Fully Engaged
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· 279 viewsThrough full engagement with God's Word, the Holy Spirit brings understanding, transforming despair to hope, uncertainty to certainty, and empowers you to lead others to the hope you have in Christ.
Notes
Transcript
PRAYER
Introduction
What does it mean to be fully engaged? All in, 100%, sold out.
The other day they had a little driving course set up at the mall. People were driving their little hot rods — around the track as fast as they could, slowing down, gearing down, gearing back up, trying to stay between the cones.
I have owned a few cars with a standard transmission. They are kind of fun to drive — You can use the clutching and acceleration to have more control of the car, if you do it correctly. When my brother was teaching me to drive a standard transmission, I learned pretty quickly that the clutch needed to be fully engaged when shifting from one gear to another. If not, the gears would grind, the shifts would be jerky, or you could even kill the engine. Letting off the gas, ,clutching and shifting is about timing, intuition, and full engagement. Once you learn the pattern, you will enjoy the drive.
Is it possible that today’s church has traded in our standard for an automatic? Have we forgotten how to be fully engaged with God and His word because it is much easier to put on the cruise control?
Big Idea: Spirit-empowered, full engagement with God's Word brings understanding, transforms despair to hope, uncertainty to certainty, and empowers you to lead others to the hope you have in Christ
Interrogatory: Why is full engagement with God’s Word so important?
I. FULL ENGAGEMENT WITH GOD’S WORD TRANSFORMS YOUR LIFE
Sorrow
And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad.
Even though they heard the story that Jesus was resurrected, they really didn’t believe —
Their conversation…literally - debating with one another. They
Disappointment
But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened.
Confusion
Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
Application
Luke’s account of this event is a beautiful and heart-wrenching picture of their situation - they were sad…sorrowful…without hope, lost, unsure what to do next.
What was their need? They needed to hear some truth!
When you are sad, sorrowful, and have lost your hope, it puts you in a state of uncertainty and a lack of confidence — you second guess yourself…it’s not a pretty picture.
Jesus’s question “What things?” opened the door for Cleopas and his companion to tell the whole sad story
The things they told Jesus should have built them up…but something blinded them. They relayed to Jesus the truth of Jesus’s ministry and the powerful things He had said and done. They recounted the crucifixion…the horrible death of Jesus. They also told him about the empty grave and the testimony that Jesus was alive
They told Jesus EVERYTHING — yet they couldn’t see or feel the hope — they needed full engagement with the truth
When you have heard the message, lived it, witnessed it, but are still confused and disappointed…you need full engagement with the Living Word, empowered and enlightened by the Holy Spirit
II. FULL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GOOD NEWS TRANSFORMS EVERYTHING
The Word brings life
God’s plan, purpose, and His heart of redemption, love, and to give us a blessed life as we worship and serve Him
The living, resurrected Savior spoke to those men on the road to Emmaus — He was alive — not dead, not defeated
His suffering, death, and burial were not the end — He conquered death, hell, and the grave
His living word brings life to those who engage with it
The Word opens eyes and turns on the lights
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Application
These two disciples then got up and walked 7 miles back to Jerusalem to where Jesus’ disciples were gathered — they began to tell what had happened, when, out of nowhere, Jesus stood among them. They probably said, “See!”
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
Seek Jesus — Fully Engage with Him and His Word by the power of the Holy Spirit
He will give us understanding
and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
APPLICATION
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Full engagement with God's Word brings understanding, transforms despair to hope, uncertainty to certainty, and empowers you to lead others to the hope you have in Christ
How can we become more fully engaged with the Word?
Repentance and Humility - put your desire to hear from God above all else
Pray - out loud, boldly, stand on the promises of the Word
Learn to appreciate God’s presence, in silence and solitude
Take authority over the enemy when he attacks — His best weapon against us is distractions
Be prepared to hear from God — expect a deeper understanding
Today’s Discipline is tomorrow’s destiny
Now is the time (kairos) to become fully devoted followers of Christ
It is time to take our personal discipleship and that of the community to the next level
We must move into “Whole-Life” Discipleship -
Bible Engagement
Daily dives into the word
Regular times to sharpen one another in the Word, prayer, and worship
The narrow path
“Whole Life”
Home - work - marketplace - on the river - camping - during the hardest times and the best times