Broken Lives Sermon Series Part I (November 4, 2001)

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Broken Lives Sermon Series Part II (November 11, 2001)

Generally, each sermon is a part of a series, that deals with applying the Bible to real-life issues.  Don't worry if you've missed part of a series.  Each Sunday will work together with the other sermons, or can stand alone to help you deal with the things life brings each day.

Broken Lives Sermon Series Part III (November 25, 2001)

Broken Lives Sermon Series Part IV (December 2, 2001)

where nobody stands alone

Title:  Mending our broken lives - November 11, 2001 ** Pray I. God asks us to surrender:  Our Minds a. Many teachers ask today, “Does it work?” rather than, “Is it true?” i. And both of theses questions must also be asked of the Christian faith:  “Does it work?” Yes.  “Is it true?” Yes. b. Proverbs 23: 7 i. 7For as he thinks within himself, so he is. He says to you, "Eat and drink!" But his heart is not with you. ii. Our minds are more than computers.  Computer programs don’t get stronger the more you use them.  That’s not true with our minds. iii. Whatever we see and hear, when it is repeated, it is reinforced in our minds.  And whatever is in our minds, whatever we remember, influences what we do. iv. What do you think in your heart? v. What are you like deep down inside? c. Philippians 4: 8 i. 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. d. Isaiah 26: 3 i. 3"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. e. Philippians 2: 5 i. 5Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, II. God asks us to surrender:  Our Bodies a. One of the great debates today is who owns your body? i. Abortion, Suicide and euthanasia issues circle this. ii. 1 Corinthians 3: 16 1. 6Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? b. Everybody today face a lot of temptations concerning sex. i. God did create sex. ii. He made us to be sexual human beings. iii. Dr. Eugene C. Kennedy wrote in his book, “The New Sexuality, Myths, Fables and Hang-ups,” that sex is being used for a whole host of reasons for which it was never intended. iv. There is no such thing as free sex or free love. 1. The price tag is broken relationships and broken hearts and broken bodies and broken families. 2. 1 Corinthians 6: 9 – 10 a. 9Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. v. If you have made a mistake in that area asks for God’s forgiveness. 1. God cleanses away all sin in our lives. 2. John 3: 7 a. 7"Do not be amazed that I said to you, "You must be born again.' c. Your heart can be changed. i. Via prayer, reading the Bible, by listening to the Holy Spirit. 1. John 16: 8 a. 8"And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; ii. Conviction is not enough 1. Romans 10: 9 a. 9that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; III. God asks us to surrender:  Our Wills a. Before Jesus healed or helped anyone He asked, “Will you?” b. Will you let Jesus Christ come into your life and dominate your lie and be the Lord of your life? c. Will You i. Revelation 22: 17 1. 17The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost. d. When you come to Christ, that’s just the beginning, and now you need to live for Him. i. That means that the dominant feature of your life will be love. 1. Love for the people next door 2. Love for people in your neighborhood 3. Whatever the color of their skin, Love them. a. You go out of your way to be friends with people of another race that is how you love them.

Title:  Code of our Current Conduct - November 4, 2001 We have got a disconnecting problem, but there is a divulging theory that will lead us into our directing position. ** Pray I. Read John 3: 16 a. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. II. Disconnecting Problem a. For God so loved the world i. Those that know God is to love the world…they are not to separate themselves from it. b. Amish Problem i. We want to only hang around those that are like us. ii. We don’t want to acknowledge the changes going on in the world today. iii. We have got to contextualize!! iv. God commands us to reach out of our bubble! c. But can you reach out? i. You may be saying, well Bro. Dave, the bible tells me I should depart from unbelievers.  I should be evenly yoked with my believing friends. ii. The bible tells you not to follow the ones that are unbelievers. 1. It tells you to always reach out to them, and never separate yourself. iii. God loves the world, He hasn’t separate Himself from it. iv. CAN I GET AN AMEN UP IN HERE?!?!? v. Luke 14: 23 1. "Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. III. Divulging Theory a. That He gave His only son b. We are to give ourselves to the world c. 1Cor. 9: 19 i. 19For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. d. we are to give all, so that they can see Christ. IV. Directing Position a. That whosoever believes on Him shall have eternal life b. Whoever looks upon us, should be able to see the love and power of Christ and be saved. c. Example i. Light in the darkness. ii. You can see one candle for miles in the pitch black of night. d. Rom 10:13-14 i. 13for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." 14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? e. Whoever believes on Him shall have eternal life i. Two types of belief 1. Following belief 2. Non-following belief a. Demon’s belief b. James 2:19 i. 19You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. V. Invitation a. Verses 17 – 21 i. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.  19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." b. Focus verse 20 i. Does everyone think that everything is just fine, but on the inside you are just broken? ii. when we are broken, we don’t want to show the world our brokenness. 1. that is why we run from the light. iii. And that is why we are always unhappy, because we cannot feel the love from the light of God. 1. We need to turn and embrace the light, embrace Christ in his love. c. Epiphany Vision i. We exist to show others the loving arms of Christ, to teach others about those arms, and to be united in those arms together.

How are we to mend our brokenness? - By knowing true love. - Not shallow, superficial love. o But the deep love of God. Title:  The Deep Love of God ** Pray I. Love is essential a. Love is one of the essential attributes of God, along with holiness and power and wisdom and sovereignty. b. Romans 8: 38 – 39 i. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither 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. c. Love is not an emotion of God. i. He does not have emotion. ii. For emotion goes up and down. 1. ie. If it is an emotion then He can love us sometimes and not love us. iii. Love is a state of being. d. When we do find this true love we will be singing a new song: Jefferson’s Theme Song Fish don’t fry in the kitchen, Beans don’t burn on the grill, It took a whole lot of tryin years To get up on that hill. Now we’re livin up in the big leagues We’re livin it up at best Cause you and me baby we’re up here together And there ain’t nothing wrong with that. Now we’re moving on up Play Cry for Love music video by Micheal W. Smith – WOW 1997 II. The trinity assure us that God is love a. The wonder of the Triune god is that God exists eternally in loving relationship between the three persons of the Trinity. b. Jesus had eternally been God the Son, eternally living in a loving relationship with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit, together comprising the One God. c. 1 John 5:7 i. 7For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one d. The Hebrew word elohim is the plural form of the one God, and evidence of the Trinity. III. Creation assure us that God loves the world. a. God did not create the world out of a lack within the Triune Being, but rather in the outflow of the love that is the core of the being of the Trinity. b. The signs of God’s love is everywhere around us. i. The grass is growing, birds are chirping, God certainly loves us. c. Why does anything exist here? i. Because of God’s love IV. The cross assures us that God loves us. a. 1 John 4: 10 i. 10This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. b. How much do you love me? i. This much, then he stretched his arms out and died. c. A love that meets and defeats evil and declares, always and for all time, the ultimate and assured victory of God’s loving purposes for our individual lives, for the people of God, for this world. V. The Scripture assures us of God’s love a. Jeremiah 31: 3 i. 3The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. b. The Bible begins with loving acts of creation and ends in the promise of a love feast celebrating the union of God with His people. c. 1 John 3: 1 – 2 i. 3:1How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Broken Lives Sermon Series Part IV Title:  Freedom Found in Fellowship How are we to mend our broken lives? - there are reasons why our lives are broken. o More times than not, it comes from a soured relationship. - God has set up a system of fellowship to strengthen our daily lives. ** Pray I. What is Fellowship? a. New Unger’s Bible Dictionary i. Fellowship  means companionship, a relation in which parties hold something in common, familiar interaction. Christians have fellowship with the Father and the Son (1 John 1:3) and the Holy Spirit (2 Cor 13:14), and with one another (1 John 1:7). b. True Christian fellowship involves: i. Love, joy, laughter, happiness, well being, and loving interaction. Play clip of The Christmas Story, where the little boy’s family goes to the Oriental Restaurant for Christmas dinner. II. 3 aspects of Fellowship found in Romans 1: 11 – 13 a. 11. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift  to make you strong- 12. that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. III. Longing versus Grudges a. Verse 11 i. I long to see you b. Do you long to see your church or fellow Christians? c. Look around you, did you long to see every face in this place? i. No?? ii. Are you mad at someone? iii. Do you have a right to be angry at someone? d. Ephesians 4: 26 i. 26"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. ii. Corkboard Christianity 1. The Bible is not a corkboard, our hearts ought to be the corkboard. 2. Placing your own presuppositions into the Bible. 3. Placing your own agenda on the Bible. 4. Instead of tacking Biblical facts onto your heart, you place your own ideas into the Bible. 5. You try to justify something in your life, by pulling scripture out of context. e. True Longing may require some forgiveness. i. Woman caught in adultery was forgiven by Jesus. ii. Why do we need to forgive? 1. Whatever we do to someone else, we are doing to Christ. 2. Matthew 18: 1 – 6 a. V. 5 – An whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. b. Lady getting a letter from Christ announcing a future visit. c. A lady get a letter in the mail from Jesus.  He writes to tell her that He is coming to visit her in the next couple of days.  She gets excited but realizes that she doesn’t have anything in the kitchen to feed Jesus, so she makes a mad rush to the grocery store.  On her walk home she hears a voice from an alley way asking for help.  She walks on. She starts to feel bad about ignoring the voice so she goes back to the alley way to find a starving homeless family.  She debates on giving them the food that she had just bought Jesus, also giving the children the winter coat and scarf that she was wearing.  She finally gives them the food, but now has no more money to buy Jesus anything to eat.  She walks home worried.  On her way into her house, she checks her mail again and finds a letter.  “Thanks for the food, fellowship, and the warm clothes.  You have blessed me and I love you.”  - Jesus f. Why did Paul long? i. So that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong ii. Wycliffe Bible Commentary 1. The gift was for strengthening. 2. This was not some special gift found in Rom 12:6-8 3. But rather a growing knowledge of various truths of God that would enable them to be better Christians. Mutually Encouraged (2 aspects of fellowship) 12. that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. Does it seem like you aren’t getting anything out of church? IV. You aren’t Giving anything to church a. Acts 21: 35 i. “… It is more blessed to give than receive” b. You aren’t giving a harvest. V. You aren’t Getting / Receiving anything from church. a. Fellowship includes a harvest b. 13. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you i. Harvest of what? 1. blessings, fellowship, and relationships VI. Aspects of True Fellowship a. I long to see you. b. Mutually encouraged by faith i. By giving a harvest ii. By receiving a harvest VII. Invitation a. You may be sitting there saying that you are not going to have fellowship with certain people. b. You don’t like them and that is the way that it needs to be. c. You aren’t going to give anything to them. d. You aren’t going to receive anything from them. e. Little Jewish boy during holocaust saying, “I am the Jesus you claim you love.” i. During the Holocaust there was a Jewish family that was stripped away from their hideout and forced to stand in front of a huge ditch.  As the Nazi’s came out, they lined up to shoot the Jewish families and then let their bodies fall into this huge ditch/grave.  The Nazi’s fired and everybody was shot except for a little boy.  The blood of his parents soaked him and ought of shock he fell into the grave as well.  He had passed out and was covered in blood so it looked as if he was dead.  The Nazi’s threw a little dirt into this shallow grave and took off.  The little boy finally awoke and climbed out of this ditch.  He had blood and dirt all over him.  He was in shock and started looking for help.  He knocked on someone’s door and tried to explain what had happened, but when they noticed he was a Jew they slammed the door.  He went to several houses and finally he went to this one door and said something peculiar.  When the lady answered the door, he said “I am the Jesus you claim you love.” f. That person sitting next to you is the Jesus you claim you love. i. I have my phone up here. If you person is not here, then call them and make it right.