Are We Missing Authentic Christianity?
1John 2:3-6; 3:11, 16-18
Faith expressing itself thru love. (Gal 5:6)
The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself thru love to God & others. (Gal 5:6)
God is glorified when we crave a relationship with Him & deeply desire Him.
As we focus more on yielding to Christ… loving Him & others becomes more natural.
Life of intimacy will not be easy… you’ll have trouble. (Jn 16:33; 2Tim 3:12)
Christ, who gave all, will continue to abundantly give to God & others thru you.
Our only hope is Christ in us living His life thru us, as us. (Col 1:27)
To love God you must forsake the world… you cannot love the world. (1Jn 2:15; Ja 4:4)
If you claim to know (love) God but don’t obey Him, you are a liar. (1Jn 2:3-4)
We must focus on the Truth… you have been crucified with Christ & you no longer live… Christ lives in you (Gal 2:20), & you are now a new creation. (2Cor 5:17)
Are you obsessed with Jesus… in love with Him?
Obsession… to be excessively preoccupied with a person or single topic.
People obsessed with Jesus:
Love those who hate them, & those who can never love them back.
Care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.
Are not controlled by money or the pursuit of it. (1Tim 6:6-13)
Know sin of pride is relentless… always a battle. They seek to lift up & make Christ known… He must increase, they must decrease. (Jn 3:30)
Are givers that genuinely think others matter as much as they do. (Jn 8:14-26)
True love requires compassion & sacrifice. (1Jn 3:16-18)
True love is shown by how we live our lives… love is expressed thru action. (v.18)
It seems so few have this kind of love for Jesus…
Are we deceived… are we missing authentic Christianity? (1Jn 3:16-18)
In American church, much of our talk doesn’t match our lives. (We’re deceived)
How we know we love Christ… if we lay down our lives for others. (1Jn 3:16)
If you love Christ… you will walk as He walked. (1Jn 2:6)
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus. (Phil 2:5-9)
He had everything, but laid it all down in love for the Father.
Are you willing to make yourself nothing & become a servant? (Phil 2:7)
As God’s servants, we are stewards of His resources… one day we will give an account of our stewardship. (Rm 14:12)
Whatever you did to the least of these… you did it for Me. (Mt 25:40)
Live as though each person you come in contact with is Christ. (Mt 25: 40)
How would your life change if you really believed you were serving Christ?
God doesn’t call us to be comfortable, but to be comforters. (2Cor 1:3-4)
Can we truly have God’s love in us & not have compassion for those in need?
Does my life demonstrate love & compassion for my neighbor & my God?
Do you believe you were created for specific good works… works that God knew before you were formed in the womb? (Eph 2:10)
Tragedy… many in the church are living as if God is not here. (Gen 28:16)
"Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it." (Gen 28:16)
What a difference it would make if we would live our lives in the Presence of God.
The Presence & manifest Presence are not the same. God is here when we are unaware.
God is manifest only when & as we are aware of His presence.
On our part, we must surrender to the H Spirit… for His work is to show us God.
If we cooperate with Him in loving obedience, God will manifest Himself to us.
God’s manifest Presence is the difference between nominal Christian life (lukewarm) & the Spirit-filled, loving, giving, & victorious… the biblical normal Christian life.
God’s manifest presence is the necessary catalyst for spiritual transformation
When we begin to live Spirit-filled lives… we will change the church. (Eph 5:18)
Return to Me, and I will return to you… says the Lord Almighty. (Zech 1:2-3)
If we return (surrender & obey) to Him… He will certainly manifest His presence.
Part of your responsibility in the Body of Christ is to help set the pace for the church by listening, obeying, & living the Christ-life. (Col 1:27)
God has called each of us to live faithful & devoted lives before Him by the power of His Spirit living within you… manifesting His presence in our daily lives.
Ask these questions before you begin an activity, “Is this what I want to be doing when Christ returns?”, & “Am I serving this person as if they were Jesus?”
Jesus always responded to needs around Him… a sigh of compassion followed by meaningful action. (Mk 7:34; 8:12)
Compassion is rare, priceless, & costly; it weeps & says I’ll help; it rolls up its sleeves & pitches in.
Jesus still desires to touch others with compassion… will you be His vessel?
His invitation to be His disciple is an invitation to die to self, to the world, & to personal ambitions… & then to follow Him… to serve, sacrifice, give, & help. (Mk 8:34)
02-15-09