Fellowship in Luke

Christ Versus Religion

Christ Versus Religion

A woman Bent Over Double
Luke 13:10-11
- And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all.
Pressed to the Ground
Jesus Frees the Woman
- 12When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your sickness."
- 13And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God
Synogogue Ruler Indignant
- 14But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, "There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day."
Authoritative Reprimand
Jesus Points Out Hypocrisy
- 15But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites, does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead him away to water him?
- 16"And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day
Opponents Put to Shame
- 17As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him.
The Crowd Rejoicing
The Kingdom of God
- 18 So He was saying, "What is the kingdom of God like, and to what shall I compare it? 19"It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and threw into his own garden; and it grew and became a tree, and (THE BIRDS OF THE AIR NESTED IN ITS BRANCHES."
Mustard Trees
The Kingdom of God
- 20And again He said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?
- 21"It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened."
Leaven Put in Meal
Entering the Kingdom of God
- 22And He was passing through from one city and village to another, teaching, and proceeding on His way to Jerusalem. 23And someone said to Him, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" And He said to them,
- 24"Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.
- 25"Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.'
The Master Shuts the Door
Pleading Does Not Help
- 26"Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets';
- 27and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.'
Go Away Workers of Unrighteousness
A Place of Shame
- 28"In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.
Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth
The First Last, the Last First
- 29"And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God.
- 30"And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last."

Table Talk

Table Talk

Luke 14
- 14:1 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched.
- 14:7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable:
- 14:12 Then Jesus said to his host, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.
- 14:16 Jesus replied: "A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests."
Luke 14:1-6
- One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from dropsy. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?" But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him away. Then he asked them, "If one of you has a son or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull him out?" And they had nothing to say.
The Testimony of Jesus
- Pharisees -> give hospitality with a hidden agenda, with ulterior motives
- Jesus -> accepts the invitation, no questions asked
The Testimony of Jesus
- Pharisees -> insensitively and cruelly seat a man with dropsy across from Jesus.
- Jesus -> had compassion on the man
DROPSY
The Testimony of Jesus
- Pharisees -> rudely and judgmentally "observed" Jesus closely.
- Jesus -> unafraid, released the man of his life-threatening disease
The Testimony of Jesus
- Pharisees -> attempted to frame an innocent man by the letter of the law.
- Jesus -> heals according to the inherit principle of the law
JESUS TAKES OVER
Luke 14:7-11
When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Humility
- Matthew 18:4
Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
- Acts 20:19
I served the Lord with great humility and with tears, although I was severely tested by the plots of the Jews.
- Philippians 2:8
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
- James 4:6
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
- 1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
Humility
- Comes by revelation
- Of our sinful nature
Humility
- Comes by revelation
- Of our inability to do good
- "Wretched man that I am. Who will deliver me from the body of this death?" Romans 7:24
Humility
- Comes by revelation
- Of others' virtues
- Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Phil. 2:3
A New Motto
- God helps those who CAN'T help themselves
Humility
- Enforced through Difficulties
  - Suffering environment
  - financial struggles
  - insurmountable problems, family, personal
Luke 14:12-14

The Kingdom of God - Part I

The Kingdom of God

How to enter in
- Luke 14:15-24
  - "Happy is he who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of God!"
What is the Kingdom of God?
- The Kingdom of God is God's domain, realm, sphere, where God is everything
- Those who enter in must match Him, in life, nature, position
- HE is holy and righteous. HE is light and love; HE is glorious and honorable
What is the Kingdom of God?
Initial Entrance
- EASY!
- Born again
- Forgiveness
- Eternal life
- The Holy Spirit
Final Entrance
- High standard
- Judgment seat of Christ
- Overcomers
Easy....Challenging
- "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (John 3:5)
- For "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved." (Rom 10:13)
- Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. (Matt. 7:21)
Where are You?
How do we enter in?
- Verses 16-24
  - But He said to him, "A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.'
  - "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.' "Another one said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.' "Another one said, 'I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.'
  - "And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'
  - "And the slave said, 'Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' "And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. 'For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'"
The Big Dinner is Ready!
- God has embodied Himself in the Son and is NOW realized as the Spirit!
- The word of God has been released from Genesis to Revelation!
- The word has been expounded for 2000 years!
- Our environment is perfect for the experience of Christ!
- Our being is designed--spirit, soul, and body--to contact, receive, and enjoy Him!
We are designed to enjoy God as food
Man's Concepts of God
God's Concept of Himself
God's Desire—Old Testament Pictures
- "the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden" (Gen. 2:9)
- "So I have come down to deliver them from the power of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey." (Exo. 3:8)
- "...they slay the burnt offering they are to slay the guilt offering, and he shall sprinkle its blood around on the altar...Every male among the priests may eat of it. It shall be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy" (Lev. 7:2,6)
- "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day." (Exo. 16:4)
- "Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me." (Exo. 23:14)
New Testament Reality
- "Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life." (John 6:35)
- "As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me." (John 6:57)
- "'To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life." (Rev. 2:2,7-Ephesus)
- "To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna." (Rev. 2:17-Pergamum)
- "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me." (Rev. 3:20—Laodicea)
Three Dinner Invitations
- Jews – 30 AD to 70 AD
- Gentiles – 70 AD to today
- Great Tribulation – Last 3 ½ years of this age
Jews
- Excuses
- Job, family
Gentiles
- Poor, crippled, blind, lame
- My resume
Great Tribulation
- Compelled to come in
- Designed for those who refuse to acknowledge they are poor, crippled, blind, lame
- Due to:
  - Supernatural disasters
  - Economic collapse
  - Religious persecution
Humility
- Humility is the key virtue to enter into the kingdom of God
- Humility means
  - I am nothing
  - Christ is everything
  - I will eat Him every day
  - I will live Him every day
- Pride kills everything
Stir Up a Hunger!
- But He said to him, "A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 'Come; for everything is ready now.'
- "But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him, 'I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; please consider me excused.' "Another one said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; please consider me excused.' "Another one said, 'I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.'
- "And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 'Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.'
- "And the slave said, 'Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' "And the master said to the slave, 'Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. 'For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.'"

Wedding Feast of the Lamb

Wedding Feast of the Lamb

...A certain man was making a great dinner and invited many (Luke 14:16)
The Cost of Discipleship
Luke 14:25-35 And there were great crowds going along with Him, and He turned and said to them,
- 26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and moreover, even his own soul-life, he cannot be My disciple.
- 26 If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his (own) father and mother in the sense of indifference to or relative disregard for them in comparison with his attitude toward God) and (likewise) his wife and children and brothers and sisters--(yes) and even his own life also--he cannot be My disciple.
- 27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
- 28 For which of you, wanting to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
- 29 Lest perhaps, once he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all those looking on will begin to mock him,
- 30 Saying, This man began to build and was not able to finish.
- 31 Or what king, going to engage another king in war, will not first sit down and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet the one coming against him with twenty thousand?
- 32 Otherwise, while he is yet at a distance, he sends an envoy and asks for the terms of peace.
- 33 So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple.
- 34 Therefore salt is good; but if even the salt becomes tasteless, with what will its saltiness be restored?

Attracting Sinners

Attracting Sinners

1 NOW THE tax collectors and (notorious and especially wicked) sinners were all coming near to (Jesus) to listen to Him.( Luke 15:1)
Typical Lovers of the World
Indignant Pharisees and Scribes
- And the Pharisees and the scribes kept muttering and indignantly complaining, saying, This man accepts and receives and welcomes (preeminently wicked) sinners and eats with them. (Luke 15:2)
Upholding Tradition
First Parable
- So He told them this parable:
- What man of you, if he has a hundred sheep and should lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness (desert) and go after the one that is lost until he finds it?
- And when he has found it, he lays it on his (own) shoulders, rejoicing. (Luke 15: 4-5)
Finding the Lost Sheep
The Joy in Heaven
- And when he gets home, he summons together (his) friends and (his) neighbors, saying to them, Rejoice with me, because I have found my sheep which was lost.
- Thus, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one (especially) wicked person who repents (changes his mind, abhorring his errors and misdeeds, and determines to enter upon a better course of life) than over ninety-nine righteous persons who have no need of repentance. (Luke 15:6-7)
Second Parable
- Or what woman, having ten (silver) drachmas (each one equal to a day's wages), if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and look carefully and diligently until she finds it?
- And when she has found it, she summons her (women) friends and neighbors, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the silver coin which I had lost.
- Even so, I tell you, there is joy among and in the presence of the angels of God over one (especially) wicked person who repents (changes his mind for the better, heartily amending his ways, with abhorrence of his past sins). (Luke 15:8-10)
Searching for the Lost Coin
Rejoicing with Friends and Neighbors
Rejoicing Over a Penitent Sinner

The Prodigal

The Prodigal

Luke 15:11-32
The Foolishness
There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.
The Failure
Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
- He scattered his wealth
- With riotous living
- Devoured his life savings with harlots
Economic Downturn
Repentance
- When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.
"Came to Himself"
- What was I thinking?
- "I have sinned..."
- "I am not worthy..."
The Father's Unconditional Love
- But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
Those Kisses Meant:
- Much LOVE
- Much FORGIVENESS
- Much JOY
- Full RESTORATION
He gave him a new life
- But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.
- He was lost ->
  - But was found
- He was dead ->
  - But was made alive
Dancing, making merry
But not everyone had joy
- Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'
- "The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'
The older brother on the outside ...
'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'
Come join the celebration!

The Prudent Steward

The Prudent Steward

Luke 16:1-13
1 And He said also to the disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and this one was accused to him of squandering his possessions.
2 And he called him and said to him, What is this I hear concerning you? Render the account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.
3 And the steward said within himself, What shall I do, because my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg.
4 I know what I will do so that when I am removed from the stewardship they may receive me into their own houses.
5 And when he had called to him each one of his master's debtors, he said to the first, How much do you owe my master?
6 And he said, A hundred measures of oil. And he said to him, Take your bill and sit down quickly and write fifty.
7 Then to another he said, And you, how much do you owe? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He said to him, Take your bill and write eighty.
8 And the master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted prudently; for the sons of this age are more prudent in their dealings with their own generation than the sons of light.
9 And I say to you, Make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal tabernacles.
10 He who is faithful in the least is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in the least is unrighteous also in much.
11 If therefore you have not become faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will entrust to you what is true?
12 And if you have not become faithful in that which belongs to another, who will give to you that which is your own?
13 No household servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
And he called ten of his own slaves and gave them ten minas, and he said to them, Do business until I come (Luke 19:13)

Eternal Choices

Eternal Choices

Luke 16:14-31
- Power, Lust, Money, Religion vs. The Kingdom of God
  - 14 Now the Pharisees, who were covetous and lovers of money, heard all these things, and they began to sneer at and ridicule and scoff at Him.
  - 15 But He said to them, You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted and highly thought of among men is detestable and abhorrent (an abomination) in the sight of God.
Power, Lust, Money, Religion vs. The Kingdom of God
- 16 Until John came, there were the Law and the Prophets; since then the good news (the Gospel) of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone strives violently to go in.
- 17 Yet it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to fail and become void.
Lust of Man
- 18 Whoever divorces (dismisses and repudiates) his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman who is divorced from her husband commits adultery.
Parable of a Rich Man and a Poor Man
- 19 There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen and reveled and feasted and made merry in splendor every day.
- 20 And at his gate there was (carelessly) dropped down and left a certain utterly destitute man named Lazarus, (reduced to begging alms and) covered with (ulcerated) sores.
- 21 He (eagerly) desired to be satisfied with what fell from the rich man's table; moreover, the dogs even came and licked his sores.
Eternal Consequences
- 22 And it occurred that the man (reduced to) begging died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.
- 23 And in Hades (the realm of the dead), being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away, and Lazarus in his bosom.
- 24 And he cried out and said, Father Abraham, have pity and mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.
A Great Chasm
- 25 But Abraham said, Child, remember that you in your lifetime fully received (what is due you in) comforts and delights, and Lazarus in like manner the discomforts and distresses; but now he is comforted here and you are in anguish.
- 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who want to pass from this (place) to you may not be able, and no one may pass from there to us.
You've had plenty of warning.
- 27 And (the man) said, Then, father, I beseech you to send him to my father's house--
- 28 For I have five brothers--so that he may give (solemn) testimony and warn them, lest they too come into this place of torment.
- 29 But Abraham said, They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear and listen to them.
- 30 But he answered, No, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent (change their minds for the better and heartily amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins).
- 31 He said to him, If they do not hear and listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded and convinced and believe (even) if someone should rise from the dead.
What can we do?
- Believe into God through Jesus Christ
- Strive to enter the Kingdom of God
  - Get to know God : Read the Bible with a desire to find God
  - Call on Jesus as our Savior and Redeemer
  - Spend time with other believers
  - Enter into our spirit : Pray, talk to God, sing with a desire to touch God
  - Cultivate a heart for the salvation of unbelievers
- Enjoy the true riches of God's Kingdom...
The True Riches of God's Kingdom

Living the Kingdom Life

Living the Kingdom Life

Luke 17:1-10
"I must preach the kingdom of God .... for I was sent for this purpose."
Luke 4:43
What is the Kingdom of God?
- 21 nor will people say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."(Luke 17)
- 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Rom.14)
- 17 May Christ through your faith (actually) dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! (Eph 3)
Luke 16
- "You cannot serve both God and Money."14The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus.
- 18 "Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
Two Basic Matters
1. Dealing with Sins
2. Feeding Others Christ
1. Dealing with Sins
- 1 He said to His disciples, "It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come!
- 2 "It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea, than that he would cause one of these little ones to stumble."
- 3 "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.
- 4 "And if he sins against you seven times a day, and returns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' forgive him."
- 5 The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"
- 6 He replied, "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it will obey you.
A Comparison
Stumbling blocks
- Justifying our sinful ways
- They become "normal", accepted, even encouraged
- They become wrapped up and packaged as our religious life
- With the Pharisees, it included love of money and divorce
Sins
- Rebuke
- Repent
- Forgive
NEVER JUSTIFY YOUR SINS
Sins vs Faith
Sins
- Start small
- If not dealt with, they take root
- They become a huge problem
- Like a deeply rooted tree
- They become stumbling blocks
Faith
- Even a small amount of Christ in our heart can uproot the biggest sin
- Christ within motivates us to
  - Rebuke
  - Repent
  - Forgive
  - Rebuke is epitimao—put honor upon you
In the Light
- We can rebuke one another in love
- We can repent of our sin
- We can forgive one another
In the darkness
- We really don't care about one another in Christ
- We defend ourselves and justify ourselves and get offended
- We continually remind ourselves and the sinning one of their sin
Forgiveness
- Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled. (Heb 12:14-15)
- Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Eph. 4:31-32)
2. Feeding Others Christ
- 7 "Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come immediately and sit down to eat'?
- 8 "But will he not say to him, 'Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink'?
- 9 "He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?
- 10 "So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say, 'We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'"
The Secret to Service
- Our aim is to please the Lord
- If you focus on the fruit of your work, you will:
  - Either get proud
  - Or discouraged
What We Ought to Do
Plowing
- The goal of plowing is to grow Christ in our heart
Tending Sheep
- We feed the saints what we have gained of Christ
Many Ways to Plow
- Open up your heart to the Lord in repentance and confession
- Enjoy the precious word of God
- Join Christ in prayer
- Sing songs to the Lord
- Allow the Lord to regulate your life, your thoughts, your attitude, your behavior
- Gain Christ in His specific attributes while you work, drive, play, shop, etc.
Many Ways to Tend Sheep
- 6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
- 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;
- 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Rom. 12)
What is the Kingdom Life?
Applying Christ to Offenses
Feeding Others Christ
Your turn to speak!
- Avoiding stumbling blocks
- Dealing with sins
  - Rebuke
  - Repent
  - Forgive
- Plowing
- Tending the sheep
- Satisfying Christ

How to Miss the Kingdom of God

How to Miss the Kingdom of God

Luke 17:11-19 And as He was going to Jerusalem, He passed between Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered into a certain village, ten leprous men, who stood at a distance, met Him. And they raised their voice, saying, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us! And when He saw them, He said to them, Go and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, glorifying God with a loud voice; And he fell on his face at His feet, thanking Him. And he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answered and said, Were not the ten cleansed? But the nine, where are they? Were none found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner? And He said to him, Rise up and go; your faith has healed you.
Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display,Nor will people say, Look! Here it is! or, See, it is there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you in your hearts and among you surrounding you (vv.20-21).
The Kingdom of God
The Savior:
- In His First Coming (vv.21-22)
- In His Second Coming (vv.23-30)
- In the Rapture of His Overcoming Believers (vv.31-36)
- In His Destroying of the Antichrist (v.37)
How to Miss the Kingdom of God?
-Missing the Present Christ
And He said to the disciples, The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it.
And they will say to you, Behold, there! Behold, here! Do not go away, nor run after them.
For just as lightning flashing from one end of heaven shines to the other end of heaven, so will the Son of Man be in His day (vv.22-24).
-Rejecting God's Salvation
But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation (v.25).
-Being Occupied by the Cares of this Life
And even as it happened in the days of Noah, so will it be also in the days of the Son of Man:
They were eating, they were drinking, they were marrying, they were being given in marriage, until the day in which Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed them all (vv.26-27).
Likewise, even as it happened in the days of Lot: they were eating, they were drinking, they were buying, they were selling, they were planting, they were building;
But on the day in which Lot went out from Sodom, it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all.
It will be in the same way on the day in which the Son of Man is revealed (vv.28-30)
-Loving the Things of this World
In that day, he who will be on the housetop and his goods in the house, let him not come down to take them away; and he who is in the field, likewise, let him not turn back to the things behind.
Remember Lot's wife.
-Preserving Our Soul Life
Whoever seeks to preserve his soul-life will lose it, and whoever loses it will preserve it alive.
I tell you, In that night there will be two on one bed; the one will be taken and the other will be left.
There will be two women grinding together; the one will be taken but the other will be left.
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left (vv.33-36).
-Looking for outward Signs of Where the Kingdom Will Come
And they answered and said to Him, Where, Lord? And He said to them, Where the body is, there also will the vultures be gathered together (v.37).
How the Miss the Kingdom?
- Getting Caught by Miracles
- Missing the Present Christ –by Asking When the kingdom was to Come
- Rejecting God's Salvation
- Being Distracted by Signs
- Being Occupied With the cares of this Life and Loving the things of This World
- Preserving Our Soul Life.
- Looking for Outward Signs of Where the Kingdom will Come

Zoe

Zoe

Experiencing the Reality of Resurrection
Or....How to make Jesus weep
The Story
- Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick."
Waiting
- When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.
- Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days.
Perfect Timing
- Then he said to his disciples, "Let us go back to Judea."
The Characters
- Thomas
- The realist
- Mary
- The emotional one
- Martha
- The legalist
- The Crowds
- The critics
Thomas
- "But Rabbi," they said, "a short while ago the Jews tried to stone you, and yet you are going back there?"
- Then Thomas (called Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with him."
Martha
- When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.
- "Lord," Martha said to Jesus, "if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask."
- Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."
- Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."
- Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes into Me will live even if he dies,
- and everyone who lives and believes into Me will never die. Do you believe this?"
- She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."
- When she had said this, she went away and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, "The Teacher is here and is calling for you."
Martha
- Living in the past
- ....if you had been here!
- Trapped in her dogma
- I have believed you are the Christ, the Son of God...
- Waiting for the future
- ....he will rise again, in the last day
Mary
- Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.
- Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."
Jesus
- When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled,
- moved with indignation , a strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base; righteous anger
- and said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."
- Jesus wept
I AM
- I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
- I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE ZOE
- ZOE
- Life in action
- Life flowing
- Life moving
- Life operating
- Life NOW, in YOUR SPIRIT, in YOUR SITUATION
- Zoe is the Present Christ
- Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the zoe. He who believes into Me, though he may die, he shall be zoe-fied."
INTO
- "He who believes INTO me"
- No just believe in me or on me (objective fact of Jesus and His resurrection)
- But entering into who He is right now, as the life-giving One (subjective experience)
- "He who believes, has dynamic faith that leads one's entire being into an organic and vital union with Me"
The Crowds
- So the Jews were saying, "See how He loved him!"
- But some of them said, "Could not this man, who opened the eyes of the blind man, have kept this man also from dying?"
- So Jesus, again being deeply moved within with indignation, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.
The Stone
- Jesus said, "Remove the stone." Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days."
- Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"
- So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.
- "I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me."
- When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth."
Zoe!
- The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth.
- Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
Two Sides to Experience Zoe
- What Jesus does:
- "Lazarus, come forth!"
- What we must do:
- "Remove the stone!"
- Open your stony heart to the Lord's living zoe imparting Spirit
- Open to the Lord in your situation, in your failure, in your success, in your apathy---yes, it might stink
- "Unbind him, and let him go!"
- Be freed from your guilt, your past, your anxiety of the future, your fantasy, your grudges, your depression, your dogma, your religion....
- Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes into Me, though he may die, he shall live."

The Kingdom of God - Part II

The Kingdom of God

And when He was questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, The kingdom of God does not come with observation;... For behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you. ...The days will come when you will long to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it (Luke 17:20-22).
The kingdom of God = The Son of Man (Christ Jesus)
How to Enter into the Kingdom?
Always to Pray
And He told them a parable to the end that they ought always to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1),
Humbling Oneself
- And He told this parable also to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised the rest:
- Two men went up to the temple to pray, the one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
- The Pharisee stood and prayed these things to himself: God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men -- extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
- I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all that I get.
- But the tax collector, standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, God, be propitiated to me, the sinner!
- I tell you, This man went down to his house justified rather than that one; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted (Luke 18:9-14).
Being like a Little Child
- And they were bringing to Him also their babies that He might touch them. But when the disciples saw this they rebuked them.
- But Jesus called them to Him, saying, Allow the little children to come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of God.
- Truly I say to you, Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a little child shall by no means enter into it(vv.15-17).
Renouncing All and Following the Man-Savior
- And a certain ruler questioned Him, saying, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?
- But Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good except One -- God.
- You know the commandments: "Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness, honor your father and mother.''
- And he said, All these things I have kept from my youth (vv.19-21).
- And hearing this, Jesus said to him, Still you lack one thing: all that you have, sell and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in the heavens; and come, follow Me (v.22).
- But when he heard these things, he became very sorrowful, for he was exceedingly rich.
- And Jesus, seeing that he became very sorrowful, said, How difficult it is for those who have riches to go into the kingdom of God.
- For it is easier for a camel to enter through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God (vv.23-25).
Who Can Be Saved?
- And those who heard said, Then who can be saved (v.26)?
- But He said, The things that are impossible with men are possible with God (v.27).
- And Peter said, Behold, we have left our own things and have followed You.
- And He said to them, Truly I say to you that there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God,
- Who shall not by all means receive back many times as much in this time, and in the coming age, eternal life (vv.28-30)
- Always to Pray vs. Losing Heart
- Being like a little Child vs.
Being Complicated and Unbelieving
- Humbling Oneself vs.
Being Proud and Trusting in Our Self-righteousness
- Renouncing all and Following the Man-Savior vs.
Being Rich in Things
- I can't---- He Can
- Impossible with Man---Possible with God
Where Are We?

A Gift Given for His Business

A Gift Given for His Business

Luke 19:11-27
- He will Return to Obtain His Kingdom
  - 11 Now as they were listening to these things, He proceeded to tell a parable, because He was approaching Jerusalem and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to be brought to light and shown forth immediately.
  - 12 He therefore said, A certain nobleman went into a distant country to obtain for himself a kingdom and then to return.
  - 13 Calling ten of his (own) bond servants, he gave them ten minas (each equal to about one hundred days' wages or nearly twenty dollars) and said to them, Buy and sell (do business) with these while I go and then return.
  - 14 But his citizens detested him and sent an embassy after him to say, We do not want this man to become ruler over us.
- Let us be Faithful
  - 15 When he returned after having received the kingdom, he ordered these bond servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know how much each one had made by buying and selling (doing business).
  - 16 The first one came before him, and he said, Lord, your mina has made ten (additional) minas.
  - 17 And he said to him, Well done, excellent bond servant! Because you have been faithful and trustworthy in a very little (thing), you shall have authority over ten cities.
- Let us not be Wicked, Let us not be Fruitless
  - 20 Then another came and said, Lord, here is your mina, which I have kept laid up in a handkerchief.
  - 21 For I was (constantly) afraid of you, because you are a stern (hard, severe) man; you pick up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.
- Let us Believe, Let us not be enemies
  - 24 And he said to the bystanders, Take the mina away from him and give it to him who has the ten minas.
  - 25 And they said to him, Lord, he has ten minas (already)!
  - 26 And (said Jesus,) I tell you that to everyone who gets and has will more be given, but from the man who does not get and does not have, even what he has will be taken away.
  - 27 (The indignant king ended by saying) But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to reign over them--bring them here and slaughter them in my presence!
- In Spirit we can do His Business: We share this gift of the Spirit
  - 1 Corinthians 12:7 - But to each one is given the manifestation of the (Holy) Spirit (the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit) for good and profit.
  - 1 Peter 4:10 - As each of you has received a gift, employ it for one another as (befits) good trustees of God's many-sided grace (faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor).
- Ephesians 2:8-10
  - 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves; it is the gift of God;
  - 9 Not of works that no one should boast.
  - 10 For we are His masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand in order that we would walk in them.
How do we do it?