MATTHEW 28:18-20 

TODAYS PASSAGE: IS IT THE GREAT COMMISSION OR THE GREAT SUGGESTION?

THE RIGHT INTERPRETATION COMES FROM THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP!

THE NATURE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST ALWAYS DETERMINES THE LEVEL OF OUR FAITH AND OBEDIENCE.

SO, INSTEAD OF JESUS BEING LORD, HE IS MORE OF A LIFE COACH OR CONSULTANT.

JESUS IS NOT A CONSULTANT, HE IS LORD!

GOD’S WILL IS ALWAYS ABSOLUTE WHEN IT COMES TO DIRECTION AND PURPOSE.

IF WE ARE NOT HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WE ARE LOST.

PSALM 119:105 

1. A.HOW CAN I FIND GOD’S DIRECTION?

1. SUBMIT TO CHRIST AUTHORITY AS MASTER AND LORD.
2. OBEYING THE COMMANDS OF JESUS CHRIST AS ABSOLUTES.
3. MOVING IN GOD’S DIRECTION BY FAITH.

MATTHEW 28: 18-20

GENESIS 12:1-3

GO IS NOT JUST ABOUT DIRECTION, BUT PURPOSE!

GOD’S COMMAND IS A LIFE INTERRUPTION THAT PLACES US IN THE PERFECT PLACE.

ANYTHING IN OUR LIFE WE ARE NOT WILLING TO SURRENDER OR GIVE AWAY KEEPS US FROM GOD’S DIRECTION AND PURPOSE.

IF GOD IS NOT MOVING OUR DIRECTION, THEN WE HAVE NEED TO ADDRESS OUR PURPOSE.

IN ORDER TO BREAK THE HOLD OF THE SAME OLD SAME OLD, WE NEED TO MOVE IN GOD’S DIRECTION WITH GOD’S PURPOSE.

MATTHEW 6:33 

LET’S ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS!

1. HAVE I RELINQUISHED JESUS TO THE ROLE OF CONSULTANT?
2. AM I HEADED IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION?
3. DO I KNOW MY PURPOSE?

THE THRILL OF HOPE IS THE ANTICIPATION OF VICTORY!

WHEN WE MAKE THE VICTORY ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL, IT’S EASY TO LOSE HOPE!

PROVERBS 13:12 

OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO PICK UP OUR INJURED AND CARRY THEIR BURDEN.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:25-27

GALATIANS 6:2-3 

WHEN ONE PERSON GOES DOWN, IT DOESN’T MEAN THE TEAM GOES DOWN!

Ephesians 4:4-6

THAT PLAN IS TO FULFILL THEIR DESTINY FOR GOD’S TEAM.

IF WE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN OUR OWN PERSONAL SALVATION AND PLAN, WE CAN BECOME DISCOURAGED, LOSE HOPE, AND CONSEQUENTLY LOSE FAITH!

1 CORINTHIANS 15:19 

1. WHEN WE BECOME SELF-FOCUSED WE LOSE SIGHT OF GOD’S PLAN AND HIS VICTORY.

GOD WORKS WITH THE TEAM!

LUKE 2:1-12 

WE DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ALONE!  IN FACT, WE ARE COMMANDED NOT TO DO IT ALONE!

ASSIGNED POSITION, NOT CHOSEN POSITION.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:18-21 

THE WILL OF GOD IS NOT ABOUT PREFERENCE, BUT OBEDIENCE.

GOD CREATED US TO BE TEAM PLAYERS!

1. CHANGE YOUR UNDERSTANDING AND PERSPECTIVE.  IT’S ALL ABOUT TEAM!
2. PICK UP A TEAM-MATE AND ALLOW A TEAM-MATE TO PICK YOU UP!
3. ACCEPT YOUR ASSIGNED POSITION AND GIVE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE.

ISAIAH 9:6-7

Ephesians 2:12

JESUS IS THE GAME-CHANGER!

WE HAD NO REAL CHANCE OF WINNING!

THERE IS NO HOPE WITHOUT JESUS!

Philippians 2:19-21

WE LIVE IN THE AGE OF THE EMPOWERED INDIVIDUAL!

JESUS PLAN WAS THE CHURCH! THE CHURCH IS GOD’S TEAM.

REVELATION 1:4.

GOD ADDRESSES TEAMS BEFORE HE ADDRESSES INDIVIDUALS!

GOD’S PLAN IS TEAM!

EPHESIANS 3:10-11 

GOD’S TEAM IS A WINNING TEAM!

THIS IS THE CHURCH-  WE ARE GETTING PEOPLE HEALTHY AND WHOLE TO PUT THEM IN THE GAME IN ORDER TO WIN!

BECOMING A TEAM PLAYER?

1. BE ON THE TEAM!

MATTHEW 9:9 

BEING ON A TEAM STARTS WITH COMMITMENT!

1. EMBRACE THE TEAM’S PURPOSE AND VISION!

JOHN 12:47

BRING SALVATION AND THE THRILL OF HOPE.

1. BE A TEAM PLAYER

1 JOHN 3:16-19

THERE IS NO WINNING IF THE TEAM DOESN’T WIN!

A COMMITTED TEAM PLAYER RAISES THE LEVEL OF EVERYONE ELSE ON THE TEAM!

CAN A REAL CHRISTIAN BE REVEALED IN A WORLD FULL OF IMPOSTERS?

A CHRISTIAN IS A PERSON WHO HAS ENTRUSTED THEIR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LEADER.

PHILIPPIANS 1: 11

WHILE WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO FOLLOW JESUS AND ALLOW HIM TO CHANGE OUR HEART, LIFE IS HAPPENING TO US, IN US, AND ALL AROUND US!

1 PETER 2:18-21 

TRUE CHRISTIANITY IS NOT ALLOWING ANY CIRCUMSTANCE OR PERSON TO DETERMINE WHO WE ARE, ONLY OUR LEADER, JESUS CHRIST!

1. WE MIGHT ACT AND PRETEND, BUT OUR HEART WILL ALWAYS BE REVEALED IN OUR CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY.

CRUCIBLE- a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures.

THE HOTTER THE FIRE, THE GREATER THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE!

JOB 1:20-22 

JOB 2:7-10 

1. THERE IS AN ENEMY WHO IS AN ACCUSER.       REVELATION 12:8-11 

1. OUR FAITH IS ALWAYS TESTED BEFORE OUR CHARACTER!

WHAT YOU BELIEVE WILL ALWAYS DETERMINE HOW YOU LIVE!

WHEN WE BEGIN TO DOUBT THE GOODNESS OF GOD, OUR GODLY CHARACTER IS IN JEOPARDY.

JUST BECAUSE LIFE HAS CHANGED, DOESN’T MEAN I HAVE TO LOSE MY INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER!

1. GODLY INTEGRITY AND CHARACTER ARE CREATED AND STRENGTHENED IN THE FIRES OF LIFE!

1 PETER 1: 7 

1 PETER 4:19 

GOD IS NOT PICKING ON YOU!  HE IS MAKING YOU MORE VALUABLE!

1. LIFE HAPPENS!

CHANGE YOUR FIXATION! DON’T FOCUS ON THE INJUSTICE, FOCUS ON A FAITHFUL GOD.

1. RECOGNIZE THE WEAKNESS!

GIVE IT UP AND EMBRACE THE CHANGE!

1. BUILD YOUR FAITH AND CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

IF WE WANT TO LIVE IN ETERNITY WITH GOD, WE SHOULD EMBRACE HIS ETERNAL PLAN!

Colossians 3:12-15

Your response can expose the condition of your heart

Colossians 3:15

Colossians 3: 1-2

“This is the Day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it”

Philippians 2:14-16

If I wake up tomorrow with only the gift of God’s salvation, that’s enough for me to have a grateful heart

How we respond shows the true conditions of our heart- their hearts were grateful even in a tragedy

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 

GRATEFULNESS IS MORE A STATE OF THE HEART, THAN SOMETHING WE DO.

“WILL THE REAL ME STAND UP?”

2 SAMUEL 15:1-6

LOOKS AREN’T ALWAYS EVERYTHING!

1. SNAPSHOTS ARE DECEPTIVE!

1. SNAP SHOTS NEVER TELL THE WHOLE STORY!

UNRESOLVED ISSUES ALWAYS WARP GOOD INTENTIONS!

LUKE 6:45 

HEBREWS 12:14-15 

IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO LIVE AT PEACE, WHEN YOU HAVE NO PEACE!

CHANGING GOOD INTENTIONS TO A CHANGED HEART!

1. RELEASE CONTROL AND EMBRACE FAITH!

1. CHOOSE A LIFE OF GRACE AND MERCY.

IF I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER OTHERS, WHY DO I GIVE THEM CONTROL OVER ME?

1. A GRATEFUL HEART STARTS WITH A REVELATION OF TRUTH.

ROMANS 5:8 

1. SPEND INTIMATE TIME WITH GOD.
2. DEAL WITH UNRESOLVED ISSUES.
3. DON’T BE A SNAPSHOT ACTOR, BE THE PERSON GOD REDEEMED YOU TO BE!

SOMEHOW, WE BELIEVE THE WILL OF GOD SHOULD ALWAYS BE LED BY OUR PREFERENCES AND LIKES.

IN FACT, WE BELIEVE THAT WORK SHOULD ALWAYS BE SOMETHING THAT WE LOVE.

IT’S NOT ABOUT AN OCCUPATION BUT CHARACTER.

MATTHEW 28:18-20

DISCIPLESHIP WAS A LIFE OF COMPLETE UNDENIABLE SUBMISSION.

BEING A DISCIPLE IS NOT ABOUT OUR EXPRESSED INDEPENDENCE, BUT OUR FAITH EXPRESSED THROUGH SUBMISSIVE OBEDIENCE.

MATTHEW 5: 27-30 

MATTHEW 14:12-21 

A MULTIPLIED MIRACLE SOUNDS A LOT LIKE WORK!

1. A.WRONG EXPECTATIONS LEAD TO BIG DISAPPOINTMENTS!

1. WE CAN’T WIN THE TROPHY IF WE AREN’T ON THE TEAM!

1. C.THE KEYS TO YOUR MULTIPLIED MIRACLE!

1. BE A DISCIPLE!

BEING A DISCIPLE IS NOT ABOUT OUR EXPRESSED INDEPENDENCE, BUT OUR FAITH EXPRESSED THROUGH SUBMISSIVE OBEDIENCE.

FAITH IS OFTEN BEING OBEDIENT WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING.

1. DON’T BE LED BY YOUR FEELINGS!

1. BE FAITHFUL AND REMEMBER OBEDIENCE FEELS LIKE WORK, BECAUSE IT IS WORK!-

GALATIANS 6:9-10 

TO MAKE DISCIPLES, WE MUST FIRST BE A DISCIPLE!

LIFE GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. WORLDVIEW

Is it evident that I have accepted a worldview of personal preference that leads my life?

What daily decisions do I make based upon my likes and personal preferences?

Does my worldview inhibit my relationship with Jesus Christ?

1. A DISCIPLE

Do I need to have complete understanding of truth before I can be obedient to God?

Do I believe the teachings of Jesus are absolute truth?  Or, do I believe my personal interpretation is more important?

What areas of my life do I struggle bringing under the authority of Jesus?

1. DISAPPOINTMENT

Have I allowed disappointment to jade my attitude about other people and life in general?

Have my expectations been based upon my personal likes and wants?

How can I avoid disappointment in the future?

1. FAITHFULNESS

What areas of my life do I need to work on faithfulness?

Do I allow my emotions and feelings in the moment to rule my decision making?

Am I willing to work through my feelings in order to see a multiplied miracle?

1 Kings 17:8-16

2 Corinthians 9:6-8

What happens when all you have is all you have left?

God will ask more of you even in the hard times.

MULTIPLICATION WILL ALWAYS REQUIRE SACRIFICE

God uses what we think is insignificant

It is not about what you have, It is about how you use what you have been given

GOD WILL PUT THE RESOURCES IN YOUR HANDS

Proverbs 3:5-6

2 CORINTHIANS 9:10-15
God loves to bless you, but if you are blessed, then you should be a blessing to others.

Matthew 14:12-21

FIRST KEY TO A MULTIPLIED MIRACLE:  LAY ASIDE OUR BLUEPRINTS!

WHY IS THE CROWD’S LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY OUR PROBLEM?

THE SECOND KEY TO A MULTIPLIED MIRACLE:  IT ALWAYS STARTS WITH A HEART LESSON.

GOD DESIRES FOR US TO HAVE A BIGGER HEART THAN A BIGGER MIND!

IT’S NOT MY BUSINESS!

GOD’S PLAN IS ALWAYS ETERNAL SALVATION!

2 PETER 3: 9 

THE THIRD KEY OF THE MULTIPLIED MIRACLE: SYNCING OUR HEART WITH GOD’S PLAN!

MATTHEW 20:1-16

WE ARE NOT AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS!

GOD DESIRES TO BLESS INDISCRIMINATELY!  GOD DESIRES TO BLESS INDISCRIMINATELY THROUGH US!

GOD’S MOTIVATION IS HIS BUSINESS.

CONSUMERS ALWAYS SEE THE LACK!

DISTRIBUTORS SEE THE OPPORTUNITY!