Review of Week 41:

BE RECONCILED: Burying our sin nature with Christ, we can be reconciled to God and we can carry on the ministry of reconciliation.

COME: Jesus gives us the chance to come to Him.

PRESENT YOURSELF: We either present ourselves as slaves to righteousness or as slaves to impurity.

REPENT / OBEY: Repentance is the start. Obedience turns on the light of the world.

WAIT: Can we trust Him when He makes us wait?

WALK: We need to learn to walk. We need to keep stride with Jesus.

TIMING: God’s timing is not our timing. Staying in stride with Jesus may involve waiting.

Oct. 14 - WITNESSES

Matthew 28:18-20 “...And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age..."

Context:

- Jesus has been raised from the dead.

- these are the verses usually entitled “The Great Commission”.

What were the instructions?

1. Make disciples of all nations.

2. Baptize in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

3. Teach to observe all that Jesus commanded.

Why are we to go?

- He did His part. He has all authority.

- He is Lord of all and He tells us to go.

- We are to do our part.

How are “come unto Me” and “go therefore” related?

- we are ill equipped to go if we haven’t first worshiped Him.

- when we are exposed to who He is, we will be sent out.

- AND, He will be with us!

Acts 1:8 ”...but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth..."

Is He describing a systematic way of evangelizing the world? [not really]

What does He want disciples to do? [be witnesses]

What do witnesses do? [testify to the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth]

What does it take to be a good witness?

- involvement with Jesus.

- power of the Holy Spirit.

Oct. 15 - ATONEMENT

1 John 2:1-6 “...My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked...”

Advocate: One who intercedes on behalf of another.

Propitiation: The act of atoning for sin or wrongdoing.

The Holiness of God demands that sinning has consequences.

Ezekiel 18:20 “...The person who sins will die ...the wickedness of the wicked will be upon himself...”

Romans 1:18 “...For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,...”

2 Corinthians 5:21 “...He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him...”

How does preaching the goodness and kindness of Jesus fall short of the true gospel?

- He is good and kind, but the good news is the full message of Jesus’ Incarnation, Atonement, and Resurrection.

When we truly grasp the atonement, we worship (come to Him).

When we truly worship, we are sent out as witnesses (go therefore).

Oct. 16 - HARVEST

Matthew 9:38 ”...Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest..."

Context:

35 - Jesus taught and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom.

36 - Jesus had compassion on harassed and helpless people.

37 - Jesus recognized the need for laborers.

Are people harassed and helpless?

Is there a need for:

- proclaiming the kingdom gospel?

- healing disease and affliction?

Why is prayer absurd from the ordinary common sense viewpoint?

- there’s work that needs doing.

- talking doesn’t get the work done.

For what does Jesus tell us to pray?

- laborers in the harvest.

- prayer focused on others needs, not ours.

Is all church work harvest labor?

What do you think harvest labor looks like?

Are we laboring correctly?

Does the master know where your labors are needed?

Are we willing to work there?

Oct. 17 - GREATER WORKS

John 14:12 “...Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father...”

Context:

- Jesus explains that He is the way, the truth, and the life.

- He is the only way to the Father.

Is Jesus the way we live?

Is Jesus the truth we live?

Is Jesus the life we live?

Does Jesus expect us to do the same things He did on this earth? [yes, and greater works].

Why? John 14:13 “...Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son...”

Why does Oswald say “only a child gets prayer answered?

- as we grow in the Lord, we find that prayer is the basis of all we do, not all we receive.

- our prayer is the connection with the Almighty that stabilizes and empowers us as we face circumstances and embrace opportunities.

Without prayer, we’re like an army without a supply line or a plan.

Oct. 18 - LOYALTY

3 John 1:7 “...For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles...”

Context: Discussion on supporting workers.

What are God’s interests in other people? [their potential, their purpose]

What are your interests in other people? [our intentions, our pleasure]

Are they the same?

When we interact with people, do we have our interests or God’s in mind?

Does our detachment from things that God dislikes lead to detachment from those that God loves?

Are we ordinary people who have been given an extraordinary mission of reconciliation?

Are we giving it our Utmost?

Are we loyal to our preferences or to God’s purposes?

Oct. 19 - SOAKED

John 18:36 “...Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm..."

Context: Jesus is being interrogated by Pilate.

Pharisees practice their religion to be seen by men.

Pharisees like to be seen in the ‘shop window’ of this present world.

Jesus didn’t focus on the present world’s system. "My kingdom is not of this world”.

What does it mean to “be put into soak before God”?

- to come unto Him.

- to separate from the oppressive external forces of this world to be internally changed in the presence of God.

- to be saturated with His reality.

Do we get to choose our circumstances?

Are we affected by our circumstances?

Are circumstances easier to face if we have soaked with God?

- circumstances can still be difficult

- remaining true to God requires a root system that is only developed by soaking.

Oct. 20 - TRANSACT

1 Thessalonians 4:3 “...For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;...”

Context: verses 1-12

- Paul talking about “how you ought to walk”.

- about pleasing God ...more and more.

- about controlling yourself ...in holiness and honor.

- about not “wronging a brother”.

- about brotherly love.

- about minding your own affairs.

- about walking properly.

What is the difference between longing for something and making the transaction?

- longing is stuck in the thinking stage.

- the transaction is action.

Why does the sanctification transaction require humility rather than pride?

- James 4:6 “...But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble..."

- 1 Peter 5:5 ”...be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble...”

- Holiness requires agonizing repentance, shame, and degradation.

What does the sanctification transaction cost you?

- to be set apart for God we can’t be set apart for self.

- self will must be given up.