Point of Grace Online Worship - April 23, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 4.23.23 Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Part 3”

One of the greatest rescues the Resurrected Jesus brings is the rescue of our “thinking”!

Romans 12:2 “2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

My mind needs rescuing? - The Battlefield of the Mind - Clarity is needed!

Romans 8 5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind (mindset) governed by the flesh is death, but the mind (mindset) governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

The “flesh” is the natural state of sinful man we each are born with. Our sinful nature is “self-reliant”! This stands in contrast to the “born again of the Spirit” nature of the Christian who is “Spirit-reliant”! Therefore, the Spirit-reliant me is in tension with the old self-reliant me – Which one will lead my mind today?

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

My identity in Christ is a gift that leads to a change of life everyday – not the other way around!

My identity in Christ means the daily life of my mind gets to be governed more by the Spirit of life and less by my self-reliant flesh!

- Soaking in the presence and truth of Jesus invites Him to govern (leads) my mental narrative every day!

- Rescue from worry! 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.

- Consecrating my mental life daily!

Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I consecrate my mind to you, I offer my mental life to you and you alone. I surrender my thoughts, attention and focus, my memory, speculation and worry, my understanding, imagination and interpretation of life events, past and present I give it all over to you … for Your leadership and Lordship. I present my thinking life to You Holy Spirit …. I ask you to govern my thinking … I need your provision and protection over my mental life.

“The mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Holy Spirit… govern my mind … fill my mind with Life and Peace. Amen

Point of Grace Online Worship - April 16, 2023

Point of Grace Worship        4.16.23     Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Part 2”

Our rescue needs are many ….. our Rescuer is One!

John 21  Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

When life is frustrating, disappointing and aimless!  “Oh, Jesus, Catch my heart!”

4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”    “No,” they answered.
6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. 8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards. 9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.

Is it time for a ridiculous run to Jesus?  “Oh, Jesus, I want You … I need You…You are so faithful!”

10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” 11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. 12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.

“Come and have breakfast?”          “Oh, Jesus, Yes Jesus, I get to be with You.”

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”   Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”Jesus said,  “Feed my sheep.

Jesus loves us too much to leave us burdened!    Jesus, I love You.  I love You Lord.  I love you Jesus”

 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

“Jesus, Help me follow You …. No matter where You lead.”

“Oh, Jesus, Catch my heart!”    “Oh, Jesus, I want You … I need You…You are so faithful!”

“Oh, Jesus, Yes Jesus, I get to be with You.”

 “Jesus, I love You! Jesus I love You! Jesus I love You”   “Jesus, Help me follow You …. No matter where You lead.”

Point of Grace Online Worship - April 9, 2023 (Easter Sunday)

Point of Grace Worship        4.9.23     Sermon Notes – “Resurrection Rescue – Easter 2023”

There is a “Rescue” for us in the reality of the Resurrection of Jesus!

1 Peter 1 3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Life is rescued from death…. Hope is rescued from despair … Joy is rescued from grief

Faith is rescued from doubt … Salvation is rescued from the sum of our circumstances!

John 11 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

The Resurrection Rescue of Jesus is not only from death but also for life!

John 20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

We need rescue from our “self-reliant” defaults that ultimately lead to graveyards!

The Resurrected Rescuer calls us by name into LIFE with Him leading … He births new LIFE into every part of our life.

Point of Grace Online Worship - April 2, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 4.2.23 Sermon Notes – “The Palm Sunday Invitation”

The Palm Sunday Invitation

The story? Jesus? Response?

John 12 12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

What’s the Story?

In the last two weeks Jesus has: - raised Lazarus from the dead - healed 10 lepers - reveals the Kingdom of God to children and a rich man - healed blind Bartimaeus accepting “Son of David” title - invites himself over for dinner with Zaccheus - is extravagantly anointed by a woman in Bethany

Anticipation and expectation among thousands of Galilean pilgrims was at a fevered pitch as Jesus arrives in Jerusalem!

13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”

Jesus?

Jesus is King - who comes humbly - to save resolutely – beyond all expectation – fueled by extravagant love!

He just didn’t fit into any of the categories people had for Him!

Response?

16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. 17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

The Palm Sunday Invitation

- Follow Jesus this week. We each need as much of Jesus as we can get.  

Possibilities

- The Daily Pause

- Worship – Gathering Opportunities

- I get to say “Yes” every day to my King who comes for me!

 

Point of Grace Online Worship - March 26, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 3.26.23 Sermon Notes – “Conversations with Jesus on the eve of the Cross –John 17”

The conversation crescendos in John 17!

Jesus prays as one in a sacred romance! The deep love of God battling for the hearts of people!

John 17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

The “glory of God” – the true essence of His nature, heart and character is Love… deep, eternal, powerful, sacrificial intimate, gracious …. Love!

The Magnificence (magnified essence) of God’s Magnificent Love is revealed in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus!

John 17 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Jesus is Magnificently Loving His disciples as He prays they are kept in “Jesus-union” with the Father and experience the joy this relationship brings!

14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Jesus is Magnificently Loving His disciples as He prays for their protection from the evil one and sets them apart to be people of Truth!

John 17 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

Jesus is Magnificently Loving “us” as He prays that we live in deep personal union with Jesus as loved lovers of God in a Sacred Romance … so that the world might believe!

“… that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” -Jesus-

Point of Grace Online Worship - March 19, 2023

Point of Grace Worship 3.19.23 Sermon Notes – “Conversations with Jesus on the eve of the Cross –John 16”

“Unrealistic expectations of the life a broken world filled with broken people can deliver on an daily basis is a set up for devastating disappointments of the heart!” -Somebody Smart-

John 16 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Sometimes it feels like the issue of “trouble in the world” is compounded for the Jesus follower!

The Problems – Pushback – Perplexities

of life in this world as a Jesus follower pale in comparison

 to the Provision Jesus brings for our rescue! 

John 16 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16 1“All this I have told you so that you will not fall away.”

“…take heart…” – cheer up – have joy!

“… not fall away …” – don’t take the bait!

John 15:26-16:15 26 “When the Advocate 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. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. “All this I have told you so that you will not fall away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when their time comes you will remember that I warned you about them. I did not tell you this from the beginning because I was with you, 5 but now I am going to him who sent me. None of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 Rather, you are filled with grief because I have said these things. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will prove (convict) the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

According to Jesus,

The Problems – Pushback – Perplexities

 of life in this world as a Jesus follower

pale in comparison to the

Provision

 (the Holy Spirit)

Jesus brings for our rescue! 

John 16 16 Jesus went on to say, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.”

18 They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying.”

19 Jesus saw that they wanted to ask him about this, so he said to them, “20 Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. 21 A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. 22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 23 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

The Problems – Pushback – Perplexities

 of life in this world as a Jesus follower pale in comparison to the

Provision

(Holy Spirit, Kingdom Joy, Access to the Father)

 Jesus brings for our rescue!

 

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart!

I have overcome the world.”

Jesus