First General Baptist

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 7:29-35

The will of God as it is, not always as you wish it would be. Jesus as He is, not always as you wish He would be.

Water baptism and Spirit baptism.

Do you remember your baptism?

Rejecting: no hope

Neglecting: Jesus being Lord of your life is the Great Exchange — He gave His life for you, you give your life to Him.

Holding back, parceling out,   pacing yourself too much...all in

Not so much what Jesus is doing, but what He’s not doing?

When the answer is NO, when the answer is not what you want to hear. When Jesus does not and will not act as you wish for Him to.

Doubt is accepted here.             

If faith were kept in a large room, the only way into the room is thru a door called doubt.

What is one way your faith is increased/strengthened? Thru testing. How is your faith tested? By working thru doubt. If you’re not having to work thru doubt, then this is not a real test of faith.

Thousands of years later we’re still talking about John the Baptist. No one can be a hero of faith if their faith has not been tested. The  greater the test, the greater the   hero.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 7:18-28

Ministry to people the way Jesus did it and the doubt of John the Baptist.

This is not so much about what Jesus is doing as what He is not doing.

In the beginning of the General Baptist denomination, what made us distinctive? Heb 2:9

Two important parts of the ministry culture/personality of First General Baptist:

1) The posture of ministry

2) The vision of ministry

Who is the most important person for you to reach? ___________

In the story of the Good Samaritan, which character are you?

Message: A widow’s only son meets God’s only Son...or...You won’t believe what happened at a funeral today!

Text: Luke 7:11-17

While on earth, Jesus will raise 3    people back to this life: the widow’s son, Jairus’ daughter, Lazarus.

Vs 11  The only son of a widow, which in that culture probably left her destitute beyond what we are used to.

Vs 13 So Jesus felt sorry for her, not her son. Every time Jesus raised someone back to this life, He did it for the family’s sake, not the person brought back.

Vs 14-15 When Jesus speaks to the person who has died, they hear Him immediately. (Jesus called Lazarus by name so the whole cemetery wouldn’t come to life!)

Vs 16 God truly has visited His   people, and still is.

Vs 17  So the report about Jesus is still being spread

Notes:

The dead are not further from Jesus, but closer. So the dead are not really dead as we tend to think, but are more alive than before!  Lk 20:37-38,

1 Thess 4:13-18, 1 Cor 15

Message: Restore my soul

Text: Psalm 23:3

“He makes me whole again; refreshes my soul; renews my strength.”

John Bunyan’s, “Pilgrim’s Progress”

Not a soul that’s lost, but a soul that’s tired.

G. Campbell Morgan, “It is an  unruffled song of rest.”

I’m tired of it:

Some things you may need to quit and give it to Jesus.

Some things you may want to quit but should keep going.  You may need to try a different        approach?

Matthew 11:28-29

Message: Restore my joy

Text: Psalm 51:10-12

Restore because it was taken back or stolen or given away.

Westminster Catechism

Q: What is the chief end of man?

A: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.

Dennis Swanberg, “Choose Joy!”

Phil 4:4

Ps 51 is a psalm of repentance, a change of mind, a change of    attitude. This is not about    changing it or him or her or them...this is about changing you!

Is 26:3

When you concentrate on the problem you are giving away your joy. Concentrate on Jesus!

Message: Restore what I have wasted

Text: Joel 2:21-27

Restore because it was taken back or stolen. Ps 24:1

Parable of the talents-taken back Mt 25:14-28

This parable is about the end...but this isn’t the end yet. There’s still time...there’s still    today...right now is another chance.

Parable of the soils-stolen

Lk 8:11-12, Jn 10:10

Mother Teresa,  "God has blessed me with good health.  It was a sign that He wanted me to be of service to Him."

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 7:1-10

The center of this story is not the one needing healing, but the one interceding to Jesus for help for someone needing healing.

A life that changes other lives

3 opinions of this centurion:

1. 7:4 He is worthy

2. 7:6-7 I am not worthy

3. 7:9 Jesus marveled at him

(Mark 6)

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

7:7-8 The centurion had a clear/true understanding of who he was and who Jesus was.

Authority: under authority therefore having authority (under authority and in authority) Being led, therefore fit to lead.

Position/title is not the same as influence.

Your relationship with Jesus affects all other relationships...and everything else.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 7:1-10

The center of this story is not the one needing healing, but the one interceding to Jesus for help for someone needing healing.

A life that changes other lives

3 opinions of this centurion:

1. 7:4 He is worthy

2. 7:6-7 I am not worthy

3. 7:9 Jesus marveled at him

(Mark 6)

“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

7:7-8 The centurion had a clear/true understanding of who he was and who Jesus was.

Authority: under authority therefore having authority (under authority and in authority) Being led, therefore fit to lead.

Position/title is not the same as influence.

Your relationship with Jesus affects all other relationships...and everything else.

Message: The gospel according to Luke

Text: Luke 6:46-49

Come: need, want, interest

Hear: deeper interest, will sit and listen, belief bordering on faith (wanting to believe)

Do: obedience, your belief/faith in action

1 — Recognize yourself in a   mirror, James 1:22-25

2 — Study God’s Word, don’t just read it

3 — Holy Spirit guidance. Self determination is not enough

4 — How do you eat an elephant? Stay focused

5 — 3 steps forward, 2 steps back