Living to Make a Difference
Notes
Transcript
Handout
The Law of Christ
The Law of Christ
14 As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.
Paul is saying that his life is not centered on a code, but on a person. His interest in the world died and he began to follow the Lord.
This is a journey. What happens is that we get saved and we feel great. Then we get back into trying to earn God’s approval. Then we get burned out and don’t enjoy church… When we go back into trying to earn what has been given to us for free, it will result in a roller coaster relationship with God.
We want you to walk in here and feel refreshed and free. If you do that, God will lead you. If you do this, no one will have to tell you what to do, you will want to do it. You will want to serve… to follow … to give.
The experience of freedom - I don’t have to… I get to
The experience of freedom - I don’t have to… I get to
I don’t have to go to church, I get to go to church. I don’t have to read my bible, I get to read my bible.
Now as we finish this study, Paul has one more thing to teach.
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. 14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
He waited until he laid the theological framework before he introduced serving. He did not want people to try to serve their way into salvation. Here Paul says that serving is loving.
2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
When we love others… share their burdens, we obey the law of Jesus. Look…
34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.
When we experience God’s love, it’s easy to love others. When we live in freedom, love flows out of us to others and serve them. It’s natural for us to want to share something good with others. When you find a good restaurant, you tell others about it. It’s powerful when we tell or hear about something good… if it’s a restaurant, we want to try it out.
When we are passionate about something, we share it. And it becomes contagious. What we are passionate about can make a difference.
Serving God is not about what we do but how we love.
So when we show love to others it becomes contagious and people will want what you have.
So that’s the motivation for making a difference, here are some practical steps to living to make a difference.
Living to make a difference
Living to make a difference
10 Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone—especially to those in the family of faith.
We want to live you with how you can use your freedom to impact the people around you and how you can live to make a difference.
The first way we can make a difference is
1. Identify my sphere of influence
1. Identify my sphere of influence
You have people in your life. This message tonight or Sunday or whenever may be for one of the people in your life. He hasn’t called you to the world, he has called you to those he has placed on your sphere of influence.
13 But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us, to reach even to you.
God has assigned you an area or sphere of influence
Your people -
Your people -
Family and close friends.
Your Place
Your Place
Your work or school. God has placed you where you are for ministry. With the help of the HS, you can make a difference.
Your passions
Your passions
We all have areas of passions… of interests.
God has placed you where he has… look at this.
26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
God has trusted you with the people he has put in your life. You may feel like you have a lot of crazy people in your life, maybe you are the perfect person for them… God has trusted you with them.
You have a sphere of influence and you need to identify it.
2. Meet them in their place of need
2. Meet them in their place of need
Everyone has needs.
2 Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
When we see a person’s need, we come along side them and share that need.
Food giveaway … jobs … resources … Fuel the Future…
Emotional needs - people all over the place need someone to listen… to help guide…
Spiritual needs - pray for people… ask, is there anything that we can pray for you about.
Jesus wants us to get next to people, and share their burdens with them.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ 37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? 39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
You may think what you do is not big, but it may change someone’s life. You may give someone a word of encouragement… that will change their life. You don’t know who you are talking to.
Billy Graham -
3. Point them to Jesus and His Church
3. Point them to Jesus and His Church
We need to point people to Jesus and to a local church… our church.
When we serve, we point people to Jesus. It’s not about us … it’s about Jesus.
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
We point people to Jesus. We feed so they will know Jesus. We give away food so that people can know Jesus.
12 But the godly will flourish like palm trees and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon. 13 For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house. They flourish in the courts of our God. 14 Even in old age they will still produce fruit; they will remain vital and green. 15 They will declare, “The Lord is just! He is my rock! There is no evil in him!”
Godly will be healthy because we take them from the world and plant thin in God’s house. So the people we serve will get plugged into the KOG and they will begin to produce fruit. We just need to love people.
The Promise of Freedom
The Promise of Freedom
Know your sphere of influence… meet them in their point of need … point them to Jesus.
7 Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
Here is the warning.
8 Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. 9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.
But when we live for Jesus, we will reap a harvest of blessing.
Choose freedom everyday
Choose freedom everyday