November 27 2016 The Story Of Mary

THE STORY OF MARY

Luke 1:26-38

Memory Verse: “ For nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37

God uses our impossible circumstances to shows us His incredible LOVE

TO RECEIVE GOD’S GIFT OF THE IMPOSSIBLE THIS CHRISTMAS I...

1. RECEIVE THE GIFT through faith.

“Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.’ And then the angel left her.” - Luke 1:38

Often I’m disappointed with God’s plan because...

1. It is not what I expected.

2. It seems ordinary.

3. It sometimes causes more problems at first.

“She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” - Luke 2:7

2. RECOGNIZE THE GIFT with others .

“A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.” - Luke 1:39-42

“When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.” - Romans 1:12

3. REFLECT ON THE GIFT every day,.

“...but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often.” - Luke 2:19

“How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them.” - Psalm 111:2

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.” - 1 John 4:9

December 13 2015 Christmas Is Time To Seize The Moment

Christmas Is...Time to Seize the Moment!

Luke 10:38-42 “As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him.  She had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.  But Martha was distracted by all her preparations that had to be made.  She came to Him And asked, ‘Don’t You care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!’   ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed.  Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.’”

THE BATTLE FOR THIS MOMENT: A FILTER

1. REPLACE THE URGENT WITH THE SIGNIFICANT

verse 39 “She had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said.”  

Matthew 6:34 (Msg) “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow.  God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up 

2. REPLACE PHYSICAL PREPARATION WITH SPIRITUAL PREPARATION

Verse 40 “But Martha was distracted by all her preparations that had to be made.” 

Colossians 3:2 (Msg) “Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you.  Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is.  See things from 

3. REPLACE SELF-ABSORPTION WITH PERSONAL REFLECTION

verse 40 “Don’t You care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?  Tell her to help me!”  

verses 41-42 “‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘You are worried and upset by so many things but only 

4. REPLACE THE SUPERFICIAL WITH THE SUPERNATURAL

verse 42 “Mary has chosen what is better and it will not be taken away from her.” 

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.”  

HOW NOT TO MISS GOD’S PRESENCE AND PURPOSE THIS CHRISTMAS

1. “SIT” = slow down

Pray
Connect
Serve

2. “LISTEN” = open up.  

Inspect
Correct
Direct

3. “CHOOSE WHAT IS BETTER” = Don’t miss the moment

Relationships
Spiritual Renewal
Transformation

July 27 2014 Faith: The Working Quality Of The Church

Faith: The Working Quality Of Life And The Church

Mark 5:25 – 34

Does my faith remove my mountains or my mountains remove my faith?

Lessons On Faith

1. We see the determination of faith.

Verses 25-26 – A woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. She has suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better, she grew worse.

2. Look at the direction of faith.

Verse 27 – When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind Him in the crowd and touched His cloak.

Why She Tried Again:

• Her faith in others had been shattered.
• Time was ebbing away.

Two Directions Faith Can Take:

1. Discard our faith and give up.
2. Direct our faith and grow up.

Hebrews 12:12-13 – Wherefore, lift up the hands which hang down and the feeble knees and make straight paths for your feet.

3. We need to see the decision of her faith.

Verses 27-28 – She touched His cloak because she thought if I just touch His cloak.

The Formation Of Faith:

• Begins with knowledge.
• Grows with our inward reflection.
• A decision is made.

Verse 29 – When she touched Him, immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

4. There must be a declaration of this faith.

Verses 30-34 – At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from Him and asked “Who touched my clothes?” “You see the people crowding against You,” His disciples answered, “and yet You can ask, ‘Who touched Me’?” But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman came and fell at His feet and told the whole truth, and He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.”

Two Reasons For The Question:

1. She had an ignorant faith.
2. Jesus wanted a public demonstration.

Faith that brings us to Jesus and causes a positive response, that is publicly declared, is sufficient faith.