calls, certainties, challenge, children, choosing, (in) Christ, Church (growing), church(kinds of people at),

choosing (the twelve), come, communion(partaking) communion (cup),  complete,  confidence,  continue, crisis

 

JESUS CALLS:- John 11:27-29

 

  1. Come for personal cleansing:- Is 1:18; I Jn 1:7,9; Is 1:6.16; (Rom 3:10-18)
  2. Come for rest of soul:- Mat 11:28; Is 4:29-31; Is 53:4; Mat 8:17; Jn 19:17
  3. Come to the Gospel feast;- Luke 14:17; Jn 6:35; (Rev 3:20) – joy (Jn 15-11)
  4. Come for a satisfying portion:- Isa 55:1- free
  5. Come into a place of safety:- Gen 7:1 (ark); Jn 10:28,29 ; Ps 121:3( in His hands) Jn 3:36 ( from God’s wrath)

 

How shall we escape if we neglect….? (Heb 2:3)

 

CONFIDENCE:- Prov 3:25,26; Phil 1:3-7; Josh 1:5-9.

 

Is the trust in what God has proved (Joshua 1:5) as I’d been with Moses.

  1. Is conviction about what God is promising (Joshua 1:6) give possession
  2. Is the firmness based on what God can provide (Joshua 1:7)

-         don’t  right or left

-         Heb 3:6; 10:35- hold fast till the end / don’t throw away your confidence.

 

 

SPECIAL CHILDREN

 

1.      ISAAC – of the PROMISE:- Gen 17:11

  1. MOSES – of the PRESERVATION:- Ex 2:3,10
  2. SAMUEL- of the PRAYER:- Isa 1:17,20
  3. JOHN THE BAPTIST- of PURPOSE:- Lk 1:16,17
  4. JESUS- of POWER:- Lk 1:35

 

IN CHRIST JESUS:- Rom 8:1-14

 

1. No condemnation (vs 1)

2. Freedom from the bondage of sin & death (vs 2)

3. Fulfillment of the righteousness  (vs 3,4)

4. Filled with the thoughts of Spiritual things (vs 5-8)

5. Union with Him (vs 9)

6. Death & resurrection- appropriated (vs 10,11)

7. Mortification (vs 12,13)

8. Control & sovereignity (vs 14)

 

 

 

 

PARTAKING THE HOLY COMMUNION- I Cor 10:16-21

 

1.                                                Partakers of One bread- Unity- with the Lord and with one another.

2.                                                Partakers of the Altar- Identity- with the altar & the sacrifice.

3.                                                Partakers of the Lord’s able- Exclusively- not to partake anywhere else.

 

 

THE FACTORS FOR A HEALTHY & GROWING CHURCH:- Acts 2:4-7

 

1. PRAISE:-  giving credit to God, etc.

2. PROCLAMATION:- message given out freely.

3.POWER:_ through speaking, miracles, prayers.

4.PEOPLE:- concern, love for one another.

 

 

COMPLETE IN HIM:- Col 2:10-15

 

  1. Complete salvation:-
  2. Complete forgiveness:-
  3. Complete victory-

 

KINDS OF PEOPLE AT THE CHURCH:- Acts 3:1-11

 

Who & why they go to church?

 

  1. Disciples (Peter & John):- for prayer & ministry
  2. Lame man- for alms, to receive- changed, worshipped.
  3. Bearers (carrying the lame)- no change, social activities.
  4. Multitudes- saw the cange, came to hear gospel.
  5. Religious leaders- keep traditions, opposed the gospel.

 

CHOOSING THE BEST-  10 TIPS (PRIORITIES) :- Luke 10:38-42

 

  1. Receiving vs Responding- continuing with Jesus
  2. Sitting vs serving- At Jesus feet- worship
  3. Hearing vs complaining- His word & learning
  4. Anxiety vs Rest- In Him peace
  5. Grumbling vs thanksgiving- for what He gave to do
  6. Jealousy vs love- appreciate your labour & others
  7. Manythings vs one thing- focus, priorities, importance
  8. Needful vs extras- difference, wisdom
  9. Spiritual vs social/ physical- a clear understanding
  10. Lasting vs momentary- Eternal, divine.

 

JESUS CHOOSING THE TWELVE (FORMING THE NUCLEUS FOR THE CHURCH):-

 Mark 3:13-19, Lk 6:12-19

 

  1. Calling according to His will –(Invitation)- willing, hearing-individual, specific.
  2. Coming to Him- (action, response, commitment, willingness, availability, conviction, entering into discipleship)
  3. Confirming the choice- (ordained / set apart)- purpose revealed & approved, separated, vision communicated.
  4. Communion with Him – (to be with Him/ total giving) – learning, observing, knowing, equipping, preparing
  5. Commission to serve- (sending out)
  6. Conquering power given- (ministry, authority, power)

 

THE CALL OF JESUS :- Mark 1:15-22

 

  1. The Person:- “after Me”- He is Lord, focus
  2. The Program:-  “I’ll make”- to be made
  3. The Possibility:- “to become”- change
  4. The People:- “fishers of men”- different occupation
  5. The Price:- “forsake all”- response

 

       COMMUNION CUP :- I Cor 10:16-21

 

 

         GOD’S CHALLENGE TO US/ WORSHIP LEADING TO COMMISSIONING:-

          Isiah 6:1-13

 

  1. Vision- saw the Lord- His glory, Holiness, power
  2. Conviction- saw his sinfulness- unworthiness
  3. Confession- expressed his condition-acknowledging- humility.
  4. Cleansing- experienced cleansing touch- from blood of cross- clean vessel needed-

                                                                                                           (2 Tim 2:22)

  1. Call- heard God’s call- availability- willingness
  2. Commitment- responded-“I’m available”

 

 

 

 

 

TO CONTINUE IN  (2 TIMOTHY 3:14)

 

1.      His Word- Jn 8:31- reading, receiving, responding, proclaiming

2.      His love- Jn 15:9- by obedience to His commands

3.      His grace- Ac 13:43- dependance upon Him

4.      The faith- Ac 14:22- commitment to Him

5.      Prayer- Col 4:2- hoping always- Phil 4:5

6.      Brotherly love- Heb 13:1; 10:24

7.      Following the Lord- 1 Sam 12:20-25

 

5- CHRISTIAN CERTAINTIES (“KNOWS”) :- I Jn 5:13-21

1.      Assurance of eternal life (vs 13)

2.      Answered prayer (vs 14-17)

3.      Victory over sin & satan (vs 18) (Rom 6:15-22)

4.      Belong to God (vs 19)

5.      Jesus Christ is the true God (vs 20)

                                      

 

 

COME :- GOD’S FAVOURITE WORD- MT 11:28; REV 22:17

 

C- children

O – old aged

M- middle aged

E- everyone.

 

1.      A word spoken with frequency:-

An invitation to salvation (Gen 6:8; 7:1)

That changed old fisherman, Simon into Peter- the disciple

To the little children, sick & burdened.

More than 600 times in the bible.

2.      A word spoken with clemency:-

Lk 18:40- blind  Bartimaeus

3.      A word spoken with urgency :-

Lk 19:5- make haste… today

Gen 19:16- Lot delayed, God forced

II Pe 3:9 – all should come to repentance.(Mat 9:12-13)

·        Faith needed-  Heb 11:6

 

 

RESPONDING TO CRISIS :-  2 Chronicles 20:1-13-27

 

Intr:- when people, problems, pressures, perplexities come upon you- what you’ll do? Panic?, fear, frightened? Seek the help of man? What?

-         lots of questions come to our minds- why? How long?

-         King Jehoshaphat responds in a very strange way :-

            

             1.   Prayed to the Lord (to seek the help of the Lord by others) – confession of

-         God’s sovereignty

-         Acknowledging inadequacy to meet the challenges

-         Acknowledging helplessness, directionless.

 

2.       Looked up to the Lord :- Ps 123:1-2 (eyes are upon you)

-         desire- expecting from Him (Ps 25:15; 121)

-         dependance – (no other way)- He’s the source

-         dedication – committed to Him –Heb 12:1-2

-         direction – for guidance, leadership.

-         (Phil 4:13) – I can do all things through Christ

-         condition your mind on the promises of God.- Then you will have peace- (Phil 4:4-9)

 

3. Waited upon the Lord :- (Is 40:31)

-         stood for the Lord- submission –(Heb 4:16)

 

             4.Worshipped the Lord :-

-         praising & thanking through songs & music

-         exalting God’s Holiness- for who He is

-         Thou art worthy “He remain, never changes.

 

              5.Trusted in the Lord :-

-         He is faithful, He’ll fight, He’ll be with them

-         He promised, proved, planned, He perfects. (Ps 118:8-9; Prov 3:5-6)

 

              6.Obeyed the Word of the Lord :- John 1:7-8

-         did as He told, allowed God to work.

-         Without complaints, doubts, murmurs etc.

 

             7.Continued Praising God :- Berachah (Hab 3:17-19; Ps 118:15)