Christianity

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5 Benefits of Wisdom

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5 Benefits of Wisdom

Ponder Death, Live Alive | Ecclesiastes 9:1-10

Introduction – this is perhaps the most pessimistic passage in the whole of Ecclesiastes, intended to be a smelling salts that wake us up. He also, includes imperative verbs for the first time in the 5th of the “carpe diem” passages at the conclusion.

  1. Ponder Death: Death is unavoidable, Death is evil, Death is depressing, Death is clarifying

  2. Live Alive! Enjoy Simple Pleasures, Love your people, Work Hard, Have Hope

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Ponder Death, Live Alive !

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Ponder Death, Live Alive !

Ponder Death, Live Alive | Ecclesiastes 9:1-10

Introduction – this is perhaps the most pessimistic passage in the whole of Ecclesiastes, intended to be a smelling salts that wake us up. He also, includes imperative verbs for the first time in the 5th of the “carpe diem” passages at the conclusion.

  1. Ponder Death: Death is unavoidable, Death is evil, Death is depressing, Death is clarifying

  2. Live Alive! Enjoy Simple Pleasures, Love your people, Work Hard, Have Hope

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The Soft and Shining Face of Wisdom

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The Soft and Shining Face of Wisdom

The Soft and Shining Face of Wisdom | Ecclesiastes 1:1-17

Big Idea: Wisdom transforms the way we travel (with a soft and shining face rather than a hard and sullen one) Wisdom has a soft and shining face

1: The soft and shining face of wisdom PICKS ITS POINTS (the hard and sullen face pounds its fists…)

2: The soft and shining face of wisdom FLIES BY PANEL (the hard and sullen face takes a poll…)

3: The soft and shining face of wisdom CATCHES WAVES (the hard and sullen face swims laps)

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Souls at Rest

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Souls at Rest

Souls at Rest |  Matthew 11:25-30

Big Idea: We will live with our souls at rest in Jesus when we: (1) Become like little children, (2) Remember who saves, and (3) Stay under the easy yoke!

1. Become like little children Jesus points to children to show his disciples what it means to be teachable, humble, dependent, needy. Come to Him needy and with a teachable heart! Rest is available when we come to Jesus like this.

2. Remember who saves Our souls can finally rest when we admit that we cannot save ourselves and we come to Jesus! He has all authority. He alone can save. Where else can we go?

3. Stay under the easy yoke Jesus’ yoke, His teaching of how to relate to the Father, is easy (i.e., kind, good, benevolent). He doesn’t load us down with something heavy that He won’t carry with us. He invites us to come under His yoke and journey through life shoulder to shoulder with Him. He carries the heavy load and invites us to partner with Him in His work in the world!

Conclusion: See the burden that Jesus carried for you and for me. He was weary and heavy laden. He fulfilled every jot and tiddle of the Law. He was perfectly sinless. And yet the weight of the sin of the world was placed on His shoulders. Every sin that you have committed in your past. Every sin that you have committed this past week. Every sin that you have committed this morning. Every sin that you will commit this week. Every sin that you will commit until the day He takes you home. He paid it all. Yoke yourself to Jesus. Allow His love to transform you. To give your soul the deep rest that nothing else can supply. To motivate you. To make you a person of love. May we step out as disciples of Jesus who make disciples to the glory of God.

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Finish!

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Finish!

Finish! |  2 Timothy 4

In order to FINISH, we must be fueled by biblical preaching, keep the destination in mind, and set anchor beneath the waves.

  1. If we are going to FINISH, we must be fueled by biblical preaching!

  2. If we are going to FINISH, we must keep the destination in mind!

  3. If we are going to FINISH, we must set anchor below the waves! The waters are choppy to the very end.

When we know the character of Jesus deeply, relationally we know that he is not a stranger to suffering. He is not distant. He does not live in an ivory tower. He is not insulated. He is not lazily floating on placid seas while we battle the storm winds. He stands supreme over the storm, while knowing intimately white caps and spray. He has experienced abandonment and loneliness. He has endured physical challenges. He has encountered opposition. With the Biblical fires hot in his heart, and with an eye on the destination, he walked through the storms and he conquered! He has rescued you from the fires of hell, the guiles of Satan, the wrath of God, the chains of sin. And he WILL deliver you to GLORY. So, set your anchor, face your storm and FINISH!!

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Stay the Course!

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Stay the Course!

Stay the Course! |  2 Timothy 3:1-17

Big Idea: “Beware the Self-Love path!  Godly disciple-makers and biblical teaching pave a better road!”

  1. Beware the Self Love Path. All the distress and heartache of the spirit of the age erupts from love of self. Here are some of the marks to know if you are on the path of self love: This path is NOT the one to be pursued.  If you realize you are moving down this road, BEWARE! This path is POWERLESS, to be AVOIDED, and is a DEAD END ROAD.

  2. Godly Disciple-Makers and Biblical Teaching Pave a Better Road. Godly Disciple-Makers -- Here we have the Disciple-Maker’s play book.  1 part formal, 8 parts informal.  Enduring suffering and sharing the whole of life while your disciples watch. Biblical Teaching – The sacred writings are powerful.  God’s very breath.  Like the warm honey breath of Aslan, making us brave, reminding us of what is truth.

A better road – self love is a dead end.  This road paved by faithful disciple makers leads to salvation and to completion.  Ultimately, this is  not a one and done issue.  We determine each morning, noon and night which road we are going to move down.  A faithful disciple maker and an open bible remind us of the gospel.  We remember that our “self” is riddled with sin and needs to be crucified.  We lay down our love of self in humility and brokenness.  Then we experience love and renewal through the welcoming and forgiving love of Jesus.  This breaks us of our destructive self-love path and sets us free to drive the highway that leads to salvation and fruitfulness.