Cornerstone Church With Dustin Bates

It's Not About Me Anyway

Thanks for joining us on the Cornerstone Church Podcast!

Find the sermon notes here

Connect with us here

Partner with us financially here

Find Jonathan online here

A Twisted Truth | The Lie of Disappointment

Thanks for joining us on the Cornerstone Church Podcast!

Find the sermon notes here

Connect with us here

Partner with us financially here

A Twisted Truth | Who You Really Are

Thanks for joining us on the Cornerstone Church Podcast!

Find the sermon notes here

Connect with us here

Partner with us financially here

A Twisted Truth

Just because something:

• SEEMS True
• FEELS True
• STATED True

Doesn’t Mean it’s true…
New Series:

A TWISTED TRUTH

A twisted truth contains SOME TRUTH but is still a lie

What is truth?

Truth aligns with how God created the world; falsehood contradicts God’s reality, even if it still “exists” in some sense within this fallen world.

Truth Is:

• More than just facts and appearances
• Knowledge of what is right in God’s sight, rather than man’s alone.

Human beings have been created to seek the truth

• But we cannot know all truth in ourselves, and so we need God to lead us to the Truth
• We can easily be led astray by falsehood.

The devil is the “father of lies” (John 8:44), and he is behind every lie circulated in the world today

• He can only be defeated by God’s Truth.

 

Truth = Order, Flourishing, Joy, Hope

Lies = Chaos, Pain, Confusion, Suffering

What does the Bible Say about Truth?

 

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is the FULLNESS of Truth
John 4:24

God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.”
We worship God when we submit to the truth
John 8:31-32

31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truthwill set you free.”

 

Freedom is FOUND in the truth

 

John 14:6

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the TOTAL EMBODIMENT of the Truth
John 16:13

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.
We are FILLED with the SPIRIT OF TRUTH (Holy Spirit)

Satan, as the father of lies, uses TWISTED TRUTHS to lead people astray
For Every Truth of God – The Enemy of God has a Counterfeit
Enemies Of God:

• Satan
• Culture
• Mind

Genesis 3

Now the serpent was the most cunning of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You can’t eat from any tree in the garden’?”

2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit from the trees in the garden. 3 But about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God said, ‘You must not eat it or touch it, or you will die.’”

4 “No! You will certainly not die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

A Twisted Truth -> Temptation to doubt -> Sin -> Shame

TEMPTATION OF JESUS

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1: Jesus was BOTH fully God and FULLY MAN

2: Satan’s lies were to distract and derail his purpose of Death and Salvation

3: Jesus’ temptations we ENTIRELY REAL

4: We have a Lord who UNDERSTANDS us
Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
We will discover 3 DISTINCT Twisted Truths the enemy uses

• Tactics

Matthew 4

1 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 After he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 Then the tempter approached him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

4 He answered, “It is written: Man must not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

Temptation 1:

PHYSICAL Temptation (Doubting God’s Goodness)

This twisted Truth asks…

“If God really loves you, He would want you to do what feels right to you”
“Do what feels right” always speaks to:

• Our Needs
• Our Weakness

Never where we are strong
BACK TO JESUS:

• Jesus was
• Hungry
• Tired

It didn’t come at the beginning, but at the end, when he was most tired

 

Jesus answers with SCRIPTURE = GOD’S TRUTH

 

How to tell the difference between God’s Truth and Satan’s lies

 

The enemy always speaks to your needs, whereas God speaks to your potential

 

This twisted truth is trying to get us to…

Satisfy what God can ONLY satisfy

• Physical lusts and desires

How to spot this TWISTED TRUTH in our culture…

• If God is good, then…
• Do you feel right
• Do what makes you happy

Matthew 4

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:

He will give his angels orders concerning you, and they will support you with their hands so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” 7 Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”

Temptation 2:

EMOTIONAL Temptation (Doubting God’s Faithfulness)

This twisted Truth asks…

“Does God Love me?”
Satan uses SCRIPTURE… A twisting of the truth

• Ps 91:11-12

Tempting Jesus to say…

• “If God loves me, then He’ll protect me.”

The Need for CONSTANT REASSURANCE

• God Already said at Jesus’ baptism that he is pleased with Him

This twisted truth makes us question that all the time

• Allow our feelings in a moment to override our knowledge of God’s love for us

“If God really loves you…”

If God must MEET your demands for you to know that He loves you, then you don’t understand His Love

• Our emotions don’t dictate what God should be doing

How to spot this TWISTED TRUTH in our culture…

• Feelings over facts
• “If God is all loving, then I can…”
• “I asked God for something, and he didn’t do it so he must not exist”

Matthew 4

8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 And he said to him, “I will give you all these things if you will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and began to serve him.

Temptation 3:

CONTROL Temptation (Rejecting God’s Authority)

This twisted Truth says…

“I can be in charge”

“I can take a shortcut to what I want”

“Only you should sit on the throne of your life.”
Tempting Jesus to Take the easy way to AUTHORITY

• Don’t have to go through suffering and death
• Take what you want without God’s approval

Just like in the garden

• Wanted wisdom on their own terms

When you choose to take over the throne of your life, you become RESPONSIBLE for everything in your life

• We are not capable of handling that responsibility
• God created us to be led by him
• Away from him, we destroy ourselves and others

You cannot sin your way to a blessing

• Can’t have things God says no to and expect good to come
• Can’t shortcut his process to his provision/protection/blessing

How to spot this TWISTED TRUTH in our culture…

• “You do you…”
• “It’s you life, live if like you want…”
• No one can tell you…
• Who you are
• What you can be
• How you can live
• Who you love
• “No one’s in charge of my life but me”

 

How do we overcome the TWISTED TRUTHS of Satan, Culture, and our hearts?

1: Recognize the pattern

• News days, Old lies

2: Respond with God’s Word

• Real Truth

3: Resist in the power of the Spirit

4: Pursue the Will Of Your Father

Faith-Filled Abundant LIfe

All In
Easy to be “All In” when you’re winning

• No “Fair Weather Fan”

All in means:

• You trust the Player’s talent
• The coaches call
• The schedule
• etc

You have “FAITH” in these things
How you determine if you are ALL in or not is:

It’s NOT how you handle WINNING; it’s how you handle LOOSING

• Blame others
• Fly off the handle

or

• You win some; you lose some

 

Reclaiming Abundant Life
John 10:10

A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
Week 1:

An Abundant life is a life full of the spiritual gifts of God’s Holy Spirit given to His faithful followers
Week 2:

An Abundant Life is a PURPOSEFUL LIFE
Today…

An Abundant Life is a FAITH-FILLED Life

What is Faith?
Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Faith Is…

1: To be ALL IN on something

• Truth and Expectation
• CONVICTION – Deeply helps belief

Not constantly questioning:

• Intent/motives
• Believe the person and their strategy

2: Not Living In the Moment

• Hoping in/for something even if you haven’t seen in yet
• Assusance – Something in the future

The “DISCIPLINE” of Faith
It is more difficult for us because we are trained to be “LOCK INTO THE MOMENT”

 

Joseph Story:

• Sold to slavery
• Lied on and sent to prison

Interprets dreams in prison

• Cupbearer
• Chief Baker

This is a real test for Joseph’s FAITH IN GOD
Family In Egypt

• Father Dies
• Brothers worry about what Joseph will do

Genesis 50

19 But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God?

20 You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.
Abundant Life was not in his:

• Position
• Authority

But his ability to:

His FAITH Allowed Him To See God’s Goodness IN ALL THINGS
This is what it means to be ALL IN

Choosing to TRUST and SEE God’s Goodness

• In your circumstances
• In your challenges
• In your heartbreak
• In you disappointments
• In your dreams and purpose
• In ALL THINGS

God tempered Joseph with TIME

• He was not ready for the WEIGHT OF RESPONSIBILITY
• Each hard season gave him training for the next
• House – Prison – Kingdom

 

Only Possible when NOT living in the moment

 

ALL IN/Not Living in the Moment Examples

Marriage – Do you trust God enough to stay

Singleness – Do you trust God to be enough

Job – Do you trust God to be faithful

Youth – Do you trust God enough to give him your future and identity (compromise)

• Do you trust God enough not to compromise on whom He says you are?
• Your environment does not justify your compromise

 

An Abundant Life is a FAITH-FILLED Life

Declarations of FathFILLED abundant life:

I Believe The Lord is FOR ME, not against me

I Believe that my Father’s way is the Best way

I Believe God’s best for me is yet to come, whether in this life or the next

I Believe Jesus’ sacrifice is for ME

I Believe My Heavenly Father keeps His promises

I Believe the Holy Spirit is working in me and through me

Purposeful Abundant Life

The Question WHY

• Frustrating when kids ask

But a REALLY GOOD QUESTION
WHY do you do what you do?

WHY Are you here?

• WHY do you exist?

What is your WHY?

• We all have one

Abundant Life is a PURPOSEFUL LIFE

John 10:10

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
Last week…

What is abundant life?

Abundant life is a life full of the spiritual gifts of God’s Holy Spirit given to His faithful followers

 

Current Statistics:

2023 Harvard Graduate School of Education

More than half of young adults (58%) reported that they lacked “meaning or purpose” in their lives in the previous month and half of young adults reported that their mental health was negatively influenced by “not knowing what to do with my life.”
There are many other factors that may contribute to feelings of meaninglessness and purposelessness as well as to anxiety and depression, including:

• The increasing focus on the self in our culture;
• Difficulties making choices given new, rapidly changing, and sometimes undefined career paths;
• Young adults marrying at older ages
• Declines in religious participation
• High social media use and other forms of digital media use
• A media ecosystem that floods us with frightening messages
• Higher expectations than their predecessors for finding meaning and purpose

“Religious communities can provide you with a meta story, can give you a sense of meaning, a place across geographic boundaries and time,” Weissbourd said. “So I’m not again saying we should become more religious, but we should think about how we create some of these aspects of religion in secular life.”

 

2 Rules for having a PURPOSEFUL ABUNDANT LIFE

Rule 1: Your purpose cannot start with you

“What’s my WHY?” is the wrong question for the Christian
Scripture teaches that…

True purpose is found in God Alone

God Created ALL THINGS on purpose for a purpose

2 Types of Purpose

General Purpose:

The chief end of man is to Glorify God with your life

 

1 Corinthians 10:31

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
This is the FOUNDATION of your WHY

You exist to GLORY GOD with your WHOLE LIFE
You cannot bypass this to get to your “Specific purpose”
Specific Purpose/Calling:

Empowered by specific gifts of the Holy Spirit

• Lived out through the FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Can be:

• Something right now
• Something Later in life

Tips to knowing your specific calling:
Grow where you are planted

Luke 16:10

Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.

• Healthy things grow

Whether you are a…

• Parent
• Student
• Spouse
• Employee
• Leader
• Teacher

Your calling will often follow your gifts/passions

• But the Lord can “ADD TO” the meet what He has purposed you for

 

Your Purpose is for you but not ABOUT YOU

• Bigger than you
• Will take FAITH/OBEDIENCE

 

Rule 2: God’s Purpose for your life Is a PROCESS, Not a PLACE

 

God’s purpose for your life is not linear
Romans 8:20

We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.
Process = Sanctification

Sanctification:

The process of being made into the image of Christ in your life

 

Joseph in Potiphar’s house

• Summarize up to this point
• Joseph’s dreams

 

Genesis 39

1 Now Joseph had been taken to Egypt. An Egyptian named Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh and the captain of the guards, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him there. 2 The Lord was with Joseph, and he became a successful man, serving in the household of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made everything he did successful, 4 Joseph found favor with his master and became his personal attendant. Potiphar also put him in charge of his household and placed all that he owned under his authority. 5 From the time that he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the Egyptian’s house because of Joseph. The Lord’s blessing was on all that he owned, in his house and in his fields. 6 He left all that he owned under Joseph’s authority; he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate.

 

Rule #1 in action: Your purpose cannot start with you
If your purpose starts with you, you can never live higher than your circumstances
Joseph – Doing all things to the GLORY OF GOD

• God blessed him

But he wasn’t fulfilling his “SPECIFIC CALLING”

• The dreams

Being faithful in his difficulty paved the way for future purpose
New Troubles are on the way…

Now Joseph was well-built and handsome. 7 After some time his master’s wife looked longingly at Joseph and said, “Sleep with me.”

 

8 But he refused. “Look,” he said to his master’s wife, “with me here my master does not concern himself with anything in his house, and he has put all that he owns under my authority. 9 No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this immense evil, and how could I sin against God?”

 

10 Although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her. 11 Now one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the household servants were there. 12 She grabbed him by his garment and said, “Sleep with me!” But leaving his garment in her hand, he escaped and ran outside.
She kept his garment and lied to her husband
19 When his master heard the story his wife told him—“These are the things your slave did to me”—he was furious 20 and had him thrown into prison, where the king’s prisoners were confined. So Joseph was there in prison.
Rule #2: God’s Purpose for your life Is a PROCESS, Not a PLACE
When you are living in God’s purpose, the enemy will ALWAYS send you a “POTIPHAR’S WIFE“

 

2 things:

• Distraction
• Easier way

If your WHY is found in the right thing, you can say NO to the wrong things
When our purpose is grounded in God, it allows us to let God shoulder the burden

• When we choose OUR OWN purpose, we become responsible

Rule 1: Your purpose cannot start with you

Rule 2: God’s Purpose for your life Is a PROCESS, Not a PLACE

Reclaiming Abundant Life

Reclaiming hearts & minds
Not with Physical swords but THE SPIRITUAL SWORD
Hebrews 4

12 For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Not just DEFENSIVE but OFFENSIVE
Matthew 16

18 …and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

 

Series:

RECLAIMING ABUNDANT LIFE
John 10:10

10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.
Key question:

What is Abundant Life?
Abundant life is NOT:

Wealth/Health/Fame

• Make life easier but not more abundant

Cynthia Heimel, “Tongue in Chic” column in The Village Voice, January 2, 1990.

Atheist/feminist writer in the 90s/2000s

“I pity celebrities, no I really do – [celebrities] were once perfectly pleasant human beings. But now their wrath is awful. I think when God wants to play a really rotten practical joke on you he grants you your deepest wish and then laughs merrily when you realize you want to kill yourself. You see [these people] wanted fame. They worked, they pushed and the morning after each of them became famous they wanted to take an overdose. Because that giant thing they were striving for, that fame thing that was going to make everything OK, that was going to make their lives bearable, that was going to provide them with personal fulfillment and happiness had happened and they were still them. The disillusionment turned them howling and insufferable.”

 

Power/Authority

• Just hungry for more power
• No one ever said, “This is enough power”

 

Pleasure/Satisfaction

• Become numb… Always need more

Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine

“Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence”

“The paradox is that hedonism, the pursuit of pleasure for it’s own sake, leads to anhedonia. Which is the inability to enjoy pleasure of any kind.”

 

An Arrival point

• Life changes. Things happen

 

A lack of struggle

• Many have found deep joy in the struggle

Note:

These things are TOOLS, but they are NOT where abundant life is FOUND
The enemy wants us to trade GOD for GIFTS

 

Context of Jesus’ statement:

John 10

1 “Truly I tell you, anyone who doesn’t enter the sheep pen by the gate but climbs in some other way is a thief and a robber. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

7 Jesus said again, “Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9 I am the gate. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 A thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jesus is:

• The Gate – The Only Way in (Protection)
• The Shepherd – The Only Way Out (Authority)

 

Key Question:

What is ABUNDANT LIFE?
What is the “THEIF”

• False abundant life

What is the Abundant Life of Jesus?

• True abundant life

Galatians 5

19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious:

sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity,…

20 idolatry, sorcery,…

hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger,…

selfish ambitions,…

dissensions, factions,…

21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar.

I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

 

When brought to light – Disgusting, gross, vile
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
There are a few things to note about the fruit of the HOLY SPIRIT

1: Only available to the Christian believer

• Common grace means all can experience “SOME,” but only the Christian can experience the “FULL WORK AND BLESSING OF THE SPIRIT”

2: Not Behavior Modification but SPIRIT TRANSFORMATION

• Both are a process; only one is REAL CHANGE

3: Fruit of the Spirit are not “Weak”
Love = Sacrifice

Joy = The Natural reaction to the work of God, whether promised or fulfilled

Peace = Lacking any anxiety

Patience = slow to anger as we wait for God to provide comfort and justice

Kindness = Righteous, genuine Concern for another

Goodness = Selflessly acting on behalf of others

Faithfulness = believing that God is Who He says He is and continuing in that belief despite the challenges of life

Gentleness = Might restrained through Humility and grace.

Self-control = Moderation, constraint, and the ability to say “no” to our baser desires and fleshly lusts

 

Imagine:

• This kind of Parent
• This kind of boss
• This kind of church
• This kind of world

 

Are you looking for an Abundant Life?
Questions to ask yourself:

1: Am I allowing the thief to convince me to trade the fruit of abundant life for cheap substitutes
2: Am I acting as my own god by trying to achieve my personal version of abundant life?
Conclusion:

A truly abundant life is one full of the spiritual gifts of God that are given to His faithful followers.

Healthy Things Grow

Fighting in a relationship
The “problem” usually isn’t the “problem”

• Is a symptom of a Deeper issue

Deeper Issue:

• Selfish
• Hurt
• Bitterness
• Anger

In order for the relationship to FLOURISH, you have to get to the ROOT CAUSE

• This makes the relationship healthy

Something we all know…

Healthy Things grow

• Fruit trees produce fruit

Also…

When we are healthy, the important things in our lives grow fruit

• Relationships
• People/Kids
• Ideas
• Actions
• Etc…

It is the time of year when we all take stock of where we are

• Health
• Finances
• Friendships
• What is important to us
• Do more of
• Do less of

As Christians, we ask different questions
What does God’s Word say about being healthy?
Takes clues from Paul…

Romans 12:2

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.
To be spiritually healthy, we must grow by the “Making New” of our minds
The important question is…

HOW

• How is our Mind renewed?

 

What is our MIND?

• The way we…
• Think
• Feel
• Act
• React

WHY behind the WHAT

The reason this is important is because our culture has answers for this…

Manifesting/Visualizing what you want

• Manifestation is the idea that you can bring a positive outcome into your life by simply “claiming” it as your own and believing it will happen

 

Scripture has another answer

Let’s look at a parable Jesus told
What is a parable?

Parable = A short moral story that tells of a spiritual and theological truth

 

Also found in:

Mark 4 & Matthew 18
Luke 8

4 As a large crowd was gathering, and people were coming to Jesus from every town, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky devoured it. 6 Other seed fell on the rock; when it grew up, it withered away, since it lacked moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground; when it grew up, it produced fruit: a hundred times what was sown.” As he said this, he called out, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

 

Find there are 3 possible outcomes/responses:

1: NO GROWTH (Unhealthy)

2: SOME GROWTH – NO FRUIT (Sick/Diseased)

3: HEALTHY GROWTH WITH FRUIT

 

Jesus tells the meaning of His parable…

Luke 8

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.

• The learned truth and revelation of God to us, His people

This Truth is

Spoken, read, heard, learned
2 Timothy 3

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed. You know those who taught you, 15 and you know that from infancy you have known the sacred Scriptures, which are able to give you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Back to Jesus’ Parable…

Luke 8

12 The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

 

1: NO GROWTH (Unhealthy)

Not those that “have believed and lost their salvation”
These are those who have HEARD TRUTH — and REJECTED IT

• Our culture

They are “HARDENED” by sin/disbelief

• Hard Heart

Rather believe the lie than receive truth
OUR RESPONSE:

Pray for the hard hearts to soften to God’s truth and salvation

Luke 8

13 And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and fall away in a time of testing. 14 As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.

 

2: SOME GROWTH – NO FRUIT (Sick/Diseased)

Both show a different side of…

SHALLOW FAITH
Seed on the rock – Shallow when Hard time Come

• There is no strength to stand strong
• Wise and foolish man

Seed in the thorns – Shallow when Temptation comes

• The Child who chooses the easy things NOW over better things to come
• Prodigal son

Pay close attention here…

This is the category of MANY CHRISTIANS
Don’t see any fruit in their life because their faith is SICK/DISEASED
OUR RESPONSE:

What’s your fruit?
Are you?

• Jealous or Content
• Complainer or Thankful
• Bitter or Forgiving
• Impatient or Steadfast
• Proud or Humble

Finally…

Luke 8

15 But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.

3: HEALTHY GROWTH WITH FRUIT

Healthy things grow…
We established that…

To be spiritually healthy, we must grow by the “Making New” of our minds

 

Our minds are made new through…

Faith – Trusting (Hearing the word with an honest and good heart)

Faithfulness – Persevering (Enduring to produce fruit)

Final Challenge:

Determine the Atmosphere of your heart/mind

The Atmosphere is the…

• Patterns
• Processes
• Environments

That you live in regularly

 

What you:

• See
• Hear
• Consume

 

Who you are:

• Surrounded by
• Influenced by
• Lead by

 

Jesus’ Warning

Luke 8

16 “No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light. 17 For nothing is concealed that won’t be revealed, and nothing hidden that won’t be made known and brought to light. 18 Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.”

Start Strong!

Make church attendance a PRIORITY

Make reading your Bible a PRIORITY

Make regular prayer a PRIORITY

The JOY Of Christmas

The GLORY Of Christmas

Christmas is about a CHOICE

• The most important choice any of us will ever make

Series: SONGS OF CHRISTMAS
HOPE – Oh Come Oh Come Emmanuel

STORY – Go Tell It on the Mountain
Our song this week…

Oh Come all Ye Faithful
This song speaks of God’s GLORY
Before we look at the song, we need to do a little Theology

First, Let’s define GLORY

GLORY:

Beauty, power, or honor: a quality of God’s character that emphasizes His greatness and authority

The word is used in 3 senses:

1: God’s moral beauty and perfection of Character

Psalm 113:4

The Lord is exalted above all the nations, his glory above the heavens.
We all fall short of this version of God’s glory…

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

2: The Audible honor and praise of His creation

Revelation 5:13

I heard every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them say, Blessing and honor and glory and power be to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!
The last and for us today, most important…

3: The manifestation of God’s Presence

Leviticus 9:23-24

23 Moses and Aaron then entered the tent of meeting. When they came out, they blessed the people, and the glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. 24 Fire came from the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell facedown.
There was a problem though…

• Only a few could approach this version of God’s Glory
• Was very dangerous
• Because of Israel’s rebellion, God removed His Glory
• Vision in Ezekiel

For generations, God’s Glory/presence seemed gone from the world…

until…
John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
This in Christian theology is called…

THE INCARNATION:

The act of being made flesh. That Jesus, being fully God, took on human flesh, also becoming fully human

Now, with that understanding, let’s look at this week’s song

O come all ye faithful (Just 3 verses)

1. O come all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye, to Bethlehem. Come and behold him, born the King of angels;

2. True God of true God, Light from Light Eternal, lo, he shuns not the Virgin’s womb; Son of the Father, begotten not created;

3. Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation; O sing, all ye citizens of heaven above! Glory to God, all glory in the highest;

Refrain: <<OUR RESPONSE>>

O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

Back to our this or that Game

• Choices made based on preference

Christmas is a reminder of the choice that lies before each of us… Before the world

 

Story of the Wise Men

• Wisemen from the east came looking for the “ONE BORN KING OF THE JEWS”
• Came following a star

 

Herod was king of Jerusalem

• A puppet king through Rome
• Ruthless and evil

Herod was also clever…

Tricked the Wisemen…

Matthew 2

7 Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”

9 After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. 11 Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.
Herod flew into a rage and demanded that all boys under 2 in Bethlehem be put to death
What does this story teach us?

• The same thing O Come All Ye Faithful

The Glory of God Demands Response
The enemies of God try to convince the world that you can NEUTRAL

• You don’t have to pick any side

But God has INTERRUPTED this world with the birth of Jesus

• Nothing will be the same
• God’s GLORY has COME AGAIN

What is our only response to the GLORY OF GOD?

We either WORSHIP Him or HATE Him

• Worship or kill him

Let’s play THIS OR THAT – Luke 2 edition

Worship Jesus like the Wisemen

• Brought valuable things recognizing the GLORY of Jesus

Choose to remain the “KING” and destroy anything that threatens your authority

• Like Herrod

You may say…

“But I’m not trying to be King…”

 

Here’s the key question

What are you regularly surrendering to God in recognition of his GLORY?

• Presence and perfection/power

The gifts of the Magi were things of VALUE

What are some things of VALUE that we should be giving to God?
Maybe some physical things

• Money/resources
• Time

God is not as interested in those things as He is in other things…

• Dreams – Willing to give those to God?
• Trauma – Willing to give it to God?
• Sexuality – Willing to give it to God?
• Fears – Willing to give it to God?

Those are pretty terrible gifts…

But it’s what he wants
This is not the only time we have seen this

Chief priests to Pilot

John 19

15 They shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Should I crucify your king?” “We have no king but Caesar!” the chief priests answered. 16 Then he handed him over to be crucified.
At it’s heart, Christmas is a season of RESPONSE

• What are we responding to?

John 1

14 The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The GLORY of the Lord made known to us in Christ Jesus
What is our response?

O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.