God is holy, pure, exacting, perfect love. He cannot tolerate the presence of anything less. (He declared no one could see His face and live. Ex. 33:20). The calamitous introduction of sin through Adam’s rebellion condemned all humanity to a sinful nature, banning it from original Garden of Eden intimacy, and simultaneously preventing God from enjoying this highest of pleasures. To heal the breach, God’s Plan ‘A’ required a pure, ‘unblemished by sin’ sacrifice with the shedding of blood. None was found (Ps. 53:1-3) so Jesus was commissioned to be that propitiation (action to regain favor). “[God] made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we who did not know righteousness might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.” (2 Cor. 5:21, TPT). Love’s perfection is now satisfied. The way back home is now available.

1 John 4:7-21, 1 Corinthians 13:4-13

1. 1 John 4:7-14 – Love’s ______________________

2. 1 John 4:15-21 – Love’s ____________________

3. 1 Corinthians 13:4-13 – Love’s _____________

Around 25 years after Paul’s Damascus roadside meetup with Jesus, he continued in his passionate pursuit of the Lover of his soul. His life was wholly dedicated to announcing the beauty and abundance of God’s love to all who would come to Him. That passion found him writing many letters of encouragement to groups of young believers who were struggling to maintain their testimony, their commitment to their faith in the face of strong temptation and persecution. Paul’s 2000-year-old message is still a timely word for us in our 21st Century discipleship.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (1:17-19)

Eph. 2:1-3 – Our _____________________lives without Jesus

Eph. 2:4-10 – Our ____________________lives with Jesus

Eph. 1:17-19 – Our ___________________lives growing into our inheritance

Keep standing on God’s Word. Keep declaring. See through eyes of faith instead of the lens of facts, discouragements, and doubt. Stop focusing on the enemy’s plans and rejoice in the Lord’s plans. Let the glory of God illuminate your vision and ignite your heart with a fiery determination.

Gretchen Rodriguez, The Vision: 365 life-giving words from the Prophet Isaiah.

Adam sealed our fate, getting us ousted from Eden’s God-light, and getting us dumped off as exiles in the darkness and pain and toil of a cold, unwelcoming world. Our souls, designed and shaped for glory and God’s near presence, have struggled with this estrangement ever since. The in-breaking of the Kingdom of God into our existence has relit our yearning for heaven, for intimate relationship with God, for pleasant, leisurely garden walks in God-light. But while we long for restoration to our original glory, our hearts want to tell us we are nothing but castaways and sinners, no longer worthy to return ‘home.’

Isaiah 8:17 – 9:4, 2 Peter 1:12-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (NLT)

Isaiah 8:17-9:4 – Yes darkness, _______________________

2 Peter 1:12-21 – Yes darkness, _______________________

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11- Yes darkness, _________________

As disciples of Jesus, today, in the 21st Century, we are embarrassingly well provided for. While we hear Jesus’ words; “Apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5, NLT. “We celebrate Elohim who supercharges us powerfully from within. Our biggest request or most amazing dream cannot match the extravagant proportion of their thoughts towards us.” Eph. 3:20, MIRROR. Jesus again: “And whatever you desire in my name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son.” John 14:13, MIRROR. We recall John the Baptist (our Exemplar): “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.” John 3:30, NLT.

Luke 11:1-13, John 14:1-14

1. Luke 11:1-4 – _____________________to pray

2. Luke 11: 5-13 – ___________________access

3. John 14:1-14 –_____________________asking

God’s Plan ‘A’ calls us to be disciples, or apprentices, of Jesus, ambassadors of reconciliation, telling of, and living out loud, the love we’ve received to people the world over. This is a huge task, now 2000 years in the doing. God knows our fragile, mortal frame, that we are made from dust, and that we require times of rest. God, too, after six days of creating, chose to rest and bless His work, declaring the day holy, a respite from working. He then generously gifted to us this holy day, this Sabbath, so that we could be fully present to Him and savor this oasis, His refreshment.

Isaiah 28:7-13, Matthew 11:25-30 (Gen. 3:8), Acts 3:14-20

1. Isaiah 28:7-13 –Refreshment ________________________

2. Matthew 11:25-30 – Refreshment _____________________

3. Acts 3:14-20 – Refreshment _________________________

Dr. Bryon Anderson gives a talk about prayer.

-our hope-Jesus’ departure up and disappearing into a cloud were with his final words resounding in his disciples’ ears. ‘You will be my witnesses . . .” These words weren’t an assignment. They were a declaration. He might have said something like, ‘You will discover, to your astonishment, that you have become Truth tellers of all that I’ve told you.’ Or, he might have said, ‘You will forever see your lives reflecting mine in ways you’ve considered impossible.’ His entire time with them, his example, his teachings, his miracles, his healings, the promised joy, the Shalom, the hope of belonging, were all about to manifest in and through them.

John 14:1-3, Matthew 28:20, Acts 1:8

John 14:1-3 – Hope in a ________________________________________________

Matthew 28:20 – Hope in a ____________________________________________

Acts 1:8 – Hope in ____________________________________________________

-our confidence-

Some of Jesus’ last words to the disciples were: ‘you will receive power.’ And so, on the day of Pentecost, Peter, ready-fire-aim Peter, mouth-engaged-before-brain Peter, stood before several thousand people and delivered the most powerful and clear Gospel message anyone had ever heard. A short while later, Peter and John, on their way to the temple, doled out total, instant healing to a crippled beggar in the power name: Jesus. They were arrested, threatened (not intimidated), and released. Their preaching continued as fervently as before.

John 15:18-16:4

John 15:18-21 – Jesus’ disciples VS. __________________________________

John 15:22-25 – Jesus exposed the world’s _____________________________

John 15:26–6:4 – Jesus foretold the Spirit and _______________________

Isaiah 43:13 – God is ______________________________________________

Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act,

who can reverse it? NIV

Indeed, from day one, I am He. No one can wrest another from My hand. I make

things happen; who can turn them around? VOICE

From the very beginning, I am the only God! No one can be snatched from my hand. When I choose to act, who can reverse it? TPT

From eternity to eternity I am God. No one can snatch anyone out of my hand. No one can undo what I have done. NLT

Yes, I am God. I’ve always been God and I will always be God. No one can take anything from me. I make; who can unmake it? MSG

Jesus’ cousin, John, called the Baptizer, was an eleventh-hour miracle for the elderly priest Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth. His unusual name, the prophetic words spoken about him, the lifestyle chosen for him all marked him for a high and holy mission. Like his cousin, John remained out of the public eye for thirty years before being called by God to begin the work of preparing the way for the One God had chosen and calling people to repentance of their sins and to baptism. Additionally, John would be single focused in his ministry and would serve as an exemplar for every successive generation of believers in Jesus.

John 1:6-8,15,19-34, 3:22-36

1. John 1:6-8, 15, 19-23 – Our Exemplar __________________________________

2. John 1: 24-34 – Our Exemplar _________________________________________

3. John 3:22-36 – Our Exemplar __________________________________________

From Old Testament Judaism governed by the Law of Moses, to the breaking in of the Kingdom in the person of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, to Jesus’ departure, making way for the arrival of the Holy Spirit, the prophetic conclusion of Plan ‘A’. A sweeping saga to be sure, and one replete in details for carrying the mission forward as living witnesses of God’s plan. The discipleship assignment for each generation for the last 21 centuries has been to search the Scriptures to see what they have to say about provision, to pray without ceasing, and to remain in community so that iron could sharpen iron. So now to us.

John 14:5-31 – Mirror Translation

1. vv. 15-18 - immediate, inseparable, ________________________________

2. vv. 19-21 – absence and inseparable ______________________________

3. vv. 22-25 – passionate, loving _____________________________ (Jer. 31:3)

4. vv.26-31 – undisturbable, peace-filled _______________________________