1 John 4:8 (NIV) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
John 4:23-24 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
1. True Godly worship understands how to worship God on His terms (The way He desires to be worshiped).
Genesis 4:2-7 2 Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. 3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it."
2. True Godly worship is not based off our personal preferences.
I Samuel 16:7 But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
3. True Godly worship gives the song back to the congregation. “The song of the congregation has been stolen by the song of the stage,” -Bob Sorge
Psalms 35:18 I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among the throngs I will praise you.
4. True Godly worship involves bodily expression. Psalms 150:6 Let everything that hath breath praise (Halal) the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
A. Singing and Shouting to the Lord (Vocal Worship) Psalm 100:1-5 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Paul and Silas sing in prison and are set free. (Acts 16:24-26)
Psalm 96:1-2 Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth. Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.
B. Lifting of Hands
Psalm 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD. Lamentations 3:41 Let us lift up our hearts and hands to God in heaven. I Timothy 2:8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. D. Dancing
E. Clapping
F. Bowing
G. Serving others
5. True Godly worship builds a culture of costly worship.
I Samuel 24: 21-25 21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” “To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.” 22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.c23 Your Majesty, Araunah gives all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.” 24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels of silver for them. 25 David built an altar to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.
The Trinity We believe there is one living and true God, eternally existing in three persons, equal in divine perfection. “The Trinity is not a concept to be solved, but a reality to be experienced."
Matthew 3:16–17 (NIV) 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
Matthew 28:19 (NIV) 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.
One What, Three Whos.
Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV) Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
2 Corinthians 13:14 (NIV) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
The Father “We believe in God, the Father who is the Ruler, Creator of all that is. He is perfectly holy, just, loving, truthful, infinite, and personal. We believe that God not only created the world but also now upholds, sustains, governs, and providentially directs all that exists.”
The Father is the source. Genesis 1:1–2 (NIV) 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 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.
“Elohim tells us WHAT God is, YHWH tells us who God is—our covenant-keeping I AM.”
Romans 11:36 (NIV) For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.
1. The Father is Spirit John 4:24 (NIV) God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” 2. The Father is Light 1 John 1:5 (NIV) God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. Psalms 119:68(NLT) You are good and do only good. 3. The Father is Love 1 John 4:8–9 (NIV) 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
The Son “We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the one and only Son of God, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin, and is God's Anointed One, empowered by the Holy Spirit to inaugurate God's Kingdom on earth. He was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, resurrected, and ascended into heaven, and is now alive today, in the presence of God the Father and in His people. The victorious redemptive work of Christ on the cross provides freedom from the power of the enemy - sin, lies, sickness, and torment.”
Colossians 1:15–20 (NIV) 15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross
John 1:1–14 (NIV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
1. The Son Reveals the Father Hebrews 1:1–3 (NIV) 1 In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.
John 14:9 (NIV) Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
2. The Son Redeems humanity “To take on sin, Jesus had to take on flesh.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
3. The Son Reigns Philippians 2:6–11 (NIV) 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Spirit “We believe in the Holy Spirit who came forth from the Father and the Son. The sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit empowers the Christian to live holy and minister supernaturally. The baptism of the Holy Spirit, according to Acts 1:4-8 and 2:4, is poured out on believers that they might have power to witness.”
John 14:16-17 (NIV) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you 1. The Spirit Convicts: 2. The Spirit Indwells: 3. The Spirit Empowers:
Father - The Source Son - The Expression Spirit - The Presence
Galatians 4:4–7 (NIV) 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
Hebrews 10:23 (NLT) Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.
I. The Bible Is God’s Word “God should decide what we believe about God.”
2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
“The Holy Scriptures”
“God-breathed” “If Scripture is inspired by God, it is Authoritative.”
II. Can we trust the Bible?
Luke 1:1–4 (NIV)1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.
3 Objections: #1. The Bible has been disproven. #2. The Bible was written by men. #3. There are too many versions of the Bible.
The New Testament is the most accurate literary work among 5800 copies of the original manuscript.
99.5% accuracy with only .5% textual variants.
III. The Scriptures form our lives. 2 Timothy 3:16-17(NIV) 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
A. Teaching: Shows us what to believe. B. Rebuking:Calls out lies we believe about God and ourselves C. Correcting: Set us on the right path when we are in error. D. Training in Righteousness: Teaches ethical & spiritual living. E. Thoroughly equipped to do every good work. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV) For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
IV. The Bible Reveals Jesus John 5:39(NIV) You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me.
Old Testament: Promises and prophecies fulfilled in Christ.
Gospels: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Acts: Jesus continued His mission through the Holy Spirit in the Church.
Epistles: Jesus’ work explained and applied.
Revelation: Jesus as the reigning King and coming Lord.
John 1:14 (NIV) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
V. Follow the Way means following the Scriptures James 1:22–25 (NIV) 22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
Close: John 6:63–64 (NIV) 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”
John 6:29 (NIV) “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
Proverbs 18:10(NIV) The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Mark 4:35–41 (NIV) 35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?” 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. 40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” 41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
“Jesus Is Present, Even When He Seems Silent.”
“You can rest through whatever you walk in authority over.”
Mark 4:39(NIV) 3 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
Mark 4:40 (NIV) “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
Jesus has expectations for faith. Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
“Because Jesus loves us, Jesus expects of us.”
“The enemy will fight to get us to trust anything other than God.”
1 John 5:4–5 (NLT) 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Ephesians 6:16 (NIV) Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
“Jesus expected us to handle storms the way he did!”
Mark 4:41(NIV) They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Colossians 1:15-16 (NIV) 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 6 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.
Colossians 1:18 (NIV)..So that in everything he might have the supremacy.
Safe in the Storm: 1. Safe because He is Present
2. Safe because He Shows Us Faith
3. Safe because He Reveals His Nature
Matthew 14:28–33 (NIV) 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Isaiah 43:2–3 (NLT) 2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
Daniel 6:1–5 (NIV) 6 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
“The safest place to be is not outside of opposition, but inside of faithfulness.”
Daniel 6:4 (NIV) They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
“Faithfulness is doing the right thing for a long time."
Proving Faithfulness 1 Corinthians 4:2 (NIV) Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. 1. Trustworthy
2. Neither Corrupt
Proverbs 10:9 (NIV) The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.
3. Nor Negligent
Excellence.
“Excellence is your best in progress.” "Doing the right things, right." Colossians 3:23–24 (NIV) 23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Daniel 6:5 (NIV) “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”
Daniel 6:10-11 (NIV) 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.
Daniel 6:16 (NIV) Tthey brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
Daniel 6:19–23 (NIV) 19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21 Daniel answered, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.” 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
When the lions show up 1 Peter 5:8–10 (NIV) 8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
1. Expect them: Be sober-minded and alert 2. Resist James 4:7 (NIV) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. “Faitfulness to God requires resistance to the enemy.”
3. Stand firm in the faith
4. Remember you are not alone.
5. Even if it seems like it's over, it's not over.
Safe in a world gone mad. 1. The Promise Declared Genesis 3:15(NIV) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.
Hope: God's promises are stronger than Satan's schemes.
2. A Problem Revealed Genesis 6:1–6 (NIV) 6 When men began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, 2 the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. 3 Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with man forever, for he is mortal; his days will be a hundred and twenty years." 4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. 5 The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.
A. The sons of God B. The Nephilim Genesis 6:11–13 (NIV) 11 Now the earth was corrupt in God's sight and was full of violence. 12 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. C. The Agenda The agenda was to corrupt humanity and stop the Messiah—the promised seed—from ever being born.
God's Solution: Wrath and Mercy. Genesis 6:7–8 (NIV) 7 So the Lord said, "I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them." 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.
"Noah shows us that even when the world goes mad, God still preserves a favorable remnant."
Genesis 6:18 (NIV) I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons' wives with you.
The Ark was big enough to carry the world's future, sturdy enough to endure the storm, and secure enough to preserve God's promise.
Genesis 8:1(NIV) But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.
3. The Promise Renewed This is what the entire narrative is about: A renewed covenant from God. Genesis 9:1 (NIV) Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth.
Genesis 9:1–13 (NIV) 11 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth." 12 And God said this is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every God's creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.
Rainbow: The Archer's Bow "Instead of pointing down towards humanity, the archer's bow is pointed up toward Christ."
We are safe in a mad world Ephesians 2:4-7 (NIV) 4 Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were" dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.
1. God keeps his promises.
2. We have favor in Christ.
3. His Church will prevail Matthew 16:18(NIV) And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
Close: John 10:9(NIV)I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.
