LHIM Everything

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

No one is totally free.  We all give up certain freedoms for others.  For example, we give up our freedom to eat dessert so we can live longer and feel better.  We give up our freedom to stay at home so we can make money and do something productive.  We give up our freedom to say what we really think so we still have friends.

Freedom from the Law

2 Corinthians 3:12–17   Christ has unveiled a new reading of the Old Testament, giving us a new perspective and a new clarity.  Furthermore, God’s spirit has now taken the place of the external laws that God had given

Freedom from Corruption

Romans 8:19–23   Ultimately, God will set our whole world free from its slavery to futility.  In fact, creation itself is groaning in anticipation of our freedom when God will likewise set us free in resurrection from our bondage

How To Use Your Freedom

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Jerry Wierwille”]

2 Corinthians 5:16-17   So then, from now on we regard no one according to the flesh (even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him that way no more). So then, if anyone is in union with Christ, he is a new creation, the old things have passed away, Look!, things have become new.

New vs. Old—When we become united with Christ through faith in him, there is a change that happens to us: we become “new.” Becoming something new means that we are leaving behind what is old.

Ephesians 4:17-24   Therefore I say this and insist in the Lord: you must no longer walk as the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding and are alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. They have lost all sensitivity and have given themselves over to unrestrained behavior to engage in every kind of impurity with a desire for more and more. But that is not the way you learned Christ! Assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, because the truth resides in Jesus, you are to put off the old self that belongs to your former way of life and that is being corrupted because of deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which has been created in the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

Romans 6:1-4   What then are we to say? Should we continue in sin so grace will increase? Absolutely not! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who were baptized into union with Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into union with his death, in order that just as Christ was raised out from among the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also could walk in a new way of life.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

Ephesians 2:1-3   This is God’s appraisal of us before Christ. Our spiritual life was nonexistent for we were dead. God’s point of view, regardless of ours, is the truth.

2:11-12   In this state, we groped about in life trying to connect to some identity that provided some kind of significance. We did not acknowledge this identity (the fact of being who or what a person is), rather we connected with something else that provided a false identity.

Ephesians 2:4-10   In Christ, the old person you were is now dead, and the new person you are is now alive.

Galatians 2:20

Ephesians 4:17-24   The new you are created in the likeness of God in righteousness and true holiness. How we think of ourselves determines the quality of life we live. Do you identify with the old you or the new you?

Ephesians 1:1   You are now a saint, a holy one.

1:2   God is our Father, and Jesus is our Lord.

3   You are blessed.

4   God chose you to be with Him. You are a chosen one!

5   God loves you and wants you with Him forever.

7   We have redemption and forgiveness.

8   Wisdom and insight

9   He has entrusted you to know and participate in the mystery.

Ephesians 2:19-22   You are a fellow citizen, in God’s household, and His dwelling place.

3:6   You are a fellow heir, fellow member, and fellow partaker of the promise.

1:9-15   You are invited to eternal life with your God and Lord.

How others think about you is totally irrelevant regarding who you are in Christ.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

Matthew 5:10-12   Jesus fully expected that his followers would suffer persecution.  The world reviles, persecutes, and utters evil against us because of righteousness’ sake and because of our association with Jesus.  We do not seek negative attention, but when it comes, we can take comfort knowing that the world persecuted the prophets before us in much the same way.  What’s more, Jesus tells us to “rejoice and be glad” since our reward is great.

Matthew 5:13   Based on the concern for losing its taste, we can conclude that Jesus’ point here is that his follows should retain their distinctive salty flavor.  We should not blend in with the world too well.  Swapping out Christ’s teachings for the world’s fads and whims results in a comprised Christianity that is as useful as flavorless salt.  We need not seek to be weird in the eyes of the world but instead endeavor to follow Jesus’ teachings, and let the chips fall where they may.

Matthew 5:14   Unlike monasteries and hidden communes, Christ’s followers have an important role to play as the lights of the world.  God’s ultimate goal for His city on a hill is to draw all nations to Himself (Isaiah 2:2-4; 42:6; 49:6; 60:1-3, 18-22).  We seek to embody God’s future Kingdom in the present by how we live now, both individually and communally.  As the city on the hill, our goal is to attract and invite.

Matthew 5:15-16   A light exists to illuminate.  Putting a lamp under a basket doesn’t make any sense.  Likewise, we cannot limit our faith to the privacy of our homes and churches.  We also have an illuminating, prophetic, public role to play, just like Jesus did.  Our goal is for others to see our good deeds so that they give glory to God.  In the end, God will wipe away our tears and remove our reproach (Isaiah 25:6-9).

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”] and [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

Psalm 36:9   For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light.

Galatians 5:13-14   Love is always the right action.

16   “Flesh” in this context refers to human reasoning and action contrasted with faith. Galatians 4:28-29

18   Every Christian has the choice daily to walk by the flesh or by the spirit.

19-21   When we do not walk by the spirit, we automatically walk by the flesh.

23   When we walk by the spirit, we enjoy the fruit of the spirit.

26   Personal diligence is our focus, not comparing ourselves to others.

Romans 13:10-14   Each of us must focus on walking by the spirit and not the things of the world nor upon other people.

Galatians 6:1   The spiritual are those who walk by the spirit. We strive to help others, but we are always mindful to maintain our own walk. Colossians 3:12-15

5   We do what we can to help others with the awareness that everyone has personal responsibility.

9   We do not lose heart; rather, we keep on keeping on.

Matthew 26:36-39   When Jesus was in agony, about to face excruciating suffering, he fell on his face before God to pray.

Lamentations 3:10-24   After God’s judgment fell upon Jerusalem, resulting in destruction and deportation, still, there was hope because of God’s unfailing character.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

Galatians 2:20   Christianity begins with a death and a birth.  We are crucified with Christ with the result that he now lives in us.

Romans 8:7–13   God’s spirit and Christ are interchangeable ways of talking about the same reality.  Christ’s spirit within us brings life into us both now and on the last day when the resurrection occurs.  Furthermore, this indwelling presence enables us to “put to death the deeds of the body” and live!

Ephesians 3:14–19   The spirit strengthens us so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith.  As those with Christ in us, we are to be rooted in love, strengthened to understand Christ’s love, and “be filled with all the fullness of God.”

John 14:15–24   Jesus taught his disciples about the spirit of truth, which he also called “another helper.”  Although he spoke of this “helper” as if it were someone or something else, it’s clear from verse 18 and following that Jesus is actually talking about himself.  He will not leave them orphans; he will come to them and (along with the Father) indwell them.  Jesus here stresses the importance of obedience for this to happen.

Three examples of Christ leading the church through the spirit:

Christ is present within each of us today, not only to empower, strengthen, and enlighten, but also to guide us through life.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

In the times of the Bible, there were many kinds of outsiders:

Outsider 1: Leah

Outsider 2: Moses

Outsider 3: Rahab

Outsider 4: Mary

Outsider 5: Jesus

God wants everyone, including outsiders.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Vince Finnegan”]

1 Timothy 2:1-4   This series of teachings began with acknowledging what God desires. He wants a genuine love relationship with His children; therefore, He wants all to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.

John 13:34-35   The attraction of the love we manifest to each other stands out as a beacon of light in a very dark world.

Galatians 6:9-10   We are God’s family and are connected by love and concern for one another.

Deuteronomy 4:9-10; 6:1, 2, 6, 7, 18-25   God emphatically instructs us to pass the truth about Him on to the next generations.

Matthew 18:1-5   The capacity for people to learn seems to be its best when we are children. Children learn a language basically by listening to others and simple instruction given by parents and caregivers. Jesus gives the total reversal of human value scales. Children were normally attended to after others, not looked up to as of

Matthew 19:13-15; Mark 10:13-16   Humility, innocence, receptiveness, or trustfulness

Matthew 21:15-16   The children got it!

Acts 2:38 and 39

Psalm 78:1-7   One of the most effective ways to align with God’s desire is to teach our children. This exhortation is not only to parents but to the family of God. Jesus did not have biological children.

Pro. 22:6

Deuteronomy 24:17-22   The frequent concern God expresses for orphans must be acknowledged. Many of us were raised by parents who did not know the Scriptures and the concepts of godliness, so in a sense, we were spiritual orphans.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Jerry Wierwille”]

Disability—“a physical or mental impairment that substantially affects an individual in experiencing life in ways that other people typically do.”

Major Types of Disabilities

Disabilities in the Ancient World

Individuals with disabilities were viewed as:

Disabilities in the Bible

Mephibosheth—2 Sam 9:1-13

Paralyzed man—Mark 2:1-12

Man with edema—Luke 14:1-15

The mission of the church is to give attention to the marginalized, the unloved, and the scorned—all those whom society would overlook or dismiss. Disabled individuals are just “differently abled” than others and need love, encouragement, and support. They need to experience the love and forgiveness of God, and we as the church are to be a tangible way they come to know the love of God in their lives.

By [wbt_preacher_link preacher=”Sean Finnegan”]

Psalm 1:1-6   Although it is sometimes difficult to resist going with the wicked, a person of integrity recognizes the value of doing life God’s way.  Indeed, His blessings are better than the fleeting accolades of people.

Hagar

Genesis 16:1-16   Hagar found herself in an extraordinarily difficult position.  After Sarai had dealt with her harshly, Hagar ran away.  Then, while she was on the lam, God sent an angel to deliver His message to return and submit to Sarai.  Would she trust God or do what seemed best to her?

Genesis 21:8-21   This time, Hagar didn’t do anything wrong, and yet Sarai treated her even more harshly, expelling her from the home.  Out of supplies and desperately thirsty, Hagar wept, knowing she and her son would soon die.  Nevertheless, God took care of her, showing her where water was and promising to make Ishmael into a great nation.

Abigail

1 Samuel 25:1-42   Abigail probably had a tough home life since she was “discerning and beautiful,” but her husband, Nabal, was “harsh and badly behaved.”  Yet, Abigail did not divorce him or run away.  Nor did she allow Nabal’s disrespectful and arrogant attitude to rub off on her.  When the time called for it, she stepped up and courageously humbled herself, saving her husband and all his men.  God took care of the rest.

Jehoshabeath

Athaliah, Jezebel’s daughter, following the death of her son seized the opportunity to wipe out all the male heirs in the royal residence.  She crowned herself queen and reigned for six years.  However, in the chaos of the purge, one woman courageously intervened, secreting off baby Joash and raising him as her own.  This act of self-sacrificial heroism saved the Davidic dynasty from utter ruin and the country from idolatry.

What about you?  Will you delight in God’s instruction?  Will you live out what He says is right even if it costs