Seeing Him For Who He Is

Seeing Him For Who He Is

OKAY – today we begin a brand new series that I am calling, ‘Come Alive.’ In John 10:10… Jesus spoke these awesome, powerful, hopeful – life giving words…

I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.

In others words B/S Jesus left all of the glories of heaven, put on flesh and invaded our planet…

SO THAT - we (you and I) could come alive in Him.

AND - beginning today we are going to have 3 conversations that I am convinced are exactly what some of us in this room need to hear… SO THAT – we can come alive in Him.

03/25 – Seeing Him For Who He Is

04/01 - Savoring His Sacrifice and Salvation

04/08 - Striving For His Purposes.

UNDERSTAND – if we see, if we savor and we strive…

WE WILL - come alive.

AND LISTEN – life, coming alive… is what our Jesus is all about.

Just a few Scriptures to back up that claim…

In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

– John 1:4

I am the bread of life. – John 6:48

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

Because I live, you will live. – John 14:19

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

– 1 Corinthians 15:22

We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

– Romans 6:4

Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

– Ephesians 2:4,5

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. – Colossians 3:13

AND UNDERSTAND B/S – as Jesus followers, coming alive.

Fully and abundantly is how our earthly story ends and forever begins and remains…

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing rom the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.

On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. – Revelation 22:1,2

YEAH – like I said… life and coming alive is what Jesus is all about…

AND – this morning (Palm Sunday 2018) we are going to discover that in order for us to come alive (fully and abundantly) we must see Jesus for who He is.

HOWEVER – before we go there I want to share something that I read this week… as I did my FCFH preparing for Easter readings…

Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. – John 13:17

NOW – the word translated know here is …. eido - in your head

It is not the Greek word ginosko – in your heart through personal experience

A knowing because you are actually living it out loud.

YOU SEE – there is no blessing simply for knowing stuff, even the right stuff – if it is simply stuck in our heads.

OKAY – so with eido and ginosko in mind…

I would like to remind us of the challenge that we ended our conversation ‘Not Worth Comparing’ with last week,

A challenge to leave our comfort zone and take a 6 month challenge by doing something that is in line with what God wants us to do.

Now the challenge will be different so each of us depending on where we are in our journey with Christ…

And remember I said – how do we know we are crossing the boundaries of our comfort zone… F.E.A.R.

Make a commitment to read your Bible on a regular basis and ask someone who you know is spiritually mature to hold you accountable and with whom you can share what you are learning with.

Start a prayer group at work (school) and meet once a week to pray for co-workers (fellow students), supervisors (teachers) and for God’s Kingdom to come to your workplace (school).

Start to serve consistently at church in an area that needs help and that will require both time and sacrifice (for example… Children’s Ministry or Youth).

Invite a different co-worker/neighbor…etc who does not attend church over to your home for dinner at least once a month. Look for opportunities to have spiritual conversations, but do not force it.