Men's Retreat Message #4

What follows are my notes for the #4 of 4 messages I delivered at Lake Ellen Bible Camp's Men's Fall Retreat.

Disclaimer:

While based on Scripture these talks are heavily influence by my reading of Tim Keller http://download.redeemer.com/pdf/learn/resources/Centrality_of_the_Gospel-Keller.pdf, Peter Scazzero's Emotional Healthy Church, CJ Mahney's The Cross Centered Life, Jerry Bridges' The Discipline of Grace and Dr. Grant Osborne's ECNT Revelation Commentary.

Intro Questions:  Are you a disciple?  How would I know?

Growing up I thought "I could never be a disciple."  They were holy and I am just an average guy...but as we read the New Testament we know this is not true, in fact everyone is a disciple it is just a question of whose. Going back to first talk: Jesus came to divide the world into 2 camps...

Main Point:  Are you useful to the Lord? Everyone is but are you willing?

Text: Revelation 3:14-22

Disciples are faithful and true witnesses
 - Who is Jesus vrs the Laodecians?
 Jesus is the faithful and true witness who came and revealed the Father to us.  The Laodecians are lukewarm.  Until I studied this passage I didn't understand why the cold were celebrated.  Laodecia did not have its own source of drinking water.  There were two towns nearby one that had cool water and one that had hot springs...they piped their water in from the hot springs...by the time it got to them is was lukewarm and full of minerals.  Cold water was refreshing, hot water was useful...lukewarm mineral water is spit out...

Challenge are you saying "Here I am send me"

Disciples know their condition and go to the source.
- Who is Jesus vrs the Laodecians?
Jesus is the source (beginning) of everything while the Laodecians were self-made.  In 60AD and earthquake  destroyed Laodecia.  They refused assistance from the empire and rather rebuilt it themselves with their own money.  Everything they touched turned to gold...they had the finest black wool around, an eye salve to cure blindness was developed there...money flowed into Laodecia and yet in God's eyes they were blind and poor.

Challenge:  Are you building up treasure here or in heaven?

Disciples respond to correction
- Zeal to get right with God must replace lukewarmness

Challenge:  Who are you doing life with and are you holding each other accountable?

Disciples desire fellowship with God
- This is a letter to a church...Rev 3:20 is challenging them that they have locked Jesus/Father out.

Challenge:  Preach the Gospel to yourself maintain your relationship with God

Disciples live for eternity

- Absence of persecution = no need to conquer = living for here and now

Challenge:  Are you living for here and now or in light of eternity?
dot and a line going into eternity

We at FBC talk about the up, in , out triangle.
- How are you doing with the up? Your relationship with God
- How are you doing with the in?  Your relationship with other believers
- How are you doing with the out?  Your relationship with non-believers

Keep the Gospel/Jesus center
Live in brokenness connected to a Life Transformation Group
Let God shine through your cracks