Church of The Open Door

Getting to Know Jesus

“What Happens When We Get to Know Jesus?”

Luke 4:20-30

Getting to know Jesus is something that we can’t afford to ignore.

We all have misconceptions about Jesus that need to be addressed.

The people of Nazareth had misgivings about Jesus’ identity, mission, and audience.

Identity: Jesus has become a great teacher, but He’s no Messiah.

Mission: Jesus is here to serve our

Audience: Jesus will give special preference to certain people.

Jesus intentionally confronts our misconceptions because He wants to be known by us.

Mission: Jesus came to be crushed so that we could be healed.

Audience: Jesus came for everyone impacted by the curse of sin.

Identity: Jesus is the long awaited Messiah, the savior of the world, and the rightful King over all creation.

Whenever we learn something about Jesus, it’s an invitation to respond to Jesus.

We can reject Jesus and serve ourselves.

We can “surrender” to Jesus on our

We can surrender to Jesus on His

Big Idea: If we’re going to get to know Jesus for who He is, it all starts with surrender.

 

Core CHRISTlike Characteristic: Living Surrendered; Connected to God through Word and Prayer

Learning to Breathe

“Your Spiritual DNA Test”

Romans 8:5-17; Psalm 139:23-24

Who would you rather spend more time with:

God

Jesus

Holy Spirit

 

Romans 8:5-17

Holy Spirit –

Presence

Power

Purposes

 

The Holy Spirit creates in us:

v.5-10 The mind of Christ

v. 11-13 Death defying power

v. 14-17 A new identity

 

How can I see more of the Holy Spirit in my life? Psalm 139:23-24

Read his word

Breakthrough prayer

Shared experiences

 

Ask the Spirit to search you and test you. What has been the everlasting way he has led you to.

 

Share this with a friend.

Learning to Breathe

“The Skill Every Father Needs”

Luke 4:22, Mark 6:2-3, Matthew 1:18-20, John 20:22

Every good father wants his children to surpass him, to do better than him.

3 kinds of fathers:

The self-centered father

Put their wants and needs ahead of everyone else.

The child-centered father

A child raised in a child-centered home, is being trained to be a self-centered person.

The God-centered father

Obey God

Trust God

Live full of the Spirit of God

How do I live full of God’s Spirit? Keep getting filled; practice spiritual breathing.

The skill every father needs to learn and teach his children: to breathe in God’s Spirit to help and strengthen us and to breathe out spiritual toxins that poison us.

Learning to Breathe

“Anointed by the Spirit”

Luke 4:16-18a

Every true Christian has been anointed by the Holy Spirit and set apart by God.

What does anointing mean?

Physically, anointing in the Bible was a ceremonial act of applying olive oil on a person symbolizing being set apart by God.

Spiritually, anointing refers to a particular work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life.

The anointing of the Holy Spirit is to:

Receive God’s power

Represent God’s presence

Respond to God’s promptings

Realize God’s purposes

 

How do I “live in the anointing”?

Live surrendered to the Holy Spirit: practice spiritual breathing.

Breathe in His presence and power.

Breathe out any spiritual toxins.

Be aware and attentive to His leading.

Learning to Breathe

The Fullness of The Spirit and The Power Of The Spirit

For WHAT?

Luke 4:14, 18-19

Introduction:  Why does it even matter?

Three reasons:

To live and grow in the nature, likeness of Christ

Romans 8: 5 - 17, Galatians 5: 13 -26, Ephesians 5:15-20

To be led by the Spirit

Luke 4: 1, Romans 8: 5 - 17, Galatians 5: 13 -26, Ephesians 5:15-20

Two things being led by the Spirit doesn’t mean:

Mechanical

                                                Mystical

It means what we are “full of” is what’s going to influence us, direct us, lead us.

How Do We Do This?

We have to want to be full of the Spirit

We have to have regular rhythms and practices for filling up

We have to practice in the moment

To serve in the power of the Spirit

Luke 4:14, 18-9, Acts 1: 1 - 8, Acts 2 and following

He gives us the fullness of the Spirit so that we can declare and demonstrate the kingdom of God in the power of the Spirit.

Why do we often shy away from the power of the Spirit?

Fear of the unfamiliar

Fear of flakiness and fanaticism

Conclusion:  A point of Clarity and a heartfelt Challenge

Learning to Breathe

“Momentum”

Luke 4:14

What does Luke mean by power?

Power is not something we take hold of, rather, it takes hold of us

We exist within a heavenly power struggle

Witnessing the Spirit’s power:

Israel - Exodus 14:8

Moment:

Momentum:

David - 1 Sam. 16:13

Moment:

Momentum:

Ezekiel - Ezekiel 1:3; 2:1-2

Moment:

Momentum:

Jesus - Luke 4:14 | John 1:19-4:45

Moment:

Momentum:

The Church - Acts 2:1-2

Moment:

Momentum:

You - 2 Timothy 3:5 | Ephesians 3:14-21

Moment:

Momentum:

Source | pray | trust | root | love | fullness ⇨ power

Surrender in each moment leads to Spirit initiated momentum

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

Begin Life Group with prayer - invite the Holy Spirit to speak and move among you.

When you first heard the topic of “power” in the sermon and text, what was or is the first thing that comes to mind? What images, statements, people or movements come to mind when you hear the word “power”?

Compare and contrast the power of God and the power of the devil. Acts 10:38 describes 2 powers at work in the life of Jesus - how are these 2 powers still at war in our lives?

Describe a moment in your life when you experienced the power of God’s Spirit take hold of you. Did that moment lead to momentum of the Spirit’s work in your life? Why / why not?

In observing the Spirit’s power today, which person/people do relate most to and why - Israel, David, Ezekiel, Jesus, the Church?

Review Ephesians 3:14-21. Discuss where you struggle in regards to surrender and pray for each other to be able to submit to the power of God and reject the power of the enemy.

Core CHRIST-like Characteristics:  Connected to God through the Word and prayer, Spirit-led servant, Trustworthy Steward of God’s resources.

Learning to Breathe

“Fueled”

Luke 4:14

 

What did you learn?

What are you going to do about it?

Supporting Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:7, Acts 1:8, Micah 3:8, Romans 15:13;19, Romans 8:11, Galatians 3:3

Learning to Breathe

Luke 4:14

 

Power - the ability to do something or act in a particular way, especially as a faculty or quality.

Peaches - the fruits of the Spirit.

 

People - the good news spreads when we trust God.

LifeGroup Questions: Applying the Teaching to Our Life

What is your favorite fruit?

What fruits of the Spirit would people use to describe you?

What fruits of the Spirit are areas that need growth for you?

Do you trust God?

Who needs to hear you say the name Jesus?

Learning to Breathe

“Led by the Spirit”

Luke 4:1

Watching how the Spirit led Jesus helps us see how the Spirit leads us.

You are led by the Spirit as you live full of the Spirit.

You live full of the Spirit as you breathe in His presence and power.

Jesus lived his daily life full of the Spirit and led by the Spirit:

the Spirit led Jesus in defeating temptation

the Spirit led Jesus to teach

the Spirit led Jesus to a particular Scripture

the Spirit led Jesus in interpreting Scripture

the Spirit led Jesus to preach

the Spirit led Jesus in navigating conflict

the Spirit led Jesus to serve/minister to people

the Spirit led Jesus to pray

the Spirit led Jesus to intentionally evangelize

the Spirit led Jesus to make disciples

Living in close relationship with God is the best way to be led by the Spirit.

Talking with God (prayer and Scripture)

Listening to God (structure your life around prayer and Scripture)

Honoring God (love and obedience)

Practicing Spiritual Breathing

Inhale: “Holy Spirit, breathe into me Your presence; fill me with Your love.”

Exhale: “I confess my self-centeredness/worry/hurt/fear.”

Every follower of Jesus can be led by the Spirit.

Learning to Breathe

“Full of the Spirit”

Luke 4:1

Luke wrote his gospel to give us a clear picture of what Christ was like so as we follow Jesus, we can learn to become like Jesus.

If Jesus lived full of the Spirit, then to be like Him, we need to learn to live full of the Spirit.

We were made to be filled

Physiologically

Relationally

Spiritually

Our design: Saturated with the Holy Spirit

Our sin: seeking substitute fillings

Our need: filled repeatedly and regularly

We were made to live full of God’s Spirit

The Holy Spirit is the Breath of God giving us life

Inhale: Breathe in God’s truth, grace, peace and love

The Holy Spirit is the Presence of God filling our lives

Exhale: Breathe out our sin, worry, hurt and fear

The Holy Spirit is the Power of God helping us live

Convicting, regenerating, sanctifying, empowering, making us more like Christ

If we want to live like Jesus, we need to breathe in the Spirit of Jesus.