To Love God is to Love Community
Evangelism • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 1 viewPersonal Redemption over social redemption Honor especially for the Brother. Christian entitlement in the workforce.
Notes
Transcript
Opener
Christopher Moody Disciple-Making Disciples reminded the reader that the church is the people not the building.
We don’t go to church we are the church.
We went on to say the Church is used offensively not defensively
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Context Paul is helping the church with some of their fears about death and what happens when you die. Paul reassures them that these bodies we have are ok, like tents when your camping; they airnt lasting forever.
2 Corinthians 5:1–4 (HCSB)
For we know that if our temporary, earthly dwelling is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands.
Indeed, we groan in this body, desiring to put on our dwelling from heaven,
since, when we are clothed, we will not be found naked.
Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
Out tents will wear out as we long for more permanent ones. 1-4
Illustration: Years ago when I was young we used to sleep out for concert tickets. Because the internet was not a thing. You could try to call or you had to go to a ticket boot and buy them.
Similar to Black Friday, there is always the risk you may have done it all for nothing.
God did not want those committed to Him to fear that they would not get into heaven (How kind is our God?)
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
for we walk by faith, not by sight.
God has guaranteed us eternal bodies in glory, His Spirit within us confirms our place in heaven and we are filled with courage while on earth because we know Him. 5-6
This is not to say that people wont be sad to find out they did not believe in the right things
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.
On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’
Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’
Some put their faith in the visible things. Going to church, doing good things for people. Living a moral life more than an immoral life. But those are faiths in things visible.
God wants a relationship with you. for that to happen you must admit that I am a sinner in need of a savior because this thin layer hiding my thoughts and my desires and ambitions will soon wear out and I will be exposed for who I really am.
Yet God said I can take that shame and guilt from you, give you forgiveness and you and God can walk in his presence.
Illustration:
Imagine you owed 5 million dollars in debt. Imagine the pressure you would feel. What kind of anxiety would loom over you.
Now. lets say you owe that debt to some pretty mean guys and bankruptcy isn’t an option and you only have 6 months to pay them.
You see their guys everywhere you go as a reminder that they haven’t forgotten you debt.
The rough you up from time to time to keep you afraid.
Now imagine someone pays that debt for you.
How does that change your life?
That is what Paul means when He says
He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
I was as good as dead, but now I am given a new life, to live for the one who saved you is no wasted life at all. It is the most appropriate thing to do.
Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him.
So in whatever we do we do to please him,
because what we do matters 10.
For we must all appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or worthless.
This is not the Final judgement that seals the fate of those who reject Jesus and are ultimately sentenced to hell for their lack of faith.
This is an award ceremony. Like the end of sports season.
Tribunal is a platform athletes are awarded.
In Jiu Jitsu they literally stand on three boxes like the Olympics to then be awarded their medals.
You can medal in different divisions.
Imperishable Crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
Imperishable Crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25)
Those who live their lives to show their gratitude towards God.
The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thess 2:19)
The Crown of Rejoicing (1 Thess 2:19)
Those who rejoice always for their salvation
The Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim 4:8)
The Crown of Righteousness (2 Tim 4:8)
Given to those who submit their lives to Christ’s righteousness.
The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4)
The Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4)
Those who long for His appearance or return.
The Crown of Life (Rev 2:10)
The Crown of Life (Rev 2:10)
For those who face persecution on earth for their faith.
Those who Jesus said depart from me I never knew you should not be surprised because they missed the most important part.
Paul is not seeking to win crowns to gain access in to heaven.
He is looking to please the Lord whom He knew personally and He lived to entertain God through his competing because He was eternally grateful to God.
He has set the believer free and given us himself. With Him comes a whole new set of abilities that allow us to do a tremendous work.
Illustration
Years ago, there was a show called Chuck and he had all of these skills to save people downloaded and he could suddenly defuse a bomb when needed, crack a safe, or fight off 5 bad guys and save the day.
It would be a waste to have those skills and never use them
The Spirit’s dwelling in the believer is similar to Chuck’s experience.
The Spirit of God dwells in believers and is able to
1. Help us recall scripture in times of need,
2. He leads us from danger into paths of righteousness,
3. He gives us the courage and the words to speak to
unbelievers if we allow Him too.
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.
Do you know in your conscience that you know God. It is not a trick question but we can easily trick ourselves into believing we do even when deep down we doubt.
Illustration
If we had been forgiven our 5 million dollar debt only to find out that the one who paid it off for us also wants to pay off the debt of others and give them the peace that you have, would you tell people about it?
For Christ’s love compels us, since we have reached this conclusion: If One died for all, then all died.
And with it the penalty of sin died
I sure hope we would not say, Yes, I am so relieved that I am secure in Christ, He has given freedom from my shame and guilt and I have a new chance at life but before I give others the chance to have what I have let me first go
establish may career,
raise my kids,
travel some,
spend time with friends
work on my hobbies
and then, perhaps if nothing else stands out to me as more interesting, then I will tell someone about Jesus.
And He died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and was raised.
If you claim Christ and live for yourself you are living a lie, and deep down your conscience knows it.
As believers we must not in the flesh. His agenda not Ours.
We live with gratitude, righteousness, obedience, and a joy to tell others about Him because we have been saved!
We should have the mindset of Paul to say I will compete with anyone who thinks they can present a better life to God than mine! I live for Christ.
To live is Christ and to die is gain
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.
Remember the show Chuck? There is you intersect.
You know you know God when your life stops being about you and you live in a whole new power.
Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us.
God has “changed the relationship” between us. No longer do I owe my life as the penalty for my sins, all wrath was placed on Christ and the payment was received in full. Now I can openly enjoy a relationship with Him and his Spirit dwells within me.
And best of all, it is available to all who believe.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
God's greatest work is his work in you. He will use you to lead others to reconciliation as well 20-21
Ambassadors represent by modeling the same character, culture, and beliefs of someone or something.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
God has chosen to make an appeal to unbelieving people through you. He saw that as the best way or it would be another way.
We get to know God! We get to experience Him. We get to tell others.
The way we Love God is by Loving the Community.
The way we Love the Community is be introducing them to God’s Love
Application
When we read a passage like this and it can be convicting and we can leave feeling we are not good enough or doing enough. I think the Devil would love for us to think that.
Here are 10 Truth we learn from this chapter
God is for you, He loves you
When He looks on us He is moved by compassion
He has given us everything He can to set you free.
Jesus bore all your sin, shame and guilt on Himself
Jesus died so that you could have eternal life
God has sent you his Spirit as a guarantee
He restores fellowship with you when you make mistakes
The Spirit brings incredible change when you surrender.
God wants to pour out his blessings is obvious ways for others
He will allow you to see others have eternal life.
If we want to see that kind of life we must lay down our own lives.
When we say YES to being ambassadors for Christ we are also saying
No to our own selfish-ambition
No to our Pride
We deny ourselves and pick up our cross and follow Him
We increase God in our lives because we decrease self.
We say YES to God’s plan to grow us
We say YES to God leading us
A life fully surrendered to God
Is rewarded at the Bema Seat.
Sees those they loved on earth in Heaven
And draws near to God in ways others long for.
I want that life for you!
My hope is that after this push to reach people this month and through summer that we grow and have new people curious of God filling this place.
I want that for them but I especially want that for you because I know that your life will never be the same. You will know God in ways you never imagined. You will know Him more personally and intimately than ever before, and His presence will change you as you depend on him more and more.
Love Community is the last piece of this church’s mission statement because once you love God and enter into a relationship with Him.
You become apart of the Body of Christ where we then Love Unity learning about Him and each other.
So that, we can represent Christ to the world and be radically changed as we Love our Community.