Luke 19:1-10 NIV

• Jesus’ actions reveal his authority- He does what He wants to, where He wants to, how He wants to, for whomever He wants to do it.

• Jesus’ actions reveal his kindness- why he does it, when he does it, even though he doesn’t have to do it. 

Jesus personally invites the most unlikely and undeserving people into His presence and He uses the church to extend that same life-changing invitation today. 

Invitations tell us we are special

• Notice that Jesus adds Zacchaeus to his agenda by naturally seeing him along his way. Yes he supernaturally may have known his name but it was a natural sight of a man in an odd position-that grabbed our Lord's attention. 

• Who might possibly be in the odd positions in our spaces?  Zacchaeus did not deserve Jesus but Jesus responded not to what Zacchaeus deserved but what he desired. 

• What are some signs people display that show curiosity or openness? 

• Jesus’ ability to make this man feel special is the power of an invitation and invitations have weight depending on who is giving it and to where they are inviting you. (If Shawn invites me a charger game—hard pass)

• Your invitation matters because you have the impact power to make people feel special, you are the salt and light of the earth. You have the flavor, you got that juice, you carry the Spirit of God!

• This is why we do invites to an event, to a bible study, to a growth group or to a Sunday Service. We know in these spaces God moves and on Sundays we know the powerful life changing message of Jesus Christ will be preached!

• Remember your transformation, how did God transform your life and how does he continue to transform your life, is it not through invitations where divine opportunity awaits. Let’s Go!

Invitations lead to knowing God’s truth

We invite others to hear and know the truth of God and the truth about themselves. 

• Colossians 4:2-6 NIV

• We pray for others, we are watchful for an open door, and we say the truth with grace and flavor. 

1.  God’s Design
: “God created us to know Him, to love Him, and to rule over creation under His authority. We were supposed to be under God but over everything else. We were supposed to rule over creation under the guidance and authority of God’s Word. And God gave Adam a command and promised him life if he kept it and death if he didn’t.

2.  Our Rebellion
: But Adam rebelled, and every one of us has followed for everyone born from that man inherited that man's sin nature. This is why our world is broken for we all have sin in our genes, we all fall short of God’s holy standard. We’re guilty, spiritually dead, separated from God, and under His just judgment. No amount of good works can fix it—the penalty is death, and we owe it.

3.  God’s Rescue: 
Here’s the good news: God loved us so much that He sent His perfect Son, Jesus—fully God, fully man, born of a virgin, so he’s sinless not connected to sin like the rest of us. He lived the life we should have lived-righteously fulfilling God’s commands and died the death we deserved. On the cross, He took God’s wrath and paid for our sins with His blood. Then He rose from the dead, proving everything He said is true and that the debt is fully paid.

4.  The Only Way
: Jesus said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’ There is no other Savior, no other path. It’s Jesus or nothing. More than a belief that he existed it is a firm conviction to trust and follow him. 

5.  Your Response: So what must you do? Repent and believe. Repent means to turn away from ruling your own life.  Believe meaning put your full trust in Jesus alone as your Savior (who died for you) and your King (who deserves to lead you).
When you do that, God forgives every sin, makes you His child, and gives you eternal life—starting right now.”

As John 1:12 states to all who received him and believed in his name he gave the right to become children of God. 

John 4:1-15

FIVE PRINCIPLES FOR SPIRITUAL CONVERSATIONS

TRANSITION:

“From Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman, I want to give you five practical principles that you can use THIS WEEK

PRINCIPLE #1: START WHERE THEY ARE

“Notice how Jesus begins. He doesn’t launch into a sermon. He doesn’t hand her a tract. He asks for a drink of water!

John 4:7 

Jesus started with something natural, something she could relate to. He met her at her point of need—she had water, He was thirsty.

Start conversations where people already are. Talk about their job, their family, their struggles, their interests. Find common ground.

1 Corinthians 9:22

Don’t be weird. Don’t be pushy. Just be HUMAN. Build a bridge through genuine interest and conversation.”

“Ask questions! People love talking about themselves. ‘

• How’s your family?’ 
• ‘What do you do for work?’ 
• How were you raised spiritually 
• ‘How are you handling all the stress in the world right now?’

PRINCIPLE #2: CREATE CURIOSITY

“Once Jesus has her attention, watch what He does:

John 4:10

He didn’t force the conversation. He INTRIGUED her. He made her curious. She had to ask, ‘What are you talking about? What is this living water?’

• You don’t have to explain the entire gospel in 30 seconds. You don’t have to argue or debate. Just create curiosity.
• Share your story in a way that makes people want to know more.
• Tell story about Charlene 

1 Peter 3:15

Did you catch that? WHEN they ask. Create curiosity, and they’ll ASK!”

PRINCIPLE #3: GO FROM PHYSICAL TO SPIRITUAL

Jesus is a master at this. He takes something physical—water—and turns it into something spiritual.

John 4:13-14 

He’s saying, ‘You’re focused on physical water, but I’m offering you something that satisfies your SOUL.’

• Listen for spiritual hunger underneath physical conversations.
• Someone says, ‘I’m so stressed at work.’ → You can say, ‘I used to feel that way until I found peace in my relationship with God.’
• Someone says, ‘I’m so lonely.’ → You can say, ‘I’ve learned that only God can fill that hole in our hearts.’
• Someone says, ‘I feel like my life has no purpose.’ → You can say, ‘That’s exactly how I felt before I discovered God’s plan for my life.’
• Every physical need points to a deeper spiritual need. Jesus knew that. And He gently moved the conversation from surface level to soul level.”

PRINCIPLE #4: BE HONEST ABOUT SIN—BUT WITH COMPASSION

• “This is where a lot of Christians mess up. We either avoid talking about sin altogether, or we come across as judgmental and harsh.
• Talk about your struggle with sin… Some of the peace and victory you have seen.

"Your mess can become your message, and your test can become your testimony."

Watch how Jesus handles it:

John 4:16-18

Jesus is DIRECT. He doesn’t sugarcoat her sin. But notice His tone—He’s not condemning her. He’s revealing her need for a Savior.

• Don’t avoid talking about sin, but speak the truth in LOVE.
• Ephesians 4:15
• “Here’s the secret: Jesus didn’t bring up her sin to SHAME her—He brought it up to SHOW her she needed the living water only HE could provide.
• When you talk about sin, always point to the SOLUTION: Jesus.”

PRINCIPLE #5: MAKE IT PERSONAL—REVEAL JESUS

• “The woman keeps trying to make the conversation theoretical. She wants to debate theology and argue about where to worship.
• But Jesus brings it back to HIM:

John 4:25-26

Boom. There it is. ‘I’m the one you’re looking for. I’m the answer to your search.’

• At some point in the conversation, you have to make it about JESUS.
• Not religion. Not church. Not rules. JESUS.

Acts 4:12 

“Your testimony is powerful. Tell them what Jesus has done in YOUR life. Not in a preachy way, but in a personal, authentic way.

‘Let me tell you how Jesus gave me purpose when I felt worthless.’

‘Let me tell you how Jesus forgave me when I thought I was too far gone.’

Revelation 12:11 says we overcome ‘by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of [our] testimony.’”

1 Timothy 2:1-7 NIV

1. PRAY WITH BOLDNESS

1 Timothy 2:3-4 - "This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth."

• God wants ALL people to be saved

• Your prayers matter more than you think

• Don't apologize for praying big prayers

• God's will is for everyone to know Him

• Free will/predestination debates 

• Who’s your one and prayer event

• "If it's worth praying about, it's worth praying boldly about."

• "Never pray small prayers to a big God."

Luke 11:9 - "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

• Jesus taught us to keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking

Luke 18:1-8 - The Parable of the Persistent Widow

• Don't give up on people God hasn't given up on

Colossians 4:2 - "Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful."

• Breakthrough often comes right before we want to quit

• "The devil's favorite time to attack is right before your breakthrough."

• "Quitting on prayer is quitting on people."

1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Pray continually"

• "Persistent prayer proves you really believe."

"Monica's 30-Year Prayer"

In the 4th century, there was a mother named Monica who had a son living a wild, rebellious life. He was brilliant but arrogant, involved in a cult-like religious group, living with a woman he wasn't married to, and wanted nothing to do with Christianity.

For 30 years, Monica prayed for her son. Every single day. Through tears. Through disappointment. When he moved to another city to get away from her nagging, she prayed. When he seemed to get worse instead of better, she prayed. Friends told her to give up. But she wouldn't quit.

One day, a bishop saw her weeping and praying again. He said, "Woman, go your way. It is not possible that the son of so many tears should perish."

That son's name was Augustine. He became one of the greatest Christian leaders in history—St. Augustine of Hippo. His writings have influenced Christianity for 1,600 years.

Application: "Don't you dare give up on your 'one.' Monica prayed for 30 years. How long have you been praying? 30 days? 30 weeks? Keep going. Your breakthrough may be closer than you think."

2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise... not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

• Pray for softened hearts, not just changed circumstances

• Pray for divine appointments and conversations

• Pray for Christians to cross their path

Acts 16:14 - "The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul's message"

• Pray that spiritual blindness would be lifted (lead to next bullet point)

2 Corinthians 4:4 - Pray that "the god of this age" won't blind their minds

Colossians 4:3-4 - "Pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message"

• "Pray for the harvest, not just the weather."

Ezekiel 36:26 - "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh."

• "Random prayers get random results."

• "Aim your prayers like arrows, not shotguns."

Mark 11:24 - "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

• Believe God is working even when you can't see it

2. PRAY WITH PERSISTENCE
3. PRAY WITH PURPOSE
4. PRAY WITH EXPECTATION

Romans 1:16

Colossians 2:13–15

1.  The Gospel has the power to bring life to the dead.

“When you were dead in your sins… God made you alive with Christ”.

-         Paul begins with our condition.  We are separated from God and spiritually dead.  Sin is not just a bad thing we do, not just an obstacle between God and us, no it is spiritual death. Because of that we don’t just need resuscitation we need resurrection!

2.  The Gospel has the power to forgive all our sins

“He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness”

Our Debt

• Every sin is a spiritual debt — a legal record that stood against us.

• The “charge” (Greek: cheirographon) refers to a written IOU, a debt we could never repay.

b. God’s Grace

• Jesus “canceled” our debt — the term means “to wipe out completely.”

• How? “He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.”

• Every accusation, every shameful act, every failure was placed on Him.

3.  The Gospel has the power to triumph over evil

“And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross”.

a. The Defeat of Darkness

• “Powers and authorities” refers to demonic forces, spiritual rulers, and systems opposed to God.

• At the cross, it looked like Jesus was defeated — but in truth, the enemy was disarmed.

b. The Victory of the Cross

• In Roman times, a victorious general paraded his conquered enemies in public.

• Paul says Jesus did that spiritually — He turned the cross, an instrument of shame, into a throne of victory.

1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19

Let me speak the truth in love right out of the gate this morning.  Or put another way, let me address the “pink elephant” before we even get started.”

1. This morning’s message is about Generosity/Giving.  Just giving you a heads up.  The topics of stewardship, giving, and generosity are central in Scripture.   My convicti tv on:   it’s spiritual malpractice for pastors NOT to preach/teach on this topic.  My story…I received “master class” ministry training when I was in my early twenties from an incredibly gifted Pastor/Mentor who loved to help people develop the gift of GIVING.

2. Jami and I are lifelong tithers and givers.  So everything I’ll share with you today are spiritual disciplines and habits we have practiced for decades in our lives. Truth be known, it’s a source of tremendous JOY.

3.  Stay open to the possibility that God wants you to “put on” a new mindset about Generosity.  Meaning:  Living from an “abundance” mindset is so much greater than a “scarcity” mindset.  I love this wisdom from Proverbs “Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything.  The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” -Proverbs 11:24-25

Background/Context

Ephesians 6:10-20

1. THE BATTLE IS REAL, BUT IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

Your real enemy isn't your boss, your ex, or your circumstances—it's much more dangerous than that."

• We modern people are too materialistic to believe in spiritual warfare, yet too superstitious to deny that evil exists. We sense something is wrong but misidentify the enemy.

• The enemy wants you to fight the wrong battles

• We exhaust ourselves fighting people instead of praying.

• We blame circumstances instead of recognizing spiritual opposition

• We try self-help solutions for spiritual problems

"You can't fight a spiritual battle with physical weapons."

This is why all our cultural solutions—therapy, politics, education, technology—while good in themselves, never quite deliver the peace and transformation they promise. They're addressing symptoms, not the disease.

"You can't win a spiritual war with a worldly weapon."

APPLICATION: Stop blaming people for problems that have spiritual roots.

1. DON'T TALK ABOUT IT, PUT IT ON!

13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13

Notice Paul doesn't say "forge your armor" or "earn your armor." He says, "Put on” God's armor. This is grace. Christianity isn't about making yourself strong enough for battle; it's about clothing yourself in Christ's strength.

• The Belt of Truth (v. 14a)

• “Truth isn't just something you believe—it's something that holds everything else together."

• Jesus Is the Truth, Put on the Gospel! His perfect life, Atoning death, and resurrection

• The Belt Holds the Armor Together

• The Breastplate of Righteousness (v. 14b)

• Your heart is protected not by your goodness, but by His."

• This is not your righteousness. Put on Jesus' righteousness.

• Shoes of the Gospel of Peace (v. 15)

• You can't stand firm if you don't know where you stand."

• Roman soldiers wore special boots with hobnails for traction. The gospel gives us traction in slippery circumstances—we're stable because we know we're loved, forgiven, and secured by grace.

• You also need these to march. Can you follow your orders from the master?

• The Shield of Faith (v. 16)

• "Faith doesn't make the arrows disappear—it keeps them from destroying you."

• Flaming arrows" are doubts, temptations, accusations

• Distractions from the main thing

• The Helmet of Salvation (v. 17a)

• "What you think about your salvation determines how you live."

• Your head (your mind, your thoughts) must be protected) Rom 12:2

• Assurance of salvation keeps you from despair and pride.

Without this helmet, every failure makes you think you've lost your salvation, and every success makes you think you've earned it. The helmet reminds you: you're saved by grace, kept by grace, and will be glorified by grace.

• The Sword of the Spirit (v. 17b)

• "The only offensive weapon God gives you is His Word."

• Jesus defeated Satan with Scripture (Matthew 4)

In our culture, we think arguments, protests, and power moves change things. But God says His Word, spoken in the Spirit's power, is what advances His kingdom. We've traded the sword for pop psychology and cultural commentary—and wonder why we're losing ground.

1. WE PUT IT ON THROUGH PRAYER

"Wearing the armor isn't enough—you must stay connected to the Commander."

Paul ends this armor passage not with "Now go fight!" but with "Pray constantly." Why? Because the armor isn't magic—it represents our relationship with Christ. Prayer is how we stay connected to the power source.

• Paul asks for prayer himself

• "If Paul needed prayer support, what makes you think you can fight alone?"

• Prayerless Christians are like soldiers who show up to battle but never talk to their commanding officer."

4. IT MUST BE RECEIVED

Ephesians 4:17-24

I. You Have Been Taught Better (v. 20-21)

“That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ” Ephesians 4:20

A. Learning Christ vs. Learning About Christ

•Paul says we “learned Christ” - not just facts, but a person

•Christianity is encountering Jesus, not adopting a moral system

• Truth isn’t a system to master; truth is a person to know. And knowing Jesus changes everything.

•The gospel itself contains the power for transformation

B. The Truth That Is in Jesus

•“As the truth is in Jesus” - a crucial phrase

•Truth isn’t abstract principle; it’s embodied in a person

•The reality of who Jesus is and what He’s done changes everything

Transition to point 2

“to be made new in the attitude of your minds; “ Ephesians 4:23

A. Put Off the Old Self REMOVAL(v. 22)

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

•The “old self” corrupted by deceitful desires

•Not gradual improvement but decisive break

•ITS REMOVING YOUR GRAVE CLOTHES

Key Question: What does this mean practically?

•Not self-improvement through willpower alone

•Recognizing the old identity is dead (Romans 6)

•We’re not trying to become Christians; we already are

B. Be Renewed in the Spirit of Your Mind  RENEWAL(v. 23)

to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 

•The often-overlooked middle step

•Renewal is passive voice - something done to us

•The mind must be transformed by gospel truth

The Pattern or renewing the mind

•Our behaviors flow from beliefs

•Wrong behaviors come from functional beliefs that oppose the gospel

•Lasting change requires exposing and replacing false beliefs with gospel truth

• You become like whatever you think about most.

• If you want to change your habits, change what you feed your mind.

• You can’t control what pops into your head, but you can control what stays there.

• Your thoughts become your actions. Your actions become your character.

Example Application:

•If struggling with anxiety: What am I believing about God’s control or care?

•If struggling with anger: What am I treating as ultimate that only God should be?

•Gospel renewal means letting God’s truth reshape our deepest assumptions

C. Put On the New Self Replacement(v. 24)

and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

•Created to be like God - our true destiny

•“Righteousness and holiness” - not earned but received

•Like putting on new, clean garments of identity

Gospel Connection: Before we can “put off” or “put on” anything, we must first understand what Christ has done for us. Moralism says “try harder.” The gospel says “you’ve been changed.”
“God’s plan for you isn’t improvement—it’s transformation.
You can’t change your life until you change your thinking.Change is not a moment in time…. It’s a direction you purposely live your life in
II. The Three-Fold Pattern of Gospel Change (v. 22-24)“Real change requires three things: Removal, Renewal, and Replacement.”

1. The reality of the resurrection. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of Christianity. 

b. The resurrection of Jesus is a historical fact. 

c. The resurrection of Jesus informs our view of the future. 

1. The believers response to the resurrection

a. Stand on the truth

b. Stand up for the truth

c. Stand out for the truth 

 Ephesians 2:1-10 NIV

1. YOUR ENEMY HAS A STRATEGY

"You followed the ways of this world" Ephesians 2:2

A. He Uses Cultural Currents

• Satan doesn't need to possess everyone; he just needs to influence the culture

• When the culture moves away from God, people drift with it naturally

• "Satan's greatest victory isn't making people bad - it's making bad things normal in a world that's going the wrong direction."

B. He Makes Wrong Feel Right

• The "ways of this world" feel natural and acceptable

• Peer pressure becomes spiritual pressure

• "When everyone's doing it, it's easy to forget that God isn't."

• Against the grain

His Strategy has worked well! He has deceived and separated all humanity from a relationship with God. (give premise to the Gospel, our SIN)

"The ruler of the kingdom of the air" Ephesians 2:2

A. Satan Is Real and Active

• Not a cartoon character with a pitchfork

• He has authority in the spiritual realm

• His influence is invisible but undeniable

B. Satan Controls the Atmosphere

• The "air" represents the spiritual atmosphere around us

• He influences thoughts, attitudes, and motivations

• "Satan may not control your circumstances, but he's constantly trying to control your perspective on them."

"The spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient" Ephesians 2:2

A. He Works Through Willing People

• Satan uses people who reject God's authority

• Disobedience opens the door to his influence

• Not everyone who opposes you is your enemy - they may be his victim

B. He Creates a Domino Effect

• One person's disobedience affects others

• Sin spreads through relationships and communities

• "Satan doesn't just want to destroy you - he wants to use you to destroy others."

C. Lies He tells

• Did God really say that?

• You don’t matter to him

• You call yourself a Christian?

• You don’t want to look like a religious nut?

2. YOUR ENEMY HAS POWER
3. YOUR ENEMY HAS A TARGET

4. YOUR ENEMY HAD YOU FOOLED

"All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh" Ephesians 2:3

A. We Were All Under His Influence

• Paul includes himself - "all of us"

• Being religious doesn't make you exempt

• We followed our sinful nature naturally

B. We Lived for Self-Gratification

• "Cravings of our flesh and thoughts"

• We were slaves to our appetites and attitudes

You are not a free spirit able to do what you want… You are a slave to your flesh and it never is satisfied

• "Before Christ, we weren't free spirits - we were prisoners who loved our chains."

"4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. "Ephesians 2:4-5

A. God's Love Trumps Satan's Schemes

• The word "But" changes everything

• God's love is greater than our past

• His mercy is richer than our mistakes

B. God's Power Defeats Satan's Plans

• What Satan meant for destruction, God uses for redemption

• "Satan may have had the first word in your life, but God always has the last word."

• God is not concerned about where you have been… He is concerned with where you are going and who, and WHOSE  you are becoming

5. YOUR ENEMY IS NO MATCH FOR GOD

"Satan's power is like darkness - it seems overwhelming until the light shows up. When God says 'But' in your life, it's game over for the enemy."

I. THE CALL FROM THE GRAVE

"When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, 'Lazarus, come out!' The dead man came out..." John 11:43-44a

• Only Christ's voice has power over spiritual death (cf. John 5:25)

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. John 6:44

• Augustine noted: Jesus called Lazarus by name, lest all the dead arise

• Application: Your salvation began with Christ's specific call to you 

• (Give reference to people's lightbulb moment)

• Lazarus heard and obeyed while still dead—this is grace

• Faith is the dead hearing the voice of the living God

• Modern parallel: We respond to Christ while still spiritually bound

"Your grave clothes do not define you—Christ does."

"...his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face." John 11:44b

Theologically: The "old man" that Scripture says we must put off (Eph. 4:22-24)

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24

Practically:

• Habitual sins that once defined us

• Mental patterns formed in spiritual death

• Relational dynamics rooted in selfishness

• Emotional responses shaped by a godless worldview

• We are simultaneously justified and being sanctified

• Already raised, yet still being unbound

• Martin Luther's insight: Simul justus et peccator - at the same time righteous and sinner

The Voice That Raises the Dead

The Response of Faith
II. THE PROBLEM OF THE GRAVE CLOTHES 

What Are Our Grave Clothes?

The Paradox of Christian Experience

Why Don't the Grave Clothes Fall Off Automatically?

1. God's pedagogical purpose - We learn dependence through struggle

   1. The nature of habit - Sin creates neural pathways that require intentional rewiring

   "Every grave cloth once served a purpose in your old life—address the root, not just the fruit."

   1. Community necessity - Others must help us see our blind spots…. 

   Growth Groups, CR, you need this throughout your life if you want to truly take off your grave clothes

   Gospel Turn:

   “Lazarus, COME OUT”

   God is calling you…

   Some of you went back in the tomb, and you're just chilling in your grave clothes, lying around in your cold, dark tomb

   Jesus has called you out of your tomb

   “Faith is the dead hearing the voice of the living God.”
   III The Voice That Raises the Dead