Living in the Gap (3)

The Gap  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  43:41
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Hebrews 6:1–2 NKJV
1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

Part 1: Created in Perfection

Understanding Creation
++The Purpose of Faith (Hebrews 11:3)
++The Perfection of God (2 Samuel 22:31)
++The Work of the Spirit (Gen 1:2)
++God’s assessment His work (Gen 1:31)
Genesis 1:31 NKJV
31 Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good. So the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

He called it very good

We were made in perfection
++To connect with God
++To connect to our world
++To connect in relationship
The Impact of sin was separation
++From God
++From our world
++From one another

Part 2:The Good Life

James 1:17 NKJV
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

God created a perfect world for us.

God created us to fit in a perfect world

Genesis 2:7 NKJV
7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.
The First Family
++Was Unique
++Unlike Anything Created
It started with a Man
++Created from the dust
++Formed by the hand of God
++Gifted with knowledge
Genesis 2:18 NKJV
18 And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.”
Each thing created
++Built upon an established foundation
++Added another dimension to creation
Sin brought death
++Separation from God
++Separation from the world
++Separation from each other

The default mode of fear is flight

Flight is to
++Hide from
++To run away
++To avoid

To change the default we must remember.

2 Timothy 1:5 NKJV
5 when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.
We must remember
++The promise of God
++The provision of God
++The goodness of God
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
F-E-A-R
++Forgetting
++Everything
++And
++Running
F-A-I-T-H
++Forgiving
++All
++In
++Trusting
++Him

The good life is a life of faith over fear

Romans 7:9–12 NKJV
9 I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died. 10 And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death. 11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. 12 Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good.
Romans 7:14–15 NKJV
14 For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. 15 For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do.
Romans 7:18–19 NKJV
18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. 19 For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.

Now we live in the gap

How do we navigate life in the gap?
Romans 7:24–25 NKJV
24 O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.
How do we go from guilt to grace?
Acts 9:3–6 NKJV
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Part 3 Encounters with God

The Bible is filled with Biblical encounters.

The Old Testament
++Noah
++Abram (Abraham)
++Jacob (Israel)
++Moses
The New Testament
++Zechariah
++Joseph & Mary
++Simon (Peter)
++Saul (Paul)
Radical Encounters
++Abram (Abraham)
++Jacob (Israel)
++Simon (Peter)
++Saul (Paul)
In these encounters
++God changed their name
++God changed their identity
++God changed their purpose

God promises us a change

Genesis 3:15 NKJV
15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”
Sin would bring
++a time of trouble
++an adversarial relationship
++a battle for power
Job 14:1 NKJV
1 “Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble.
Ephesians 6:12 NKJV
12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

God’s judgment came with a promise

It was a promise
++of redemption
++of restoration
1 John 3:8 NKJV
8 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

It was a promise with a price

Romans 6:8–10 NKJV
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
1 Corinthians 6:20 NKJV
20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Ephesians 2:11–13 NKJV
11 Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh—who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands— 12 that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Everyone needs a Power Encounter

Power Encounters Says God Can

Job 42:1–2 NKJV
1 Then Job answered the Lord and said: 2 “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.
John 3:2 NKJV
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
Matthew 8:2 NKJV
2 And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”

Paul’s Power Encounter

Paul recounted this event three times.
Acts 9:3 NKJV
3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven.
Paul recounted this event three times.
++Suddenly a _light_
Acts 22:6 NKJV
6 “Now it happened, as I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me.
Paul recounted this event three times.
Suddenly a light
++Suddenly a _great light_
Acts 26:13 NKJV
13 at midday, O king, along the road I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining around me and those who journeyed with me.
Paul recounted this event three times.
Suddenly a light
Suddenly a great light
++I saw a light _brighter than the sun_
In all that he experienced
++He remembered that day
++He could never forget
++He was anchored by this moment.

Everyone needs a Truth Encounter

Matthew 16:13–16 NKJV
13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

A Truth Encounter says God is

Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Paul’s Truth Encounter

Acts 9:4–5 NKJV
4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.”

Everyone needs a Allegiance Encounter

An Allegiance Encounter says I will

Acts 9:6 NKJV
6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Paul’s Allegiance Encounter

Galatians 2:20 NKJV
20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
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