The Word of Christ in You

Pastor Mel is back and it felt good to get back into the study of Colossians:

Colossians 3:16-17 : "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

***God wants to reveal Himself to you and has chosen the sacred text as a means to do it

***The Bible is:
**God's revelation of Himself to humankind
**a tool through which God speaks to His people today
**a record of God's interaction with human history...the supernatural is, therefore, both expected and accepted
**contains divine truths about God that is unknowable apart from revelation
**requires enlightenment of the Holy Spirit for full an accurate comprehension

**The Bible is the work of God from the beginning to the end
**Revelation - the act God uses to communicate Himself and His will to people
Hebrews 1:1-2 : "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe."
**Inspiration - the influence of the Holy Spirit upon the minds of men, which rendered them agents of God for the faultless communication of that revelation
**Illumination - the divine quickening of the human mind, allowing it to understand the truth that has been revealed and communicated

***The Peace of Christ rules where the word of God dwells

***The Word of Christ should be lived - we don't read it for information, but for transformation

***The Word of Christ has the power in and of itself to bear fruit

***Encountering God in His word changes your life - Hebrews 4:12-13 - "For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

***The goal of God's word is ultimately a relationship - John 5:39-40 - "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

The God of Your Father

Pastor Mel was back, but with this being Father's Day, he decided to deviate from Colossians and bring us a sermons about Fathers:

Exodus 3:6 - "Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God."

***God has a purpose for every life. We must, therefore, be good stewards of every life God sends our way

***As a father, does you life inspire children to follow your God?

***God pursues His people
**The God of history was in the present, ready to do a work in the next generation
**The God of history is about to do a great work in this day, in this church

***God builds upon His past activity
**Moses stepped out in faith, within the context of who God was
**We must pass our faith to the next generation...we must teach them or they can't follow
Judges 2:10 - "After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD nor what he had done for Israel.

***Let's move forward with the faith that reflectts the God of our Fathers

***Are you seeking to pass your faith on so that it doesn't die with you?

You Can Trust Him

Pastor Mel was away again this week, so our sermon was by Lanny Loe, our Minister of Missions. As noted above, this sermon is titled, 'You Can Trust Him.'

Romans 1:17 - "For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

***God is working in our lives, continually teaching us to take the next step

***It is okay not to understand; it is not okay to stop trusting

Luke 2:48 - 50: "When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, "Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you."
"Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he was saying to them."

***When the events do not fit into our standard of good and bad, we become anxious

***When difficult days come into our lives, He has been preparing us beforehand for these tragedies

Mark 9:30-32 : "They left that place and passed through Galilee. Jesus did not want anyone to know where they were, because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise." But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it."

***God knows what you are going to experience and He loves you so much that He tries to prepare you for it

John 8:25-27 : "Who are you?" they asked.
"Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world." They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father."

John 16:12 - "I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear."

***Jesus wants you to understand - He wants to reveal Himself and His ways to you

***Understanding often occurs with hindsight and the gentle remindings of the Holy Spirit

***You can know Him, but sometimes you can't always find Him

***When your understanding is clouded by tears, grief, and shock, rely on your relationship with God

***When you don't understand....trust

Are You Living Like Jesus' Disciple?

Pastor Mel was out of town for two weekends in July, so we had the privilege of hearing two of our other pastors' preach on those Sundays. This sermon was by Bo Stevens, our Minister of Discipleship. As noted above, this sermon is titled, 'Are you living like Jesus' Disciple?'

John 13:31-38: "When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."
Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."
Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!"

***The essence of being a disciple is having a desire to follow Jesus

***Jesus' call of discipleship is a call to total abandonment to Him

***Bondservant: voluntarily chosen; obedient no matter what He may ask

***Volunteer: does what suits him

***Jesus does not call us to periodic volunteerism; He calls us to be His servants daily, with nothing held back

***Do we want to follow Christ on our own terms or are we willing to be a bondservant?

John 15:12 - 14: "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command."

***Do you actively love your brothers and sisters as God has loved you?

***The Lord does not want us to just tell the gospel....He wants the world to see Him in you and me

***The world will see the reality of the gospel as we live like disciples and love one another with a love that doesn't exist naturally in this world