Message Title: Business as Usual (Acts of Service Which Grow Out of Acts of Worship)
Series Title: Words of Life
Message Text: St. John 6:43-56 & 60-67 (Sunday, July 13, 2014)
Four things I was taught as a new believer:
- God is real
- God is concerned with my life and affairs. God is rooting out of me & rooting for me.
- Any intimate interaction with God brought about lasting transformation
- Christianity would likely take my life (As a kid, I expected to die via martyrdom)
✺ I believe that the early church learned similar things about faith in Christ. We need to get back to the true business of Christ’s Church: Transformation
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➣What was the “usual” business of the Church? Bringing healing, help and hope to destitute individuals, societies and systems as a demonstration of God’s power & love which grows out of worship & unity which = Communion with God.
*Message: God infiltrated the world for a distinctly strategic purpose
→God became human, poor, despised, hunted, belittled, accused, denied
*Journey: God infiltrated this world in order to find those who would dissent from the dark status quo of society and reveal the modus operandi of God.
→The work of God is always done in part, in community
*Landing: The dissenters assent when they are not intimately connected to the heart and mind of God.
→We’ve got to wake up and pay attention. This life isn’t the reward. This is work.
*Knowing: Heaven is riding on you. Better stated, Heaven is excited about the prospect of the Kingdom...or authoritative rule of God...through you.
→The salvation we have received is an invitation to suit up and join the action
→Business as usual for the people of God was fully displaying the Grace of God
Response: Determine what true communion with God will cost you & pay it. Jesus is knocking...(Jesus Christ has sent you a friend request)...and seeking communion.