Crossroads Church of God, Lima OH

John 6:35 NIV

John 6:50-51 NIV

• Bread (Jesus) is a necessity

Not an add-on

• Our capacity for heavenly life

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us… like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea.
 

We are far too easily pleased.”

                                                                    - CS Lewis, Weight of Glory

We are too easily pleased

• Miracle

  • Ability to provide

• Passover

  • Power of God

Deuteronomy 18:15 NIV

John 6:14 NIV

• Challenge

John 6:30-31 NIV

John 6:32-33 NIV

• Perpetual giving

John 6:29 NIV

• Believe in the One

  • First attention

  • Simple Prayer

Son of Man.  Matthew 16:13-28, Daniel 7:13-14

Mark 14:61b-64 NIV

• Son of Man

  • Human Being

Psalm 8:4 NIV

  • Divine Ruler/Judge

Daniel 7:13-14 NIV

• Implications

  • Jesus has authority

Our commitment to Jesus can stand on no other foundation than a recognition that he is the one who knows the truth about our lives and our universe. It is not possible to trust Jesus in matters where we do not believe him to be competent… Can we seriously imagine that Jesus could be Lord if he were not smart?  If he were divine, would he be dumb? Or uninformed? Once you stop to think about it, how could he be what we take him to be in all other respects and not be the best informed and most intelligent person of all, the smartest person who ever lived?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                           - Dallas Willard

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NIV

  • Jesus gives perspective

Romans 8:18 NIV

  • Way of grace is through surrender

• Practices of Surrender

  • Meditate on Colossians 1:15-20

  • Silent release

John 1:29-34 NIV

Baptize

   •  Bapto vs Baptizo

   • Dark to Light

John 1:4-5 NIV

  • Born Again

John 3:5-6 NIV

  • Vine and Branches

John 15:4 NIV

Holy Spirit

  • Convicts us

John 16:8 NIV

  • Points us to Jesus

John 14:26 NIV

  • Empowers the believer for Kingdom life

Acts 1:8 NIV

Transformation is worked out in our everyday life

Romans 12:1-2 MSG

  • Our decisions matter

  • Our character matters

Fixing our attention

  • Breath Prayer

Inhale: I won't lose heart

Exhale: You are renewing me

  • Prayer of Examen

Become aware of God’s presence

Give thanks

Review your day

Face your shortcomings/celebrate your fruit

Look forward to tomorrow

Lamb of God

John 1:29-30 NIV

• World
• Sin
• Takes Away
• Lamb of God
• Implications for our life
• Faith in Jesus produces hope
• Invites humble authenticity

Romans 8:1 NIV

• Possibility of change

O Lamb of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

O Lamb of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

O Lamb of God, grant me Your peace.

• Scripture Mediation

1 Corinthians 15:17-19 NI V

Implications if Christ is NOT raised

• Faith has no power

• You are still in your sins

• The dead in Christ are lost

• Christian life is pitiful and purposeless

"I didn't become a Christian because God promised I would have an even happier life than I had as an atheist.  He never promised any such thing. Indeed, following him would inevitably bring divine demotions in the eyes of the world. Rather, I became a Christian because the evidence was so compelling that Jesus really is the one-and-only Son of God who proved his divinity by rising from the dead. That meant following him was the most rational and logical step I could possibly take.”    - Lee Strobel, Case for Christ
 

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 NIV

Implications because Christ IS raised

• Faith has power for today

• Forgiveness is guaranteed

• Dead in Christ are more alive

The resurrection means the worst thing is never the last thing!    - Frederick Buechner

• Christian life is full of purpose

1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV

Isaiah 55:8 NIV

Incompatible?

• Un-spectacular
• Seen as a curse
• Emphasizes the suffering of Christ

Hebrews 4:15 NRSV

Implications

• Boast in our weaknesses

2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV

• Changes our prayer
• Kingdom priority living

"What if our real identity is unceasing spiritual beings and our true home is the kingdom of heaven?  What if our main reason for being here is to experience life as a transforming friendship with God, daily learning how to reign and rule with God forever?Jesus’ central message did seem to be that our true culture is the kingdom and it’s time to come back home, right here and now.  He’s looking for people willing to resist earthly rhythms… That is what Christianity is all about."

- Gary Moon, Apprenticeship with Jesus, p.52

John 12:20-32 NIV

FOUR KEY TERMS:

• Lifted up

John 3:14-15 ESV

• Glorify

• Hour

• Grain of wheat

Colossians 2:13-15 NIV

• Made alive in Christ

Revelation 5:9, 12 NIV

• Death of Jesus is the victory
• Battle is against the evil one

Ephesians 6:12 ESV

• Implications of the victory
• Live free from shame
• Eliminates fear

John 16:33 NIV

Week 3: Nothing Separated

Matthew 27:45-54 NIV

Jesus Experience Forsakenness

Isaiah 6:5 ESV

Isaiah 59:1-2 NIV

Amos 8:9-10 NIV

Eliminates our Separation

Romans 8:1 NIV

Week 2: Ransom

Mark 10:45 NIV

1 Timothy 2:5-6 NIV

• Release

• Exchange

 • Voluntary
 

John 10:11, 18 NIV
 

• Costly

2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV

1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV

• Worth

• Ownership

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NIV