Presidential Succession Act of 1947:

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3 Presidential Succession Act of 1947: 1. Vice President and President of the Senate 2. Speaker of the House of Representatives 3. President pro tempore of the Senate 4. Secretary of State 5. Secretary of the Treasury

4 John 20:19-22 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

5 Christ s Succession Plan Succession Act of words Jesus succession plan 10 words: As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.

6 Peace be with you! Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have PEACE with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Romans 5:10 For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

7 Warren Wiersbe Men have declared war on God but God will declare peace on those who believe in him.

8 As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." We are not meant to enjoy this peace selfishly but share it with others 2 Cor. 5:20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

9 John Piper We can rest content in casual, convenient, cozy comfortable Christian lives as we cling to safety and security this world offers. We can coast through a cultural landscape marked by materialism, characterized by consumerism and engulfed in individualism

10 John Piper We can assent to the spirit of this age, and choose to spend our lives seeking worldly pleasures, acquiring worldly possessions, and pursuing worldly ambitions - all under the banner of cultural Christianity. Or we can decide that Jesus is worth more than this. We can recognize that he created, saved and called us for a much greater purpose than anything else this world could ever offer.

11 Puritan Richard Baxter It will be an unspeakable comfort to look back on a life well spent. And to be able to say, My time was not cast away...it was spent on doing good to men s souls and bodies.

12 he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Genesis 2:7 the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. The breath of God at creation meant physical life; the breath of Jesus here meant spiritual life They would receive the Holy Spirit 40 days later on the day of Pentecost; this statement was a pledge that it was coming.

13 Succession Plan Comparison White House: Designate is selected by most powerful MEN in the WORLD. Church: Designates are selected by the most powerful PERSONS in the UNIVERSE. Personal Application: Recognize our privilege and responsibilty

14 Succession Plan Comparison White House: The designate is BRIEFED but the details are TOP-SECRET. Church: Jesus made CLEAR and PUBLIC His expectations for His designated successors. Personal Application: Be an informed and equipped successor

15 Ephesians 4:11-13 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

16 MBC Discipleship Path CONNECT > TO COMMUNITY mcleanbible.org/connect BECOME > LIKE JESUS mcleanbible.org/grow-your-faith IMPACT > YOUR WORLD mcleanbible.org/serving-god-serving-others

17 Succession Comparison White House: Designate has incredible power at his fingertips, possessing the NUCLEAR CODES Church: Designates have incredible power at their disposal, possessing the HOLY SPIRIT Personal Application: Leverage the power at our disposal

18 Tony Evans The Holy Spirit is not merely a nice addendum to the Christian faith. He is at the heart and core of it. He is not merely a force or an influence. He is the third Person of the Trinity, God Himself. If there is anything you and I must understand if we are going to live what is commonly called the victorious Christian life, it is the Person and ministry of the Holy Spirit.

19 Final Thoughts The truth is that the Spirit of the living God is guaranteed to ask you to go somewhere or do something you wouldn t normally want or choose to do. The Spirit will lead you to the way of the cross, as He led Jesus to the cross, and that is definitely not a safe or pretty or comfortable place to be. Francis Chan No higher honor can be imagined than that of being Christ's ambassadors, and proclaiming in Christ's name the forgiveness of sins to a lost world. Bishop JC Ryle

20 Discussion Question #1 What are your thoughts, when you consider the vital role believers have been given in the Lord s overall plan of redemption, and the weight of all members of the Godhead participating in our succession plan?

21 God the Father sent Jesus (vs. 21) - As the Father has sent me Jesus - sends His disciples (vs. 21) - I am sending you Holy Spirit empowers (vs. 22) - and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit

22 Discussion Question #2 How effective do you consider yourself at being sent as a minister of reconciliation? What do you find easy or difficult about that responsibility? How could you improve?

23 Discussion Question #3 How well do you comprehend and experience the work of the Holy Spirit in your life? What steps could you take to further harness the power of the Holy Spirit, benefiting you personally and the Church corporately?