Jesus declared that this is the one
priority (agenda) of the local church.
(Matt. 28:19-20)
#2. Because discipleship will overcome temptation
of superficial people to always scramble after
the spectacular.
#3. Because discipleship produces “Healthy
Christians” who will reproduce themselves in the
lives of others.
#4. Because discipleship will ultimately result in the
population of heaven when time is no more.
A Truth to Remember:
“Crowds and events will come and go,
But Disciples will remain!
Fact: Evangelism will not produce disciples, but
discipleship will result in evangelism!
(Matthew 28:19-20)
A Truth to Remember:
“If people do not belong,
Looking Forward to a New Year
“So the wall was completed . . . in fifty-two days.”
Nehemiah and his people were working together to rebuild the walls. Despite much opposition, the walls were completed on schedule due to the commitment of God’s people.
A. The Challenge to Rebuild the Walls.
(Nehemiah 2:17-18)
“Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.’ “I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, ‘Let us start rebuilding.’ So they began this good work.”
B. The Commitment to Follow God’s Guidance.
(Neh. 6:16)
“When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.”
C. The Covenant That Would Not Be Broken.
(Neh. 9:38)
“In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement, putting it in writing, and our leaders, our Levites and our priests are affixing their seals to it.”
“We also assume responsibility for bringing to the house of the Lord each year the firstfruits of our crops and of every fruit tree”
(Nehemiah 10:35).
LOSING THE STAR
A.) Life is a Journey.
Fact: It’s a journey, moment by moment, going
from one place to another.
here is openness.
Fact: This is what we all need to realize today, that
there is a journey ahead for all of us, when
we get saved.
B.) Faith is what we exercise in times
of darkness.
can’t see the star.
2. We spend a lot of our journey in the dark.
star is not shining.
C.) At the end of the Journey is Christ.
(vs. 10-11)
Fact: The reaction of the wise men upon seeing
the star, shows their expectation to see the
new born King.
Question: Why?
Answer: Because His birth was confirmed and
they knew they were being led by a
divine hand.
D.) For the Christian, this should show us:
#1. He’s there from the start to the finish.
#2. When you have lost the star, hold on.
The Promise of Love
Matthew 1:18–23
December 19, 2021
A. WE PREPARE FOR THE BIRTH OF
SOMETHING NEW.
Fact: You see, when God is ready to do something
new, it almost always is a disruption.
Fact: This disruption comes because of the
promise that God loves His people so much
that He would come to dwell with them
through this humble young girl.
Fact: I believe there are two choices that any
person has when it comes to disruption within
their life:
#1. To avoid it or #2. To embrace it.
Fact: Some of us this morning have spent years
avoiding a disruption that God has been
trying to use within our lives to birth
something new.
Fact: Like Mary and Joseph in this story, God is
wanting to do something through our lives
that will change the world.
Fact: Look how the angel responded to her excuse
by saying; “The Holy Spirit will come on you
and the power of the Most High
will overshadow you.”
CAN BE FULFILLED IN AND THROUGH US.
Fact: The world’s greatest need was the love and
grace of God.
May we be people who, like Mary, who are eager to say, “May your word to me be fulfilled.”
Luke 1:8–20, 57–66
Fact: God promises that there will be a time of
preparation before Christ’s birth.
Fact: Like any interactions with angels in the Christmas
stories, the first word given to him is not to be
afraid.
Fact: A Nazarite Vow was that they would not drink
alcohol, cutting their hair, or coming in contact
with dead bodies.
Fact: The most joyful people during this time of year
are the ones who have experienced the hope
and peace of God in their lives because of their
trust in Jesus.
Fact: Because of his unbelief and distrust, he is
silenced and unable to speak until the time
comes for John to be born.
Fact: John’s name in the Greek means “graced by
God” or “Jehovah has been gracious.”
C. OUR JOY COMES FROM THE GRACE OF GOD.