Pray for Boldness, Take a Risk, Give Yourself to God - Full Service

John 3:16 may be the most quoted and/or the most memorized verse in the Bible.  But in some ways, the verses immediately following it may bring more clarity about God and the ways of God, than any others!

 John 3:16  For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten son, that who so ever believes in Him, will not perish, but have eternal life.

 John 3:17-18     But God did not send His son into the world to condemn it, but in order that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because He has not believed in the only Son of God.

 In these verses Jesus deconstructs many of our “God Box’s”.

 God doesn’t send anyone to Hell. We do that to ourselves!

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” -C.S. Lewis 

 People feel empty, and because of that, they are searching. Nicodemus represents the quintessential searcher: he had a lot to lose, but he couldn’t stay away from Jesus. His journey is a story of leaving this world behind and taking hold of that which is truly life. Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night, and he finds the Light of the World.

Take-Home Message: My search for satisfaction will only end when Jesus is found.

You Must Be Born Again:

• Nicodemus’ Search (1-2).
• Nicodemus’ Crisis (3-4).
• Nicodemus’ Ignorance (5-12).
• Nicodemus’ Solution (13-15).

 Message: You Must Be Born Again

 Scripture: John 3:1-15  

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit] 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You[d] must be born again.’ 8 The wind[ blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you[f] do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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Was Jesus a people pleaser?  Did he seek to draw crowds?  In today’s scripture, what does it mean that “Jesus did not entrust himself to the crowds?”

 John 2:23-25     Now, when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing. But Jesus, on His part, did not entrust Himself to them, because He knew all the people, and needed no one to bear witness about man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

 Ask yourself the question: Is my belief in Christ authentic, or am I just playing a game?

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The biblical word for hypocrisy, hupokrisis, literally refers to “someone acting under a mask." Jesus cannot stand hypocrisy, especially the hypocrisy of using God for greed. Jesus’ blood boiled when He saw the misuse of His Father’s house, but Jesus knew the right time and way to be angry. Anger was a small feature of Jesus’ ministry, not the whole ministry. Anger is like fire. While it can do good, it can also do great harm. “For the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” (James 1:20)

 Take-Home Message: Jesus hates the hypocrisy of using God for greed.

 Jesus Cleanses the Temple:

• The Setting (12-13)
• The Scene (14-17)
• The Sign (18-22)
• How did Jesus respond to being misunderstood?
   
  • Patience 
  •   Christian Fellowship 
  • Prayer 

 Jesus Cleanses the Temple

 Scripture: John 2:12-22

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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What is the Gospel? 

The Gospel is not just something that happens to me, but something that God does in me.

What is repentance? 

The ongoing act of turning away from sin and turning to Jesus.

What is faith? 

The ongoing act of believing in God with my life.

 
Scripture: Mark 1:14-15

Simple. Authentic. Jesus. 

Do you have hope that the best is yet to come?   

 The first miracle that Jesus did was turning water into wine at a wedding.  Why did he chose this situation for his first miracle?  Listen to today’s message to gain insights to the many lessons that were taught by Jesus’ first miracle. 

 Scripture:  John 2: 1-11

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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John, 1:38    Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”  

 Jesus, being God, already knew why these men were following Him. So why ask?    Because He wanted them to know why they were following Him!

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus.

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Many people want you to follow them, but there is only one Person worth following. John the Baptist could have held on to his followers, but instead he pointed them to Jesus. It brought him joy when people pursued Christ, even when it meant them leaving John himself. May we be able to say what John the Baptist said about Jesus – “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (Jn 3:30)

Take-Home Message: There is only one Person worth following.

I am not worthy. (19-28)

-          Biblical Rewards for Humility 

-          Riches

-          Honor 

-          Life 

-          God’s Favor

He is worthy. (29-34)

-          The Lamb of God

-          The Provisional Lamb (Gen. 22:6-8)

-          The Passover Lamb (Ex. 12; 1 Cor. 5:7)

-          The Sacrificial Lamb (Lev. 23:19)

-          The Suffering Lamb (Is. 53:7)

-          The Pure Lamb (1 Pet. 1:18-19)

-          The Powerful Lamb (Rev. 6:16; Rev. 17:14)

-          The Shepherd Lamb (Rev. 7:17)

-          The Marriage Lamb (Rev. 19:1-10)

-          The Worthy Lamb (Rev. 5:1-12)

Follow Him! (35-37)

The Lamb of God.  John 1:19-37

Simple. Authentic. Jesus

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Why did God/Jesus need to become one of us?  Because there was no other way, if God was to be true to His nature. To be both full of justice and full of grace, Jesus was the only way! 

 John 1:14-18   And the Word became flesh and we beheld His glory. The glory of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness to Him and said; This is who I have said; He who comes after me, ranks before me, because He was before me. For from His fullness, we have all received grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. The only god who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.

 Simple. Authentic. Jesus
 
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We can exhaust ourselves trying to make sense of things without God, but without God, we cannot see reality. Without God, we cannot understand ourselves, others, or our purpose in life. God has given us a way to see reality: the true light, the Son of God. Jesus Christ is the light that shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5). As C.S. Lewis said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

 Take-Home Message: Without the true light, we are blind.  

• The Witness (6-8) 
• John the Baptist was… 
  • Sent from God. 
  • A truth-teller.
  • Humble. 
  • Not the Light.

The Light (9) 

• Rejectors of the Light (10-11) 
• How did Jesus respond to rejection? 
  • Asked God, “Why?” 
  • Remembered His “What” 
  • Focused on “Who” 
• Receivers of the Light (12-13)

Simple. Authentic. Jesus
 
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