Live Loved With 1 John! The 3rd Sunday of Lent

SERMON NOTES:  

Learning to “Live Loved” is a journey!  1 John is our guide to explore an amazing landscape!

The Fellowship of the Light Trail   (1:5-2:2)

 The Obedience of Love Trail   (2:3-17)      

Opposition Overlook   (2:18-28)

Born of God Basin   (3:1-24)

1 John 3 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

Being “Born of God”:

·         Means we are Loved as the children of God – astonishingly and boldly!

Receiving and believing in Jesus gives us a new identity!

·         Means we do not Love what is “not” of God (namely sin) – astonishingly and boldly!

Do I consider the sin I do as an aberration of my true identity or part of it?

In fact we must continually reject, deny and repulse that persistent stalker – sin – in our thinking and our talking and our doing!

·         Means we do Love God and others – astonishingly and boldly!

1 John 3 16 By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.  

SOLITUDE, SCRIPTURE, PRAYER - GUIDE:  

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend several minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me?  How am I learning to Live Loved?

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Monday – 1 John 3:1-3

Tuesday – 1 John 3:4-6

Wednesday – 1 John 3:7-10

Thursday – 1 John 3:11-15

Friday – 1 John 3:16-19

Saturday – 1 John 3:20-24

Live Loved With 1 John! The 2nd Sunday of Lent

SERMON NOTES:  

Learning to “Live Loved” is a journey!  1 John is our guide to explore amazing connected trails!

1st Trail (1:5-2:2) - The Fellowship of the Light         

2nd Trail (2:3-28) – The Obedience of Love           

·         Vs.3-6 – For John, to know, obey, love, live in, believe and trust, are all relationship synonyms! 
He always sees “obey” in light of “love”!   

1 John 2:3-11 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. 

·         Vs.7-11 – This “old not new yet new not old” command for us to obey is the message which brings us into the “fellowship of the light” with all the implications in our daily living.
 

·         Vs. 12-17 – Rest at “Encouragement” bench before you scale “Not Love” ascent!

1John 2 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 

·         Vs. 18-28 – Observe the warnings and winnings at “Opposition Overlook”

1 John 2  20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 22 Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son.  24 As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. 25 And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

SOLITUDE, SCRIPTURE, PRAYER - GUIDE:  

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend several minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases  you are drawn to & return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me?  How am I learning to Live Loved?

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Monday – 1 John 2:12-14

Tuesday – 1 John 2:15-17

Wednesday – 1 John 2:18-20

Thursday – 1 John 2:21-25

Friday – 1 John 2:26-28

Saturday – 1 John 2:3-28

Live Loved With 1 John! The 1st Sunday of Lent

SERMON NOTES:  

The essence of Life is to “Live Loved”……. Living that way changes everything!

          Learning to “Live Loved” is a journey!  1 John is our guide taking us on a series of trails!

The Prologue:   1 John 1:1-4 – We get this “backpack” to hold all we are given on the journey.

3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. 

The “Live Loved Journey”  1st Trail    -     The Fellowship of the Light

1 John 1:5-2:2 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Living Loved means our sin can’t be ignored!  We deal with it by confessing it and receiving forgiveness.  This is essential to walking in the Fellowship of the Light – but it’s not natural!

The “Live Loved Journey”  2nd Trail   -   The Obedience of Love

1John 2:3-11 5 But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

Living Loved means loving, through obedience, the One who loved us!
Remember, disobedience (and its result) reveals holes in my love for God not His love for me!

SOLITUDE, SCRIPTURE, PRAYER - GUIDE:  

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.

Solitude – Spend several minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… … …Ask, “Holy Spirit, speak to me through your Word!”

Scripture – Read slowly, out loud if possible,  listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases  you are drawn to, return there!  (Sermon notes may help with understanding, but don’t stop there.)

Keep asking, “Jesus, what are You saying?  Why this word this day?

What are You asking me to believe about You and about me? 

How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”

Prayer – Let your conversation with God flow from what He is saying then talk about what you notice is on your heart and also on your list.

Monday - 1 John 1:1-4

Tuesday - 1 John 1:5-10

Wednesday - 1 John 2:1-2

Thursday – 1 John 2:3-8

Friday – 1 John 2:9-11

Saturday – 1 John 1:1-2:11

Joining Jesus On His Mission And In My Transformation Part 3

SERMON NOTES:  

“Joining Jesus” is an invitation for my participation in His Mission and my Transformation!

Matthew 11 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Matthew 11  28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

We “Join Jesus” in our Transformation by engaging in “unforced rhythms of grace”!

·         “Engaging in Rhythms” is a freeing and inspiring way to grasp how spiritual formation actually happens in the kingdom of God.

·         Transformation is much more about “training well” than “trying hard”!

·         Spiritual Rhythms are Holy Spirit encounters – making room for God to work in us.

·         Some rhythms are “essential commands” others can be “creative options”!
(Think “together & alone”, “daily & weekly”!)
 

·         What is a great next step for me?

http://www.faithgateway.com/lent-ask-god-what-to-fast

Solitude, Scripture, Prayer – Guide

Find a quiet place and 15 minutes.  Solitude (5) … … …Ask the Holy Spirit to speak!  Scripture (5) Listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to!  Ask, “Jesus, what are You saying?  What are You asking me to believe about You and me?  How do I join You today on Your mission and in my transformation?”…… Pray (5)

 DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Monday:  Matthew 11:25-30
Tuesday:  1 Corinthians 9:24-26
Wednesday:  Psalm 42:1-5
Thursday:  John 14:23-27
Friday:  John 15:5-8
Saturday:  Psalm 95

Joining Jesus On His Mission And In My Transformation Part 2

SERMON NOTES:  

“Joining Jesus” – is His invitation for my participation in His Mission and my Transformation!

Matthew 11 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11  28-30 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Romans 12 1-2 So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

“Joining Jesus” Helps:

·         Joining Jesus is not natural ….it’s faith.

·         As Jesus invites me to join Him every day in my transformation I will have to deal with the competing invitations of rebellion and resignation.

·         Joining Jesus in transformation takes effort….. which is different than earning!

·         What do I need to believe about Jesus and myself in order to join Him in changing me!

·         Daily and weekly spiritual rhythms create space in our lives for God to do His work. 

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Monday:  Matthew 11:25-30
Tuesday:  Romans 8:1-4
Wednesday:  Romans 8:5-11
Thursday:  Romans 8:12-17
Friday:  Romans 8:22-27
Saturday:  Romans 8:28, 31-39

Joining Jesus On His Mission And In My Transformation

SERMON NOTES:  

“Joining Jesus”   -   an idea and an invitation!        

Matthew 4. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 11 27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Actually Joining Jesus means taking the steps of faith in responding to Jesus’ initiative!

            What does it mean for me to Join Jesus on His Mission?

            What does it mean for me to Join Jesus in my Transformation?

                        Remember, grace is not opposed to effort …… it’s opposed to earning!

                        As Jesus invites me to join Him every day in my transformation I will have to deal with the competing invitations of rebellion and resignation.    

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Monday:  Matthew 4:18-22
Tuesday:  Matthew 11:25-30
Wednesday:  Romans 12:1-2
Thursday:  Colossians 3:12-17
Friday:  Philippians 2:12-18
Saturday:  Psalm 84

He Wins! Part 2

SERMON NOTES:  

Matthew 3-4   17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”  4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you,  and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. 

We live in a world at war and Jesus invaded enemy territory on a rescue mission!

Satan’s primary strategy (with Jesus and with us) is to create doubt:

·         that by faith in Jesus I am given a new “child of God” identity!

·         whether my Father in heaven is good and for me!

·         so I will take matters into my own hands …… justifying myself along the way!

Jesus, what is going on in me when I return to my default which is doubt instead of trust?

Jesus, how can I order my life so that trust is fed and doubt is starved?               

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Monday:  John 1:6-13
Tuesday:  Ephesians 6:10-13
Wednesday:  Ephesians 6:14-20
Thursday:  Colossians 1:9-18
Friday: Colossians 3:1-11
Saturday:  Psalm 130

He Wins! Part 1

SERMON NOTES:  

We have and an amazing capacity and propensity to doubt!   This is not good!

But it is so natural for us to live in doubt and promote doubt-full living for ourselves and others.

And to make matters worse we have a vicious enemy that knows it.

Matthew 3-4   17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”  4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you,  and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”
7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

We live in a world at war and Jesus invaded enemy territory on a rescue mission!

Satan’s primary strategy is to create doubt in our identity as a child of God through Jesus!
Implications? 

How does Jesus help?              

DAILY SCRIPTURE READINGS:

Monday:  Matthew 4:1-11
Tuesday:  Revelation 12:1-9
Wednesday:  Revelation 12:10-17
Thursday:  1 Peter 5:6-11
Friday:  James 4:1-10
Saturday:  Psalm 77