Gospel

The Challenge of Gratitude

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Here are the notes from Sunday’s message The Challenge of Gratitude which is part of our continuing series, The Challenge of the New Testament.  The audio will be available later in the week here.

The Challenge of Gratitude

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The Big Idea:  God is a reason for thanksgiving in all circumstances.

1.  ALL is a small word with big coverage.

2.  God is greater than we are.  Gratitude battles pride.

The absence of gratitude toward God is the first step down a slippery slope away from God.

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities— his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  For although they knew God, they neither glo- rified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking be- came futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
Romans 1:20-21

3. God is greater than our circumstances.  Gratitude battles despair.

“Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.”  Ephesians 5:3-4

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and peti- tion, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:4-7

4. Gratitude is not just personal it is communal.
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”  Romans 12:15

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone- 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all men-the testimony given in its proper time.  1 Timothy 2:1-7

“If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified. 1 Corinthians 14:16-17

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.
1 Corinthians 10:14-17

5.  Spontaneity is great.  But there are seasons in our lives when we need to put thanks into practice by creating a trigger for thanks-giving.

__________  Memorize the verse.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

__________  Create an emotional trigger.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions…”  Ephesians 6:18

__________  Create a scheduled trigger.  (example:  Mealtimes.)

“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.”  Matthew 14:19

__________  Plan on sending thank-you notes regularly.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!  2 Corinthians 9:12-15

26

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26, Kayleigh

26 Days of Christmas.  Kayleigh from Cityview has come up with a much more cool badge for our exploration of how to bless Main St / Riley Park for 26 Days, from Nov 29-Dec 24.  Hope to hear more of your ideas here and on facebook.

Thanks Kayleigh for and awesome badge!

26 Days of Christmas

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26, Christmas on Main StreetWell you heard about it first here:  26 Days of Christmas.  I’m looking for help in coming up with ideas for how Cityview can bless Main Street / Riley Park for 26 consecutive days from Nov 29 to Dec 24.  Post your ideas here and let’s make this a Christmas like no other!

Radical Love

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Here are the notes from the New Testament Challenge Message at Cityview this weekend on Radical Love.

The Big Idea: Radical love flows from a gracious and just God.

“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.  He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:44-45

radical:  1) arising from or going to a root source
2) departing markedly from the norm or the culture

3) favouring or effecting fundamental or revolutionary changes

4) slang:  wonderful

1.  Jesus describes radical love as a product of knowing Him.

“A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciple, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35

“My command is this:  Love each other as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command.”  John 15:12-13

2.  The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7 is not another “law” from which we try to gain acceptance from God if we perfect it.  Rather the Sermon on the Mount is descriptive of the lifestyle that flows from a person being transformed (blessed) by Jesus Christ. As Jesus concludes the message the nature of this life becomes more clear:

Ask the Father for good gifts… Matthew 7:7-12
Enter the narrow gate for life… Matthew 7:13-14

Good tree bears good fruit/entry into
the Kingdom of heaven via knowing Jesus Matthew 7:15-23
Wise builder puts Jesus words into practice Matthew 7:43-48

3. The Sermon on the Mount does give us insight on what hinders us from loving people radically.

A.  Contempt for people, the bearers of God’s image.  Matt 5:21-26
B.  Lust, a desire to use people for selfish ends.  Matt 5:27-30
C.  Building throwaway relationships.  Matt 5:31-32

D.  Making throwaway promises, words.  Matt 5:33-37
E.  Vengeful justice-seeking.  Matthew 5:38-42
F.   Smallness, limiting love to those who love us.  Matt 5 43-48
G.  Desiring the applause of people over the applause of God.  6:1-18

H.  Valuing financial security over the works of God.  6:19-24
I.  Worrying over the stuff of earth over the kingdom of God.  6:25-
J.  Using other people’s failure as reason to elevate ourselves. 7:1-6

4. Jesus creates a window for us to see examples of Radical love:
A.  Seeks out a person who we have heart when we realize it.

B.  Interacts with people with out using them for selfish pleasures.

C.  Values people and seeks to maintain covenants even when tough.

D.  Speaks clearly and sincerely about one’s intentions.

E.  Gives people more good than they deserve.

F.  Pursues the highest good possible even for enemies.

G.  Doesn’t mind doing good without earthly recognition.

H.  Treasures what is close to the heart of God and invests in that.

I.   Trusts God with the details of life in order to realize God’s
Kingdom and righteousness.

J.   Recognizes one’s own desperate need from God’s mercy and
grace and humbly participates in His healing and restorative work
in another person’s life.

5. Jesus is The Source for Radical Love:

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.   God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.   1 John 4:10-17

The Ministry of Forgiveness

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Here are the notes from my talk today to Pastors/Staff at the Westcoast Baptist Association Prayer lunch.

The Ministry of Forgiveness

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  Colossians 3:13

If I were to write a book on The Minister and Forgiveness here is a rough outline of my chapter topics:

1.  The Minister receives forgiveness from God.

2.  The Minister gives forgiveness to people.

3.  The Minister receives forgiveness from people.

4.  The Minister models and teaches the forgiving life.

5.  The Minister conveys the forgiveness of God.

Jesus has set the work of forgiveness into the center of our prayer life.

One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”  He said to them, “When you pray, say:

“‘Father,

hallowed be your name,

your kingdom come.

Give us each day our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins,

for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.

And lead us not into temptation.'”

Luke 11:1-4

Matthew 5:23-24

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

Our capacity to minister fruitfully in the Gospel depends on our continuing experience of the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.

5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.  1 John 5:5-10

The ministry of forgiveness requires us to lead people wisely, firmly, and with respect to reorder their  relationships in Christian community.

5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you, to some extent-not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9 The reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. 10 If you forgive anyone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven-if there was anything to forgive-I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11 in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”   John 20:21-23

In the ministry of forgiveness the church practices the ministry of healing prayer that accompanies confession.

Galatians  6:1-3

6:1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

James 5:13-20

13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.   NIV

In the ministry of forgiveness the minister of the Gospel sometimes may need to lead others into the process of forgiveness and healing by “leading from who we represent” to them.

“I am so sorry _______________ happened to you.  I believe what __________ did is wrong.  I wonder if you would forgive ___________ and enter into the freedom that Christ wants you to enjoy.  When you forgive you are not saying that ________ is OK or right.  Rather you are saying that ________ no longer owes you anything because of Jesus’s love in your life.  So could we enter together now into prayer and ask God to help you forgive and to enjoy your freedom in Christ?”

Forgiveness and Prayer Exercises of Examine

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know

my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.   Psalm 139:23-24

1. Ask God to search you and reveal any sin to confess to Him and to receive forgiveness.
2. Ask God to search you and to reveal any relationships and offenses for which you need to forgive.

Parent/s
Spouse
Children
Extended Family
Neighbours
Friends
Co-workers/Bosses
Church
Organizations/Businesses
People-groups
Countries
Governments

3. Ask God to search you and to reveal any relationships in which you need to confess your wrong and ask for forgiveness.

4. Forgiveness is a process we enter into in response to the Gospel.  Ask God for His grace to sustain you through the process.

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.