God-Dependent

intro

Who we were, who we are, and who we want to be in the future. That is what this Core Values sermon series is about this month.

We must begin this morning with the most essential value for us as a church family...... Faith in Jesus and a dependency on God.

Are we to be God-Dependent as a church family?

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

1. LCBC prioritizes Faith in Jesus

Romans 1:17 (ESV)

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

It is the Gospel - Romans 1:16

Romans 1:16 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

We exist at LCBC because we have FAITH in Jesus because of who he is, what he has done, and what he will do in living, dying on a cross, and rising again for the forgiveness of sins. The righteousness of God is unattainable outside of the work of Jesus Christ.

The Righteousness of God is revealed from FAITH...... The Church exists to believe in Jesus by FAITH and to share this goodnews of Jesus for others to find FAITH!

This morning we do not exist because we share the best earlthy wisdom

We dont exist to share the newest trends in the stock market

We dont exist to promote U.S. Politics

We dont exist to share how to live your best life now....

We dont exist to meet your preferences

We exist to make Jesus Christ known.... and trusting him as the head of our church.

The Gospel is the main thing in the church .... Faith in Jesus

“What is a gospel-centered church? One that explicitly and intentionally connects its teaching, programs, ministry philosophy, and mission to the content of the gospel.” - Jared C. Wilson

Leading people to saving faith in Jesus is primary and leading people to a deeper faith in Jesus is primary at LCBC.

Should we do something at the church? Fall Festival, Good Friday, Picnic, etc?.....

This Core Value allows us to ask that question.... How does this allow for others to BELIEVE in Jesus or deepen their Faith in Jesus? We will remain on track if we can answer yes to that question!

If we have faith in Jesus we we must also ABIDE in Jesus

2. LCBC Abides by Faith in Jesus

Interesting phrasing from Paul here.....

Romans 1:17 (ESV)

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith

Romans 1:17 (NIV)

17.... by faith from first to last

Romans 1:17 (GNB)

17 ...it is through faith from beginning to end

You begin in childlike faith and you mature into a saint that sees all of life impacted by TRUST in Jesus!

Jesus puts it this way in John 15..... ABIDE in me.... Remain in ME..... because without me you can do nothing.

John 15:1–11 (ESV)

1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.

2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

We abide

- we bear fruit bringing Glory to God

- By his Word,In HIs love.... in and Through relationship - Prayer and Worship, By letting God prune us and discipline us to remain in the vine

God-dependent people.... ABIDING JESUS Followers.....

1. Have a passion for God’s Word

There is a passion for God’s Word - God-Dependent people are people of the book… the Bible.... the innerant Word of God. So we read it, study it, we devote ourselves to knowing it..... because if God has spoken we listen!

1. Be in a Small Group - Sunday mornings at 9:30 AM or Wednesday nights are a time for this to be put into practice........ See the slideshow

2. Pray in Faith

If faith fails, prayer perishes. - St. Augustine

These two are linked!

3. Seek to Grow through discipline

Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee: prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here's my heart, O take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above.

Here is our goal if we are a church that HAS FAITH IN JESUS..... THAT WE WILL CHERISH THAT FAITH IN CHRIST...

Remain/Abiding in Faith - Where is our trust ultimately found?

- We must not put our trust in this building structure

- we must not put our trust in a leader, pastor, deacon, ministry leader

- we must not put our trust in a bank account

- we must not put our trust in anything other than Jesus Christ!

If we have prioritized Faith in Jesus, Abiding in Jesus, we must to walk by Faith.... Live by Faith.

3. LCBC Lives by Faith in Jesus

Romans 1:17 (ESV)

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

As I think of what this looks like..... The Bible gives us a whole chapter of what this looks like......Examples of By Faith - Hebrews 11

Hebrews 11 (ESV)

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain...

5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him...

7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance....

11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac...

20 By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau.

21 By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.

24 By faith Moses...26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days.

31 By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient...

32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—

33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.

36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—

38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

In 1993 A small group of people sat in a living room in Duncanville trusting God about starting a church.

- trusting God to grow this churuch

- studying God’s word, worshipping together, praying together for the Kingdom to come here at Mt. Lebanon in Cedar Hill

In 1996 - a few of our chuches leadership drove up FM 1387 and parked in the newly built school parking lot and trusted God that he was leading us to this corner of Midlothian in Ellis County a few days later, walking up a driveway and knocking on the door of a farmer who owned this land

In 1997 - we built the chapel nextdoor - depending on God for the finances and future of our church family

In 2004 - We did the same as we built this building By faith - a group gathered in the hospital waiting room a few months ago and pleaded with

By faith - We have prayed for the healing of our brothers and sisters in Christ.... years ago for Brother Herb as he faced a heartattack he should not have lived through..... In a waiting room at Baylor Scott and White a few months ago for our friend Mike Mckeever..... and for all the saints that are now with the Lord that his answer was to bring about the joy of heaven instead of the healing here on Earth

By Faith - our prayer group pleads for God to move in the life of our church

By faith - we are trusting God to provide all of our needs

By faith - We have seen missionaries sent around the world.... to Montana this summer

By Faith - we have shared the Gospel with our kids for them to find faith.....Fathers to come to faith, mothers to come to faith.......

By Faith - We have sent men out into the ministry of the Gospel

Here is the question for us this morning.... Do we desire to have this as a foundational Biblical Value for our church?

Will it be said of us that we are a God-dependent Church?....... That in everything we do it is about having faith and trust in Jesus?

Conclusion:

God needs to work this morning.....

How does God need to prune your personal relationship with him?

Are you a follower of Jesus? Have faith in him for the forgiveness of sins?

Are you abiding in Jesus? Where does he need to prune you? I have been convicted of this many times this week?

leaning into my finances more that security in Christ, leaning into my wisdom rather than his.... etc.

Will you commit with me that we step out and continue this value in our church? Will you help me and other leaders in our church look through the lens of God-depedency?

3. Follow the Holy Spirit’s leading this morning!