"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

What we've learned so far from James 1-3:
​• Turn your trials into triumphs
• Defeat sin and temptation
• Be doer and not simply a hearer of the word
• Reign in your tongues
• Looks after the widow, the orphan and the less fortunate
• Updates your favorites list (and welcoming all no matter who they are, where they’ve been, what they look like or struggle with) to come and sit with us at the feet of Jesus

And here we go again in James 4 -- James doesn't pull any punches. He is talking to Believers and he is brutally honest:

​"What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures." James 4:1-3

Don't watch the news all the time. Find out what is going on and then don't watch at all the rest of the day. Only turning to God is going to heal this country. If we can't overcome all this with love we are not doing things God's way. We live in a two-minded society. God's way or the world's way. 

"You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." James 4:4

"You adulteress wife, who takes strangers instead of her husband!" Ezekiel 16:32

"For he who is not against us is for us." Mark 9:40

We are with God or against God.

"Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: “[e]He [f]jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us”?" James 4:5

God is jealous over his relationship with us. He loves us. He wants the best for us. When we choose to live apart from Him or do things the world's way we are putting a wedge between us and Him and we are choosing something that will harm us. He is jealous in that He wants to keep us from harm and wants to be in relationship with us. We can't have the world and have Jesus. One or the other.

"He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

When we attack each other (as our whole country seems to be doing) we do it in pride. We can't hear or see the other person as a person. We just want to be right.

James 4:6 is the gospel in a minature.

"The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more." Romans 5:20

"Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7

"And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me" Luke 9:23

We do this every day. No time off. It is a way of life. Deny self. Turn to Jesus and follow Him. God is right with us. Nothing or no one can overcome us with God on our side.  Choose to live for God intentionally. 

"Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:8

Clean up your act Believer. You know better (is what he is saying). And we do....

Biblical Handwashing
Sanitation:
Leviticus 15:11
11 Likewise, whomever the one with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water shall wash his clothes and bathe in water and be unclean until evening.
Leviticus 15:13
13 ‘Now when the man with the discharge becomes cleansed from his discharge, then he shall count off for himself seven days for his cleansing; he shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in [a]running water and will become clean

Separation:​​
Matthew 27:24
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves.”
Psalm 26:5-6
5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,
And I will not sit with the wicked.
6 I shall wash my hands in innocence,
And I will go about Your altar, O Lord

Sanctification:
​​Exodus 30:18-20
18 “You shall also make a laver of [a]bronze, with its base of bronze, for washing; and you shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it. 19 Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet from it; 20 when they enter the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, so that they will not die; or when they approach the altar to minister, by offering up in smoke a fire sacrifice to the Lord.

Psalm 24:3-4
3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?
And who may stand in His holy place?
4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart,
Who has not lifted up his soul [a]to falsehood
And has not sworn deceitfully.

"Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you." James 4:9-10

"Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?" James 4:11-12

“Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and [a]by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Matthew 7:1-3

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 [g]Yet you do not know [h]what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 [i]Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” 16 But as it is, you boast in your [j]arrogance; all such boasting is evil. 17 Therefore, to one who knows the [k]right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." James 4:13-17

Application:
1. Be honest with yourself
2. Be honest with God
3. Pray for our country.
4. Pray especially for those people you disagree with.

Following are Shannon's notes. Some of them only make sense if you actually listen to the sermon. See below:

Let put Jesus first again.
Headlines: Trump’s devious coronavirus election strategy
Michigan protest bellwether of dangerous partisan divide
Covid Anger splits US
Texas officer killed, two injured in ambush
Federal judges side w/ Planned PH, deem elective abortions essential.
Opinion + Dear Abby
Our country is divided-broken-fearful-lost
What the world needs is Jesus!
Jesus is coming soon, we have a stewardship responsibility for what we have been given.
Romans 14:11-12
 For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat. 11 It is written:
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow before me;
    every tongue will acknowledge God.’”[b]
12 So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
 
 
 
 
We have been called to take up our cross and follow
Luke 14: 25-27
25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
Right now what the world needs is REVIVAL not SURVIVAL
 
Two biblical accounts of revival:
Nehemiah – rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem
Nehemiah 7: 4-5
Now the city was large and spacious, but there were few people in it, and the houses had not yet been rebuilt. 5 So my God put it into my heart to assemble the nobles, the officials and the common people for registration by families.
Nehemiah 8:1-3
1 all the people came together as one in the square before the Water Gate. They told Ezra the teacher of the Law to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had commanded for Israel.
2 So on the first day of the seventh month Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. 3 He read it aloud from daybreak till noon as he faced the square before the Water Gate in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law
 
 
 
Nehemiah 8:6
6 Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.
Jonah
Jonah 3: 1-5
Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you.”
3 Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh. Now Nineveh was a very large city; it took three days to go through it. 4 Jonah began by going a day’s journey into the city, proclaiming, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown.” 5 The Ninevites believed God. A fast was proclaimed, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth.
Revival means a second chance (CPR). We need a second chance in country.
What do we need to do?

1. Repent.

Isaiah 30:15
15 This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
    in quietness and trust is your strength,
    but you would have none of it.
Isaiah 55:7
Let the wicked forsake their ways
    and the unrighteous their thoughts.
Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,
    and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
How did we get to this point? Where did we go wrong?

1. Pray with confidence

Hebrews 4:16
16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Psalm 138:3
When I called, you answered me;
    you greatly emboldened me.
Matthew 7:7
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.
If a microscopic virus can do this to the world, image faith of a mustard seed!
Spurgeon:
“Prayer pulls on the rope below and the great bell rings in the ears of God. Some scarcely stir the bell for they pray so languidly. Others give an occasional pluck at the rope. But he who wins heaven is the man who grasps the rope boldly and pulls continually with all his might”

1. Have a Passion for the Glory of God

1 Peter 2: 9-10
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
Colossians 3:23
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus
“the true worth of a man is measured in the objects he pursues:
Matthew 6:21
21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

1. Have a burden for the lost and revival

John 13: 34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Phil: 2:3-4
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
John 4:35
35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.
Matthew 9:35-38
35 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. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Phil 2: 1-3
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
 

1. Be bold – GO Forth!

1 Cor 15:58
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
 
 
Gal 6: 9-10
9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
2 Chron 7:14
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
1 Thess 5:11
11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
2 Tim 1:7
7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
Matthew 28:19-20
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Isaiah 6:8
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?”
And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
 
 
Joshua 1:9
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
 
Go boldly where no man has gone before!
​
​

Following are Shannon's sermon notes:

2017 study by BBC said that 25% of British Christians did not believe in the resurrection of Christ!
The cross, through suffering of Christ, should drive us to our knees, knowing the sacrifice that was made for us. The resurrection, therefore, should lift us up, justified to rise again as new creations.
Luke 24: 1-8
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.
Set the stage
 
What is the meaning of the Resurrection?
 
1. Fulfillment of all that Jesus said would happen.
Matthew 12:40
40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Matthew 16:21
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.
Matthew 17:9
9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”
Without the resurrection, Jesus would just have been a martyr, the same as so many others, to be pitied. But He is so much more because of the resurrection.
The resurrection is a sign that Jesus’ sacrifice was acceptable to God, that he is now seated at the right hand of the father and will come again. We serve a LIVING SAVIOR!
Our faith is based on the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15: 12-19
 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
 
2. Our Justification is based on the Resurrection

Romans 4:25
25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Justification means “to be put right with”. Sin separated us from God. We are deserving of His wrath.
 
 
 
 
Ephesians 2:3
All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh[a] and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath.
 
 
Jesus was needed to step in to correct this situation, nothing short would have fixed it. Nothing we could ever do would bring us back, we needed His sacrifice. Our sins died with Him.
But the resurrection brings us back to God. Christ was justified through resurrection. He said “it is finished” on the cross. He never said “I am finished”!
Romans 5: 18-19
Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. 19 For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Romans 5:1
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
 
3. The Resurrection became the foundation of the Church.

The scattered were gathered.

Matthew 26: 31-32
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31 Then Jesus told them, “This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written:
“‘I will strike the shepherd,
    and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’[a]
32 But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
None of the disciples were waiting for resurrection. Even though it was predicted through the Old Testament, and by Jesus himself, Jesus needed to appear before His disciples for it to become evident to them. This changed their lives, from fear to boldness, from despair to hope. What happened after the resurrection is the beginning of the Church.
 
4. The resurrection is the model for living a sacrificial life.

Understanding the concept of dying to self and becoming a new creation in God. Our purpose on this earth was given meaning. We are to take up our cross and follow Him.Romans 6: 5-8
For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 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.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him

5. Jesus conquered death.
Death is the enemy of all mankind, the result of a sinful world. The mortality rate is 100%. Jesus conquered death.Romans 6:9-11
. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
 
Death could no longer hold Jesus, and it can no longer hold us. We don’t need to fear death, because we no longer fear judgement.
Maggie
 Our death brings reunion with God, Revelation 21:4 “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
 
 
 
6. The resurrection of Jesus is the hope of every believer.

1 Peter 1:3-4
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you.
Through the resurrection of Jesus, we have been brought into the family of God. We are children of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, heirs to an everlasting life.
 
John 11: 25-26
 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
 
Do you believe?
 
 “God has taken away everything we worship “God said, ‘you want to worship athletes, I will shut down the stadiums. You want to worship musicians, I will shut down Civic Centers. You want to worship actors, I will shut down theaters. You want to worship money, I will shut down the economy and collapse the stock market. You don't want to go to church and worship Me, I will make it where you can't go to church.’
 “Maybe we don't need a vaccine. “Maybe we need to take this time of isolation from the distractions of the world and have a personal revival where we focus on the ONLY thing in the world that really matters. Jesus.”
                                                                                                                                             Hulk Hogan

2 Chronicles 7:14  “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.”
 
 

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. 

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.
7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”" Joshua 1:1-9

Joshua was Moses' understudy and servant. Joshua was always with Moses. 

For the second time the Israelites are standing on the banks of the Jordan waiting to enter the Promises Land. These are the commands to a new man, a new leader -- Joshua. Be strong and very courageous. 

"Between tne Now and the Not yet"

Their promised land is in front of them. We are in the Now and the Not Yet -- we are saved now. We have redemption now. Get Ready! In 3 days  you'll cross into your promised land. He didn't send scouts this time. God said, Go. So Joshua said, Go. When they stepped out there was great risk. But there would be great reward. 

God says we are foreigners/strangers in this place.

"Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11

While you're here, do what God says.

Promises of God to Joshua -- A PLACE

"After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west." Joshua 1:1-4

I'm going to give you a place you can call your own.

Promises of Jesus to us -- A Place in Heaven

"Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it." Matthew 16:24-25

Promises of God to Joshua -- BELONGING

"No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5

Promises of Jesus to us -- Belonging

"All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away." John 6:37

Promises of God to Joshua -- AN INHERITANCE

"Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them." Joshua 1:6

Promises of Jesus to us -- A family

"And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. 30 But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first." Matthew 19:29-31

Jesus is not talk about material stuff here. He's talking about our spiritual family, our spiritual inheritance. 

We are called to be different from the world.

Promises of God to Joshua -- COMMANDMENTS

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go." Joshua 1:7

We will have success being who we were called to be; success in God's eyes; success carrying out God's will. 

Promises of Jesus to us -- The Word

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete." John 15:9-11

My joy is made complete when I follow God's commands (or can be made complete).

Remain 100% in God's realm as we live out our lives here on earth. This isn't going to be easy. Being free didn't mean to be safe. Jesus doesn't promise us safety or earthly wealth. He doesn't give us these things for sure because they don't matter. It's not about here. It's about there. God's in charge. He has power over all. Remain in His love. Right here and right now. He finds great joy in those who love Him. 

Promises of God to Joshua --  GUIDANCE

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua 1:8

Joshua was faithful.

Promises of Jesus to us -- A Role in the Kingdom

"You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:14-15

He is My Friend! I am His friend.

We have a job to do -- make more family members. 

Promises of God to Joshua -- PRESENCE OF GOD

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Grab hold of God's promises -- Apply them.

Promise of Jesus to us -- Presence of Jesus

"and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”" Matthew 28:20

 "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." 1 Peter 3:15-16

When we are dealing with the world we should be ready to defend our faith. 

Provide evidence-based defense.

What is stopping us from us being ready?

A. Fear of Confrontation. There is so much fear of offense and tolerance accepted (accept for Truth) that no one says anything. We can speak with truth with gentlness, respect and compassion. People need to hear the truth.

"So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here!" 2 Corinthians 5:16-17

B. Fear of Inadequacy. Be ready. Know the Word -- just like Jesus, use the Word of God.

"He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?" Matthew 12:3

"Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent?" Matthew 12:5

"Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’[a]?" Matthew 21:42

Jesus used Scripture to defend  His position, His choices, His faith.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

We hav been given much. We need to use it rightly.

C. Vulnerability of Ignorance. 

"For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many." Matthew 24:5

D. Be Doers.

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do." James 1:22-25

E. Read The Word.

"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.' Joshua 1:8

"Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near." Revelation 1:3

It's not enough to just hear. You need to meditate on it and do it, put it into practice. Let it become a part of you. If there's no depth to your faith, it will fail.

"They have ears, but cannot hear,
    noses, but cannot smell." Psalm 115:6

"Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" Matthew 7:22-23

F. Be Ready

"Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." 1 Corinthians 16:13

"Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings." 1 Peter 5:9

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." Ephesians 6:13

Be ready. Know what's in the Word!!

Jane and Shannon hold a conversation about rest and why it is vital for everyone who follows Jesus Christ. Without that spiritual rest, the Sabbath rest, our faith and our lives will become stagnant and we are in danger of burning out. We hope you take time to listen. The recording is about 37 minutes long. It is the unofficial start to our podcast, Bible Talk with jane and Shannon which we will begin in the New Year. The format will be different at that time but it will be the same teaching (it will be podcast format through podbean.com). 

Hey Folks, God blessed us with a beautiful Christmas Eve Candlielight service. It was wonderful! Shannon gave a great sermon. I forgot to turn off the recorder so I tried to edit it. Hope I did it right. If you have a half hour to listen to a sermon, this one would be a good one to listen to!