Celebrating the Promised One

Prayer Requests - Slide - Ephesians 6.18

Take a break from the Cookies on the Lower Shelf - Use the Bible Reading this week from the APP

BIG QUESTION: What needs to CHANGE in You so you can Experience the Promises of God…so that you can SHARE the Promises of God?

Palm Sunday - Celebrating the Promised One

John 12.13

Revelation 7:9–10 (ESV) — 9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

How do we go from the Promised One being for only the Jewish People to being for ALL People

The promise of salvation The promise of the Holy Spirit The promise of Eternity with Jesus

The Book of ACTS tells How

We have been in a Sermon Series on the New Testament - Claiming this year as the Year of Promise

So Far we have read the Gospels - The Accounts of Jesus and the 1st 18 chapters of Acts - the Account of the Early Church

Promise (ACTS 1.8) - The Holy Spirit for All People

Pentecost ( Acts 2.1-13) - The Holy Spirit for Jewish people

Peter (Acts 2.14- 12.24) - Preaching of Jesus to the Jewish People; Holy Spirit for Gentiles

Paul (Acts 9-28) - Preaching of Jesus to the Gentiles

This Week's Chapters - Acts 13- 18 - Paul's 1st and 2nd Missionary Journeys (show Maps)

Geography can be difficult - but what all that Movement means is the Promise is being shared with All people, not just Jewish Have you ever felt like the Promise is not for you? Have you ever felt like an Outside 2nd Grade

The Jewish People felt like they were the only ones entitled to the Promises of God and most other people (the Bible calls them Gentiles) felt that they were not entitle to the Promises of God

3 Things had to Change…

MINDSET had to Change:

Acts 15:1 (ESV) — 1But some men came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

Acts 15:19–20 (ESV) — 19 Therefore my judgment is that we should not trouble those of the Gentiles who turn to God, 20 but should write to them to abstain from the things polluted by idols, and from sexual immorality, and from what has been strangled, and from blood.

Jesus + Law

People told me I had to FORGIVE My Mom before I could accept Christ

Jesus only

MISSION had to Change:

1st Mission TRIP

Acts 13:1–3, 51 (ESV) — 1 Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.

They had to go where ALL People Are

MESSAGE had to Change

Acts 17:22–34 (ESV) — 22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus (where the scholars gathered to here speeches and debate), said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.

Went to where they were

Was Positive rather than negative

Acknowledged their faith

24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. 26And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being (Epimnides a Cretan Poe Bible Knowledge Commentary)’; as even some of your own poets have said, “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’)Aratus' from Cilicia - Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Acknowledged their sacred texts

29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Focus on Jesus rather than Old Testament Focus on All People No focus on the Law - Focus on the Resurrected Christ

FOR STORY

Make this Your Date or Occasion What "Gentile" does God want you to reach out to

What is your biggest hope

The Hope in our Community - Top 5

What has to CHANGE in you to accept the PROMISE for Yourself?

What has to CHANGE in you to OFFER the PROMISE to others.