Our Great Commission
God’s Spirit
Part 1: With Us / In Us
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
CNET, CBS NEWS, Make Magazine article…
Cook out after church
Sign supplies this week (we made nearly $200 at bake sale!!)
Monday Bible Study back at the Shields’ 5:00PM
Tuesday Women’s at Lori’s 5:00PM
Men’s on Friday at the church 8:00PM
WHERE WE ARE AT
† Maturing in Christ
† Understanding in Christ
† Love of God
This Series: God’s Spirit
Previously:
TODAY’S SERMON: Our Great Commission
God’s Spirit
Part 1: With Us / In Us
OPEN IN PRAYER
SCRIPTURE READING
Acts 5:31-32
31God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. 32We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him."
To those who obey God, His Spirit is given to them.
This first took place after Jesus was placed at the right hand as Prince and Savior at the day of Pentecost.
And continues today with those who obey the Lord.
I. HOW WE RECEIVE GOD’S SPIRIT
a. We must belong (be citizens of) God’s Kingdom
1. We can not claim what is not ours
2. There are only 2 kingdoms; you already belong to one of them. Satan’s and God’s
b. Salvation through Jesus Christ is the only way to achieve this
Isaiah 43:10-12
10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.
12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "that I am God.
1. We are commanded to confess & repent to be forgiven
Romans 10:8-10
8But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
That confession MUST be followed by repentance to receive forgiveness.
God will not be mocked…
The scriptures say to those who merely hear the word and do not do it, they are deceiving themselves if they think anything of God is taking place within them.
Do not deceive yourself, and do not take God’s grace for granitite.
2. Once forgiven, we are commanded to follow Jesus
Following His way, His life, His example…
c. Walking in obedience is the only way to keep our citizen status
1. (Walking in the Spirit) Obeying what Jesus commands
John 14:15 – “If you love me, you will obey my command.”
2. Narrow is the way of obedience and discipline
One must have commitment to the Lord
3. Jesus says, “stay in me, and I will stay in you…”
I John 2:4-6
4The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God's love[a] is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
I John 2:15-17
15Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
4. Jesus NEVER leaves us nor forsakes us…but we leave and forsake Him all the time, then ask “Where is the Lord?”
1. When we disobey, we have walked away from Him
2. When we put anything above Him we forsake Him
II. WHY HAVING GOD’S SPIRIT IS IMPORTANT
a. Apart from God, we can do nothing
Psalm 16:2
"You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing."
b. to obey, we must have God’s Spirit
1. Obedience without the Lord is impossible
c. With God’s Spirit, all things are possible
2. Through Jesus Christ, all things can be accomplished
III. WHAT GOD’S SPIRIT BRINGS WITH HIM
a. Brings Salvation and Forgiveness of Sins
b. Blessings, protection and benefits of the Kingdom
c. Gifts of the Spirit for serving the Lord
d. Fruits of the Spirit for showing God’s Character to others
CLOSING
Knowing “of” Christ and knowing Christ are two different things.
Have you confessed your sin to Him?
And just as importantly, have you repented of that sin?
If so, the Lord HAS forgiven you.
If you call on the name of the Lord, you will be saved, and this Salvation entitles you to all the benefits, blessings and protection of the Kingdom of God.
If you have not confessed, nor repented, then you are at odds with the Lord, and need forgiveness.
Come forward now, and let us pray with you…
Sunday, May 31, 2009
God's Spirit - Part 1 - In Us
Monday, May 25, 2009
The Love of God - Part 6 "Love and Grace"
The Love of God
Part 6: Love and Grace
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
WHERE WE ARE AT
† Maturing in Christ
† Understanding in Christ
This Series: The Love of God
Previously:
Part 1: The Love of God
Part 2: Love your Neighbor
Part 3: Love your Neighbor II
Part 4: Love your Brother
Part 5: Love your Enemy
TODAY’S SERMON: Our Great Commission
The Love of God
Part 6: Love and Grave
OPEN IN PRAYER
Baker Theological Dictionary of the Bible
GRACE – The word ‘grace’ in the bible, like forgiveness, repentance, regeneration, and salvation, mean something as broad as describing the whole of God’s activity toward man or as narrow as describing one segment of that activity.
Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward man.
I. IN THE BEGINNING
a. Grace first appears as the word heen in Genesis 6:8, speaking about the grace that was shown to Noah. This is described as Noah “finding favor in the eyes of the Lord”.
The rest of the references to the word mostly refer to the grace man shows towards man.
Grace is a reflection of God and His character.
When we show grace, we show God to others.
b. Heen is not only translated “find favor”, but also as “be pleased with”.
In Exodus 33, Moses found favor with God, God was “pleased with” him.
So not only will God show us unmerited favor, but He can also be pleased with us.
When was the last time God showed you favor?
When was the last time God was pleased with you?
If you’re not sure, you may ask yourself, when was the last time I showed grace to someone else?
c. Moses was again shown grace in the form of finding favor with God in Numbers 11:4-17.
When the people of Israel were complaining at having only manna and not any meat, Moses cries out to the Lord about the burden of judging the entire people by himself.
Moses receives unmerited favor from God as the Lord appoints seventy Elders of Israel to help Moses carry the burden.
In your time of need, cry to heaven for the Lord’s grace to fall upon you.
When looking at the life of David in 2 Samuel 15:26 in the Old Testament, we see that David states that if he finds favor in the Lord’s eyes (grace), then God will bring him back.
But if he does not, the David is ready to “Let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.”
David recognizes that the unmerited favor of God has to do with God’s choice, not his.
Do you acknowledge God’s sovereign rule in your life?
Or do you “tell” God what to do in your life???
Are your prayers to the Lord requests for Him to exercise His grace in your life, to find favor with you, or are you simply giving Him a set of instructions on what He “must” do for you?
Who’s will is really leading your life?
Is it your will and what you want, or have you truly submitted to the Lord?
Do you say you have submitted to the Lord, yet try to leaf Him around with your prayers and demands?
It is not until we realize as David, and Samuel and others in the Old Testament, that God is God, and His will is His will.
II. IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Romans 9
“I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”
Jesus gives us many examples of Grace in the New Testament, as one who truly “lived” out the Word.
Showing the unmerited favor to many as an example to us.
When Jesus came, He said He did not come to do away with the Law, but to fulfill it.
But the Law without grace I cruel.
Law is needed because of sin, yet grace will bring the sinner to reconcile with God.
The Law condemned the adulterous woman, which states she must be stoned…
But Grace said “those without sin cast the first stone”, and Jesus spoke to her and said “Go and sin no more”.
Mercy, forgiveness, love all are found in grace, and shown in our showing grace to others.
III. HERE AN NOW
Can we show love without forgiveness?
Can we show mercy without warrant?
Grace is needed in our lives, first from the Lord to us…but then from us to others.
CONCLUSION
We need to ask ourselves;
When was the last time God showed me favor?
When was the last time God was pleased with me?
When was the last time I showed grace to someone else?
Grace towards others can be found in many forms…
Forgiveness
Mercy
Kindness
There are many ways to show others the grace of God.
We need to remember that there is death in the Law, but life in the law of Love.
Growing in the Lord "Overcoming Worldliness"
The Great Commission
Part 3 – Growing in the Lord
OVERCOMING: Worldliness
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – http://www.ps127.org/ http://www.truthdigest.org/
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
September 28th – Deacon Kurt Ulman
October 5th – Grace Steadman
October 12th – Lori Ulman
October 19th – Lynnette Higgins
October 26th – Walker Spriggs
WHERE WE
† Spending Time with the Lord in Prayer
† Spending Time with the Lord Reading the Word
† Spending Time with the Lord in Fellowship
† Spending Time with the Lord, One on One
† Growing in the Lord : OVERCOMING The Carnal Mind
† Growing in the Lord : OVERCOMING Satan
† Growing in the Lord : OVERCOMING Worldliness
INTRODUCTION
Matthew 6:24
24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
I. EXPLAINING WORLDLINESS
a. Professing Christ while living worldly
2 Peter
17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
b. If you live worldly the world is your master and you have not submitted to Christ. As Scripture says, you can not serve 2 masters.
James 4:1 – 8
1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it…
Pride, arrogance, self-righteousness…
You think you are better than someone else, so you fight with them.
Always having to be right, to prove your point, to “win” the argument you actually began.
This is the behavior of a worldly person.
…You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
…Because you can not serve two masters.
5 Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely? 6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
"God opposes the proud
but gives grace to the humble."
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Submit yourselves to God, make Him your Master!
II. WARNINGS AGAINST BEING WORLDLY
1 John
15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.
Romans 12:1 – 2 Be living sacrifices
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans
11 And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. 14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.
III. INSTRUCTION FROM THE WORD OF GOD
Philippians 3:1 – 10 Paul says to have no confidence in flesh
1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.
2 Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. 3 For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— 4 though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Colossians 3:2
2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
Prosperity preachers will tell you God wants you to be rich.
No where in the Bible does it teach this.
God did bless many of the Old Testament Patriarchs with riches, but times were different then than they are today.
It was far easier to have riches 4,000 years ago than today.
There are far more opportunities for us to be slaves to our riches today, and far more opportunities to sin against God with our riches today.
If you purchased a 1 million dollar estate, there are always 10 and 15 million dollar estates to own as well.
We have become the society of “upgrades”.
We used to say, “There are 2 classes, the haves and the have nots.”
Now the saying is “The wants, and the want mores.”
Does the New Testament speak or rich followers of Christ?
Well there is the rich young man who would not give up his riches to follow Christ.
Of this situation Jesus made the statement in Matthew, Mark and Luke…
“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the
Can you serve money and God?
Can a rich man serve Jesus Christ?
Ask yourself how easy it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle…
What about Zacchaeus?
He was rich!
But if you remember, when he converted, he gave ½ of ALL his possessions to the poor.
Then, from the half that was left, everyone he ever cheated got 4 times the amount that they were cheated.
As Paul says…
…whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
God’s will has nothing to do with being rich.
At least, not in the things of this world.
His will is for you to be saved, and not turn from Him.
His will is for you to lead others to Him.
And every time you pray, “Lord, I want to be closer to you.”
He will remove the things of this world that keep you away from Him.
That is, if you mean what you pray.
Worldliness…the master which seeks after us.
This is a world of consumerism.
Do you have to be poor to serve the Lord?
No. But for everything you do not have in this world, it’s one less thing that stands between you and the Lord.
Do we live with a content heart?
Or are we always seeking the next best, biggest thing?
Do you chase the Lord with the same drive and zeal that you do the next item on your “gotta have/own/get/buy” list?
Have you crucified your flesh and its desires, or are you still a slave to this world?
Worldliness can take many forms,
Money
Greed
Lust
Fleshly Desire
Selfishness
Wantonness
Pride
Anger
Hate
But they all lead down the same wide path to destruction.
It is true there were many rich patriarchs and kings in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament we are taught that the root of all evil is the love of money.
Are you in love with the things of this world?
You shouldn’t be, because it is all going to pass away. And the only thing that is going to remain is the Word of God which judges a man’s heart.
Luke
23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self? 26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
Saving and losing your life here is not literal existence, but the desires of the flesh versus the desires of God for you in your life.
CLOSING
1Corinthians 10:1 – 13 Warnings From
1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: "The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry." 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. 12 So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
The Love of God - Part 5 "Love your Enemy"
The Love of God
Part 5: Loving your Enemy
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
WHERE WE ARE AT
† Maturing in Christ
† Understanding in Christ
This Series: The Love of God
Previously:
Part 1: The Love of God
Part 2: Love your Neighbor
Part 3: Love your Neighbor II
Part 4: Love your Brother
TODAY’S SERMON: Our Great Commission
The Love of God
Part 5: Loving your Enemy
OPEN IN PRAYER
Greatest Command:
Love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul.
The second is just like the first, love your neighbor as your self.
Neighbor = unsaved
Jesus said, “What you do to the least of these, you do unto me”
And He also said “If you love me, you will do what I command.”
Love is “action” which brings about feelings and emotions.
NOT emotions or feelings that bring about actions.
LOVE GOD
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
LOVE YOUR BROTHER
Today…LOVE YOUR ENEMY
Romans 12:17-21
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
20On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Deuteronomy 32:35
35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay.
In due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near
and their doom rushes upon them."
Proverbs 25:21, 22
21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.
Do not repay anyone evil for evil
If we were to do so, then we too would be acting in evil instead of love as we are commanded. If we act evil, we as children of God, paint a picture of our God being evil.
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody
Not that what we do is what they consider to be right, but that we DO what the Lord says is right in the eyes of everybody. In this, we will rightly represent the Lord, and be a great witness of His love and forgiveness.
Live at peace with everyone
Not that we can ever control others, but we are commanded to control how we behave, and living at peace with other allows those who are truly seeking escape from the world, a path of least resistance to come to the truth.
Do not take revenge, leave room for God’s wrath
The last thing we want to do is to come between God and His work at hand.
You do not know what work God has begun, or is yet working on within someone’s heart.
We may actually stop or destroy the work that God is doing in someone simply by acting towards that person in an ungodly manner, while claiming with our mouths that we are children of God, and therefore represent God on earth as ambassadors.
We can not see the heart of man, or know the mind of God, or comprehend the work that He is doing within a person, therefore, we must always behave and treat others in love, so as not to offend the work that God is doing.
We MUST treat an enemy with LOVE.
Remember, Love is an action that brings about a feeling or emotions.
When we ACT we will bring about feelings and emotions in others.
We give the praise to the Lord for our actions, and those we love will know that they were loved BECAUSE of our God, which will cause feelings and emotions in them, and they will see that the Lord our God loves them, and they will want a relationship with the God who loved them first.
20… "If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
“Heap burning coals on his head” is not meant to be a mental attack on your enemies as some see it.
The scriptures mean that their mind will judge itself with the love you have given them against their evil.
They will not be able to stop thinking about the love that was shown to them.
21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
This love will overcome evil.
Matthew 5:43-48
43"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'
44But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
46If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
47And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?
48Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Luke 6:27-36
27"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 29If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. 30Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. 31Do to others as you would have them do to you.
32"If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. 36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Romans 5:6-10
6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul.
Love your neighbor (the unsaved) as yourself.
Love your brother (the saved).
Love your enemies.
Love is the action that the Lord has commanded us, as His followers, to show to the world.
When we do, we are showing the Love of God to others, and rightly representing the one who sent us.
We are told in scriptures that without love we have nothing, have achieved nothing, and are nothing.
We are also told that anyone who does not love is not a child of God.
So let us obey Christ, show love to all others, and rightly represent the Kingdom of God.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
The Love of God - Part 4 "Love your Brother"
The Love of God
Part 4: Loving your Brother
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
WHERE WE ARE AT
† Maturing in Christ
† Understanding in Christ
This Series: The Love of God
Previously:
Part 1: The Love of God
Part 2: Love your Neighbor
Part 3: Love your Neighbor II
TODAY’S SERMON: Our Great Commission
The Love of God
Part 4: Loving your Brother
OPEN IN PRAYER
Loving your Brother
• Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey my commands.”
• The Great Commission, Jesus said “Teach them to obey all that I have commanded you.”
SCRIPTURE READING
I John 4:20-21
20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.
I John 3:14
14We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death.
I John 3:16-18
16This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
I John 3:10
10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.
I John 2:10
10Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him[a] to make him stumble.
What is Love? What is Hate?
Patience (lack of complaint) Impatient (Complaining about people)
Annoyed, edgy, irritated, intolerant
Kindness (Compassion / Sympathy) Cruel (no compassion / no sympathy)
Pitiless, malicious, vindictive
Not envious (to like) Resentful and Spiteful
Not boastful (don’t brag) To be conceited, arrogant and vain
Full of yourself, bragging, immodest
Not prideful (to be humble) Pride in ones self
Not Rude Impolite, offensive, bad mannered, foul
Vulgar, discourteous
Not Self-seeking (selfishness) selfish, self-centered, egotistic,
Egocentric, egotistical, self-absorbed
Not easily angered annoyed, enraged, frustrated
Keeps no record of wrong remembers every wrong done
Does not delight in evil Happy when people “get what they deserve”
Rejoices with the truth
Always protects
Always trusts
Always hopes
Always perseveres
Love never fails
Matthew 5:38
38"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'[g] 39But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. 41If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. 42Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Matthew 18:21, Peter asks “How many times shall I forgive my Brother…up to seven?”
Jesus replies, 70 times 7 times….
490 years had passed between Jesus and the last prophet, and God still forgave, and so should we.
The Lord shows us many times in scriptures where we are to forgive our Brothers.
Joseph forgives his brothers in Genesis 45 & 50
Moses forgives the Israelites in Numbers 12
David forgives Saul in 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel
To show love and not hate towards our Brothers in Christ.
To forgive, and move towards a closer relationship with the Lord.
You can have this today…
Sunday, May 3, 2009
The Love of God - Part 3 "Love your Neighbor II"
The Love of God
Part 3: Loving your Neighbor II
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org
ANNOUNCEMENTS
6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”
WHERE WE ARE AT
† Maturing in Christ
† Understanding in Christ
This Series: The Love of God
Previously:
Part 1: The Love of God
Part 2: Love your Neighbor
TODAY’S SERMON: Our Great Commission
The Love of God
Part 3: Loving your Neighbor II
OPEN IN PRAYER
Loving your Neighbor
• Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey my commands.”
• The Great Commission, Jesus said “Teach them to obey all that I have commanded you.”
Jesus was asked by a Pharisee what the greatest commandment in the Law was.
This test was given to try and prove Jesus was a false prophet.
Jesus had just silenced the Sadducees a moment earlier when they tried making Him look like a fool.
This is where we pick up in today’s Scripture Reading.
Matthew 22:
34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
The week before last we talked about loving God with all of your heart, soul and mind.
Last week we spoke about “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
This week we are going to expound on loving your neighbor.
I. Who is my neighbor?
Luke 10:25-37
25On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
28"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
Jesus makes it clear that those who are in need are our neighbors.
When the Bible uses the term neighbor, it means ANYONE…not just believers.
So what is love?
1 Corinthians 13
1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
LOVE IS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL…no exception
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8Love never fails. …
13… these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Is love important to God? It is foundational…
God loved us first
1 John 4:19-20
19We love because he first loved us. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
He showed His love in this
1 John 4:8-10
8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Jesus loved the unsaved…
Matthew 9:10
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.
Mark 2:17
Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
I Timothy 1:15
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
Mark 10:21
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
Romans 8:38-39
38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus came for the unsaved
John 12:46-48
8Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
We are to live out the Great Commission
Matthew 28:18-20
18Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
What we do to the least of these, we do unto Christ
Matthew 25:31-46 The Sheep and the Goats
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Who is your neighbor?
How are you treating our Lord?