7/11/10 HT AM

Matthew 19:16-30 NKJV

Matthew 19:16

Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good ◙ Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”

Matthew 19:17

So He said to him, ◙ “Why do you call Me good? ◙ No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Matthew 19:18

He said to Him, “Which ones?”

Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’

Matthew 19:19

‘Honor your father and your mother,’ ◙ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” ◙

Matthew 19:20

The young man said to Him, “All these things I have kept ◙ from my youth. What do I still lack?”

Matthew 19:21

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”

Matthew 19:22

But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

Matthew 19:23

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:24

And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Matthew 19:25

When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”

Matthew 19:26

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

NKJV

When you shift from men to God, you shift from the realm of the impossible to the possible.

The discussion of this passage pertains to one desiring to enter the kingdom of God and experience the things possible inside that kingdom.  The challenge for that same person and for us is our passion both kingdoms.  There are two kingdoms but only one of them posses the power for the impossible – it’s the Kingdom of God. Matthew 6:21 treasure precedes the heart, layup treasure in Heaven draws your heart to Heaven.

Observations from this passage

1. 1. Human values differ from Heavenly values. (Immediate application is that of eternal life.  What humans value most is money, based on this passage that is what matters least in Heavens economy)  In this life, money can make nearly anything happen. You can seemingly buy happiness, position, friends and much more.  Yet for eternal life it means absolutely NOTHING.
2. 2. You can do many things right and still not be right

Doing right and being right is the frustrating paradox for many.  They toe the line on many areas of life, yet there heart and soul is not totally sold out to Christ.

3. Things that are humanly impossible are Heavenly possible

Things possible in the kingdom

1. 1. Understanding and Discernment
2. 2. Protection and Promotion
3. 3. Deliverance and Direction
4. 4. Prosperity and Provision

Keys to entering the kingdom

1. 1. Alignment with God

Matthew 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. NKJV

We know that the word righteousness here is a legal term that means to be in proper alignment with God, His Word and His expectation for your life.

1. 2. Acknowledgement of His will above yours

Matthew 6:9

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Matthew 6:10

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. KJV

Jesus – Luke 22:42 – Not my will but Your will be done

Culture today is drowning in the sea of “therapeutic- deism” we think God exist to make us happy, when in essence we exists to worship Him (make Him happy)

Things POSSIBLE in the Kingdom of God

They are possible as we align ourselves righly before God.

1. 1. Understanding and Discernment

Hebrews 5:12

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Hebrews 5:13

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

Hebrews 5:14

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. NKJV

Understanding and Discernment is the ability to see things as they really are. Seeing things as God sees them calling as they really are.  Seeing the unseen!

Maturing in the word will bring you to understanding and discernment in your life.

Goal here for discernment is maturing in the word NOT living on the revelation of another.

Milk vs. Solid – the cow works for the milk / solid you do the work not another

1. 2. Protection and Promotion

Psalm 5:11

But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You;

Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them;

Let those also who love Your name

Be joyful in You.

Psalm 5:12

For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;

With favor You will surround him as with a shield. NKJV

Promise from the Word – God is watching you and hears you all the time.

Psalm 34:15

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

And His ears are open to their cry. NKJV

1. 3. Deliverance and Direction

Psalm 34:17

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,

And delivers them out of all their troubles.

Psalm 34:18

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,

And saves such as have a contrite spirit.

Psalm 34:19

Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

But the Lord delivers him out of them all.

Psalm 34:20

He guards all his bones (structure);

Not one of them is broken.

Psalm 34:21

Evil shall slay the wicked,

And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.

Psalm 34:22

The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,

And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

If we align with God – He will deliver – the battle is that we want deliverance without alignment.  Alignment does not mean the avoidance of troubles, but it’s the hope for deliverance from/ through them.

Abraham –  A great example of a righteous man.

Genesis 15:6

And he (Abraham) believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

Genesis 12:1

“Get out of your country,

From your family

And from your father’s house,

To a land that I will show you.

Genesis 12:2

I will make you a great nation;

I will bless you

And make your name great;

And you shall be a blessing.

Genesis 12:3

I will bless those who bless you,

And I will curse him who curses you;

And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

1. 4. Prosperity and Provision

Proverbs 13:21

Evil pursues sinners,

But to the righteous, good shall be repaid.

Proverbs 13:22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children,

But the wealth of the sinner is stored up for the righteous. NKJV

Prosperity spoke of here includes but by no means is limited to material wealth.  Prosperity speaks of overall abundance, fulfillment and fruitfulness.

7 7 10 HT PM

John 8:30-36 NKJV

Tonight we kick off a series for our midweek Bible study on the subject of Freedom – Freedom is a continual cry of the heart and a purpose of the Cross.  Over the next few weeks we are going to cover various areas of Freedom:

• Freedom from sin and your past.
• Freedom to be you
• Freedom to know and be known by God

And much more J

Tonight we will look at the connection of Freedom of Truth

John 8:30

As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

John 8:31

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

John 8:32

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

John 8:33

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”

John 8:34

Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.

John 8:35

And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.

John 8:36

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. NKJV

Thoughts about truth and freedom:

1. 1. Freedom is based on truth ( Jesus is the Truth)
2. 2. Truth is an ongoing (progressive work, founded in truth) Founded on LOGOS / lived out on RHEMA
3. 3. Knowing is a work in progress ( like working on a car engine 20 years ago to today, things change) the word “know”:

• Ginosko

Verb

Definition:

to learn to know, come to know, get a knowledge of perceive, feel

to become known

to know, understand, perceive, have knowledge of

to understand

to know

The benefits of Freedom

2 Peter 1:1

Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

2 Peter 1:2

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

2 Peter 1:3

as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

2 Peter 1:4

by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

2 Peter 1:5

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge,

2 Peter 1:6

to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness,

2 Peter 1:7

to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

2 Peter 1:8

For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:9

For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

2 Peter 1:10

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; NKJV

2 Peter 1:2

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,

Building on the word “know” we see the word knowledge, from the word Ginosko, we have Epignosis;

• Epignosis

Definition: precise and correct knowledge used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine

Benefits of freedom in Christ;

1. 1. Freedom produces fruit (vs.8)
2. 2. Freedom passes us through the character formation process (character is forged, not found).  (vs.5-8)
3. 3. Freedom in Christ is found “in” Him (He is your total source) (vs. 3-4)
4. 4. Freedom relieves us from worldly corruption (vs. 4)
5. 5. Freedom reaches for community (vs. 7)

Freedom is the outcome of maturity in Christ

Hebrews 5:12

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food.

Hebrews 5:13

For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.

Hebrews 5:14

But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. NKJV

Maturity requires

• Effort
• Exercise
• Examples

Freedom is found at the intersection of truth and faith

Romans 10:7

or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” ◙ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead).

Romans 10:8

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” ◙ (that is, the word of faith which we preach):

Romans 10:9

that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:10

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 10:11

For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” ◙

Romans 10:12

For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

Romans 10:13

For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” ◙

Romans 10:14

How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? NKJV

If you believe that Jesus as set you free from your sin – then He can set you free from anything else, if you will just believe!

7 4 10 HT AM

Luke 15:11-29 NKJV

The human heart longs for freedom, the challenge for us is not necessarily in our longing to be free but rather our misguided pursuits of what actually makes us free.

For some it’s the persuasion that “Love is all you need” only to be left heart broken by wrong lovers.

For others it’s the belief that “money would change everything” then we watch lottery winners and millionaires filing bankruptcy.

Some have been “seduced by success”, only to find the top office in the building is the loneliest view in the company.

The pursuit of happiness and freedom is wonderfully displayed in the Bible, Luke’s Gospel, in a parable of a man with two sons. Take a look at Luke 15:

Luke 15:11

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons.

Luke 15:12

And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood.

Luke 15:13

And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

Luke 15:14

But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want.

Luke 15:15

Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

Luke 15:16

And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.

Luke 15:17

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Luke 15:18

I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you,

Luke 15:19

and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”’

Luke 15:20

“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.

Luke 15:21

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

Luke 15:22

“But the father said to his servants, ◙ ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.

Luke 15:23

And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;

Luke 15:24

for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

Luke 15:25

“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing.

Luke 15:26

So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.

Luke 15:27

And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf.’

Luke 15:28

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

Luke 15:29

So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

Luke 15:30

But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ NKJV

False Freedom (two brothers)

1. 1. The younger brother looked at Freedom as a license to do whatever he wanted (selfishness)

Today many are constrained by rules, covenants and commitments.  We see laws as limiting, marriage as confining and expectations as unreasonable.  The idea of any form of accountability financially, socially, relationally or spiritually simply stifles our ability to be free.

Many seek freedom in power, money, fame, name, love or other places that are simply part of our journey yet not the end all be all of our journey.

Like the younger brother you asked for full control of your life, and today you find yourself completely out of control as the bills for your choices have been called in.

Romans 1:22, 24, 25

Professing to be wise, they became fools,

Romans 1:24

Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,

Romans 1:25

who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. NKJV

1. 2. The elder brother looked at freedom as a right to due to their good behavior (self-righteousness)

Galatians 5:1

So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law. NLT

People here are convinced that something of their own effort is greater than that of God’s grace. Their efforts, their works supersede  His work.

These two brothers share one thing in common – neither one of them loved the father more than themselves.

FREEDOM

Brief overview of a man named Abraham:

• Story found in the book of Genesis
• God called him out to bless him
• God promised that through him all the nations would be blessed
• God gave to Abraham a son of promise in his winter years of life
• God challenged Abraham to give that son back to him in the form of a sacrfice.

1. 1. Real freedom is the result of making God FIRST in your life (Sacrificially – loving nothing more than God!)

Genesis 22:9

When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood in order, ready for the fire, and then tied Isaac and laid him on the altar over the wood.

Genesis 22:10

And Abraham took the knife and lifted it up to plunge it into his son, to slay him.

Genesis 22:11

At that moment the Angel of God shouted to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Yes, Lord!” he answered.

Genesis 22:12

“Lay down the knife; don’t hurt the lad in any way,” the Angel said, “for I know that God is first in your life—you have not withheld even your beloved son from me.”

Isaac was Abrahams ticket to everything – yet Abraham as willing to yield even this gift back to God.

1. 2. Real freedom is a result of knowing Jesus Christ!

John 8:32

And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

John 8:36

So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. NLT

Jesus Christ is the truth – and you are only truly free to the degree that you know him!

Three categories of people today in this room – Selfish, Self-righteous and Sacrificial. If God is NOT first today – then you are in one of the other two categories.

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring ◙ us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, NKJV