The Cry for Unity

 Ephesians 4:1-6

The Apostle Paul is answering in Ephesians 4 about the fundamental nature and purpose of the church, and its relationships to the world in which it must live. You will recognize these as pertinent questions of the present hour as well.

We are being told today that the church is irrelevant -a useless appendage to a society which has long outgrown the need for the church.

There are others who say that the church is very much needed in this hour, but it must change its approach if it is going to be meaningful in our generation.

The church does not have the right to chart its own course. Its goal has already been set;
its purpose has been determined by its Lord. Paul puts it this way,

Be Faithful Stewards

(Luke 12:35-48)

Perspective is crucial. A couple who saves prudently now for their children's future education or for their own retirement lives prospectively. That kind of perspective is harder, because it requires faith and counts on events that have not yet occurred. It is very different from living strictly according to present needs and gratification.

Believers know that Jesus is returning and that all will give an account for their stewardship. Jesus gives a series of three images to underline the importance of living prospectively.

1. The parable of being prepared (vv. 35-38),
2. The parable of waiting for the Son of Man (vv. 39-40)
3. The parable of the kinds of stewards (vv. 41-48)

Priesthood

Intro:

In the book of Old Testament, Leviticus, we are learning the great truth which time and again in the course of history seems to be lost and then recovered again

 -- this marvelous truth of the priesthood of every believer in Jesus Christ.

In Lev. Chapter 9,  we saw the results of priesthood.

 When everything was done "as the LORD commanded" the result was a manifestation of the presence of God, a remarkable shining forth of the glory of the Lord.

We concluded with a great scene of triumph.

The Shekinah glory, a radiant cloud of light, suddenly appeared in the midst of the people of Israel and consumed the rest of the sacrifice in a flash of flame. The people, awed and amazed, shouted and fell on their faces, crying out in triumph.

But the amazing thing is that we now move immediately from that scene of triumph into a scene of tragedy. On the very day that this tremendous breakthrough occurred in the camp of Israel,
tragedy strikes and a sudden and shocking manifestation of judgment occurs.

Does Jesus Live in Folsom?

Galatians 5:19-26

What if Jesus came to Folsom, Sacramento? What would he do? What would he say?

Today’s young people by the millions have asked the question through those cloth bracelets with four capital letters: WWJD. What would Jesus do? “Jesus Walks on This Place. Will you meet him this week?” Does he still walk the earth today? Do we think it impossible that Jesus would come to S?

Our passage is a backdoor to the question I am asking.

In Galatians 5:19-26 we are invited to consider two different ways of life. One is called the “acts of the sinful nature” or the “works of the flesh.” It describes what life looks like without God. Or to say it another way, what happens when you decide to go your own way all the time.

The Priestly Blessing

Numbers 6:22-27

22 Then the Lord said to Moses,

23 “Tell Aaron to bless the people of Israel with this special blessing:

24 ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you.

25 May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you.

26 May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.’

27 Whenever Aaron bless the people of Israel  in my name, I myself will bless them.”

The context: Before this blessing is given, the children of Israel are assembled, getting ready to leave on a dangerous journey across the desert.  

What will the people of God doubt in the wilderness?

Many of them were going to die in the wilderness.

assaulted by enemies. face thirst and starvation.

 to face division and dissension.

What are you going to be doing in ETERNITY?

Luke 12:13-21     

What will you be doing 100 years from now ?

             

Everyone of us is going to being doing one of two things 100 years from now.       

Serving the Lord Jesus in all of eternal glory – or

                 Suffering in the tormenting flames of hell.

        For that reason alone – the question I ask is a serious question.

We would rather leave it light & uncertain because that keeps us from the responsibility of having to change & get serious about the here & now.

 But Jesus would say the opposite: We must think about and be concerned with and focus on ETERNITY.

13 someone called, “Teacher, please tell my brother to divide our father’s estate with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Friend, who made me a judge over you to decide such things as that?”

Jesus has a way of getting to the root of problems/the heart of the matter.

100 years from now where would you be?

John 3: 11-17         

-How would you answer that question?

-Obviously we’ll say we’ll be 6 feet under,

-but are we really be dead…if we have a spirit? Where will our spirit go?

-Some people believe they’ll be reincarnated…into a colorful butterfly, a  magnificent eagle soaring up in the air or … a  crawling snake, or cockroaches w/c people dislike …depending on their karma or what they have done in this world….

-Some don’t believe in the afterlife…this life is all there is…and after that they’re gone, nil, nada, that’s it so they eat, drink, & get merry for tomorrow they die.

100 years from now where would you be?

Staying Confident Through Problematic Times

Encouragement in our Life’s Journey

INTRO: Sometimes we need a booster in Life’s Journey

Ex. Of Paul-  Here is a man who has been rejected, ridiculed, beaten down, battered, & criticized. 

2 Cor.11: 23 … I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again.

24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.

25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked.Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea.

26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not.

27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches.

Love God, Love Others

Deuteronomy 5:1-21

The reason most folks struggle with the Ten Commandments is that they have never established a personal relationship with the Author.

It was these commandments that would draw God's people

into conformity with his pure character and

draw other nations around them into his perfect plan of salvation.

1^st  v.7 You shall have no other gods before me.

 In light of that relationship of loyalty to God, we should not worship any created person or being, for that would come between his love for you and your love for him.

If you want to live a life, one that is filled with peace, joy, and wholesomeness, then worship the true Author of life, the one and only living God. Don't give your life over to nongods such as position, power, and possessions. Don't turn to family, friends, networking, psychics, self-help philosophies, new-age philosophies, health and wealth religions, etc.

Fear God not Man

This sermon was preached on July 21, 2013.

(Luke 12:1-12)

The pressure of the Pharisees' example, along with the rise of persecution,

prompts Jesus to warn his disciples about whose opinion they value.

Peer pressure is a given in any culture. The power of those who seek conformity is very strong.

Persecution methods can be strong, controlling and painful.

Economic pressure was also sometimes applied, along with social ostracism.

1. Fear God not man so you won’t live a double life.

Jesus had a very large following. Evidently its size kept increasing.

v.1  ..crowds grew until thousands …“Beware of the yeast…their hypocrisy.

Popularity can breed a desire to remain popular and thus to soften the hard truth of our sinfulness before God.