Peachtree City Christian Church's Podcast

3 reasons to be involved in a Community Group:
(small group, Bible study, service ministries Matthew 18:20)

1. To provide accountability – James 5:16.

• We don’t confess easily especially without relationship
• Knowing each other helps us to pray for each other
• Helps us stay on the path of righteousness

2. To provide and receive help when needed – Eccl. 4:9&10.

• We all need help at some point
• It is easier to recognize the need if we travel together

3. To seek and share wisdom – Pr.27:17.

• not one-sided helps all parties involved

Conclusion

It is not good for us to go it alone – Gen.2:18.

3 reasons to volunteer: 

1. Scripture directs us to – 1 Peter 4:10.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

• Use your gifts
• Serve others
• Be stewards of Grace

2. The disciples show us how – Acts 8:26-31.

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip Asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.

• We don’t always know where God’s leading us…
• We don’t always know what impact we’ll have long-term.

3. Jesus leads us to – Matt.20:28.

 “…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

• Jesus came to serve
• Jesus put others before self
• Jesus paid a price for those who didn’t deserve it

Conclusion

Jesus volunteered to come for you.

This series is based on the premise that “unless we can do the simple we can’t do the really hard stuff”, which I borrowed from Jesus: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much” Lk.16:10

As I always say if we can’t master 1+1=2 we will never master trigonometry.

In this series, we are going to take a look at 4 of the elementary steps in following Jesus.  

    3 reasons to show up:

1. God values relationships – relationships are built! (From the beginning God said we need to be in relationships...Gen 2:18, The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

 When we show up we are placing ourselves in an environment where we can safely and easily build and work on relationships 

John 13:35, By this all men will know that you are My disciples if you love one another.” 

Jesus said our relationships define us; 15:12, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you,” and He connected our relationship with each other to our relationship with Him.

When we strengthen our relationship with each other, it helps to strengthen our relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Our relationships give us the opportunity to practice some of the Fathers’ attributes: patience, forgiveness, kindness, generosity……..

Acts 2:42 the building of relationships leads to unity – They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

2. God values unity– what better time and place to practice unity than together in Worship or study or service…….

John 17:22-23 – Jesus prayed for our complete unity –

This unity is a unity restored and forged over time as we go deeper in our relationship with Jesus.

“I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as We are One: I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me.”

3. God values Sacrifice– when we show up it gives us the opportunity to practice many types of sacrifice– comfort, desires, place, time, energy, praise (Hebrews 13:15, Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise–the fruit of lips that confess His name.

What is sacrifice? Giving up something you love, for something you love even more.

Psalm 51:17 – a broken spirit and a broken and contrite heart: this is a decision of the will – to surrender.

Conclusion: Jesus showed up in the manger, at His table, on the cross, and in many unpleasant situations; he was the perfect sacrifice for us.

• 40 years in the wilderness
• 40 days in the wilderness

• Instead of going deeper into their relationship with God they became idolaters- this means they created gods to their liking.
• Instead of committing to relationships with each other according to God’s plan they became sexually immoral- they destroyed relationships rather than strengthening them.
• Instead of submitting to the Lord they put Him to the test- they wanted to lead God rather than follow Him.
• Instead of rejoicing in their deliverance they grumbled about their circumstances- they were always looking at what they had not received over what they had been given.

12 represents unity that results from God being in control:

We want to look at 2 groups where God uses the number 12 to communicate His plan for unity and His leadership along the path to perfect (or complete) unity:

12 Sons
12 Apostles

I believe that if we take a look at the way these are presented and represented in scripture we can begin to see what happens when we follow His path and also when we leave the path.

I believe that these lead us and teach us concerning our:

Families [sons]
Church [Apostles]

Our families are to exist in unity – that means our desire should be to love and support each other – the Biblical instruction to “bear one another’s burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal.6:2) should be practiced in our earthly families in order for us to be able to make it possible in our spiritual families.

We see an example of the struggles that can develop in the lives of those around us when we don’t follow God’s path in our families in the dynamics of the 12 Sons of Israel.

What happens when the path is ignored:
Gen 42:32, “We were twelve brothers, sons of one father. One is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in Canaan.”

What’s going on here?

What happens when the path is not followed:

A Father’s heart is broken
A Father choosing one son over others
Jealousy
Greed
A brother betrayed
Lies
Distrust among brothers
Disunity

What happens when the path is followed:

Gen. 45:4-7, Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.”

Forgiveness
Restoration
Redemption
Unity

The 12 Apostles represent the completeness of God’s plan for the Church.

The Church was created to exist in unity: One of the main things that Jesus prayed about was our unity – John 17:11, “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name, the name you gave Me, so that they may be one as We are One.”

The 12 were to be a model for unity and a foundation for the Church’s unity.

What happens when that path is ignored:

Mark 10:35-37, Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want You to do for us whatever we ask.”
“What do you want Me to do for you?” He asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at Your right and the other at Your left in Your glory.”
This is not the path that God intends for His Church.
What this leads to:
Jealousy
Distrust
Power struggle
Selfishness
Disunity

However when the path is followed:
Acts 2:42-47, They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
What this leads to:
Deeper relationships with each other and Jesus
Generosity
Strength
Glad hearts
A good reputation
A platform for sharing the message
Salva

• When it comes to these numbers that we will be looking at we have to answer the question: are they just numbers or do they represent a deeper meaning?
• The number 3 appears more than 460 times in scripture.
• Signifies completeness – fullness – [there is a sense of it is enough]
• Sometimes it means perfect, as in the type of perfection found only in God.
• There is the idea that it represents the amazing or mature.

Let’s take a look at some passages concerning the life of Jesus where the number 3 plays a role and see if we can’t uncover some deeper understanding:

• The Third hour of the day
• The 3 hours of darkness
• 3 days in the Tomb

What could these possibly represent other than repetition or the marking of time?

For me I believe they represent, establish for us and teach us about:

• The Fullness of time
• The full sacrifice offered on our behalf
• The Full victory of Jesus

The Fullness of time-

The Crucifixion of Jesus was at just the right time.

Mark 15:25, It was the third hour when they crucified Him.

Now the NIV says it was 9:00 in the morning – but the greek is tritos which means 3rd.

Why is this significant? I believe that it signifies that at just the right time Jesus went to the Cross for our sins – not a minute too early or a minute too late. The crucifixion of Jesus was not the outcome of a random series of events – it was the deliberate plan of our God to redeem us from our self-inflicted bondage at any price.

I believe that this is affirmed in Galatians 4:4, But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth · · His Son, born of a woman, born under law,

And Ephesians 1:10, as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring · everything together in · Christ, things in · heaven and things on · earth.

And Romans 5:6, You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

The full sacrifice offered on our behalf –

Mark 15:33, At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.

In the third hour of darkness, Jesus breathed His last breath.

Mark 15:38, The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 

How does this show the full sacrifice?

The curtain in the temple separated the Holy place from the Holy of Holies where once a year the blood of a sacrifice was sprinkled on the mercy seat to roll the sins of the people forward for another year – 

Exodus 30:10, “Once a year Aaron shall make atonement on its horns. This annual atonement must be made with the blood of the atoning sin offering for the generations to come. It is most holy to the Lord.” 

This is no longer required because Hebrews 10:4, 

It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

With Christ sacrifice our sins are not rolled back, they are rolled away

Hebrews 9:11-12, But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

The Full victory of Jesu

The number 7 appears in the NIV 860 times.

It appears in The Revelation of John 54 times.

The number 7 in the Bible represents completion: as in the act of creation: Gen 2:2, “By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work.” 

[It is interesting to note that the original finished work of Scripture is divided into 7 parts – The Pentateuch, The Prophets, History, Wisdom, Gospels, Acts, and Epistles]

• God wraps everything in Scripture with the Revelation of John which includes the use of 7 – 54 times. 

It is for this reason that today will take a look for deeper understanding of this number from this epistle.

Specifically, we will look at:

• The 7 Churches
• The 7 Seals
• The 7 Angels

• The 7 Churches – more than a gathering of God’s people, this is the Father bringing the purposes of His people to completion.

Rev. 1:10-11,  On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit,and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum,Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.”

Notice, as we look at what is written to these Churches – the message is about what they are doing. YET, MORE IMPORTANTLY, what they should be doing.

God is bringing His message of restoration to completion and He intends for His Church to be a part of it!

Go into all the world and tell them the Good News – make disciples, baptize them and send them out to make other disciples.

• The 7 Seals – more than a bond that must be opened, this is the Father bringing His Word to completion.

Rev. 5:6-13, “Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 And when He had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because You were slain, and with Your blood, You purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,  and they will reign on the earth.” 11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, Who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To Him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!”

The Word is Jesus! 

John 1:1-5,  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in

As busy as people are today, we will still find time to do the things that we really want to do.” 

We can see that there isn’t a lack of time, resources or direction – there is an absence of proper direction. Their drive is corrupted.

In order to evaluate whether or not we have the proper drive we need to answer these 3 questions:

1. Am I seeking the path of God?

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

Romans 11:33 “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!”

2. Do I offer God my best?

Col.3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

2 Tim 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the Word of Truth.

3. Do I care more about the temporary than the eternal?

Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

1 John 2:17 “The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.”

Conclusion: The way I use my time is a reflection of my motivation.

Habakkuk 3:16 “I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.  17Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.”

To answer this question we need to answer these:

1- Are you dependent on material things?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

2- Are you patient in the fight?

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7

• Our hope is that we can be wise in the race, our joy comes not only in running the race but finishing well.

3- Are you strong?

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.” Ephesians 6:10

• We also need to remember there is joy in helping others and the strength we are given is to be used in this way

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Romans 15:1

Conclusion: Joy comes not from our circumstances, but from our relationship with God. 

“This is what the Lord says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice, and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24

Habbakkuk2:18-20,  “Of what value is an idol carved by a craftsman? Or an image that teaches lies? For the one who makes it trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. 19 Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Come to life!’ Or to lifeless stone, ‘Wake up!’ Can it give guidance? It is covered with gold and silver; there is no breath in it.” 20 The Lord is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him.”

 
1. Who do you put your trust in? vs.18

Psalm 20:7,  “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.”

2. Who or what guides you? vs.19

Psalm 31:3,  “Since You are my Rock and my Fortress, for the sake of Your name, lead and guide me.”

3. Who do you listen to? vs.20

Psalm 81:13, “If My people would only listen to Me if Israel would only follow My ways, how quickly I would subdue their enemies and turn My hand against their foes!

Conclusion:

What does worship look like? 

Romans 12:1 (MSG) “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.”

What is it? 

Psalm 100:2, “Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs.”

Are we committed to a King, and not a form of a King?

Phil.2:9-11, “Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”