"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
John 8:31-36

The American Revolution was started because a tyrant king wouldn't listen to the colonists' pleas. He refused to meet their needs. Civil rights were fought led by Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. because government was in a sense a tyrant over part of the population's rights to be free. These two examples are tyrannies of Man. 

Jesus fought and won over the Tyranny of Sin.

For this victory to happen in an individual's life he or she must first own up to the fact that Sin reigns in his or her life.  

Jesus said in John 8:34, "everyone who sins is a slave to sin."

So what is freedom in Christ?

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you[a] free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh,[b] God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.[c] And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. 9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life[d] because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of[e] his Spirit who lives in you." Romans 8:1-11

We can't "fix" our weakness, our slavery to sin. But Christ can and will. God says to us, "I didn't create you to be separated from Me."

We put ourselves in chains. Jesus will take off those chains if we want Him to.

"Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—" Colossians 1:21-22

Without Jesus we are all murderers. Without Jesus we all are adulterers and thieves and liars.

If there is anything that is separating you from God right now, or if there is anything getting in the way of yoru relationship, get rid of it. IF there is anything you are doing that is causing others to stumble, stop. Freedom is not anarchy. Love your neighbor as yourself, Jesus told us.

"Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak."
1 Corinthians 8:9

"I will walk about in freedom,
    for I have sought out your precepts." Psalm 119:45

Eleven words that mean so much!

We must never surrender to sin slavery again -- if we do this we are loudly proclaiming that Jesus' sacrifice was a waste of time and isn't worth anything. 

"This matter arose because some false believers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves." Galatians 2:4

Don't follow anyone into sin. Don't follow anyone into legalism (a form of sin). God is a jealous God. 

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

"Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves." 1 Peter 2:16

"Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom," James 2:12

 The world is full of labels -- people labeling themselves and people labeling other people.

How does the world see Christians?
In a 2008 Lifeway survey of nonchurchgoing Americans, this is what they found:
​79% said Christianity is more about organized religion than about God
86% said it is possible to have a good relationship with God without going to church
44% said Christians “get on their nerves”
89%  have close friends who are Christians
79% are open to having an honest conversation with a Christian about  faith if asked. 

Also, they saw that Christians see efficiency as more important than spirituality. And that Christians just want to be entertained.

What are we to see as we look at others? Especially those who don't agree with us; who don't look like us; who aren't Christians?
1. They are Created in God's image.

"So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them." Genesis 1:27

2. God desires all to be saved.

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:1-4

3. God looks at the heart

"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.”" 1 Samuel 16:7

He doesn't see people as we do.

As yourself three questions:
How do I see myself as a Christian?
How do others describe me as a Christian?
How do you think God sees you?

God wants absolutely everybody and He is seeking everyone and talking to everyone on this earth right at this moment!

What a radical concept!

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Jesus the radical! He talked to people society told Him He shouldn't talk to! 

"Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Matthew 9:35-36

He had pity on the crowds! He saw they were like sheep. He saw they needed Him.

Here are the commands from Radical Jesus:

Do not judge!
 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?" Matthew 7:1-3

Repent – yourselves!

"From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17

Let your light shine!

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Love your enemies!

"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?" Matthew 5:44-46

Love God completely!

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 22:37-38

And Love everybody else too!

"And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:39-40

Below are Shannon's notes from today's sermon:

Counter cultural christianity

10,000 different bird species, 20,000 butterflies, fingerprints and dna
Jaded, cynical world that wants division, labels
Labels are easy, give broad definitions.  Easy to dismiss or reject.
“results are not typical”
Jesus was not categorized or labeled. Not “typical”
Palm Sunday Expectations
John 12: 12-19
12 The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna![d]”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”[e]
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
15 “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
    see, your king is coming,
    seated on a donkey’s colt.”[f]
16 At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
17 Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
But Jesus was not typical: 
King – pauper
Savior by death – not battlefield
Resurrected – not revered
Conqueror of death!
Jesus was Counter Cultural
Jesus and the Roman Centurion Matthew 8:5-12
5 When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. 6 “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed, suffering terribly.”
7 Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”
8 The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
10 When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith. 11 I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus and the Canaanite woman  Matthew 15: 21-28
21 Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.”
23 Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
24 He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.”
25 The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said.
26 He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.”
27 “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.”
28 Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.
Jesus and Zacchaeus Luke 19:1-7
 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
Jesus was an individual, unlike any other. And he recognized that in us as well. 
The world’s labels are not important. What is important is a personal, one on one relationship with Jesus.

God calls us individually.
1 Cor 12 :12-14
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[c] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
John 6:44
 44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.
John 10:3
3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
God knows us individually
Jeremiah 17:10
“I the LORD search the heart
    and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”
John 2:25
25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.
Psalm 139:1-5
1 You have searched me, LORD,
    and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
    you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
    you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
    you, LORD, know it completely.
5 You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
God loves us individually
Matthew 10:29-31
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.[a] 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Romans 8: 38-39
38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God gave his son for us individually
John 10:28-29

28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.
John 17:13-19
13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by[d] the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

God loves us as individuals, wants us as individuals, and claims us as his own. There are no “typical” Christians. God created variety for a reason. Understanding that we have a God who knows us and loves us anyway, through acceptance of Jesus the Holy Spirit indwells us individually, God listens to your individual prayers, and cares for our hearts. 
The absolute truth that allows us to be confident is this: 

John 14:16
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Hebrews 13:8
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

As a follower of Christ I believe:
That God created everything, and he is still involved in his creation
That God loves me so much that he sent his son just for me to conquer the death that I deserve, to give me life everlasting that he wants for me.
That through Jesus, I can be reunited with God.
That by following all the commands of Jesus, I can fulfill the purpose that God has for me in this life. 
That my God is with me always.

Be an individual. Be yourself. The individual and the self that God created you to be. 

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7

We have a tendency to panic and fear. This doesn't need to be how we react. God gives us a better way.

Why should we fear God?

3 kinds of Biblical fear:
Terror: fear of the power of God
Respect: as a servant servicing a master.
Reverence: Understanding who He is and who we are.

Reverence is a deep, deep respect. Knowing who God is, who we are -- what God is capable of.

The benefits of fearing God (as in the reverence kind):
1. Hate Evil.
"To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
    I hate pride and arrogance,
    evil behavior and perverse speech." Proverbs 8:13

The world has a problem of saying something is evil -- like sin. We need to look at the world through God's view. We get understanding when we look with God's perspective.

2. Live a "Long" Life (abundant, full life)
"The fear of the Lord adds length to life,
    but the years of the wicked are cut short." Proverbs 10:27

When God disciplines us He is loving us.
 "Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all." Hebrews 12:7-8

"Because He said so" is somehting we should accept from God.

Healthy vs. unhealthy fear:

Healthy fear: "Good judgment wins favor,
    but the way of the unfaithful leads to their destruction." Proverbs 13:15

Unhealthy fear: "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”" Genesis 3:8-10

Unhealthy fear can be based in shame or blame or condemnation.

We continue to hide in sin. You can't hide anything from God. 

Godly sorrow vs Worldly Sorrow:

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10

Choose Him or don't choose Him. Admitting sin is uncomfortable. We have a choice on what or who we fear. We can fear God or fear people. If I hide the good news from other people, if I don't share the "Cure" to fallenness, I am a coward, a selfish coward (those are Jane's words speaking to herself). 

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven." Matthew 10:32-33

Those verses should scare us!
When we fear God we don't need to fear anything or anyone else. If we fear the world more than we fear God we distance ourselves from Jesus.

Jesus came to bring us home.

 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters." Matthew 12:30

Am I gathering or scattering?

It's not multiple choice. It's true or false. Is there something stopping us from living for God?

The fear of God leads to a life of fearlessness! Halleluia!!

"The fear of the Lord leads to life;
    then one rests content, untouched by trouble." Proverbs 19:23

If we find contentment in God everything will be provided. We serve a living God who is here right now.

"For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
    so great is his love for those who fear him;
 as far as the east is from the west,
    so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
 As a father has compassion on his children,
    so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;" Psalm 103:11-13

"For those who fear Him" has to be part of the equation. It's okay to "rock the boat." It's okay to "stand alone." If you fear God, He'll take care of everything. We need not to have any fear of Satan or the future:

"We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them." 1 John 5:18

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:38-39

God is a jealous God. He won't let anyone take you from HIm.

#1. Everything we do is seen by God.
#2. If I repent God will take care of me.
#3 We have to choose to fear God and not people. God or people. That's it.

Who do you choose to fear?

"But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

(This sermon and sermon notes are from Sunday, October 6th. I wasn't able to post it until today, Saturday, October 12th. I'll post tomorrow's sermon tomorrow. The following sermon was a really good sermon. I hope you get a chance to listen to it.)

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake." Psalm 23:1-3

God is constantly trying to restore us. Always. He's the God of restoration.

The whole world awaits restoration.

"For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that[a] the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time." Romans 8:19-22

Why do we need restoring?

1. Willful neglect. It will fall apart. Our souls get the same way. If we don't do the regular maintenance our souls need they will fall apart. Do we expose it to the world?
        Temptation -- the devil and his demons constantly looking to tear us down. Can steal our fruit and testimony.

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6

Sheep are the most frustrating animals. They will stray. They fight their own best interests.We humans do the same thing. We will do things we know will damage us. God knows this. He knows sin would pull us from Him. David kept coming back to God (that is what we need to do). He accepted his sin and repented and came back to God. Surrender to temptation is a choice. 

2. Restoration from Complacency.  Complacent until loss occurs (physical, emotional or spiritual).  Shock of loss will do great damage to us if we aren't close to God.

"Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." John 16:20

The world will go on partying even when you have great loss. The difference is coping or hoping.

No one can restore something better than the original creator. Going back to the Creator for our restoration makes sense. There is no restoration without God.

The world tells us to cope. God tells us to hope. 

Everyday we are one day closer to death.  

Don't hold onto decay.

"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?" Mark 8:36

You can't buy salvation. God didn't heal Jesus on the cross. He resurrected Him. 

You can't fake the work.

3. Restoration from ourselves.

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing." Psalm 23:1

We take God's beauty and destroy it. We are taking blessings from God and distort them. A constant walking away from God when we insist, "Me, me, me!"

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!"
2 Corinthians 5:17

Restoration is a process. We will always need His grace.

Be a mirror for God's joy. The world neeeds to see God's joy. Pleasure fades. It never lasts. Without God we have no security in the future. We were created for unification with God.

Joy comes from God. If we don't share our joy why would the world want what we have?

Every single promise from the world has a bill in the end.

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." Psalm 51:12

We are all bound in some ways, but we don't need to be.

"Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble,
    and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness,
    and broke away their chains.
15 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind,
16 for he breaks down gates of bronze
    and cuts through bars of iron." Psalm 107:13-16

We all are meant to be free!

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." 1 John 3:1

This love is a strange, foreign love to anyone who doesn't know Jesus. We have no way to comprehend it without the Spirit.

5 Steps to Breaking the Chains:

1. Remember who you are. You don't have to give in.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm,then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

2. Rely on God's strength, not your own.

"I can do all this through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

3. Fight the lies. Focus on the Truth. Don't deceive yourself. Don't justify sin.

"Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

4. Be willing to be set free.

Jesus asked the man at the pool of Bethsaida: "Are you willing to be healed?"

Do you want to lose your chains?

5. Leave the chains at the altar. Don't pick them up again.

"For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin." Romans 6:6-7

If we grab that sin willingly that is disobedience. Don't let sin become your normal. The norms of the world aren't the norms of God's way of life.

God handles it for me. Walk away from the chains.

If you have a habit that is sin, you need to lose it.

God wants us to be free.

Take your chains to God.
Pray often.
Pray specifically.
Pray for others.

You don't have to do anything alone.  Bring sin to the light. Then, it will lose its power.

"So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.
6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists." Acts 12:5-7

God is the same always! What He did for Peter He can do for you, for me. 

God wants us to come to Him, pray and believe.

"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them,because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

There is no problem, no chain that God can't overcome for you.

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;" 2 Timothy 4:7

This (the above verse) is where we want to be in the end.

How do we get there?

Isaiah said Yes.

"In the year of King Uzziah’s death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. 2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one called out to another and said,
“Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts,
The [a]whole earth is full of His glory.”
4 And the [b]foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the [c]temple was filling with smoke." Isaiah 6:1-4

God's faithful servant has encounter with God. Seeing Jesus for who He is.

Have you experienced Jesus as God?

How rare do we see Jesus on the throne?

We try to fit God into our image. And then we hold God accountable to what we want rather than holding ourselves accountable to God.

Uzziah was a faithful king for 52 years.

He dies. The people are probably panicking. They lost a great king. What's going to happen?

Our Savior is active in the world today.

Seraphim....seraph means fire.

"Who say to the seers, “You must not see visions”;
And to the prophets, “You must not prophesy to us what is right,
Speak to us [a]pleasant words,
Prophesy illusions." Isaiah 30:10

"Then I said,
'Woe is me, for I am ruined!
Because I am a man of unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.'"Isaiah 6:5

"Woe is me" is a conviction we all need to have.

"Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. 7 He touched my mouth with it and said, 'Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is [a]forgiven.'" Isaiah 6:6-7

Isaiah experiences God's grace.

Jesus -- where forgiveness is found for us.

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'" Isaiah 6:8

When we are forgiven God will ask. He asks us to volunteer.

Experience God, Recognize Him and you; Confess, Forgiveness.

Jesus wants willing servants not forced slaves.

"Here I am. I'm yours."

Mary said this:

 And Mary said, “Behold, the [a]bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38

Paul said this:

"And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, 6 but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” 7 The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the [a]voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he [b]could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank." Acts 9:5-9

They didn't ask for specifics of the mission. They just accepted it.

They aren't mindlessly following.

The servant doesn't choose his/her work.

"He said, 'Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on listening, but do not perceive;
Keep on looking, but do not understand.’
10 “Render the hearts of this people [a]insensitive,
Their ears [b]dull,
And their eyes [c]dim,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.'" Isaiah 6:9-10

It's not about us. It's about Him.

Not fairy tale endings on this earth. That's not why we're serving. We don't serve Him to get stuff from Him. We serve Him because He is God and we love Him.

The more we serve God the worse we will look to the world.

You're a servant of God's for life. There is no retirement until we get to heaven.

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. 15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?" 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

“Yet there will be a tenth portion in it,
And it will again be subject to burning,
Like a terebinth or an oak
Whose stump remains when it is felled.
The holy seed is its stump.” Isaiah 6:13

Keep going.

What about you?

God is still on the throne.
Are you reading to see Him for Who He is?
Are you ready to serve Him whatever He asks?
Can you say, "Here I am. Send me"?

He gave all so all could be His (if they choose).
Will I give Him my all?
Are you ready to serve Him?

46% of children with live both married parents
34% live with one unmarried parent
Children of Broken Homes:
70% become juvenile deliquents
57% become prison inmates
63% Teen suicides
75% drug users

(Pew Research Center)

48 But [a]Jesus answered the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Matthew 12:48-50

Who is our family?

Jesus loved his biological family. He even took care of his mother when he was hanging on the cross. But then scripture above is when he stated that his family is Believers.

There are expectations we should meet in the Family of God.

1. God given talents are to be put to use.

5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.' 1 Corinthians 12:5-6

2. There should be growth.

"but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen." 2 Peter 3:18

3. There should be maturity.

"When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I [a]became a man, I did away with childish things." 1 Corinthians 13:11

4. There should be forgiveness.

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus *said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven." Matthew 18:21-22

"For if you forgive [a]others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive [b]others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions." Matthew 6:14-15

Our lack of forgiveness will hurt us. You need to let it go.

5. There should be encouragement.

Build each other up.

"Therefore [a]encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing."
1 Thessalonians 5:11

Encourage through spoken word.

"Let no [a]unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification [b]according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."
Ephesians 4:29

Togetherness

"and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near." Hebrews 10:24-25

6. There should be discipline when necessary.

Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent." Revelation 3:19

Discipline with a reason.

 "For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. 11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." Hebrews 12:10-11

Discipline with love.

"My son, do not reject the [a]discipline of the Lord
Or loathe His reproof,
12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves,
Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights." Proverbs 3:11-12

7. It should be a support group.

Share joy and pain.

26 "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if onemember is [a]honored, all the members rejoice with it." 1 Corinthians 12:26

Get together.

"not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."
​
You should feel the loss of the family of God if you don't have one.

Fellowship.

7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." 1 John 1:7

8. It should be a place of love.

Love is the fulfillment of the law.

Identified as members by visible love.

 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35

Devoted.

"Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; [a]give preference to one another in honor; 11 not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; 12 rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, 13 contributing to the needs of the [b]saints, [c]practicing hospitality." Romans 12:10-13