Way of Jesus

Point of Grace Online Worship - January 22, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 1.22.23 Sermon Notes – “The Way of Jesus and His Mission”

The Way of Jesus and His Mission

John 1 35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” 39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

What do we learn about the “Way of Jesus and His Mission?”

The central point of the Gospel of Jesus is …. Jesus!

The central strategy of the mission of Jesus is ……

…… for people to hang out with Jesus! Jesus loves hanging out with people – real people!

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter[g]).

What do we learn about the “Way of Jesus and His Mission?”

When someone has been “Jesus-ed” they want the people they care about to be “Jesus-ed” too!

Andrew seemed confident that if his brother would come to see Jesus … Jesus would take care of things!

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” 44 Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. 45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip.

47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

What do we learn about the “Way of Jesus and His Mission?”

Jesus is in charge of himself and His mission! We get to join Him!

Our role is to bring people to Him. He is the one who changes lives!

At Point of Grace, why do we:

Host the Alpha Course (Next course begins February 19th) “Jesus, who can I invite to hang out with You?”

Encourage every PoG’er in the B.L.E.S.S.? Strategy

Begin with Prayer

Listen

Eat

Serve

Share our Jesus Story and an invite to “come and see

Point of Grace Online Worship - March 27, 2022

Let Go to Hold On -  Let Go of Self-Reliance to Hold On to God-Reliance

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

How do we “deny ourselves (let go) and follow Jesus (hold on)” in the way we value and use money and wealth? 

Review
In the last message in this series, we listened to Jesus when He talked about money so He could help us “follow Him” in our thinking and doing.  His view was so different than our culture’s view of money.  Several things became clear.

·       Jesus loves us too much to let us handle money on our own!  He has something to say about the subject.

·       It is natural and normal to see money and possessions as proof of success, sources of security, and a ticket to happiness and a well-lived life.  Jesus never leads us in that direction when discussing the subject.  Rather, Jesus actually warns that although using money is necessary and a part of God’s plan it is by nature a stumbling block to faith and a seductive temptress to lure our hearts away from God.  

So with Jesus’ cautions in mind take a look at the powerful words of counsel the Apostle Paul is writing to a young pastor, Timothy, with regards to how Timothy should lead the people of the church in Ephesus.

1 Timothy 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Which word of caution in the above verses do you think most people would find convicting if they were really honest?

Which part of Paul’s message do you find most challenging?  Most encouraging?                                          

God is First – The Foundation
Armed with this “Jesus frame of mind” about money we now turn to a core principle that must be grasped or we are never going to make sense of God’s call on our lives to obey and honor Him in all things.  This “truth” is simple to say but profound to live – God is First! That’s it! God is First! He doesn’t fit in any other place in our lives. - It is one thing to say it but it is another to live it.  But, our Father in heaven knows we will struggle with this and He knows we have a tendency to say He is first but then not act like it thus losing some of the benefit of His First-ness in our lives. So He has always given practices, rhythms, and commands for His people to practically do to teach them how to actually live like He is first!

Let’s listen to Jesus first, then we are going to travel back into the Old Testament in order to see how this “God is First” principle has deep roots.

Matthew 6 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

What does it mean to “seek first His kingdom (reign)” and “seek first His righteousness”? 
How does the promise in verse 33 entice you to trust Him?  How about obey Him? 

God is First – Deep Roots
Out of love for His sinful people God has always given “commanded” practices and rhythms in their lives so that we could actually live like He is first and get better at it.  From early on He called is people to practice Him being first in their lives by presenting offerings of whatever they produced to Him.  Sometimes these offering were burned up and as the smoke ascended is was a powerful metaphor of giving to God.  Sometimes the offering was used by those who were in charge of the faith life of the people so ministry could be done.  Sometimes the offerings to God were used to feed the poor and help the indigent.   What all those ways of offering had in common was that the offering “left” the hand of the one giving and was released to God.  There was “sacrifice” involved on the part of the one giving the offering.  They had to let go of something.  When God called for an offering He expected His word to be honored first.  He often called for the “first” to be given to Him so His people would have a practical way to live like He is first in their lives. In other words - If God is First then the First is God’s.  As you read through some of these “first” offerings and sacrifices that God required notice the step of faith it takes to honor God as first and notice why it is important people have these practical steps of faith to live out.

Genesis 4: Adam made love to his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth[c] a man.” 2 Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.
Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

 What do we learn about God’s first-ness from this passage? 
Although not conclusive, what seems to be one difference between the offerings that might explain God’s response?

Exodus 13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.” 3 Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. 
 11 “After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors, 12 you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord. 13 Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons.
14 “In days to come, when your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’ 16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

 What do we learn from this section about “If God is First then the First is God’s”? 
What happened to a leader like Pharaoh when He refused to honor the God of the Israelites as First?

Exodus 20 And God spoke all these words: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

What is God saying about how He wants His people, who he has already saved, to live?
Notice God saves first totally by grace, then calls the saved to a new way of life living with a God who they now trust as “first” in their lives. 

Proverbs 3: 5-10 Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.7 Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.8 This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.9 Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first-fruits of all your crops; 10 then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.

What steps of faith is God calling us to in these verses?   How do we “honor God with our wealth” in a practical way in light of these verses?  What promises does God graciously give which call us to trust and to act like it in real life?

Throughout the story of God and His people this “If God is First then the First is Gods” way of life is found.  Out of love for us God gives us these practical means to believe Him, trust Him and act like it.
What areas of life do you think most people struggle with acting like “God is First”? 

Beautiful Faith
Finally, let’s turn to a beautiful story which vividly illustrates God’s call to honor Him as first in every aspect of life, especially when life is hard.   Notice how the act of sacrificing self by “letting go to trust God” seems so unfair or even unwise from a human perspective.  But, in reality, the step of faith to give first to God, is part of the “backward way of Jesus”.  It is the life of a disciple who has answered the Jesus call to “follow me”!

1 Kings 17:8-16 Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have directed a widow there to supply you with food.” 10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”
12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

 

Point of Grace Online Worship - March 20, 2022

Point of Grace Worship 3.20.22 Sermon Notes – “Let Go to Hold On – The backwards way of Jesus!”

The backwards way of Jesus? A Let Go to Hold On Life

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Let Go of Self-Reliance to Hold On to God-Reliance

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4

Deny Self-Reliant me the lead …… “self” centered ...... filled with “self” …… Old Adam

Give God-Reliant me the lead …… “God” centered …… filled with “Spirit”…… New Creation … follow Jesus me

How do we deny self and follow Jesus when it comes to handling

Money, Wealth and Possessions? Where Self stakes a claim!”

Jesus is saying… I love you way too much to leave you to handle money on our own!

Luke 19 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Jesus is saying, I will transform the way you view and value money!

Luke 18 18 A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.]” 21 “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. 22 When Jesus heard this, he (loved him) said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 23 When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

26 Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?” 27 Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!” 29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or sisters or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30 will fail to receive many times as much in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.”

Jesus is saying … Money is by nature a seductively, dangerous obstacle to following Jesus in the kingdom of God!

Luke 12 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 0 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

Jesus is saying … It is natural and often encouraged to put your security in money but your security must rest solely in God! Trust God while using money – do not – Trust money while using God!

Jesus is saying… I love you way too much to leave us to handle money on our own! I transform the way you view and value money! Money is by nature a seductively, dangerous obstacle to following Jesus in the kingdom of God! It is natural and often encouraged to put your security in money but your security must rest solely in God!

Resources for this Week

Here are some suggested readings for each day of this week.

Mon – Mark 10:17-27 Tue – Colossians 2:6-14, 3:1-3 Wed – Luke 19:1-10 Thu – Proverbs 3:5-12 Fri – Luke 12:13-21

Meditation Hints:

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word! I rest in You!”

Scripture – Read the scripture slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there! Reflect on what you are noticing and where He is leading your thoughts.

Prayer – Have a conversation with God, “What are You saying to me, God?” Talk about what you notice is on your heart. Begin to own the “word of God” being revealed to you.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God, resting and listening and being loved

Point of Grace Online Worship - March 13, 2022

Point of Grace Worship 3.13.22 Sermon Notes – “Let Go to Hold On – The backwards way of Jesus!”

The backwards way of Jesus?

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.

Let Go to Hold On

Following Jesus is a “Let Go and Hold On” Life … a “Yes to Jesus and No to Self” Life

The Self-Reliant-Self …… “self” centered ...... filled with “self” …… Old Me

The God-Reliant-Self …… “God” centered (F,S,HS) …… filled with “Spirit”…… New Me

22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4

“Do not worry!” Jesus

Matthew 6 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Jesus makes the case for “denying self” – “putting off the old me” with its worry-

•                 Worry gets you nothing but costs you so much,

•                 Worry costs you so much life. Why do we do it? There is another way … other than the human normal.

 

Jesus makes the case for “putting on the new self” with its reliance on God not self (worry) –

•                 Your Father in heaven loves you very much

•                 He is extravagant in His care of His children – He knows our needs

•                 You are so very valuable to Him

•                 He provides for today … today and tomorrow … tomorrow!

 

How do I “put off old me that worries” and “put on new me that relies”?

“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Seek – active engagement (Pray and Do) “It is a ‘felt’ step of faith.”

First - as absolutely unequivocally your number one priority every day

His Reign – His authority, rule, dominion, leadership, in-charge-ness revealed in Jesus

His Righteousness – Right standing before Him from Him and His next right thing for me to do!

Pray and Do

Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit, I step out in faith and in Your name I deny my old “self-reliant-self” from leading my life today. I renounce its authority over me. I put off my old self along with its worry, self-centeredness and self-reliance …….

I step out in faith and in your name put on my new “God-reliant-self” that joyfully seeks Your leadership and reign Jesus over my life in every aspect. You love me so much, I am so valuable to you, You are so gracious to me, I love You so much and thank and praise You for your goodness. Today, I will dwell on Your character, promises and provision and will mention my problems – instead of the other way around.

Amen

Resources for this Week

Here are some suggested readings for each day of this week. The Meditation Hints below may help you listen and receive all God has for you.

Mon – Matthew 6:25-34 Tue – Psalm 62:5-8 Wed – Philippians 4:4-8 Thu – Hebrews 4:14-16 Fri – Jeremiah 29:10-14

Meditation Hints:

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word! I rest in You!”

Scripture – Read the scripture slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there! Reflect on what you are noticing and where He is leading your thoughts.

Prayer – Have a conversation with God, “What are You saying to me, God?” Talk about what you notice is on your heart. Begin to own the “word of God” being revealed to you.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God, resting and listening and being loved.

Point of Grace Online Worship - March 6, 2022

Point of Grace Worship 3.6.22 Sermon Notes – “Let Go to Hold On – The backwards way of Jesus!”

The backwards way of Jesus?

Die to live

Be last to be first

Be least to be great

Serve to Lead

Give away to receive

Let Go to Hold On

Following Jesus is a “Yes” to Him

But also a “No” to …….?

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[f] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Matthew 16

15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. … 21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. 26 What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?

Peter has a “Self-Reliant-Self” along with a “God-Reliant-Self” … which one will lead Peter today?

“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it.” Luke 9

What does “denying self … taking up my cross daily and following Jesus” look like?

The Self-Reliant-Self ……………. Has self in the center

The God-Reliant-Self ……………… Has God in the center

Following Jesus is a “Let Go and Hold On” Life … a “Yes to Jesus and No to Self” Life

Jesus, It is a step out in faith, trusting Your grace towards me as I ask You to reveal to me what it practically looks like this week for me to deny my “self-reliant-self” the lead and follow You with my “God-Reliant-Self” leading?

Resources for this Week

Here are some suggested readings for each day of this week. The Meditation Hints below may help you listen and receive all God has for you.

Mon – Matthew 4:18-22 Tue – Luke 10:38-42 Wed – Matthew 9:9-13 Thu – Matthew 14:25-33 Fri – Matthew 16:21-25

Meditation Hints:

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word! I rest in You!”

Scripture – Read the scripture slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there! Reflect on what you are noticing and where He is leading your thoughts.

Prayer – Have a conversation with God, “What are You saying to me, God?” Talk about what you notice is on your heart. Begin to own the “word of God” being revealed to you.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God, resting and listening and being loved