I thought I would share my notes from a really good sermon my pastor did a few weeks ago. If your a non-believer your welcome to read them over and I would love to hear what you think. If your a believer I pray the notes are encouraging! Please note these are notes so the punctuation and grammar are’t the best but it gets the message across.
1 peter 4:1-6. A Sermon by Rich at Sovereign Grace in Gilbert, AZ
-tick tock, forever is at your door step
– the life you live now will be shadows of dreams. How are we to be ready for that day?
-Your purpose is to LIVE for Jesus and know What to EXPECT
LIVE for Jesus
– most important thing, Jesus suffered for you
– it is important on how you live your life day-2-day
– apart from Christ, we would have nothing, but now we have hope because of His suffering
– vs2- if your a christian sin does not dominant your life, the power of sin is defeated, we can live constrained to the will of God
– Jesus suffered because he followed the will of God, a death like other slaves on the cross,
-we should expect the same thing ( suffering while following God)
– arm and prepare your way of thinking, remember this life is a fight
– your life is going to be hard but this life is not all there is
– we live according to God’s will, we are called to be bent toward the will of God
– God owns all of His time, it doesn’t belong to you
A funny comment from my pastor after he coughs,” it’s going to be great in heaven to not have a cold”.
Questions to Ask yourself:
1) How much time do you have? We dont know, you don’t know if you will make it through the yr. 2012. It’s sad but true. We have less time than you think. There is a count down clock above you. When it’s out, how do you want to look back at your life? How would you have wanted to spent it? ( I would love to here your ideas on how you would like to spend it.)
2) How would it change your life if this were your last week on earth? ( Stay in what your doing) Time, entertainment, thoughts, what you say, how you treat your family, care more about being holy in God, think the best or worst? Care of about the little things? What do you do when you get home from work? Are you happy with how your spending your life?
– historically, grave sites have been in front of churches, death is a reality
The thought is “When shall I die?” “When will we face our maker?”
– death seems fictional because of movies or the News, death is far removed from us
– In the 1800’s people died in their bedroom. One day you too will be dead. Back then people died young, people still die young ” you might think you have all the time in the world and that death is the furtherest thing from your mind”
– Death will one time come for you. If your not a Christian, trust Jesus, its not a tradition and not a set of rules. Admit you fail at life, trust Him and not yourself, you put this off, eternity is at your door.
– Will you serve human passions or Jesus? The pastor said, “yesterday I was 16” who is really in his 30’s
– teenagers are a mist, James 4:14 , a mist is a half a second in az’s July, teenagers are here for a little time and then vanish in retrospect of time
– christians, how do you want to spend your mist? How are you spending your life? What are you thinking about your life?
– how would it change you if you knew eternity was at your door?
Vs2- You can live for the will of God, this isa promise and command, WOW! we as Christians can live for Jesus, follow God and please him.
****Are you living for the will of GOD? Let that wash over your soul for a second. What does that mean? Many people thinks its like an investigation. It means just knowing Jesus more.
– Some people are not satisfied with their prior experiences with god
-the small decisions are what make you who you are
– we are able to have a relationship with the living God, read His word, and talk to him. The word of God, bathed in it, sometimes we don’t have the courage to do it, but some places need illuminated in the light, we know those areas.
– what does a relationship with God look like? Think of your closest human relationships. For an example your spouse. You have meals together, talk after work, do date nights….
How often do you: talk to Jesus? Think about Him? Express love to him? Are encouraged by Him through the word or prayer? Have long extended times together? long conversations? What kind of time are you putting in your relationship with Jesus?
– when you know Jesus more, you will love and serve others more
– people are not satisfied with their experiences with god but how many have said they are not content with their experiences with God? You would take serious steps if your marriage were falling apart, radical steps to make sure they know you love them. How much more for Jesus?
– Christian ask for more of Jesus. Trust him when life falls apart. When life is built on sand, where will you go? The best thing for your time is to be preoccupied with Jesus.
– eternity will be here, you won’t be able to go back and change it
How to LIVE and what to expect
-Expect persecution
– time in those arenas
– present time, live for jesus, your past (unbeliever) was for yourself
– vs4, non-believers, now not drunk, sensuality, not porn, people will mock you and say things like ” you think your better than me? Or your Legalistic?”
– non-believers serve another savior, themselves
– people will say things, those scars will go deep
– vs5 , god will give an account, god is ready to judge the living and dead
– For the non-believer, god is ready to pour our wrath, execution a soul death. We don’t want that to happen to you, run to Jesus
– For the living, non believers see that you live different, they will mock you ( that’s a success) why are you different? On judgment day you will be standing beside another living soul, Jesus, praise God!
– “our world screams permanent and lasting but it’s plastic melting in the sun”
– Christians be bent on the word of God
Final thoughts on how to live.
1) trust Jesus not your circumstances, bad and good years/ moments, god has not abandon you, valleys are to show you what’s important, possessions won’t matter
“All my possessions for a moment in time” elizabeth the 1st on her death bed
2) things are wrong with others, make them right, bitterness is an assignation, go to them
3) run to jesus, don’t be too proud you are not an exception, when the clock ticks, Jesus’s arms are wide open, when the end comes…
Are you Stumbling or trying to prevent a relationship with god? We have ONE SHOT at this.
Christians run to Jesus daily!
Non believers, run to Jesus!
Some song lyrics holy spirit led, God speaking to us:
What are you wanting? Is it far from me?
You were made for glory, that could only be found in me.
What are you seeking? Is it very far from me?
What are you hoping for? You wont find till you look to me.
You were made for purpose, made for me.
Your meaning is only in me.
You were made for grace, greatness, for me
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