A New Phase of Ministry

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 9:1-9

A new phase of ministry

Jesus – Luke 8:1

Paul – Acts 9:5-6, 18-26 (25-26)

Christian Believer

Disciple  Follower/Learner   

Minister Servant

What does “ready” mean? When will you be ready, when will you feel ready?

Ravi Zacharias, "There was a woman who wanted to know how she could rid herself of her miseries.  She was told to go from door to door and when she found a home where there were no worries, to ask there for a morsel of grain.  She returned a long while later saying she had not found a single home that fit that description.  In fact, she had become so involved in hearing of the heartache of others that she had forgotten her own."

Resurrection, New Life, New Spirit...A New Start

Message: Resurrection, New Life,  New Spirit…A New Start

Text: John 13-16 (14:16-20, 16:7)

Jesus moves from being “over there”  to “in here.”

Ephesians 5:18, “…be filled with the Spirit.”

The Two Cups

The First Cup: Jesus and the woman at the well. John 4:13-14  To be filled is a choice. Jesus has chosen you, now you must choose Him.

The Second Cup: It’s happening right now.

Philippians 2:17, 2 Timothy 4:6

George MacDonald,  "There is a woman who has met a sudden sorrow.  'I wish I'd never been made!' she exclaims petulantly and bitterly:  to which her friend quietly replies, 'My dear, you're not made yet.  You're only being made - and this is the Maker's process.'"

Grace, Leading to Resurrection

Message: Grace, leading to resurrection

Text: Philippians 2:1-11

~9-11 Jesus will be the ultimate Judge

~1-5 Humble yourselves, like…

~6-8 Jesus humbled Himself…God limited Himself.

Notice: the trial before the Sanhedrin court; the judgment and sentencing before Pilate and Herod; the Roman soldiers as they beat and tortured Jesus, as they and the Jews mocked Him as He hung on the cross, slapped Him, pulled out His beard; His closest friends as most of them deserted Him and denied Him

C.S. Lewis, “For the real question is not what are we to make of Christ, but what is He to make of us?  The picture of a fly sitting deciding what it is going to make of an elephant has comic elements about it."

~A covenant with God was broken when Adam and Eve sinned, and when we sinned, and separation from God is the result. Jesus paid the price required to bridge the separation and make us right with God again. We must humbly accept…grace.

Jesus sees what we cannot see.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:40-56 (48-56)

 The Bible gives us only hints as to what happens at the death of our physical body: The trichotomy of man, Hebrews 4:12,  Genesis 2:7.

Paul, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

To Jesus, this girl is not dead, not missing or lost. He knows exactly where she is, and she is not far.

 Jesus sees what we cannot see.

Jesus, “Do not be afraid…

Only believe…

She will be made well…”

Part of faith and obedience is believing that Jesus sees what we cannot see and knows what we cannot know, and with that He is always doing what is best for us.

Ruth Bell Graham, "God has not always answered my prayers.  If He had, I would have married the wrong man- several times."

Get in "Touch" with Jesus

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:40-56 (43-48)

~The Jews added oral tradition to Moses’ law to make this woman’s life miserable. She was segregated from society in every way because of her health. To make matters worse, the Jewish nation also believed her physical condition was due to her specific sin, as they would view a leper.

~Jesus knows the differences in touch. He knows the difference between curiosity, faith, desperation, hope.

~When you touch Jesus and He touches you, the flow of power is always one way—from Him to you. There is nothing you can do to hurt or help Him. It’s always from Him to you.

~  ”Daughter”

If you can hear, “child of God,” that’s all you really need to hear.

Jesus loves me just as I am and loves me enough to not leave me as I am.

Psalm 27:10, Proverbs 18:24

The Church, a Family, a Body

Message: The church, a family, a body

Text: 1 Corinthians 11:17-33

"Wait for one another.”

The strong for the weak. The fast for the slow. The rich for the poor. The blessed for the struggling.

John 3:7, “You must be born again.”

You did not get to choose your first family. This family, you get to choose.

Being born again into the family of God is not about a process, a prayer, but a person…Jesus Christ!

Romans 10:9

Desperate Need

Message: The Gospel according to Luke Text: Luke 8:40-56

The year Jairus’ daughter was born this woman fell sick. Their paths cross 12 years later.

Why is her healing not enough? After all that Jesus had done for you, why won’t He just leave it at that?

In this crowd, who was the most interested in this scene between Jesus and the woman?

Like actors in a heavenly play our ministry is to deliver the lines the Holy Spirit gives us, on cue. God is the playwright, knowing the play, “the end from the beginning.” We don’t know the scenes to follow, but God does.

The circle of life, Psalm 50:15

Do you complain about what Jesus is doing?

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:26-39

The work of Jesus in your life depends on your attitude toward yourself and Jesus. How do you see yourself? That will determine how you see Jesus.

~The people of the town:                

A holy  moment lost on unholy people. They had gotten used to demon possession and raising hogs.

Luke 5:17-18

Not seeing your need and forgetting your need

~The man:

There aren’t enough words to  describe how this formerly demon possessed man felt about Jesus  after what Jesus had done for him. He went to “tell” because he has something to tell.

This may be the area of your spiritual life that needs to be addressed next.

Satanic Oppression

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:26-39

Satanic possession and oppression

John 10:10 the devil can’t create life so he wants to blight/destroy what God has created

Demoniac: 1) Isolated himself from society and society isolated  itself from him. Refused any human control or limits. 2) Now under satanic control, no longer in control of himself. 3) Fascinated with death, not life. Has given up on life. 4) Continually restless, never happy or content. 5) Wants to harm himself. Hates himself and everyone else. 6) Feels like he’s losing his mind...and he is.

If Satan is not allowed to physically kill you, he wants you to live as though you are dead. Satan loves death, Jesus creates life. Satan loves tombs, Jesus leaves them ASAP!

The demoniac met Jesus, MK 5:6

The Storms of Life

Message: The gospel  according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:22-25

~The storm did not wake Jesus, the storm did not disturb Him. But the disciple’s lack of faith did. 

The storm is not the issue

...your faith is!

~The problem is not the size of the problem, but how you see Jesus.

We are not minimizing the problem, we are magnifying  Jesus.

We’re not here to worship      problems, we’re here to worship      Jesus.

A.W Tozer,  "The simple truth is that worship is elementary until it begins to take on the quality of admiration.  Just as long as the worshiper is engrossed with himself and his good fortune, he is a babe.  We begin to grow up when our worship passes from thanksgiving to admiration."

The Family of God

Message: The gospel             according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:19-21

“I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God…”

~Beware, the people who love you the most want the best for you.

Beware, be sure you do the best for them!

~To be a part of the family of God you must choose to be born into it—”You must be born again!”— then you must keep choosing it!

For those who are committed and involved in our church, it could be that most of the people who love you most are in this room

Be kind--everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Showing your light

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:16-18

~Let them see you

Matthew 5:14, 16

You are specially created by God for a purpose...His purpose

~Let yourself see them.

(John Maxwell and Diet Coke)

Be kind--everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Mr. Kimball, evangelist D.L. Moody's Sunday school teacher,  "I can truly say that I have seen few persons whose minds were spiritually darker when he came into my Sabbath-school class, or one who seemed more unlikely ever to become a Christian of clear, decided views of gospel truth, sill less to fill any sphere of extended public usefulness."

Keep planting seeds

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:4-15 (8, 15)

Parable of the Seed & Soils—

Unresponsive, Impulsive,

Preoccupied, Responsive

~The only point of sowing seed is so the seed can multiply, make more seed

~What culture group among us is the most mentally, emotionally healthy...who worries the least?

~New Seed, New Shoes

~Good soil is always looking for more good soil. Galatians 6:9

Soil with Potential.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:4-15 (7, 14)

Parable of the Seed & Soils—

Unresponsive, Impulsive,

Preoccupied, Responsive

Observations/notes: ________

What is the difference between this soil that produced thorns and the 2         previous soils?

Best word to describe the person who is this soil _________?

Jesus mentions 3 things that can be thorns in our life that choke out the Word of God and keep us from reproducing into other’s lives:

Cares

Riches

Pleasures

But the snake is still in the tree.

Message: But the snake is still in the tree

Texts:

Genesis 3:1, the lying snake

3:2-3, death is the ultimate curse

3:24, guarding the tree

Galatians 3:13, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Jesus is the ultimate cure for our curse

There is no longer any hope for the snake, he is eternally defeated. But the snake is still in the tree.

What are you growing?

Parable of the Seed & Soils—

Unresponsive, Impulsive, Preoccupied, Responsive

Observations/notes:______________

What is the difference between this soil that produced thorns and the 2 previous soils in Jesus’ parable?

How is this soil like the last soil      mentioned—the good soil? What is the    difference between the 2 last soils?

Best word to describe the person who is this soil? _________

Jesus mentions 3 things that can be thorns in our life that choke out the Word of God and keep us from reproducing into other’s lives:

Cares—1 Peter 5:7

Riches

Pleasures

Faith that endures...no matter what!

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:4-15 (6, 13))

Parable of the Seed & Soils—

Unresponsive; Impulsive;

Preoccupied; Responsive

Observations/notes: _____________

The Word brings—Emotion

The emotion of joy/enthusiasm is a great by product of receiving the Word, but a lasting relationship with Jesus must be based on deeper things.  Emotions are too transitory to trust them too much.  (Love)

The Word in deeper soil—Endures

Temptation/testing/trouble/trial.      Thin, superficial soil won’t survive  without rain every few days, but it won’t rain every few days. A deeper       heart/soul/mind moves beyond emotion into endurance.

What is the sign of genuine, lasting faith? If it can endure testing.

Faith that endures...no matter what!

Not an adjustment, a complete change.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:4-15 (5, 11-12)

Parable of the Seed & Soils—

Unresponsive; Impulsive; Preoccupied; Responsive

Observations/notes: _____________

The wayside is a foot path thru the field; a road; a hardened path...so the seed does not sink in at all.

John 10:10, the thief exists to steal, to steal from you. How can a thief steal from you? Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

How would you describe a hard heart?

How do you get one? How do you not get one?

Responding to what God has done for you.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 8:1-3

~Preaching the glad tidings is proclaiming the good news (gospel) This is the point of everything. This is why FGBC is here.  Proclaiming is telling, not asking. In a way, faith is contagious.

~Ministry of presence. 12 apostles, 3 women, and many more.  Why did Mary Magdalene get to be the first person to see Jesus after His resurrection?

Note: there is no record in the gospels of any woman being opposed to Jesus. Women mentioned in the gospels are usually receiving or giving help.

~Jesus has done something great in the life of every person mentioned in this text. But they are not trying to pay Jesus back for what He has done, they are responding to what He has done for them.

Does God need help proclaiming the gospel? The best thing you can do for yourself is respond to what Jesus has done for you.

True Worship

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 7:36-50

Worship is seeing who Jesus is, seeing who you are, and seeing the difference

What we know from 37-38:

She knew she was a sinner; she knew where Simon’s house was, and she knew Jesus was there; she came    prepared with a flask of oil (1 year’s average wage); she stood for a while, weeping; then washed Jesus’ feet with her tears; then wiped His feet with her hair; kissed His feet; then anointed His feet with oil from her flask; no one    invited her; she took an extreme       initiative and overcame her shame, she knew they knew who she was.

So…

She knows who she is and what she’s done. She knows who Jesus is and what He’s done for her. She knows the other people in the room and what they’ve done. She worships only      Jesus. When you allow yourself to not worship Jesus, you are worshiping yourself. When you allow anyone else to stop you from worshiping Jesus, you are worshiping them.