Devoted Church

Romans 12:9-10 NLT

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Romans 12:9 TPT

Let the inner movement of your heart always be to love one another, and never play the role of an actor wearing a mask.

Love is a Verb.

We are selfish by nature.

We are good actors when it comes to loving others.

3 Ways to Love Others Well

1. Learn to Listen.

Learning to Listen to others will help us become:

Empathetic

Compassionate

2. Realize you don’t have to be right.

3. Honor Others.

How can we honor one another?

Respect every human because “All People Matter to God”.

Recognize and celebrate one another’s uniqueness.

Highly regard one another with our words when we are not with them personally.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

John 15:12

This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.

John 13:35

“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Romans 12:4-8

4  Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function,  5  so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6  In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.  7  If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.  8  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it

gladly.

Vs. 4 “many parts”

“special functions”

Vs. 5 “we are many parts of one body”

“we all belong to each other”

Vs. 6 “God has given us different gifts”

“for doing certain things well”

“prophesy”

Vs. 7 “serving”

“teacher”

Vs. 8 “to encourage”

“giving”

“leadership”

“kindness”

Romans 12:1-2

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

If people close to you were asked to evaluate you from 1 to 10, what would their score be? ________

We can’t always trust other people’s evaluation of us.

Humility: freedom from Pride or Arrogance

Romans 12:3

3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Proverbs 11:2

Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall.

James 4:6

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Luke 18:9-14

9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Comparison is a dangerous way to evaluate ourselves.

2 Corinthians 10:12

Oh, don’t worry; we wouldn’t dare say that we are as wonderful as these other men who tell you how important they are! But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement. How ignorant!

Psalms 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart;    test me and know my anxious thoughts.Point out anything in me that offends you,    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

6 Questions to ask yourself when you are Evaluating Yourself.

1. Am I spending time with God by reading the Word? ____

2. Am I spending time with God by praying? ______

3. Is there any sin that needs to be dealt with? _____

4. Am I doing Life with Others Believers? ______

5. Am I being honest in my dealings with others? ______

6. Am I making other Disciples? _____

Transformed: make a thorough or dramatic change in the form, appearance, or character of.

Romans 12:1-2

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Four Questions About Romans 12:1-2

1. What Should I Give to God? Everything

I plead with you to give your bodies to God Vs.1

Bodies, Heart, Mouth, Minds, Eyes

2. Why Should I Give Him My All? His Mercy

because of all he has done for you Vs.1

We Give God Everything because of gratitude NOT obligation.

3. What is True Worship? A Living and Holy Sacrifice

Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Vs.1

Worship is so much more than what we do on Sundays.

4. How Does God Transform Us? Our Minds

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Vs.2

“We are perfectly useless as Christians if all we do is conform to the world around us.” John Piper

How Can We Renew Our Mind?

We Have to Change What We Allow in Our Minds.

Philippians 4:8

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Realize It Is the Work of the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:23-24

23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

What Do We Know about Saul?

1. He was a Religious Man.

2. He was a Sincere Man.

3. He was an Enemy of Jesus.

Romans 5:10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son.

5 Truths about How Jesus Changes Us.

Acts 9:1-10

1. He Pursues Us at our Worse.

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. 2 He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

2. His Plan For Us is Different than Our Own.

3 As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”

5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked.

3. He Makes Himself Known to Us.

And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! 6 Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

4. He Gives Us a New Direction.

7 The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone’s voice but saw no one! 8 Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions led him by the hand to Damascus. 9 He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.

5. He Provides New People to Help Us.

10 Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, “Ananias!”

“Yes, Lord!” he replied.

11 The Lord said, “Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. 12 I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again.” But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many terrible things that this man has done to the believers in I’ve Jerusalem! 14 And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name.”

15 But the Lord said, “Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. 16 And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

17 So Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Instantly something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized. 19 Afterward he ate some food and regained his strength.

Lessons from the Early Church and the life of Philip the Evangelist

Acts 8:1-8

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria.

1. Persecution leads to Multiplication

2 (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning.) 3 But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. 4 But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.

2. Everyone Matters to God

5 Philip, for example, went to the city of Samaria and told the people there about the Messiah. 6 Crowds listened intently to Philip because they were eager to hear his message and see the miraculous signs he did. 7 Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

3. Obedience Leads to Changed Lives.

Acts 8: 26-40

26 As for Philip, an angel of the Lord said to him, “Go south down the desert road that runs from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and he met the treasurer of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under the Kandake, the queen of Ethiopia. The eunuch had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and he was now returning. Seated in his carriage, he was reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah.

29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage.”

30 Philip ran over and heard the man reading from the prophet Isaiah. Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”

31 The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.

32 The passage of Scripture he had been reading was this:

“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.

And as a lamb is silent before the shearers,

he did not open his mouth.

33 He was humiliated and received no justice.

Who can speak of his descendants?

For his life was taken from the earth.”

34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, was the prophet talking about himself or someone else?”

4. Jesus is the Message

35 So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus.

36 As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” 38 He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.

5. One More Mentality

39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Meanwhile, Philip found himself farther north at the town of Azotus. He preached the Good News there and in every town along the way until he came to Caesarea.

Matthew 9:35-38

35 Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages of that area, teaching in the synagogues and announcing the Good News about the Kingdom. And he healed every kind of disease and illness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.37 He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. 38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”

Acts 2:42-47

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.

43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved.

Six Characteristics of an Unstoppable Church

1. The Gospel was Taught and Lived.

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching

2. They had a Partnership in the Gospel.

Actually means to share together in Ministry

3. They Ate Together.

4. They Diligently Prayed together.

5. They had Healthy Relationships.

6. They have the Right Attitude.

Doing Life Together really is God’s Way!

Acts 1:1-3, 6-14

In my first book I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. 6 So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

7 He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know.

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. 10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives, a distance of half a mile. 13 When they arrived, they went to the upstairs room of the house where they were staying.

Here are the names of those who were present: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (the zealot), and Judas (son of James). 14 They all met together and were constantly united in prayer, along with Mary the mother of Jesus, several other women, and the brothers of Jesus.

An Unstoppable Church is A Group of People Who Take Personal Ownership for the Mission that God Has Given Them.

God has NOT Called You So You Can Watch Others Live Out Their Mission! Don’t be a spectator!

Can We See This Kind of Church Again?

What Do We Need to Do to Be the Church that God Has Called Us to Be?

1. To be Driven by the Truth of the Resurrection.

2. To get Serious about Christ’s Instructions for Us.

3. To take Personal Ownership in the Great Commission.

Luke 2:6-20

6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

16 They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. 17 After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. 18 All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, 19 but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. 20 The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them.

Five Reasons Why Jesus Had to Come

1. To Reconcile Us to God.

Romans 5:6-11

6 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 7 Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. 8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 9 And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. 10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

2. To Prove His Love for Us.

Romans 5:8

8 But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 

3. To Take Away Our Condemnation.

There is a Penalty that we ALL owe for sin.

Romans 3:23

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:1-2

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2 And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.

4. To Bring Us to God.

“The Gospel is the good news that at the cost of his Son’s life, God has done everything necessary to captivate us with what will make us eternally and ever-increasingly happy—namely, himself.” John Piper

1 Peter 3:18

18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. 

5. To Give Eternal Life to All Who Believe on Him.

John 3:16-18

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.

John 3:36

36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

Do you have a relationship with God through Jesus?

Luke 1:26-38

26  In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the

angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee,  27  to a virgin

named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named

Joseph, a descendant of King David.  28  Gabriel appeared to her

and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29  Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel

could mean. 30  “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for

you have found favor with God! 31  You will conceive and give

birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.  32  He will be very

great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord

God will give him the throne of his ancestor David.  33  And he

will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34  Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a

virgin.”

35  The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and

the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby

to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of

God.  36  What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become

pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren,

but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth

month.  37  For the word of God will never fail.”

38  Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything

you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left

her.

Five Characteristics of Game Changers

1. They Trust What God says.

Luke 1:29-30

29  Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel

could mean. 30  “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for

you have found favor with God!

2. They are Doers.

Luke 1:31

31  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name

him Jesus.

James 1:22

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says.

Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

James 2:14-20

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have

faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith

save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no

food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good

day; stay warm and eat well” –but then you don’t give that

person any good or clothing. What good does that do? So

you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good

deeds, it is dead and useless.

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith,

others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me

your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my

faith by my good deeds.” You say you have faith, for you

believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the

demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish!

Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless?

3. They are Servants.

Luke 1:38

38  Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything

you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left

her.

4. They have Strong Spiritual Relationships.

Luke 1:41-45

At the Sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth was filled with the

Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary,

“God has blessed you above all women, and your child is

blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord

should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my

womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed

that the Lord would do what he said.”

Game Changers need people who are willing to Encourage

them and Tell them the Truth.

5. They are Humble.

Luke 1:46-55

Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my

spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his

lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call

me blessed. For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done

great things for me. He shows mercy from generation to

generation to all who fear him. His mighty arm has done

tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty

ones. He has brought down princes from their thrones and

exalted the humble.

He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich

away with empty hands. He has helped his servant Israel and

remembered to be merciful. For he made this promise to our

ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.”

Philippians 2:3

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble,

thinking of others as better than yourselves.

1 Peter 5:5

“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble”