Tag: god

The God of Another Chance

The God of Another Chance

Luke 13:6-9 NLT… Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. 7 Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ 8 “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. 9 If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”

Introduction: In the wake of two national tragedies, Jesus preaches that condemnation is not the posture to assume but repentance is. When we fail to repent, we choose to perish. Reference verses 1-5

Transition: This parable of the barren fig tree is an appendix of the verses that precede it. It’s Jesus’ way of illustrating that when your focus is judgmental, critical, and damning of others, you have lost sight of your responsibility to be faithful and fruitful.

Exposition:

-The landowner’s expectation is fair but futile… verse 6

-The landowner’s evaluation is not rash but reasonable… verse 7

-The extension is granted because of the gardener’s plea for mercy and plan for grace… verse 8

Conclusion: This story is left incomplete, because it wasn’t about the tree in the first place. There is a possibility for conversion or condemnation… verse 9

The Scandal of Christmas

The Scandal of Christmas

Genesis 3:1-10 The Message… The serpent was clever, more clever than any wild animal God had made. He spoke to the Woman: “Do I understand that God told you not to eat from any tree in the garden?”   2-3 The Woman said to the serpent, “Not at all. We can eat from the trees in the garden. It’s only about the tree in the middle of the garden that God said, ‘Don’t eat from it; don’t even touch it or you’ll die.’”   4-5 The serpent told the Woman, “You won’t die. God knows that the moment you eat from that tree, you’ll see what’s really going on. You’ll be just like God, knowing everything, ranging all the way from good to evil.”   6 When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it—she’d know everything!—she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate. 7 Immediately the two of them did “see what’s really going on”—saw themselves naked! They sewed fig leaves together as makeshift clothes for themselves. 8 When they heard the sound of God strolling in the garden in the evening breeze, the Man and his Wife hid in the trees of the garden, hid from God.   9 God called to the Man: “Where are you?”   10 He said, “I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. And I hid.”

Introduction: Scandal is defined as an action or event regarded as morally or legally wrong and causing general public outrage.

Transition: The Christmas story is familiar to us, but the scandalous truth is something we choose ignore and deem as inappropriate for our picturesque customs.

Exposition: The scandal of Christmas is sin, which is rooted in self and that is a dilemma that demands a savior.

Conclusion: Yes, our story is scandalous but our God is the solvent for sins scarlet stain!

I Like Church, But… 1 of 3

I Like Church, But… 1 of 3

It Should Serve This Broken World

Luke 4:18-19 (NLT) “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, ¹⁹ and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.”⁠

Introduction: Everyone who claims Christ by faith, has been cleaned, called, and charged to share in the work of Christ. 

Transition: Jesus is now a 30 year old rabbi, who is beginning his earthly ministry. He offers fresh perspective for a familiar passage.

Exposition: The issue that we are faced with this morning, is a broken world who knows the role of the church in this work, but they also know that we are slacking on the job. So, there are broken people who are telling the church of the Lord Jesus, that “I like Church, But” your work is insufficient.

-We don’t have to do this work, we get to do it!

-Serving a broken world is not about catering to the healthy, but about convalescing the sick.

-Our sharing in the work of Christ has to be grounded in humility, because we haven’t always been healthy.

Conclusion:

What Are You Waiting For? 8 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 8 of 10

The Wicked Servant (Pulpit Notes)

Matthew 24:45-51 NLT… “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. [46] If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. [47] I tell you the truth, the master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. [48] But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ [49] and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? [50] The master will return unannounced and unexpected, [51] and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

What’s most concerning to me about this parable, is that the use of the word wicked/evil is not associated with an outhouse sinner but with an in-house servant/a trusted steward. Jesus informs us in this end time description, that sometimes our enemy isn’t without but sometimes the threat to decency and order, is an inside job.

The problem presented in this prophetic parable is that a trusted servant of the house can defect to evil/to wickedness/to disobedience, which results in permanent judgment.

Why? Why would a servant of such a kind/trusting master decide to go rogue/defecting to wickedness? Jesus gives us the answer in verse 48 in the words evil and thinks. Evil introduces a cancerous infection of the heart, while thinks implies the cancer has spread to the head. The servant has this false sense that the master will be gone so long that essentially this is my house now, and I can allow all of my perversion/dysfunction/arrogant opposition to the master a loose on everybody and everything in the house.

Brothers and sisters, Galatians 6:7 is clear “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap”. You just can’t give God your posterior to kiss and think you’ll get away it! This Christian life is not a childish game, nor is it an opportunity for you to come up at God’s expense. It’s either all or nothing!

What are you waiting for? There is no time for the exertion of our will, only the execution of God’s will! Why? He’s coming back one day just like he said he would, but we don’t know when. So we must be ready for his return.

What Are You Waiting For? 7 of 10

What Are You Waiting For? 7 of 10

The Wedding Banquet

Matthew 22:1-14 NLT… Jesus also told them other parables. He said, 2 “The Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a king who prepared a great wedding feast for his son. 3 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servants to notify those who were invited. But they all refused to come!

4 “So he sent other servants to tell them, ‘The feast has been prepared. The bulls and fattened cattle have been killed, and everything is ready. Come to the banquet!’ 5 But the guests he had invited ignored them and went their own way, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 Others seized his messengers and insulted them and killed them.

7 “The king was furious, and he sent out his army to destroy the murderers and burn their town. 8 And he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, and the guests I invited aren’t worthy of the honor. 9 Now go out to the street corners and invite everyone you see.’ 10 So the servants brought in everyone they could find, good and bad alike, and the banquet hall was filled with guests.

11 “But when the king came in to meet the guests, he noticed a man who wasn’t wearing the proper clothes for a wedding. 12 ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply. 13 Then the king said to his aides, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Introduction: Jesus is having a bad day, and it begins with a walk, a cursed fig tree, an argument, and parables that are uncharacteristic of Jesus to tell.

Transition: Let’s not give more weight to the king of a kingdom, than we do to a father giving a banquet for his son. The king of heaven is relational!

Exposition: What are banquet clothes? Matthew 21 has the answers…

-A life that bears good fruit (verses 18-22)

-A life that accepts the authority of Jesus (verses 23-27)

-A life that is deeper than words (verses 28-32)

Conclusion: What are you waiting for? The Christian is called to a life which must produce love (John 13:35) and light (Matthew 5:16).

BIG Words 3 of 3

BIG Words (Reconciliation) Making sense of Christian language, for holy and healthy living.

II Corinthians 5:18-20 NLT… And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!”

Introduction: Like a puzzle, reconciliation involves patience, determination, common sense, and maturity.

Transition: The following definitions will help us understand this BIG Word, and how it is to be a part of our lives and…

-Reconciliation: the intentional return and commitment to relational health; the merger of wills in favor of unity. REFERENCE Romans 12:17-21

-Ambassador: an authorized agent into a foreign country who speaks on behalf of an invested power.

Exposition: This is a spiritual plea that has physical implications.

–Reference I John 1:5-10

Conclusion: God’s children have the responsibility of getting it right, and that only comes through death/the demise of negativity, hostility, selfishness, and vengeance.

Just Like Jesus 3 of 4

Objective: To transform our lives and relationships, by living into what it means to be Christlike.

Hearing God

James 1:22-24 NLT… But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.

Introduction: As we celebrate the birth of the church, we must consider if God can trust us to carry out God’s kingdom building mission.

Transition: The tension of the text, is found in a person’s disregard of the details they learn from the mirror.

Exposition: Hearing God is a discipline…
-Devote and defend time. Reference Psalm 88:13, Psalm 141:2, Psalm 55:17 -Dig into the scriptures. Reference Psalm 1:2 -Determine to be receptive. Reference Acts 17:11

Conclusion/Overwhelming Observations:
-Not sound but substance (listen)
-Discernment is necessary (to God’s word)
-Input makes you responsible for output (do what it says)

Character Under Construction 2 of 4

Character Under Construction 2 of 4 Guarding Your Heart

Objective: To develop a deeper commitment to becoming disciples who embrace and embody, Christ-like principles and practices.

Proverbs 4:20-23 NLT… My child, pay attention to what I say. Listen carefully to my words. 21 Don’t lose sight of them. Let them penetrate deep into your heart, 22 for they bring life to those who find them, and healing to their whole body. 23 Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Introduction: The book of Proverbs is a part of the Wisdom Literature genre, which promotes practical principles for successful living.

Transition: REFERENCE I Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

Exposition: Understanding your heart will make guarding it make sense to you…

–What is the heart? A person’s center; where God should be enthroned.

–What is in the heart? Either faith or foolishness (Psalm 14:1).

–What is the function of the heart? To guide your life with the wisdom of God’s word.

–How do you guard the heart? Learn from the the experiences of others. Let wisdom help you!

–What should you guard your heart against? Idolatry (Exodus 20:3-6) Covetousness (Exodus 20:17) Pride (Proverbs 16:18)

Conclusion: Your character is constructed when the word penetrates your heart, and it pours out of you. It causes you to not stoop at standing time!

Service – 5 of 6 Spiritual Disciplines

Service – 5 of 6 Spiritual Disciplines

I Peter 4:10-11 NLT… God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

We are God’s workmen who worship.

We are God’s workmen… empowered to engage and explore with enthusiasm.

Who worship… because God chooses to work through us, and is worthy of our adoration.

Challenge: Since your faith community is incomplete without you, identify what you do well and make it a priority to share your gift with members of this fellowship.

Community – 4 of 6 Spiritual Disciplines

Community – 4 of 6 Spiritual Disciplines

Hebrews 10:19-25 NLT… And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Introduction: Building Christian community is a worthwhile work that is difficult but doable. It is difficult because of humanity’s rebellion toward unity, but it is doable because of the blood of Jesus that changes our nature.

Transition: Community is not so much where you live, as much as it’s about how you live.

Exposition: When we live into the discipline of Christian community, we exchange ‘I, my, and me’ for ‘we, our, us’ which is covenant language.

–Let us (verse 22) approach… faith

We have access because Christ cleansed us with his blood (Hebrews 9:22; Romans 5:1-2), and we’ve been publicly claimed by water baptism.

–Let us (verse 23) hold fast… hope

Our confidence in God is secure, because God’s promises are yes in Christ (II Corinthians 1:20)!

–Let us (verse 24) motivate one another… love

Our intelligence should be used to invest in each other (I Corinthians 13:4-8a). #GoodVibesOnly

–Let us (verse 25) gather together… obedience

Your presence makes the difference!

Challenge: Connect with a member of our faith community this week (call, write, text, meet) to motivate them, and do some random and unselfish for someone.

Devotional song of the week: Jesus At The Center (Israel & New Breed)