1 Chronicles 12 23-13 4
ADDRESSING THE STATE OF THE UNION!(1 CHRONICLES 12:23-13:4)
Intro. Mean be a Christian? 65x NT “In Christ”! Nt give St Union Add/Add St Union! B4 can add we must..
A. YOU ASSESS THE STATE OF THE UNION! (2 COR. 13:5) DisTant/Distracted/Dis-Connected! 4 Found Q:
1. DO YOU KNOW THE LORD? (John 17:3) illus. “The Gate of Heaven” Please use other entrance!
nt “about him/him?” mill know his story/nvr share his glory/meet him selves-on his terms
Resp to His invitation! Repentance from your Sin Acts 2:38 “Rep/be bapt” nt cere/saves life disp his Release life-
2. ARE YOU GROWING IN THE LORD? -living things grow/grow chg/chg things eff cirs illus. you’re one!
TAKE THE WORD IN! (1 Peter 2:2) Own Bible/Own you? Rom. 6:17 illus. cement- not del word you/you word!
GIVE THE WORD OUT! (Eph. 4:15) just happ! Illus. dead stuff Xmas- cot/sheep/tree-didn’t wk kitten-alive!
“We can’t help speak things seen heard!” God’s living word living inside you - you will nt be able keep it quiet-
illus. 10 comm any order: 3,6,1,8,4,5,9,2,10,7! Reason word nt come out eff/nt going in corr! Dt. 6:7/6
3. ARE YOU SERVING THE LORD! (1 Peter 4:10) #1 reason spiritual stagnation true believers
illus. in Lord’s army? You bet? - nvr see you? Secret Service! many exp dim cap blessing? in wrd/wor/wk? Jn. 10:17
4. ARE YOU SHARING THE LORD! Illus. 1000 ch 89% take care my my needs 11% win world-ask Past/rev!
Purp Ch not defined by will of man/Word of God! Purp/Plan/Promise “You shall be wit unto me” illus. Taj Mahal
illus. walkie talkies-word rec/trans- pwr available! Pt receive nt transmit-neither! HS/spk boldness word/in-Sp upon!
B. LEARN TO WALK TOGETHER IN DIVERSITY (23-37)
1. RECOGNIZE YOU COUNT INDIVIDUALLY # of people! later David census-judged him
“We count people/people count” can’t always be counted upon Ps. 118:8 better trust Lord/conf in man!
3000 saved know? Someone counted! feeding “Lg grp” 5000/4000 - Shep 100/99 - each person counts! You do too!
2. GOD EVALUATES OUR STRENGTH IN FAMILY TERMS making Jesus King doesn’t dest fam ID-deepens it
strength family imp God! hamsters/kittens/cubs illus. Dr. Bowden/527 teens Time w/wife-time w/each child-alone
C. COME TOGETHER IN UNITY (12:38-40)
not been the distinguishing char Ch through out history! Illus. postage stamps - What denom?
1. TOGETHER WE ENTER THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD! Immaturity doesn’t prize unity illus. be 1/be 4!
ever marched? sense excitement be part of bigger self! Nt any one doing alone/happ together
“next to him...after him” - march with some/after others - how know where to walk - Dress Rt Dress! With/behind
partnering Patterning - all the disciples come grps 2! “On a team nt my vision!” nt sup be! Sol/David - JTB/Jesus
2. TOGETHER WE ENTER THE JOY OF THE LORD (39-40) Holiday feasting/pic our rel Him Rev. 3:20
fell each other w/King midst main way we exper joy Lord Joy of the Lord is our “strength” - No fellowship/ foll/fting!
D. SEEK A DEEPER INTIMACY! (13:1-3)
1. WITH HIS PEOPLE WHO AREN’T HERE YET! fam memb missing King round up/Jn 10:16 lost shp-loose shp
know how many of God’s people are not enfolded into the fellowship? Millions! P/L - poss in min-not w/his foll!
2. BY BRINGING HIS PRESENCE HOME WITH YOU! (3-4)
meant bringing God’s presence home with them-To Jer-They miss God’s pres yrs-flesh dethroned/king installed
Chg attitude about the Pers/Presence of God -nt something you were going to occ visit -Place/live!
Becoming a Christian is God changing His address to your’s John 14:23
2 Cor. 13:5 Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?
Rom. 6:17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,
John 10:16 “And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd
John 14:23 If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him.