The only thing that works real good all the time is my forgetter. The following is the text of the adult Sunday School Bible study and provides an excellent review of a particular aspect of our faith. Different voice, different approach, same old story. Let's talk about it...
“Jesus Heals and Gives Life”
Golden Text: Acts 10:38
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him.

Focus: to realize Christ has power to meet all of our needs and receive His help

Objectives:
1. rejoice in Christs’s power over satan, sin, sickness and death
2. understand Jesus relationship between power and ministry
3. human need often leads to faith

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

I sometimes wonder if that nursery rhythm doesn’t describe the lives of many people.
Life is going on. It seems to be going ok as our plans fall in place. Then something happens and we become broken. All hope of recovery is gone. I’m never going to be the same again. We think it, we believe it, we live it. The joy drains from our countenance. The bounce is gone from our step and we give in to despair.

But could I remind you this morning, that a broken egg is useful for so many things.
As a matter of fact, an egg only becomes useful after it has been broken.
And may I also remind you that Jesus Christ is able to heal the mind, body and soul of a person who turns to Him. We live in a dangerous age, not because of violence or terrorism, but because of apathy in the church. You and I as Christians are surrounded by broken people. People who have made wrong choices and have been hurt. People who are trying to cover that hurt by playing hard making it appear that their life is full.
I was talking to a young man just the other day. I had noticed that he seemed to have good days and very bad days. His countenance often told a hidden story. I asked how things were going. As is so often the case these days, a relationship in his life was not going so well. As he began to tell the story of this latest chapter in his life. It was as if Humpty Dumpty had fallen off the wall. There he was, laying at the base of that wall. Wondering if he could ever be put back together again. He asked me what he should do, hesitated and then asked what I would do.

We talke about how God established a plan for our relationships. We talked a little bit about our culture today, always looking for an excuse for why this happened. I told him to focus on the decisions that he was making.
You have a story to tell because of what you have experienced from God in your life.
Jesus fame spread because of His miracles. Yes, He was powerful teacher.-but they had seen and heard good teachers. The Romans had no interest in His teaching ability or His teachings. They were interested in His ability to perform miracles. Our text verse for this morning comes from the book of Acts. Chapter 10, verse 38.
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.

Jesus miracles, acts of power, were designed to point people to the one who is worthy of our love and commitment. Your first example of this is seen in the healing of the man who was possessed with so many demons that the demons responded that they were a legion. A legion is 5-6000 soldiers so it is an under statement to say that this man was demon possessed.
The disciples had just been witness to the calming of the sea. They marveled at Jesus ability to command even the wind and waves. They are in for an even bigger display of Jesus authority. Mark 5
As they get off the boat, a man possessed by demons runs to meet Jesus. He was so possessed that he could not live in the village but rather stayed among the tombs. That means that he was continually unclean. When a Jew touched a grave, he was ceremoniously unclean for 7 days. This man lived among the tombs. He is a complete social outcast. In addition to that, he would cut himself with stones which also was forbidden. People tried to exorcise him by tying him up with chains to no avail. Then He met Jesus.
The most amazing part of this account is found in verse 6 of mark 5
But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him.
I wonder why we who have been redeemed do not do the same. I think it goes back to the lesson we had two weeks ago. The demon possessed man knew he was a sinner. He knew he was in serious trouble. He knew he needed help that could only come from God. Sin in our modern world has been watered down. The instruction to “come out from among them and be ye separate” means little to many professing Christians today. Be holy as I am holy is another phrase heard very little these days in Christendom. I do not understand the significance of the demons leaving the man and entering into the pigs. I do know that pigs are among those animals the Jews were forbidden to eat. They were considered to be unclean also. I do know this, sin is destructive. Many times very costly. The focus of this event today is that this man begins to proclaim Jesus to his community. This too, seems to be a missing ingredient in Christians today. A woman came to DL Moody one day and said that she did not like his method of evangelism. He told that he didn’t like it either and asked what was her method. She replied that she didn’t have one to which Mr. Moody replied, then I like mine better than yours.
Folks, we have a story to tell. Learn to tell it with grace.
God inspired Peter to write it this way. But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always be ready to make a defense to everyone that asks you for the hope that is within you. 1Peter 3:15

This incident is barely drawn to a conclusion when one of the synagogue leaders comes to Jesus with a serious problem. His daughter is dying at home. She needs immediate attention. In desperation, he asks Jesus to come and heal her. A father’s love drives him past all the bigotry and prejudice. As Jesus is going to Jairus’ house, another desperate person is in the crowds that lined the street. She had suffered at the hands of physicians for years. She had heard enough about Jesus that she was convinced that He was her only hope. If I can only touch the hem of his garment she thought, I will be healed. I want you to realize the seriousness of her attempt to touch Jesus. Her condition made her unclean just like the demon possessed man. Anything she touched was also declared to be unclean. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
I wonder how often we have failed to reach out and touch God because of personal pride. I wonder if we have allowed our self esteem to prohibit us from being a part of a miracle that God wanted to perform on our behalf.
You may say, I have gone forward for prayer so often you suspect people are talking about you. What made the woman think that touching the hem of Jesus garment would result in her healing? Maybe she knew the story of Elijah’s mantle. Maybe she knew how Moses parted the Red Sea. I do not know what possessed her to think she would be healed by touching Jesus garment. But I do know this. She pressed through the crowd. She got past the prejudice and bias. She made an effort to touch Jesus and she was healed.
The account reads that Jesus stopped and asked who had touched him. It seemed like a crazy question. They were walking in a crowd. As they walked along, there was probably all sorts of bumping. But Jesus wasn’t talking about who touched him. Rather, who reached out in faith and was healed. In actuality, he knew the answer before he asked the question. He affirms with his words that she has just been healed.

As he is finishing his conversation with the woman, someone tells Jesus that he doesn’t need to hurry to Jairus’ house. It’s too late, the little girl has died. Jesus tells Jairus, to not be afraid-only believe. Easy to say, but hard to receive. The word has just been spoken that says-you’re little daughter has died, don’t trouble the master any more. Hope vanishes instantly. What’s that Jesus is saying believe, believe what?
Where the spirit of the lord is, there is peace. Where the spirit of the lord is there is love
There is comfort in lifes darkest hour, there is life and strength there is help and power, in the spirit, in the spirit of the Lord.
I’ll be honest with you this morning. I do not know what you are going through. I do know that you have a God who knows and cares. I do know that he is a God of mercy and compassion. I believe that He is saying today- only believe, all things are possible with God. He has shown us that He commands the weather, He commands the demons, He has power over sickness and even death.
Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
when all the kings horses and all the kings men failed
God put Humpty Dumpty back together again

Faith for Salvation

The only thing that works real good all the time is my forgetter. The following is the text of the adult Sunday School Bible study and provides an excellent review of a particular aspect of our faith. Different voice, different approach, same old story. Let's talk about it...

“Faith For Salvation”

Golden Text: John 3:16God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life
Focus: to recap Christ’s message of salvation and be grateful for forgiveness
Objectives:

1. consider where we are in regards to our salvation

2. reflect on the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ

3. become grateful for the gift of God’s forgiveness of sin
Tell me the old, old story

Of unseen things above

Of Jesus and His glory

Of Jesus and His love

Tell me the story simply

As to a little child

For I am weak and weary

And helpless and defiled
It is a simple, yet vastly complex salvation that we have.Simple from the fact that if a person chooses to

A-dmit they are a sinner

B-elieve that Jesus is the Son of God

C-onfess Jesus as Savior and Lord , they will be saved.
It is complex in that we live in a world that was created perfect, without sin. Sin-missing the mark, falling short of the goal, resulted in alienation from God. The punishment or result of sin is seen in the calamities that we experience in life including sickness, pain, and death of the physical body as well as eternal damnation. You may recall Sister Ruthies' message before Christmas, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” wherein she explained the predicament that we were in until Christ Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth, lived a sinless life, was crucified, died and was buried, rose from the grave and ascended back to heaven. This was the only way that this vicious cycle, this grip of sin on our lives, could be broken. We have no power of “turning over a new leaf” and hitting the mark of perfection. We have no ability to live in such a way that we can be acceptable to God without the forgiveness of sin.

Years ago in England, a convicted burglar who had served a seven year sentence, and his Judge who sat on the Supreme Court of England "coincidentally" attended the same evangelistic crusade. When the minister gave his appeal to those who would follow Christ, both the burglar and the judge found themselves side by side at the altar. The minister did not think that they were aware of one another’s presence as they were kneeling. Later, the Judge inquired of the minister. "Did you notice who was kneeling beside me at the communion rail this morning?" The pastor replied, "Yes, but I didn't know that you noticed." The two walked along in silence for a moment, and then the judge said, "What a miracle of grace." The pastor nodded in agreement. "Yes, what a miracle of grace." Then the judge said, "But to whom do you refer?" And the pastor said, "Why, to the conversion of that convict." The judge said, "But I was not referring to him. I was thinking of myself." The pastor, surprised, replied, "You were thinking of yourself? I don't understand?" "Yes," said the judge, "It did not cost that burglar much to get converted when he came out of jail. He had nothing but a history of crime behind him, and when he saw Jesus as his Savior he knew that there was salvation and hope and joy for him. And he knew how much he needed that help. But look at me. I was taught from my earliest infancy to live as a gentleman; that my word was to be my bond; that I was to go to church, say my prayers, take Communion and so on. I went through Oxford, took my degrees, was called to the bar and eventually became a judge. Pastor, nothing but the grace of God could have caused ME to admit that I was a sinner on the same level as that burglar. It took much more grace to forgive ME for all my pride and self-deception, to get me to admit that I was no better in the eyes of God than that convict I sent to prison.

Luke 7:36-48

When we read about an encounter between Jesus and the Pharisees in the gospels, we usually see the Pharisees either accusing Him of false teaching or some form of law-breaking. And we usually see Jesus setting them straight by pointing out their ignorance of their ways in regards to the law and the things of God. We are prone to lump all the Pharisees together and think that they were all antagonistic towards Jesus. That is not the case. Here is a Pharisee that invited Jesus to his home for a meal. The custom was that a guest would take off his sandals upon arrival at someone’s home and a servant would wash their feet. This was not done. However, a certain uninvited guest shows up. Her name is not given, but she must have been known as a woman of questionable moral character. She comes with an express purpose as evidenced by the fact that she brought a box of expensive perfume with her. She has to be bold to enter the house but is also seen as humble and repentant as she kneels to wash Jesus feet with her tears and anoint them with the perfume. Can you imagine the fragrance filling the room. This was the good stuff costing a years wages. As she performs this act of love, the Pharisee is thinking to himself that if Jesus were a prophet, he would know what kind of a woman she was and refuse to let her touch him.
Jesus says to Simon, “I have a question”. Simon’s answer reveals something about how he views Jesus. “teacher, ask it”. He does not indicate that he sees Jesus as a prophet, certainly not as the Son of God. Jesus goes on to tell the story of two men with debts that they could not pay. Both were forgiven of the debt. The question Jesus asked Simon was, “which of them will love the creditor most?”To the world, the answer seems obvious. The one who was forgive most.
Charles Allen said, “the hardest people to reach with the love of God are not the bad people. Bad people know they are bad. They have no defense. The hardest ones to win for God are the self righteous people. Why is that so?It boils down to our lack of understanding or willingness to accept that All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The human soul is eternal.
If the soul is not eternal, then there is no need for concern over salvation. If death means the annihilation of the individual, then there is no cause to be concerned about one’s eternal destiny. Before realizing the need for salvation, a person must admit the eternality of the soul. Heaven and Hell are inescapable realities.
Without the hope of spending eternity in the presence of God or the threat of being punished with eternal separation and condemnation, there is little reason to consider the need for salvation. Jesus taught the doctrines of Heaven and Hell more than any other Bible voice. If Jesus Christ is to be believed, then so are the doctrines of Heaven and Hell. Every person will give account for his life before God - The Judge.
The wicked and the righteous will be forever separated. Thereafter, each will face either eternal damnation and separation from God or eternal salvation in the presence of God and the holy angels. The scriptures have repeatedly demonstrated that when men do only what is right in their own eyes, and neglect the call of God unto a higher way of living, they are destined for a tragic ending. Whatever prevents a man from admitting his need for salvation, whether it be foolish pride, blasphemous mockery, or ignorant denial, only the truth can make him free. Remember last weeks summary statement: when a person obediently follows Christ, he is able to see.. (able to understand the truth) Anyone of us should appreciate any efforts another person might show to save, preserve, rescue or deliver us from any danger or jeopardy. When a fireman rescues someone from a burning building, he is considered a hero. Salvation is a deliverance from sure eternal death.

My dad loved John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. If the gospel does not condemn a person, why do people feel so offended when confronted with it? In part, it is because many (if not most) people have successfully been able to push the feelings of guilt resultant from being a sinner. Most of our vices are things that help with that suppression. The gospel confronts the suppression of the truth. Similarly, there is a struggle with the concept of being born again. We live in a physical world and often find it difficult to grasp spiritual truths. Again, when we obediently follow Christ, we gain the ability to see. If you are familiar with the account of the children of Israel in the desert, you remember the illustration that Jesus used of the serpent being lifted up. When the people began to complain against God provided leadership, He sent poisonous snakes into the camp. When people started dying, they began to confess their sin and asked Moses to pray for the snakes to be removed. God instructed Moses to fashion a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. All who looked on it would be healed from the poisonous bite. Now folks, in the natural this does not make any sense. What can looking at a bronze serpent on a pole do for the physical body just bitten by a snake? Yet, when they obediently responded to what God had said to do, they were healed. In many hospitals you still see today the symbol of healing as a serpent on a cross. In like manner, with the poison of sin dominating human life, those who simply look to the cross of Christ will be healed from its bite. Salvation rests completely upon God’s love for His creation. He willingly made the sacrifice, taking on sin and death so the curse of sin and death could be broken. Genuine love is anchored in action, not emotion. 1 Corinthians defines love in concrete action. The world often portrays God as a tyrant waiting to pounce on anyone as soon as they sin. But the reality is that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved. Hope is available to all who will respond. My testimony is one of God’s amazing grace. If you have been born again, so is yours. We don’t deserve it, we receive it. From that moment on, as you choose to follow obediently in His footsteps, God’s light is shed on your path and you begin to see life more clearly. All the blessings of life in Christ rest upon the foundation of our salvation.

“Faith Born of Desperation”
Golden Text: Mark 9:23
If you can? Said Jesus. Everything is possible for him who believes

Focus: to reframe desperation as a catalyst for faith and grow in our ability to trust God

Objectives:
1. be encouraged when struggling with doubt
2. acknowledge God’s authority over stubborn problems
3. persistently seek God’s help

Last week I said that the greatest power that a person can exercise is faith in God. It is the spiritual resource that connects humanity to God. Faith in God connects finite with infinite, temporal with eternal, powerless to omnipotent. BUT our understanding of human relationships does not always give good analogies for understanding God’s ways. God’s thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways.
I have often stated that I cannot change a person’s heart, only God can do that.
In life we are faced with many things that are out of our control and it can be frustrating. It can lead to doubt or even despair……BUT, Jesus said, “Everything is possible for him who believes”. Is that possible, to believe in despair, to believe when the clouds of doubt are overhead, to believe when faced with the impossible?

Matt8:5-10
What is the worst problem you can imagine? Sickness? Sending a loved one off to war? Financial ruin? Loss of health? What problem seems so big that nothing touches it?
How do these kinds of situations make us feel? Angry? Cheated? Helpless? Depressed? Fear has a way to paralyze us. It can place such an obstacle in our path that we don’t know how or are unable to act. When this happens, as Christians, we must reframe the problem in such a way that our faith enters the picture. We need to see God as the One who has the power to work in impossible situations.

The centurion was an outsider in a little town on the northwest side of the Sea of Galilee.
Here is where I love to read parallel translations. The NIV says that the Centurion came to Jesus asking for help. The King James says that he beseeched Jesus.
Beseech is to ask with urgency, or ask with anxiety.
The Centurion came to Jesus and he had a problem. He was concerned for his servant. There was a sense of urgency in his coming. Lord, I’ve got a problem and I need a solution.

In our lives, often, it takes a state of desperation to bring us to God with a sense of urgency. Hence, our lesson title, “Faith Born of Desperation”

PRAY = think about the impossible situation in your life. You know it will never get any better, or will it?

Faith begins with a good understanding that God exists AND that He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 cast all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you…..
That’s fact brothers and sisters. God, your heavenly Father cares for you
Jesus, speaking to the crowd as recorded by Matthew,
10:28-31 do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows

The Roman Centurion had it right. He had men under his command. He knew about authority and discipline. It was the backbone of the Roman army. He understood that there was a higher authority than his own commander. He understood that God rules over all the earth and that not only kings and kingdom are subject to His word, but also demons and sickness bow to the authority of God.
Faith begins with that as a foundation. God exists, He is real, He cares and He has all authority. Consider the evidence. The Old Testament is filled with examples that the law of faith supersedes the laws of nature. When Paul wrote to the church at Rome, inspired by the Holy Spirit to write these words.
Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith.
The book of Joshua records a time when the sun stood still-the law of faith overrides the nature law of the universe
The book of Daniel records such things as people walking about in a furnace of fire and staying in a den with hungry lions for a night without harm in either case. The law of faith is greater than the natural laws of consuming fire and beasts devour.
2 Kings 6 records that an iron axe-head floated – the law of faith supersedes the law of buoyancy
In the book of Exodus you read about the plagues of Egypt, the parting of the red sea, and water from a rock as well as manna from heaven for bread to eat.
In Joshua you read about the crossing of the Jordan at flood stage, the battle of Jericho and the conquering of the land.
The law of faith conquers all when that faith is placed in God.
The New Testament is filled with miracles that Jesus performed while here on earth. We only have a small picture of what actually took place during those three years. John would end his gospel with these words.
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written in detail, I suppose that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.

I want you to notice something very significant. We think our circumstances may limit our ability to believe God for the things we need. Maybe you didn’t grow up in the home environment that I was blessed to experience in my younger years. Get this, the people of Capernaum would hear the teachings of Jesus and witness His miracles, and fail to believe the evidence. Jesus denounced the city of Capernaum for their lack of faith. In
Matthew 11:23, 24 “and you Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable for Sodom on the Day of Judgment than for you”

The Centurion came from this environment. He was surrounded by evidence and rubbed shoulders everyday with disbelief. He chose to believe. Even more significant, he chose to act upon his belief.
Faith begins by believing in the evidence of God. The Psalmist said “the heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. (19:1)
Jesus is the greatest evidence of God. In Him we see the perfect image of God.
There is a wonderful verse found in the book of
Genesis 4:26. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord
Yes, we live in a secular age. We are surrounded with science, education and technology that seemingly are aimed at solving all our problems. But have they? No, No, No ten thousand times NO.
We need God in a time of need. The only way to have Him help you is to call on Him.
God invites us to do just that..
Jer 33:3 call on me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things which you do not know
Matt 7:7 if you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him
James 4:2 you do not have because you do not ask God

Someone has said it this way, If you don’t bother God, everything else will bother you.

Yes, it is humbling to ask for help. Especially for us men. It isn’t limited to just asking for directions. It is the pride of the male makeup. Exercising faith means humbling yourself before the Lord and seeking His power because we have a need that is beyond ourselves.
1Peter 5:7 Humble yourselves, therefore under the mighty hand of God that He may exalt you at the proper time.
Hebrews 4”1 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

But Andy, you don’t understand, I have been asking God about this situation, this condition, this problem for years.
Luke 18 the story is told of a widow seeking justice. She continued coming until she got what she was asking for. Jesus challenges us at the conclusion of this account to do the same because God will respond to those who day and night seek His help.

Here is another amazing fact about this account. To call anyone “Lord” except Caesar was an act of treason. Yet this Roman official called Jesus Lord. He recognized that Jesus had the authority to do what he needed and was asking for.
The Centurion pushed past the unbelief of others in his community. He pushed past the prejudice of Jew and Gentile. He pushed past all the things that could have kept him from asking. He took the risk and asked God to intervene on behalf of his sick servant.
One more amazing details of this account. He, the Centurion, knew who he was and He knew who Jesus was.
I am not worthy, I do not deserve for you to come into my house.
Just speak the Word.
We often struggle under the same concept.
Poor self image, low self-esteem, unworthiness, worthless.
But you have been made in the image of God.
you are His image bearer.
You have been endowed with divine worth and you are valuable enough to God to pay a tremendous price for your redemption.
Having been born again, you are now His personal ambassador here on earth.
Help is a four letter word that a Christian should not hesitate to utter. Desperate times can enable our faith but you may have to work through doubt and fear. Let faith in God enable you to overcome.
If you can believe, all things are possible….. Who said it? Believe it. Act on it. Worship the one who is able to turn the impossible into the possible!

The account of the widow who would not be denied ends with a question that is scary.
Jesus said, nevertheless, when the son of man returns, will he find faith upon the earth.

I fear that Sunday after Sunday, people leave this place of gathering still carrying their sorrow, their feelings of helplessness, their doubt and despair.
Now I don’t understand it all, but I do understand this.
Heb 4:16
16 Let us therefore draw near with boldness unto the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace to help (us) in time of need.

Let’s put our pride aside and run to this place with faith that has been born out of desperation

Faith to Follow Christ
Golden Text: Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me”

Focus: Following Christ without reservation leads to abundant life

Objectives:
1. explain why people follow Christ
2. consider actions or changes that God has called us to make and commit to making these changes
Faith is an ongoing part of each of our lives. You exercise faith every day. You get on a elevator, you exercise faith that the equipment is going to work properly. You exercise faith in the person who maintains the equipment. You stop at a restaurant to pick up something to eat. You exercise faith that the food has been prepared properly. The same for when you pick up groceries. When you stop at a gas station, you exercise faith that the fuel is clean and not watered down in any way. And we could go on and on but you get the point. The greatest power that a person can exercise is faith in God. It is the spiritual resource that connects humanity to God. Think of it, faith connects finite with infinite, temporal with eternal, powerless to omnipotent.

But let us be honest with each other. In order for us to exercise faith in God, we must have a right picture of God. God is revealed in scripture as creator, sustainer, redeemer and Father. He is true and just in all His ways. And He has chosen to love with an everlasting love. Even in this aspect, we must be sure that we have a clear picture of God. In Romans 11:22 we read, behold then, the goodness and the severity of the Lord.
So we cannot pick and choose or makeup the character and nature of God. Rather we must go to scripture.

The focus of this time that we are going to spend together is to look at the life that following Christ results in. Does following Christ lead to an abundant life? It can. It has the potential to do that. Gods desire is that following Christ will inspire you to live for Christ wholeheartedly. Let’s take a look at the record.

John 1:29-31
Matthew and Luke begin their gospel with the account of Jesus birth.
The gospel of Jesus according to John begins with a theological statement about the divine Son of God. Then John immediately goes to the account of John the Baptist.
Think of it, there has not been a prophet in Israel for almost 400 years. John the Baptist appears on the scene like a prophet of old. He challenges people to change. Repent and be baptized. When asked if he was the promised one, John the Baptist states that he is a forerunner of the one who would save the people from their sins. He says that one is coming of such spiritual stature that he is unworthy to untie his sandals.

When John the Baptist sees Jesus coming down the road, he points and says, “behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”

Is there any significance to that title?
As lamb of God, Jesus would fulfill all the requirements of all the sacrifices Israel used to make. The animals were a sign that sin had to be removed.

John 1:32-34
When John announced that the Son of God had come, he also told how he had come to be sure of this., God directly told John that it would be the one upon whom the Holy Spirit descended as a dove from heaven.
The dove was significant in Jewish history. Noah sent out a dove from the ark to determine if it was ok to open the doors and return to living on the earth. The dove was one of the animals that could be used for a sacrifice in the temple. The presence of the dove implied peace and the beginning of a new life. John saw this symbol as more than that. It signified that the one upon whom the dove descended was the Son of God sent to take away the sin of the world.

In Jesus, God himself is with us. He became a human being so He could restore a broken relationship. When we get the right picture in our heads, how can we resist Him?

John 1: 35, 36
Did you ever wonder why Jesus came when He did? After all, the message of Jesus could be shared so much more effectively with today’s media-right? The world wide cable news, the internet, the radio all reach to the ends of the world.
Did you know, even today with our mass multi-media the best way to truly impact another persons life for Christ is through personal involvement with that person. I don’t have the statistics this morning but I have heard that people coming forward at an evangelistic rally are repeaters. In other words, they have gone forward before. Maybe hoping that this time it will be different.
Let’s just examine closely the record we have of John the Baptist. Do you suppose he spoke to the crowds that came to hear him? What do we know of the effect of such proclamation? Nothing. But one day we read about him talking to two close followers.
One of those men was Andrew who would become a disciple of Jesus. After hearing John say that Jesus was the lamb of God, Andrew went to see Jesus.

John 1:37-39
John challenged people not to assume that they were ok because of their religious heritage. He told them of their need to repent of their sinful way and turn to righteous living. There is a difference between someone who is seeking the truth and someone who is just wanting to hear the news of current events. The difference is our response. The truth is the truth, there is no getting around it. But two people can hear the same truthful message and respond differently.

Last week, I tried to emphasize the link between our relationship with God and our obedience. The two disciples acted on the message they heard. But when they came to Jesus, their question indicates they were flabbergasted in His presence.
“where do you live”! Think of all the great theological questions they could have asked.
How did you create the world
How did you make life
The flood, the fire consuming Sodom and Gomora
The best they could come up with was, where do you live
Now after spending time with Jesus, Andrew goes and gets his brother, Peter.
That is the secret. Share what you have found.
John’s preaching stirred their hearts and it caused them to search for Jesus
When they came to Jesus, they found that he accepted them
Even today, He welcomes all who seek after Him.

John 1:43-45
John did not tell the stories of every person who followed Jesus. He only mentions a few names: Andrew, Peter, Philip and Nathaniel. All were brought to Christ by someone pointing the way except for Philip. It’s still the most effective way today. We have a great responsibility to do this work.

John 1:46-49
Nathaniel seems to be a skeptic. He knew the scripture, but he wasn’t so sure about this guy who had just came on the scene. He knows about the promised Messiah and all that stuff BUT
Philip does what we must do. Challenge people to come and see. What a simply invitation. The result of that meeting was Nathaniel proclaiming that Jesus is the Son of God and the King if Israel.
You never know what is going to happen when you talk to people about Jesus. The Holy Spirit is doing a work. You and I get to share in that work and when we do, it can lead to exciting things.

John 1:50-51
Jesus commended Nathaniel for his belief based upon such a small thing as knowing where he was when _Philip found him. He promised that if he stuck around he would see greater things than this. In fact, Jesus said that he would see the windows of heaven open.

When we decide to follow Christ, we begin a new life. If we give Him our lives, with nothing held back, we gain a richer life than we could ever imaging. With time, our concept of what God can do changes and we become unafraid to ask Him anything.
The God who made you, calls you just as Jesus called His first disciples. You are a witness to the changes they under went as they spent time with Jesus. He’ll do the same for you. You know the changes God wants you to make. You know the people God wants you to reach. Respond as those early disciples and go make the invitation – come and see.

Jesus made it clear that we must leave the stuff of this life behind if we are going to be His disciple. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

It is at this juncture where the will of God cuts across our own will that a cross is formed. Jesus presented the conditions by which we can follow him. We must deny ourselves. The essence of this is, we must obey Him. Our will must become subservient to His will. His way must become predominant to continued living life our way.
Jesus knew that it would be impossible for Him to give us guidance to any disciple who would refuse to obey him. There must be obedience and commitment to the will of God
Then and only then can we experience the abundant life that God promises to those who truly follow wholeheartedly after Him

“Grace of Giving”
Golden Text: 2 Corinthians 8:9
You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich

Focus: as a follower of Christ, we should imitate His generosity

Objectives:
1. evaluate if we are giving generously
2. see how Christ’s generosity should influence our generosity
3. check our attitude in giving

When Larry Lea, the author of “Could You Not Tarry One Hour”, met Paul Yonggi Cho, he asked him this question, “Dr. Cho, how did you build such a great church?”. Without any hesitation, Pr. Cho replied, “I pray and I obey”. Now I want to tell you, that is the key to your spiritual life. Pray like your very life depended upon it because it does. Then obey because you are driven to be what God wants you to be. Prayer and obedience go hand in hand. Sure, it takes courage to obey but what’s the point of praying and asking God if you don’t subsequently obey? Let me illustrate as simply as I can. You pray for God to forgive you, yet your conscience haunts you and in your spirit there is an uneasiness, an unrest. There are people in your life that have wronged you. You say that you have forgiven, but somehow you just can’t forget the thing that has been done to you.
God is speaking,
Matt 6:14-15
14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Obey…
You are married and things just haven’t gone the way you expected. You have prayed things haven’t changed. Husbands pay attention
1 Peter 3:7
7 Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with (your wives) according to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered.
Wives, this is for you
1 Peter 3:1
3:1 In like manner, ye wives, (be) in subjection to your own husbands; that, even if any obey not the word, they may without the word be gained by the behavior of their wives;
Employees
Col 3:22-24
22 Servants, obey in all things them that are your masters according to the flesh; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord:
23 whatsoever ye do, work heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men;
24 knowing that from the Lord ye shall receive the recompense of the inheritance: ye serve the Lord Christ.
If you have people that work for or under your supervision
Col 4:1
4:1 Masters, render unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven.

I believe that there is power in prayer. But disobedience will render your prayers weak if not useless.
Let’s face the facts. We’ve been praying, but we are spiritually still immature. We are praying but the fact is, we are a part of a powerless church.
When Jesus came into the temple and saw the activities going on, it angered him.
He made a whip and drove out the sellers of sheep, oxen and doves.
The people wanted to have a relationship with convenience. They didn’t have to select a lamb or oxen or dove from their own herd and make the trip to the temple. After all, then you have to cart food for the animal with you. It would be a whole lot easier if you could just show up at the temple and purchase what you need.

We are guilty of doing the very same thing. We want His presence in our lives and in this church. But we don’t want His path of purity before praise. The children of Israel heard but did not heed the voice of God. God’s plan did not include wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years. God said “go up and take the land”. They said, “we can’t”.

If we are going to talk about the “Grace of Giving”, we need to understand it from the aspect of a proper response to God. In the words of an old hymn,
When we walk with the Lord
In the Light of His word
What a glory He sheds on our way
While we do His good will
He abides with us still
And with all who will trust and obey
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

In 2 Cor 8, Paul begins to lay out further instruction to the church. When we pray for God to bless us, we may be thinking, we will be more generous if God blesses us. Paul uses the church at Macedonia as his example. We tend to think about generosity in terms of the haves. Those that have more should give more. The church at Macedonia was a poor church but they had provided a very generous offering to help the church in Jerusalem. Paul credited this to “the grace of God”. Grace refers to God’s work in our human hearts. This is where God does His work. To be generous, we need to meditate on God’s grace.
You may think that giving is a dollars and cents thing, but it has more to do with the relationship you have with God than anything else. Paul knew the source of the Macedonians generosity. They were growing in the grace of the Lord. As they yielded their lives to God, He was showing them His character.

What do you think, is God generous?
Generosity begins in God’s influence upon our hearts. When we find ourselves reluctant to give to God’s work, it really reveals our relationship with God.
When God has our full devotion, he also has our full resources.
God gave generously when He gave Jesus.
He gave the greatest possible gift-His life.
Paul sent Titus to Corinth to help remind the Corinthians to make good on their promise.
2 Cor 8:7-12

We know that God loves a cheerful giver. Where does a cheerful heart come from?
Jesus gave up the splendor of heaven for poverty on earth.
He did it to rescue us from the moral poverty of sin so we could experience His eternal wealth.
How do we apply those principles to our lives?
To truly understand our lives as Christians, we must come to understand the attitude and heart of a servant.
Our source is from the master
Our motivation is to please our master
Our instruction is from our master

That brings us to the law of sowing and reaping.
You want to be loved, plant the seeds of love
You want to be understood, plant the seeds of understanding
Likewise, if you want to be forgiven, plant the seeds of forgiveness.
It’s a law that governs our relationships as well as our physical world.

To you and I, it gets even better.
2 Cor 9:5-8

Sow generously, it is planting the seed. It sets you up for a bountiful harvest.
Can I say that with any sort of assurance?
Luke 6:38-39
38 give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, shall they give into your bosom. For with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again.

Now get this, God does not measure by how much you give, but by how much you have left for yourself.
Mark 12 records Jesus observing people coming to the temple. Men with wealth came and placed money in the offering plate. They were followed by a widow who didn’t have much. She dropped two coins in. Jesus said that she gave more that those who proceeded her because she gave out of her want.

Generosity starts with Gods influence on our heart.
When God has our devotion, he also has our heart.

You may have never thought of it like this before, but giving is Christ-like in every way.
It may seem difficult

Let me leave you with four things to consider
1. giving imitates Christ. He gave himself. Can we do any less
2. God delights in giving. It please Him when we give generously
3. God measures our giving by how much we keep, rather than how much we give
4. God blesses generosity.

“Treasure in Clay Pots”
Golden Text: 2 Corinthians 4:7
We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from man

Focus: to be amazed that Christ lives in us and rejoice in His presence

Objectives:
1. appreciate the light that Christ has brought into our lives
2. express how our view of eternity gives us confidence for daily living

As a kid, it was always a good morning when mom would have to open a new box of cold cereal. In those days, many times, tucked inside the box was some toy or trinket. Growing up on the farm, things to play with that you didn’t have to make was a real treat. Even just the cold cereal was a welcome change as we usually had a hearty man’s breakfast-oatmeal, pancakes, bacon and eggs, etc.
The trinket inside the box held out more desire for us than the cereal. We were interested in the think buried in the box. The same with Cracker Jacks. The popcorn was way too sweet but there was buried treasure inside that box so it was a favorite if we ever got to choose something from the store.

Christians have a treasure in your lives. I fear that many Christians have failed to grasp the very thing that Paul was referring to when he wrote to this church and expressed his utter amazement when he wrote, “do you not know that your body is a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16) And I also fear that it is this lack of understanding that results is careless living as a Christian. It is more than just a passing comment when we say we believe that God, in the person of the Holy Spirit has taken up residence within us. It is an awe inspiring reality. It is a powerful deterrent for entertaining sin in body, mind or spirit. It is a refreshing meditation to contemplate that you are never alone and that God is with you every step you take.

I do not know where any of you are in your walk with God. I can only assume that you are at least mildly interested in becoming what you should be because you avail yourself to Christian education Sunday after Sunday. Here’s the real deal. Yes, you have the treasure of the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. It is your source of joy and hope. You have this great treasure in a jar of clay. Clay is not the strongest material on earth. You know that clay is a material taken from the earth that is moldable. For it to be useful, it first must be purified and mixed into a useable clump. Then it can be shaped by appropriate pressure by a skilled potter. It has to go through a process before it becomes useful. When it is completed, it doesn’t look anything at all like the clump it started from.

So let me ask you, “How has Christ’s presence in your life changed you?”

Paul saw his ministry as a result of God’s mercy.
2 Cor 4:1-5
He refused to give in to discouragement and difficulty. Christ’s presence will do that for you. It will give you courage. A young man at work was obviously discouraged. The long face couldn’t hide that he was in an emotional tizzy. So at an appropriate time, I asked what was going on. He told me about some of the problems he was having with his girl friend. Like many of my conversations, I told him that my help comes only from the Bible which is God’s instruction manual for life. I talked about being a man and following the plan of God for a man’s life. I told Him that God is the magician of relationships. Only He can fix them and make them right. I gave him a couple of examples from my own life of applying God’s principles and then waiting for the harvest.

You see, these things (Bible) are true and will work even for the unbeliever.
Christ’s presence kept Paul’s motives pure. He preached clearly the truth of God’s Word.
I believe that is what we need today. Men and women who will simply lay God’s truth out before us as practically as they can so that we can apply it to our lives.

Do you remember how easy it was in my conclusion last week? Stop being a child!
Love one another because it is the right thing to do……

Today, simply-understand that you carry around light to a dark world.
2 Cor 4:6-11
Recall Paul’s conversion, he was on the road to Damascus and suddenly a bright light shone from the sky. It arrested him in his tracks. When Ananias prayed for Paul, his eyes were opened and he could see the light again. So he knew first hand about seeing light.
Now he takes this example and uses it to further our understanding of the treasure that we all have within this earthen vessel.
The glorious gospel is the incredible treasure that brings Christ’s light into a sin-darkened world. God’s power to change is as radical as light and dark. Once we walked in darkness, now we walk in light. We need to commit our life to present Christ to sinners, helping them move from darkness to being able to walk in light.

2 Cor 4:8-12
A life of service is not always easy. Missionaries face hardship. Pastor’s have ongoing challenges. You are not promised an easy road. But the treasure that we have in this earthen vessel gives us the stamina, gives us the hope, provides the strength to do and be all that we are supposed to be in Christ Jesus.
In an era gone by we sang a song entitled, “It Will Be Worth It All”. Life was not easy for saints who have gone before us. The driving force in their life came from the heavenward focus. It doesn’t matter what happens to me here.

Because I want to be sure that I get it covered,
2 Cor 5:4-10
It is vital that we keep eternity in view.
Paul now pictures this habitation as a tent. Tent’s over time become tattered no matter how good the care. They fade, the strings and lining wear out. The poles become permanently bent from the strain.
But Paul looked ahead with confidence. His present home groaned under the burdens that he carried. But the difficulties he faced only made him long for his heavenly home.
Placing His Spirit within this vessel, this jar of clay, is God’s down payment to remind us that we were made for eternity.
The greatest mistake that we can make is to fail to realize that we are patterned for eternity.
God breathed life into a clump of clay not death.
Death came as a result of disobedience but that did not change the fact that you are an eternal being. It only changed the path that we must take to get there.
We must maintain eternal perspectives and not allow suffering and trials discourage us.
God is in and over all.
Redeemed how I love to proclaim it
Redeemed by the blood of the lamb
Redeemed through His infinite mercy
His child and forever I am

How do we acquire confidence about eternity?
Is it by human effort like mind over matter? After all, we know that death is inescapable.
Our hope is the product of His Spirit within.
Romans 8:16 the spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God

This is one of the characteristics of victorious Christian living.
Mark this down as it was spoken by an aethist and it is so true. (Voltaire)
“If Christians want us (aethists) to believe in a Redeemer, let them act redeemed”

He promised that He would be your comforter. Are you letting Him comfort you through the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life?
He promised that He would never leave you, that He would be closer to you than a brother. Are you giving in to thoughts of doubt as you go through dark times in your life?
He promised that He would forgive your sins if you would confess them. Have you forgiven yourself?
He promised that He would give you His peace if you would pray about everything and give your life to Him. So why so downcast oh my soul, put your trust in God.
He promised that He would provide in your life if your would seek Him first and His righteousness. So rather than striving for the things of this world, why not take Him up on His word where He declares that we will find Him when we seek Him with all our heart.
Our hope is not hung on “I hope so”. Our salvation is fastened on God’s promises which are yeah and amen.
Yes, a vessel of clay. But filled with the presence of God and useful to the Master as He sees fit. Why? So that the power may be seen of God, not of us..