Friday 10 October 2014
The Life of Jesus story in Kannada
The Story of the Life and Times of Jesus Christ (Son of God).
According to the Gospel of Luke.
(India, Elsewhere) Kannada / Kanarese / Canarese / Banglori / Madrassi Language.
God Bless You All.
Dayasagar- Jesus film in Hindi
Karunamayudu (Telugu: కరుణామయుడు) is a 1978 Telugu film directed by A. Bhimsingh and starred Vijayachander as Lord Christ. The film won the bronze Nandi Award for Best Feature Film, was dubbed in Hindi as Daya Sagar, Tamil as Karunamoorthy and English as Ocean of Mercy. The most notable aspect about this movie is the two song sequences picturised to narrate the Birth of Jesus and enumerate his entry into Jerusalem with dancers welcoming as splendid spectacular which has never been shown in any of previous Jesus related movies[1]
Directed and produced in India, with all-Indian actors, Karunamayudu was seen by many missionaries as one of the most culturally relevant tools for Christian evangelization in India.
In India, many of the villagers encounter a story that they are unfamiliar with: the Life of Christ. The gospel is rendered in their cultural context when the film is shown.
Karunamayudu is a professionally produced film that was initially released in cinema houses throughout India. Native actors performing in the same language and lifestyle as the people watching the film watch a depiction of the life of Jesus Christ. Karunamayudu has been the pioneer in culturally-relevant film evangelism for over thirty years.
The Book of Revelations Full Movie- The Revelation of Jesus Christ,
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto
his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and
signified it by his angel unto his servant John:
Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.
ESUS IS SOON COMING!
Watch! And be hopeful about eternal life.
God's promises never fail.
Do not be no Man's slaves.
God Words are forever and they are certain.
Watch your steps though!
Be careful where You run your feet to.
Fear God! He is undefeated. Immortal.
What is Christian spiritual formation?
Spiritual formation is the process of forming or growing the spiritual self. The "spiritual formation movement" refers to the heightened interest in spiritual formation. Because all people have spirits, spiritual formation happens in all people. However, Christian spiritual formation is something a little more specific; it is about becoming more like Christ. Leaders in Christian spiritual formation include Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and Larry Crabb.
The spiritual formation movement has become somewhat controversial in Christian circles. Some say that Christian spiritual formation borders on New Age-ism or works-based salvation. They argue that our relationship with God is not about experience or effort, but about truth. Others believe that the Church has been negligent in obeying the word of Christ. Salvation is by grace, and we use that as an excuse not to engage in any traditional religious practices. Because we cannot earn salvation, we have abdicated completely our responsibility to grow spiritually. We think we are saved through belief alone, and we fail to translate that belief into action. Of course, there is also a balanced perspective – one that affirms salvation by grace through faith, the importance of truth, and the importance of obedience. Many term this type of spiritual formation, "spiritual transformation."
Biblical spiritual formation is about actively engaging with God and following His commands. Paul told Timothy to train himself to be godly (1 Timothy 4:7). Biblical spiritual formation is a training program, an intentional effort to be godly, not in our own strength but through the power of Christ (John 15:5).
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Theologian Dallas Willard calls verse 20 ("teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you") the "great omission from the great commission." At times Christians seem more interested in salvation for the afterlife than in salvation to an abundant life in Christ now (John 10:10). We tend to focus on justification more than sanctification. We seem to miss the fact that we are to be disciples. This lack is what Christian spiritual formation attempts to address.
The intent of Christian spiritual formation is to facilitate the Holy Spirit's inward transformation of our hearts, which is reflected through our outward behaviors. In essence, we cooperate with God's work by obeying His commands. The acts of Christian spiritual formation are meant to draw us closer to God. They are methods we use to "put off [the] old" and prepare our hearts for God to "put on the new" (Ephesians 4:20-24). As we make efforts to obey the directives God has given us, we begin to know Him more. God's commands are for our good, and they reflect His character. Thus, when we follow them, we know God more fully and we find more satisfaction in life.
Specific practices of Christian spiritual formation include disciplines such as prayer, meditating on Scripture, worship, study, silence, and service. Some also engage in spiritual direction, or receiving spiritual counsel or mentorship. The methods used are modeled after the practices and behaviors of Christ and those of the early church.
Spiritual formation has become a topic of interest for many in our society – Christian and secular alike. It seems that many are unsatisfied and seek a deeper spirituality. Some address this lack through manufactured spiritual experiences or working to become good in themselves. This is not biblical. We know that satisfaction only comes from Christ. He has called us to Himself, and apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15:5). However, when we trust in Him, we are made alive (Ephesians 2:5). And we are given instructions about how to obey Him. We do not simply accept Jesus in order to gain heaven. We accept Him in order to experience fullness of life and to shine for His glory. Spiritual formation happens after salvation; it is not a path to salvation.
Second Peter 1:3-9 sums up biblical spiritual formation: "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins."
Christian spiritual formation is essentially the process of sanctification. God does the work, but we must also be disciplined to obey Him. He does the transformation, and we exert our effort to become more like Him. As the Holy Spirit renews us (2 Corinthians 4:16; 2 Corinthians 5:17), we work to allow Him freedom in our lives and to obey the commands we have received. He creates the new life, and we intentionally live it (Colossians 3:1-10).
Who are we in Christ?
The changes we experience as we accept Christ are so radical we are considered "new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." This "new creation" is the Greek kainos, which means "something just made which is unlike anything else in existence." We are not cleaned out or covered over; we are as new as the world on the first day of creation. This newness manifests itself in our spiritual condition, our relationships, and our hearts.
Spiritually, in Christ we are alive for the first time. Ephesians 2:1 describes the old self as "dead in [its] trespasses and sins." Our new self is at peace with God (Romans 5:1) and alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4-5). In addition, God has conformed us to His image (Romans 8:29), and releases us from condemnation (Romans 8:1).
In our relationship with God, we are no longer His enemies, we are His children. Romans 3:10-11 describes the old self: "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God." Romans 5:10 describes the old self as enemies of God. Hosea 2:23 (NIV), however, predicts the change of God's heart toward us: "I will say to those called 'Not my people,' 'You are my people'; and they will say, 'You are my God.'" And Galatians 3:26 announces the arrival of our new position in Christ: "for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith."
With regard to other people, in Christ we are part of a family. Where once we were "strangers and aliens," we are now "fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19). The old self is alone, but the new is part of "one body, and each member belongs to all the others" (Romans 12:5 NIV). Not only a part, but an irreplaceable part (1 Corinthians 12:18) of a cohesive whole (1 Corinthians 12:25-26).
Personally, our new hearts mean our character can change. We become less concerned with the world, and more concerned with living as God intends (Romans 12:2). We care more about others, and less about ourselves (Philippians 2:3-4). When we accepted Christ, God automatically took us as His children and established us into the church family. Our heart changes, however, are gradual (2 Corinthians 3:18). We possess a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19), but we need to intentionally train it (2 Peter 1:5-2). This is only possible because the new self is released from sin and death and free to follow God (Romans 8:6-8).
In Christ we are a new creation, and this newness affects every area of our lives. For the first time, we become spiritually alive. We go from being God's enemies to His children. We have a new life as a part of a new family. And we are free to follow God and care about others. In Christ, we become more like Christ.
Freedom in Christ - What is it? How can I experience true freedom in Christ?
Freedom is a basic human desire, so we would expect to read about it in the Bible. While the Bible speaks often of freedom, its focus is most frequently related to the spiritual freedom a person can experience in Christ.
First, freedom in Christ is seen in contrast to the bondage of sin. Romans 6:20-23 says, "For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." In other words, sin enslaves people for spiritual death and eternity apart from God. Knowing Christ provides freedom from the control of sin and eternal life with Him.
Second, freedom in Christ is seen as the only true form of freedom, because it provides lasting freedom beyond this life. John 8:36 notes, "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." We now know the truth that sets us free as believers (John 8:32).
Third, a person who has experienced true freedom in Christ is called to live as His servant. The apostle Paul was an example of this, as many of his letters began with the introduction of himself as a "servant of Christ Jesus" (Romans 1:1). We are set free to serve Christ. This seems like a paradox to the non-believer, yet the freedom found in Christ gives the believer a desire to live for Christ as a servant. This attitude reflects the attitude displayed by Jesus Himself during His time on earth (John 13:1-20; Philippians 2:5-11).
Fourth, those who find freedom in Christ also become His children. John 1:12 teaches, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." As Galatians 4 also notes, we are now children and heirs of the inheritance of eternal life with Christ for eternity.
Yet this freedom does not mean sin is completely removed. Paul spoke of his ongoing struggle with sin (Romans 7:15-20), yet also noted that sin no longer controlled him (Romans 6:1-2). He was now a person who sought to live a transformed life because of his new life in Christ (Romans 12:1-2). This included putting off old habits and developing new patterns that honored God (Ephesians 4:22-32).
In short, we experience true freedom in Christ by knowing Him, walking in His ways, and engaging with the changes He makes in and through our lives as we focus on service to Him and to others. This freedom transcends the human freedoms desired in this world, providing peace in this life and freedom with Christ forevermore.
Christian spirituality - What is it?
In contemporary society, Christian spirituality is generally defined as a set of beliefs, values, and way of life that reflect the teachings of the Bible, the holy book of Christianity. Much research has been devoted to this topic, ranging from practical to academic. But what does the Bible teach on this issue?
First, Christian spirituality is biblically defined as the practice of the beliefs of the Christian faith. It includes both knowledge and action. James 1:25 notes, for example, "But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." From the earliest writings of the New Testament, the principle of integrated and authentic faith and action has been taught as essential to Christian spirituality.
Second, Christian spirituality relies on the power of the Holy Spirit to live according to God's will. The Holy Spirit serves to lead us into all truth (John 16:13), gives joy (Ephesians 5:18), and convicts when we sin (Ephesians 4:30). For example, 1 John 1:5-8 teaches, "This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." True spirituality depends on the supernatural power God gives through the Holy Spirit rather than dependence on human strength.
Third, Christian spirituality is concerned for all of a person's life. Rather than separating spiritual, physical, financial, social, and other life components into distinct areas, Christian spirituality is concerned with how all of life connects to our relationship with God. For example, the use of our finances reflects the attitude of our heart (Matthew 6:21). How we treat our body reflects our spiritual life in important ways (1 Corinthians 6:20).
Finally, the pursuit of Christian spirituality will result in what the Bible calls the fruit of the Spirit: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23). When a believer lives by the power of God's Spirit, it produces godly qualities as well as brings honor to God. As Jesus taught, "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 5:16). Seen from this perspective, Christian spirituality is for the honor of God, personal maturity, and serves as a blessing to others, both through the good deeds that take place as well as a heart attitude that points others to God.
Why are Christians encouraged to have daily devotions or quiet times?
Daily devotions or quiet times are time spent each day dedicated to relating with God. When people speak of daily devotions, they are usually referring to a time of reading their Bible, doing a Bible study, or reading a devotional book ,accompanied by a time of prayer. Some may simply pray. Some also include musical worship. No matter the format of a daily devotional time, it is important.
God desires relationship with us. He created us and has redeemed us for this very purpose. Jesus, prior to His crucifixion, prayed, "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:24). First John 4:8 tells us that God is love. The love of God is sometimes described as that of a father and child or of a married couple. These relationships are intimate. Intimacy takes time to build. We spend time – daily if possible – with those we love. This time is meant to further our knowledge of one another as well as give us enjoyment.
Scripture also describes God as our master. Servants (or employees) must spend time with their employers in order to know the employer's will. When we spend daily devotional time with God, we submit our will to His. It is in that time that we surrender our lives to God. We surrender not just the overall trajectory of our lives, but each day. God is in the details of our lives (Matthew 6:25-33). He cares about the details of each day with the love of a father or spouse and also with the interest of a master. We seek to further God's kingdom. Coming to Him each day is one way to know which direction to move.
Daily devotionals also teach us truth. When we spend time in God's Word, we gain wisdom and understanding. It has been said that the best way to recognize a counterfeit is to study the real thing. Satan is the "father of lies" (John 8:44). If we are not steeped in God's truth, we are more easily duped. When we know the truth, we experience freedom (John 8:32).
Daily spending time with God is a way to worship Him. Time is a limited resource. What we spend our time on is an indication of what we value. When we spend time with God, we demonstrate that we value Him. We claim that He is worthy of attention and of praise.
God is our refuge (Psalm 46). Life is often chaotic and confusing. When it is, we run to God. If we desire to truly find rest and safety in God, it is helpful to know Him well. Such deep knowledge comes from daily time spent with Him. Sometimes the best way to use a refuge is to go there before things get messy.
Daily devotions is a spiritual discipline that helps us get to know God, that ensures we stay connected to Him (John 15:1-8), that teaches us truth, that provides a place for worship, and that functions as a daily shelter in the midst of the storms of life.
Christian discipleship - What is it?
The Greek word translated "disciple" means "follower." A disciple was a person who invested their life and time learning from someone and then spreading that person's teachings to others.
In the New Testament, the last words of Jesus encompass the essential aspects of discipleship. In what Christians call the Great Commission, we read "Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age'" (Matthew 28:18-20).
The main command in this Great Commission is to "make disciples." Three specific parts are given. First, a disciple is a person willing to "go" make disciples of others. The early followers of Jesus boldly taught the message of the risen Jesus, often facing intense persecution in the process. Yet within a century, churches had emerged across the entire Mediterranean area.
Second, disciples challenge those they encounter to be baptized. Baptism represents acceptance of Christ and a commitment to follow His teachings. While baptism is not what saves a person, it is the public confession of allegiance to Christ and willingness to enter into Christian discipleship.
Third, a disciple teaches others the way of Jesus. While only some believers are gifted in teaching, all believers are called to share what they know about Jesus with others growing in their knowledge of Christ.
An important early example of this way of making disciples is found in the summary of the first church in Acts 2:42-47. Rather than a solely academic process, discipleship involved a holistic approach that included relationship building, financial giving, prayer, learning, worship, and every area of life. We read, "And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."
Also important is the impact this first church had on its community. Because of its focus on Christian discipleship, we are told new people were saved on a daily basis. As it has been said, true Christian discipleship is the best form of outreach.
Christian discipleship is much more than a program or series of steps. Rather, it is a continual process of growth. A person commits his or her entire life to Jesus and becomes dedicated to learning His ways while also going, sharing, and teaching this way of life to others.
Religiosity - What is it?
"Religiosity" is a term used to refer to excessive involvement in religion or religious activity. Such involvement goes beyond the norm for a person of a similar faith and is often driven more by individual beliefs than the content of the actual religion. Though a bit different, legalism is somewhat akin to religiosity.
Both Christians and non-Christians use the term "religiosity" to refer to those who have replaced their God with their religion. In Christianity, religiosity occurs when people focus on church activity, rules (which often go beyond actual biblical commands), tradition, and pet doctrines rather than on relationship with God. Religiosity is characterized by a lack of grace, love, and true enjoyment of life. Religiosity for Christians is neither becoming nor appropriate. We are called to follow Christ, not promote a religion.
So what can Christians do to avoid religiosity? It is a matter of heart. Church activity, obedience to God's commands, traditions, and doctrinal discussions are not wrong. The issue is when these things take the place of God in our lives. When our motivation to obey or to be involved in religious activity is to look good to others (Matthew 6:1) or to earn our salvation, rather than to love God and bless Him, we have bought into religiosity. What Christians need to do is remember the truth of the Gospel—that we are sinners saved by grace into a life-giving relationship with our Creator (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 10:10). Then we need to engage with God wholeheartedly (Mark 12:30). Following Christ is not about adding another activity to our lives; He changes us completely, makes us new (2 Corinthians 5:17; 1 Peter 1:3). We don't just become Christians, we become children of God (1 John 3:1-2; Romans 8:14-17).
What does it mean for Christians to be in the world but not of the world?
The phrase, derived in part from John 17, that believers need to be "in the world but not of it" is often used, but perhaps certain of its nuances bear further scrutiny.
First, believers need to be "in the world." It could be taken for granted that believers are in the world; we reside on Earth, after all. However, being in the world implies more than simply inhabiting it. We need to actually be involved in our societies. Jesus told His disciples to "go therefore and make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). They were not to set themselves up apart from the world and expect others to come to them to hear truth. They were told to "go." Similarly, in John 17:15 Jesus prayed regarding His disciples, "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one." His disciples needed to stay in the world, not be removed to heaven. Acts 1:8 and Isaiah 43:10 tell us that we are to be witnesses to the world. Matthew 5:16 tells us that our light is to shine before others to point them to God. Allowing our light to shine requires us to be around people. There are certain Christian sects (such as the Amish) who believe in a "Christ apart from culture" model of evangelism; however, such separation is not the biblical norm.
To be "not of the world" requires us to be free of worldly influence. This does not mean that we do not participate in government or typical social processes. It means that we do not act as the unsaved world does. We are not slaves to our sinful natures but act in accordance with righteousness (Romans 6:6, 11). We are told to put to death things that are of our sinful natures and to flee from immorality (Colossians 3:5-10; 1 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 5:3-11). We "train [ourselves] for godliness" (1 Timothy 4:7); we are "imitators of God" (Ephesians 5:1); we have nothing to do with "unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them" (Ephesians 5:11). We submit to authorities and prepare ourselves for good works (Titus 3:1). In essence, we act according to the new nature we have been given rather than the sinful nature of the world (2 Corinthians 5:17, 21; Titus 3:3-8). "We are ambassadors for Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:20), spreading His fragrance (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) through the world.
First Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." We live in a world of darkness, but we are not part of that darkness. We are not of the world because we are in Christ; we have the light. And while we are still in the world, we are called to be set apart, to shine the light that others might know Him and be saved (Matthew 5:13-16).
Why does obedience to God matter?
The fifth commandment teaches us to honor our earthly father and mother (Exodus 20:12), and that command is repeated in Ephesians 6:1, with the added instruction to "obey." God is our heavenly Father, and we should honor and obey Him, as we should our earthly father. Obedience to God proves our relationship with Him (1 John 5:2–3), and we demonstrate our love and faithfulness through obedience, too (1 John 2:3–6). Jesus said, "If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full" (John 15:10–11). Obedience is a command, and it is linked to love and joy.
If our faith in God is genuine, we will live a lifestyle characterized by holiness, modeling the example set for us by Jesus Christ. Faith and obedience go hand in hand. We obey His commands, not because we have to, but because we love Him and we want to. We are able to obey because, once we believe in Christ and are saved, we are remade. We are not the same people we once were. Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."
Over and over, the Bible tells us that God blesses and rewards obedience. James 1:22–25 says it perfectly: "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing."
Obedience is also important because others are watching how we live, and our testimony should glorify God (Matthew 5:16). The obedience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego led to the king of Babylon honoring the Lord (Daniel 3:28). Paul and Silas's obedience in the jail of Philippi led to the salvation of the jailer (Acts 16:29–30).
Obedience enables us to live a life of joy, without shame, rooted deeply in the Lord and confident in our eternal hope. We can be rewarded by God in a myriad of ways. "Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart" (Psalm 119:1–2).
The great news is that God is gracious. If we haven't been living for Him, if we haven't been following His commandments, if we've been living in and for the world, we can be transformed by the blood of Jesus Christ. We can ask God for forgiveness, and He will give it. And He will choose to forget our sin, just as if we had never committed the sin in the first place. It glorifies Him to do that because it is written, "'This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,' then he adds, 'I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more'" (Hebrews 10:16–17).
How can I seek first the kingdom of God?
In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains the value of having "treasures in heaven," i.e. doing and concerning oneself with spiritual and eternal things, and then moves on to admonitions not to worry about earthly things. In tying these two topics together, Jesus makes the oft-repeated statement: "But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you" (Matthew 6:33).
What is the kingdom of God in the first place? It is an entity with both spiritual and physical manifestations, depending on the period of history, which indicates God's special rule through Jesus Christ. This kingdom was first established during Jesus' earthly life and continues still at a spiritual level made up of those who believe in Him for their salvation. After the tribulation, Jesus will reign for 1,000 years, a period called the Millenium, which fulfills promises made to Israel and Jesus for an earthly reign of Messiah – the physical kingdom of God.
With the meaning of the kingdom established, how does one "seek" it? When the context is taken into consideration, Matthew 6:33 appears to act as an intersection of the two previous topics, suggesting that if you concern yourself with spiritual things (seek the kingdom of God), the earthly concerns will "be added unto you" (essentially, provided for). To seek the kingdom of God is to intentionally focus on and fully experience relationship with God, usually through avenues He has provided such as prayer and meditating on His word. Seeking the kingdom of God does not stop there, however; it also includes sharing the fruit of relationship with God with others through things like evangelism, practical giving, and expressing love to others through whatever means God has specially gifted you or directed you.
Finally, does this passage indicate that if we seek the kingdom of God all the things we worry about will be fixed? No, it does not. The concept that seeking God's kingdom is a means by which to promote earthly comfort is an erroneous preaching present in certain evangelical circles, and is referred to as the prosperity gospel. Again, the context of Matthew 6:33 is important, for the next sentence Jesus speaks is, "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow" (Matthew 6:34). Seeking God's kingdom does not mean the rest of life will be "fixed," but it does mean that we can have the surety necessary to keep in perspective the power of God over our lives, reducing our need to worry.
things with true eternal value?
What we value determines what we do. Not just what we do as a profession, but every action and thought. The world has its own ideas about what is valuable: money/possessions, status/power, security/comfort, and legacy. But as the world defines these things, they are not transferable to eternity. As the old saying goes, "You can't take it with you."
Things with eternal value are, by definition, valuable forever. Our time on earth is very short, but what we do here will affect our condition in eternity. In that never-ending life, we will either be tormented in hell, or enjoying God's New Heaven and New Earth. The things of this world will pass away (1 John 2:17). The only things of this world that will last are people and God.
God's Great Commandment reflects this: love God, love people (Matthew 22:34-40). Only God and people have eternal value. Our actions and efforts, then, should be motivated by the effort to love God and people. How does this compare with the world?
Money/possessions: Wealth is fleeting; we will not maintain our earthly socio-economic class in eternity. Our money, then, must be subservient to the Great Commandment—how can we use money to love and worship God? Help people? How does money get in the way of loving God and others? How does God want each one of us as individuals to use money to honor Him? Money can make it hard to follow Christ (Mark 10:23), but it can also be used to serve others (Acts 9:36).
Status/power: Worldly respect and power has been coveted by men since Lamech in Genesis 4. It makes us feel validated when others affirm our worth. God's view of respect is different. We should strive to earn others' respect only insofar as it brings glory to God and draws others to Him. We are to live in peace with others (Romans 12:18) because it's healthy for the church. As a child, Jesus "increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52) because he honored God, not for the purposes of controlling people.
Education/knowledge: Throughout the Bible, passages highlight the importance of education. Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, is dedicated to contemplating God's law. God, Himself, gave Solomon wisdom (1 Kings 3:5-12), and Daniel and his friends "learning and skill in all literature and wisdom" (Daniel 1:17). Knowledge of the law was part of Paul's pedigree of accomplishments (Philippians 3:5). But Jesus, Solomon, and Daniel knew that wisdom was useless unless it was used in the service of God. Before his conversion, Paul used his knowledge to persecute Christians. After, he considered his knowledge rubbish "because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8). Knowledge and education are good only if used for eternal purposes.
Security/comfort: Our desires for safety and ease, like other worldly things, are not necessarily bad. The Old Testament shows that such things are blessings. But in the church age, we're called to postpone these longings for just a little while. Several places in the New Testament (John 15:18-19; 2 Timothy 3:12; 1 Peter 4:3-4) say that Christians should expect to be persecuted. But that persecution is directly connected with things of eternal value. In fact, Jesus said that the fact we are persecuted shows that we value eternity (John 15:18-19). We cannot be perfectly safe in this world; God does not promise to protect us or our families from harm. But if harm comes because we had the integrity to love God and others, it is "a gracious thing in the sight of God" (1 Peter 2:20).
Legacy: The closest we can come to things of eternal value on earth is our legacy—our influence on the world that lasts after we die. But even this is fleeting. Solomon built a mighty temple that was destroyed within hundreds of years. The Bible does give examples of eternal, spiritual legacies: an act of worship to Christ (Matthew 26:6-13), the people we reach (2 Corinthians 3:2-3), sincere faith that inspires others (2 Timothy 1:5).
The only things we will be able to take to eternity are our relationship with God and the people we reached with the gospel. Things on this earth are merely tools we use to prepare for eternity. If we can remember this, we will gather things of eternal value. It is our witness, not our wealth, that will matter.
Why did Jesus die for our sins?
The reason Jesus had to die for our sins was so that we could be forgiven and go to be with the Lord. Jesus is God in flesh (John 1:1 ,14; Col. 2:9), and only God can satisfy the Law requirements of a perfect life and perfect sacrifice that cleanses us of our sins.
All people have sinned against God. But, God is infinitely holy and righteous. He must punish the sinner, the Law- breaker. If He didn't, then His law is not Law, for there is no law that is a law without a punishment. The punishment for breaking the Law is death--separation from God. Therefore, we sinners need a way to escape the righteous judgment of God. Since we are stained by sin and cannot keep the Law of God, then the only one who could do what we cannot is God Himself. That is why Jesus is God in flesh. He is both divine and human. He was made under the Law (Gal. 4:4), and He fulfilled it perfectly. Therefore, His sacrifice to God the Father on our behalf is of infinite value and is sufficient to cleanse all people from their sins and undo the offense to God.
The following outline is an attempt to break this down, step-by-step, using scripture and logic. I hope that it helps you understand why God is our savior and not some created thing. Also, I hope that it helps you understand that you must trust in Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins; that you can do nothing on your own to merit salvation from God.
- God exists.
- Gen. 1:1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
- God is infinite.
- Psalm 90:2, "Before the mountains were born, Or Thou didst give birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God."
- Psalm 147:5, "Great is our Lord, and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite."
- Jer. 23:24, "Can a man hide himself in hiding places, So I do not see him?” declares the Lord. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the Lord."
- God is holy.
- Isaiah 6:3, "And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory.”
- Rev. 4:8 "And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come."
- God is righteous.
- Neh. 9:32-33, "Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who dost keep covenant and lovingkindness, Do not let all the hardship seem insignificant before Thee, Which has come upon us, our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and on all Thy people, From the days of the kings of Assyria to this day. 33“However, Thou art just in all that has come upon us."
- 2 Thess. 1:6, "For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you."
- Therefore, God is infinitely holy and just.
- Furthermore, God speaks out of the character of what He is.
- Matt. 12:34, " . . . For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart."
- God spoke the Law.
- Exodus 20:1-17, "Then God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before Me . . . "
- Therefore, the Law is in the heart of God and is a reflection of God's character since it is Holy and good.
- Rom. 7:12, "So then, the Law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."
- Furthermore, to break the Law of God is to offend Him since it is His Law that we break. This sin results in an infinite offense because God is infinite.
- Furthermore, it is also right that God punish the Law breaker. To not punish the Law breaker (sinner) is to allow an offense against His holiness to be ignored.
- God says that the person who sins must die (be punished). The wages of sin is death.
- Ezekiel 18:4, "Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins will die."
- Rom. 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
- The sinner needs to escape the righteous judgment of God, or he will face damnation.
- Rom. 1:18, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness."
- Matt. 25:46, "And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
- But, no sinner can undo an infinite offense since to please God and make things right, he must obey the Law, which is the standard of God's righteous character.
- But the sinner cannot fulfill the law because he is sinful (in the flesh).
- Rom. 8:3, "For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son . . . "
- Since the sinner cannot fulfill the law and satisfy God, it follows that only God can do this.
- This is simple logic. If we are unable to fulfill the Law, then we will be punished by it. But, since God desires us to be saved, the Law must be satisfied. Since we cannot keep the Law and it must be satisfied, then the only one capable of keeping the Law must keep the Law: God.
- Jesus is God in flesh.
- John 1:1, 14, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."
- Col. 2:9, "For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form."
- Jesus was also a man under the Law.
- 1 Tim. 2:5, "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."
- Gal. 4:4-5, "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, 5in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons."
- Jesus became sin for us and bore our sins in His body on the cross--thus fulfilling the Law.
- 2 Cor. 5:21, "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
- 1 Peter 2:24, "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."
- Rom. 8:3-4, "For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
- Therefore,
salvation is by grace through faith since it was not by our keeping the
Law but by Jesus, God in flesh, who fulfilled the Law and died in our
place.
- Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, that no one should boast."
- Gal. 3:13, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree."
- Eph. 5:2, "and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma."
God's Mission and Vision
Numbers 13
There are many indicators that this will be a year of growth and outreach for the Willow Vale Community Church. Many of you are involved in prayer triplets that will meet ten times between December 16th to March 23; a hundred days of prayer emphasis.
In God’s Word we have the promise, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
As I was praying and planning the message I believed God wanted me to preach for this second Sunday of the New Year the passage in Number 13 came to mind. God’s mission for the Children of Israel was to take a bold venture and conquer their homeland of Canaan. Their millison is similar to the mission God has for us as a church.
God’s mission for us is to take a bold venture and reach out in love to our community and city. We are to take over more and more of Satan’s territory in San Jose, CA.
Turn to Numbers 13 beginning with the first verse.
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Send men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to Israel.” Twelve men, leaders from each tribe of Israel were sent.
Moses told the twelve spies “to go spy out the land, are the people there strong or weak, few or many, what kind of land do they live in is it good or bad. Do their towns have walls or are they unprotected? How is the soil? Fertile or poor? Are then many trees? Enter the land boldly, and bring back samples of the crops you see.”
So they spied out the land they found grapes so large and heavy two men had to carry one cluster. They spent 40 days spying out the land and brought back their report.
The ten spies reported: “The land flows with milk and honey. But the people living there are powerful, and their cities are fortified and very large. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that’s what we looked like to them! We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” (Summary of Numbers 13:18-33)
Caleb and Joshua gave their report: “Let’s go at once to take the land, we can certainly conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30)
From this passage I want to mention three things that will help us carry out God’s mission for and vision for the Willow Vale Church.
Our primary mission is to carry on the work started by Jesus: “To seek and to save the lost and make disciples of all people and language groups.”
To carry out God’s mission during this coming year we need:
I. Vision to See as God Sees
The ten spies looked at the people of Canaan from a human viewpoint. No way could they defeat giants. Even though they had 600,000 fighting men relying on human effort and wisdom they could not defeat the gaints in Canaan.
They quickly forgot their history of how God had delivered them out of bondage in Egypt where they had been slaves for 430 years. They were asked to take a bold venture by taking God at His Word. The vision of God’s miracle working power had faded from their lives.
“Where there is no vision people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18) When God is left out of our planning the future does look bleak.
• We don’t have enough money!
• We are too small!
• A recession is just on the horizon!
• We have too few workers!
Caleb and Joshua trusted God. They declared that God was with them. “We can certainly do it.”
Vision is seeing what is possible if God blesses.
Jesus gives us His vision and mission to continue the work he started while on earth: “to seek and to save the lost and make disciples of all language groups.”
With adequate vision we are never satisfied to just play church. We are not willing to year after year embrace SOS, Some O Same O. With vision we are willing to do whatever it takes to carry forth the mission of Jesus.
A study of the history of the people of God in the Old and New Testaments reveals an interesting fact: the well-being of the believing community was directly proportional to the obedience to God’s mission for them. When the people of God have a sense of mission things go well and the church is strong and healthy. When the church becomes introverted and loses its desire to minister in Christ’s name to those who are in need, problems set in.
When the church expends itself for the sake of others, it becomes healthy and grows. When the people of a church catch the vision of being of the answer to the hurts and needs of the world around them, they gain incentive for participating in a training program designed to equip them for this purpose. Jesus said: “…whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” When we lose ourselves in something far bigger than ourselves, name Christ’s work, we find ourselves.
When we have God’s vision we will be faithful in continuing the work Jesus started. Jesus stated his purpose in coming in (Luke 4:18)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed
Me to preach Good News to the poor,
He sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
That the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be
Freed from their oppressors.
To carry out God’s mission this coming year we need Vision to see as God sees.
Second we need:
II. Faith to Act
Without vision the ten spies did not have faith to act. They saw themselves as puny grasshoppers. Because of their lack of obedience they spent 40 years of wondering in the desert. All families of the ten spies missed going into the Promised Land. Only Joshua and Caleb and their families had the privilege of entering the land of Canaan.
As a local church we step forward with Joshua and Caleb and say, “We can do it.” By the grace of God we can carry out His mission.
With faith we focus upon the possibilities and not the problems. With faith we put feet to vision and trust God to give the increase.
As we move forward fortified by faith we will see God work miracles of transformation in the life of many people.
A Christian policeman in Korea noticed a young boy sleeping on the street. He had pity on the boy and told him about a mission where they had a bed he could sleep on. The policeman told the boy to go to the door and say: “John 3:16.” The young boy found the mission and knocked on the door and said, “John 3:16.” He was invited right in and given some warm food. After eating the delicious food he was taken to a room where he had a warm shower. Then he was given a soft bed to sleep on for the night. As the boy settled down for the night he thought:
“What is John 3:16? I don’t know, but I do know:
John 3:16 makes cold boy warm,
John 3:16 makes hungry boy full,
John 3:16 makes dirty boy clean,
John 3:16 Makes tired boy rest.
The next morning the boy awoke to the smell of breakfast. After breakfast the mission director said they would have devotions. He read John 3:16, “For God so loved the world he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” The Gospel message was explained to the boy and the young boy gave his heart to Jesus who loved him and died for him.
After forty years of wandering Joshua did have faith to act and He took God at His Word and by faith conquered the city of Jericho.
God is calling the Willow Vale Church to take a bold venture this year by having Vision to see as God sees and by having faith to act. Faith is taking God at His Word and acting accordingly.
A third way we carry out God’s mission in the New Year is to:
III. Make the Commitment to Sacrifice
A bold venture demands we trust God and give sacrifically of our Time, Our Talents, and our Treasure.
Our motive to give of our time, our talents, and our tithe is not one of duty, but one of love. We count it a privilege to invite people to come to church and share in God’s love and we count it a privilege to invest in advancing God’s Kingdom through the ministries of the local church.
We give out tithe and offering out of the motive of love and not out of fear or guilt.
The story is told of one church that was in sad shape. The paint was peeling off the outside of the church, the church lawn was overgrown with weeds, and the entire church campus was rundown. They didn’t have enough money to fix the lawn or buy new hymnbooks to replace the tattered and torn books. The plaster was breaking loose from the ceiling; in fact some had already fallen off.
The minister of the church held a meeting to challenge the members to raise some money so the church might have a more worthy witness in the community. A special meeting was called to raise funds. The minister invited one of the wealthy members, hoping he would be persuaded to help the church.
When all arrived at the meeting the minister was eloquent as he presented the needs. Others shared of their financial struggles and many bills overdue. Many responded with pledges, but the man of wealth said nothing. Finally the minister said, “Let us pray.” “Let each person look into his own heart and ask God for guidance.” Silently they prayed – after a few moments of prayer an enormous piece of plaster fell from the ceiling and hit the wealthy man directly on the head. He leaped to his feet and shouted, “I’ll $10,000.00. Silently the minister kept praying, “Hit him again, Lord hit him again.”
Our giving should be out of love and delight to invest in the Kingdom of God and not out of duty and guilt.
Some people will do the most outrageous thing to get extra cash. Years ago a Chicago radio station, WKOX, offered $10,000 to the individual who could devise the most outlandish way to get the money. More than 6,000 people responded to the challenge proposing what they would do for the $10,000. The eventual winner was Jay Gwaltney of Zionsville, Indiana, who consumed an 11 - foot birch sapling – leaves, roots, bark and all.
For the event he wore a tuxedo and dined at a table eloquently set with fine china, sterling silverware, candles and a rose vase. Armed with pruning sheers, the Indiana State University sophomore began chomping from the top of the tree and worked his way, branch by branch, to the roots. His only condiment: French dressing for the massive birch-leaf salad. Consuming the sapling took 18 hours over a period of three days. When it was all over, Gwaltney complained of an upset stomach.
Jesus said in Luke 12:15, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
We demonstrate our vision and faith by our commitment to give sacrificially of our time, our talents and our treasure.
The biblical plan to advance God’s Kingdom is giving a tithe of our income to God’s work. The Bible says, “The tithe is the Lords.” We give ten percent of our income to underwrite the ministries of the church and out offerings for world missions and other worthy ministries.
The Psalmist sang out in Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” God owns all and we are His Stewards and Managers of what God has provided.
You may earn large sums of money while on earth, but you will not take it with you. God is the owner. You are His Steward or Manager. Everything God gives you is given as a trust. The more God gives you the more responsibility He expects you to have.
As you enter this New Year listen to the promise of Luke 6:38, “If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving – large or small – it will be used to measure what is given back to you.”
In Galatians 6:7-9, we find this challenge: “Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life form the Spirit. So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.”
This coming year let’s give generously of our time, our talents, and our treasure to the work of the Lord.
Today we enjoy these facilities at the corner of Curtner Ave and Meridian Ave because church members back in 1964-65 gave sacrificially.
Our 3.2 acres were purchased for $40,000. When this property was purchased it was a cherry orchard. This sanctuary and two Christian education wings were built for $150,000.00 in 1964-65.
In 1964 the average house cost $16,500. Stamps were 4 cents, regular gas was .31 cents, a gallon of milk was .49 cents, and a dozen of eggs were .57 cents. The average salary in 1964 was $4,500.00. In 2006 the average salary was $38,651.
God’s mission for the Willow Vale Church this coming year is to continue the work He started to seek and to save the lost and make disciples of all people groups.
Let’s be faithful in carrying out God’s mission this coming year by –
Having Vision to See As God Sees – “With God All Things Are Possible”
Faith to Act and take God at His Word – Let’s join the Joshua and Caleb team and become part of God’s bold venture in the New Year
Let’s make the sacrificial commitment to give of our time, our talents and treasure by inviting new people to discover God’s love in the fellowship of the Church and giving to support the various ministries of the Church.
There are many indicators that this will be a year of growth and outreach for the Willow Vale Community Church. Many of you are involved in prayer triplets that will meet ten times between December 16th to March 23; a hundred days of prayer emphasis.
In God’s Word we have the promise, “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)
As I was praying and planning the message I believed God wanted me to preach for this second Sunday of the New Year the passage in Number 13 came to mind. God’s mission for the Children of Israel was to take a bold venture and conquer their homeland of Canaan. Their millison is similar to the mission God has for us as a church.
God’s mission for us is to take a bold venture and reach out in love to our community and city. We are to take over more and more of Satan’s territory in San Jose, CA.
Turn to Numbers 13 beginning with the first verse.
“The Lord said to Moses, ‘Send men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to Israel.” Twelve men, leaders from each tribe of Israel were sent.
Moses told the twelve spies “to go spy out the land, are the people there strong or weak, few or many, what kind of land do they live in is it good or bad. Do their towns have walls or are they unprotected? How is the soil? Fertile or poor? Are then many trees? Enter the land boldly, and bring back samples of the crops you see.”
So they spied out the land they found grapes so large and heavy two men had to carry one cluster. They spent 40 days spying out the land and brought back their report.
The ten spies reported: “The land flows with milk and honey. But the people living there are powerful, and their cities are fortified and very large. We even saw giants there, the descendants of Anak. We felt like grasshoppers next to them, and that’s what we looked like to them! We can’t go up against them! They are stronger than we are!” (Summary of Numbers 13:18-33)
Caleb and Joshua gave their report: “Let’s go at once to take the land, we can certainly conquer it!” (Numbers 13:30)
From this passage I want to mention three things that will help us carry out God’s mission for and vision for the Willow Vale Church.
Our primary mission is to carry on the work started by Jesus: “To seek and to save the lost and make disciples of all people and language groups.”
To carry out God’s mission during this coming year we need:
I. Vision to See as God Sees
The ten spies looked at the people of Canaan from a human viewpoint. No way could they defeat giants. Even though they had 600,000 fighting men relying on human effort and wisdom they could not defeat the gaints in Canaan.
They quickly forgot their history of how God had delivered them out of bondage in Egypt where they had been slaves for 430 years. They were asked to take a bold venture by taking God at His Word. The vision of God’s miracle working power had faded from their lives.
“Where there is no vision people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18) When God is left out of our planning the future does look bleak.
• We don’t have enough money!
• We are too small!
• A recession is just on the horizon!
• We have too few workers!
Caleb and Joshua trusted God. They declared that God was with them. “We can certainly do it.”
Vision is seeing what is possible if God blesses.
Jesus gives us His vision and mission to continue the work he started while on earth: “to seek and to save the lost and make disciples of all language groups.”
With adequate vision we are never satisfied to just play church. We are not willing to year after year embrace SOS, Some O Same O. With vision we are willing to do whatever it takes to carry forth the mission of Jesus.
A study of the history of the people of God in the Old and New Testaments reveals an interesting fact: the well-being of the believing community was directly proportional to the obedience to God’s mission for them. When the people of God have a sense of mission things go well and the church is strong and healthy. When the church becomes introverted and loses its desire to minister in Christ’s name to those who are in need, problems set in.
When the church expends itself for the sake of others, it becomes healthy and grows. When the people of a church catch the vision of being of the answer to the hurts and needs of the world around them, they gain incentive for participating in a training program designed to equip them for this purpose. Jesus said: “…whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” When we lose ourselves in something far bigger than ourselves, name Christ’s work, we find ourselves.
When we have God’s vision we will be faithful in continuing the work Jesus started. Jesus stated his purpose in coming in (Luke 4:18)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed
Me to preach Good News to the poor,
He sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
That the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be
Freed from their oppressors.
To carry out God’s mission this coming year we need Vision to see as God sees.
Second we need:
II. Faith to Act
Without vision the ten spies did not have faith to act. They saw themselves as puny grasshoppers. Because of their lack of obedience they spent 40 years of wondering in the desert. All families of the ten spies missed going into the Promised Land. Only Joshua and Caleb and their families had the privilege of entering the land of Canaan.
As a local church we step forward with Joshua and Caleb and say, “We can do it.” By the grace of God we can carry out His mission.
With faith we focus upon the possibilities and not the problems. With faith we put feet to vision and trust God to give the increase.
As we move forward fortified by faith we will see God work miracles of transformation in the life of many people.
A Christian policeman in Korea noticed a young boy sleeping on the street. He had pity on the boy and told him about a mission where they had a bed he could sleep on. The policeman told the boy to go to the door and say: “John 3:16.” The young boy found the mission and knocked on the door and said, “John 3:16.” He was invited right in and given some warm food. After eating the delicious food he was taken to a room where he had a warm shower. Then he was given a soft bed to sleep on for the night. As the boy settled down for the night he thought:
“What is John 3:16? I don’t know, but I do know:
John 3:16 makes cold boy warm,
John 3:16 makes hungry boy full,
John 3:16 makes dirty boy clean,
John 3:16 Makes tired boy rest.
The next morning the boy awoke to the smell of breakfast. After breakfast the mission director said they would have devotions. He read John 3:16, “For God so loved the world he gave his one and only son, that whosoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” The Gospel message was explained to the boy and the young boy gave his heart to Jesus who loved him and died for him.
After forty years of wandering Joshua did have faith to act and He took God at His Word and by faith conquered the city of Jericho.
God is calling the Willow Vale Church to take a bold venture this year by having Vision to see as God sees and by having faith to act. Faith is taking God at His Word and acting accordingly.
A third way we carry out God’s mission in the New Year is to:
III. Make the Commitment to Sacrifice
A bold venture demands we trust God and give sacrifically of our Time, Our Talents, and our Treasure.
Our motive to give of our time, our talents, and our tithe is not one of duty, but one of love. We count it a privilege to invite people to come to church and share in God’s love and we count it a privilege to invest in advancing God’s Kingdom through the ministries of the local church.
We give out tithe and offering out of the motive of love and not out of fear or guilt.
The story is told of one church that was in sad shape. The paint was peeling off the outside of the church, the church lawn was overgrown with weeds, and the entire church campus was rundown. They didn’t have enough money to fix the lawn or buy new hymnbooks to replace the tattered and torn books. The plaster was breaking loose from the ceiling; in fact some had already fallen off.
The minister of the church held a meeting to challenge the members to raise some money so the church might have a more worthy witness in the community. A special meeting was called to raise funds. The minister invited one of the wealthy members, hoping he would be persuaded to help the church.
When all arrived at the meeting the minister was eloquent as he presented the needs. Others shared of their financial struggles and many bills overdue. Many responded with pledges, but the man of wealth said nothing. Finally the minister said, “Let us pray.” “Let each person look into his own heart and ask God for guidance.” Silently they prayed – after a few moments of prayer an enormous piece of plaster fell from the ceiling and hit the wealthy man directly on the head. He leaped to his feet and shouted, “I’ll $10,000.00. Silently the minister kept praying, “Hit him again, Lord hit him again.”
Our giving should be out of love and delight to invest in the Kingdom of God and not out of duty and guilt.
Some people will do the most outrageous thing to get extra cash. Years ago a Chicago radio station, WKOX, offered $10,000 to the individual who could devise the most outlandish way to get the money. More than 6,000 people responded to the challenge proposing what they would do for the $10,000. The eventual winner was Jay Gwaltney of Zionsville, Indiana, who consumed an 11 - foot birch sapling – leaves, roots, bark and all.
For the event he wore a tuxedo and dined at a table eloquently set with fine china, sterling silverware, candles and a rose vase. Armed with pruning sheers, the Indiana State University sophomore began chomping from the top of the tree and worked his way, branch by branch, to the roots. His only condiment: French dressing for the massive birch-leaf salad. Consuming the sapling took 18 hours over a period of three days. When it was all over, Gwaltney complained of an upset stomach.
Jesus said in Luke 12:15, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed, a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
We demonstrate our vision and faith by our commitment to give sacrificially of our time, our talents and our treasure.
The biblical plan to advance God’s Kingdom is giving a tithe of our income to God’s work. The Bible says, “The tithe is the Lords.” We give ten percent of our income to underwrite the ministries of the church and out offerings for world missions and other worthy ministries.
The Psalmist sang out in Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” God owns all and we are His Stewards and Managers of what God has provided.
You may earn large sums of money while on earth, but you will not take it with you. God is the owner. You are His Steward or Manager. Everything God gives you is given as a trust. The more God gives you the more responsibility He expects you to have.
As you enter this New Year listen to the promise of Luke 6:38, “If you give, you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use in giving – large or small – it will be used to measure what is given back to you.”
In Galatians 6:7-9, we find this challenge: “Don’t be misled. Remember that you can’t ignore God and get away with it. You will reap what you sow! Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful desires will harvest the consequences of decay and death. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life form the Spirit. So don’t get tired of doing what is good. Don’t get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.”
This coming year let’s give generously of our time, our talents, and our treasure to the work of the Lord.
Today we enjoy these facilities at the corner of Curtner Ave and Meridian Ave because church members back in 1964-65 gave sacrificially.
Our 3.2 acres were purchased for $40,000. When this property was purchased it was a cherry orchard. This sanctuary and two Christian education wings were built for $150,000.00 in 1964-65.
In 1964 the average house cost $16,500. Stamps were 4 cents, regular gas was .31 cents, a gallon of milk was .49 cents, and a dozen of eggs were .57 cents. The average salary in 1964 was $4,500.00. In 2006 the average salary was $38,651.
God’s mission for the Willow Vale Church this coming year is to continue the work He started to seek and to save the lost and make disciples of all people groups.
Let’s be faithful in carrying out God’s mission this coming year by –
Having Vision to See As God Sees – “With God All Things Are Possible”
Faith to Act and take God at His Word – Let’s join the Joshua and Caleb team and become part of God’s bold venture in the New Year
Let’s make the sacrificial commitment to give of our time, our talents and treasure by inviting new people to discover God’s love in the fellowship of the Church and giving to support the various ministries of the Church.
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