Abiding In Christ Part Three Series

Abiding in Christ Part Three

John 15, Romans 12

Transformation

Good Morning –Welcome

If you would turn to John 15 and put your finger in Romans 12, these will be our text this morning as we continue in our study of Abiding in Christ.

This is the last week of the study as we prepare and get ready for Lenten season.

Would you please bow your head as we open our time in prayer –

From John 15 we have seen that abiding in Christ is to be connected.

It is being connected to our life source. (Jesus)

He is our savior, our strength, and our redeemer.

The only way we can be who the Lord wants us to be is by connection and commitment to Him.

Jesus himself tells us that we can do nothing of spiritual value without Him.

The only fruit that matters is the fruit that comes from Him because it is that fruit that bring glory to the Father.

Jesus makes bold statements-

“No man comes to the Father except through Jesus.”

“Remain in me, and I in you. No branch can bear fruit; it must remain in the vine.”

“Ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Fathers glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

Remain, stay steady, and keep your position- that is what happens when you abide in Jesus!

Connect to the Lord

Connect with others because of your relationship with the Lord

Desire to connect to people who don’t know Jesus – have the heart of Jesus

So that is where we are so far- Realize you cannot be connected to the Lord that intense without something happening and that is what I want to spend a minute or two talking about- He changes in us as we draw close to the Lord and connect the way that we should.

Flip to Romans 12:1-8 Read from Bible

Paul is throwing down the challenge for believers!

He remembers Jesus words to stay connected and where we get our strength and direction.

He knows that any fruit that matters is fruit that comes from the Spirit of God working in our lives.

He says a living sacrifice, not a dead dried up piece of meat on the altar but one that is at the altar alive in him asking God for direction and wanting to live and serve The Lord.

TRANSFORMATION-

CHANGE-

BE DIFFERENT THAN THOSE WHO DON’T KNOW GOD.

Matthew 16-

Jesus walking with his disciples and asking them who do people say I am? – They say you are John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah… then Jesus looked at Peter- Who do you say I am? “YOU are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Why was that so profound? Because it was a revelation of God that could only come from God- it was revealed to him by the Lord.

Acts 9-

Apostle Paul, his personal encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus. It changed his life. It also changed the course of history on what he did for the kingdom of God.

When you encounter Jesus, when you are connected to Him- Things change

The choices we make in our life

The best choice you will ever make is accepting Jesus Christ as savior-

The next best choice you can make is allowing the Holy Spirit of God to work in your life and empower you to do the work that God calls all believers too.

Choices-

We have all made some pretty bad choices- there is not one of us that does not have something they would have changed if they were to get a do over-

I believe that there are many Christians, saved on their way to heaven, limping into heaven because they would not let God empower their lives and did things in their own power instead of the power of God.

Over 30 years ago, I left one denomination and came to the Nazarene Church. So I am a Nazarene by choice! I began to look at the polity and doctrine of the Nazarenes and they lined up with how I believed.

If it was good enough for Jesus the Nazarene, it was good for me. (Ha Ha)

There are 16 fundamental truths the church of the Nazarene believe in and practice. (What makes Nazarenes Nazarenes)

I began studying what the Nazarenes were all about. We have 1000’s of churches in USA and there are 6-7 within a 60 mile radius of right here. Many Districts spread over the world. Two closest Districts, the Philadelphia District which Rosedale belongs too is made up of 58 churches and the Mid Atlantic district which begins across the river in New Cumberland and spreads throughout Pa. and Maryland. We are out there.