Sermon from The Story Chapter 12 (1 Chronicles 22:1-5)

Text: 1 Chronicles 22:1-5

Link to sermon:
http://www.buzzsprout.com/15930/146522-the-story-pt-12

Main Point:  Christians are to be living legacies

That doesn't say Christians ought to be leaving a legacy behind but rather that they are to be living their legacies now, so that when they step into eternal life they leave a legacy behind.  The reality is that we are doing that, but the question is are we living a God glorifying one?  King David's life gives us an example of someone who lived out a legacy.

What do you think King David's tombstone would say?

If you are familiar with Scripture the natural answer to that question would be: A man after God's own heart.  One could try to make the case that it should be: Adulterer, Murder...but that isn't the case, because when ever his heart strayed from God he was quick to fall on his face, repent and plead to God to have mercy on him.  Contrast that with King Saul who claimed to be obedient and pointed his finger at others saying they were the ones at fault...part of King David's legacy was living as someone experiencing God's grace and pursuing Him.  At the end of his life we also see him not sitting back but continuing to pursue God and setting things in order for the temple to be built and the nation placed in order.  He recognized the season he was in and lived in obedience in the season he was in, doing what he was called to do and not going any farther.

Contrast that with us always going, going, going...are we waiting upon the Lord or charging forward?  Are we living legacies of obedience?

Application:

Developing an individual legacy
  - Come up with a personal mission statement  (It needs to be in line with the 2 Great Commandments and the Great Commission, but it will be uniquely you)

       - Answer the following tow questions: How old are you?  How long do you have to live?  It is ok to review your life so that you know where you have come from, but don't sit back and go I haven't accomplished anything rather use that reflection to say what am I going to do in the next 20, 30, 40+ years for God's glory...

       - Select life verses.  Key verses for me are Isaiah 43:1-3, 2 Corinthians 4:7, Romans 6:23 and my theme verse for this year is Romans 12:12

 - Who are you discipling?  This is a trick question, because you are making disciples the real question is are you making disciples of Jesus?

Illustration of someone living a legacy is our friend Ken Korkow.  Here is the link to Ken's testimony:
http://vimeo.com/49320900

Listen to Ken's testimony and ask yourself:
- What legacy was he living before Jesus and what legacy is he living now?

Legacy of Faith Baptist Church

- Mission statement: Transforming lives for the glory of God...that means those outside and inside our 4 walls

- People of prayer
   Bob Bakke shared in an article the following:
   Members of praying churches are used to hearing questions or statements like: 

·       How did Christ confirm that to you?

·       How did he lead you to do this?

·       Tell me about how you sought the wisdom of the Lord in this?

·       Did you fast about this issue?

·       What other people confirmed to you that, as they sought the Lord on this

                  matter, it is "good to them and the Holy Spirit"?

·       Let's stop right now and seek God.

·       Let's set aside a day (a week, a month, etc.) to seek God on this issue. . We need to alert intercessors.

·       Before you did x, did you mobilize a prayer-covering?

- Gospel Centered people
- People on mission

David gives us an example of someone living a legacy...the challenge for us is what legacies are we living?  May God be glorified on our lives.

Blessings,
PT

Sermon from The Story Chapter 11 (1 Samuel 16:1-13)

Text: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

Link to the sermon:

http://www.buzzsprout.com/15930/145051-the-story-pt-11

Main Point: The most important thing about is the condition of your heart

What is your heart?  It is the core essence of who you are...

Why is it important?

   - The condition of your heart determines whether you are dead or alive spiritually.  Are you separated from God (dead) or are you connected to Jesus and therefore alive? (Romans 6:23)

   - Proverbs 4:23
   - Matthew 7:21-23
   - Luke 6:43-45

   - The battle of David and Goliath what did the Israelites look at?  What was the Israelites mistake when they looked upon Goliath?  They looked at the external whereas David looked at his heart...

Does it mean you are perfect?  No...David wasn't, but when confronted with his sin he had a heart that turned back to and pursued God.  Contrast that with Saul when he his heart was out of line with God...he claimed his innocence and blamed those around him...

Psalm 63: A picture of David's heart.

Application:

- If our hearts beat after God then:

    - we will love the Lord our God
    - we will love our neighbors as ourselves (note: if you are a follower of Christ you will have concern for those around you and social causes.  Isaiah 58:5-11)
    - we will strive to fulfill the Great Commission
    - we will surround ourselves with people who will speak into our hearts

We at FBC are working our way through The Story, which is really a 31 week look at the Bible of God's Story.  This past week we looked at 1 Samuel and King Saul.  I focused in on 1 Samuel 15.

Here is the note sheet answers:

Main Point:  A life of faith is a life of obedience.

Note: I do not mean living a life of perfection, but rather a gospel/Jesus centered life where your love for Jesus drives you and his grace motivates you to live in line with Him.

Application Questions:

How do you know when you are being disobedient?

- When you are out of line with Scripture
- When no fruit is present (Spiritual, personal & harvest).  If there is no love, joy, peace, patience, kindness...then your life isn't in line with the Gospel/Jesus
- When there are control issues

How Community Groups/ Missional Communities and Life Transformation Groups help with application

Short and sweet you need individuals in your life who can speak Jesus into it.

Special thanks to Austin Stone for letting us use their video to illustrate this.  Here is a link to this video:
http://vimeo.com/38998440

A brief word on stewardship:

The typical stewardship campaign is about Time, Talent, Treasure...you need to be giving more of all 3 to the church.  That is not my view or understanding of stewardship.  No I want individuals to manage their time, so that they are taking their Sabbath rest, so that they are spending time with their family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and discipling them to Jesus.  Not so they are at the church 24/7.  I want them using their talents in such a way that they are rubbing shoulders with non-Jesus followers and discipling them and one another.  Not so we are creating a bunch of programs and building bigger buildings...I want them to manage their finacnes in such a way that Jesus is at the center...if there are issues with their finances there is a good chance that they have a problem with an idol...if Jesus is at the center they will know how to give and bless others so disciples are reproduced...

Here is a link to the sermon:
http://www.buzzsprout.com/15930/143087-the-story-pt-10

Blessings,
Todd

Parental Blessings

Heidi and I strive to keep the Gospel at the center of parenting, strive to disciple our kids desiring to ultimately see them passionately following after Jesus and making disciples themselves.  But as a parent some days you think I am really messing up this parenting thing. And then God drops encouragement in your lap and reminds you that He hasn't dropped you and he isn't going to drop your children either.  Yesterday I had one of those blessed parental moments when our 12 year old daughter asked me to read something she had been working on.

This is what it said:

You can't replace....
By A. Harder

You can't replace family with cell phones and Twitter.
You can't replace the love of your mother with technology.
You can't replace your dad's lessons - big & small with an app.
You can't replace Grandma's stories with Facebook.
You can't replace your brothers & sisters with the Internet.
You can't replace the loyalty of your pets with TV.

You cannot replace God's grace with entertainment.
You cannot replace your freedom in Christ with money.
You cannot replace the support of your spiritual family with solitude.
You cannot replace eternal life with now & today.
You cannot replace your relationship with God with religion.

You can become a new creation by accepting Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
You can move a mountain with just faith in Christ (Matthew 17:20).
You can have nothing to fear - not even death - in Christ (Isaiah 41:10).
You can find rest in Christ Jesus (Matthew 11:28).

You are worth more than the sparrows to God (Matthew 10:29)!
You are much loved by God, so much that He died for you (John 3:16).
You are a child of God (John 1:12).
You are reborn in Christ (John 3:3-8).

Now you know the choice.  What will you choose?

After reading it I said: "Sweetie...I love this where did you get it? Did you write this on your own?"  And she said "Yes."  I said I want a copy of this and when she gave it to me today I again said "Where did this come from?" And she said: "It just dropped out of my head."

Thank you Jesus for the blessed moment and the reminder that you are always at work not only in our lives, but our children's as well.

Thanks for letting me share my proud daddy moment with you....Have a blessed day, PT