Crossroads Church of God, Lima OH

Philippians 2:1-11 NIV

Quote by CS Lewis, Mere Christianity, Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.

Quote by Dallas Willard, Spirit of the Disciplines, Secrecy rightly practiced enables us to place our public relations department entirely in the hands of God…We allow him to decide when our deeds will be known and when our light will be noticed.

Humility and Other-Centeredness

            Surrendered to the agenda of God

            Faithful in the small things

            See the dignity of others

            Receive the goodness of God

Practice of Secrecy

Philippians 1:27-30 NIV

Living as Citizens of Heaven

            Stand firm in the Spirit

            Strive together

            Life of confidence, not fear        

Philippians 1:3-11 NIV

Philippians 1:5-6 NIV

Christian Community Matters

• Paul remembers
• He remembers with joy
• Desire for other’s growth
• Cultivates gratitude
• Centered on Jesus

Acts 2:1-8, 12 NIV

John 14:16-17 ESV

Galatians 5:22-23, 25 ESV

Presence of God for the Purposes of God

            Guides us into truth

            Intercedes/helps us

            Brings out the best in us

            Power to be witnesses of Jesus

Acts 1:8 NIV

Cooperating with the Holy Spirit

            Gathering with God’s people

            Listen for the movement

            Willingness to obey

If the resurrection is true, Jesus is worthy of our full devotion.

Revelation 5 NIV

Our Actions

               A Humble Life

               A Generous Life

               A Compassionate Life

Our Verbal Witness

               Songs of Adoration

               Words of Encouragement

               Point others to Jesus

John 14:1-3, 27 NIV

“God’s plan for heaven is a resurrected life in a resurrected body, with the resurrected Christ on a resurrected earth.” – Randy Alcorn, Heaven

“As He spoke, He no longer looked to them like a lion; but the things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” – CS Lewis, The Last Battle

Revelation 21:1-6 NIV

What is missing?

               No more sea

               No more decay

               No more temple

Romans 6:5 NIV 

What is there?

               Intimate presence of God

               Us, in resurrected bodies

               New city

               Purpose in the present

Importance of Apprenticeship

Inroads to the community

A place to experience belonging

Invitation to be involved…

               Attendance

               Invitation

               Giving

Hebrews 4:12 NIV

Matthew 22:37-40 NIV

Matthew 5:19a NIV

Matthew 4:4 NIV

Scripture is Reliable

What Jesus said about Scripture:

               Primacy of loving God

               Scripture is authoritative

               Scripture guides us to life

               Scripture points to Jesus

John 5:39-40 NIV

The best way to hear God speak is to spend regular time reading, studying and meditating on His Word.  God speaks through the Bible in clear, understandable language.  The first step in knowing God's will for your life is to carefully obey every revelation of His that you find in the Bible. – Henry Blackaby

What Jesus believed about Scripture:

               God’s speech to us

               It is alive and active

               Scripture is transformative

Things to take with us:

               Pray the Psalms (see journal)

               Dwell App

               Approach Scripture with humility

John 14:2-11, 16-18, 26-27 NIV

Matthew 7:24-27 NIV

Jesus’ Words Are Trustworthy

If the resurrection is real...

We can trust what Jesus claimed about himself.

We can also trust what Jesus taught about abundant life.

We can not only trust what Jesus claimed about himself.

We can not only trust what Jesus taught about abundant life.

We can act on what Jesus taught.

If the resurrection is real (and it is)

THEN

We can not only trust what Jesus claimed about himself.

We can not only trust what Jesus taught about abundant life.

We CAN put his teaching into practice

2 Corinthians 4:14-18 NIV…

"Until our thoughts of God have found every visible thing and event glorious with his presence, the word of Jesus has not yet fully seized us.” - Dallas Willard

Hope For Newness

Goodness of God’s presence

Foundation of hope

Life of joy

Romans 8:11 NIV

Practices to live as resurrection people

            Count your blessings

            Pray the Psalms

            Practice rejoicing