Outlines from our most recent service

The Armor of Light

Proverbs 16:1-3

THE PLANS of the mind and orderly thinking belong to man, but from the Lord comes the [wise] answer of the tongue. ²All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits (the thoughts and intents of the heart). ³Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and] so shall your plans be established and succeed. Amplified

Romans 13:12

Our battle is not with flesh and blood, we must be ready for the battle – John 16:33; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6; Ephesians 6:10-18

· Be strong – 1743 – endunamaoo - to empower, enable, increase in strength, be or make strong; from en meaning in and dunamis meaning miracle power, you could say to empower with a strength not your own!

· Power – kratos -

· This power is demonstrated, not just some high intellectual power – 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 - Demonstration – apodeixis – 585 – manifestation, demonstration, from 584 – apodeiknumi – to show off, exhibit, accredit, prove, show, set forth.

· This power is demonstrative, eruptive and tangible, this was a power given in Greek mythology to Hercules – superhuman, supernatural strength to do the impossible.

· This power is something that can been seen by others –Hebrews 2:2-4; Romans 8:19; Ephesians 1:19-20; Colossians 1:9-11

· Kratos was in operation when they came to arrest Jesus – John 18:5-6

· This is the power that raised Jesus from the dead –

o Graves opened – Matthews 27:51-54

o The soldiers became as dead men, unrenewed flesh that is not born-again cannot stand when this power is in operation – Matthew 28:1-4

o It was impossible for death to hold Him – Acts 2:24 “whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.”

o ***You can experience this power too, you have to have your expectations that this power is at work in and for you when you are in Christ - Romans 8:9-11 “But if God himself has taken up residence in your life, you can hardly be thinking more of yourself than of him. Anyone, of course, who has not welcomed this invisible but clearly present God, the Spirit of Christ, won't know what we're talking about. But for you who welcome him, in whom he dwells—even though you still experience all the limitations of sin—you yourself experience life on God's terms. It stands to reason, doesn't it, that if the alive-and-present God who raised Jesus from the dead moves into your life, he'll do the same thing in you that he did in Jesus, bringing you alive to himself? When God lives and breathes in you (and he does, as surely as he did in Jesus), you are delivered from that dead life. With his Spirit living in you, your body will be as alive as Christ's!” The Message

· Might - ischus – 2479 – forcefulness, ability, might, power, strength; it is the picture: of a very strong man such as a bodybuilder, or a mighty man with great muscular capabilities. This is God’s muscle behind the kratos power for God – Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord I do not change”; Hebrews 13:8

· With the stoke of His hand released enough power to create the universe

· With the stroke of His hand released enough force to flood the world wiping out an entire civilization

· With the stroke of His hand brought Egypt to its knees and released the Jewish people from slavery

· With the stroke of His hand shoved aside the wicked forces that tried to stop Him and though it was medically and physically impossible Jesus was conceived and born of a virgin

· With the stroke of His hand His power surged and overpowered death, hell and the grave raising Jesus from the dead, wiped out all your sin through Jesus’ sacrifice and stripping satan and his minions of their power and made a spectacle of them. Colossians 2:14-15

· Put on the whole armor –

o Take up – analambano – to take up, receive, take into from ana – meaning up, by implication repetition, intensity and reversal and lambano – to get ahold of – some indicators show words associated with lambano like haireomai – to seize, to take for one’s self –

§ Matthew 11:12 “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence and the violent take it by force

§ Suffers violence – biazo – to force, crowd oneself into, to be seized

§ Violent – biastes – a forcer, energetic

§ Take it by force – harpazo – to seize, catch away, pluck up, pull, take by force

· Proverbs 6:30-31

§ Colossians 3:1

o Romans 13:12 - Adam Clarke’s commentary says to cast off means to prepare for the rising light by throwing aside the superstition, vices of every kind, putting on the armor of light.

§ Let us put on – enduo – - 1746 - in the sense of sinking into a garment, to invest with clothing, endue, have on – Luke 24:49, to come down upon and envelope

§ light – phos –to shine or make manifest especially by rays, luminousness, fire, light – 1 John 1:5-7

§ Walking in the light we must not give place to the devil – Ephesians 4:25-27

o Withstand – anthistemi – to stand against, to oppose, resist; the word histemi – meaning to covenant, establish – Luke 6:46-49

o Waist gird with truth – the Roman soldiers had a girdle to which all of the armor attached – the truth holds everything together

§ Truth - fidelity, constancy, sincerity in action, character and utterance; transparency and full disclosure; truth is integrity – the same through and through

§ John 14:6 “I am the way, truth and life”

§ 1 John 2:20-21

§ The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth – John 16:13 “But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. But when He, the Spirit of Truth (the Truth-giving Spirit) comes, He will guide you into all the Truth (the whole, full Truth). For He will not speak His own message [on His own authority]; but He will tell whatever He hears [from the Father; He will give the message that has been given to Him], and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come [that will happen in the future]. Amplified

§ John 17:17-19

§ The truth you walk in will make and keep you free - John 8:31-32 – abide – meno – to stay in given place, state, relation or expectancy, continue, dwell, be present, remain, stand.

§ Truth reveals the hidden things – Mark 4:21-23;

· What you don’t expose will expose you - Ephesians 5:8-21 – embarrass sin before it embarrasses you!

o Verse 13 – exposed/reproved – elegcho – admonish, convict, convince, tell a fault, rebuke, reprove

Verse 13 - Are made manifest – phaneroo – to render apparent, manifestly declare, show forth; from phoneros – shining, apparent, publicly

The Missing Link Part 4

Discipleship

John 15:4-8, 16-17

1) As the Body of Christ we have been given a stewardship that includes making a difference in the lives of others –
1. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2

i. stewards - oikonomos – 3623 – a house distributor, that is a manager, overseer, an employee in that capacity, treasurer, preacher, governor; from the compound Greek word oikos – family, a dwelling, house, home, temple and the word nomos – to parcel out (food), the idea of prescriptive use, including the Gospel.

God gives each one an opportunity to prove that you are faithful - Matthew 25:14-30

i. Ability – dunamis – 1411 – specifically miraculous power, a miracle itself, ability, abundance, meaning, might, power, strength, mighty wonderful work

ii. Verse 29 - Abundance – perisseuo – 4052 – to superabound in quantity and quality, be in excess, superfluous, to cause to excel, make more, have more abundance, be the better, have enough to spare, exceed, increase, remain over and above.

We must all be involved in the system of discipleship, in a culture of discipleship –

i. Matthew 28:18-20 – teaching – didasko – 1321 - to learn, to teach or learning to teach

ii. Mark 16:15-18

iii. 1 Peter 4:10, “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God”

Gift - charisma – 5486 – a divine gratuity, spiritual endowment
Minister – diakaneo – 1247 – to be an attendant, that is to wait upon in menial tasks as a host, technically as a Christians teacher, serve in the office of deacon.
Steward – oikonomos – 3623 – a house distributor, manager, overseer, an employee in that capacity, a fiscal agent or treasurer, a preacher of the Gospel, governor.
Grace – charis – 5485 – graciousness as gratifying, especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life, including gratitude, joy, liberality, graciousness.
2) Being a productive disciple and making productive disciples is the result of doing not just hearing –
1. Matthew 7:24-27
2. James 1:22-25 principle, be doers!
3. Look at how learning increases as you grow:
  1. You retain 10% of what you learn if you only read about it
  2. You retain 20% of what you only hear
  3. You retain 30% of what you see only
  4. You retain 50% of what you see and hear
  5. You retain 70% of what you say and write
  6. You retain 90% if you hear, say and do, a vital key to maximum growth in your personal relationship with God
    1. Doers – poietes – 4163 – to perform habitually
    2. Hearers – akroates – 202 – to listen; form 191 – akouo – to hear, give audience, understand
    3. Only – monon – 3440 – merely or alone
    4. Deceiving – 3884 – paralogizomai – to misreckon, delude, deceive
    5. Blessed – makarios – 3107 – supremely blest, fortunate, well off, blessed and happy – you would say that this one is empowered to succeed.
    6. Increase in responsibility comes with doing –

i. Luke 12:47-49

ii. Matthew 25:29, you are only faithful when you have done something with what you have been given

iii. Proverbs 11:24-25

Needs are not met if the body not actively doing - Acts 6:1-7

i. Disciples – mathetes -3101 – a learner, pupil from manthano – 3129 – to learn and understand.

ii. Multiplied - Plethuno – 4129 – to increase, abound, multiply, 4128 – plethos – a large number

iii. Neglected – paratheoreo – 3865 - to overlook, disregard, neglect

iv. Distribution – diakonia – attendance as a servant, relief or serving.

v. Serve – diakoneo – 1247 – to be an attendant, that is, wait upon in menial task, to act as a host or friend; technically a Christians teacher, serve as a deacon.

vi. Good report/good reputation – martureo – 3140 – to be a witness, testify, give evidence, have obtained a good/honest report, their testimony is good – 1 Timothy 3:8-13

Proverbs 25:26, “A righteous man who falters before the wicked, it is like a murky spring or a polluted well”
Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold”

vii. Greatly – sphodra – 4970 – vehemently in a high degree, exceedingly great

Coach, teach, train and mentor – (Draw the completed pipeline and expanded funnel) –

i. Ephesians 4:7-16

Grace – charis – graciousness, the act or manner of grace, especially the divine influence upon the heart and its reflection in the life, including graditude
Verse 8 - Gifts – doma- 1390 – a present
Verse 12 – equipping – katatismos – 2677 - complete furnishing, perfecting, from 2675 – katartizo – to complete thoroughly, that is repair, or adjust, fit, frame, mend, make perfect or perfectly joined together.
1. We must make it our personal responsibility to be qualified to teach/disciple others - 2 Timothy 2:15

i. Be diligent/study – spoudazo – 4704 – to use speed, to make effort, be prompt or earnest, give diligence, endeavor, labor, study

ii. Approved - Dokimos – 1384 – properly acceptable, current after assayal, tried, from dokeo -1380 – meaning to be accounted

iii. Rightly dividing – orthotomeo – 3718 – to make a straight cut, to dissect (expound) correctly the divine message.

ii. Remember we disciple people to Christ, not to yourself –

1 Corinthians 3:5-15

iii. Disciple people through the Word – Romans 10:17, faith comes by hearing

Matthew 28:18-19; 2 Timothy 3:16

iv. We must always be ready for a teachable moment – 2 Timothy 4:1-2,

Instant – ephistemi – 2186 – to stand upon, be present, be at hand, be present
Longsuffering – makrothumia – 3155 – long forbearance, fortitude, patience, from makrothumos – 3116 – with long enduring temper; compound makros – long in place, distance, time and thumos – passion
Teaching – didache – 1322 – the act or manner of instruction in doctrine taught.
3) What stops discipleship in our churches?

i. Bad Habits – 1 Corinthians 15:33 (example #2&3 below)

The mindset of leader and or church is set in its way of “This is the way we’ve always done it”
The mindset of only one or a select few can do what needs to be done

ii. Traditions – Matthew 15:6, “You make the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition”; Mark 7:1-8

iii. Familiarity & comfort – the gated community syndrome = we don’t care what’s going on, we are comfortable and satisfied here -

The early church was devoted/committed to the growth and blessing of all – John 15:13, “Greater love has no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends”
1. Acts 2:42-47; Acts 4:32-35 – fellowship – koinonia – community, partnership, social intercourse, benefaction, communion
2. 1 Corinthians 6:20, you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in you body and in your spirit.
3. 1 Corinthians 7:23, You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men
4. Many churches have signs: Do not enter, No Trespassing, stay out: Matthew 23:13,
  1. Condemning attitudes
  2. Better than you/Holier than thou
  3. Not doing what we say we believe
  4. Look at Barnabas a man whose heart for the work of God changed so many –
    1. The son of encouragement - Acts 4:34-37
    2. Barnabas took Paul in and discipled him – Acts 9:26-30
    3. His consistency and faithfulness to his assignment led to work in the ministry – Acts 11:

i. Acts 11:19-26, he was an encourager to many including Saul/Paul

ii. He was faithful to complete every assignment – Acts 12:25

His faithfulness brought him to the office of an Apostle – Acts 13:1-4
He was part of expanding the Gospel to the Gentile world – Acts 13:46-49
Barnabas was not a push over – Acts 15:1-2
When Paul had given up on John Mark, Barnabus took him along and continued to disciple him - Acts 15:36-41
Paul benefitted from this in his latter years –

i. Colossians 4:10 - Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him)

ii. 2 Timothy 4:11, Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry.

iii. He is listed as a fellow worker/partner in Philemon 24

iv. Fear that things will get worse if change is made – 2 Timothy 1:7; Proverbs 29:25

v. Resistance to change –

Due to unbelief that God is big enough to handle any problem or give you the wisdom to overcome a problem or obstacle – Hebrews 4:6,11
Hanging on to the past - Philippians 3:12-16; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 9:27, I discipline my body

vi. Compromise – James 4:1-6; Revelations 2:12-17

vii. Refusing accountability – Proverbs 1:8-9;Proverbs 1:29-33; Proverbs 4:5; Proverbs 18:1

viii. Inferiority complex – putting more stock in your ability than the greater one in – Proverbs 29:25; Proverbs 3:26; Proverbs 14:26; 1 John 4:4