Following God's Love around the world
Following God’s Love around the World
11/1/03 and 11/2/03
REVIEW: Fountain
# 8 in a series
Acts 10 NIV
34 /Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.[1]/
John 3 TEV
/16For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its saviour.[2]/
-If you look weekly in our bulletin you will see our values listed.
#7- “Every believer should be a “World Christian”, actively involved in missions.”
-All of those who have gone on a short – term missions trip stand.
-All of those who have given towards missions raise their hands, prayed for the world?
-All of you are to some extent: World Christians.
-I was reading in the Message this week and a phrase stood out to me.
John 1 Message
He was in the world,
the world was there through him,
and yet the world didn’t even notice.
/[3]/
2 Peter 3
/You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. [4]/
1. CHANGE OUR WORLDVIEW
· WHO IS JESUS?
-Our worldview and motivation depends on who we say He is.
-Jesus asked His disciples who they thought He was…finally Peter said, YOU ARE THE MESSIAH-GOD’S SON
-Demons said;
23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil a spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth/? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” [5] Mark 1- NIV/
-Paul said to Jesus on the road to Damascus; “Who are you Lord?”
-C.S. Lewis said that you can’t just say Jesus was a good man. He said He was the Son of God. He didn’t leave us the option of just saying He was a good teacher.
(see quote)
-Is Jesus THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE?
-Are men and women lost without Him?
-Why did Paul walk all around the Mediterranean world?
-He said;
2 Cor. 5 - /14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. [6]/
· DO I BELIEVE IN HEAVEN?
2 Timothy 4 NIV
6 /For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. [7]/
Paul did!
John 14 NIV
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God a; trust also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
/[8]/
Jesus did!
-Is it a real place where we will spend eternity with God?
-OK, we probably misunderstand a lot about what it is really like and what we will be doing but do you believe in a POTENTIAL FUTURE WITH GOD?
A belief in heaven:
· Gives us the strength to endure hardship
· It motivates us to sacrifice and gives us courage
· It helps you detach from your stuff
· DO I BELIEVE IN HELL?
2 Thessalonians 1 NIV
8 /He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power [9]/
-Do you really believe in a place of separation from God for those who choose to reject Him?
· Jesus taught about hell
· The Bible teaches about hell
· God’s love demands a hell (a God of love cannot force people to love Him)
· Human dignity demands a hell (God supports your choice to reject Him)
· The Cross of Christ implies a hell (Why else would He give so much to keep us from it?)
· DOES CHRISTIANITY MATTER?
-I heard a story about three demons trying to distract Christians. One said, we will tell them there is no heaven and they will lose their motivation. Another said, we will tell them there is no hell and no threat of judgment. The final one said, no, we will just tell them there is no reason. Their faith is just so their lives can be better and not to get dirtied by a sinful world.
-Privatized Christianity has sent many to hell. We have to love people enough to bother them.
-God has something to say about everything that matters.
-We have to get this out in life in the marketplace.
-Even though it means I will publicly fail sometimes, I must repent, apologize and keep going.
-Christianity is relevant to your life and those around you.
-Be careful that the gospel of Oprah hasn’t watered down the gospel of Jesus.
-If doing your best to be a nice kind person was the answer then Jesus misled us. The gospel is a radical message that cuts crossways of the culture.
· DO I BELIEVE GOD WANTS TO USE MY LIFE?
Acts 9
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel/. [10]/
-You don’t even have to know the fullness of your purpose to accomplish it.
-John the Baptist didn’t know his fully.
-That couple that reached the lost tribe in the E-Tow video were told they were too old to be missionaries.
-Lord knows Jerry and Sonja are too!
-What in the world is a kid from Wright City doing teaching native pastors in the South Pacific and Europe?
-You are vital to the plan of God.
-If you are really struggling with this ask God to reassure you-we need you-the world needs you.
READ EXAMPLE OF ERNIE-FRUIT BUSINESS
· WHOSE AGENDA WILL YOU LIVE BY; YOURS OR HIS?
Luke 6
46 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?[11]
-If Jesus is our Lord we should release our rights and trust our future to Him.
-Someone’s or possibly many people’s eternity is dependant upon our obedience and submission to God.
-Do you trust God enough to give Him your future?
-All of those questions if asked and answered honestly will help us to find and change our worldview.
-In order to become a WORLD CHRISTIAN we have to think like God does, of the whole world.
-When you hang out with God His heart rubs off on you. He dreams about the nations.
-Red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight.
-It’s true isn’t it? You believe it don’t you?
2. CHANGE YOUR METHODS
-We are going to have to think and act differently if we are really going to change the whole world.
Credit to AIMS “MISSION SMARTer” seminar for Powerpoints slides
Outline from Paul Bothwick- Six Dangerous Questions
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[1]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
[2]American Bible Society. 1992. The Holy Bible : Today's English Version (2nd ed.) . American Bible Society: New York
[3]Peterson, E. H. 1995. The message : New Testament with Psalms and Proverbs . NavPress: Colorado Springs, Colo.
b Or as you wait eagerly for the day of God to come
[4]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
a Greek unclean; also in verses 26 and 27
[5]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
[6]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
[7]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
a Or You trust in God
[8]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
[9]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
[10]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids
[11]The Holy Bible : New International Version. 1996, c1984 . Zondervan: Grand Rapids