1. What Kind of Trouble are you Experiencing today? Better yet, what do you need to shake off? Act 28:5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. Act 28:6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead, but after waiting a long time and seeing Act 28:7 There was an estate nearby that belonged to Publius, the chief official of the island. He welcomed us to his home and for three days entertained us hospitably. Act 28:8 His father was sick in bed, suffering from fever and dysentery. Paul went in to see him and, after prayer, placed his hands on him and healed him. 2. Did you know you are on a mission? Act 28:9 When this had happened, the rest of the sick on the island came and were cured. 3. Do you know what the mission is?IT IS TO REACH PEOPLE! THAT’S WHAT BEING MULTICULTURAL IS ABOUT HERE @COOKE ROAD! Old, young, black, white, red, tan, sing traditional, sing new, from Columbus or from Columbia! DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU ARE BRINGING A LIGHT OR MAKING THE LIGHT STRONGER, YOU ARE STILL SHARING THE LIGHT AND reaching people! 4. Ready to kindle the fire? Here are some opportunities:- Invite people to the Children's Play April 1st at 6pm.
- Help with the community Easter Egg Hunt.
- Help with the Children's Ministry Team once a month. (see Sarah Wilkins or Lindsey Leimbach)
- Help with the local Garden initiative: http://lovecbus.gardeninitiative.com/
The following passages all have to do with Following Christ. Which one speaks to you the most and why?
Mar 1:15 "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
Mar 1:16 As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
Mar 1:17 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
Mar 1:18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
Mar 1:19 When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets.
Mar 1:20 Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and followed him.
Luk 5:4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch."
Luk 5:5 Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
Luk 5:6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
Luk 5:7 So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
Luk 5:8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus' knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!"
Luk 5:9 For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken,
Luk 5:10 and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon's partners. Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men."
Luk 5:11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Mar 2:13 Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them.
Mar 2:14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.
Mar 2:15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him.
Mar 10:17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
Mar 10:18 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good—except God alone.
Mar 10:19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"
Mar 10:20 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
Mar 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."
Mar 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."
Mat 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.
Mat 16:25 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
Mat 16:26 What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
Mat 16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Mat 16:28 I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."
Luk 14:25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said:
Luk 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:27 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Luk 14:28 "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?
Luk 14:29 For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him,
Luk 14:30 saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.'
Luk 14:31 "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
Mat 8:19 Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go."
Mat 8:20 Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Mat 8:21 Another disciple said to him, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
Mat 8:22 But Jesus told him, "Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
Mat 8:23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him.
Joh 12:20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast.
Joh 12:21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. "Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."
Joh 12:22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
Joh 12:23 Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Joh 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
Joh 12:25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Joh 12:26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
1. What is a disciple?
2. How do you become a Disciple of Jesus Christ?
3. How do you follow Christ?
a. Who is discipling you?
b. Who are you discipling?
Psa 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
2Co 3:15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts.
2Co 3:16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2Co 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
A Christian who attended prayer meeting faithfully always confessed the same things during testimony time. His prayer was seldom varied: "O Lord, since we last gathered together, the cobwebs have come between us and Thee. Clear away the cobwebs, that we may again see Thy face." One day a brother called out, "O Lord God, kill the spider!"
The Spirit clears out the cobwebs so you’re not stuck! So God’s glory can be upon you! That’s what happens!
What cobwebs do you have in your life right now? What changes do you need to make in your life?
What is your situation? What is Cooke Road's situation? You need vision for your future. The church needs a vision for the future. Please consider these initiatives for you and the church: - Prayer
- Discipleship
- Having a multicultural focus - in age, race and where we are from.
- Building - Making room for who we have and will have in the future.
Text: Exodus 14:10 As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the LORD. Exo 14:11 They said to Moses, "Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? Exo 14:12 Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!" Exo 14:13 Moses answered the people, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. Exo 14:14 The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." Exo 14:15 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on. Exo 14:16 Raise your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. It is a A New Day of Daring... Consider...the Truth is still the Truth...we just need to share it in different ways. Are you willing? Are you willing to move ahead? Mat 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,Mat 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Nothing to fear when God is near! Moses dared to share! There's a website that dares you to share the good news: dare2share.orgIt's good to do something! But you need to know where we're going! We must have a target! Do you? The 1st initiative in the church is Prayer. That's the best place to start with! Then you must be willing to say yes! To say, "I must be dedicated to the service of the Lord! It is not just the job of the Pastor to serve the Lord!" Do you say yes?
So will you be perfect? Will you Love and accept Love?
John 17:9-21 NIV
I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. "I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Hebrews 12:14-15 NIV
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
-Holiness needed for here (to serve Him) & to see Him
Covenant-agreement between 2 parties to help one another
If you will...I will! - Jesus
Conditions of Gods covenant...
-You don't have anything until you have sanctification!
...sanctify them through your truth!
Once saved, you just want more of God right!? Is it Holiness? The Holy Spirit? Sanctification?
-a deep felt need
Isaiah didn't cry out woa is me until her met God.
People cried out for days & they were sanctified fully.
Must believe the blessing is obtainable...
Must be entirely consecrated to the Lord! (our part) ...sanctifying is God's part!
God wants wants to do some unreasonable things for us! Who can understand Him?
1 consecration must be voluntary!
2 must be complete! Body, soul, spirit...friends, job, all! Aka our life! (watch out for temptation)
3 place ourselves in His hands.
4 trust it to Christ
5 must be a final trust in Him along!
Simplicity of faith...try it! Will you?
I Peter 2:4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture:“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,”8 and“A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Acts 2, the Wind of the Spirit breathed into 1st church! Gave life!
Every Believer is to become a Priest of God! Royalty!
A Priest is a go-between, goes straight to God, a bridge builder between people & God.
Are you a priest?
Do you share God's grace with those who don't know Him?
Be Holy as I am Holy.
Be holy & blameless before God.
Purpose of the Church: to declare perfect lifer of Christ, death on cross, & overcoming death, & His future return!
Take time to review the slides, read the text and discuss the final questions with the Lord through prayer. (click the slide to advance)
John 3:1-7, 14-17 NIV
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." "How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him." For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
Greatest Need isn't:
Health, food, money, sleep, peace, education, security, house, etc.
These things disappear!
Greatest Need is Jesus, Salvation, The Spirit, eternal life, in other words: To be born again!
Eternal Life is like a bird taking a drop of the Pacific Ocean across to the Atlantic until it is empty & that would be just the beginning!
Nicodemus was an upright good man, but didn't haver a relationship with God! He needed to be born again!
Do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ?
Nicodemus came to Jesus @night. All singers are in darkness & lack discernment to know what it is.
He came to the Lord to experience Him!
Jesus never rejects us! Even when it's the middle of the night!
Nothing stands between us & God except sin! But God can take it away if we ask Him.
Have you asked Him? Met with Him?
You except difficult physical truths that you don't truly understand. So why can't you accept Spiritual truths?
Was Nicodemus reborn? He had fruit!
-Nicodemus took Jesus body off cross, he stupid by him to the end.
-Her stood up those who didn't believe!
Have you had your spiritual eyes opened?
|
RSS Feed