Rediscovering the Gospel Ephesians 1:5-8 Purpose: to rediscover the gospel, how God predestined us in love 1. We are Adopted, We Get the Inheritance Ephesians 1:5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved A. To adoption (2 Cor. 6:14-18; Rom. 8:12-17) B. Through Jesus Christ to Himself C. According to the kind intention of His will D. For what ultimate reason? To the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved 2. We are Lavishly Redeemed and Forgiven Ephesians 1:7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us A. In Christ we have redemption B. How? Through His blood C. The forgiveness of our trespasses (D) according to His grace D. Which He lavished on us
Beyond All We Ask Or Imagine Ephesians 1:1-4 Purpose: rediscovering the believer’s and the church’s true identity In Christ 1. United In Christ (Ephesians 1:1-2) Ephesians 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is described how? (v. 1a) Believers are described how? (v. 1b) Greeting of “grace and peace” God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ It’s all about relationship between God and His people In Christ 2. Worshipful Praise For God’s Work In Christ (Ephesians 1:3-4) Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. The Thesis: saints are blessed & chosen by God In Christ to live blamelessly before Him How many spiritual blessings were we blessed with? (v. 3) Why we love the doctrine of election: When did God choose us in Christ? (v. 4a) Why did God choose us in Christ? (v. 4b) This is all in the form of worshipful praise and prayer!
Seek First His Kingdom: One Holy Priority! Matthew 6:31-34 Purpose: for Christ’s Kingdom be the one holy priority in my life 1. What Are You Seeking? Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. Are You Seeking Man’s Praise or God’s Glory & Reward? Jesus’ Main Kingdom Principle Is To Practice Our Righteousness For God Alone Seeking Man’s Praise leads to no reward from God Whose approval do you seek? Who are you trying to impress? Seeking God leads to reward from God Himself 2. How Kingdom Seekers Live Matthew 6:31 “Do not worry then, saying, “˜What will we eat?’ or “˜What will we drink?’ or “˜What will we wear for clothing?’ 32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; Matthew 6:32b for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, Matthew 6:33b and all these things will be 3added to you. Matthew 6:34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. The Single Priority of My Life is Not of This World (Matthew 6:31) Your Father Knows Best (Matthew 6:32b) My Only Priority is His Kingdom & Righteousness Above All (Matthew 6:33a) Your Father Provides (Matthew 6:33b) Daily Trouble Is Not Worth the Worry (Matthew 6:34) John Newton – “I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of the year to a great bundle of sticks, far too large for us to lift. But God does not require us to carry the whole bundle at once. He mercifully unties the bundle, and gives us first one stick which we are to carry today, and then another, which we are to carry tomorrow. We can easily manage our troubles, if we would only carry the trouble appointed for each day. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday’s burden today, and then add the burden of tomorrow.”
God Will Provide, Don’t Worry! Matthew 6:25-30 Purpose: to fully entrust our lives to our faithful God 1. Life is More Than This Matt. 6:25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? For what reason? Hint: see the previous verse What life isn’t => Life isn’t stuff – Life is more than stuff What life is => Life is about knowing Jesus – Living for Jesus Jesus says not to worry about your life 2. Look at the Birds! Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? The argument is from lesser to greater If God cares for birds, and you’re worth more than birds, than God cares MORE for you! 3. Worthless Worry Matthew 6:27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Wrong Life Action => worrying is “how not-to” approach your life 4. Look at the Lilies! Matthew 6:28b Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. Solomon’s riches are lesser than lilies 5. God Provides Much More! Matthew 6:30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Again, the argument is from lesser to greater Are you putting stock in possessions or putting faith in God who provides? Real Life will come bursting out of faith in God and His provision Right Life Action => FAITH: Jesus urges us to put our life fully into God’s hands Are we looking at what we have or need, or are we looking at God who has everything?
Kingdom Treasure Matthew 6:19-24 Purpose: to richly invest in Kingdom Treasure How Not-To Invest Kingdom Treasure Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. You can’t take it to heaven with you How-To Invest Kingdom Treasure Matthew 6:20 “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; What can you take to heaven with you? Why? Where’s Your Heart? Your Eye? Matthew 6:21 for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 22 “The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. 23 “But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Only One Master, Only His Treasure Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. The Kingdom Christian Has Only One Master The Kingdom Christian Seeks Only Kingdom Treasure Who or what master are you serving?
Kingdom Fasting Matthew 6:16-18 (NASB) Purpose: to discover true fasting Before God for His reward 1. Are You Seeking Man’s Praise or God’s Glory & Reward? Matt. 5:20 “For I say to you that unless your arighteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men ato be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. Jesus’ Main Kingdom Principle The wrong motive leads to no reward from God Whose approval do you seek? Who are you trying to impress? The right motive leads to reward from God Himself 2. Now Not-To Fast Matt. 6:16 “aWhenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they 1neglect their appearance so that they will be noticed by men when they are fasting. bTruly I say to you, they have their reward in full. Reward in full from man, but nothing from God 3. How Jesus’ Kingdom People Fast Matthew 6:17 “But you, when you fast, aanoint your head and wash your face 18 so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your aFather who sees what is done in secret will reward you. You get no reward from man, but God Himself will reward you OT Pictures of True Fasting Humility, Repentance, Righteousness (Isaiah 58:1-12) True justice, kindness, & compassion, so love truth and peace (Zechariah 7-8) NT Focus of True Fasting Prayer (Luke 2:37; Matthew 6:6-18) World Evangelization (Acts 13:1-4)
Kingdom Prayer Matthew 6:5-15 (NASB) Purpose: to bring our prayer life in line with the Jesus’ Kingdom 1. Are You Seeking Man’s Praise or God’s Glory & Reward? Matt. 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. Jesus’ Main Kingdom Principle 2. Now Not-To Pray Matt. 6:5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. 7 “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. 8 “So do not be like them; The wrong motive leads to no reward from God Whose approval do you seek? Who are you trying to impress? The right motive leads to reward from God Himself 3. Why? Or Why Not? Because Your Father Already Knows! Matt. 6:8b for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. How would your current prayer life change if you realized this truth? 4. How Jesus’ Kingdom People Pray Matt. 6:9 “Pray, then, in this way: “˜Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. 10 “˜Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. 11 “˜Give us this day 1our daily bread. 12 “˜And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 “˜And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’ 14 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 “But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions. God is Father, He is Holy His Kingdom Both in Heaven AND on Earth Unceasing Absolute Dependence Upon His Provision God is Forgiving, and So Must We Forgive Everything Is His
Practicing Your Righteousness for God’s Glory Matthew 6:1-4 (NASB) Purpose: to practice our faith for God’s glory and His reward 1. Are You Seeking Man’s Praise or God’s Glory & Reward? Matthew 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. Jesus’ Main Kingdom Principle The wrong motive leads to no reward from God Whose approval do you seek? Whose approval is most important to you? 2. How Not-To Practice Righteousness Matthew 6:2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. Reward in full from man, but nothing from God 3. How To Practice Genuine Righteousness Matthew 6:3 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. You get no reward from man, but God Himself will reward you
Kingdom Mission Matthew 24:14 Matt. 24:14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. Purpose: for believers in Jesus Christ to remain faithful and on mission, even in times of trouble Central Truths of Matthew 24: 1. Don’t be misled! The Command Warning “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matt. 24:4-5, 11, 23-28) 2. Don’t be afraid! The Command “See that you are not frightened” (Matt. 24:6-10) 3. Why? Because Jesus is the only true King (Matt. 24:27-31) 4. When? The Final Judgment is Imminent but Not Predictable (Matt. 24:2, 21-22, 29-31) 5. Who? We will not need anyone to tell us when Jesus Comes back! (Matt. 24:25-27) 6. So Be On Mission! Jesus’ primary concern is for His followers to remain faithful, preaching the gospel to all the nations, enduring to the end (Matt. 24:4, 6, 13-14, 20, 23-28). Conclusion: Why did Jesus warn His disciples about false Christs? What was Jesus’ main concern for His followers? That they know the end time, or that they remain faithful and obedient to preach the gospel to the nations? Should we be more concerned with the wars or with our daily faithfulness and the preaching of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ to all nations? What specific areas of your life or faith need to change?
Kingdom Mission Matthew 24:14 Matt. 24:14 “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. Purpose: for believers in Jesus Christ to remain faithful and on mission, even in times of trouble Central Truths of Matthew 24: 1. Don’t be misled! The Command Warning “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matt. 24:4-5, 11, 23-28) 2. Don’t be afraid! The Command “See that you are not frightened” (Matt. 24:6-10) 3. Why? Because Jesus is the only true King (Matt. 24:27-31) 4. When? The Final Judgment is Imminent but Not Predictable (Matt. 24:2, 21-22, 29-31) 5. Who? We will not need anyone to tell us when Jesus Comes back! (Matt. 24:25-27) 6. So Be On Mission! Jesus’ primary concern is for His followers to remain faithful, preaching the gospel to all the nations, enduring to the end (Matt. 24:4, 6, 13-14, 20, 23-28). Conclusion: Why did Jesus warn His disciples about false Christs? What was Jesus’ main concern for His followers? That they know the end time, or that they remain faithful and obedient to preach the gospel to the nations? Should we be more concerned with the wars or with our daily faithfulness and the preaching of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ to all nations? What specific areas of your life or faith need to change?