Sunday, February 28, 2010

ONE EXTENDED MESSAGE NOTES - Unshakable Part 4

ONE
UNSHAKABLE – Part 4

February 28, 2010 • Chris Goins

Ephesians 4:1-6 (NIV / NLT), As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called… 5 There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.


Four Fundamental Truths:

• There is one and only ONE true and living God.

Deuteronomy 6:4 (ESV), Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.

• This one God eternally exists in THREE persons – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Christian George says it like this: “Before cities were born or worlds created, God hung out with Himself. He was His own party. Some say three’s a crowd, but in this VIP club, the King, Prince and Advocate General share a perfect blend of intimacy, community and eternity.” ~ Christian Timothy George, Godology

• All three persons are completely equal in their attributes… They all have the same divine nature.

• While each of the persons are fully and completely GOD they are NOT identical…

In about 500 A.D. the church came up with a statement that remains definitive when it comes to describing the doctrine of the Trinity… It’s part of what has been called the Athanasian Creed… It probably wasn’t written by Athanasius, but it was doubtlessly inspired by him… Here’s how it reads…

Athanasian Creed
"Now this is the catholic (universal) faith: We worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing their essence.

For the Father is a distinct person, the Son is another, and the Spirit is still another.

But the divinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit is ONE, equal in glory, coeternal in majesty…

What quality the Father has, the Son has, and the Holy Spirit has.

The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, the Holy Spirit is uncreated.

The Father is immeasurable, the Son is immeasurable, the Holy Spirit is immeasurable.

The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, the Holy Spirit is eternal.

And yet there are not three eternal beings; there is but one eternal being. So too there are not three uncreated or immeasurable beings; there is but one uncreated and immeasurable being.

Similarly, the Father is Almighty, the Son is Almighty, the Holy Spirit is Almighty. Yet there are not three almighty beings; there is but one Almighty being.

Thus the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. Yet there are not three gods; there is but one God.

The Father was neither made nor created nor begotten from anyone. The Son was neither made nor created; He was begotten from the Father alone. The Holy Spirit was neither made nor created nor begotten; He proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Accordingly there is one Father, not three fathers; there is one Son, not three sons; there is one Holy Spirit, not three holy spirits.

Nothing in this trinity is before or after, nothing is greater or smaller; in their entirety the three persons are coeternal and coequal with each other.

So in everything, as was said earlier, we must worship their trinity in their unity and their unity in their trinity."



How The Members Of The Trinity Relate To One Another:

1. The Holy Spirit Focuses Our Attention On Jesus and Intercedes On Our Behalf To The Father.

“One of the most surprising discoveries in my own study of the doctrine and experience of the Spirit in the New Testament is what I can only call the SHYNESS of the Spirit.

What I mean here is not the shyness of timidity (cf. 2 Timothy 1:7 where Paul calls the Holy Spirit the Spirit of power. He’s not a timid Spirit) but the shyness of deference, the shyness of a concentrated attention on another; it is not the shyness (which we often experience) of self-centeredness; but the shyness of an other-centeredness.”
~ John Ortberg, Everybody's Normal Until You Get To Know Them, quoting Dale Bruner and his book, Holy Spirit - Shy Member of the Trinity.


John 15:26 (NIV), When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about ME.

John 16:13-14 (NLT), When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard… 14He will BRING ME GLORY by revealing to you whatever he receives from me.


IMPORTANT: When the Holy Spirit is really operating, He won’t be the central topic of conversation. The primary ministry of the Holy Spirit is to get people to focus and rivet their attention on JESUS CHRIST…

This is the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit goes out of sight, but at the same time He works deep within our hearts and He says, “Look at Jesus. Pay attention to Him. Notice Him! Listen to Him! Be preoccupied with Him! Love Him! Serve Him! Follow Him! Worship Him!”


2. Jesus Exalts The Father and Submits To The Leadership of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 10:45, “…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mark 1:12 (NLT), …the Holy Spirit COMPELLED Jesus to go into the wilderness.

Luke 22:42 (NLT), “FATHER, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine.”


3. The Father Sends The Spirit and Glorifies The Son.

On two occasions in the Gospels, it’s reported in Matthew, Mark and Luke; we hear the voice of God the FATHER. We hear His voice once at Jesus’ baptism and again and Jesus’ transfiguration.

On both occasions, the Father isn’t blowing His own trumpet. But the Father is calling ATTENTION to His Son, JESUS! On both occasions God basically spoke up and affirmed His Son by saying, “This is my priceless, BELOVED SON… I am deeply pleased with Him…” (Luke 3:22; 9:35)


“It is noteworthy that this voice does not say, ‘Listen to me, too, after listening to him; don’t forget that I’m here, too; don’t be taken up with my Son.’”

“God the Father is shy, too. The whole blessed TRINITY is shy. Each member of the TRINITY points faithfully and selflessly to the other in a gracious circle.”
~ John Ortberg, Everybody's Normal Until You Get To Know Them, quoting Dale Bruner in his book, Holy Spirit - Shy Member of the Trinity


Mark Galli, in his book, A Great and Terrible Love describes the Trinity like this:

“…in John [14 -] 17 we are given a glimpse, if a brief one, into the life of the Trinity, into the dynamics of God as He is in Himself. What Jesus clearly reveals is that God’s love exists apart from His love from us…

[God] created us not because he needed someone to return love to Him but because the love of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit bubbled over into creation..."
~ Mark Galli, A Great and Terrible Love

“The three persons of the Trinity dwell in one another in an ongoing movement of love. [And] since we are made in the image of the Trinity, we are called to dwell in the life of the Trinity.” ~ Mark Galli, A Great and Terrible Love


A Practical Application From The Trinity
We are capable of “oneness.” God has designed human beings with the capacity to experience and enjoy the same kind of “oneness” that the Father, Son and Spirit experience and enjoy.


John 17:20-21 (NLT), I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me because of their testimony. 21 I pray that they will all be ONE, just as you and I are ONE—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.


Here’s what it cost God for us to experience “ONENESS” with the TRINITY and “ONENESS” with one another.

• The SON had to be willing to say, “I’ll leave heaven and go to earth. I’ll leave the perfect ONNESS I’ve known for all eternity and become like human beings. In fact, I’ll take on their brokenness and sin. I’ll take on their loneliness and pain. I will die an utterly God forsaken death on the cross in order to pay the penalty for their sin.”

• The FATHER had to be willing to say, “I will offer the best I have. I will offer my Son, whom I love beyond all words. I will see Him broken, twisted, rejected, beaten and killed as the sin of the entire human race is poured out upon Him. His pain will be my pain.”

• The FATHER and the SON had to be willing to say, “We will experience brokenness in the oneness and community we’ve shared and experienced throughout all eternity. The SON will experience being forsaken by the Father. And the FATHER will turn His back on His very on Son.”

• Then the HOLY SPIRIT had to be willing to say, “I will be poured out on the earth. I will lead and guide people to Jesus Christ. I will never exalt myself. I will always point people to the Son. I will risk being rejected, ignored, quenched, defied and grieved.”

NOTE: The Spirit was never grieved by the Father or Son, but now He knows what it’s like to experience grief. His promptings go largely ignored by the masses.

• The FATHER, SON and SPIRIT had to be willing to say, “We will absorb the pain of brokenness because we are willing to pay the price so that anyone who wants to can enjoy and experience our fellowship.”

That’s what it COST GOD so that you and I would have the ability to enjoy this kind of ONENESS… That’s why it’s absolutely unthinkable that we would ever allow anything to obscure or hinder the UNITY and community that God has designed us to enjoy.

Our UNITY is God’s great passion. This was Jesus’ great prayer. ONENESS is the SIGNATURE of God.


Do you know how seriously God takes this?

Proverbs 6:19 lists “…a person who sows discord among [a church body]…” among the seven sins that God hates.

1 Corinthians 3:16 (NLT), Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will bring ruin upon anyone who ruins this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you Christians are that temple.


TWO Threats To UNITY:

• Criticism

James 3:5-6 (MSG), It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.

• Uncontrolled Egos


FOUR Spiritual “Graces” That Preserve and Protect Unity:

1. Be Humble.

Ephesians 4:2, Be completely humble…


2. Be Gracious / Meek.

Ephesians 4:2, Be completely humble and gentle…


3. Be Patient.

Ephesians 4:2b (NIV), …be patient, bearing with one another in love.


1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV), Love is patient…

1 Corinthians 13:4 (MSG), Love never gives up…


Ephesians 4:2b (NLT), Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.


4. Be Proactive.

Ephesians 4:3 (NIV), Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.


Psalm 133:1-3 (NIV), How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! 2 It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down upon the collar of his robes. 3 It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.


Resources:
John Ortberg, Everybody's Normal Until You Get To Know Them
Frederick Dale Bruner, Holy Spirit - Shy Member of the Trinity
Christian Timothy George, Godology
Mark Galli, A Great and Terrible Love
John Stott, Christian Basics
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology
Tim Keller, The Reason for God

Monday, February 22, 2010

U B U - ED YOUNG - RAP MASTER SUPER PASTOR

Here's Pastor Ed Young of Fellowship Church letting pastors know you simply need to be you.

Enjoy.

ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW

Here's Paul the Apostle on evangelism.

"I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: religious, nonreligious, meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it! " ~ 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (MSG)

A Couple of Things Really Stick Out:

1. Paul "kept his bearing on Christ."

This is crucial. It's all about Jesus. It's always about Jesus. It's only about Jesus. If we lose this perspective, we've totally missed the point.

2. Paul "entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view."

This is contextualization... Paul understood an old principle that's been said so many times that it's almost become trite: "people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."

Paul cared... He cared enough to listen to the hurts, pains, thoughts, dreams and perspectives of the people he was trying to reach.

Sometimes the best thing we can do when it comes to evangelism is just LISTEN.

3. Finally, Paul viewed himself as a "servant." "I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life."

Paul understood, "It's not about me... It doesn't have to be about me... It's about what God has done through His Son, Jesus Christ, and it's about others..."

4. Paul refused to live on the "sidelines." He wanted to be part of the action of what God was doing in this world.

"I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it!"

I want this guy's heart... His heart for God... His heart for people... His heart for the gospel...

Sunday, February 21, 2010

GOD IS GREAT, GOD IS... EXTENDED MESSAGE NOTES

God Is Great, God Is…
UNSHAKABLE – Part 3

February 21, 2010
Chris Goins


“The design of the universe…is very magnificent and shouldn’t be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, all though he strikes me as a basically very religious man.”

“He [Einstein] must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty than they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the REAL THING. My guess is that he simply felt that religions he’s run across did not have proper respect…for the author of the universe.”
~ John Piper, Lecture – How Not To Blaspheme God, Beeson Divinity School; Also included in Piper’s book, Let The Nations Be Glad, page 18.


“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” ~ A. W. Tozer


“Visit a church on Sunday morning – almost any will do – and you will likely find a congregation comfortably relating to a deity who fits nicely within precise doctrinal positions, or who lends almighty support to social crusades, or who conforms to individual spiritual experiences. But you will not likely find much AWE or sense of MYSTERY…

The New Testament warns us, ‘…offer to God an acceptable worship with REVERENCE and AWE; for indeed our God is a CONSUMING FIRE…’ [Hebrews 12:28-29, NRSV]. But REVERENCE and AWE have often been replaced by a yawn of familiarity. The consuming fire has been DOMESTICATED into a candle flame, adding a bit of religious atmosphere…but no heat, no blinding light, no power for purification.

When the true story gets told, whether in the partial light of historical perspective or in the perfect light of eternity, it may be well revealed that the WORST SIN of the church at the end of the twentieth century has been the TRIVIALIZATION of GOD.”
~ Donald McCullough, The Trivialization of God.


“What makes it difficult for us to see the truth about God…isn’t [God’s] overwhelming immensity but our overwhelming self-centeredness…” ~ Joshua Harris, Dug Down Deep, page 39.


Eight Important Truths About Us and Our Great God:

1. I’m created. God is the Creator (Genesis 1:1).

Genesis 1:1 (NIV), In the beginning GOD CREATED the heavens and the earth.


2. I have a beginning. God is eternal. He has no beginning and He has no end. He exists completely outside of time and space.

Psalm 90:2 (NIV), Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. (See Revelation 1:8)


3. I am dependent. God is self-existent and independent. He doesn’t need or rely on us or the rest of creation for anything… He has life in Himself and draws His unending energy from Himself.

Acts 17:24-25 (NLT), He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.


4. I’m limited by time and space. God is omnipresent. Because God is Spirit, He is present at every point of space with His whole being at all times…

Psalm 139:7-10 (NIV), Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are b; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.


5. I am limited in knowledge. God is all-knowing. He is omniscient. He fully knows Himself and all things actual and possible - everything past, present and future – in one simple and eternal act.

Psalm 139:3-4 (NIrV), You know when I go out to work and when I come back home. You know exactly how I live. 4 Lord, even before I speak a word, you know all about it.
6. I am limited in power. God is Almighty. He is omnipotent. He is able to do anything and everything that is consistent with His character and Holy nature.


Jeremiah 32:17 (NLT), O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!


7. I am messed up. God is holy. He is transcendent. He exceeds all limitations… He is above and beyond us in every possible way (Isaiah 6:3).


8. Limitations define my existence. God is sovereign. He is sovereign over every molecule in the universe. He is sovereign over every kingdom and earthly power or authority. He is sovereign over every human heart.


Isaiah 40:10, 12, Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales
 and the hills in a balance?

Isaiah 40:22 (NLT), God sits above the circle of the earth. The people below seem like grasshoppers to him! He spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them.


Isaiah 40:26 (NLT), Look up into the heavens. Who created all the stars?
 He brings them out like an army, one after another, calling each by its name. Because of his great power and incomparable strength, not a single one is missing.


NOTE: At this point, the actual message available in a downloadable mp3 contains a lengthy description of the greatness of God as revealed in the Universe. Visit a2's website or type "a2 Church" in the iTunes Search Engine for downloadable mp3's.


See Psalm 8:1, 3-4; 19:1

Isaiah 40:10-11 (NLT), Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.
 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

Sources: Indescribable and How Great Is Our God by Louie Gilio; Dug Down Deep by Josh Harris; Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem.

Friday, February 19, 2010

WHAT IS REVIVAL?

Justin Taylor of The Gospel Coalition offered this post quoting J.I. Packer answering the question, "What is revival?"

I love the "pattern" for revival Packer shares... Good stuff...

Now, what's left but for us to passionately pray, "Oh, God, would you revive us again, so that your people can rejoice in you." (Psalm 85:6)


Here is how J. I. Packer answers that question in his essay, “The Glory of God and the Reviving of Religion” in A God-Entranced Vision of All Things (pp. 100-104):

Revival is God touching minds and hearts in an arresting, devastating, exalting way, to draw them to himself through working from the inside out rather than from the outside in.

It is God accelerating, intensifying, and extending the work of grace that goes on in every Christian’s life, but is sometimes overshadowed and somewhat smothered by the impact of other forces.

It is the near presence of God giving new power to the gospel of sin and grace.

It is the Holy Spirit sensitizing souls to divine realities and so generating deep-level responses to God in the form of faith and repentance, praise and prayer, love and joy, works of benevolence and service and initiatives of outreach and sharing.

What is the pattern of genuine revival? Packer suggests the following ten elements:

1. God comes down.
2. God’s Word pierces.
3. Man’s sin is seen.
4. Christ’s cross is valued.
5. Change goes deep.
6. Love breaks out.
7. Joy fills hearts.
8. Each church becomes itself—becomes, that is, the people of the divine presence in an experiential, as distinct from merely notional, sense.
9. The lost are found.
10. Satan keeps pace.

THIS DUDE KNEW HOW TO PRAY

"My Lord God I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that my desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone." ~ Thomas Merton (1915-1968), 20th Century American Catholic Writer




Wednesday, February 17, 2010

The Purpose of Marriage?

Just read this post by Tullian Tchividjian where he quotes a forthcoming book by Paul Tripp on marriage.

Wow! This quote is packed with a message that I needed to read. My toes are still bleeding, from this guy stepping all over them...

Read at your own risk.

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Monday, February 15, 2010

Snapshots of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation

Some of you have requested this "segment" from yesterday's message, Story. Here it is in printed story. Plans are already underway for a video release featuring audio from yesterday's message with graphics and background music.

Snapshots of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation
From the opening chapters of Genesis, to the closing chapter of Revelation, the story of Jesus is being told in this book…

In Genesis Jesus is the “breath of life” and the “seed of woman” who will one day crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

In Exodus Jesus is the “Passover lamb” (Exodus 12:13; John 1:29, 35).

In Leviticus Jesus is our “Great High Priest” and Eternal Sacrifice (Leviticus 16; Hebrews 9:26b, 28).

In Numbers He is the “pillar of cloud by day” and the “pillar of cloud by night.” He is the trusted guide… (Numbers 9)

In Deuteronomy He is the prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15; 32:4).

In Joshua He is the captain of Our Salvation (Joshua 2:18) and the scarlet thread hanging from Rahab’s window…

In Judges He is the Great Judge and Lawgiver.

In Ruth He is our Kinsman and Redeemer (Ruth 3:9).

In 1 Samuel He is our prophet, our King and the champion who defeats our Goliath.

In 2 Samuel He is the anointed King…

In 1 Kings He is the wise King…

In 2 Kings He is the reigning King…

In 1 Chronicles He is the sovereign King…

In 2 Chronicles He is the glory of the Lord that fills the temple of Solomon.…
In Ezra He is the faithful scribe and the restorer of the temple…

In Nehemiah He is the rebuilder of the broken down walls of human life…

In Esther He is our Mordecai… He is the hidden teacher…

In Job He is the redeemer who lives and will stand upon the earth… And even “after my body decays, yet in my body I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. And I am overwhelmed at the thought” (Job 19:25-27).

In Psalms He is the “Lord our Shepherd” and He is the Lord our Song… (Psalm 23)

In Proverbs He is the “Wisdom of our God” (Proverbs 8:35).

In Ecclesiastes He’s our only hope… Everything else is vanity…

In Song of Solomon He is our lover and bridegroom. He is the “rose of Sharon” and the “lily of the valley” (SOS 2:1). He’s the fairest of 10,000…

In Isaiah He is the suffering servant and Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of peace… (Isaiah 53:4-5; Isaiah 9:6).

In Jeremiah He is righteous branch… (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

In Lamentations He is the weeping prophet.

In Ezekiel He is the Son of Man and the wind that comes from the four corners of the earth resurrecting an entire valley of dry bones…

In Daniel He is the fourth man in the fiery furnace walking around with three Hebrew boys… He is also Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven… (Daniel 3:25)

In Hosea He is our faithful and loving husband…
In Joel He is the baptizer with the Holy Spirit and the God who pours out the Holy Spirit…

In Amos He is the burden bearer or the arms that carry us…

In Obadiah He is the mighty to save (Obadiah 1:17-21).

In Jonah He is the God of the Second Chance – our forgiving God.

In Micah He is the messenger with beautiful feet.

In Nahum He is our stronghold in the Day of Trouble (Nahum 1:7).

In Habakkuk He is the Great Evangelist crying out for REVIVAL!

In Zephaniah He is the restorer of the Remnant and the glory of Israel (Zephaniah 3:15).

In Haggai He is the cleansing fountain and the God who restores our lost heritage…

In Zechariah He is the pierced Son…

And in Malachi He is the Son of righteousness who rises with healing in His wings... (Malachi 4:2).

In Matthew He is the Promised Messiah… (Matthew 1:23; 2:2, 6)

In Mark He is the miracle worker… (Mark 10:45)

In Luke He is the Son of Man… (Luke 19:10)

In John He is the Son of God and the Word made flesh…

In Acts He is the ascended Lord who fills His followers with the Holy Spirit… (Acts 1:8, 11; 2:1-4)

In Romans He is our justifier who frees us from all condemnation… He is the grace of God…

In 1 Corinthians He is the last Adam…

In 2 Corinthians He is our God of all comfort… (2 Corinthians 1:3)

In Galatians He’s our liberator – the one who sets us FREE from the curse of the law… (Galatians 3:13)

In Ephesians He is our glorious treasure…

In Philippians He is our JOY and the God who meets all our need and the name above every name (Philippians 4:8; 2:9).

In Colossians He is the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form…

In 1 and 2 Thessalonians He is our Soon Coming King… (1 Thessalonians 4)

In 1 and 2 Timothy He is the Mediator between God and man… (1 Timothy 2:5)

In Titus He is our blessed hope and the faithful pastor… (Titus 2:13)

In Philemon He is friend who sticks closer than a brother…

In Hebrews He is the blood of the New Covenant that cleanses us from all our sin… He is Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever…

In James He is the one who heals the sick… (James 5)

In 1 and 2 Peter He is Chief Shepherd... (1 Peter 2:25)

In 1, 2 and 3 John He is everlasting love…

In Jude He is Only Wise God, our Savior and the Lord who will return with 10,000 of His Saints… (Jude 1:14, 24)

In Revelation He the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the Bright and Morning Star… (Revelation 1:8, 17; 21:6; 5:6; 19:13; 9:16; 22:16)

Story Extended Message Notes

Story
UNSHAKABLE - Part 2
February 14, 2010 • Chris Goins

Here are the extended notes from this morning's message at a2 Church. As always, you can download the podcast of the message on our church website at a2church.org/messages or on iTunes by typing "a2 Church" into the iTunes Store Search Engine and clicking on the a2 Church Podcast.


Three Terms That Are Really Important:

Theologythe stuff we believe about God…

Doctrinethe meaning of the story God is writing in the world. It’s the explanation of what He’s done, why He’s done it and why it matters to you and me.

Orthodoxy Right beliefs and convictions about God and His Word… Beliefs and convictions that are established on the truths clearly taught in the Bible and affirmed in the historic creeds of the Christian faith.


The Doctrine of Scripture

“…all that the Bible teaches us about itself: what the Bible is, where it comes from, what its characteristics are, and how we’re supposed to read and obey it.”


Eight Principles:

1. The Bible is the foundation of every other Christian belief.


The doctrine of Scripture is unique in its importance among Christian doctrine because it touches, influences and helps to shape everything else you believe as a Christian…

Ephesians 2:20-21 (NIV), …you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.


Two Forms of Revelation:

• General Revelation – is the personal act of God by which he makes Himself known to humanity in general through His creation and in our conscience… (Ps 19:1-4; 94:8-10; Rom 1:19-21)

Psalm 19:1 2, The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge.

“God not only has sowed in our minds that seed of religion but revealed himself and daily discloses himself in the whole creation and preservation of the universe. As a result, humans can not open their eyes without being compelled to see God.” (John Calvin, Institutes I, V, 1)

• Special Revelationis the personal act of God by which He makes Himself known to many people by His redemptive word / work so that we can come into a relationship with Him…


2. The Bible is both doctrine and story. It not only gives us transformational principles, but it also uses the power of story to show us how God works and acts in human history.


3. The story is not about me and it’s not about you. The main character of every story the Bible shares is Jesus. Every story whispers His name.

“Now, some people think the Bible is a book of rules, telling you what you should do 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 down right mean.

No, the Bible isn’t a book of rules, or a book of heroes. The Bible is most of all a Story. It’s an adventure story about a young Hero who comes from a far country to win back his lost treasure. It’s a love story about a brave Prince who leaves his palace, his throne – everything – to rescue the one he loves. It’s like the most wonderful of fairy tales that has come true in real life!

You see, the best thing about the Story is – it’s true.

There are lots of stories in the Bible, but all the stories are telling one Big Story. The Story of how God loves His children and comes to rescue them.

It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. At the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers His name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle – the piece that makes all the other pieces fit together, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture."
~ Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible


John 5:39-40 (MSG), You have your heads in your Bibles constantly because you think you'll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And here I am, standing right before you, and you aren't willing to receive from me the life you say you want.


Snapshots of Jesus from Genesis to Revelation
From the opening chapters of Genesis, to the closing chapter of Revelation, the story of Jesus is being told in this book…

In Genesis Jesus is the “breath of life” and the “seed of woman” who will one day crush the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).

In Exodus Jesus is the “Passover lamb” (Exodus 12:13; John 1:29, 35).

In Leviticus Jesus is our “Great High Priest” and Eternal Sacrifice (Leviticus 16; Hebrews 9:26b, 28).

In Numbers He is the “pillar of cloud by day” and the “pillar of cloud by night.” He is the trusted guide… (Numbers 9)

In Deuteronomy He is the prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15; 32:4).

In Joshua He is the captain of Our Salvation (Joshua 2:18) and the scarlet thread hanging from Rahab’s window…

In Judges He is the Great Judge and Lawgiver.

In Ruth He is our Kinsman and Redeemer (Ruth 3:9).

In 1 Samuel He is our prophet, our King and the champion who defeats our Goliath.

In 2 Samuel He is the anointed King…

In 1 Kings He is the wise King…

In 2 Kings He is the reigning King…

In 1 Chronicles He is the sovereign King…

In 2 Chronicles He is the glory of the Lord that fills the temple of Solomon.…
In Ezra He is the faithful scribe and the restorer of the temple…

In Nehemiah He is the rebuilder of the broken down walls of human life…

In Esther He is our Mordecai… He is the hidden teacher…

In Job He is the redeemer who lives and will stand upon the earth… And even “after my body decays, yet in my body I will see God! I will see Him for myself. Yes, I will see Him with my own eyes. And I am overwhelmed at the thought” (Job 19:25-27).

In Psalms He is the “Lord our Shepherd” and He is the Lord our Song… (Psalm 23)

In Proverbs He is the “Wisdom of our God” (Proverbs 8:35).

In Ecclesiastes He’s our only hope… Everything else is vanity…

In Song of Solomon He is our lover and bridegroom. He is the “rose of Sharon” and the “lily of the valley” (SOS 2:1). He’s the fairest of 10,000…

In Isaiah He is the suffering servant and Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of peace… (Isaiah 53:4-5; Isaiah 9:6).

In Jeremiah He is righteous branch… (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

In Lamentations He is the weeping prophet.

In Ezekiel He is the Son of Man and the wind that comes from the four corners of the earth resurrecting an entire valley of dry bones…

In Daniel He is the fourth man in the fiery furnace walking around with three Hebrew boys… He is also Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven… (Daniel 3:25)

In Hosea He is our faithful and loving husband…
In Joel He is the baptizer with the Holy Spirit and the God who pours out the Holy Spirit…

In Amos He is the burden bearer or the arms that carry us…

In Obadiah He is the mighty to save (Obadiah 1:17-21).

In Jonah He is the God of the Second Chance – our forgiving God.

In Micah He is the messenger with beautiful feet.

In Nahum He is our stronghold in the Day of Trouble (Nahum 1:7).

In Habakkuk He is the Great Evangelist crying out for REVIVAL!

In Zephaniah He is the restorer of the Remnant and the glory of Israel (Zephaniah 3:15).

In Haggai He is the cleansing fountain and the God who restores our lost heritage…

In Zechariah He is the pierced Son…

And in Malachi He is the Son of righteousness who rises with healing in His wings... (Malachi 4:2).

In Matthew He is the Promised Messiah… (Matthew 1:23; 2:2, 6)

In Mark He is the miracle worker… (Mark 10:45)

In Luke He is the Son of Man… (Luke 19:10)

In John He is the Son of God and the Word made flesh…

In Acts He is the ascended Lord who fills His followers with the Holy Spirit… (Acts 1:8, 11; 2:1-4)

In Romans He is our justifier who frees us from all condemnation… He is the grace of God…

In 1 Corinthians He is the last Adam…

In 2 Corinthians He is our God of all comfort… (2 Corinthians 1:3)

In Galatians He’s our liberator – the one who sets us FREE from the curse of the law… (Galatians 3:13)

In Ephesians He is our glorious treasure…

In Philippians He is our JOY and the God who meets all our need and the name above every name (Philippians 4:8; 2:9).

In Colossians He is the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form…

In 1 and 2 Thessalonians He is our Soon Coming King… (1 Thessalonians 4)

In 1 and 2 Timothy He is the Mediator between God and man… (1 Timothy 2:5)

In Titus He is our blessed hope and the faithful pastor… (Titus 2:13)

In Philemon He is friend who sticks closer than a brother…

In Hebrews He is the blood of the New Covenant that cleanses us from all our sin… He is Jesus, the same yesterday, today and forever…

In James He is the one who heals the sick… (James 5)

In 1 and 2 Peter He is Chief Shepherd... (1 Peter 2:25)

In 1, 2 and 3 John He is everlasting love…

In Jude He is Only Wise God, our Savior and the Lord who will return with 10,000 of His Saints… (Jude 1:14, 24)

In Revelation He the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, the Lamb who was slain before the foundation of the world, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and the Bright and Morning Star… (Revelation 1:8, 17; 21:6; 5:6; 19:13; 9:16; 22:16)


4. The Bible is inspired. It was actually breathed out by God.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV), All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful...


“The Bible is the Word of God in such a way that when the Bible speaks, God speaks.”
~ B.B. Warfield


Verbal Plenary Inspiration

Verbal - we believe that the very words, not just the thoughts, concepts and ideas in the Bible, but the very words of Scripture are inspired

Plenary - means we believe that every part of the Bible is inspired…

Inspiration - simply means that Scripture is "God-breathed..."


2 Peter 1:21 (ESV), For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.


5. The Bible is inerrant.

Proverbs 30:5 (ESV), Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

John 17:17 (ESV), Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.


6. The Bible is amazingly straightforward and clear.

Psalm 19:7 (CEV), The Law of the LORD is perfect; it gives us new life. His teachings last forever, and they give wisdom to ordinary people.

Psalm 119:130 (ESV), The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.


7. The Bible is unique in the effect it has on a person’s life.

Hebrews 4:12-13 (NLT), For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV), All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Story of Josiah - See 2 Kings 22

I
saiah 66:2b (ESV), …this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

Story of Jehoiakim - See Jeremiah 36


8. The Bible is the final authority and last word when it comes to what we believe and how we live. The only proper response is to humble obedience.

Isaiah 1:2 (NIV), Hear, O heavens! Listen, O earth! For the LORD has spoken…

Jeremiah 15:16 (ESV), Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.



Sunday, February 7, 2010

Built To Last Extended Message Notes

Built To Last
UNSHAKABLE – Part 1

February 7, 2010 • Chris Goins • Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:46-49

Here are the extended notes from this morning's message at a2 Church. As always, you can download the podcast of the message on our church website at
a2church.org/messages or on iTunes by typing "a2 Church" into the iTunes Store Search Engine and clicking on the a2 Church Podcast.

Here are the extended notes...

Built To Last
UNSHAKABLE – Part 1


Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT), Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. 25 Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. 26 But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. 27 When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.


IMPORTANT: This story isn’t about Christians and non-Christians. It’s about authentic Christians and “posers.” Jesus made this plain in Luke 6:46.

Luke 6:46 (ESV), Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?


The Similarities:

1. These guys basically wanted the same thing.

• The “house” represents my life.

• The foundation represents the core beliefs, convictions, values, dreams and choices that make me who I am.

2. They built in the same general location.

3. On the surface, both houses looked pretty much the same.

The Five Stages of Decline (How The Mighty Fall by Jim Collins):
Stage 1:
Hubris (pride or arrogance) born of success.
Stage 2:
The undisciplined pursuit of more.
Stage 3:
Denial of risk, peril or danger.
Stage 4:
Grasping for salvation (or a quick fix or miracle drug).
Stage 5: C
apitulation to irrelevance or death.

4. Both houses experienced the same storm. They went through the same tests.


Three Basic Tests:

1.
“rain fell” – The routine junk that just sort of happens in life like sickness, loss, failure, disappointment…

2.
“floods came” – A world system that comes against everything we stand for and believe… (See 1 John 2:16)

1 John 2:16, For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and pride of life--is not from the Father but is from the world.

3.
“winds blew and beat on that house” – Strategic and definite attacks coordinated and carried out by the evil one or his “junior assistants.”


The Big Differences:

1. Basic decisions about how to build.

Matthew 7:24 (NLT), Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.

Luke 6:47-48a (NLT), I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who DIGS DEEP and lays the FOUNDATION on solid rock.


Three Important Questions:
• Am I willing to take the time to get wise counsel about how to build?
• Am I willing to take the time to dig deep and do the work necessary to lay a solid foundation?
• Am I willing to actually live out or put into action the stuff I say that I believe?

Luke 6:46-47 (NLT), So why do you keep calling me `Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?”


2. A sense of peace, security and rock solid faith even in the middle of crisis.

Psalm 112:6-8 (ESV), For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. 7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. 8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.


How To Build A Life That Lasts:

1. Dig deep. Know what you believe and why you believe it.

Luke 6:47-48a (NLT), I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock.


Theology the stuff we believe about God…

Doctrine the meaning of the story God is writing in the world. It’s the explanation of what He’s done, why He’s done it and why it matters to you and me.

Orthodoxy Right beliefs and convictions about God and His Word… Beliefs and convictions that are established on the truths clearly taught in the Bible and affirmed in the historic creeds of the Christian faith.


THE APOSTLE’S CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy universal church, the communion of the saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
Amen.



“We do not have a strong church today, nor do we have many strong Christians. We can trace the cause to an acute lack of sound spiritual knowledge. Why is the church weak? Why are individual Christians weak? It is because they have allowed their minds to become conformed to the "spirit of this age," with its mechanistic, godless thinking. They have forgotten what God is like and what He promises to do for those who trust Him. Ask an average Christian to talk about God. After getting past the expected answers you will find that his god is a little god of vacillating sentiments. He is a god who would like to save the world, but who cannot. He would like to restrain evil, but somehow he finds it beyond his power. So he has withdrawn into semi-retirement, being willing to give good advice in a grandfatherly sort of way, but for the most part He has left His children to fend for themselves in a dangerous environment.
Such a god is not the God of the Bible… The God of the Bible is not weak; He is strong! He is all-mighty. Nothing happens without his permission or apart from his purposes… Nothing disturbs or puzzles Him. His purposes are always accomplished. Therefore, those who know Him rightly act with boldness, assured that God is with them to accomplish His own desirable purposes in their lives.”
~ James Montgomery Boice, Foundations of the Christian Faith, pages 25-26.


2. Just do it! Put the stuff you know into action.

Luke 6:46 (NLT), So why do you keep calling me `Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?

Luke 6:47-48 (MSG), These words I speak to you are not mere additions to your life, homeowner improvements to your standard of living. They are foundation words, words to build a life on. 48 “If you work the words into your life, you are like a smart carpenter who dug deep and laid the foundation of his house on bedrock. When the river burst its banks and crashed against the house, nothing could shake it; it was built to last.


3. Stay focused! It’s all about Jesus. It’s always about Jesus. It’s only about Jesus.

Isaiah 28:16 (NLT), Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem, a firm and tested stone. It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never be shaken.”


Closing:
Do you remember the story of The Three Little Pigs.

The three pigs left home, and each built a house for himself. The houses were each made of different materials, with different degrees of structural integrity.

All three houses looked great…at first. But when the wolf came and challenged the pigs in the two homes that were built rather hastily, he huffed and puffed and blew their homes down.

The third pig was wiser. His house took a little longer to build. He followed the local “wolf proofing” building codes. But he felt good about the structural integrity of his house when it was finally completed. In fact, his brothers felt great about it because they had some place to run to when their homes came crashing down. When the three of them stood behind those solid walls, that had been established upon a firm foundation, the house endured all the huffing and puffing and did not blow down.

Here’s the moral of the story. Houses that lack a solid foundation and structural integrity won’t stand up to the invasion of the enemy. Houses built on a solid foundation, with the right materials and workmanship will. It’s the same with our lives. Lives that aren’t built upon a firm foundation won’t possibly withstand the enemy’s attack. Lives built on a firm foundation and with the right materials can handle anything the enemy brings against them.

Are you UNSHAKABLE? Are you "built to last"?