New Work Fellowship Podcast

Built Up to Stand Out (9/27/20)

1st Peter

Built Up to Stand Out

1 Peter 2:1-12

God is BUILDING you into a spiritual temple …
chosen, royal, holy nation … to SHOW others the goodness of God.
Built Up to Stand Out Requires…

1. Something to Take Off

See v1 and 11

 2. Something to Take In

See v2-3

 Psalm 1 (NASB)

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers.

(See Acts 10 and Revelation 5:8)

3. Somehow to Grow Up

See v5 and v9

• Chosen people (Is 44:1-2)

• Royal priests. (Exodus 19:6)

• A Holy nation (Exodus 19:6)

• God’s Own possession (Exodus 19:5, Is 43:21, Mal 3:17, DT 14:2)

 4. Then you are ready to Show Off

See v12

 

Want to Talk about Faith? Text: “NWFconnect” to 940-90.

Prepare Your Minds for Action (9/20/20)

1st Peter

Prepare Your Minds for Action

1 Peter 1:13-25

 

How do we prepare our minds for action?

- “Be holy in everything you do.” (vs. 15)

 

You can move every aspect of your life under the holiness of God:

1) Practice self-control. (vs. 13a)

a. Be intentional about life. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)

2) Put your hope in Christ. (vs. 13b)

a. Hope – The anticipation of something desired actually happening.

b. Fear – The anticipation of something undesired actually happening.

3) Live as obedient children. (vs. 14)

a. Love God with all of your heart, soul, strength, and mind. (Luke 10:27)

b. Love each other deeply. (vs. 22)

 

Final Thought: Prepare your mind for action because God wants to do something in and through you to glorify Jesus and reach a lost and dying world.

Your Priceless Inheritance (9/13/20)

1st Peter

Your Priceless Inheritance

1 Peter 1:1-12

How do you navigate Uncertainty?

1. Remember … Where You Are

v1, “I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.”

2. Remember … Whose You Are

v1, “I am writing to God’s chosen people who are living as foreigners … God the Father knew you and chose you long ago, and his Spirit has made you holy. As a result, you have obeyed him and have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ.”

CHOSEN—

CRAFTED—

CLEANSED—

3. Remember … How To Live, Now

v3, “All 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…”

(see also v10-12)

4. Remember … Where You’re Going

v4, “and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” (see 2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

5. Remember … Your Confidence

v6-7, “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These 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.”

2 Timothy 1:12, “That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.” v6 “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while…”

Want to talk about faith? Text “NWFsaved” to 940-90

Final thought: “Hang in there. Trust God.”

The Work: Empowered to Make a Difference (9/6/20)

Church All Out

The Work: Empowered to Make a Difference

2 Corinthians 5:11-21

 

A “Church All Out” is empowered by the Holy Spirit to make a difference in the world because:

 

1) Our identity is found in Christ. (vs. 11-15)

a. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God -- .” (Ephesians 2:8 - NIV)

Grace – “I am a recipient of God’s grace and I can show that grace to others.”

Faith – “I know Christ and will remain steady in him.”

 

2) We see others in the light of Christ. (vs. 16-19)

a. Created in the image of God.

b. Called into relationship with Christ.

c. Indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

d. Empowered to be a minister of reconciliation in a lost and dying world.

 

3) We live out our salvation as ambassadors of Christ. (vs. 20-21)

a. In Christ, there is a call to action! Shift from a performance-based life to a Gospel-centered life.

 

Final Thought: The Church All Out is a church makes a difference in the world for the purpose of bringing glory to God.   

The Gift: Prepared for Ministry (8/30/20)

Church All Out­­­

The Gift: Prepared for Ministry

Romans 12:1-8

Why is this important?

1) Because it’s all about Jesus. (Romans 1:1-4)

 

2) Because it’s the practical application of  salvation in the life of the believer.

 

3) Because this is how God chose to build the church to reach the world.

 

 How is a “Church All Out” Gifted and Prepared for Ministry?

1)   A Church All Out begins with believers who are all in. (Romans 12:1-2)

a. Be a living and holy sacrifice.

b. Let God transform you.

 

2) A Church all Out has believers who function well together. (Romans 12:3-5)

a. Measure yourself by the faith God has given us.

b. Each believer has a function in the body of Christ. (Colossians 1:18)

 

3) A Church All Out is full of believers who are gifted for the Gospel. (Romans 12:6-8)

a. In his grace, God has given…

b. The purpose of your spiritual gifts is to make the Gospel known. (Colossians 1:20)

The Call:Living Out the Great Commission (8/23/20)

Church All Out­­­

The Call: Living out the Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20

“…upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom…”
Matthew 19:18-19

The Keys of the Great Co-Mission:

Key #1: We are Church, The Together People

v16 - “Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.”

Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another…”

Matthew 18:20, “For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”

Key #2: We are Church, The Tasked People

v18-19: “Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit…”

His four-fold Co-Mission:

#1—Go! #2—Baptize! Baptism means:

·      Surrender—

·      Submission—

·      Start—

#3—Teach!

#4—Be Sure! 

v20b: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Final Thought: Be sure of this: I am with you always…

I Didn't Know Church Could Be This Way (8/16/20)

Church All Out

I Didn't Know Church Could Be This Way!   

Acts 2 

“…upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.”
Matthew 16:18b

When Jesus Builds His Church …

1. His Church is: Spiritually Alive

• Wind/Fire – symbolizes God
• Acts 2:4 - “And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.”

2. His Church is: Biblically Serious

• Jeremiah 17:9 : “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?”
•  See Acts 2:16-18, 25-28
• Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
•  Acts 2:37: “Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’”

3. His Church is: Community Blessing

• See Acts 2:41-47
• Acts 4:34: “There were no needy people among them…”

Final thought: Be all in, so we can Go all out!

Servant Leadership (8/9/2020)

Flipped: How Jesus Turned the World Upside Down

Servant Leadership    

John 13:12-17 

 

Jesus our example (v.12-14)

• “Do you understand what I have done for you?”
• Jesus’ example was the task of a servant or slave.
• Jesus’ example was to be a servant.
  • Philippians 2:3–8
  • Matthew 20:28 & Mark 10:45

Live by Jesus’ example (v.15-16)

• Jesus showed us how to serve and forgive others even when it hurts.
• Jesus showed us how to humble ourselves and serve even our greatest enemy.
  • Isaiah 55:8
• Jesus want us to wash one another’s feet in love.
  • Example- Temperature of the water

Knowing and doing Jesus’ example (v.17)

• Simply knowing the truth is not enough. We have to live it out.
  • James 1:22-25
• We need to be a servant leader.
• Serving is not deserving.

Final Thought: What will you choose to do today to live by His example?

 

 

Gain Life by Losing it (8/2/20)

Flipped: How Jesus Turned the World Upside Down

Gain Your Life by Losing It

Luke 9:21-27

 

 

What is the life we give up?  What is the life we gain? (Galatians 2:20)

 

A Christ-centered life is:

 

• A relationship with Christ.  (John 14:6)

 

• Resting in the presence of the Lord. (Matthew 6:25-32)

 

• Remaining engaged in the Kingdom purpose of our life. (Matthew 6:33)

 

• Reordering our priorities according to God’s Word. (Ephesians 4:21-32)

 

Final thought: Take up your cross daily by living in the grace of Christ and sharing that grace with others.

 

Strength In Weakness (7/26/20)

Flipped: Jesus turns the World Upside Down

Strength in Weakness

2 Corinthians 12:8-10

 

“My power works best in weakness.”

 

Understanding My Weakness:

 

(1) My Weakness, now, is just my Nature

11:30, “I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.”

v7b, “I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.”

“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”  Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6, 1 Peter 5:5

 

(2) My Weakness, now, is for my Nurture

My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.

Hebrews 11:1, (NASB), “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”

Luke 17:5, “The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.”

 

(3) My Weakness, now, is really for my Future

v9, “so now”

Philippians 1:6, “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

2 Corinthians 5:17, “Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

 

(4) My Weakness, here and now, is for His Glory

v10, “That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer…”

Romans 5:3-5, “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

 

Final thought: When I am afflicted, I am more effective.