Easter Sunday - Living as Called
Notes
Transcript
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday
Good morning.
today we celebrate that HE IS RISEN
be encouraged
YOU KNOW THE GOSPEL, so this morning is about LIVING as CALLED because of the GOOD NEWS
God comes to earth in the form of Himself —- Jesus Christ
Lives as Us
Displays that He knows us
Comes to teach, Comes to SAVE us
Romans 5:8 “ but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Jesus conquered death
Jesus rises from Death
Returns to show us the TRUTH
and TODAY sits at the RIGHT HAND OF GOD THE FATHER.
Living and Reigning today
He is ALIVE
HE IS IN CHARGE
HE IS OUR LIVING SAVIOR
and we celebrate this TODAY.
So you should be asking YOURSELF
is it just about coming to church on EASTER to SHOW your LOVE FOR HIM
or is it to learn more about LIVING LIFE FOR HIM
take a moment
Lets PRAY
GOD —- let us think about LIVING AS YOU CALLED US
Living the Life ASSIGNED to Us
Living the Life ASSIGNED to Us
What a tough command.
What happens if you DESIRE TO BE MORE THAN WHAT GOD PLANNED?
Friends
SCRIPTURE
11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.
To be CONTENT —- most certainly opposed to the message of the world
achieve more — be more — have more
Jesus DIED to give us LIFE
JESUS hung on that CROSS, to give us Freedom
Jesus demonstrated the LIFE OF SERVICE —- SERVICE TO THE POINT OF DEATH ON THAT CROSS
Contentment is POSSIBLE
There are storage facilities all over the US… so we can store the stuff we cannot fit in our home
we are To be content
so many of us WANT
We want so bad that we MISS our LIFE in CHRIST
We tell lies to our self and others.
Some day we will ...… fill in your blank
Easter teaches us that the only is one answer to that blank
Some day we will be with JESUS in HEAVEN
our only mission is to achieve a WELL DONE FAITHFUL SERVANT
our message today is about LIVING FOR JESUS —- BECAUSE OF EASTER — not for EASTER
We live because HE DIED FOR US.
READ WITH ME
17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.
18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.
19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.
20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.
21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)
22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.
23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
instead of striving for the LIFE THAT WE WANT
—- and some times the LIFE WE think we deserve
We should be living the LIFE ASSIGNED TO Us.
The LIFE to WHICH GOD HAS CALLED.
is a church of thousands better than a church of ten
it is numbers it is Wisdom
it is learning to LIVE AS WE ARE CALLED
Discontent —- the opposite of content —- is the fertile ground for pride
Gosh how sad it is to know men that SEEK THINGS that GOD has not prepared for THEM
and the truth it may
simply be they don’t wanna wait on GOD’s Time
Like the girl in WILLY WONKA
.… but Father I WANT IT NOW.
and they are miserable and make others around them miserable
God has a beautiful PERFECT Place for you
PERFECT
Yet we miss the LIVING AS CALLED
The sprouts of “ I desire” the seedlings of “I deserve”
become the WEEDS OF THE WORLD
You need to LIVE because of EASTER
Look at vs 21 in your BIBLE
21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)
we want and worry
rather then
live in a state of PEACE and PRAISE.
Do not be concerned about it
Friends — i know people that are grumpy and miserable
because they are not serving the way they want to serve
I saw many a student pastor
one with hundreds of young people looking to him for guidance
and he wanted to be a SENIOR PASTOR
so he missed the joy
and missed the PEACE and PRAISE
Here is a TOUGH TRUTH
whether you teach one or a thousand you are serving HIM
Live as you a CALLED
The world tells us to BE ALL YOU CAN BE
RUN RUN RUN to the NEXT THING
when the TRUTH
is seek to be WHO GOD MADE YOU TO BE
and RUN RUN RUN to HIM
you want to be a LEADER
then be the FIRST FOLLOWER
do you hear it
can you see it.
If JESUS is REAL TO YOU
IF JESUS is truly your LORD
IF Jesus is truly first
then the LEADER should be the first to REACH HIM
the FIRST TO PRAISE HIM
the FIRST TO SERVE
a leader in CHRIST ( fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, I am talking to YOU)
Leaders are the first FOLLOWERS
what can i do to HELP
Not look at my accolades.
Not let me tell you what i achieved
but serve as JESUS
to DIE TO MYSELF
so that you are moved closer to HIM
THIS IS LIVING FOR HIM
I know so many
selfish wanna be’s in life.
i am sad for them
They have a great life full of blessings
full of joy
and they cannot find the contentment
I have a friend who just lost his job
he cannot see the reason
he blames everyone else
he misses the point
LIVE FOR CHRIST —-
10 grand or a million is of no value to GOD
it is all GOD’s
HE IS NOT MEANT TO BE WHAT HE DESIRES TO BE
He is meant to be what God called HIM to be
in the last month
he has lost his church
lost his wife
lost another job
and still speaks in a state of ignorance
pointing at every one but himself
looking at every where but to JESUS
God is pointing and leading HIM in a direction
that leads TO HIS GOD PURPOSE
He was bought at a price
His life belongs to JESUS
It is CHRIST WE PRAISE, not our self
We were bought at a price.
Bought with a price
Bought with a price
23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
and we come to the reason for our celebration today
Jesus paid the price
not so that we can live the life that we want
but to live the life that HE PAID FOR
the life of SERVING HIM
our next few weeks we will have lessons are on CHRISTIAN LIBERTY
FREEDOM in Christ
How we shall give up our PERSONAL FREEDOM
to serve OTHERS
22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.
the BOOK OF EPHESIANS in ch. 6 vs 6
6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,
our EASTER MESSAGE TODAY is LIVING AS CALLED
not pleasing people
not doing what we desire
BUT as a slave of CHRIST
DOING THE WILL OF GOD from the HEART
Blessings are abundant
and God wants you to have good things
But those good things can become IDOLS
our job, our new position.
My friend that lost his job
He believes that getting a better job, will bring more money, and then his life will be more secure
so that after that HE will be able to serve GOD more.
that is NOT TRUE
Why so down hearted, why so discontent
4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
any of you experience this in life.
Let me give you a little Jesus this morning. on Easter Sunday
33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
you do not seek earthly wealth so that you can serve more
that earthly wealth will be your anchor, you binding chain
We are FREE
We have treasure in Heaven when we give up the world to FOLLOW HIM
BECAUSE OF JESUS
We should LIVE as WE are CALLED
Paul tells us this morning through his letter to the Church in Corinth
Live the Life that GOD has CALLED you to
This is a command, not an optional guide line
you do not need to BECOME anything on this earth
you are to BECOME LIKE JESUS
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
Friends obeying Jesus is living TODAY FOR HIM
you cannot be like my friend
Serve where GOD has YOU.
Know that HE bought you for a price
You don’t need to follow the ways of the world for peace, happiness and prosperity
You are HIS
He DIED FOR YOU
and then HE ROSE AGAIN
You want to celebrate EASTER DAILY.
LIVE FOR HIM
LIVE THE LIFE YOU ARE CALLED.
amen
