Tuesday, April 8, 2008

The Master is ALIVE!!! Sunday April 6,2008

Hear the voice of one of the Followers of Jesus on the fifth day after the Resurrection:
The Master was alive! He came to us in the upper room. The doors were locked and there He was! It was really Him! He shard with us some words of comfort and then, as He came, He left--leaving us in our wonder and in our joy!

That was how it was back then. I can only imagine what they were thinking.

If we missed things before and He IS the Messiah, them maybe we will get it right now that He has come back from the dead! Maybe now is the time He will take over! His Kingdom now on Earth! Roman rule will end and the Throne of David will be re-established. How good is that and to think, I am here to see it happen!

You’d be mistaken!

As we know from this account and from history, Jesus had always had a different plan for His followers. His world is not the world we live in! His ways are not our ways. His end is not the end we were thinking of or hoping for! His wants will become clear to His followers. This is the Best-Thing-That-Could-Ever-Happen-To-You sort of a day.

The Master is ALIVE!
1. His Plan for us. To bring Him Glory and to FIND HIS WILL:  The whole duty of man is to love God, keep His Commands and to enjoy Him forever.  Not too hard, is it?  Just these three things and He will give us the POWER to get them done.  If He has called us to do and to be something/one, then He will provide the way to do it!  Believe in His Name!
(see chart called Discovering at end.)
2. His Will for us. To reflect Him in our walk: John 14:12
3. His Way for us. To respond to His Word in such a way as to show His power in us so that others will know.  1 John 2:5-7
It is not the ‘kind’ of animal we choose to use for the sacrifice, not how we hold the animal or how much force we use or that we say special words. No, He is the sacrifice. Lev 16:8-10, 20-22! He alone can satisfy our hearts and lives. Him alone!

Looking at this in the setting of the Lord’s Table. What did Jesus tell us to remember to do?
When He returns, what will He find? Phil 3:17-20
Be patient and stand firm. James 5:7-11
Be kept blameless 1 Thess 5:23-24
Keep this command 1 Tim 6:11-14

Below, please find a chart I found that can help us :
Discovering What He has Already Given To Those Who Believe!
Lordship / Must deny self  / Luke 9:23
God’s Word  / Gives Light / Psalm 119:130
Prayer / Present your request  / Phil 4:6
God Given Gifts / Gifts, service, works / 1 Cor 12:4-11
Prompting of Holy Spirit / Good Spirit  / Pas 143:10
Godly Counsel / Listen/accept advice / Pro 19:20
Providential ways / God is at work / Rom 8:28-30
Practical Information / Acquires knowledge  / Pro 18:15
Peace  / We have confidence / 1 John 3:21
Timing  / Wait for Him  / Pas 27:14
Faith  / Trust in Him always  / Pas 37:3-7

Also, I want you to have the questions we had in the handout to help you work thru this message.  It would be grand if you could talk with someone else as you deal with the questions.  Let me know if this has ben helpful but sending an email to ICCSJAPAN@AOL.COM
Thank you.

Questions and concerns for Small Group.
Looking back over the sermon notes, what different things can you list that was brought to your attention? How has the Resurrection of Jesus effected your walk...your life? Take a look at the eight statements that follow. Ask God to make Himself that real to you this week.
  1. He created me in His own image.
  2. He knows me and calls me by name, as He did with Abraham, Moses, Gideon and others.
  3. He has given talents and gifts to me . . . just as He has determined. I Corinthians 12:11)
  4. He has written my name on the palm of His hand.(Isaiah 49:16)
  5. He indwells me, since the day I invited Jesus into my life.
  6. He tells me that I am a co-worker and joint-heir with Him.
  7. He has a plan for my life.
  8. He has convinced me that I MATTER TO HIM.
     In the Book of Exodus, we can be blessed to focus on this phrase that He spoke to Moses ... I am pleased with you, in Exodus 33:17. What an amazing phrase for Moses to hear ... really for any of us to hear. Moses’ life was far from perfect yet God was pleased with him. Ever wondered what caused God to say that? Perhaps God was pleased because Moses trusted God, as strongly stated in God’s Hall of Faith, Hebrews 11. There we read these words ... Without faith it is impossible to please God (11:6). It also says specifically that Moses...persevered because he saw Him who is invisible (11:27).
     Many of us cannot imagine that God is pleased with us. But Moses heard God tell him that . . . God was pleased with him. In the previous paragraph we learned that God is pleased with us too, as we trust Him. So add these words to your memory bank ... GOD IS PLEASED WITH ME. How does that change how I do life? How I conduct myself at work...at home...at school...here at ICCS?