Here are the extended notes from today's message... One of our best days ever...
Worship absolutely rocked! And I'm not just talking about style of music... There was an amazing vibe in the room from the "get go." You could sense God's presence...
Here's the worship set list:
Rise and Sing, Steve Fee
Our God, Chris Tomlin (Passion Awakening)
Healing Is In Your Hands, Christy Nockels (Passion Awakening)
The band did three item numbers and blew it away on every number:
Desert Song, Hillsong
Beautiful Things, Gungor
Lay 'Em Down, needtobreathe
Once again, a couple of the artists in our church brought the message to life with a beautiful mosaic depicting God's amazing ability to take the broken fragments and pieces of our life and create a stunning masterpiece. Thanks Kevin and Mike. I thank God for you guys...
The worship experience wrapped up with seven people following the Lord in water baptism! So cool!
Immediately following the worship experience, Billy and Kendall Walters, Andy Lang, Jon Behrens, Greg Gilbert, Ron Wiggins and crew cooked up some amazing barbecue! Wow! You guys were amazing... Darrell and Julie Garrett and an amazing team of adult and student ministry volunteers did set up, served the meal, did take down and clean up! You guys rock!
What an amazing day! I love this place!
Here are the extended message notes from today's message. You can download the entire mp3 via the a2 podcast located on our website or iTunes.
When Our Brokenness Meets God’s Art
MOSAIC – Part 5
This is the truth about life… Live long enough, and at some point in your life, you'll end up being broken…
“All parents damage their children. It cannot be helped. Youth, like pristine glass, absorbs the prints of its handlers. Some parents smudge, others crack, a few shatter childhoods completely into jagged little pieces, beyond repair.” ~ Mitch Albom, The Five People You Meet In Heaven, page 104
Four Mega Themes In The Book of Ruth:
• Providence: Even when I’m not aware of it and even when life rips me off; God is present. God cares. He is at work and He will provide.
Romans 8:28 (NLT), …we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.
Romans 8:28 (MSG), …we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.
• Grace Happens, When and Where You Least Expect It (Genesis 19:37; Deuteronomy 23:3; Romans 5:20).
Hesed is “the consistent, ever-faithful, relentless, constantly-pursuing, lavish, extravagant, unrestrained, furious love of our Father God!”
Ruth 4:18-22 (NLT), This is their family line beginning with their ancestor Perez: Perez was the father of Hezron. 19 Hezron was the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab. 20 Amminadab was the father of Nahshon. Nahshon was the father of Salmon. 21 Salmon was the father of Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed. 22 Obed was the father of Jesse. Jesse was the father of David.
Matthew 1:5-6 (NLT), Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab).
Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth).
Obed was the father of Jesse.
6 Jesse was the father of King David.
David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah).
16 Jacob was the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary.
Mary gave birth to Jesus, who is called the Messiah.
• Redemption really is possible.
Redeem: “…to buy back, to regain possession, to free from distress or harm, to release from captivity by paying a ransom, to set free by paying a price…”
Ruth 3:7-9 (NLT), After Boaz had finished his meal and was in good spirits, he lay down beside the heap of grain and went to sleep. Then Ruth came quietly, uncovered his feet, and lay down. 8Around midnight, Boaz suddenly woke up and turned over. He was surprised to find a woman lying at his feet! 9“Who are you?” he demanded.
“I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”
Ruth 4:13-17 (NIV), So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the Lord enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.14 The women said to Naomi: “Praise be to the Lord, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!
15 He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth.”
16 Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him.
17 The women living there said, “Naomi has a son.”
The Duties and Obligations of a Family Redeemer:
1. A Family Redeemer Could Redeem A Relative Who Had Sold Himself Into Slavery.
Leviticus 25:47-49 (NLT), ...if a resident foreigner becomes rich, and if some of your Israelite relatives go bankrupt and sell themselves to such a foreigner, 48they still retain the right of redemption. They may be bought back by a close relative—49an uncle, a nephew, or anyone else who is closely related. They may also redeem themselves if they can get the money.
2. A Family Redeemer Could Buy Back Property That Had Been Sold Outside The Family. He Could Redeem A Lost Inheritance.
Leviticus 25:25 (NLT), If any of your Israelite relatives go bankrupt and are forced to sell some inherited land, then a close relative, a kinsman redeemer, may buy it back for them.
3. If a family member had been murdered, the redeemer could avenge the crime (Number 35:9-34).
4. A Family Redeemer Could Marry The Widow Of A Dead Relative and Perpetuate The Family Name of the Relative Who Had Died By Providing An Heir.
Deuteronomy 25:5-6 (NLT), If two brothers are living together on the same property and one of them dies without a son, his widow must not marry outside the family. Instead, her husband’s brother must marry her and fulfill the duties of a brother-in-law. 6The first son she bears to him will be counted as the son of the dead brother, so that his name will not be forgotten in Israel.
Three Important Qualifications:
1. The Family Redeemer Must Be A Blood Relative.
2. The Family Redeemer Must Be Able To Redeem.
3. The Family Redeemer Must Be Willing To Carry Out The Process Of Redemption.
Ruth 4:1-6 (NLT), Boaz went to the town gate and took a seat there. When the family redeemer he had mentioned came by, Boaz called out to him, “Come over here, friend. I want to talk to you.” So they sat down together. 2 Then Boaz called ten leaders from the town and asked them to sit as witnesses. 3 And Boaz said to the family redeemer, “You know Naomi, who came back from Moab. She is selling the land that belonged to our relative Elimelech. 4 I felt that I should speak to you about it so that you can redeem it if you wish. If you want the land, then buy it here in the presence of these witnesses. But if you don’t want it, let me know right away, because I am next in line to redeem it after you.”
The man replied, “All right, I’ll redeem it.”
5 Then Boaz told him, “Of course, your purchase of the land from Naomi also requires that you marry Ruth, the Moabite widow. That way, she can have children who will carry on her husband’s name and keep the land in the family.”
6 “Then I can’t redeem it,” the family redeemer replied, “because this might endanger my own estate. You redeem the land; I cannot do it.”
Jesus Christ: Our Family Redeemer
• The Redeemer Had To Be A Blood Relative.
John 1:14 (MSG), The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.
Hebrews 2:11, 14 (NLT), So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers… 14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death.
• The Redeemer Had To Willing.
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NLT), …God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. 19He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.
• The Redeemer Must Be Able!
Hebrews 7:24 (NLT), …Jesus remains a priest forever; his priesthood will never end. 25Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save everyone who comes to God through him. He lives forever to plead with God on their behalf.
Because of Jesus, Our Redeemer:
• Our freedom has been purchased!
John 8:34-36 (NLT), Jesus replied, “I assure you that everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will indeed be free.”
• Our lost inheritance has been restored!
Romans 8:16-17 (NIV), The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
• Our brokenness and mess has met God’s restoring art.
Isaiah 61:1 (CEV), The Spirit of the LORD God has taken control of me! The LORD has chosen and sent me to tell the oppressed the good news, to heal the brokenhearted, and to announce freedom for prisoners and captives.
1 Peter 5:7-10 (NLT / MSG), Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you. 8 Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. 9 Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith… 10…And after you suffer for a short time, God, who gives all grace, will restore, will have you put together, and on your feet for good…
No comments:
Post a Comment