How has God equipped me?
Notes
Transcript
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.
Recap
1. What does God see when He looks at me?
When He looks at us, He sees the blood of His only son, poured out on the cross, and made whole again through the resurrection and empty tomb!
2. Who does God say that I am?
Chosen
Loved
Forgiven
Redeemed
Holy
3. What Has God called me to do?
How desperate are you to see lives transformed?
Paul was willing to do whatever it took for people to be transformed!
We are called to:
Make Disciples
Renew our minds
Serve the church
How has God equipped me?
How has God equipped me?
Today’s sermon is ver similar to one I preached a few months ago. So, if you hear the similarities, awesome job!
John 17:14-19
14 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. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
“I have given them your word”
The first way that God has equipped us is by His Word!
2 words for the word “word” in the new testament
1. Rhema – spoken word – man does not live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God – rhema
John the Baptist – the word came to john in the wilderness – and he appeared in the country near Jordan preaching
2. Logos – one definition is entire mindset of God - the definition that I prefer is “God’s revelation to us!”
How God is revealed:
1. Spoken Word,
2. Physical Word (Jesus)
3. Written Word
4. Church
5. Holy Spirit
1. Spoken word:
God said... “let there be light”
God gives a simple command and it happens
God spoke to many people in old testament clearly
Adam and Eve
Abraham
Prophets
Job
New Testament
Jesus' baptism “This is my son whom I am welled pleased”
Transfiguration “This is my son whom I am welled pleased, listen to Him”
2. Physical Word (Jesus):
John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Hebrews 1:1-4 “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. 3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they.”
Jesus not only was the physical word of God, he had the same power of God.
Matthew 28:18 “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”
Jesus could speak the same commands as God with the same authority and power
Look at a few instances when Jesus spoke
Mark 5:39 “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.”
Luke 4:35 “But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm.”
Matthew 28:19-20 19 [e]Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you [f]always, even to the end of the age.”
Jesus is the physical Word/revelation of God.
To understand out call, we must be in relationship with Jesus!
Acts 3:1–10 (NIV)
1 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
Acts 4:1–13 (NIV)
1 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. 2 They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3 They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. 4 But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. 5 The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. 6 Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. 7 They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?” 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “Rulers and elders of the people! 9 If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a man who was lame and are being asked how he was healed, 10 then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. 11 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ 12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” 13 When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
When they saw the courage....they new that they had been with Jesus!
To do what God has called us to do, we have to spend time with Jesus!
God is revealed through the:
Spoken Word
Physical Word (Jesus)
3. Written Word (Scripture):
A compilation of stories, songs, letters, prophecy, and knowledge, written by over 30 authors across the span of about 1500 years.
The Bible contains the Spoken Word of God, writings of the Physical Word of God (Jesus), instructions for the Church, the revelation of the Holy Spirit!
2 Timothy 3:16-17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.”
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
For us to understand our call, we must be in Scripture! We must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
4th way that God is revealed is through the:
4. Church
8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The manifold wisdom of God is made known through the Church!
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
To help us understand what God’s call is for us, we must come together as the Church!
Through the Church we can:
Challenge each other
Hold each other accountable
Encourage each other
Serve
All, to help each other grow in knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
The 5th way that God is revealed is through:
5. The Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 2:9–13 (NIV)
9 However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
We have the same power that Jesus had living inside of us!
Francis Chan says in his book “forgotten God” we don’t need the Holy Spirit to sit in a church pew…
God gave us His Spirit inside of us so that we can understand what God wants and so that we can be encouraged and empowered to do what He has called us to do!
Worship Team and Deacons
So as we wrap up this morning. I wonder if we are using God’s revelation to us to help us understand how He has equipped us to do what He has called us to do!
Questions:
1. Are you listening to God’s Spoken Word?
2. Are you drawing close to His Physical Word (Jesus)?
3. Are you reading and studying His Written Word (the Bible)?
4. Are you actively a part of and serving His people, the Church?
5. Are you allowing His Holy Spirit to guide your life?
As we reflect this morning, I encourage you to think about how He has equipped you to do what He has called you to do!
Next week we will have commitment cards to sign that indicated how we will serve the church in the coming year. I encourage you now and this week to pray over what He is calling you to do, and to continue to seek how He has equipped you to do it!