Summer

Point of Grace Online Worship - June 23, 2024

His House, His Name                 Sermon Notes                             June 23, 2024

Isaiah 56:4-8

For this is what the Lord says:

“To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
    who choose what pleases me
    and hold fast to my covenant—
to them I will give within my temple and its walls
    a memorial and a name
    better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
    that will endure forever.
And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord
    to minister to him,
to love the name of the Lord,
    and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
    and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain
    and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
    will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
    a house of prayer for all nations
.”
The Sovereign Lord declares—
    he who gathers the exiles of Israel:
I will gather still others to them
    besides those already gathered.”

 Mark 11:15-17

15 On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16 and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’[c]? But you have made it ‘a den of robbers.’”

John 2:13-17

13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

“During the Holy Week of Passover, there was a Jewish custom called Bedikat Chametz. This custom was to fulfill the command in the law from Exodus 12:15.

Every year at Passover, children were commissioned by their parents to cleanse the home of all leaven. Many times, they would make it into a game where kids would be rewarded for finding any leaven within the home. As you know, leaven is the agent that influences bread to rise. It was a spiritual parallel for cleansing homes of any outside influences that had permeated the house. 

When Jesus entered the temple, He was literally entering His Father's house. As kids across Jerusalem were cleaning out the physical leaven in their homes in preparation for the Passover, Jesus was cleaning out the spiritual leaven in His dad's house. He was removing the lesser influence that had begun to overshadow the most important influence (ie. Prayer, relationship). The production of the house to fulfill the duties of the house had eclipsed the very purpose of the house. 

The purpose of the house was communion and right relationship with the Father. The production of doing things for God had overshadowed the purpose of the house–being in relationship with God. From Genesis onward, we know He desired a dwelling place on earth to be with His people. This is why Jesus said His house would be a house of prayer (relationship). The temple was a place to meet with, commune with, and be in right relationship with His people. 

Jesus was, in essence, stating emphatically that His Father's house is to be a house where people are in relationship with His Father. No other activity is to overshadow, disrupt, or hinder people from communing with God. The purpose of the house is His Father resting in, abiding upon, and dwelling with His people. All activities should serve this end.” 

–      Michael Miller, His House, His Presence

Psalm 132:3-5

“I will not enter my house
    or go to my bed,
I will allow no sleep to my eyes
    or slumber to my eyelids,
till I find a place for the Lord,
    a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.” 

Mark 11:17

17 And as he taught them, he said, “Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? 

We need to ask the Lord again what He is calling His Church to be in these days. 

“Evidently, Jesus believed that the people who were a part of God’s House should live in accordance with the naming of the house.” 

–      David Butts, Forgotten Power

Point of Grace Online Worship - June 16, 2024

Point of Grace – 6.16.24 Sermon Notes – “Summer for the Soul” Part 3

What is the Holy Spirit up to this summer?

The Spirit give us Identity – making us Sons and Daughters of God

Romans 8 “the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

The Spirit makes us Influencers – bearing His fruit and His gifts so Jesus is magnified in our lives.

2 Corinthians 3:18-19 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

The Spirit powerizes us to be Living Invitations – for others to “come and drink from the water of life”.

Revelation 22:16-17

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.

 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who desires take the free gift of the water of life.

In the final lines of the Bible Jesus describes a beautiful partnership between the Church and the Spirit inviting the world to “come” and receive the free gift of the water of life!

The Spirit is constantly at work wooing people to Jesus!

Jesus envisions His church as a people the Spirit can lead others to so they might experience the refreshing presence of Christ in people and “come and receive the free gift of the water of life” for themselves. The Church is people, powerized by the Spirit, to be Living Invitations to “come and drink the free gift of the water of life”.

John 7: 37-39

37 On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as[f] the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Being “Living Invitations”

B-egin with prayer for (3) people far from God,

L-isten to people as the Spirit creates opportunity for relationship,

E-at with them knowing that sharing a meal is an amazing way to pour value into people telling them they belong,

S-erve them as the relationship grows needs will surface that we can meet

S-tory - Sharing our own story with Jesus, authentically and respectfully invites people to “Come” themselves.

 

B.L.E.S.S. and Alpha is the strategy Jesus has given Point of Grace to be His “Living Invitation” church

Point of Grace Online Worship - June 9, 2024

Point of Grace – 6.9.24 Sermon Notes – “Summer for the Soul”

What is the Holy Spirit up to this summer?

The Spirit give us Identity – making us Sons and Daughters of God

Romans 8 “the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

The Spirit gives us Influence – bearing His fruit and His gifts so Jesus is magnified in our lives.

2 Corinthians 3:16-19 (NLT)

16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

We Become what we Behold!

In the Kingdom of God, who we are becoming is of infinitely greater value than what we are accomplishing!

“Who we are and how we act when being normal… … reveals how well we influence others!”

Going “Deeper” into His Presence (Beholding) will determine our influence “Wider” in the world!

Galatians 5:22-25

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

What is the Holy Spirit up to this Summer? Bearing this fruit in our lives! Our families, friends and world desperately need these influencers!

But there is a problem!

Galatians 5:16-21

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever[c] you want.19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

What is the answer to our conflicting “want to’s”?

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh……. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control.

The Spirit gives us Influence – bearing His fruit and His gifts so Jesus is magnified in our lives.

1 Corinthians 12

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ…..

But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

We are the body of Christ – Jesus magnifiers to a world that need to see Him

Point of Grace Online Worship - June 2, 2024

Point of Grace – 6.2.24 Sermon Notes – “Summer Soul Care”

What is the Holy Spirit up to this summer?

John 16:8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.

John 3:3-5 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Romans 8:14-17 14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now 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.

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.

The Spirit makes us sons and daughters of God - The highest privilege!

And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

The Spirit makes us sons and daughters of God - The highest privilege! - The closet intimacy and deepest experience!

17 Now 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.

The Spirit makes us sons and daughters of God - The highest privilege! - The deepest intimacy and experience! - The brightest future!

Romans 8:26-28 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

(Adapted from a prayer first penned by Richard Foster in his book “Prayer, Finding a Hearts True Home”)

In the strong name of Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit I stand against the world, my sinful nature and the devil. As a redeemed child of my Abba Father … I resist every force that seeks to distract me from my center in Christ. I reject the distorted concepts and ideas that make sin plausible and desirable. I oppose every attempt to keep me from knowing full fellowship with you, Jesus today. I surrender my mind, thinking and decisions for you, Holy Spirit to lead and govern. By the power of the Holy Spirit at work in me, I speak directly to the thoughts, emotions and desires of my heart and command you to find your satisfaction in the infinite variety of God’s love rather than the bland diet of sin. I call upon the good, true and beautiful to rise up within me and the evil to subside. I ask for an increase of your fruit, Holy Spirit, love, joy and peace, patience kindness and goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control ……… pouring out of my life. By the authority of Almighty God, my Abba Father, I tear down Satan’s strongholds in my life…. I take into myself the weapons of Truth, righteousness, peace, salvation, faith, the word of God and prayer. I command every evil influence to leave; you have no right here, I allow no entry point.

I ask for an increase of faith, hope and love so that by the Holy Spirit’s power, I can be light set on a hill drawing all who see toward Jesus.

Amen