God is Self-Sacrificing

October 23, 2011

Pastor Miles

1. The sacrifice of Christ demonstrates God's love.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 

(John 15:13 ESV)

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
(Romans 5:6-8 ESV)

2. The sacrifice of Christ was necessary.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 

(Romans 3:23 ESV)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 
(Romans 6:23 ESV)

Jesus experienced both a physical and spiritual death for us.

3. The sacrifice of Christ was sufficient. 

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 
(2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV)

In Christ we are justified (made righteous).

4. The sacrifice of Christ must be received by faith.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

(Romans 6:23 ESV)

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 

(John 1:11-13 ESV)

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 
(Ephesians 2:8, 9 ESV)

whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 
(Romans 3:25 ESV)

All it takes is child-like faith.

Isaiah 53:5-6 (NIV)

⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions,
   he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
   and by his wounds we are healed.
⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
   each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
   the iniquity of us all.

Songs to Ponder God's Sacrifice

This is How We Know - Matt Redman

The Wondrous Cross

Boy Like Me, Man Like You - Rich Mullins

From page 140 of "The Good and Beautiful God":

Did Jesus as a child, feel the same things we do?

God is Holy

Oct 16, 2011

Pastor Miles

Isaiah 6:1-8

The holiness of God refers to His moral attributes & excellence that separates Him from others.
God's holiness is a loving holiness.

1. God's holiness refers to His moral perfection.

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:
"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;
the whole earth is full of his glory!"
(Isaiah 6:1-3 ESV)

2. God's holiness brings light & truth.

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" 

(Isaiah 6:4, 5 ESV)

We are utterly exposed in the pure light of God's holiness. We see who we really are.
God becomes the standard by which we measure ourselves.

3. God's holiness demands atonement.

You who are of purer eyes than to see evil
and cannot look at wrong,
why do you idly look at traitors
and remain silent when the wicked swallows up
the man more righteous than he? 
(Habakkuk 1:13 ESV)

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." 
(Isaiah 6:6, 7 ESV)

God's holiness separates us from Him.
Yet, God's holiness shows us the greatness of His grace in calling us back to Him.

4. God's holiness invites our response.

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." 
(Isaiah 6:8 ESV)

No matter how far we have fallen, there is hope that His grace reaches us if respond to His grace in faith.

Q: What would our lives look like if we lived out this truth?
A: Transparent. Gratitude. Freedom from guilt.

Songs to ponder on His holiness

Holy - Matt Redman

Holy is the Lord

You're The One - Lincoln Brewster

Psalm 97: The Lord Reigns

An old song, but still rings true today. By Bob Fitts

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina
(divine reading)
From "The Good and Beautiful God", p. 108

How to "pray the scriptures"

1. First reading: Read slowly and thoroughly, pause silently.

2. Second reading: read the passage again, pausing even longer and be aware of any words or phrases that stand out. Make mental notes.

3. Third reading: reread the passage up to the word or phrase that catches you. Stop and repeat it several times.

4. Pondering: reflect on the word and phrase. Let it touch your mind and heart. Wonder "what might God want to say to me specifically?"

5. Prayer: turn the last question into prayer. Ask God "what is the word you have for me in this passage? Is there anything you want to say to me today?" write down anything you sense God might be saying to you.

6. Rest: be still and silent. Enjoy the presence of God.

7. Response: ask yourself and God, what am I being called to do as a result of the word I have been given?

God is Love

10/9/2011
Pastor Miles

It is easier to live in a performance-driven world where we appear to be in control.
Analogy: we feel safer swimming in a pool than in an ocean.
From young we have been brought up in a performance-driven relationship, and we project that in our relationship with God.

1. What is it like to live in Performance?
The Brother of the Prodigal Son.

"Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'" (Luke 15:25-32 ESV)

Living in performance leads to constant comparison.
Comparison can lead to pride: "I deserve God's love!"
It can also lead to shame.
Living in performance leads to resentment.
The feeling like we are not getting what we deserve.

2. How do you get out of performance?
A. Admit where you have been living.
B. Remember your identity in Christ.

And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. (Luke 15:31 ESV)

Are we making the mistake of trying to earn God's love?
God loves us for who we are and not what we do.

C. Learn to live in the love of God.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ESV)

Replace "love" with "God" for God is love.

3. What is it like to live in God's love?

And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. (Luke 15:20 ESV)

God is jealous for us. He wants what's best for us.

"How He Loves Us"

God's love for us is a purifying love, not a "Teddy bear" love.
His love for us is like a hurricane, and we are a tree, being overwhelmed by His love.

All Who are Thirsty by Kutless

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCwDtSFMjdw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Hillsong - God Is Able

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTSknArjnWM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

God is Generous

10/2/2011
By Pastor Miles

1. God is generous because He loves you.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 ESV)

God gives because we are the objects of His love and compassion.
Read Matthew 20:1-15 The parable of the workers.
Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' (Matthew 20:15 ESV)

2. Reflect on God's generosity:
Read Psalm 23

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:10, 14, 15, 27, 28 ESV)

Q: Are we living in the abundance of God's generosity or are we living in scarcity?
God has blessed us to be a blessing.