Jesus

Work Orders: Who’s the boss?

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Work Orders:  Who’s the boss?

In respect to Labour Day here are the notes from Sunday’s talk at Cityview.

The Big Idea:  Who you work for makes all the difference:  people or the Lord Jesus.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord you are serving.
Colossians 3:23-24

1. The church is distinctive within society as a community of people because of their allegiance to Jesus Christ.

“Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.”  Col 3:1

“Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.”  Col 3:11

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

2. Work constitutes an enormous slice of our lives in society in terms of time but also in terms of identity.  Society in the Mediterranean world of the New Testament had a general classification of people as slave or free.  Our application bridge today for the text is to read for insight as employees or as employers.

God wants you to know that WHO you work for makes all the difference!  When we work for Jesus our Lord:

We are responsive to our employers.  Vs. 22

We go beyond “eye service” and “people-pleasing.”  Vs. 22

Our work style is characterized by sincerity, singleness of heart, and passion.  Vs. 24

No matter the job, it is a job done in service of Jesus.   Vs. 24

No matter the job, it is a job done in service to Jesus.   Therefore it is worth doing with attentiveness and excellence.  Vs. 23  (In a free society we are also called upon to weigh out the matters of integrity between the Lordship of Jesus and what we invest our lives in as work.)

3. When Jesus is the boss, you can count on a reward—an eternal reward.

“…you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.”  Col 3:24
4. We all, employees and employers, stand before Jesus as He judges what we have done.  Vs. 3:25, 4:1  Salvation is according to grace.  Judgment is according to works.  God impartially judges employees and employers—no favoritism.

“So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.  For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”  2 Corinthians 5:9-10

“For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God.”  1Pet4:17

5. Question:  What does the quality and the attitude of your work reveal about the allegiance of your heart?

6. Take action:  The critical distinction between the community of Christians and society is the issue of “Who’s the boss?”  Set apart Christ as Lord (1 Peter 3:15)  The apostolic instruction on living in society flows from instruction on living in Christian community.

Christ is your life.   New community in Christ.   Households & Society.

Col 3:1-8                           Col. 3:7-16 Col                        3:18-4:1

People grow in Christ when they are ready, especially when they already have two ways of life in place:  1.  relationships with the community of Christ—the church and 2.  habitual life in the word of Christ.

“ Let the peace of Christ rule your hearts since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another …  Col 3:15-16

heard at Cityview this past weekend

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I really appreciate the leadership that Lalpi gives to the congregation at Cityview for our worship of the Triune God.  Yesterday the service was a tight weave that created a picture and an experience of the extraordinary grace of Jesus.  I was so blessed by how Dan and Lalpi presented East to West by Casting Crowns.  A stillness descended on the congregation as we contemplated Jesus’ forgiveness!  Thanks Lalpi and thanks Dan.  If you want to reflect again on Jesus’ forgiveness of our sin you can watch the video below.

the gospel of mark: a window on the authority of Jesus

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1.  Jesus comes with power.  John the Baptizer proclaimed, “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  I batize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”  Mark 1:7-8
2.  He comes with the Father’s blessing and the Spirit’s annointing.  Mark 1:9-11
3.  He passed the “test” of Satan’s temptation and was ministered to by animals and angels.  1:12-13
4.  Jesus had authority to usher in the Kingdom of God.  1:14-15
5.  Jesus called people to himself as his followers.  1:14-20
6.  Jesus had authority over the demonic.  Mark 1:1-25
7.  People observed that his teaching was “with authority.”  1:27
8.  Jesus had authority over sickness; 1:29-31.  Deafness, 7:31-37; Blindness, 7:22-26
9.  Jesus had authority to restore people to religious and social society.  1:40-43
10.  Jesus had authority to forgive sins.  2:1-12
11.  Jesus could call people living outside the bounds of society’s norms.  2:13-17
12.  Jesus had authority over the Sabbath.  2:21-28, 3:1-6
13.  Jesus could share his authority with those he called.  3:13-19
14.  Jesus had authority over Satan’s havoc.  3:20-30
15.  Jesus had authority over nature.  4:35-41, 6:45-56
16.  Jesus had authority over death.  4:35-43
17.  On occasion Jesus excercised his authority according to the faith of people.  6:1-6
18.  Jesus had authority to send the disciples out to preach and heal.  6:7-13
19.  Jesus had authority to provide for people’s needs miraculously.  6:30-44, 8:1-13
20.  Jesus had authority to discern the values that ordered the application of the Law.  7:1-25
21.  Jesus had authority because of who he was.  Mark 8:27-30
22.  Jesus had authority to know and share his future.  Mark 8:31-37
23.  Jesus had authority greater than Moses and Elijah, the Law and the Prophets.  9:2-13.
24.  Jesus used his authority to call his disciples to serve and welcome the weak.  9:33-37
25.  Jesus had authority to usher people into eternal life and the Kingdom of God.  10:17-31
26.  Jesus had authority to lay down his life as a ransom for many.  Mark 10:45
27.  Jesus had authority over the activities of the Temple.  Mark 11:12-21
28.  Jesus’ authority became a “bone of contention.”  11:27-33
29.  Jesus understood his authority to derive from his identiy.  12:1-12, 35-40
30.  Jesus did not use his authority as an excuse for himself or his disciples to recklessly abandon the earthly authorities.  In fact he called on people to honour both appropriately.  12:13-17
31.  Jesus had authority to identify the greatest commandment.  12:28-34
32.  Jesus had authority to speak prophetically about the future.  13:1-37, 14:27-31
33.  Jesus had authority to receive the worship of people.  14:1-10
34.  Jesus had authority to recast the Passover meal to the delivereance He would bring.  14:12-26
35.  Jesus used his authority to fulfill the Scriptures.  14:48-50
36.  Jesus spoke his authority when he remainded silent except to declare his identity in court.  14:53-65
37.  Jesus had authority to open the way between God and humanity.  15:33-39
38.  Jesus had authority over the grave.  16:1-8

And because of the Resurrection of Jesus I accept that the authority He had, He still has.

17 observations from 1 John on the difference knowing Jesus makes

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The writer of 1 John observes differences that knowing Jesus makes in the lives of people.

1.  Loving relationships with God and with other people.   1:1-4
2.  Honesty about sin(s), purfication and forgiveness from sin.  1:5-2:2
3.  Obedience to the commands of Jesus as a lifestyle that reflects that character of Jesus.  2:3-8
4.  Loving “your brother” rather than living in the darkness of “hating your brother.”  2:9-11
5.  Progressive growth;  new beginnings–the delight of being forgiven by your heavenly Father; youthful zeal–the delight of overcoming the evil one through the strength of God and His Word; parental joy–knowing God and passing on the life of faith to others.  2:12-14
6.  A willingness to do the will of God that triumphs over the desire to possess the stuff and powers of this world.  2:15-16
7.  An annointing from God that leads into the truth and ultimately into confidence before Christ.
8.  An Intense desire to live purely and abandon sin, in response to the love of God through Christ that creates a child of God.  2:29-3:10
9.  Love for others even when it brings the Christian into conflict with the world.  Love for others even when it costs.  3:11-20
10.  Effectual prayer life.  3:21-23
11.  Personal awareness of the presence of God via the Holy Spirit.  3:24
12.  Discernment regarding the “source” of messages and their messengers.  4:1-6
13.  Growing maturity in loving and receiving love in and out of the church. 4:7-21
14.  Overcoming the world through faith in Jesus, the Son of God.  5:1-5
15.  Deep conviction of the divinity of the incarnated Jesus Christ and the necessity of knowing Him for eternal life.  5:6-12
15.  Confidence in prayer.  5:13-15
16.  Concern when a brother is caught in sin.  5:16-18
17.  Persistent devotion to Jesus in a world devoted to the evil one.  5:19-21