Exalting Christ

Be careful then how you live not as unwise. But as wise making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil, therefore do not be foolish. But understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery, instead, be filled with the spirit. Speaking to one another in Psalms hymns and songs from the spirit sing and make music from your heart to the lord, always giving. Thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ submit to one another out of reverence to Christ. Yes. Well that's the direction. We're going to go a little bit today, kind of recognized in Christ and showing him off in our lives, a few pair of prayer requests Jackson. As you know, is there in the boot camp training and died. He's going to finish up on May 20th but between now and then he has a few tests. He needs to go through. And so Lindy asked that we pray for strength for him is the finishes this off and Lindy also asked for herself that you know she had back surgery and she went through some battles early on and it looked like she was getting better but now there's kind of a relapse so we need to pray for her that She would be strengthened. It's going to be pretty discouraging. Once you think you're on the mend and it doesn't happen. I also need to pray for Keith. He's having some issues with the skin cancer and it's just surface stuff. It's not too terrible but you still have to go through the process and that's not necessarily fun. We pray that it will go well and that it will be taken care of. Okay, let's go to prayer.

A gracious Father in heaven. We are thankful that we have a god that is truly looking out for each. And every wish that we have every prayer that we make, you are listening there and sometimes we get discouraged when you don't respond as rapidly as we desire. But father, we recognize that you respond in the way, that is the very best in each of these situations. Help us to trust you and trust your guiding guidance in all of it. And so, father, is we come before you, we first one to remember the people of our community who need you. So desperately, who are lost, who are dying and found for eternity. Separated, from you, in the depths of hell. And father that should disturb our hearts as it does. And father we pray that you would help us to truly be ministers to their lives. For that is what you called us to be and father, we pray that your spirit would be active and Powerful in that Ministry. In that case, would begin to be changed that Revival would take place in our community and people would be drawn to you. We do want to pray for the needs that have been mentioned that we think of Jackson and pray that you would be with him. I thank you that he has a heart for you and a desire to walk in your life. Sometimes it's difficult when we're kind of set out. They're separated from the people that are typically there for you. And so pray that he would get one field of the energy and the strength from the prayers that are cast for him and that you would give him wisdom and health and energy in his pursuit of the climax of basic training and all the different tests that he will go through. We do pray for Linde. Oh Lord, may you truly reach down and touch her body. We pray for your healing upon that back and fool sense of recovery and strength, that those things that would bring, joy and enjoyment would come back and that the pain would be taken away.

Father, we do pray for Keith is he goes through the process of this can skin cancer, the removal of its and the healing. We pray that you would touch his body and that healing would be complete and that he would be fully restored and strengthened Father we also run to remember that there are many requests out there that are unspoken request. Sir have been spoken of in the past and we want to remember we want to pray for each and every one of them. And so, father, we pray for those needs that are still there that are out there. We pray that your money hand would be working to give peace and comfort to hearts and lives that the answers would be given and truly received and understood. Lord we do pray now that we continue in this worship time that you would bless us richly as we pour out our hearts to you and song. As we remember, you in prayer, as we seek you through the power of your word. May you bless richly in Jesus precious name. We ask these things and Men,

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.

Are Arie and I hope. YouTube bow to draw.

Is ready.

Minecraft.

You're my everything.

More than you know, where is more.

Bismarck weather.

Am I having you is?

Hey man, he is more than a All right, let's see. Let's pray. Our dear father in Heaven, how great it is to come before you to open your word into drinking in all that you have for us. Or this is truly the the word of the Living God given to us. We thank you for your spirit who truly guides and directs Us in understanding and knowing what you have for us and truly you guide. Our lives in that regard. Father, I pray for your spirit to touch me completely that as I speak, I would speak the words that you have called me to And only that that you would bless each of us and that we would respond to your call on our lives. We pray this in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen. Okay.

I have a really mentions, I don't think the last few weeks. I I think it was up there that the series is exalting Christ and is taken from the book of 1st John and we've gone through a couple of those things that light up for Christ was the first one. And then love if we're Christ was a second today, we're looking at revealing Christ and it's such an important and valuable thing for all of us to remember that, you know, we who have come to Jesus Christ and received him as our Lord and savior received him with a promise that he would be our Lord and savior. Which means essentially that we are committed to be guided by him in this life. And so we are responsible for following his directions. And one of his Direction. So very powerful one is that we reveal Jesus Christ to the world through the lives that we live. And as I had been thinking about that and and just a picture to show you where I'm headed with this. I thought about Peter's life and he certainly had an interesting one. He was the one who three times denied Christ, you know before the cross. Three times. And then, if we take a look at the Book of John, the 21st chapter, we see, Jesus Christ, bringing him back into the fold, reinstalling his commitment to him, and he asked Jesus Christ 3 times. Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? A question. If Jesus Christ showed up today, and he asked you, do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me? What would be your response Piers was three times? And we can talk about his answering love, but we're not going there today, but but three times you said, I love you. Yes, I do. I love you. And this is, his response was really important for this morning, he said, feed my Lambs, feed my sheep. That was his desire. That Peter take up his burden, his cross and feed the sheep and that's God's desire for each and every one of us and Peter did. So on three occasions, we see him being involved in the idea of the coming of the spirit of the Living. God, I don't know if you matched all those three. But here's one for you, he was there when the disciples were in the upper room and the Holy Spirit came upon them and he went out and he ministered through the power of the word of God to the people and they received the Holy Spirit, the Jews of that day. In chapter 8 of Acts Ministry is going on and Samaria and Peter goes to Samaria and he lays the hands on the people and the spirit of God comes on those people Americans. Then finally, we get to chapter 10 and Peter is called out of his comfort zone to go and speak to Gentiles, which was really out of his own and yet he did it. And is he speaking to the Gentiles, the Holy Spirit comes on those gentiles.

He was called back. The feed the Lambs three times. And we see if those episode 3 times, he fed the Lambs so that the spirit of God took hold of them and that's the call for each and every one of us. If we say, we love God, Then part of that requirement of Love, Is that we serve him. By revealing Jesus Christ, the world feeding the Lambs of God. We're going to take a look at that. Is we go to First John chapter 2? We're going to be going through verses 7 through 14 but we're going to read just the first couple of them and this is the command the command were talking about here. And it says dear friends, I am not writing to you a new command, but an old one which you had since the beginning. This old command is a message. You've heard yet. I'm writing you a new command is truth is seen in him and in you because the darkness is passing in the True. Light is already Shining Something new something old here, John is referring to. Well if we went way back into the Old Testament, we get the old command. Peter is Moses has been leading the people around the Wilderness for 40 years and he's he's LED them diligently and he gets to the point where they're ready to cross over the Jordan into the new land. And he sits down with the people and he talks through what God has done and what he's given to the people and he gives them this command which is the command God has for each and every person. Deuteronomy 6:5, love the Lord, your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and with all your strength, That's a great commandment. We're to love. God, that's your call. That's my call. That's the call of everyone who truly comes the Living. God, who says, I trust you to be my Lord and my savior, forgive me, and take me to be your own.

That's our call to love the Lord while he goes on to add a little bit to that. And Jesus adds to that. If we get to Mark chapter 12, one of the Pharisees comes to Jesus, and he said, what's the greatest commandment in Jesus? Gives that same command to him. He has a little bit though, he says, but also love your neighbor as yourself. Okay, so part of that command, and that important, part of that command is our demonstration of our true love for the Living. God, Is the love Jesus Christ, until love our neighbor. As herself. That's the great call love our neighbor in that means that through our lives. Through the various things, we think about and the things we say and the actions we do, we should be revealing Jesus Christ of the world. Okay? So the old command love the Lord, your God. And we'll get see that. They also said love others but the new command is love your God and love others. But the addition to that is Jesus Christ. The addition to that new command is Jesus Christ. Do we love Christ? And if we do love Christ we should be giving to him are all in everything that we have and it begins with love. If we truly love as Jesus loved, we will be revealing Jesus Christ to our world and to the people around us, do all those people as we walk out of this building and that they don't know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, there are uncertain in this world. We have a gift and Incredible Gift. Of Jesus Christ to them. It's a new power. and, John writes about it and 2nd, John verse 6. He says in this is love that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love, you walk in love. You know, it so different than our world. We look at our world today and we see people getting all angry over many issues. Some of them political issues, some of them sports issues, some of them economic issues. There are so many things that we get angry and upset over. But you know, what? If this command were in action and and people were involved in this, we wouldn't have any of those other issues to be upset about. That is the result of an issue for the world that we live in, is the love of Jesus Christ. We're called to that you and I and no matter what's going on around us, no matter what the difficulties in life are our Command is love others as Christ, love others, that's our Command. It's the true life that has come into the world. You know, the world was living in darkness and you were living in darkness before you came to know Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, you are dark. You were sinful, you were separated from God. But Jesus came to bring light into the world to reveal what truth actually is. John wrote about that in his first chapter of his gospel. It says the True Light verse 9. The True Light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. True Light was Jesus Christ. Any reveal the truth to you and now it is our responsibility to be that light that reveals the truth to the world. That is around us, we are called to be truth givers The truth. They can change everybody's life because if they're not changed, that they're locked doesn't make any difference in this world. Doesn't matter how human Lasix. Anybody is its how Godly successful they are. And that begins with Jesus Christ. What we know about him and how we live, according to what he said. We need to be like that is growing in our world. Romans 13:12 says, the night is nearly over the day is almost here. So let us put aside the Deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light, you know? Years ago. They I mean back in the time of scripture was being written, there was kind of an assumption that you know we we live powerfully right now and Jesus is coming back and I'll be back soon and we've kind of live that way through the centuries and yet more and more of that picture is coming to life now. And it this may be more powerful scripture now than ever before because we do see that things are happening in our world today that that light is actually going to come back to this world. But in a different way than he first game. So he came to reveal the light but the second time, it will bring be to bring that light and bring judgment to our world. So we need to be alive and active in our world. So that our world has the opportunity to receive the truth of who Jesus is. The truth of who he is. So it is necessary for us to be reviewers of a light that is within us. Let's read 1st, John 5 to 9 and 11 9 through 11, anyone who claims to be the light, but hates their, or a sister is still in the darkness. Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going because the darkness has blinded them. Wow, you think about what's going on in our country and they hate it is cast back and forth around our country today. And we realize that there is not a lot of love going on, but there ought to be from those who truly call on, Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, we are the sources of light for this world and we need to be proclaiming that light. And giving it off so that others might see him and know him.

1st John 4, 20 and 21 says whoever claims to love God, yet hates his brother or sister is a liar

So, think about that one a little bit. We need to be loving our brothers and sisters, particularly those in Jesus Christ, we're called of that continued on for whoever does not love their brother and sister who may have seen cannot love God. Whom they have not seen, and he has given us this command. Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister. You know, that's a pretty flower powerful experience to think about our need to love one another. That's Annie because it's a commandment of the Lord and is for us to be obedient to that command.

You knowing that the man was not just simply, are you a part of the law today? It's not something that all of a sudden. Wow, I've become a Christian and now all of a sudden I've got to do that. It's like a man that God gave to the world, even back in the Old Testament. During the time of Moses, we see that in Leviticus chapter 19, Verse 18. It says do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among you your people but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord. God wants us to be loving. Others because he's the Lord and he sure it's certainly demonstrated his love for others. You and I who claim Jesus Christ as Lord, and Savior can demonstrate that very powerfully because your life has been changed. You are a different. You are new. And we'll look at that powerful message here in just a second. But, but because God has made a difference in our lives. He gives us the opportunity to make a difference in other people's lives, and that's his call. That's how we demonstrate our obedience to Jesus Christ through the things we say and think and do.

Psalm 119:165 know, it's the great passage of scripture that really speaks of God's word and how powerful and it goes through. Its the longest longest chapter in the Bible, this is verse 165 in it. Great, peace. Have those who love your law and nothing can make them stumble. If we're following God's law, we aren't going to stumble in this life, no matter how difficult things become around us. We are not going to stumble. If we walk in the wall in the presence of the Living, God, we have no stumbling block. It's only one we turn away and look away from our Savior. Jesus Christ, and look to our own help and desire that we stumble Walter. We need him. We need to trust in the True Light that God has given You know I'm that lights. It actually comes to each and every one of us when we truly ask him to be our Lord and savior he does come and dwell in us so that we truly can become the light that he is in our lives. John 12:36 says, believe in the light while you have a light so that you may become children of the light.

In other words, when Jesus Christ was presented, don't turn away, take a hold of that, make it a part of your life when he had finished. Speaking, this Jesus left and hit himself from them. Okay, this is what it's like without the light. You need to seek it. You need to look toward it. God wants that lied to be expressed. In every part of the world and certainly it has become part of what scripture said, go into all the work, spread that life and truly has to literally every nation in the world, is it least have the touch of the light in their lives today and that's a powerful instrument. We need to thank him for it but we don't need to stop either because God has is here and he wants us to continue. So what is the benefit of having that live and having that possession? And that's what he kind of goes through in these next few verses verses 12 through 14. He says, I'm writing to you dear children because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name. The name of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you fathers, because, you know, him who is from the beginning? I am writing to you young men because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you dear children because you know, the father I write to you fathers because, you know, him who is from the beginning, I write to you young men because you are strong in the word of God lives in you. And you have overcome the evil one. You know, as we look at those things and we think about what they're saying, we realize that there has been some enormous blessings that have been poured out on our lives. If you know, Jesus Christ, you've been blessed Beyond anyting truly that. We really can't imagine because we haven't experienced the whole amount of that blessing. But If you're truly Walking With Jesus Christ, you were experiencing it, more and more with each and every day. Because if Jesus Christ is powerful in your life, you have that experience.

Romans 8 talks a lot about God's presence in, in our lives, it talks about the spirit, and he talks about Christ being there, and never leaving, or forsaking us and all of these things. And first 32, he says, he who did not spare his own son, God didn't spare his son. Jesus Christ for your lives, but gave him up for us all. How will he not also along with him? Graciously, give us all things. Think about that. You have all the blessings that God can give

Some of them are stored up in heaven for you, but you have some great blessings even here. So let me give you just a few of those blessings Romans 8:1 It says, therefore if there is now no condemnation for those, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. In other words, you are born. And you are under God's condemnation. Why? Because of Sin Sin? Head. Taking this away from the Living God. It's yours away.

We were Bound for hell. We had no hope.

But then, Jesus came along. He said he didn't come into the world to condemn the world, but to save it.

Any live that perfect life and he died on that cross. And through his shed blood on that cross, he paid the penalty for our sins. So that when we believe our lives are washed and when God, now looks at you, one save through the blood of Jesus Christ. He looked at one who is holy and righteous before him did that, a wonderful thing. There is no condemnation. So your sins have been washed away when you know, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. That's a great blessing. That's a wonderful blessing and we need to say Thank You Lord. Praise Your holy name. The second thing I want to point out to you, is that we have Victory, we have victory in this life. Victory over death Hosea. 13:14 says, I will deliver this people from the power of the Grave. I will redeem them from Death, where o death. Are your play. Where o grave is your destruction? He concludes, I will have no compassion and that's a continuation of those who turn away from me. But for those who look, Did God? For their grace and mercy. They overcome the grave. We have Victory through Jesus Christ. In this world, sin doesn't have a hold on us. We're not contained by it. It's not keeping us from the Living. God, we have overcome that through, Jesus Christ noticed, they're both through Jesus Christ.

The third thing that God has given us is he's given us his presence in our lives. He's giving us his presence. You know, when he says I will not leave you or forsake you you really means that he says I'm going to come into your life and I'm going to dwell there, I'm going to stay with you all your life. And so whenever you feel lonely or desperate recognize God is right there. Is there to give you peace and comfort in your most troubled times. He's right. There is right there Romans. 8:11, says, and if the spirit of him who raised Jesus, from the dead is living in you. He'll raised Christ from the dead. Will also give life to your model bodies because of the spirit who lives in you, the Living God Lives in You.

I think about all of those things that God has has given over to us, because we trusted in him as our Lord and our savior. You know, those are just a few of the blessings. There are so many more blessings blessings that we will receive throughout all eternity because of his work for us. And what is he asked? Just do what I ask you to do. Feed my sheep.

Feed my sheep.

What that means is, if we truly love Jesus Christ, as our Lord and savior. That's God's command to us to feed the sheep, who are the Sheep. Well, the Sheep are those. Who you look around and see. But they're also people that are out there that are in need, you say Peter, when he ministered to others, he was ministering to people who had not yet known Jesus Christ as Lord and savior. And it was through that ministries of Phoebe's sheep became true. Sheep of the Living. God So we are to live our lives in the power and the strength of Jesus Christ. And we do that day by day, as we truly looked at him and trusted him for each of those moments. Each and every one of those moments. you know, when I get the message one of the last things I I do is come up with a an opening that hopefully it gets a hold of your thinking and puts a hook in your thoughts and brings you along with the message and one of the things I try to do and I usually do it as I wait for the Lord to guide me in How to do that and how to come up with an opening for that? You know, it's just waiting on the Lord, you know, and I've come to know that he doesn't usually answer until later than

I got up to this morning about 4 in the morning, and I went to the board and I said, you know, Lord I really don't like the opening I have for this message. I really need your help and your guidance and almost immediately. The thought of an opening came to me. And I know it was from the Lord and that's the way it usually is. And the reason I can do that is because I've learned that he does answer me. And we need to trust him that he will answer our live in each and every one of those moments of Our Lives. It doesn't matter. If you're speaking wherever you are, whether you're at work, whether you're ever you're taken care of kids, whether you're shopping wherever you are. There needs to be a Reliance upon the Living. God show you what you need to do and when you do trust him, he will reveal himself. To the people around you to the world that really needs. To hear an answer for all that is going on in this world today. I need Jesus Christ. Is the answer is the only answer that will make any difference in our lives. And so we as Believers are responsible,

Forgiving that answer to the people that are around us and in. So doing we are demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ for the world. They make have stones at you. They may spit on you and hate you for what you have to say, but you know what? It doesn't matter. Doesn't matter. The truth is the truth. And we are responsible to reveal that truth as we reveal Jesus Christ to a world that is around us. Let's pray. Our gracious Father in heaven. We thank you for the great pictures that you have in your precious word that show us the pathway that we need to walk. We thank you for this. We thank you for these great gifts and we thank you for your presence. We pray that your spirit would be continually working on us to draw closer and closer to you that we truly would have thoughts the dross to. You have words that would draw others to you. Have actions that would Proclaim Jesus Christ to the world.

Father, how we need you? How we need your Mighty hand visit to be there. Guiding Us in everything we do. Help us to Trust You O Lord Our God in Jesus precious name. Amen. As we have this last two song, If you feel, God leading you to step up and say, yeah, I need to take a new step of faith. Come on forward. Let's pray together. Don't be embarrassed.

If you feel God's working on your hard saying I need a savior. Come on forward, get to know the Living. God who loves you? So dearly

My love is gone home. So far away.

I need my sweet.

Shut up. I need my sweet.

I broke the rules.

Please pray. I need my sweater today.

Oh gracious. Father, we do need your help. Each and every day. And every moment help us to live that way. Father, looking to you and finding our courage, our strength, our guidance and blessing in you not in our abilities are strength. Are mites, but in you before, then we are truly strong and mighty Warriors for the sake of the Gospel. Be with us as we go out to the Lord, Our God, In The Name Of Our Savior. Jesus Christ, we ask all of these things. Amen. Please God, from whom all blessings flow.

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