DEEPER STILL - Part 3

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

2 Corinthians 6:14–18 (ESV)

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

17 Therefore go out from their midst,

and be separate from them, says the Lord,

and touch no unclean thing;

then I will welcome you,

18 and I will be a father to you,

and you shall be sons and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty.”

“DEEPER STILL - Part 3”.

PRAY: DEEPER STILL: Another Year going DEEPER into the Things of GOD.

RECAP: Where we’ve come from since Vision sunday

Spiritual Depth:

*comes with Humility

*comes with discipline

*comes with Faithfulness

*Comes with surrender

1. SPIRITUAL DEPTH COMES WITH SUBMISSION

Of all the words in the bible today this has to be one of the most underrated and unpopular - but why? for a believer, a revelation of submission ....it brings depth… so we should LOOK to Submission as a WAY forward into SPIRITUAL DEPTH:

let me show you a few verses:

Romans 13:1 “1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Ephesians 5:20-21 “20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

James 4:7 “7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”

1 Peter 5:5 “5 Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.””

Here’s the thing: our WORLD DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THIS”

“OUR WORLD SAYS CRITICIZE AND CHALLENGE THOSE ABOVE YOU, THATS REBELLION.... BUT OUR LORD SAYS SUBMIT TO THEM BECAUSE IM IN CONTROL”

The opposite of Submission is Rebellion.... even if its rebellion into self- reliance, and Self Control… and SELF-WILL. Which ultimately..... leads to a HARD HEART.

The KINGDOM OF HEAVEN HAS A DIFFERENT ROUTE !

SPIRITUAL DEPTH COMES WITH SUBMISSION.

(starting with submission to JESUS).

JESUS SHOWS US IN HIS EARTLY MINISTRY HOW ITS GODS WILL NOT OURS:

Matt 26:39 “39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.””

Philippians 2:8 “8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”

HERE IS WHATS VITAL TO UNDERSTAND:WE ALL SUBMIT TO SOMEONE, IN SOME WAY, BUT GOD WANTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT ITS IMPORTANT, HE SEE’s IT HE’ SEE’S TO IT..... AND ITS IMPORTANT!

Submit to the government: Romans 13:1 “1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

Submit to parents: Ephesians 6:1 “1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

Submission to the Church: Hebrews 13:7 “7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.”

Some questions for you: DO YOU KNOW HOW TO >>> AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TO BE FULLY SUBMITTED TO WHAT GOD HAS PUT OVER YOU.

Do you submit to your employer? [as if God put them in your life].

Young People do you submit to your Parents? Teachers? [as if God put them in your life].

Do you submit to your church Pastors? [as if God has put them in your life]

Do you Respect and submit to the governing Authorities? [as if God has put them in our life].

SUBMISSION will CHANGE YOUR SPIRITUAL PERSPECTIVE.... AND THEREFORE LIFE: Because God says - I have INSTITUTED..... I HAVE ESTABLISHED.... I HAVE PUT this in place as a mechanism for me to WORK IN YOU… and TO WORK THROUGH YOU!

(1.submission).

2.SPIRITUAL DEPTH COMES WITH SACRIFICE

To the OLD TESTAMENT People ritual sacrifice was a WAY OF LIFE. It was a WAY THAT YOU WORSHIPPED AND YOU KEPT IN GOOD STANDING.... IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.... BUT YOU NEEDED TO REPEAT IT… TO KEEP IT.

There were many types of sacrifices you could offer God and they all had different reasons or why you would:

Burnt Offering, Sin Offering, Grain Offering, Peace Offering, Guilt Offering.

This provision of sacrifice was a way to stay PURE and therefore STAY in RELATIONSHIP with GOD

to BE MADE RIGHT each year. but you had to continue with sacrifices.....

Want to know the Good news?

Hebrews 10:11-14 “11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

Through JESUS… We continue our sacrifice today: but its through worship!

our SACRIFICE CONTINUES ON THROUGH JESUS AND OUR LOVE AND DEVOTION TO HIM.... THATS OUR WORSHIP… THATS OUR SACRIFICE!

Romans 12:1 “1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”

Why does SACRIFICE MATTER to GOD?

GIVING SOMETHING UP TO HIM.... LIVING WITH A DESIRE TO SACRIFICIALLY GIVE IN OUR LIVES TO GOD.

.....Sacrifice Pleases God

Write this down: “I SHOULD LIKE WHATEVER GOD LIKES” /// I SHOULD LIKE TO DO WHAT PLEASES GOD.

In a world of Likes and Follows and Shares.... The very best thing we can do is STICK to whatever it is that God likes. What he Likes, I SHOULD LIKE.

Sacrificial Living Pleases God. God established sacrifice with His people as a way to CONNECT us to Him.

GOD LIKES IT WHEN WE SACRIFICE AS HIS PEOPLE.

But Sacrifice is pleasing to God in that it SATISFIED him (in the OLD TESTAMENT) to atone for and resolve the issue of SIN within his people.

But Sacrifice was something that pleased GOD....

and the AROMA Specifically pleased him.

Genesis 8:21 “21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.”

Exodus 29:18 “18 and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord. It is a pleasing aroma, a food offering to the Lord.”

Sacrifice is beautiful to God.

......Sacrifice ALIGNS US WITH HIM.

3 things that Sacrifice does when we bring an offering to the Lord and when we worship him in this way, this is what takes place.

DEPENDENCY: I LEARN ALL OVER AGAIN THAT I DEPEND ON HIM

TRUST: I LEARN ALL OVER AGAIN THAT I HAVE TO TRUST HIM AND HIS PLAN

RELIANCE: I LEARN ALL OVER AGAIN THAT MY LIFE< FINANCES< RELATIONSHIPS I RELY ON THE LORD TO COME THROUGH FOR ME.

it causes us to Depend, Trust & Rely on the Lord.

When i BRING an OFFERING to God: I PRESENT IT TO HIM. I OFFER IT UP TO HIM.

TEAM COMES BACK UP

....Sacrifice joins us to JESUS.

EPHESIANS 5:2 “2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Anytime we give, sacrifice, offer something up, give something UP for God - Its when we are most like Jesus.

We live as Christ, our Lord Lived.

PRAYER TIME:

TRUST, DEPENDANCY, RELIANCE

HEART FOR THE HOUSE OFFERING.