New Song Students OKC

“40 Now the sojourn of the children of Israel who lived in Egypt was 430 years. 41 And it came to pass at the end of the 430 years-on that very same day-it came to pass that all the armies of the Lord went out from the Land of Egypt.” Exodus 12:40-41

the great escape of Exodus was not a random event, but a prophetic declarative promise for our own salvation 

“12 But the more they (Egyptians) afflicted them, the more they (Israelites) multiplied and grew”. Exodus 1:12

Moses was born in a time when the powers at be (Pharaoh) tried to extinguish God’s promised people by killing every male infant (Exodus 1:15)
 Like Moses, Jesus was born in a time when the powers at be (King Herod) tried to extinguish the promised messiah by killing every male infant (Matthew 2:13-16)

“11Now it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out to his brethren and looked at their burdens. And he saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his brethren. 12 So he looked this way and that way and when he saw no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.” Exodus 2:11-12

“24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” Hebrews 11:24-26

Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-even death on a cross!” Phil 2:6-8

“Moses tried to do the Lord’s work in man’s wisdom and power and it didn’t work”- David Guzik

“23Now when he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren, the children of Israel. 24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong he defended and avenged him who was oppressed, and struck down the Egyptian. 25 For he supposed that his brethren would have understood that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand.” Acts 7:23-25

“In Egypt, Moses learned to be somebody; In Midian, Moses learned to be nobody”- David Guzik.

“23Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage. 24 So God heard their groaning, and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. 25 And God acknowledged them.” Exodus 2:23-25

“6Moreover He said, ‘I am the God of your father-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. 7 And the Lord said: ‘I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8 So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey…9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.10 Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring My people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’” Exodus 3:6-10

“1Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. For with a strong hand he will let them go, and with a strong hand he will drive them out of his land.’ 2 And God spoke to Moses and said to him: ‘I am the LORD. 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by My name LORD I was not known to them….6 Therefore say to the children of Israel: I am the LORD; I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, I will rescue you from their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. 7 I will take you as My people and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.’” Exodus 6:1-2,6-7

“Outstretched arms” means God’s sovereign involvement to bring a complete deliverance and redemption

“The plagues God brought against Egypt has a definite strategy and purpose. Each of them confronts and attacks a prized Egyptian deity. Not only did they bring punishment against Egypt, the plagues also answered Pharaoh’s original question: Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? God used this series of plagues to glorify Himself (especially above the gods, of the Egyptians) and to give Pharaoh a chance to repent.”- David Guzik

“An inscription by a Pharaoh on an ancient Egyptian temple gives the idea: ‘I am that which was, and is, and shall be, and no man has lifted my veil’. Pharaoh believed himself to be more than a man he considered himself a god, and the Egyptians agreed.”- David Guzik

“ ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega’, says the Lord God, ‘who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.’” Rev 1:8

PLAGUES vs EGYPTAIN GODS

1)Water turned to blood - Hapi (God of Nile)

2)Frogs from the Nile - Heket (goddess of fertility; head of frog)

3)Lice from dust of earth - Geb (god over dust of the earth)

4)Swarms of flies - Khepri (god of creation; head of fly)

5)Death of cattle and livestock - Hathor (goddess of love; head of cow)

6)Ashes turned to boils and sores - Isis (goddess of medicine and peace)

7)Hail rained down in form of fire - Nut (goddess of the sky)

8)Locusts sent from the sky - Seth (god of storms and disorder)

9)3 days of complete/felt darkness - Ra (the sun god)

10)death of the firstborn - Pharaoh (ultimate power of Egypt)

“Pharaoh is grieved at the consequences of sin, but not sin itself”- David Guzik

In this Passover, “The blood of the lamb was essential to what God required. If an Israelite home didn’t believe in the power of the blood of the lamb, they could sacrifice the lamb and eat it, but they would still be visited by judgement. If an Egyptian home did believe in the power of the blood of the lamb, and made a proper Passover sacrifice, they would be spared the judgement. An intellectual agreement with what God said about the blood was not enough; they actually had to do what God said must be done with the blood.” -David Guzik

“God was manifest in the flesh…” 1 Tim 3:16

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life” John 3:16

“40...

Teaching Text: Matthew 22:34-40 NRSVUE,”34 When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, 35 and one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” 37 He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Altar - a table for making sacrifices or offerings to God.

OUR ALTAR IS A SIGNAL THAT SAYS LORD WE WANT YOU HERE.

When we choose to encounter God this is where God’s will begins to come alive in our lives. 

WHAT DOES GOD WANT FOR YOUR CITY FROM YOU?

REVIVAL - an instance of something becoming important again.

1. Partner in Action
2. Burn for Revival

IT FIRST MUST START WITH YOU AND GOD.

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NRSVUE,”26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to abolish things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 In contrast, God is why you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

We are partners with God in revival.

1 Corinthians 13 NRSVUE “If I speak in the tongues of humans and of angels but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all my possessions and if I hand over my body so that I may boasta] but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; 6 it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.””

Aim to love EVERY PERSON you encounter to make use of EVERY OPPURTUNITY we have.

Matthew 5:43-48 NRSVUE,”43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

“There are rare Christians whose very presence incites others to be better Christians. I want to be that rare Christian.” - A.W.Tozer

Get broken for your city through reading about Jesus’s way in Gods word.

Luke 23:34 NSRVUE,”34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. 35 And the people stood by watching, but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” 39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept degrading him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” 43 He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.””

We must AIM FOR RENEWAL not just for ourselves but for all people by TENDING THE FLAME SPIRIT WITHIN US and BURNING FOR REVIVAL and LIVING LIKE JESUS so that ALL PEOPLE KNOW THE LOVE OF GOD. 

2. BURN FOR REVIVAL

Habakkuk 3:2,”O Lord, I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O Lord, of your work. In our own time revive it; in our own time make it known; in wrath may you remember mercy.”

The ______________ lasted from 1906-1915 and began with a small prayer meeting that erupted into a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit, marked by speaking in tongues, healings, and spontaneous worship. It was a powerful demonstration of unity, breaking down racial, social, and denominational barriers. The revival welcomed people from diverse racial backgrounds—African Americans, whites, Latinos, and Asians—worshiping together. This unity was groundbreaking during a time of racial tension, social issues, and political divide in America. The revival emphasized that all believers were equal before God, focusing on the shared experience of the Holy Spirit. Its legacy continues to inspire unity within many other movements, promoting inclusivity and oneness among Christians across cultural and social divides.

”O Lord, I have heard of your renown, and I stand in awe, O Lord, of your work. In our own time revive it; in our own time make it known; in wrath may you remember mercy.”

ALTARS Wk3

Altar of The Church 🪨

[Teaching Text]

'And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a choice stone, a precious cornerstone, And the one who believes in Him will not be put to shame .”

1 Peter 2:4-6

ALTAR OF THE CHURCH

'you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:5

TEAR DOWN

BUILD UP

TEND

“Then the sons of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord; and the Lord handed them over to Midian for seven years.” Judges 6:1 

24. ’Then Gideon built an altar there to the Lord and named it The Lord is Peace. To this day it is still in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. Now on the same night the Lord said to him, “Take your father’s bull and a second bull seven years old, and tear down the altar of Baal which belongs to your father, and cut down the Asherah that is beside it, and build an altar to the Lord your God on the top of this stronghold in an orderly way, and take a second bull and offer a burnt offering with the wood of the Asherah which you shall cut down.” Then Gideon took ten men from his servants and did as the Lord had spoken to him; and because he was too afraid of his father’s household and the men of the city to do it by day, he did it by night. ‘ Judges 6:24-27

OBEDIENCE is ESSENTIAL to growth.

ALTAR #1 - PREFERENCES

Matthew 24:35 'Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.’ 

ALTAR #2 - PROGRAMS

They stopped “Keeping the Main thing the Main thing”

A cornerstone, in construction, is the main stone used to build a building's FOUNDATION and ALIGNMENT. It was usually the largest and most solid stone in the entire building. 

JOYFUL REPENTANCE & REMEMBRANCE

'Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; '

Acts 3:19

'Therefore let’s approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace for help at the time of our need.'

Hebrews 4:16

“A lack of repentance is the first sign of a heart growing cold to God” J.C. Ryle.

'“Only be careful for yourself and watch over your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons. '

Deuteronomy 4:9

TEND

Tend - regularly or frequently behave in a particular way or have a certain characteristic.

The SECRET PLACE is how we TEND to the fires of our hearts. 

'The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out. Every morning the priest is to add firewood and arrange the burnt offering on the fire and burn the fat of the fellowship offerings on it. The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out. '

Leviticus 6:12-13

[teaching text]

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[b] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent[a] have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 

Hebrews 13:10-13

HEART, HOME, CHURCH, CITY

ALTAR OF THE HOME

It will take the average Christian 64 years to hit 10,000 hours and become an “expert” at following Jesus.

Shift 01. Moving from “Following Jesus through the Church” to “Following Jesus through daily habits”

Shift 02. Moving from “Following Jesus because it’s a good habit” to “Following Jesus because my life depends on it.”

1. “Following Jesus through the Church” to “Following Jesus through daily life”

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

Phylactery photos***

Mezuzah photo***

It's much easier to wear a gold cross on our person than to bear Christ's cross in daily life, and to hang Scripture texts on the walls of our homes than to hide God's Word in our hearts. If we love the Lord and cleave to Him, we will want to know His Word and obey it in every area of our lives.

Warren Wiersbe

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 

Colossians 3:16

8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 

Philippians 4:8

The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God that we know as He talks to us and guides our lives. He can efficiently talk to us to the extent to which we know the Word. That is the language He uses.

Kenneth Wuest

2. “Following Jesus because it’s a good habit” to “Following Jesus because my life depends on it.”

4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[b] 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

Deuteronomy 6:4-6

 3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them, that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

Deuteronomy 6:3

LONG LIFE, PEACE, AND PROSPERITY.

13 It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you— 15 for the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God—lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you, and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:13-15

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

Romans 6:23

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

Tight rope photo***

[teaching text]

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
     wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Let me hear joy and gladness;
     let the bones that you have broken rejoice.

9 Hide your face from my sins,
     and blot out all my iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
     and renew a right[b] spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from your presence,
     and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
     and uphold me with a willing spirit.

13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
     and sinners will return to you.

14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God,
     O God of my salvation,
     and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness.

15 O Lord, open my lips,
     and my mouth will declare your praise.

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
     you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
     a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalm 51:7-17

On Feb. 8, 2023, what began as a routine Wednesday morning Chapel service with the student body turned into a multiweek Outpouring that some have described as a revival. Led by students, the services attracted college students from hundreds of other colleges and universities, beginning as soon as Wednesday evening. Then, news of the continuous services spread around the world, and attracted people to Wilmore from as far away as Russia and Japan. Media outlets arrived en masse to cover the spiritual awakening among young people. Countless reports of life change, salvation, and re-dedications to Christ were some of the amazing results of the Outpouring events. Asbury staff, faculty, students and volunteers worked tirelessly to welcome the visitors to campus, with orderly lines to get into Hughes extending a half mile long around campus. The events lasted for 16 days, culminating in a service specifically for Gen Z students on Feb. 23, 2023. Yet, the Lord continues to move across the Wilmore community, Kentucky, the United States, and the world.

Asbury University

GOD COMES WHERE HE’S WANTED

7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?

    Or where shall I flee from your presence?

8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!

    If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!

9 If I take the wings of the morning

    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 even there your hand shall lead me,

    and your right hand shall hold me.

Psalm 139:7-10

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:20

ALTARS OF THE HEART, HOME, CHURCH, AND CITY

Altar of The Heart

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
     and renew a right[b] spirit within me.

11 Cast me not away from your presence,
     and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
     and uphold me with a willing spirit.

Psalm 51:10-12

Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should and shouldn’t do. The Bible certainly does have some rules in it. They show you how life works best. But the Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It’s about God and what he has done. Other people think the Bible is a book of heroes, showing you people you should copy. The Bible does have some heroes in it, but (as you’ll soon find out) most of the people in the Bible aren’t heroes at all. They make some big mistakes (sometimes on purpose). They get afraid and run away. At times they are downright mean.

Jesus Storybook Bible

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
     you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

Psalm 51:16

WORSHIP HAPPENS AT THE ALTAR

16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it;
     you will not be pleased with a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
     a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Psalm 51:7-17

GOD WANTS A BROKEN HEART

If you and I have a broken spirit, all idea of our own importance is gone. What is the use of a broken heart? Why, much the same as the use of a broken pot, or a broken jug, or a broken bottle!

Charles Spurgeon

The idea of “nakedness” is far more than mere nudity. It has the sense of being totally open and exposed as a person before God and man. To be naked… and not ashamed means you have no sin, nothing to be rightly ashamed of, and nothing to hide.

David Guzik

God cannot transform the person you are pretending to be.

Jon Tyson

You will never make yourself feel that you are a sinner, because there is a mechanism in you as a result of sin that will always be defending you against every accusation. We are all on very terms with ourselves, and we can always put up a good case for ourselves. 

Martyn Lloyd-Jones

13 David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die. 

2 Samuel 12:13

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 

John 15:5

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;

    because you have rejected knowledge

Hosea 4:6

6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

POTENT

Potent: having great power, influence, or effect

Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound[a] of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair.

John 12:1-3

The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

John 12:3

HOLY+REFINED+PRECIOUS=POTENT

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

2 Corinthians 2:14-16

18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Philippians 4:18-20

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Biblical discipleship is potent

Surely you know that if a man can’t be cured of churchgoing, the next best thing is to send him all over the neighborhood looking for the church that ‘suites’ him until he becomes a taster or connoisseur of churches.

C.S. Lewis

A church is only as good as its disciples.

Jon Tyson

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.

Ephesians 5:1

Unfortunately, ‘potent’ is not a good descriptor of the average follower of Jesus today.

Over half of adults born after 1980, who grew up in churches, are walking out on their faith, not coming back

Of people still attending church, ~90% refuse, or feel unable to talk openly about their identity in Christ

~80% of church-attending people lack basic routines in a disciple’s life (prayer, study, community)

About a third of church attending folk today are not convinced Christ is the only hope of salvation

A majority of pastors, and even more lay believers say they have never been discipled

It typically takes a person 26 year of church attendance before they personally lead someone to Christ.

14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God…

2 Corinthians 2:14-15

So that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 3:10

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock[b] I will build my church, and the gates of hell[c] shall not prevail against it. 

Matthew 16:18

One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see her spread out through all time and space and rooted in eternity, terrible as an army with banners. That, I confess, is a spectacle which makes our boldest tempters uneasy. But fortunately it is quite invisible to these humans.

C.S. Lewis

Potent disciples

PETER

13 Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

Acts 4:13

COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS

32 Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 

Acts 4:32-34

STEPHEN

55 But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” 

Acts 7:55-56

PLANTED MEMBERS IN THE CHURCH

PREPARED TO MINISTER BECAUSE OF THE SPIRIT ALONE

PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS WITH THE LOVE OF JESUS

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins,[a] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Luke 15:1-10 (ESV)

JOANNA GWEN PICUTRES***

“I have been in this world for sixty years, and I have never yet been conscious of anything spiritual.”

We did not say what we thought, but we thought it was very likely that what he said was perfectly true; and there are a great many more people in the world who might say the same as he did. But that only proved that he was not conscious of anything spiritual; not that others were not conscious of it.

Charles Spurgeon

Just because someone cannot see God, doesn’t mean He’s not there.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8 

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

The pure in heart are confident in God.

Matthew 26

6 Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper,[a] 7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. 8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 10 But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. 11 For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. 12 In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. 13 Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.”

Matthew 26:6-13

Mary’s name now smells as sweet in all God’s house as ever her ointment did; when Judas’ name rots, and shall do to all posterity [future generations].

John Trapp

The anointing with oil is a physical picture for a spiritual reality.

She probably did not know all that her action meant when she anointed her Lord for his burial. The consequences of the simplest action done for Christ may be much greater than we think.

Charles Spurgeon

7 a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.

Matthew 26:7

3And while he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he was reclining at table, a woman came with an alabaster

flask of ointment of pure nard, very costly, and she broke the

flask and poured it over his head.

Mark 14:3

Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet

with her hair. 

John 12:1

Precious

Precious (yāqār): valuable—brightness, clear, costly, rare, and/or glorious

What qualities determine if something is precious (valuable) to humans?

1. Utility
2. Scarcity
3. Quality
4. Condition
5. Brand reputation
6. Historical significance
7. Collectable appeal

8 And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? 9 For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor.” 

Matthew 26:8-9

“Why was this not sold for the poor?”

You are a little uncomfortable around “radical” disciples. (Jesus Freaks)

You get tired, bored, or don’t really see the point in worship. (Especially long, drawn-out, or extended worship)

You are hesitant to wast time, energy, or money on God. (Let’s do the bare minimum for God)

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Luke 15:1-7 (ESV)

Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

Luke 15:1-2

“This man receives sinners and eats with him?” (Luke 15)

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day divided humanity into two classes: the unclean and the righteous. They decided to live, as much as possible, in complete separation from the unclean. Some rabbis of Jesus day took this idea so seriously that they refused to teach the unclean God’s word

Leon Morris

What is precious to God?

1. People

3 When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

    the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,

    and the son of man that you care for him?

Psalm 8:3-4

1. People’s worship

I am an instrument of exaltation

And I was born to lift Your name above all names

You hear the melody of all creation

But there's a...

“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with tow he flew. 3 And one called to another and said: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!’ 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: ‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’ 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.’” Isaiah 6:1-7

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God” Matthew 5:8

PURE (adj.): not mixed or adulterated with any other substance or material

“But as He who call you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, ‘you shall be holy, for I am holy.’” 1 Peter 1:15-16

“Our lack of purity is an expression of our belief in the nature and person of God. The answer to being pure is not in action alone but in belief that proceeds these actions. It’s not just about not sinning. But for better it is to learn who God really is. To look to Jesus and see him as pure.”- Jackie Hill Perry

“1 In the year King Uzziah died, I saw…”

“1…I saw the LORD sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of his robe filled the temple.”

“2 Above it stood seraphim: each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.”

“3 Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory.”

“Holiness means ‘separation’ and is translated sanctify or purity”- David Hoching

“To say the Lord is holy says something. To say the Lord is holy, holy, says more. To say holy, holy, holy is the LORD is to declare this holiness in the highest possible degree.”- David Guzik

“Holy is the way God is. To be holy He does not conform to a standard. He is that standard. He is absolutely holy with an infinite, incomprehensible fullness of purity that is incapable of being other than it is. Because he is holy, his attributes are holy. That is whatever we think of belonging to God must be thought of a holy.”- A. W. Tozer

“4 The posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke.”

“5 So I said: ‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.’”

“After seeing the holy God, Isaiah then saw himself.”- Jackie Hill Perry

The holiness of God magnified the unholiness of himself

“We have a ridiculously low view of sin and an equally mediocre grasp of the holiness of God.”- Jackie Hill Perry

“We have all become like one who is unclean, and all out righteous deeds are like a polluted garment.” Isaiah 64:6

“6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar? And he touched my mouth with it, and said ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin is purged.’”

Holiness mandates purification

agiazo (ah-yea-zo): to make holy; to be set apart for service to God and to abandon practices that displease him

“Sanctification is the progressive work of God to make a believer more like Jesus Christ”- Grace Seming

“Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ in our conduct and in character”- Mike Sulivan

“The goal of sanctification is to renew men’s and women’s hearts in God’s image”- John Wesley

he sets us apart (sanctified) to be set apart (holy)

refined as: 1) with impurities or unwanted elements having been removed by processing. 2) developed or improved so as to be precise or subtle

“For He (God) is like a refiner’s fire or a launder’s soup. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.” Malachi 3:2-3

“Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord (aka when one repents/looks/beholds), the veil is taken away (salvation)….But we all with unveiled face (saved), beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord (God’s image), are being transformed (sanctification/refined) into the same image (God’s) from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”  2 Corinthians 3:16,18

“God made us to image Himself. To exist in the world in such a way that when observed, whoever looked at us could accurately imagine God.”- Jackie Hill Perry

“Holiness is the everyday business of the Christian. It evidences itself in the decisions we make and the things we do, hour by hour, day by day.”- Charles Colson

As we behold him, we encounter his holiness.
His holiness exposes our unholiness.
His holiness then mandates purification.
As we respond to this call, and turn to him, he refines us.
He sanctifies us and makes us purified.
And now pure, we can see him, even more brilliantly.
and reflect him even more accurately.

“I believe that as you see Him as He is, you’ll want to be just like Him too. Holy.”- Jackie Hill Perry

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Revelation 3:14-22

PTH Slide***

Laodicea

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation.

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.

Revelation 3:14-22

“You are neither cold nor hot.”

Laodicea map*** 

Aqueduct: a system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures that carries water from a source to a distribution point.

Aqueduct picture***

Everything that is spiritual has practical implications. Everything that is practical has spiritual implications.

In this spiritual sense, lukewarmness is a picture of indifference and compromise. It tries to play the middle, too hot to be cold and too cold to be hot. In trying to be both things, they end up being nothing

David Guzik 

• A church that is luke-warm towards God is a church that lacks emotional feelings towards Jesus. 
• A church that is Luke-warm towards towards prayer is a church that lacks the need for God’s power. 
• A church that is Luke-warm towards evangelism is a church that lacks a broken heart for the lost
• A church that is Luke-warm towards theology is a church that lacks the desire to grow in their understanding of God’s Word and is conformable just being padded on the back by scripture.
• A church that is Luke-warm towards conviction is a church that lacks the boldness to communicate what the Bible teaches for fear of being seen negatively by others.
• A church that is Luke-warm towards Biblical community is a church that lacks love, transparency, and confession of sin.

The lukewarm Christian has enough of Jesus to satisfy a craving for religion, but not enough for eternal life. Deep down, there is no one more miserable than the lukewarm Christian is. They have too much of the world to be happy in Jesus, but too much of Jesus to be happy in the world.

David Guzik

24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Matthew 6:24

Mammon: treasure, riches; wealth personified (placement of trust)

15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.

Revelation 3:15-17

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[e] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21

9 The heart is deceitful above all things,

    and desperately sick;

    who can understand it?

10 

“I the Lord search the heart

    and test the mind,[b]

to give every man according to his ways,

    according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Jeremiah 17:9-10

“It is not so much the disciple’s wealth that Jesus is concerned with as his loyalty. As Matthew 6:24 will make explicit, materialism is in direct conflict with loyalty to God.”

R.T. France

18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Revelation 3:18-19

“I counsel you to buy from me gold.”

Buy Gold from Me = Place your trust in Me 

Tithe = Trust

Tithe: ten percent of our income. We give back to the Lord ten percent of what He’s given us because it all belongs to Him.

Everything that is spiritual has practical implications. Everything that is practical has spiritual implications.

Objections to tithing:

1. Tithing was an Old Testament law and is not required for New Testament believers 

2. I’ll tithe when I am able to tithe comfortably 

3. My tithe is just a drop in the ocean, what’s the point?

Jesus[a] looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.[b] 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

Luke 21:1-4

4. What if the church I tithe to isn’t stewarding the money?

20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”

Revelation 3:20-22