WHY SERIES OCTNOV 2017 // WK 3 SUN OCT 15
HOW DOES TRANSFORMATION WORK?
SUN OCT 15 - TRANSFORMATION // Cafe Church ‘Spit Roast’ 6pm
“TIME” - JESUS “He grew n statue with God and man
BIG IDEA - “God’s timing is perfect, stay in tune with His unforced rhythms of grace
CC APPLICATION - “Be aware of the season God has you in and embrace it.”
INTRO:
Quick Recap: TURN TO LUKE 2:41
Leading on from last two weeks… Understanding ‘The Why?’… Last week we looked at the mission statement for Cross Central. By way of recap, it’s important that we know what that is… “To glorify God through lives transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit”… and then to understand that that statement is within the context of the fact and truth that God does not have a mission for the church, but rather He has a church for His mission…
Summary into next part of teaching series:
Our first two weeks was to lay down the frame work for what we want to continue to teach in our series… 1) THE IMPORTANCE OF KNOWING OUR WHY (Personally and specifically as Cross Central 2) WE ARE ON MISSION TOGETHER (Each of us have a part to play in what God has called us to as a local church).
As we continue this teaching series, our focus will be around the part of our mission that talks about TRANSFORMATION… “To glorify God through lives TRANSFORMED by the gospel of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Every Sunday we preach the Good News from Scripture…both Old Testament and New Testament.
Daily we each have the opportunity to hear and follow the leading of God’s Holy Spirit (tonight Nic will be sharing about a spiritual discipline that can help each us in hearing from God and His Word…)
Over the next 6 weeks we will be looking at different people in The Bible and how their lives teach us about TRANSFORMATION…
TODAY:
We begin today by looking at Jesus and a part of His life on earth that speaks to us about an important dynamic of TRANSFORMATION:
BIG IDEA - “God’s timing is perfect, stay in tune with His unforced rhythms of grace
CC APPLICATION - “Be aware of the season God has you in and embrace it.”
LET’S READ:
The Boy Jesus in the Temple
LUKE 2
SLIDE // 41Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem.
SLIDE // His parents did not know it, 44but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him.
SLIDE // 46After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him,
SLIDE // “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” 49And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?”
SLIDE // 50And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart.
SLIDE // 52And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.
SLIDE // TRANSFORMATION OCCURS OVER TIME AND HAS SEASONS
WE LIVE IN A CULTURE OF THE INSTANT WORLD WE WANT EVERYTHING NOW… IT TAKES TIME AND REQUIRES SEASONS!!
SLIDE // JESUS INCREASED…GRAPHIC
This is incredible because God limited Himself to the confines of humanity.
His OMNISCIENCE
His OMNIPOTENCE
His OMNIPRESENCE
All this was set aside… and He had to experience for the first time the need to grow..advance…the drive to move forward…grow…persevere… THIS IS AMAZING!!
SLIDE // LUKE 2:52 “And Jesus increased in in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man
TODAY WE WILL LOOK AT
3 AREAS JESUS INCREASED IN AND… AND THE
2 SPHERES OF RELATIONSHIP THAT HE REVEALED THIS TRANSFORMATION IN…
INCREASED - PROKOPTO
To drive forward (as if by beating), i.e. (figuratively and intransitively) to advance (in amount, to grow; in time, to be well along):- increase, proceed, profit, be far spent…
SLIDE // JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM - SOPHIA
EXP: the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement; the quality of being wise.
Jesus had to learn through experience and the acquisition of knowledge.
TRANSFORMATION REQUIRES WE INCREASE IN EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE, AND GOOD JUDGEMENT...
JESUS INCREASED IN WISDOM...HE WAS PERFECT
Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
FOR US...
WISDOM comes from GOOD JUDGEMENT... G.J comes from EXPERIENCE... E comes from BAD JUDGMENT
ILL:
Wisdom takes time and seasons... Jesus grew in wisdom and so He calls us to follow His lead...
James gives us this encouragement and comfort...
James 1:5-8 (ESV)
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
APP:
A great spiritual discipline is to spend a month reading a proverb a day... 31 Chapters...
Proverbs 1:1-4 (ESV)
The Beginning of Knowledge
1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
2 To know wisdom and instruction,
to understand words of insight,
3 to receive instruction in wise dealing,
in righteousness, justice, and equity;
4 to give prudence to the simple,
knowledge and discretion to the youth
TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS AS WE INCREASE IN WISDOM OVER TIME... LEARNING FROM OUR MISTAKES...EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE...
SLIDE // JESUS INCREASED IN STATURE - HELIKIA (Maturity)
EXP: Growing up and developing rather than growing old and decreasing
JESUS WAS APPRENTICED... HIS STEP DAD TAUGHT HIM THE TRADE...
TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS AS WE MATURE. OVER TIME WHEN WE SIT UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF A QUALIFIED MENTOR...
ILL:
Titus 2:2-8 (ESV)
2 Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. 3 Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4 and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. 6 Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. 7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
APP:
AM I GROWING IN STATURE...AM I IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIPS?
Proverbs 18:1-2 (ESV)
1 Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.
2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.
SLIDE // JESUS INCREASE IN FAVOUR - CHARIS
EXP:
THE WORD FOR FAVOUR IS THE GREEK... CHARIS
(Graciousness of manner or act, joy, liberality, pleasure, divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in life, including gratitude)
THE MORE WE INCREASE IN FAVOUR, THE BIGGER OUR WORLD GROWS BECAUSE PEOPLE WANT TO BE IN IT...THE MORE WE DECREASE IN GRACIOUSNESS, GRATITUDE, INFLUENCE... THE SMALLER OUR WORLD BECOMES...
Jesus always attracted and drew people to Him because He increased in favour...
TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS WHEN, OVER TIME, GRACIOUSNESS... INFLUENCE... GRATITUDE...FAVOUR INCREASES IN OUR LIFE...
ILL:
YOU MIGHT SAY, BUT JESUS WAS PERFECT...I’M A BAD CHRISTIAN AND STRUGGLE WITH SIN IN MY LIFE...
Romans 5:19-20 (ESV)
19 For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. 20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
GROWING IN GRACE REQUIRES CORRECTION AND STABILITY...
Correction in the sense that we keep accountable with godly men/women
Stability in the sense that emotionally and spiritually we grow in staying level and being able to handle stuff in life
2 Peter 3:17-18 (ESV)
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
APP:
HOW IS MY WORLD?? IS THERE TRANSFORMATION HAPPENING BECAUSE OF GODS GRACE INCREASING IN OUR LIFE... OR AM I UNTEACHABLE AND UNSTABLE BECAUSE I’M NOT GROWING IN FAVOUR...
SLIDE // LUKE 2:52 is our text “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.”
THIS IS TRANSFORMATION WE SEE IN THE LIFE OF JESUS...
THESE 3 AREAS ARE NOT A DESTINATION... THEY ARE ONGOING CONTINUUM ...
WISDOM / STATURE / FAVOUR... where I am today...has to increase as we move forward in life...
Luke 2:52
“And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favour with God and man.”
SLIDE // GOD & MAN
THE 2 SPHERES OF RELATIONSHIP THAT TRANSFORMATION IS REVEALED IN...
JESUS “He grew n statue with God and man
Sometimes I come across people who come out of nowhere and say...
GOD TOLD ME... I then ask...WHO’S IN YOUR LIFE?
Or there are other people who...
GET ON AND CAN TALK FOOTY, PINTREST OR MUSIC...and the question is...WHAT HAS GOD SPOKEN TO YOU ABOUT THIS WEEK??
Jesus wasn’t just spiritual secluded on the mountain... Sinners and societies broken flocked to Him...
Jesus didn’t just hang with the publican and prostitutes, HE dropped knowledge on the religious elite and the church clergy...
TRANSFORMATION IS OUTWORKED IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND WITH OUR COMMUNITY ( Church and town)...
CONCLUSION:
BIG IDEA - “God’s timing is perfect, stay in tune with His unforced rhythms of grace
CC APPLICATION - “Be aware of the season God has you in and embrace it.”
