Monday, October 26, 2015

Stone Five: Centered and Sent (Where are we to foll

Stone Five: Centered and Sent (Where are we to follow Jesus?)
John 17:13-23
Pastor Miles
10/25/2015

P. 140 The Five Stones

""I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified."
‭‭John‬ ‭17:13-19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

1.  We are sent into the world as Jesus was sent into the world.
A. Into the world
"My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it."
‭‭John‬ ‭17:15-16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Just like Jesus was sent into our imperfect world, He sends us into our imperfect world so that others can see the life of Jesus through us. 

B. To specific people, time, and place.
"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God has placed us in our job, neighborhood, school, friends, to be His agent of love.
We are to be His ambassadors of His grace and truth.
A balance of grace (acceptance) and truth (boldness) is needed.

C. United.
""My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
‭‭John‬ ‭17:20-23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Unity around God's purpose and mission just like Jesus was one with His Father's will.

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.""
‭‭Luke‬ ‭19:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus subjected Himself to humility to bring us back to God.
The only way is to live centered in His life.

2. We are sent into the world centered in the life of Jesus.

"that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."
‭‭John‬ ‭17:21, 23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

""I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
‭‭John‬ ‭15:5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How are we to live a centered life in Jesus?
A. Connect with God at the heart level through Scripture.
B. Listening prayer
C. Daily prayer of devotion
D. Family worship
E. Missionary prayer:
- God, where are you at work in this place, with these people?
- God, how can I join you in what you are doing here?











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Monday, October 19, 2015

Stone Four: Family as Church, Church as Family

Stone Four: Family as Church, Church as Family
(With whom are we to follow Jesus?)
10/18/2015
Pastor Miles

1. Our families are to be "little churches".
Love God, love others, make disciples - the irreducible core of the Christian life.

"These are the commands, decrees and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you. Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6:1-7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Parents are given the task of discipling the next generation, to worship God everyday of their lives.

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. "Honor your father and mother"—which is the first commandment with a promise— "so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord."
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭6:1-4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It's the father's responsibility to train and bring up their children to obey God.
We need to consciously live out the Gospel in front of our families.
More is caught than taught in our children's lives.

See p.128 The Fives Stones

2. Our church is to be a "larger family".

"Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity."
‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"My people, hear my teaching; listen to the words of my mouth. I will open my mouth with a parable; I will utter hidden things, things from of old— things we have heard and known, things our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their ancestors— a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirits were not faithful to him."
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭78:1-8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Families that function well are able to discuss their different opinions, and trust the Lord to work them out.
Families should gather around the table to share a meal and their lives together.







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Monday, October 12, 2015

Stone 3: Daily Rhythms

Stone 3: Daily Rhythms
Pastor Miles
10/11/2015

1. To follow Jesus we need a rhythm of the day.
"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:46-47‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭3:12-13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."
‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus cannot be Lord of your life if he is not Lord of your day.


2. To follow Jesus we need a rhythm of Sabbath rest.

""Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
‭‭Exodus‬ ‭20:8-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
‭‭Mark‬ ‭2:27‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A weekly Sabbath is a weekly alignment of your soul.
We realign ourselves to the principles and values of God as revealed in scripture.

A. A rhythm of worship.
Reminding ourselves of who is worthy in our lives.

"Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.' ""
‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:33‬ ‭NIV‬‬

B. A rhythm of generosity.
The value of a persons life is measured by how much they have given away.
We need to be generous in our wealth, time, talent.

"Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine."
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:9-10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"" 'A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord."
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭27:30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭8:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

C. A rhythm of celebration.

"Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."
‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:46-47‬ ‭NIV‬‬

We declare with our rest that Jesus is King and that we trust Him.

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