Are you a Mountain Mover - Pastor G2

Sermon text:

NLT

14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said, 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son. He has seizures and suffers terribly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.[d]”

Sermon title: Are you a mountain mover?

BP: Move the hearers to learn how to build their faith

Introduction:

A.) What do you do when you see Jesus? What do you recognize him as? Healer? Messiah? Anointed one? The living word? Bread of Life?

B.) It’s just like how you see your spouse or people in your life. If you see people in your life as your personal assistants and not friends you’ll treat them as such.

1. If you see people as humans with potential you'll do everything you can to help pull it out of them.

2. And then you will assign worth to those very same people based on your perspective of them.

3. The more worth and value you assign to other people the more you will ultimately value and respect them, who they are, and what they bring to the table.

C.) Your relationship with Jesus is the same

1. You will never honor and love God more than the degree to which you see worth and value in him.

2. Your relationship with him will only grow as big as the container of value that you put him in.

3. The more value you ascribe to him, the more the relationship will grow.

D.) The man in the text doesn’t see Jesus. He doesn’t see the messiah, he doesn’t see the son of Man. He doesnt see the living word, bread of life or the anointed one.

1. He sees Jesus as a mountain mover.

2. He ascribes value to Jesus because he thinks highly enough about him to hand Jesus is situation.

Identifier #1: At first mountain movers were once beginners

V. 14, Luke 2:52

14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them. A man came and knelt before Jesus and said,

52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

A.) Ministry doesn’t start until he was 30 years old.

B.) Principle-Your production will never supersede your process.

C.) Jesus becomes who he is not only because he is God but also, because he goes through process.

Identifier #2: Mountain movers don’t rely on their leaders to carry all of the load

V. 16-19

6 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn’t heal him.”

17 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.

19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, “Why couldn’t we cast out that demon?”

Identifier #3: Mountain movers know the difference between a moment of little faith and a posture of little faith

V. 20

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (NIV)

A.) Jesus (the ultimate mountain mover) has hope for the disciples. He knows that they’re only in a season of little faith. And their little faith won’t last always.

B.) They know who Jesus is. Messiah chapter 16. But they don’t know who they are and what they’re capable of as followers of Jesus.

C.) Just because you know someone’s title, doesn’t mean you know who they are.

Identifier #4: Mountain movers use what they have

Romans 12:3, V. 20

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (NIV)

20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. (NIV)

Crushed but Not Broken

 

                                                                           Sep 5, 2021

Pericope: Matthew 26: 36-46 36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” 45 Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise! Let us go!...

Sermon Text: Matthew 26: 36, 38 36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

Sermon Title: Crushed but not Broken; Life Lessons from a Wine Bottle  

§  Step 1 – Harvesting

§  Step 2 – Crushing

§  Step 3 – Fermentation

§  Step 4 – Clarification

§  Step 5 – Aging and Bottling

Point 1.  Crushed. Vs 38 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

        The text says Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow. In other words, Jesus was crushed like a grape under the feet of the Father. Repeat. The three years of ministry was coming to a head. Jesus can literally feel the death of the cross in this moment. In this moment Satan has returned as he said he would. Luke 4: 13 13 When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time. . Here is the opportune time and this time is crushing Jesus.

        Luke 4: 13 (MSG) 13 That completed the testing. The Devil retreated temporarily, lying in wait for another opportunity.  

Point 2: Called. Vs 39 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

        2 Peter 1: 10 10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble.

Point 3: Captured. Vs 42 42 He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

Jer 20: 9 9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. Eph 3: 18 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ… To grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ Rom 8: 38-39 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Point 4: Cup. Vs 46 46 Rise! Let us go…

       

The grapes of our lives are crushed to bring forth the wine of life.

Welcome to Virtual New Life Sunday 082921 "Take it Back" Bishop Dudley

Welcome to Virtual New Life Sunday 080821 "Second Wind: The Finish Line"...

It's On The House

 

Pericope: Luke 14: 15-24 15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” 16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ 22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

Sermon Text: Luke 14: 23 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.

Sermon Title:  It’s on the House

Point 1:  The table is set, dinner is ready! Vs 15 15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”  (send out the invitation). Israel gets the invitation 

Point 2:  Unexcused absence

a) Bought a field. Vs 18b ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’     

b) Bought a yoke of oxen. Vs 19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

c) Bought a bride. Vs 20 20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

Point 3: Empty Seats! Vs 22 22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

Point 4: Fill the house. Vs 23 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.

Conclusion: 

Life Application:

Stuck in the Middle pt 2 - Destiny Decisions - @BishopDudleyPHD

 

Pericope:  1 Kings 18:20-29 - 20 So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. 21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him. “But the people said nothing. 22 Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only one of the Lord’s prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. 23 Get two bulls for us. Let Baal’s prophets choose one for themselves and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. 24 Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by fire—he is God.”

Then all the people said, “What you say is good.”

25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.” 26 So they took the bull given them and prepared it.

Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. “Baal, answer us!” they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made.

27 At noon Elijah began to taunt them. “Shout louder!” he said. “Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened.” 28 So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, no one paid attention.

Sermon Text: 1 Kings 18:21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

Sermon Title: Stuck in the Middle Pt 2 Destiny Decisions

Point 1: Delayed destiny decisions delay your destiny

Verse 21 - Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions [ESV limp, NLT hobble, MSG sit on the fence, CEV try to have things both ways, LB waiver]? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

…How long will you go limping between two opinions…

Point 2: Make a Decision Vs 25 Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire.”

(a)        The future without pain…Jesus was looking at the cross…

(b)        The fear of getting it wrong…faith is risk taking and without movement faith is dead

(c)        The fear of reaction of family and friends…they neither live with you in the middle nor your future even though they are controlling it…

Transition: You cannot get stuck in the middle, you have to make a decision in order to get to your destiny, and you have to be DETERMINED!

Point 3: Determined Decision verse 34 and 35 - 34 “Do it again,” he said, and they did it again. When we look at the story we see

“Do it a third time,” he ordered, and they did it the third time. 35 The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench.

Point 4: Decisions that Deliver Destiny

(a)        Timing (look at the confluence of events e.g., the Mississippi River is a confluence of rivers)

(b)       Trusting (Romans 8:28 God will work things together for the good according to his purpose))

(c)        Temperature (everybody is not going to like what you do…the thermostat never pleases everyone)

(d)       Treasure (there should be some reward, personal growth, personal gain, etc.)

(e)        eTernity (what impact will it have on the kingdom and eternity)

Stuck in the Middle

 

Sermon Text:  Lamentations 3:22-23 - 22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

    for his compassions never fail.

23 They are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness.

Sermon Title:  Stuck in the Middle

Point 1: How did I get in the middle of this? 1: 1 How…

How she sits alone, the city once crowded with people! (Lam. 1:1).

How the Lord has overshadowed Daughter Zion with his anger! (Lam. 2:1).

Jerusalem is portrayed as a lonely widow and as a princess who is now a slave (1:1).

The city weeps with “tears on her cheeks,” being abandoned by her former lovers and opposed by friends (1:2).

The once-glorious nation is now scattered “among the nations” with no resting place (1:3).

The people of God are facing the judgment of God because of their sin – “Jerusalem sinned grievously” (Lam. 1:8).

Point 2: How do I get out of the middle of this? Vs 22- 23

The first part of Lamentations 3 (verses 1-20) is dark and hopeless, but the second part (verses 21-66) reflects an emerging level of trust.

Look at the contrast:

Lamentations 3:18: Then I thought, “My future is lost, as well as my hope from the Lord.”

Lamentations 3:58: You championed my cause, Lord; you redeemed my life.

The key to the change and contrast is found in verses 21-24: 21 Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for his mercies never end. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! 24 I say, “The Lord is my portion; therefore, I will put my hope in him” (Lam. 3:21-24).

And yet, as Jeremiah laments this destruction, he still says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.”

Point 3: How do I stay out of the middle going forward? As we turn to chapter 4 of Lamentations, we notice that Jeremiah contrasts the before and after experience of God’s people.

Conclusion:

The book of Lamentations ends with a hopeful prayer: 21 Lord, bring us back to yourself, so we may return; renew our days as in former times, 22 unless you have completely rejected us and are intensely angry with us (Lam. 5:21-22).

The ESV translates verse 21: Restore us to yourself, O Lord, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old.

Life Application: So, let’s review what we have learned today.

First, sin can get us stuck in the middle… and God’s new mercies gets us out

Second, we learn that we have often created idols in our lives that we are valuing and depending on more than God…