City Church Tulsa

THE UNSEEN Identity & Authority 9.1.24 One of the enemy’s primary tactics in your life is for you to forget or fail to know your true identity in Christ. In the moment we take on a false identity, we immediately forfeit the victory and power that has been given to us. Luke 9:1-2 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. Luke 10:17-19 17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. Where does our authority come from? · It comes from the finished work of Christ · It comes as we align ourselves with His will Acts 19:11-16 11 God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them. 13 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” 14 Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15 One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” 16 Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. Matthew 28:18-20 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 1. We must walk in our identity 2. We must operate in our authority 3. We must exercise our power

THE UNSEEN Signs & Wonders 8.25.24 Where you may find yourself this morning… 1. Belief 2. Skepticism 3. Denial or Hostile Skepticism Matthew 11:2-6 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” Circumstances can often tempt us to doubt or question what we know to be true about God. We live in a world where we will witness both the miraculous and brokenness. Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Life is a mixture of the miraculous, learning to live with pain, and understanding the way God shapes us and forms us through suffering. In order to be a church who experiences signs & wonders: 1. A biblical community who is regularly gathered together in prayer and desperate and hungry for a move of God’s Spirit 2. A community that teaches about signs and wonders and the gifts of the Spirit and is regularly creating space for God to move 3. A community with the audacity to believe and pray bold prayers of faith A community that rejects the values of our culture but instead embodies a countercultural community that believes God is waiting to break into every area of our lives with His power and presence

THE UNSEEN Armor of God 8.18.24 Ephesians 6:13-18 (NLT) 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Your real enemy is UNSEEN, he’s hoping you don’t realize he’s even there. Ephesians 6:13 Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Put on every piece. Ephesians 6:14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, Belt = TRUTH Ephesians 6:14 with the breastplate of righteousness in place, Breastplate = RIGHTEOUSNESS Ephesians 6:15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Shoes = GOOD NEWS OF PEACE Ephesians 6:16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Shield = FAITH Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Helmet = SALVATION Sword = WORD OF GOD Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Righteousness is right side up living Unrighteousness is upside down behavior Am I creating an environment that welcomes the enemy into my life or am I creating an environment that welcomes God’s favor into my life? You can't live free, fully, and abundantly when you have too much weight on you. The way to fight Satan is not to focus on Satan, but to cover your life with the gospel! Daily Practice: Am I covered in the Armor of God?

THE UNSEEN Kingdoms in Conflict 8.11.24 There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. - C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters The two most common responses to spiritual warfare and the spiritual realm: 1. Obsessive preoccupation 2. Complacent indifference Reasons why Christians are tragically ignorant of and dangerously ill-prepared for spiritual warfare: 1. Ignorance of the Bible Ephesians 6:12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 2. Irrelevance of the Bible 3. Victory of the cross 4. The fear of imbalance Many Christians have become so accustomed to operating with no demonstrations of spiritual power that they are bothered by any demonstration of it. – Timothy Warner 5. Insulated life-styles & a western worldview The reason we don’t often see overt demonic manifestations like someone’s eyes roll in the back of their head or foam at the mouth is because any sort of supernatural occurrence would at the very least get you to believe in the supernatural. A smarter, more subtle strategy of Satan is to move stealthily behind the scenes – distorting truth – bring division – selling lies – making church goers church shoppers, turning kingdom people into political people – keeping the church in a state of apathy. - Dr. Karl Payne 2 Corinthians 11:14 For Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. There is a kingdom of God and there is a kingdom of Satan and the two are in conflict. God/the Trinity are pre-existent and all-powerful from beginning and they create out of who they are and what they desire God creates an unseen world with spiritual beings (Job 38, Psalm 82) God creates a physical world with human beings (Genesis 1:26-28) Ephesians 6:10-12 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 1:19-21 That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. As followers of Jesus, we must be committed to rediscovering a biblical imagination for the spiritual world, our authority in Christ, and the weapons of warfare God has given us to overcome the powers of the Enemy. Imagining the world that Scripture imagines, you will recall, means focusing less on the world that created the Bible and more on the world that the Bible creates. - Luke Timothy Johnson, Miracles Will we have “ears to hear and eyes to see” what God is doing all around us in both the physical and the spiritual realms? Will the church be a place shaped by a secular culture that rejects the mysterious or the miraculous or will we embody a community drenched with the possibilities of the supernatural?

Missional Shift Stephen Kuert Luke 10:1-11, 17-21 ESV After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. 2 And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. 3 Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.4 Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. 5 Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ 6 And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. 7 And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ 10 But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 11 ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ 17 The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”18 And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” "It's not so much that God has a mission for His church in the world, but that God has a church for His mission in the world" - Dr. Christopher Wright The whole purpose of the whole church is to take the whole gospel to the whole world. Shift 1: Sow: From passivity to participation "Now the Greek is much more forcible, it is that he would push them forward, and thrust them out; it is the same word which is used for the expulsion of a devil from a man possessed. It takes great power to drive a devil out, it will need equal power from God to drive a Christian out to his work" - Spurgeon Shift 2: Go: From experience to obedience Shift 3: Show: From presentation to demonstration 2 Cor. 2:4-5 NKJV "And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." Shift 4: Know: From apathy to authority Shift 5: Grow: From joy to joy "So where the gospel is preached with divine power, Satan comes down from his throne, in human hearts and minds, as rapidly as the lighting-flash falls from heaven; and when we see his kingdom shaken, then, like Jesus, we rejoice in spirit"- Spurgeon

TALK 1 Grief: Friend or Foe? Tim Watkins Matthew 14:10-12 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus. 13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. Grief is the primarily emotional process of reacting to loss We live in a grief avoidant society It is impossible to numb just one emotion Matthew 14:23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone TALK 2 Live Ready Carolyn Udall Matthew 24:37-39, 42-44 (NLT) 37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes. 42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected. C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters: “The Christians describe the Enemy [God] as one ’without whom Nothing is strong’. And Nothing is very strong: strong enough to steal away a man’s best years not in sweet sins but in a dreary flickering of the mind over it knows not what and knows not why, in the gratification of curiosities so feeble that the man is only half aware of them, in drumming of fingers and kicking of heels, in whistling tunes that he does not like, or in the long, dim labyrinth of reveries that have not even lust or ambition to give them a relish, but which, once chance association has started them, the creature is too weak and fuddled to shake off. You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy [God]. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing.” TALK 3 Awe & Wonder Cody Jensen Colossians 1:15-17 [Christ] The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created. Job 12:7-10 But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the [Ruah, spirit,] breath of all mankind. Genesis 1:1-3 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 1 John 4:8 (NIV) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Mark 4:39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

Genesis 37:28 So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt. 1. The Test of Brokenness Genesis 39:1-5 Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt. Potiphar, an Egyptian who was one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had taken him there. The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. 3 When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, 4 Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. 5 From the time he put him in charge of his household and of all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. Genesis 39:6-8 Now Joseph was well-built and handsome, 7 and after a while his master’s wife took notice of Joseph and said, “Come to bed with me!” 8 But he refused. 2. The Test of Character Genesis 39:20-23 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden. 22 So the warden put Joseph in charge of all those held in the prison, and he was made responsible for all that was done there. 23 The warden paid no attention to anything under Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did. What if God establishes you and gives you favor in a place you despise or don’t want to be? Genesis 40:23 23 The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. 3. Test of Faithfulness We are often so focused on the destination, we forget that God is more concerned with our heart and obedience to Him. Genesis 45:4-8 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. 7 But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8 “So then, it was not you who sent me here, but God. 4. Test of Forgiveness

The Secret Place Luke 5:15-16 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. The unseen will always proceed, fuel & sustain the seen. Jeremiah 17 5 This is what the Lord says: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who draws strength from mere flesh and whose heart turns away from the Lord. 6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. 7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. 8 They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Psalm 1 1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Identity Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted[a] by the devil. 2 After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” 4 Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’[b]” 5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’[c]” 7 Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’[d]” 8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. 9 “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” 10 Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him. "we remain victims of our society and continue to be entangled in the illusions of the false self. Jesus himself entered into this furnace. There he was tempted with the three compulsions of the world: to be relevant (turn stones to bread), to be spectacular (throw yourself down), to be powerful (i will give you all these kingdoms). There he affirmed God as the only source of his identity. The wilderness thus detoxes us from our addiction of approval." - Henri Nouwen Renewal Our body, mind, & soul are longing for continual rhythms of rest & renewal, but we tend to settle for continual times of escape & numbing. Psalm 51:11-12 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Psalm 91:1 AMP 1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty, whose power no foe can withstand. "We should commit ourselves unceasingly to this one goal: that everything we do be little acts of communion with God." - Brother Lawrence - The Practice of the Presence of God Realignment Matthew 26:36-39 36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” The intimacy & security found in the secret place will lead us into realignment to the will of the Father, even when that means we must drink the cup of suffering. Power

Luke 22: 39-44 (ESV) 39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

What keeps us from being people of extravagant generosity? We are being shaped and formed by cultural values We have a management and stewardship problem We don't start with the heart

THE FIGHT 6.23.24 2 Timothy 4:6-8 6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 1 Timothy 6:11-16 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. It’s time to fight The secret to fighting is abiding You cannot journey alone.

Awakening to Evil 6.16.24 Paul looks to the ultimate future of Christ’s victorious return to give the church in Thessalonica hope for their present struggles. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. Man of Lawlessness: a lawless individual doing the deceptive work of Satan, who not only opposes God but actually seeks to push God aside and exalt himself in God’s place. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Evil is inherently and fundamentally deceptive. The effectiveness of evil has much to do with how it presents itself: not so much as the polar opposite of something good, but as a clever counterfeit of it. - Michael W. Holmes The most destructive evil is subtle, not overt. The most destructive evil gives the appearance of being good. The most destructive evil comes as an angel of light. Is it the spirit of Christ or spirit of Antichrist? · When we celebrate war and the destruction of human life to justify our own desire for power. · When we justify the killing of an unborn child because we believe the rights of a woman or a person's personal privacy supersedes the life of an unborn child. · When our love for country or politics leads us to replace or confuse our kingdom identity with our national identity · When our love for our second amendment rights becomes equal or greater than the second greatest commandment to love our neighbor as yourself · When we use Christian jargon to legitimize unjust and oppressive practices of the poor, marginalized, immigrant, or refugee. · When our business practices or our desire to accumulate wealth leads us to use people or take advantage of others for our own personal profit The spirit of antichrist wants to normalize evil in our lives and in our culture until we are either numb or blinded from the truth.

Awaken: Endurance “We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing. Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring. This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering— since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed.” 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10 ESV “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV 1. You can endure knowing God will use your suffering. “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 ESV 2. You can endure knowing God will reveal himself to you in your suffering. “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.”James 5:7-11 ESV 3. You can endure knowing God will receive you in your suffering. “Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job 1:20-22 ESV Job endured his suffering by tearing his clothes, sitting in the dust, even asking God many questions—and Scripture is clear that he did not sin. As you endure trials, bring your cries and cares to the Man of Sorrows who knows and understands, since he endured the most horrible suffering in your place. Lament isn’t wrong. Even Jesus wept, and he will receive you in your tears. 4. You can endure knowing God will end your suffering. “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”James 1:12 ESV “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV

AWAKEN Awakening to the Hour 6.2.24 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. 9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. Matthew 24:36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Matthew 24:42-44 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Paul directs the attention of his readers away from “when” Christ will return to a matter of “how” they should conduct themselves in light of his coming. · Speculation brings ridicule on the gospel and hurts our witness as the church · Speculation breeds a crisis mentality where we are always living in panic and fear · Speculation is a distraction that wastes our time, energy, and resources Three major positions on the return of Christ… Amillennialism Premillennialism Classical Premillennialism (post-tribulation) Dispensational Premillennialism (pre-tribulation) Postmillennialism What does Paul teach us about the coming of Christ? 1) No human knows the time of the Lord’s coming 2) To unbelievers, the Day of the Lord will be a surprise but not to those who in Christ and ready 3) Believers have a deep security in Christ and their future salvation that is greater than whatever they may face in this world 4) For believers, the coming of Christ will mean life in full communion and fellowship with Him 5) In the meantime, we are to live fully alert and disciplined as we build one another up in faith, hope, and love Matthew 25:1-13 At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4 The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ 7 “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ 9 “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. 11 “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ 12 “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ 13 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. To live without preparation (without oil) is to live in a way in the present where you do not care or think about the future.

Awakening to Hope 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 May 26th 1 Corinthians 15:1-3 1Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 1 Peter 1:3-7 The Hope of Eternal Life 3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, 4and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. 5And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 6So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 8You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls. Our hope: · You have been born again · You get to live with great expectation · You have a priceless inheritance · There is wonderful joy ahead · The trails you face show your faith is genuine · Strong faith through many trails will bring much praise, glory, & honor on the day Jesus is revealed to the world How do we encourage one another? · God’s protection is over your life through your faith · God himself will come down from heaven · Your trials here on earth will bring much praise, glory, & honor · You will be with the Lord forever John 14:1-3 1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God ; believe also in me. 2My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going.” Our task is to live as resurrection people 1 Peter 1:13 So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. The promise of the bible is that we get Jesus and he will be more than enough, no matter what we’re going through. Philippians 4:8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 1 Corinthians 15:58 So, my dear brothers, and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. Paul’s charge: Encourage One Another

PENTECOST 5.19.24 Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” How many of us are attempting to do in our own ability what is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit? It’s not that the Spirit of God is not moving, it’s that we aren’t positioning ourselves to receive. Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Results of Pentecost: 1. Pentecost launched the church; a new family of believers committed to Christ and one another. Acts 2:42-47 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. 2. Pentecost shattered the boundaries and barriers that kept people from experiencing His presence. 3. Pentecost is not a one-time event but is continuously poured out on those who desire more of Him. Acts 4:31 After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. 4. Pentecost transforms ordinary disciples into powerful witnesses of the gospel. · The Spirit of God transcends human abilities and transforms human inabilities.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. 9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. 1 Thess 4:1-2 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. Our obedience to Jesus is an expression of our love to him not a forced obligation to a set of rules. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body[a] in a way that is holy and honorable,5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.[b] The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit. God’s saving grace, revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and received by us through faith, is the source from which all holiness flows. BEHOLDING Isaiah 6:1-5 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” 4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. 5 “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” BELIEVING It is only through true belief in who God is that we can fully surrender to His lordship over our lives. BECOMING 2 Corinthians 3:18 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

AWAKEN Awakening to Love 4.28.24 For Paul, a primary indicator of the church being awake was their love for one another. 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. In order to overflow with love for others we must be increasing in the love of God. Our inner life always shapes our outer attitudes and actions. JOY - Be joyful always. PRAYER - Pray continually. It is not possible for us to spend all our time with the words of prayer on our lips, but it is possible for us to be all our days in the spirit of prayer, realizing our dependence on God for all we have and are, being conscious of his presence with us wherever we may be, and yielding ourselves continually to him to do his will. Such an inward state will of course find expression from time to time in verbal prayer – Leon Morris GRATITUDE - Give thanks in all circumstances.

AWAKEN Awakening to Authentic Ministry 4.21.24 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. Paul reminds us that the essence of healthy Christian leadership is not about power or position or influence, but relationships. When Narcissism Comes to Church by Chuck Degroat The church can wound and the church can heal. So, how do we bring about this reform needed in the church today? 1. We fight against the temptation to sit on the sideline and become a critic 2. We choose to embody healthy, genuine leadership with pure motives 3. We choose not to feed into the narcissistic culture of church and leadership 4. We embody an Ephesians 4 vision of the church with shared gifts and leadership 5. We continually center our lives on Jesus, the Word of God, and a commitment to discipleship and spiritual formation. Henri Nouwen The long painful history of the Church is the history of people ever and again tempted to choose power over love, control over the cross, being a leader over being led. Those who resisted this temptation to the end and thereby give us hope are the true saints. One thing is clear to me: the temptation of power is greatest when intimacy is a threat. Much Christian leadership is exercised by people who do not know how to develop healthy, intimate relationships and have opted for power and control instead. Many Christian empire-builders have been people unable to give and receive love.

Awakened to the Gospel 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 April 14, 2024 Acts 17:1-3 1When Paul and his companions had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2As was his custom, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3explaining and proving that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Messiah.” Whenever the gospel is preached 1. Some people will get angry 2. Some people will elevate that anger to the level of persecution 3. Some people will embrace the message and give their lives to Jesus Acts 17:5-9 5But other Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason’s house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other believers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar’s decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go. The Gospel Cycle: · Good News Brought to You · We modeled it · Good News Received By You · You Modeled It · Good News Went Out From You Genuine conversion changes our direction Genuine conversion changes our affection Bonhoeffer – Discipleship God honors some with great suffering and grants them the grace of martyrdom, while others are not tempted beyond their strength. But in every case it is one cross. It is laid on every Christian. The first Christ-suffering that everyone has to experience is the call which summons us away from our attachments to this world. It is the death of the old self in the encounter with Jesus Christ. Those who enter into discipleship enter into Jesus’ death. They turn their living into dying… Whenever Christ calls us, his call leads us to death. · Transforms idols (Repentance) · Turn to God (Faith) · Turn our lives over to God (Service) Genuine conversion changes our reflection Is the Good News ringing out from my life? Have I turned from my idols? Am I speaking about and looking forward to Jesus’s return?