Read Before Signing

[Slide #1] Sermon Title: Read Before Signing

Thesis: You cannot execute a Covenant that you are not familiar with.

[Slide #2] ☞Truth:

• The nature, attitudes, purposes and intentions of God concerning the universe.

[Slide #3] ☞Revelation:

• What God reveals about God to us & the process by which God does this

[Slide #4] ☞Means of Revelation:

• Scripture
• Insight from scripture
• Voice of Holy Spirit (which never overrides scripture)

[Slide #5] ☞What is revealed:

• God’s name. God’s nature. God’s heart. God’s thoughts about us.

[Slide #6] ☞Why this revelation is pertinent to our lives:

We have certainties in life e.g.

• Comfort in the midst of our pain
• Redemption from our sins, brokenness and distress
• Companionship during perceive loneliness and isolation
• Boldness in life that leaves no room for fear or concern about the future or protection or provision. 

[Slide #7] ☞In essence, God wants you to know what you’re working with and Who you’re rolling with...

→Since the fall, man has not known the mind (intentions, plans or thoughts) of God Almighty.

→God wants what we know about God to told to us by God and not by our feelings or by the lies of the enemy.

→If you are not rooted in God’s word (which comes by reading, studying, hearing and heeding)...You don’t know God.

i.e. Remember when your mother/grandmother would say “Do you hear me?” What was she really asking?

She was asking: “Have I made myself clear?”; “Do you understand my stance on this matter?”; “Do we need to have this discussion again?”; “Do you understand that you have been duly warned and will experience the consequences of behaving accordingly?”

[Slide #8] ☞God’s covenant with us is a unique instrument: It reveals God’s heart to us & it reveals our heart to God

• It was like extending a hand for a greeting...you can tell by the way the other person shakes your hand what think about you/themselves.

• God presented & offered God to us...revealed God to us...bound God with an oath to us...

• This is why God often says “If you will listen to my voice and obey my command, I will.....”

[Slide #9] ☞Why do we make this so hard? It shouldn’t be!

• God’s Covenant reveals God’s love for us & desire to partner and journey with us....being our guide and protection (IHOP/So. Korea/Rob Swain).

• God’s Covenant outlines what will happen if the covenant is broken...to God or to us!

• Human beings are not able to keep the covenant without flaw due to our sinful nature, therefore, God revealed to us another facet of the plan in Jeremiah 31:23-34 (Read it)..

• This promise points to Jesus...(His life and death...in our place!!)

• This deal is really sweet when you know the old system (UW registration, typewriters, pre-power steering, Polaroid cameras, internet dial up, digital photos (film developed))

• What is the significance of this promise which points to Jesus...
• It is understandable that people could not keep 600+ irrefutable laws flawlessly...

• It is understandable that people are sinful and broken and blemished and unworthy

• It is unfathomable that Jesus would fulfill the requirements of the Law (not merely with his death, but with his life)...and give us credit for it. (Ernie Raynor, my silent co-signor when I couldn't get a $6 purse for my wife on credit.)

• All God asks of us is simply: A life that is centered in...

• Worship (response to God’s revelation)
• Unity/Community/Oneness/Shared Legacy
• Service to others who need God and need us
• Inviting others to this feast
• In essence, a life that is centered in Truth

[Slide #10] ☞Jeremiah 31reveals God’s heart...(God knows everything and God knows that humans couldn’t/wouldn’t keep those 600+ laws)

• This new heart comes with a steep price to God. 

• When we deny this HEART TRANSPLANT we reject God and both covenants!!

[Slide #11] Challenge: 

☞God’s expectation, however, was that we’d allow God to “Write the Laws” in our heart, thereby reorienting our minds/hearts to think and act the way God does: Lovingly, selflessly, judiciously, obediently, faithfully and generously. 

☞Read thoroughly before signing

☞Accept

[Slide #12] What God’s people said when He extended to them a New Deal, A Charter and a Handshake...

1. Exodus 24:7
   Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.”
2. Deuteronomy 5:27
   Go near and listen to all that the LORD our God says. Then tell us whatever the LORD our God tells you. We will listen and obey.”
3. Deuteronomy 6:25
   And if we are careful to obey all this law before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, that will be our righteousness.”
4. Deuteronomy 30:12
   It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”
5. Deuteronomy 30:13
   Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?”
6. Joshua 1:17
   Just as we fully obeyed Moses, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you as he was with Moses.
7. Joshua 24:24
   And the people said to Joshua, “We will serve the LORD our God and obey him.”
8. Jeremiah 42:6
   Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God.”
9. John 14:23
   Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.

[Slide #13] What will you say? What’s your response to God’s offer? You can’ obey what you don’t know. Read before signing. Make a commitment today.

*ACCEPT

www.folmadison.org

Big Mistake

Sermon Title: Big Mistake!

Lesson Scripture: Mark 12:24-31

Background Scripture: Dt. 6:4-5

(Covenant outlines the following...)

Designed: By God in His image & likeness. An intentional connection that he’s made.

Defined: Chosen people who aid in God’s reconnection plan by living in Divine connection with the Creator. We belong to God in a loving relationship.

Assigned: We have purpose, hence our calling is a holy thing.

Aligned: We have been given power to pursue that purpose and live it out in our world.

Covenants:

• God bound Himself by His covenant (God made Himself accountable)

• Covenant meant security/guarantee
• Anchor of soul
• Hold upon God as a Covenant-God

• Law was written for people’s encouragement

• OT: What man can do to keep covenant
• NT: What God can do to keep covenant

• Law outlined the history of Israel (i.e. the Ezekiel passage... “When Israel was young...”

• The beginning or reason for Scripture (written records of oral instruction and reflection) began with the Covenant @ Sinai.

• It was the Covenant that was recorded...and this recorded Covenant is the basis for our charter that makes us a new creation.

• Relationship of God with fallen man is not = what the father had with man before the fall.

New Covenant in MY blood*

Thoughts:

• I began writing because of my daughter... I wanted her to know my nature and understand me.

Mark 12:

• Jesus is teaching the disciples just before his death
• His authority is challenged a lot.
• Sadducees had a crazy example
• Jesus explains that not one marries in the heaven

Challenge/Next Steps

• Decide to tackle the bible. Ask God for passion, guidance, discipline,  knowledge and wisdom

• Commit to joining a bible study, begin attending Wednesday night Intentional Discipleship Class

• Assess your cost of NOT knowing the details of your design, definition, assignment, and alignment.