30 th May 2017 APC Sermon The Big Picture John Gilbert

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Daniella Holmes
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1 30 th May 2017 APC Sermon The Big Picture John Gilbert SLIDE 1 Sermon Notes Ephesians 1:3-23 and 2:1-13 This is part of the sermon series on Evangelism and how we can gain confidence in sharing the Good News about Jesus. I will break the passage down into a teaching session with number of components which I hope will enrich you. The slides and text will be available for the home groups studying J. John s Breaking News and be something that the home groups and individuals can use. As you listen just be open to the Holy Spirit to lead you into a deeper experience of God. You may find you are out of your comfort zones! It will be a rapid tour. Please keep your bibles open in the passage as we shall be moving around various key verses. SLIDE 2 Summary of last week s teaching by David Lee on Why Jesus evangelised 1. Because He was led (pushed) by the Holy Spirit. Jesus acted in the power of the Spirit. The Spirit wanted him to do it 2. He did it because His Father desired Him to do it 3. He has a heart for people. Jesus welcomed people & blessed them in their need ( we are the expression of His heart) 4. Jesus shows us what God is really like & what the kingdom of God is like. Showing the nature of the Father. God is a God of Love. 5. Jesus enjoyed evangelism- bringing good news to people. The 70 were full of joy when they returned Luke 10:21. It is good fun & he wants us to do it! Jesus needs to replace the wrong images /understanding that we have in our thinking SLIDE 3 (picture up) Saul s Damascus Road Experience. Saul was a religious zealot, Pharisee of the Pharisees, legalistic to the extreme and a persecutor of the newly born church who sanctioned the death of Christians. He was present at the martyrdom of Stephen. Paul underwent a deep transformational change. He came to the end of himself. Jesus intervened in his life to bring him to a place of seeing differently. Blinded by the dazzling light of Christ Saul was temporarily blind for 3 days then Ananias prayed over him he saw in a new way and was baptised in the Holy Spirit. He was a new man in Christ (now PAUL) - previously spiritually dead now alive. Read Acts and trace Paul s testimony and service for Christ in Acts and his letters. 1

2 SLIDE 4 Your Road to Faith and Hope Where are you on your journey today? How would you tell someone about how Jesus has changed you? My story an experience of pub evangelism and disrupting a church service Have we come to place where I am crucified with Christ my old nature and self- interest has been put to death, been buried and raised up into the new life Jesus wants me to experience as a man or woman. There can be no new birth without a death! The Cross is the route to the transforming experience of being born again spiritually. It was needful for Nicodemus the respected man of religion, it was needful for Paul as it is for us. Have we really appreciated the great salvation of Jesus and what He has done for us? SLIDE 5 Part 1 Ephesians is a snap shot summary of the Big picture I would like to suggest that we use this passage to Test our personal foundations of faith and see how much ownership of this Big Picture we have. We can use it to ask how is my relationship with Jesus? If we are to be confident and effective in sharing the good news of Jesus with others we have to be sure of our foundations and know our position in Christ. J. John writes, To communicate the optimism and hope of the gospel we need to be able to explain the Big Picture of God s positive attitude and dealings with humanity throughout history. In J. John s book p 19 you will see how this passage is broken up into 7 sections, Each word begins with a C hence, The 7 Cs. There are scripture references in the appendix for each word that home groups and individuals can explore. I do not propose to go through them this morning but rather develop The 7 Cs from our reading Part 2 of Slide 1. CREATION (the relationship between God & Humanity) 2. CHAOS (sin & separation) 3. COVENANT (the covenant of blessing & promises) 4.CHRIST (the mediator of the New Covenant) 5.CONQUEROR (Jesus raised from the dead) 6. CERTAINTY (the New life by the Spirit and our inheritance assured) 7. COMPLETION (the rescue completed) SLIDE 6 1. CREATION ( the relationship between God & Humanity) 2

3 Paul has captured the heart of God in what were always his creative intentions for humanity, namely that men and women live in a holy and loving relationship with Him and each other. Each of us is uniquely and wonderfully made with an identity that God wants to use for good. We could explore this more in terms of what it means to be spiritually fruitful. SLIDE 7 Part 1 2. CHAOS (sin & separation) 2:1-3 is a graphic reminder of what the sinful life is about. There are some tough issues here. Outside Christ we are continually open to the lies and deceptions of Satan, the ruler of the kingdom of the air as he is described. What are we breathing in yes, polluted air but also much of the ways and thinking of the world which affects us spiritually. In contrast, Jesus breathed on the disciples to receive the Holy Spirit. How vital it is that we continually BREATHE in the life-giving spirit of God so that the mind and life of Christ can be developed in us. There can be a false assumption that we are all children of God. We are his creatures but if we are not in relationship with God then who are we in relationship with? Jesus answered this when addressing religious people: John 8:42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Part 2 of slide as summary SLIDE 8 3. COVENANT (Covenant blessings and promises) 2:12 Excluded but now brought near by the blood of Christ. Christ shed his blood as the ultimate sacrifice for sin and when He cried out, It is finished, the veil of the temple was torn in two and the New Covenant was established. It is essential to understand what Jesus has made possible for us. Two key passages help us and the truth in them needs to be foundational to our experience. Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NIVUK) 31 The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah. 32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to [a] them, [b] declares the Lord. 33 This is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel after that time, declares 3

4 the Lord. I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 No longer will they teach their neighbour, or say to one another, Know the Lord, because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. And, Ezekiel 36: 25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. 28Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God. 29I will save you from all your uncleanness. SLIDE 9 Faith, Wisdom, Revelation and Hope v 1:17-18 Self check: 1.Have you experienced the blessing of a new heart and a new spirit? 2.Do you feel washed and clean? 3.Do you know the laws of God written on your heart and outworking in your mind? 4.Is your hope on a sure foundation or just wishful? The other wonderful blessing of New Covenant life is Love, as Paul writes in Romans 5 :5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 5.Are you full of His Love? SLIDE 10 Part 1 4.CHRIST the MEDIATOR (Read Verses 1:7-8, 2:4-5, 8-9, 13 with key words). The Riches of God s grace lavished on us. These words speak for themselves but GRACE and FAITH are key words. Note that faith is a gift from God. If you find it difficult to believe, be like the man who asked for help, Lord please help me to believe, then as you make that step Jesus will help you. If I put my hand out to you to shake your hand and you do likewise we are connected; if you do not respond we are not connected. We have to ACTIVELY RECEIVE all this liberating truth yes Lord, I want all this to be true in my life! Part 2 of slide died to ourselves SLIDE 11 5.CHRIST the CONQUEROR Verses 1: Have we underestimated the great power and mighty strength of God? The Name of Jesus is far above all. He is awesome (one of Rob Cook s favourite words) 4

5 SLIDE 12 First Click 6.CERTAINTY (New Life by the Spirit) Look at chapter 1: v In him we were also chosen, [e] having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God s possession to the praise of his glory. Show Slide rest of points Note the key points and outcomes for lives to ensure we have a strong spiritual foundation. Apply the tests to yourself! SLIDE 13 7.COMPLETION Chapter 2: v4-6 (Read) then show summary points What a statement, we are seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus! Jesus lived with Heaven open to Him. John the Baptist saw heaven opened as did some of the old testament prophets. The disciples had their eyes open to the heavenly perspective and they saw Jesus ascend back to heaven. There is an old saying, Some people are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good. Perhaps we should say, If we are to be of earthy use we need to be heavenly minded continually receiving revelation and understanding from the mind-set of Jesus. Foundation check second part of slide SLIDE 14 FOR CONSIDERATION Read text 2 Cor.5:14-20 Are you RECONCILED to God? Are you reconciled to others? Are you a NEW CREATION? Are you signed up to be an AMBASSADOR for Christ If the Lord has touched things in your life you might like to come for prayer ( available in the vestry) or talk to one us or. PRAY for the congregation 5

A DEEP DIVE INTO BAPTISM

A DEEP DIVE INTO BAPTISM (Acts 2:32-39)_ INTRODUCTION This morning I want to take a deep dive into the subject of baptism. This may be dangerous because baptism is sometimes referred to as the water that