5-27-2018 - Obligation to the Spirit

Thesis: We follow the Holy Spirit just like the disciples followed Jesus.

For kids: Fireworks for July 4th

Do you light them all at once or spread them out? What happens if you leave them outside overnight and don't use them?

Do you light them all at once or spread them out?

Do you light them all at once or spread them out? What happens if you leave them outside overnight and don't use them? They get wet and get ruined.

What happens if you leave them outside overnight and don't use them?

Do you light them all at once or spread them out? What happens if you leave them outside overnight and don't use them? They get wet and get ruined.

What happens if you leave them outside overnight and don't use them?

They get wet and get ruined.

They get wet and get ruined.

Me

Me

Today we remember that Life has an expiration date

Each day has an expiration date

Each day has an expiration date

Illustration: Home cooked meals with produce

You have to cook what you have, not just what you want

If you don't, you lose it.

Each day we get 24 hours as a gift from God and it is our choice in how we use it.

Whatever we do not choose to use, we lose.

Whatever we do not choose to use, we lose.

We

How do we know where to start in living our lives well?

You may be thinking about bible reading, prayer, or attending church... our typical checklist of all things Christian

But scripture tells us to consider something else... obligations.

God

Scripture:

(NIV):

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live

according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of

the body, you will live.

Obligation

What is an obligation?

Crusade letter as a call to fulfill obligations

Children are an obligation

What you do to the least of these, you do to me (Jesus) -

How do you fulfill your obligation?

Living to die

Story of Abraham and Lazarus

Will you get your blessings in this life or the next?

If you really read Jesus you would probably want to hand off your blessings as quickly as possible, like a hot potato.

Because it is our blessings that most often keep us from God.

Remember the rich young ruler

Dying to live

Deny yourself

Jesus actually said to deny yourself.

That's like being told you have to go on a diet to become a Christian.

No chocolate chip cookies if you want to get into heaven.

You can either eat cookies now and spend eternity watching all those who died of starvation go through the endless buffet line.

Or you can deny yourself today and have something waiting for you in eternity.

That's weird and Wild Theology for the churches of the Holy potluck.

It doesn't even sound quite Christian.

As do a lot of the things Jesus said.

Pick up your cross

Paul didn't say pick up your cross

He said by the Spirit, put to death the misdeeds of the body.

By the Spirit could mean by the power the Spirit gives us

It could also mean by the guidance of the Spirit

Maybe it means both

Follow Jesus

When Jesus was here in the flesh, He told His disciples to deny themselves, pick up their cross, and follow Him.

In other words, Jesus was in charge of their learning and their training - the head learning and the heart changing.

He picks what order we change our ways.. not us, and He helps us actually do it.

And now the Holy Spirit does the same thing with us.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Following a Father, not a Slave-master

God doesn't need servants

God doesn't need pets

He doesn't need friends

He doesn't get lonely

He will never die so He doesn't need descendants to carry on after Him

And yet He calls us to be His children

Toughest job ever

The devil and the world tells us that we could never, ever be like Jesus

And yet God Acts like we have been made to be just that

And that He has us on a path to become that very thing.

You

Are you fulfilling your obligations to God?

Or are you just playing Christian?

We For more than self, their Savior loved... this is their graduation day. For this is how we know what Love is Jesus Christ laid down His life for us And we should lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters