“Love is God who labors and suffers to enthrall us with what will infinitely, eternally, and ultimately satisfy us.Himself.”
-John Piper
” By this we know LOVE, that He laid down his life for us…” -1 John 3:16a [ESV]
How we define love matters… How do you define it?
Passage: Acts 15 —
4 unhealthy gravitational pulls in every local church (as seen in ACTS 15):
1) Churches always gravitate towards INSIDERS rather than OUTSIDERS.
We must fight the myth that we can just maintain what we have. Maintenance is a myth
2) Churches always gravitate towards law & away from GRACE.
We must fight the desire to categorize people — Because if we can categorize folks then they stop being people who need relationships. Suggestion: Acceptance of people allows for influence. No Acceptance = No Influence.
3) Churches gravitate towards complexity & away from simplicity.
Suggestion: to avoid diluting vision - Partner rather than Pioneer any initiative.
4) Churches gravitate towards preserving & away from advancing.
4 Standards Andy Stanley & His Team @ North Point Utilize to Anchor Their Church
#1. Lets stay more concerned about who we are reaching, not who we are keeping.
#2 Lets always err on the side of Grace.
#3 Lets remain focused on our unique calling.
#4 Lets remain open-handed.
*you have been handed the baton of the “local church”
The sinner may see his sin in his sin, but he does not see his sin in his goodness, and he does not see his sin in his religion. It is his sin in his goodness that is most despicable, for there is the deception–and it is his sin in his religion that is most blasphemous, because it is there that he worships a false god.”
-John MacArthur
QUESTIONS:
How are you portraying God?
How are you portraying Humanity?
How BIG or SMALL is the Cross shown to be in your church/ministry/life?
“The Cross Alone Is Our Theology” - Martin Luther
“The Word of the Cross KILLS and makes ALIVE. It crucifies the old being in anticipation of the resurrection of the new.”
- Gerhard Forde
God is teaching me that the Cross attacks the BEST we have to offer not just the worst. Everything that I would find praiseworthy and my world would affirm:
All that i was in the flesh… All that i am presently… All that i could become…. THEY ARE DEAD.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” -Galations 2:20
As a Christ follower i live a life ‘by faith in the Son of God’…. A faith in a resurrection to come…
That is to say, my life should DEMAND EXPLANATION to the objective observer.
The Christ follower’s life should ONLY make sense in the light of a comingRESURRECTION OF THE SOUL.
This line of thinking segued to the Holy Spirit raising a question in my soul, “Brad, does your life make sense to the non-Christian observer?” ——
So i’ll extend the question to you—
Does your life DEMAND an explanation??
Does your life demand the reality of a resurrection to RECONCILE THE DECISIONS you are making on this side of eternity??
Is that resurrection the ONLY way to make sense of the way you handle your:
TIME….
$$$MONEY$$$$…..
INFLUENCE…..
EDUCATION…..
RELATIONSHIPS…..
ASPIRATIONS……
ETC……
“And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.” - Mark 8:34-35 [ESV]
6 Observations of Carrying a Cross:
1) Carrying a Cross is UNCOMFORTABLE —
2) Carrying a Cross is NOTICEABLE –
3) Carrying a Cross is INCONVENIENT –
4) Carrying a Cross is UNCOOL –
5) Carrying a Cross is PERSONAL –
6) Carrying a Cross is PERMANENT –
“THE CROSS DOES NOT CONFORM TO YOU, RATHER YOU CONFORM TO THE CROSS.” - Dan Lian
Revelation: Sin does not make people bad people, rather sin makes people dead people.
Romans 5:12 [esv] “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned–“
What are you trying to show me?…… (i asked the Lord)
His Response: Sin has made people dead people they aren’t just bad people. THEY ARE SPIRITUALLY DEAD PEOPLE. I’m telling you this to help FOCUS your ministry objective.
The goal is NOT to make bad students into good students. Your goal IS to see dead students become living students. That miracle is ONLY possible through the finished work of Christ’s Cross.
You are WASTING your Life & my Authority if you are preaching about ANYTHING else.
Proclamation: Declares the Power of Christ over sin & death NOT how to be a good person.
