Whatever It Takes
Notes
Transcript
Explanation
Well then, should we conclude that we Jews are better than others? No, not at all, for we have already shown that all people, whether Jews or Gentiles, are under the power of sin.
Aren’t we good because we have accepted Jesus?
-No we are forgiven, but this doesn’t change the fact that we need to be daily renewing our hearts and minds as we grow in our relationship with Jesus.
-As we heard this last week ......we are seeking/working to hear and discern the voice of the Lord so that we can DO what Jesus asks us to do.
Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
Romans 1:
The first people who heard about this were being persecuted heavily so when they would find a person who sounded like they were open to the message of Jesus they wouldn’t tell them about the house church they were in.....they would tell them about the person of Jesus and their experience with him either through the Holy Spirit or if they saw him in person
-Many times the first thing I think about is telling people about church. I have to work with Jesus to reset this thinking
-This is our witness to tell people not about our church......lost people usually don’t want to hear about a church.
-This is our witness to tell people not about our church......lost people usually don’t want to hear about a church.
-I have had very few people not want to talk about Jesus......and Jesus has given us the green light, and the authority to speak from our experience with him!
HOWEVER WE MUST REALIZE THIS IS NOT AN OPTION, BUT A COMMAND......THAT JESUS GAVE TO US.
-We heard about this on Tuesday night
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Once again God inspired Paul to echo this same idea in his writings and he is pushing us to realize:
-If Jesus is King in our life we have set our will to do what he says at all times.
Paul writes:
Paul writes:
He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.
Romans 2:
-If we do not do what Jesus asks us to do......who is making the decisions? Who is King?
-Therefore we are not living for Jesus.....we are living making the decisions and we are living for ourselves.
Paul was writing to people who trusted Jesus and are living to be like Jesus, to walk like Jesus. So these words that sound harsh are for people who are already in relationship with Jesus.
BUT THIS VERSE DOESN’T SAY WE HAVE TO DO ANYTHING......WE ARE SAVED BY FAITH!
-YES!!! We are saved by our faith for the purpose of doing good works that Jesus gives us to do as we live like he did!
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Romans 2:13
For merely listening to the law doesn’t make us right with God. It is obeying the law that makes us right in his sight.
In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
Romans
No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
This brings us back to
As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous—
not even one.
No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”
“Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”
“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”
“They rush to commit murder.
Destruction and misery always follow them.
They don’t know where to find peace.”
“They have no fear of God at all.”
Romans 3:10-
This is directly from and .....This was before Jesus right? What is the point .....the people back then couldn’t be Christ like because they hadn’t seen him live!
-God showed the people of Israel how to live in very specific ways in Leviticus....he was detailed so they could be free and not have to guess what God wanted......he told them in his word to them..... so they could know how to relate to God!
-God’s intention was to be close to them so he could speak to them and they could be the presence of God on earth and bring people into a relationship with him....... be a priestly nation
Eerdmans Bible Dictionary PRIEST
PRIEST. †In the Old Testament the function of a priest was that of a mediator between God and mankind. As God’s covenant people, Israel was to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” among the peoples of the earth (Exod. 19:5–6). In the representative office of priest, the ideal state of holiness and the role of mediation were focused and maintained in order to preserve and facilitate Israel’s service before God.
Israel was saved from Egypt and protected, loved, and provided for in order that they would be the “Bridge” and connect people relationally to God by showing them who he was by the way they lived.
DAVID saw Israel was not:
Israel was not seeking God
Listening to God v11
Seeking God v11
Speaking for God v13
Not speaking for God v13
Living out God’s Justice v15-16
Connected relationally with God v17
Living as if he existed v18
Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
God was being gracious to us when he gave us his law.
-How much more difficult would it be to live in a relationship with God if we didn’t know what was expected from us in the relationship?
-We have marriage vows to help us understand the same thing
The law was given so we could know what God wanted
-AND IN TURN IT ALSO SHOWS US HOW FAR WE ARE FROM WHAT GOD WANTS FOR OUR LIVES BEFORE WE ARE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM.
The place where we can get off base is when we start to think that the law or scripture is the end......
-Scripture is not the end.....knowing, memorizing, talking about, is not the end
-It points us to the Father and he talks with us through his word
-encouraging
-teaching
-rebuking
-leading
-leading
BUT NOT SAVING......simply knowing scripture cannot save us.
-Knowing who Jesus is cannot save us
-What saves our lives is when we see that without a relationship with God we are living outside of the original plan for our lives that God had for us..... and if we remain their we will eternally be disconnected from God.
-What saves us is when we understand this, and we understand that Jesus died for our sins so we wouldn’t have to be eternally separated from God.....
-What saves us is when we trust in the saving power of Jesus enough to say.....Jesus you are now my King and I am in your Kingdom, I will be with you....married to you forever and if I ever find out I disagree with you....because my will is set and my heart is determined to follow you....I will change and become one with what you want.
-
-This daily commitment is what saves us......and is saving us still today.
Application
Lent is a man made idea and the origins have seemed to range from following what Jesus did before his ministry to a practice that started with the apostles.
-during this time tradition has been set for us as a good practice to deny ourselves the comforts of life to seek God’s face in a way that sets our hearts towards God.
-It isn’t the practices of lent that make us holy
-The practices of lent are one way in which when we deny our flesh....desires and spend that time in prayer listening to the voice of Jesus.... he will meet with us.
-During this time we have set aside to prepare for Easter, the great celebration of our risen Lord, what if we said to God....
-WHATEVER IT TAKES I WANT TO HEAR YOUR VOICE!
-WHATEVER IT TAKES I WANT WHAT YOU WANT!
-WHATEVER IT TAKES I WANT TO BE OBEDIENT!
God wants to see our loved one brought into relationship with him
God wants to see our neighbors brought into relationship with him
God wants to see our city
God wants to see our state
God uses us as the messenger for salvation to the world
God uses us as the vessels/containers by which people can receive salvation
Do we want our life brought into a closer relationship with him?
Do we want our loved one brought into relationship with him?
Do we want neighbors brought into relationship with him?
then there is a good chance that you have already heard the voice of Jesus speaking to you. Because Jesus wants all these things as well!
Will we take time to examine the places our lives are not one with God?
Will we take time this season to set our hearts to do what God desires?
Will you be Obedient?
Will we be Obedient?
Will you be Obedient?
As we heard this last week when we set our will to be obedient......it does require change, sacrifice, but what is too much when Jesus gave it all!
As we heard this last week when we set our will to be obedient......it does require change, sacrifice, but what is too much when Jesus gave it all!