Sermon Central
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Chosen To Obey Series
Contributed by Jeff Ecklund on Jul 28, 2011 (message contributor)
Summary: This is a series on finding our purpose and identity in God. Focused on how to build a local church and the elements that release true purpose in the face of our cultures fascination and idolizing individualism.
Chosen to Obey HOTL 2011
(Release to Purpose Series)
Open with continuing on:
Gathering the lost and broken to Christ
Restoring to Wholeness
Releasing to Purpose
Overview of Peter:
Most people I think can relate to Peter…
A common man, common education (although not educated in matters of the law)
Man of extreme passion….either way
Math 16:15-16 (upon this rock etc) & 7 verses later he is being rebuked by Jesus because he is opposing Jesus!
Peter becomes the 1st name on every list of the Apostles
One of the three closest to Jesus
Most mentioned in the New Testament of all the apostles
Preached his first sermon and 3,000 people added to the church
Only man other than Jesus to walk on water (took a step or two)
Healed the sick…led the church….
Became in Christ a man that was released to his purpose on the earth!
1 Peter 1:1-2 (NASB95)
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen
First of all notice that he uses the word “aliens” which is basically strangers.
One of the important truths to understand upon responding and giving our life to Jesus is that we belong to another world! There is a nation; a tribe so to speak that we now belong to.
Not only are we strangers now, we belong to the Kingdom of God and we are scattered here and there to fulfill a purpose.
Receiving Christ, becoming a Christian is not simply a “get out of jail” card.
There now becomes before us a future, a hope and a purpose.
And Peter makes it clear that we are chosen! (Think of choosing someone on a team)
Vs 2 is where the emphasis needs to be this morning. It may surprise you. It is the “bridge” so to speak that you need to cross to fulfill and be released into everything that God has planned for you & I.
1 Peter 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
We were chosen to obey…
We were created for a purpose, chosen to obey Jesus.
Later we will study as Peter writes about being built up as “living stones”…
See there is some things to build, every person that God has chosen and there is a response to that invitation, is part of that building.
God intends to work through you & I…
God gathers us to and through Jesus Christ,
He then begins to heal and restore from the damage of a broken world and bring us to health and wholeness spiritually…
Then God wants to release us to His good purposes….
And it starts with obedience…
Obedience is a concept and word that can rankle us in our carnal nature and will…
How many people run stop lights, complain about the speed limit, regulations etc…
Expound…Logically we would agree there needs to be rules…But in practice we think they are for everyone else!
Think of a kid that responds to his parents when they say “obey”….
Yet obedience is a great gift of God to us….
Genesis 22:18 (NASB95)
18 “In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” ( are you glad that Abraham obeyed?)
Isaiah 1:19 (NASB95)
19 “If you consent and obey, You will eat the best of the land;
Exodus 23:22 (NASB95)
22 “But if you truly obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
Psalm 103:20 (NASB95)
20 Bless the Lord, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word!
Not only do the angels “obey” Him,
In the New Testament is says that in
Matt 8:27 that the winds & the seas “obey” Him
Mark 1:27 says that unclean spirits “obey” Him (so shouldn’t we?)
We need to understand the power of release that comes from “obeying” and keeping His commandments…
There are common folks that God will use to do uncommon things if we obey His voice!
There are things to be built, things to be restored, winds to be calmed and unclean spirits to be cast out.
There are lost who will respond, people who will be healed, churches that will be led if we will “obey” Jesus.
There will be families that will be restored, marriages that will be strengthened, lives and destinies that will be completely brought back on straight paths if we will “obey”…
There will be fisherman turned into nation changers, young men & woman that God will use to shake and turn the world upside down as He once did….If we will obey…
