The House pt. 1 ‘Open House’ – Matt Johnson
Exclusivity makes us feel special, but it is a bad thing for church.
DANGER: the longer we exist as a church, the easier it is for us to lose sight of what God has called us to do.
Acts 15: 1-20 1Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.
5Then some of the believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees stood up and said, "The Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses."
6The apostles and elders met to consider this question. 7After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. 8God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. 9He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith. 10Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? 11No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."
12The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them. 13When they finished, James spoke up: "Brothers, listen to me. 14Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself. 15The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:
16" 'After this I will return
and rebuild David's fallen tent.
Its ruins I will rebuild,
and I will restore it,
17that the remnant of men may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things
18that have been known for ages.
19"It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. 21For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath."
Jesus made it simple. Why would we want to make it difficult?
As a church, we should make it easy for people who want to follow God.
We want to complicate the God thing, in order to make it hard for outsiders to get in.
In the modern church, it is about what kind of music you like, how you dress, what political party you vote for, and agreeing with the pastor instead of being about Jesus.
We think God loves all people, not just church people.
Let’s not make it difficult for people who are turning to God.
Listen online: http://bit.ly/FKlTM
Visit the Journey online: http://theepicjourney.com and on twitter: http://twitter.com/theepicjourney
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The Orange Code pt. 1
The Orange Code Pt. 1 Matt & Robert Johnson
Twitter: (@MattJohnson21 & @johnsonrn)
• Between 70-80 percent of college students walk away from their faith by the time they graduate.
FRAMEWORK: God designed the church and the family to work hand-in-hand. The church is a light; the family is a place that models God. The church is yellow, family love is red, and when the two work together it makes orange. We must figure out a way to make this happen.
• The church is not the primary spiritual influence in the lives of kids, parents are.
• Two combined influences always make a greater impact in a child’s life than just two influences alone.
• It all starts at the home
• There are no perfect parents! Not even in the Bible!
• Good News: God does not expect you to be a perfect parent!
o Even if you were perfect, it wouldn’t guarantee that your kids would be who you want them to be, let alone who God wants them to be.
• We all have a picture of what we want our kids to grow up to be.
• Deuteronomy 6:4-6 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
o Parents/families trust and obedience to God will not only have an impact on them, but on their children and grandchildren.
o The decisions parents make today will have a profound impact on the relationship their offspring will have with Christ.
o The greatest legacy is what you build in your children, not what you give to your children.
o Impress on your children the love and the character of God.
o Essential truth: Our God is God. It’s all about Him.
o It doesn’t matter what our kids know if they don’t know what really matters.
o If we don’t leave our kids with a love for God, nothing else really matters.
o The most valuable gift you can ever give your child is your love for God.
o If you don’t have a love for God, and model it day in and day out, your kids probably won’t either.
• What is your next step in living out Deut. 6:5 and showing your kid(s) that you love God with all your heart, soul, and strength?
Listen: http://bit.ly/BAjOV
Check the Journey out @ http://theepicjourney.com and on Twitter: http://twitter.com/theepicjourney
Twitter: (@MattJohnson21 & @johnsonrn)
• Between 70-80 percent of college students walk away from their faith by the time they graduate.
FRAMEWORK: God designed the church and the family to work hand-in-hand. The church is a light; the family is a place that models God. The church is yellow, family love is red, and when the two work together it makes orange. We must figure out a way to make this happen.
• The church is not the primary spiritual influence in the lives of kids, parents are.
• Two combined influences always make a greater impact in a child’s life than just two influences alone.
• It all starts at the home
• There are no perfect parents! Not even in the Bible!
• Good News: God does not expect you to be a perfect parent!
o Even if you were perfect, it wouldn’t guarantee that your kids would be who you want them to be, let alone who God wants them to be.
• We all have a picture of what we want our kids to grow up to be.
• Deuteronomy 6:4-6 4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
o Parents/families trust and obedience to God will not only have an impact on them, but on their children and grandchildren.
o The decisions parents make today will have a profound impact on the relationship their offspring will have with Christ.
o The greatest legacy is what you build in your children, not what you give to your children.
o Impress on your children the love and the character of God.
o Essential truth: Our God is God. It’s all about Him.
o It doesn’t matter what our kids know if they don’t know what really matters.
o If we don’t leave our kids with a love for God, nothing else really matters.
o The most valuable gift you can ever give your child is your love for God.
o If you don’t have a love for God, and model it day in and day out, your kids probably won’t either.
• What is your next step in living out Deut. 6:5 and showing your kid(s) that you love God with all your heart, soul, and strength?
Listen: http://bit.ly/BAjOV
Check the Journey out @ http://theepicjourney.com and on Twitter: http://twitter.com/theepicjourney
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