My current sermon series “7 Life-Changing Questions of Jesus” is coming to end, so I thought I would share some of the points/lessons/applications that have come to the surface so far…
- Our belief in Jesus’ ability is directly connected to our belief in his identity.
- When Jesus heals (the blind, for example), it is a signpost pointing us to the ultimate healing that will be done when he returns.
- Jesus’ miracles and teachings always call our attention to the bigger picture reality of God’s redemptive plan.
- The journey of discipleship will include sailing through storms.
- The way to overcome fear is to trust in something or someone that is greater than our fear.
- The reason “What do you think about the Christ?” (Matthew 22:41-46) is a life-changing question is because: (1) you cannot fully understand God without Jesus; (2) you cannot fully understand the will of God without Jesus; (3) you cannot fully understand God’s Word without Jesus; (4) you cannot fully understand God’s redemptive plan without Jesus; and (5) you cannot fully understand yourself without Jesus.
- The Christ-follower is one who decides each day and each moment that Jesus Christ is the Lord of each day and each moment.
- When our walk with Christ becomes an accounting problem where we try to get more good deeds on the ledger than bad deeds, our faith falls apart the instant we realize that we can never be good enough to earn our salvation.
- Following Jesus requires us to make the kind of sacrifices we would only make if we truly love someone.
- Instead of being driven by a desire to be loved, Jesus wants us to live from the knowledge that we are loved.
- The Word of the Lord is designed to help us walk in righteousness, and when we’re walking in righteousness we are equipped for God’s Kingdom-work; we become conduits of God’s grace and mercy; and we are intimately connected to the purpose for which we were created.
- If we lose our “why” we will lose our way.
- Jesus is the confirmation that God keeps the promises he has made to his people, that God is with his people, that God delivers, that God saves.
- Jesus is the sign of God’s Kingdom breaking into the world.
- Jesus makes it possible for us to live under a new King by new values with a new identity that gives us a new purpose and steers us in a new direction.
- What we desire most says everything about us.
- Discipleship is learning to want what Jesus wants.
rusty tugman 