Finding Jesus, Part Ii: Shine! Series

Finding Jesus, Part 2

“A Shining City”

Tonight we continue our series on Finding Jesus.

WE LEARNED LAST WEEK THAT JESUS BECAME THE SON OF MAN SO THAT WE COULD IDENTIFY WITH HIM.

JESUS WAS TEMPTED IN EVERY WAY THAT WE ARE.

IF WE FIND HIM IN OUR TEMPTATIONS, WE WILL FIND AN EXAMPLE THAT WE CAN FOLLOW.

IF WE FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE, TEMPTATION WILL HAVE A HARD TIME INCUBATING INTO SIN!

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TONIGHT, WE CONTINUE IN OUR SEARCH.

WHEN WE FIND JESUS IN OUR DAILY LIVES, WE WILL FIND OUR FATHER’S WILL.

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WE BEGIN TONIGHT BY GOING TO PROVERBS.

Proverbs 18:1

He who separates himself indulges his desires and shows contempt for sound advice of any kind.

THESE ARE POWERFUL WORDS!

HE WHO SEPARATES HIMSELF INDULGES HIS OWN DESIRES!

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THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT WE SEPARATE OURSELVES.

WE CAN SEPARATE OURSELVES THROUGH PRIDE:

READ: Acts 10:9-16

Ÿ PETER WAS A DEVOUT JEW. HE HAD NEVER EATEN ANYTHING UNCLEAN OR COMMON.

Ÿ NOW, PETER DOESN’T UNDERSTAND THE VISION.

Ÿ BUT THE SPIRIT TELLS HIM THAT THERE ARE MEN LOOKING FOR HIM AND THAT HE SHOULD GO WITH THEM.

READ: verses 21,22

Ÿ CORNELIUS WAS A ROMAN ARMY OFFICER!

Ÿ WE ALL KNOW THAT JEWS & ROMANS DON’T MIX!

Ÿ BUT PETER OBEYED GOD AND WENT TO HIS HOUSE.

READ: verses 28,29

Ÿ GOD SHOWED PETER NOT TO SEPARATE HIMSELF!

READ: verses 34,35

Ÿ IT IS PLAIN THAT WE CANNOT SEPARATE OURSELVES BECAUSE OF OUR “RIGHTEOUS PRIDE”

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ANOTHER WAY THAT WE SEPARATE OURSELVES IS THE “BIRDS OF A FEATHER” IDEA.

“IS IT SO WRONG TO JUST BE AROUND CERTAIN PEOPLE?”

“DOES GOD REALLY CARE IF I TREAT MY FRIENDS BETTER THAN MY ACQUAINTANCES?”

“WHY DOES IT MATTER IF I ONLY HANG OUT WITH THOSE I AM MOST COMFORTABLE WITH?”

BECAUSE THE BIBLE CALLS IT SIN!!!!!

James 2:1

My brothers, practice the faith of our Lord Jesus, the glorious Messiah, without showing favoritism.

verses 8,9

If you truly attain the goal of Kingdom law, in conformity with the passage that says, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show favoritism, your actions constitute sin, since you are convicted under the law as transgressors.

IF BIRDS OF A FEATHER FLOCK TOGETHER, THEN THEY FLY THEMSELVES RIGHT INTO THE FIRES OF FAVORITISM! . . . EXCLUSIVE-ISM! . . . CLICK-ISM!

THIS IS NOT . . . . . . . . . . . . THIS IS

UNITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DISARRAY

HARMONY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DISCORD

UNION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . SEPARATION

AND THE BIBLE CALLS IT SIN!

REMEMBER WHAT WE READ IN PROVERBS:

Proverbs 18:1

“He who separates himself indulges his desires . . .”

WE SHOULD NOT INDULGE RELIGIOUS PRIDE,

“ “ FAVORITISM,

BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON TONIGHT IS INDULGING OURSELVES BECAUSE OF FEAR!

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READ 1st Kings 19:1-3

Ÿ BECAUSE OF FEAR, ELIJAH SEPARATED HIMSELF FROM EVERYONE!

Ÿ BECAUSE OF FEAR, HE CLOSED HIMSELF OFF!

Ÿ BECAUSE OF FEAR, ELIJAH FLED FROM ALL WHO MIGHT HURT HIM!

READ verses 9-14

Ÿ ELIJAH SEPARATED HIMSELF BECAUSE OF FEAR!

Ÿ BUT GOD HAD A WORD FOR ELIJAH!

A MIGHTY BLAST OF WIND . . .

A TERRIBLE EARTHQUAKE . . .

A RAGING FIRE . . .

BUT GOD WAS NOT IN ANY OF THEM!

WHAT WAS GOD SHOWING ELIJAH?

THINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS WHAT THEY SEEM!

THAT SMALL SUBDUED VOICE IS THE VOICE OF CONTROL!

A CALM IN THE STORM . . .

A PEACE IN TURMOIL . . .

SAFETY IN THE FACE OF DANGER . . .

CONFIDENCE IN INSECURITY . . .

ELIJAH HEARD THE VOICE OF CONTROL SPEAKING TO HIM!

ONCE GOD SHOWED ELIJAH THAT HE WAS IN CONTROL, HE GAVE HIM A COMMAND IN 2 WORDS.

verse 15

The Lord said to him, “Go back by way of the desert. . .”

WHEN WE SEPARATE OURSELVES

BECAUSE OF FEAR . . .

BECAUSE OF PAIN . . .

BECAUSE OF TRUST . . .

GOD SPEAKS TO US JUST AS HE DID TO ELIJAH:

GO BACK! GO BACK! GO BACK!

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I KNOW WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:

Proverbs 16:28

A deceitful person stirs up strife, and a slanderer can separate even close friends.

WHEN THIS HAPPENS, WE CAN EASILY SAY:

“I JUST WON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THEM, THEN I WON’T GET HURT.”

BUT GOD DOESN’T WANT US TO SEPARATE OURSELVES! GOD IS SPEAKING TO US:

GO BACK!

THIS RAISES A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION:

IF GOD LOVES US SO MUCH . . .