April 9 2017 How Can We Partner To Share The Good News With Others

How Can We Partner To Share The Good News With Others

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT: Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.... A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Memory Verse: Ph. 1:27b (LB)“... you are standing together side by side with one strong purpose – to tell the Good News.”

Ph. 1:5 (NLT)“You’ve been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ.”

HOW CAN WE “PARTNER” TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS WITH OTHERS?

Pray Together

Col. 4:3 (NCV)“Pray for us that God will give us an opportunity to tell people His message.”

-Make a prayer list.

Appeal to a common interests

1 Cor. 9:22-23 (LB) “Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him. I do this to get the Gospel to them and also for the blessing I myself receive when I see them come to Christ.”

-Discover the common interests in your group.

Reach out in love

1 Th. 2:8 (NCV) “Because we loved you, we were happy to share not only God's Good News with you, but even our own lives.”

1 Cor. 5:12 (NCV) “It is not my business to judge those who are not part of the church.”

2 Cor. 5:14 (LB) “Whatever we do, it is certainly not for our own profit but because Christ's love controls us now.”

-Ask God to give you a deeper love for others.

Tell your stories

1 Peter 2:9 (Mes) “You are... God's instruments to do His work and speak out for Him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference He made for you.”

Ps. 66:16 (NCV) “Listen, and I’ll tell you what God has done for me.”

-Write out your story & share it with your group

Nurture friendships

Rom. 12:16 (CEV)“Be friendly with everyone. Don't be proud and feel that you are smarter than others.

-Make friends with ordinary people.”

Luke 5:29 (CEV) “In his home Levi (Matthew) gave a big dinner party for Jesus. Many fellow tax collectors and other guests were also there.”

2 Tim. 1:7 (LB) “The Holy Spirit does not want you to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them.”

-Bring a friend to church. Plan a party

Expect God to Act

Heb. 11:1 (NIV) “Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Luke 5:20 (NIV) “When Jesus saw their faith, He said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’”

-Never give up on anyone.

Represent Christ with your life.

Col. 3:17 (NLT) “Whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus.”

1 Thes. 4:11-12a (NCV) “Do all you can to live a peaceful life. Take care of your own business, and do your own work. If you do, people who are not believers will respect you.”

August 14 2016 Prevailing To The Coming Of Christ

PREVAILING TO THE COMING OF CHRIST

1 Thessalonians

Timothy’s Report
• They were loyal in the persecution.
• They were Doctrinally pure.
• They were concerned.

Five views of Christ’s Second Coming

1. The view of the new Christian.

Chapter 1

Three things about the Church from verse 3

• Their work produced by faith.
• Their labor prompted by love.
• Their enduring hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Three things they did in light of His coming

Verse 9 They turned to God from idols.

Question:
• Does the coming of Christ’s second coming change your lifestyle?
• If He were to come today would it change your lifestyle at this very moment?

Verse 9 Began to serve the living God.

Question:
• Does the coming of Christ motivate us to begin to find a Ministry that we can do for Him?
• If Jesus were to come today, would He find us doing something profitable for His Kingdom?

Verse 10 They are to wait for God’s Son.

Question:
• Are we at peace with ourselves in the midst of the storm that is around us?
• Are we holding steady?

2. The view of the worker in the Church.
Chapter 2

Verse 20 – Indeed you are our glory and joy.

Question:
When Jesus comes back, am I going to have any crowns?

3. The view of the Brother.

Chapter 3

Verse 12 – May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as it does for you.

Two aspects of love

• We are to increase in love.
• We are to overflow in love to others.

1 John 4:20 – If anyone says, I love God, yet hates his brother, he is a liar.

Question:
• Are your relationships all cleared up?

4. The view of the one who is suffering.

Chapter 4

Verse 14 – We believe Jesus died and rose again and so believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.

5. How the Christian is to conduct himself.

Chapter 5

Verse 1 Exact time not important.

Verse 2 Coming will be a surprise.

Verse 3 No escape from the event.
   
Verse 4 & 5 Don’t be surprised.

Verse 6-8 Be alert, sober, prepared.

Verse 9 Be our final salvation.

Verse 10 No Christian left behind.

Verse 11 Encourage one another.

Verse 12 & 13 Respect the Spiritual leaders.

Verse 14 Meet the needs of the body.

Final Instruction

August 25 2013 Trusting God When You Need Guidance

TRUSTING GOD WHEN YOU NEED GUIDANCE

I.  Five Unreliable Sources Of Guidance

1.  Don’t rely on culture.
Romans 12:2 - Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Exodus 23:2 - Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong.

2.  Don’t rely on circumstances.

Jonah 1:1-3 -The Word of the Lord came to Jonah…go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.  But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish.

Acts 27

3.  Don’t always rely on counsel.

Psalm 1:1 - Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the wicked or stands in the way of sinner or sits in the seat of mockers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord.

4.  Don’t rely on the counterfeit.

II Cor. 11:14 - For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
I John 4:1 - Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

5.  Don’t always rely on conscience.

Prov. 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Psalm 119:105 - Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a Light unto my path.

II.  The Completely Reliable Source
·  God’s will is found in God’s Word.
·   God’s will never contradicts God’s Word.
·   God expects me to obey His Word before He shows me His specific will.

This Is God’s Will For Me

1.  That I have eternal life.

John 6:40 - My Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life.

2.  That I be filled with the Spirit.

Eph. 5:17-18 - Understand what the Lord’s will is:  Do not get drunk with wine, instead be filled with the Spirit.

3.  That I live a pure, disciplined life.

I Thes. 4:3-4 - It is God’s will that you should be holy, that you should avoid sexual immorality, and learn to control your own body in a way that is holy.

4.  That I maintain an attitude of gratitude.

I Thes. 5:16-18 - Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you.

5.  That I be a law abiding citizen.

I Peter 2:13-16 - Submit your selves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men, for it is God’s will that by doing good, you silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

6.  That I bring others to Christ.

II Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that everyone comes to repentance.

7.  That I commit myself to God and others.

II Cor. 8:5 - They gave themselves first to the Lord, and then to us in keeping with God’s will.