Brand New - Part 3

RECYCLED

Our consciences determine religious realities whether they reflect reality or not.

What is important is faith expressing itself in love.  Gal. 5:6 NLT

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.  1 Cor. 6:19-20 NLT

Things got off to an extraordinary start!

AD 70 the Jewish temple was destroyed

"In this sign, conquer."

The Holy Roman Empire

Christianity went from being a persecuted minority to an empowered majority.

Arian controversy - begotten

"I hereby make a public order, that if someone should be discovered to have hidden a writing composed by Arius, and not have immediately brought it forward and destroyed it by fire, his penalty shall be death." Emperor Constantine

Sacred men became the gatekeepers of heaven and hell.

1517 -  Reformation

Martin Luther was excommunicated

"Sola fida"

"Sola Scriptura"

"A man, a simple layman, armed with scripture is greater than the mightiest pope without it." Martin Luther

Love lost

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.  John 13:34-35 NLT

You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.   1 Peter 1:22 NLT

There is a little temple model in all of us.

Jesus died for you.

What is God's love for us and for those around us began to inform our consciences and shape our behaviors?

Brand New - Part 2

APOPLECTIC

The Temple Model:
*was built around a standard that only the elite could meet
*required followers to come there to make peace with God
*were nation specific

Our consciences determine religious realities whether they reflect reality or not.

They attempted to assimilate the Jesus model into the temple model.

Judaizers - Jewish Christians who believed gentiles must convert to Judaism to join the Jesus movement.

Apoplectic - a"pop"lectic

The message of Jesus would be deluded, denuded & polluted.

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you.  I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.  For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.  Gal. 5:1-4 NLT

For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love.  Gal. 5:6 NLT

You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?  It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.  This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!  Gal. 5:7-9 NLT

It only takes a small does of the wrong thing to corrupt the whole thing.

I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves.  Gal. 5:12 NLT

Paul knew that:
    -leaders would become self-righteous
    -followers would become hypocrites
    -the text would become manipulated
    -people would be mistreated

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Gal. 5:13 NLT

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Gal. 5:14 NLT

Brand New - Part 1

We still hold onto things that hold us back.

Most of the things you resist about church are the things the church should also resist.

The Church = a community of people following the teaching of a man sent from God, to explain God and to clear the path to God.

Three Applications:
    1. Love God
    2. Love one another
    3. Love your enemy

Who doesn't want their life to be better and who doesn't wanna be better at life?

Temple Model:
*sacred place     
*sacred texts
*sacred men  
*sincere followers

Temple Model grants extraordinary power to sacred men, in sacred places who determine the meaning of sacred texts.

The arrival of Jesus signaled the end of the Temple Model and the beginning of something entirely new.

Jesus predicted a newmovement.

Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.  Matthew 16:18 NLT

Ecclesia = gathering, assembly

Jesus instituted a new covenant.

After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.  Luke 22:20 NLT

Jesus gave new meaning to the sacred text.

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No, I came to accomplish their purpose.  Matthew 5:17 NLT

Jesus gave new movement defining ethic.

Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.   Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”  John 13:34-35 NLT

Jesus gave new meaning to passover.

He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  Luke 22:19 NLT

A Random Christmas

A Random Christmas

Don't you just want life to make sense?

Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us.  They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples.  Luke 1:1-2NLT

Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write an accurate account for you, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught.  Luke 1:3-4 NLT

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David.  Luke 1:26-27 NLT

Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you! Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean.  Luke 1:28-29 NLT

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! Luke 1:30 NLT

You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.  And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”  Luke 1:31-33 NLT

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”  Luke 1:34 NLT    

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.  Luke 1:35 NLT

What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.  For the word of God will never fail.  Luke 1:36-37 NLT

(God) Don't you understand?

Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. Ephesians 1:11 NLT

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 NLT

Perfect faith isn't the faith that moves God. Perfect faith is the faith that moves us to trust God when it doesn't seem like he's moving.

Just because this took them by surprise, 

it didn't take God by surprise.

God has never interrupted His plans, only ours.

Going Public

GOING PUBLIC

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28:19 NLT

Baptizo:   

*wash        *plunge    *soak        *dip

Similarly, they don’t eat anything from the market until they immerse their hands in water. This is but one of many traditions they have clung to—such as their ceremonial washing of cups, pitchers, and kettles. Mark 7:4 NLT    

His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Luke 11:38 NLT

What it took:

Circumcision    

A covenant meal

Acknowledge the Old Testament Law

A sacrifice

A ceremonial washing

John Ho Baptistas

*Baptism is a public declaration of a new association.

*Baptism is a personal declaration of a new association.

*Baptism is not a condition of salvation, it's evidence of salvation.

Form / Timing

Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death?  Romans 6:3 NLT

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.  Romans 6:4 NLT

Everybody is scared of the video!

Right In The Eye - Part 6

RUTHIE & BO SAVE CHRISTMAS

God was decorating for Christmas.

In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. Ruth 1:1 NLT

The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. They werefrom Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there. Ruth 1:2 NLT

But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.  Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.”  Ruth 1:16-17 NLT

Why call me Naomi when the Lord has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?”  Ruth 1:21 NLT

Boaz replied, “I also know about everything you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband. I have heard how you left your father and mother and your own land to live here among complete strangers.  Ruth 2:11 NLT

May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”  Ruth 2:12 NLT

Family Redeemer:
    *protect an impoverished family
    *repurchase lost property
    *redeem relatives who were sold as slaves
    *provide an heir for male relatives

Then Boaz told him, “Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way she can have children who will carry on her husband’s name and keep the land in the family.”  Ruth 4:5 NLT

“Then I can’t redeem it,” the family redeemer replied, “because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; I cannot do it.”  Ruth 4:6 NLT

Obed
Jesse

Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.”  1 Samuel 16:1 NLT

David

Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.’”  2 Samuel 7:16 NLT

Eleazar was the father of Matthan.
Matthan was the father of Jacob.
Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
Matthew 1:15-16 NLT

Jesus answered, “my Kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36 NLT

Right In The Eye - Part 5

EXTRAORDINARY

What would an extraordinary person do?

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. So the Lord handed them over to the Midianites for seven years. Judges 6:1 NLT

The Midianites were so cruel that the Israelites made hiding places for themselves in the mountains, caves, and strongholds. Judges 6:2 NLT

Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, marauders from Midian, Amalek, and the people of the east would attack Israel, 

camping in the land and destroying crops as far away as Gaza.  Judges 6:3NLT

They left the Israelites with nothing to eat, taking all the sheep, goats, cattle, and donkeys.  Judges 16:4NLT

So Israel was reduced to starvation by the Midianites. Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help.  Judges 6:6NLT

Then the angel of the Lord came and sat beneath the great tree at Ophrah. Gideon son of Joash was threshing wheat at the bottom of a winepress to hide the grain from the Midianites. Judges 6:11NLT

The angel of the Lord appeared to him and said, “Mighty hero, the Lord is with you!”. Judges 6:12NLT

“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”. Judges 6:13NIV

Then the Lord turned to him and said, “Go with the strength you have, and rescue Israel from the Midianites. I am sending you!” Judges 6:13NLT

“But Lord,” Gideon replied, “how can I rescue Israel? My clan is the weakest in the whole tribe of Manasseh, and I am the least in my entire family!” Judges 6:15 NLT

God - I will be with you!    Will you be with Me?

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?  Romans 8:31 NLT

Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?  Romans 8:32 NLT

The value of a thing is the price it will bring.

It's dangerous to think more highly of yourself than you ought.  It's equally dangerous to think less of yourself than God does.

This isn't about keeping you out of trouble.  This is about you reaching your full potential.

What would an extraordinary person do?

What would you do today if you were confident that God was with you? ... that God lives in you? ... and that God is for you?

Right In The Eye - Part 4

NO ONE IS THAT STUPID

What do you do when your body wants what your heart knows is wrong?

One day when Samson was in Timnah, one of the Philistine women caught his eye.  When he returned, he said to his father and mother, “I have seen a Philistine woman; now get her for me as my wife.”  His father and mother objected. “Isn’t there even one woman in our tribe or among all the Israelites you could marry?” they asked. “Why must you go to the pagan Philistines to find a wife?” Judges 14:1-3 NLT/NIV

If there's nothing great about him, you are better off without him.

God designed your body as the dessert, not the appetizer.

Some time later Samson fell in love with a woman named Delilah, who lived in the valley of Sorek.  Judges 16:4NLT

The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.”  Judges 16:5NIV

Delilah said, “Please tell me what makes you so strong and what it would take to tie you up securely.” he replied, “If I were tied up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, I would become as weak as anyone else.” The Philistine rulers brought Delilah seven new bowstrings, and she tied Samson up with them. Judges 16:6-8NLT

She had hidden some men in one of the inner rooms of her house, and she cried out, “Samson! The Philistines have come to capture you!” But Samson snapped the bowstrings as a piece of string snaps when it is burned by a fire. So the secret of his strength was not discovered.  Judges 16:9NLT

Afterward Delilah said to him, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now please tell me how you can be tied up securely.” Judges 16:10 NLT

Delilah said, “You’ve been making fun of me and telling me lies! Now tell me how you can be tied up securely.”Samson replied, “If you were to weave the seven braids of my hair into the fabric on your loom and tighten it with the loom shuttle, I would become as weak as anyone else.” Judges 16:13 NLT

Then Delilah pouted, “How can you tell me, ‘I love you,’ when you don’t share your secrets with me? You’ve made fun of me three times now, and you still haven’t told me what makes you so strong!”  Judges 16:15 NLT

She tormented him with her nagging day after day until he was sick to death of it. Finally, Samson shared his secret with her.  If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me, and I would become as weak as anyone else.” Judges 16:16-17 NLT

So the Philistines captured him and gouged out his eyes. They took him to Gaza, where he was bound with bronze chains and forced to grind grain in the prison. Judges 16:21 NLT

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Cor. 6:19-20 NLT

Instead of doing what is right in your own eyes, you would do what you suspect is right in your own heart.