The Do’s and Don’ts of Gift-giving

1 Peter 4:10-12

Do serve people.

-Don’t serve your gifts.

Do own your gifts.

-Don’t own your success.

Do be humble.

-Don’t fear confidence; do fight arrogance.

Do what is needed.

-Don’t do what you want, do what is needed.

Do see God’s goodness in your giftedness.

-Do seek God’s glory in your good work.

2 Corinthians 9Do decide.-Give by conviction, not convenience.Don’t manipulate.-Faithfulness cannot come from manipulation, compulsion, or extortion.Do invest.-We should only expect benefit, return, or reward where we invest.Do sacrifice.-Faithfulness requires giving what we want to have, not just what we want to give.Don’t chase cheer.-Cheer is given in, not gotten from.Do receive.-How we receive determines how we live.Do cooperate.-We must stop controlling to start cooperating.

Scripture – Psalm 118:1-8

Big Idea – God deserves our thanks because He IS Good

God’s goodness is true because He is true

Remembering the Lord’s past kindness gives us a future hope

Don’t forget to remember the Lord’s goodness.

Gratitude AdjustmentPsalm 100_____________ is active; not passive.We must be emptied to be filled.Worship the Lord in truth.Worship the Lord in thanksgiving.Worship the Lord in trust.

Alive: The New Together

Ephesians 2:11-22 / Ezekiel 37:15-28

Brought near.

Made whole.

In peace.

New person.Full citizen.

Alive: The Good of Work

Ephesians 2:10

God’s work is good work.

-God’s good work does God’s good work.

-Good work is our journey not our destination.

Ephesians 4:1-16

God creates his craftsmanship to craft His creations.

-Be good in doing good.

-Crafting creates calling.

-The Church is uniquely crafted and created.

-The Church’s unique creation is caused by each of our unique crafting.

-Growth always causes growth.

Ephesians 2:8-10

In Christ, we are His masterpiece.

Every masterpiece has a purpose.

-Autou- of Him

-Gar- for

-Esmen- we are

-Poiema- that which has been made

The saved testify to a Savior.

Every masterpiece has an imitation.

-Ephesians 3:14-20

Jesus changes you completely.

Alive: Faith that Works

Ephesians 2:8-10, 4:17-24, Ezekial 37:12-14, 26-27

Faith requires grace.

-Saving grace. Receiving faith.

Faith requires freedom.

-Faith is freely believing.

Faith requires believing.

-Faith is so believing it changes all our living and so living it changes all our believing.

Faith requires surrender.

-Faith is putting off the old self by trusting that Christ has taken it.

Faith requires trust.

-Faith is putting on the new self by trusting that Christ has given it.

The Working of Faith:

-Faith removes anxiety.

-Faith overcomes fear.

Alive: The Greatness of Grace

Ephesians 2:8-10, 1:15-23, Ezekiel 37

Grace is first.

-Grace is God’s goodness given to the underserving and unmeriting.

Grace is everything.

-Grace is that salvation, security, workmanship, and good works are all God’s work.

Grace is God’s will.

-It is God’s will to restore humanity to Himself

.Grace is God’s work.

-Grace works when we stop working for it.

Grace is free.

-Grace is a gift freely given and freely received.

Grace enlightens.

-Grace brings light into our darkness.

Grace draws.

-Grace calls; it does not command.

Practicing Grace

1. Listen.

2. Stop trying.

3. Stop resisting.

4. Work from grace, not for grace.

5. Worship from grace, not for grace.

Alive: The Giver is the GiftEphesians 2:4-7, Ezekiel 37:7-14But God…-The greatest interjection in history is Jesus.Being rich in mercy…-The wealth of God’s mercy is not diminished by price of our transgression.Because of the great love…-The love of God is because God is love.With which he has loved us…-We do not cause why God loves us but we do cause how God loved us.Even when we were dead in our trespasses…-If God loved us then and there, He loves us anywhere.Made us alive together with Christ Jesus…-He who is the Giver of Life is, Himself, the Life given.By grace…-Grace is for the good of the given, not the Giver.You have been saved…-We have not yet experienced the totality of salvation; but we are totally saved.Love exists because God exists.-The Love of God is Personal.-The Love of God is Powerful.