March 18, 2018

Let Hope Rise: The Test of Transformation (Matt 25:1-30)

Let Jesus transform your life. Nothing less than authentic transformation will pass the final judgment and fit you for eternity.

Prayer 7:40am

-Prayer Meetings, Game

-Easter – 2 weeks

-The Events sign ups

Prayer meeting – warm up with a Game… (10min)

-Find someone with the same birthday month as you.

-Find someone born in the same decade as you.

-Back to seat – warmed up – let’s get ready to pray.

  • Pray for Easter – that people would come and respond to Jesus.
  • Pray for each other.
  • Pray for our town, state, nation.
  • Praise God for who He is and all He has done.

-STUDY BIBLES – sold out, more coming – good job!!

-Easter series, books

-Review, final judgment

Hook/Review: Venice and Why (5min)

-Venice story – went to Venice beach – strange place with strange people (in southern California). Walked around a bit, saw different people. Someone handing out pamphlets about the second coming of Jesus – repent! A little crazy, but if I am a Christian, I should listen to them, right? I took the pamphlet home. It described the timeline from Daniel and Jesus and Revelation, and said that Jesus would return in about 2 months. I kept that pamphlet, and I admit I was a little scared. Two months later, though, Jesus did not return. I even stayed up until midnight, just to be sure! That night, I took the pamphlet and burned it in my trash can – which then set off the smoke alarm, woke up my parents, who ran into my room and demanded to know what I was doing! I tried to explain that it was all good – because Jesus didn’t come back, that’s why I had to burn this pamphlet. My mom just said, “Sometimes I just don’t understand you.” And she went to bed.

  • I learned that day not to live in fear – if you are close to Jesus, you don’t have to be afraid of His return. God wants us to LONG for His return.

*Why does God tell us the future? (key themes) So that we will…

  • Be prepared for deceit and hardships
  • Be transformed by Jesus
  • Understand His goodness and His plan
  • Join Jesus in working for new creation

-Ch.24 – ends with Christ saying “keep watch” = longing for His return, working for Kingdom come

Ten Bridesmaids (10min)

Matt 25 (p.823)

1“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaidswho took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, 4but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. 5When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’

7“All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. 8Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’

9“But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’

10“But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. 11Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’

12“But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’

13“So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.

*Main points:keep watch, know Jesus, longer wait

  • Keep watch, be focused on Jesus.
  • Know Jesus personally.
  • It is not about just going to church or knowing about Jesus
  • God is PERSONAL – He wants to know us personally. It is required.
  • Nothing less than authentic transformation will pass the final judgment. Authentic devotion to Jesus is transformative.
  • Be ready for a longer wait, do more than the minimum.

Story: When you follow Jesus, do MORE than the minimum.

  • One of the most frequent conversations I have as a pastor: people giving God less than their best, and having every reason in the world for doing it. I don’t get mad or give guilt (anymore!), I just tell the story that I have seen again and again – those who are doing just enough, then drift, then little more, then drift. At some point you figure out that you need to go for it, more than just a little religion in your life (actually takes more work; easier once you go all in).
  • Are YOU doing more than the minimum? Are you giving God your best?
  • When you do, TRANSFORMATION happens.
  • Everyone wants to go to heaven, but we must be TRANSFORMED so that we FIT into heaven. Right now we are too TINY, in selfishness and pride. The joy of heaven can’t penetrate a hard heart. Knowing Jesus makes us bigger, more real.

-How does transformation happen?

*Story: Magic Elevator – transformation is not magic

  • A man from the back mountains of Tennessee found himself one day in a large city, for the first time standing outside an elevator. He watched as an old, haggard woman hobbled on, and the doors closed. A few minutes later the doors opened and a young, attractive woman marched smartly off. The father hollered to his youngest son, "Billy, go get mother." Source Unknown. Sermonillustrations.com “change”
  • Many people act like transformation is magic, it will “just happen”
  • NOPE, it happens through…

*Authentic Transformation (don’t stop at 1 or 2):

  • Knowledge
  • Decisions (surrender; Jesus changes us)
  • Godly Relationships
  • Habits
  • Evaluation
  • How are YOU doing on this list??

Three Servants (10min)

14“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. 15He gave five bags of silverto one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

16“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. 17The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. 18But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.

19“After a long time their master returned from his trip and called them to give an account of how they had used his money. 20The servant to whom he had entrusted the five bags of silver came forward with five more and said, ‘Master, you gave me five bags of silver to invest, and I have earned five more.’

21“The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

22“The servant who had received the two bags of silver came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two bags of silver to invest, and I have earned two more.’

23“The master said, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’

24“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. 25I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’

26“But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, 27why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

28“Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. 29To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 30Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

*Two transformation themes:

  • How we use our money
  • How we live our lives
  • We are accountable to God for both. (shocking?)
  • *Show me your schedule and bank statement, I will show you your priorities.

*Stewardship – God Owner, Bible points

  • Bible is not against ownership – gives you a sense of taking care of things.
  • *Even bigger understanding – God is the true Owner, you are the manager, the steward, and you will be held to account for how you did.
  • NOT FEAR – OPPORTUNITY. God wants us to make the most of what we have been given.
  • Bible on money
  • *It pulls our hearts away from the Lord (Luke 16:13).
  • *OR it can be used for the work of the Kingdom of God (Luke 8:1-3).
  • *Using money for God’s work brings joy – and God giving us more to invest (Matt 25:14ff)

*Ten Test follow up

  • Not “if” but “when” God blesses you
  • Anyone need their money back? Let me know. I have heard the amazing stories. We have seen money raised for KM and CHIC, and Building Fund grow, and dreams for next ministry year, including church planting
  • People’s faith in God growing – the best thing

*Growing in giving

  • Give regularly
  • Budget your giving, use percentages
  • Give sacrificially, following the way of Jesus

*Talent – how are you using what God has invested in you?

  • Everything belongs to Jesus – time, money, talent, possessions
  • God has invested in us to grow His Kingdom (not build our own kingdoms)
  • God will hold us to account on our transformation.
  • TREE – not salvation by works
  • John 15:5 – Jesus does the work of bearing fruit in us; our job is to stay connected to Him, deep roots.
  • Some people don’t like this idea. For me it helps, I want to know what is on the final test. Transformation is not optional. Christianity is more than a transaction.

*Following Jesus is not a transaction, it is a transformation.

  • Too many only think, “Jesus took my place on the cross,” then we walk away.

Saved from Car Analogy

  • Imagine you are walking across the street, and a car – that you don’t see – is about to kill you. A stranger pushes you out of the way and saves your life. But the stranger is hit in the process.
  • You don’t walk away and say, “Wow, so glad that person saved my life. Let me go on doing what I was doing…”
  • You go back and care for this stranger. You are bonded to this person.
  • Jesus died for you. In relationship with Him, your are not only saved from death but transformed for heaven.

Where are you??

  • Thanks Jesus for saving me…
  • I want to follow You and be close to You.
  • I will trust You, even when it is hard; I will follow Your way and stay close to You.
  • I will give my whole life to You. Transform every part of who I am.

Punch – This Time Tomorrow (5min)

This Time Tomorrow

8:00 – Eyleies David

9:30 – Jeff White

11:00 – Anthony Battaglia

Easter, Events, “Fool’s Gold”

Prayer

Bumper Out: How are you letting Jesus transform your life?

What is an area of your life you need to surrender to Christ?

-Jude 1:24-25 – Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

“To transform religious and irreligious people into Fully Devoted Followers of Christ.”