Saturday, April 28, 2012

PRAY THROUGH!!!

Sermon Text: Luke 18: 1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Sermon Title: Pray Through

Introduction: Have you ever gotten to a point in your prayer life that you were tired and ready to give up? You hadn’t heard from God. You may have become so discouraged you stopped praying. You say, “what’s the point, either God isn’t listening, he said no or I can’t make out what God is saying”? Evidently the disciples must have had similar feelings that prompted Jesus to tell them a parable that specifically deals with the issue of Praying Through until you get an answer. Let me quote Jesus in verse one, “that they should always pray and not give up.” Given the sense of not hearing from God or getting tired of praying this is a good text to understand and apply. In this parable we see a widow woman doing some things that not only requires our attention but also demands our application. Of the many things she did we want to focus our attention on at least three of them: she made a Plea, she broke Protocol and she was Persistent.

Point 1: Plea vs. 3 And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’  A plea is a prayer to the court to correct a wrong or give you what believes belongs to you.
What scriptures have you brought to the Lord and said based on this or that God I pray you grant me…
(1)         List one scripture for your plea to God. Book? Chapter? Verse?
(2)         Write your legal brief…God I pray according to your word…
(3)         Take it to the JUST JUDGE!

Point 2: Protocol vs. 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!’
Numbers 11: 33, 34 tells us before they could finish eating God struck with a plague.
Just make sure what you want is the right thing. For the widow it was.
(1)         What are you posturing for?
(2)         What protocols are you breaking to hear from God?
(3)         Check the motive of your prayer(s)? Circle one. Good? Not really? Not sure?

Point 3: Persistence vs. 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually wear me out with her coming!
James 5: 13 said if anyone is in trouble pray. James also said 1: 2 – 8 paraphrased…trials work your patience and patience increase your faith and unwavering faith will produce answers to prayer
Do three things to pray persistently;
(1) You must pray until you get thru
(2) You must pray until God is through
(3) You cannot stop when you are through

Conclusion: vs. 6, 7 6 And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Piercing Prayer Pt 2
Prayer NoteTaker – Wednesday, April 25th
Review:  Moses had to pray piercing, problem solving, prophetic prayers when faced with the quail problem in the Wilderness.
Introduction: My story about my brother. Pg. 65 Prayer: Answers Guaranteed, By Bishop Geoffrey V. Dudley, Sr., D.Min.
1.    The size of your _________________ determines the size of your _________________ . 
·         Numbers 11:23 - 23 The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”

2.    God always _________________ you an offer you can’t _________________ .  (Quote from “The Godfather” movie)
·         2 Corinthians 1:20 or all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

3.    _________________ is impossible with God
·         Genesis 18:14 - Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

4.    God has _________________ _________________ in order to answer your prayers.
·         Revelation 3:8 I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

5.    Moses’ prayer for quail was answered _________________ _________________ . 
·         Ephesians 3:20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
·         Gen. 17:1 - When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am El Shaddai.[a] Walk with me and be trustworthy.
·         John 16:24 - Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

6.    Everyone’s prayer life will get _________________ sometimes. Thank God he doesn’t always _________________ on our _________________
·         Ex. 11:11, 15 - 11 He asked the LORD, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”

7.    A prayer of _________________ is _________________ your future according to what you want Jesus to do for you
·         Matthew 20:32 Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.
·         Jer. 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

8.    Our God operates in the _________________ _________________ _________________ , supernatural realm.  He is not bound by _________________ , _________________ , _________________ , or _________________ .
·         Numbers 11:32 - 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers.[a] Then they spread them out all around the camp.

9.    Strike the right _________________ for prayer.  
·         Mark 14:35 - Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him.

10. It’s not always the length of your prayer but the longing of your prayer.  The _________________ , _________________ and _________________ you pray can prime your prayer.

11. No matter what happens, I must _________________ _________________ _________________ .
·         Posture of prayer…NYU psychologist John Bargh test…intrude, disturb, bother, respect, considerate and yield…

12. I will set aside a time and place to pray and _________________ to _________________ my _________________ with God.

13. Faith is a _________________ not a _________________ .
·         James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

14. Pray as if everything depends on __________________________________ as if everything depends on you. 
15. Pray until you _________________ _________________ .

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Piercing Prayer!

Sermon Text: Numbers 11:32 - All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers...
Sermon Title: Piercing Prayer

Context of Numbers 11:  After 400 years of slavery, God delivers the Israelites out of Egypt. But it’s much harder getting “Egypt out of the Israelites” than getting “the Israelites out of Egypt.” Despite the memories of slavery and miracles of deliverance, the Israelites want to go back to Egypt.
The people of Israel began to complain, “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. “We remember all the fish we ate used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. They forget the food was free because they weren’t. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!”  Moses had to pray some pretty powerful prayers to overcome their murmuring.

Point 1:  Prayer that Produces Results- vs. 21…Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot and you say, “I will give you meat to eat for a whole month!” 22 Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?
Moses tells God about the problem.
Application: What is the “step of faith” that you need to take in order for God to produce results? Moses had to pray and believe.  Write it down.  It could be a phone call…
Story: Hello, I am Marylyn Vogel. I submitted my story about being a single parent and earning my Master's of Science in Education and Cultural Diversity degree.  Since then I have faced a few impossible type obstacles...BUT GOD!! I was given incorrect counsel by the SIUE financial aid department. The person told me I could take some courses and later the office told me that I did not qualify for the funding that I received and that they would be taking the money back from my account. This left me with a balance of $10,000! This meant I would not be able to get my degree I worked so hard for, or get my transcripts for employment.  I was informed of all this in February 2012. I told God that I needed him to handle it because there was no way I could handle or pay that money on my own. Today April 2012 my account is clear and I also received a refund!! Praise God!!

Point 2:  Prayer that Penetrates Problems vs. 14, 15  I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.”
How many of you would say Moses has a problem on his hands.  The problem is so large he said God just take me out, “just kill me.”
Application:  Is there a problem you need penetrated? Maybe you need your...

Point 3: Prophetic Prayers for Life vs. 24 – 26, 29 24  So Moses went out and told the people what the LORD had said. He brought together seventy of their elders and had them stand around the tent. 25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke with him, and he took some of the power of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied—but did not do so again.  26 However, two men, whose names were Eldad and Medad, had remained in the camp. They were listed among the elders, but did not go out to the tent. Yet the Spirit also rested on them, and they prophesied in the camp. 29 But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”
Here you have Moses praying and God speaking prophetically through the lives of the Israelites.
God asks Moses a question. Your answer to this question, will determine the size of your prayer circles.  Vs 23 - 23 The LORD answered Moses, “Is the LORD’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.”
How big is your God? Is He big enough to heal your marriage or heal your child? Is He bigger than a positive MRI or a negative evaluation? Is He bigger than your secret sin or secret dream?

My Story: One cold December night my mother called me into her room and told me we had to pray for one of my brothers.  I was no more than thirteen at the time.  I had given my life to Christ at age 12 and started preaching the next year.  My brother was in his early twenties.  My immediate thought was how could I pray for my brother.  I remember thinking I was too young and why was my mother including me in this prayer?  She had never done that before.  When she told me what we were going to pray about, I became even more afraid and began to feel completely powerless.  My brother had a heroin habit that was fast becoming an addiction.  He worked in Washington, DC, and was late returning to work from the holidays.  He told my mother he needed bus money.  At that time, the Greyhound was the main mode of travel between Goldsboro, NC and Washington, DC.  He also told my mother he feared when he got back, he would lose his job.  He was desperate.  My mother, as usual, seemed to think prayer could solve everything.  I wasn’t so sure, since I had seen my brother, through the crack in the bathroom door, shoot heroin into his veins a few months earlier and there was no sign he had stopped.  My mother was not discouraged.  She said, “Son, lay your hands on your brother. We are going to pray.”  She got some consecrated olive oil and anointed my brother’s forehead.  She began to pray.  I tried to pray.  My mother prayed like I’d never heard her pray before.  My brother began to jump and shout in my parents’ small bedroom…p 65 Prayer Answers Guaranteed, Bishop Dudley  

1.  Continue what you started last week (21 days of prayer, Wednesday Prayer Call, Life Changing @ Another Level class, prayer journal, figure out what you want Jesus to do for you)
2.  Make a prayer appointment with God and refuse to miss it
3.  Measure your problem to God not your God to your problem
4.  Pick your biggest problem and draw a circle around it
5.  Pray plain language prophetic prayers for life

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Leadership Development: Paul & Barabas

1. God requires ______________ before he will do anything ______________ in the earth through his people. a. Genesis 12:2-3NIV, I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Acts 13:46NIV, Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "We had to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles.

2. New Life is a ______________ church and can only run off the ______________ of covenant.

3. Covenant requires two or more people to become ______________ ______________ sealed together by their ______________ , ______________ , and ______________ , the vision of New Life and enters ______________ . a. “There are no problems we cannot solve together, And very few that we can solve by ourselves.” (Lyndon B. Johnson) “The Law of Significance: One is too small a number to achieve something great.” (John C. Maxwell)

4. A LifeChanger Covenant Partner ______________ the vision of New Life and enters a covenant agreement.

5. A LifeChanger Covenant Partner shows ______________ is the ______________ for success. a. Duet 32:30NIV, How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up?

6. LifeChanger Covenant Partners ______________ in the ______________ , ______________ , and ______________ of New Life. a. Acts 13:44-4544 On the next Sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45 When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy. They began to contradict what Paul was saying and heaped abuse on him.

7. LCP knows the stakes are ______________ in the ______________ ______________ , souls, are the reasons we partner. a. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

8. LCP’s ______________ one another, and celebrate each other. a. Acts 9:27 - But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

9. LCP’s know the ______________ words propel the ______________ words ruin. a. Proverbs 18:21NIV, The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

10. LCP’s are ______________ ______________ partners and ______________ for each other. a. James 5:16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.

11. LCP’s ______________ their ______________ and strive together as one. a. Principle of 101 – 100% effort with the 1% agreement with one another

12. New Life is drawing a ______________ around: the adjacent land, debt free youth building and sanctuary expansion. a. - Mentors b. - Purchase land next door, more souls, become the largest church in the metro east c. - Completion of the Youth building in 18 months, pd off, no debt, & her office (Ed ldr) d. - Expand sanctuary e. - Next generation leaders will have wisdom & voices that speak throughout the whole nation f. - NLIC will be more diverse & 50% male.

13. LCP’s ______________ , ______________ , and ______________ one another.

14. LCP’s understand and apply the principle of ______________ . a. Genesis 11:6NIV, The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.

15. LCP’s ______________ each other. a. 1 Corinthians 7:30NIV, those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep…

16. LCP’s ______________ the ______________ of ______________ and the requirement to follow. a. Ephesians 4:11NIV, It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers…

17. LCP’s ______________ the ______________ of leadership is given to them by God and ______________ for orderly kingdom building. a. Hebrews 13:17NIV, Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. b. Romans 13:1 Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

18. A covenant church causes everyone to ______________ and have an ______________ life. a. John 10:10NIV. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

19. God’s ______________ is ______________ and ______________ the promises with the people stay together.

20. God is ______________ when we keep ______________.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

STOP DROP AND PRAY!!

Sermon Text: Mark 10:51What do you want me to do for you?
Sermon Title: Stop Drop and Pray
Introduction: It was the first century BC and a devastating drought threatened to destroy a generation, the generation before Jesus. The last of the Jewish prophets had died off nearly four centuries before. Miracles were such a distant memory that they seemed like a false memory. And God was nowhere to be heard. But there was one man, an eccentric sage who lived outside the walls of Jerusalem, who dared to pray anyway. His name was Honi.
When rain is plentiful, it’s an afterthought. During a drought, it’s the only thought. And Honi was their only hope. Famous for his ability to pray for rain, it was on this day—the day—that Honi would earn his moniker.
With a six-foot staff in his hand, Honi began to turn like a math compass. His circular movement was rhythmical and methodical…ninety degrees…one hundred and eighty degrees. He never looked up as the crowd looked on. After what seemed like hours, but had only been seconds, Honi stood inside the circle he had drawn. Then he dropped to his knees and raised his hands to heaven. With the authority of the prophet Elijah who called down fire from heaven, Honi called down rain.
“Lord of the Universe, I swear before your great name that I will not move from this circle until you have shown mercy upon your children.” The words sent a shudder down the spine of all who were within earshot that day. It wasn’t just the volume of his voice. It was the authority of his tone. Not a hint of doubt. His prayer was resolute yet humble; confident yet meek; expectant yet unassuming. Then it happened.
As his prayer ascended to the heavens, raindrops descended to the earth. An audible gasp swept across the thousands of congregants who had encircled Honi. Every head turned heavenward as the first raindrops parachuted from the sky, but Honi’s head remained bowed. The people rejoiced over each drop, but Honi wasn’t satisfied with a sprinkle. Still kneeling within the circle, Honi lifted his voice over the sounds of celebration.
“Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain that will fill cisterns, pits, and caverns.” The sprinkle turned into such a torrential downpour that eyewitnesses said no raindrop was smaller than an egg in size. It rained so heavily and so steadily that the people fled to the Temple Mount to escape the flash floods. Honi stayed and prayed inside his protracted circle. Once more he refined his bold request.
“Not for such rain have I prayed, but for rain of Thy favor, blessing, and graciousness.”
Then, like a well-proportioned sun shower on a hot and humid August afternoon, it began to rain calmly, peacefully. Each raindrop was a tangible token of God’s grace.
Honi was celebrated like a hometown hero by the people whose lives he had saved. But some within the Sanhedrin called the Circle Maker into question. A faction believed that drawing a circle and demanding rain dishonored God. Maybe it was those same members of the Sanhedrin who would criticize Jesus for healing a man’s withered arm on the Sabbath a generation later. They threatened Honi with excommunication, but because the miracle could not be repudiated, Honi was ultimately honored for his act of prayerful bravado.
Point 1: Take off them Begging Clothes vs. 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
The first thing Blind Bartimaeus did is take off his begging attire before he approached Jesus. Beggars wore the garments of beggars…


Notice that’s what the people told Bartimaeus in vs. 49 So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” They all know life is about to change for Bartimaeus and his friends. When he recognizes it he throws off his begging clothes. And he does two other things that involve prayer.
(a) He approaches Jesus. You must approach Jesus. You cannot stay at a distance and pray to Jesus.
(b) He comes into Jesus presence. Prayer is coming into the presence of Jesus. Shutting other distractions out and making Jesus your focal point. It’s not a rush in hit or miss event. It emanates from the level of the relationship. Good relationships require you to stop drop what you are doing and pray.
Point 2: Speak Up, He Can’t Hear You vs. 51”What do you want me to do for you”
Seriously Jesus? Is that question even necessary? Isn’t it obvious what they want? They’re blind. Yet Jesus forced them to define exactly what they wanted from Him…
1. Don’t just read the Bible. Start circling the promises.
2. Don’t just make a wish. Write down a list of life goals.
3. Don’t just pray. Keep a prayer journal.
4. Define your dream.
5. Claim your promise
6. Spell your miracle.
Point 3: Promises, Promises vs. 52 Go, “said Jesus, “your faith has healed you” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
bold prayers honor God and God honors bold prayers. Praying for a parking space close to the Mall entrance shrinks God down to an inconsequential size.
Story:
I remember when I was in the Air Force stationed at Hancock Field in Syracuse, NY. Since I was from North Carolina, we drove 95 South through Richmond, Virginia to go home for the holidays. Every year I would see Virginia Union University Seminary exit sign. Since I could remember I always wanted to attend seminary. I prayed with persistence that God would orchestrate my life so I could go to that seminary. In nine years of praying persistently to go to Virginia Union. God miraculously used a base closure, me failing to get promoted and an assignment away from my family for one year to get me to that seminary. Hancock Field closed by order of Congress. I was reassigned to Griffiss AFB, Rome, New
York a few miles north. The supervisors were extremely racist and made sure I would not get promoted to the easiest rank in the AF to make – captain. This caused a delay in a new assignment to Germany. I was miraculously promoted six months later and assigned to Osan AB Korea for one year. That assignment made it possible for me to be assigned to Hampton, Virginia where I was able to commute to Seminary for its nontraditional 1 hour weekend program. No other sequence of events could have gotten me to Virginia. Had I gone to Germany, it would have been for three years. Prayer ordered each step. I was persistent because I knew the call on my life needed seminary to fulfill God’s plan for me. I could demand it because I knew I would be used to minister to marginalized people.
Conclusion: If you believe this word I want you to do a “prayer experiment.”
(1) It’s as simple as picking a time and a place, and then identifying something or someone that you are going to pray for daily for 21 days. The goal isn’t to force God’s hand and make Him answer your prayer within your 21-day timeline. The goal is to establish the habit of, praying, drawing prayer circles like Honi and putting a demand on God.
(2) Attend at 6:30 or tune in via streaming live at 7:30 the next four Wednesday LC@AL Life Changing @ Another Level
(3) Dial in to First Lady and me conference prayer every Wednesday 7:15AM to 7:30AM. How to do it and get your prayer request in before is found in your bulletin.
(4) Do everything possible not to miss the next four Sundays and bring a person with you who needs and perhaps have lost hope in God and the power of prayer.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

OUTSIDE THE BOX..HOLY WEEK 2012

Sermon Text: Mark 14: 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a women came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

Move 1: She was disruptive vs. 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a women came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
It was unusual that she would break the bottle and pour the expensive perfume on Jesus’ head. Every now and then, in order to get what you need, you need to do something out of the box. But remember that everytime you do something unusual or abnormal (i.e. live for the Lord/have faith), you will always have someone speaking against it. But don’t try to confine Jesus.

Move 2: She was determined vs. 8a She did what she could… Notice what Jesus said when people got upset with her and tried to stop her. Vs. 6 Leave her alone,” Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me…vs. 8 she did what she could…She did what she could implies she did ALL she could. She did what she could mean’s she was determined.

The comments from the negative people didn’t delay or discourage her. You must be out of the box AND determined. Do you do what you CAN or do you stop short of giving your ALL? Be determined and don’t just rely on “who you are”, your name, or your reputation. Nothing comes your way easy and know that there will be opposition when you’re determined. The moment you give you ALL, He’s now released to be Jesus.

Move 3: She developed Jesus body for his death vs. 8 b…She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. What a purpose in life. Her sole reason for living is for this moment. Her purpose and destiny is in the same room with her opportunity and she must seize the moment. Jesus says himself in vs. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”
What are you doing to develop the body of Christ? You must know that destiny is all over you. Is your life reflecting Christ? This is what truly starts the development of the body of Christ. The Lord is waiting on you to step outside of the box and be determined so he can resurrect some things in your life.

Sunday, April 8, 2012

I am The Evidence of the Resurrection

Sermon Text: John 20: 9 NIV (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
Sermon Title: I am The Evidence of The Resurrection
Point 1: Jesus life on earth Jesus was either a fool or who he said he was. The Jewish historian Josephus verifies he lived. Few people deny his existence... What do you say? What does the bible say?
(a) First he was born of the Virgin Mary. Luke 1: 27 to a virgin…31…35…”The Holy Spirit will come upon you…will be the Son of God…You will be with child…2: 7and she gave birth to her firstborn
(b) His humanity and development was evident Luke 2: 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.
(c) Jesus miracle working power was undeniable. Matt 14: 19 Taking the five loaves and the two fish…21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand…25…Jesus went out to them walking on the lake John 21 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
Point 2: Jesus was crucified. It weighed over 300 pounds. It was not neatly carved from a tree and sanded smooth like Jesus father made furniture. It was cut from a tree hacked into shape and rough to the touch. It may have had the stains and flesh of its previous victims still stuck…The patibulum was strapped to the arms and the shoulders of the criminal. They would travel from trial to execution down the Vela Rosa the way of the cross. In Jesus’ case, he was scourged before the walk. Scourging was whipping with metal and clams tied to the whip to rip out the flesh off its victims. Now a raw back carrying a rough cross bar was the way of the cross.
The cross was designed to dehumanize…The victim was stripped naked in public view the cross was not intended to execute the victim but bring death in the cruelest most public way possible…Then a titulus or small sign, stating the victims crime was carried on staff ahead of the victim, then nailed to the upright stipe which gave the crucifixion the look of a cross.

So cruel was this form of execution the Romans would not permit a Roman citizen to be executed like this. So effectively dehumanizing and embarrassing was the cross that several years after Jesus’ death, it was outlawed. It’s sole purpose was not just to kill, execute or humiliate…

The cross took several days to kill and by design any effort to lengthen life by pushing up not only delayed death, but enhanced the death process.
(a) The cruelty of the cross was real and it was efficient in what it was designed to do.
(b) The cross had a purpose that exceeded killing it had to remove the curse over our lives. Galatians 3: 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
(c) There was a cause for the cross it was to erase our sin. Rom 3: 23 for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God Galatians 3: 22…the whole world is a prisoner of sin…
Point 3: Jesus resurrection was verifiable…His body wasn’t stolen as the Jewish authorities tried to say… And finally the disciples weren’t hallucinating because you do not dye for a figment of your imagination.
(a) Person—Jesus was raised from the dead When John wrote this account, he used three different Greek words for seeing. In John 20:5, the verb simply means “to glance in, to look in.” In John 20:6, the word means “to look carefully, to observe.” The word “saw” in John 20:8 means “to perceive with intelligent comprehension.” Their Resurrection faith was now dawning!

(b) Presence—Jesus showed himself to individuals and groups of people for 40 days after his resurrection. John 20: 19 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” 1 Cor 15: 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
(c) Power—Jesus resurrection means we live a life full of power. Phil 3: 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Life Application:

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

OUTSIDE THE BOX..HOLY WEEK 2012

Sermon Text: Mark 14: 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a women came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.
Sermon Title: Outside The Box
Move 1: She was disruptive vs. 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a women came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.


Move 2: She was determined vs. 8a She did what she could… Notice what Jesus said when people got upset with her and tried to stop her. Vs. 6 Leave her alone,” Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me…vs. 8 she did what she could…She did what she could implies she did ALL she could. She did what she could mean’s she was determined.




Move 3: She developed Jesus body for his death vs. 8 b…She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. What a purpose in life. Her sole reason for living is for this moment. Her purpose and destiny is in the same room with her opportunity and she must seize the moment. Jesus says himself in vs. 9 I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

Sunday, April 1, 2012

The Problem with Popularity

Historical Context: As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowds waved palm branches, a long-standing symbol of Jewish nationalism. They shouted, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” Cheering, praising, exalting…but then something happened. The cheering stopped.
The Roman soldiers knew why. They knew that it was Passover. They realized that it was traditionally a time that brought about skirmishes and violent reactions. They had not forgotten that several years earlier, Theodus of Jordan had ridden into Jerusalem with a similar greeting. They remembered how he promised to do the miracles of Elijah, and how he led a fairly large revolt. The soldiers remembered how that Theodus, along with over 400 of his followers was slain, and the head of Theodus was hung on the garrison wall. They knew Passover could bring trouble, and so they were ready. They also knew there is a problem with popularity.
Sermon Text: Luke 19: 37 – 42
Sermon Title: The Problem with Popularity
Point 1: Precludes your Purpose verse 44b, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you Popularity will preclude your purpose if you let it! Jesus didn’t. Let’s look in the text and see how he did it.
Definition: Greek word episkeptomai (epis-kept-o-ma-ee). It literally means “to relieve.” It is in fact, the same word used in Matthew 25:36, where Jesus said, “when I was sick and ye visited me.”Here is a group of people desiring relief and salvation from oppression, but failed to see their opportunity for true relief.
Jesus is not implying they didn’t know His purpose they just didn’t understand his purpose. They were looking for the kingdom of God and Jesus had already told them that the kingdom is already in their presence, Luke 17:20-21.


…Your prayer shifts from one place to another, and it becomes, “Lord, deliver me, help me, fight for me, uplift me,” instead of, “Lord, mold me, use me, grow me through these things, change me, and get glory for yourself.” GOD FULFILL YOUR PURPOSE IN ME…


Point 2: Confuse your Pathway verse 42, if you, even you, had only known this on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.
Definition: Look at the word know, you need to realize that it is not used in the sense of being aware of something, or to have knowledge of something. It is used in a different sense. It’s use is one that is common in Scriptures such as Matthew 7:23 when Jesus said, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”


…Jesus’ terms/pathway was clearly spelled out. In Luke 14 you would see that they involved a cross, “Take up your cross and follow Him.” The pathway involved careful consideration, “Count the cost.” The pathway involved submission…
John 10” Listen, Jesus was clear when He said, ‘I am the way, and no man comes to the Father but by Him.”

Point 3: Prize without the Price vs. 41“And As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.

…Sometimes God does give us what we want, but you better believe; He always gives us what we need and it always has a price on it...

…You see, the problem with the crowd then as it is now is the crowd failed to realize that Jesus did not come to serve them but to save them…

Conclusion: God has great prize for us in this life and eternal life, but it comes with a cost…

Virtual Family Sunday Questions

What ways can we create community as a family? How has our viewership/church attendance enhanced or diminished our family covenant? What way...