Simplify Sermon Series

Series Concept: How to live a simplified life

Series Goal: It is difficult to live a life of meaning amidst tremendous complexity. Jesus’ message and calling was simple. A simplified life is one to be sought after even though it is counter-culture, it comes up against time, materialism, clutter, etc.

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A Simple Plan to Simplify – September 14, 2008

Seek First His Kingdom

Matthew 6:33* “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

1_______________________5__________________________10

I don’t focus much on spiritual things.

I seek to know more about God regularly.

I maintain an ongoing pursuit of Christ’s rule in my life.

Inventory Your Distractions (Idols)

1 Corinthians 7:35 “I am saying this for your benefit…I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.” (New Living Translation—NLT)

Hebrews 12:1b “… let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…” (NIV & Contemporary English Version—CEV)

1___________________5______________________________10

I rarely think about what distracts me from God.

I struggle not to bedistracted by material things.

I die daily to the things that could distract me from Christ.

Make some Margin

Leviticus 23:3 “You have six days when you can do your work, but the seventh day of each week is holy because it belongs to me. No matter where you live, you must rest on the Sabbath and come together for worship. This law will never change.”

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

1______________________5_________________________10

I am living to thelimits. I’m busy, over-extended and in debt.

I am trying to set healthier boundaries in my life.

I have room in my life that provides emotional, financial, and relational reserves.

Prioritize to His Plan

Isaiah 30:1 “Woe to the rebellious children, declares the LORD, Who execute a plan, but not Mine, and make an alliance, but not of My Spirit…” (New American Standard Bible—NASB)

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I don’thave any idea of what that would look like.

I have plans but am not sure they are God’s plans for my life.

I have written down and follow a Christ-centered plan for my life.

Live on Less

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ ”

1_____________________5____________________________10

I am out of control in my spending. I need help.

I have debt and am trying to live on a budget.

I am debt free and am generous with my resources.

Invite Support

Galatians 6:2 “You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.” (Contemporary English Version—CEV)

1_____________________5_____________________________10

I seldom share with anyone,how I am doing.

I attend a group and am in a supportive community.

I meet faithfully with trusted friends for support and discipleship.

Fuel Your Fire

2 Timothy 1:6 “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you….”

1_______________________5___________________________10

I am tired and question my purpose in life.

I am trying to discern what I do well and use that for God.

I know what my gifts are and am fulfilled in their use.

Yield To His Will

Psalms 143:10 “Teach me to do your will for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

1________________________5____________________________10

I am struggling on many levels to get what I want.

I am learning to discern that my way may not be God’s way.

I am surrendered to Christ’s will for my life.

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A Simple Approach to Eliminate Complexity – September 21, 2008

Matthew 6:25-34*

Verse 33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

I. The Problem with the Complexity of Our Lives:

Verse 25a “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear.”

It turns our focus onto ourselves, instead of God.
It turns our emotions into anxiety and stress, instead of trust and peace.

Three Indicators that There’s a Problem

We devote primary energy to secondary things.

“Put first things first and second things are thrown in. Put second things first and you lose both first and second things.” – C.S. Lewis

Verse 25b “Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?”

We seek value from depreciating assets.

Verse 26 “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”

Luke 12:15b “Life is not defined by what you have, even when you have a lot.’ ” (The Message—MSG)

We have unchecked anxiety.

Verse 27 “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Matthew 13:22 “The…weeds of worry and illusions about getting more and wanting everything under the sun strangle… ” (MSG)

II. The Solution to the Complexity of Our Lives:

Verse 33a “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.”

“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”

–C.S Lewis

1. We must change the priority of our life.

“Seek” is a “Present Imperative” which means it is a command to fulfill a continuing requirement. Therefore, “Seek first” is not a sequential priority as much as it is an integral priority.

Verse 31-33 “What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.” (MSG)

Make Christ My Lens

- Making your pursuit of Christ a sequential priority is good.

Mark 1:35 “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.”

- Making your pursuit of Christ an integral priority is better.

- Doing both is best.

2. We must integrate the pursuit of Christ’s (our King) rule into our life.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God.”

Making Christ My Ruler:

Mark 10:15 “Unless you accept God’s kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you’ll never get in.” (MSG)

Matthew 6:10 “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
On video Colossians 3:15-17
Colossians 3:15a & 17 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly… And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

– Enables me to see what He wants done. (WWJD)

3. We must integrate the pursuit of Christ’s righteousness into our life.

“Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness…” (Righteousness/Dikaiosune: conforming to the standards of a higher authority.)

Matthew 5:20 “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 6:1 “Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.”

Making Christ my Standard:

John 13:15 “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” (New American Standard Bible—NASB)

Enables me to see how He wants it done.

Seeking Christ Righteousness is the Process of Becoming More Like Him.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
Question: What is God’s standard for how to do his will?

“We must become the change we seek in the world.”

Gandhi

John 13:34-35 A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another

1 Timothy 1:5 “The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

Galatians 5:6b “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
Answer: Love.

Seeking Christ Righteousness is the Process of Becoming More Loving.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

III. Promise for the Complexity of Our Lives:

Verse 33b “…and all these things will be given to you as well.”

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Simplify

Seek First His Kingdom – September 28, 2008

Matthew 6:33* “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

1. “Seek first” is to integrate Christ into all of life, not some sequence of activities.

Making Christ my lens.

2. “Seek first his kingdom” is to integrate his rule, his authority and direction into my life.

Making Christ my Ruler/King guides me in what I do.

Colossians 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

3. “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness” is to integrate Christ’s new standard of love into all I do.

Making Christ my standard guides me in how I do what I do.

1 Corinthians 16:14 “And everything you do must be done with love.” (New Living Translation—NLT)

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SIMPLIFY

Inventory Your Idols/Distractions – October 5, 2008

Matthew 6:19-27*

Key Verse, 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

1 Corinthians 7:35 “I am saying this for your benefit…I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.” (New Living Translation—NLT)

Hebrews 12:1b “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…” (NIV & Contemporary English Version—CEV)

What is a treasure?

Storeroom, treasure box, valuables?

A treasure is whatever you hold on to for value and security.

What is a distraction?

A misplaced treasure?

A distraction is anything that has, or can capture your attention and affection to such a degree that you pursue them for your value and security, instead of God.

Three Indicators that You are at Risk of Being Distracted

If You Are Holding On to Things for your Value and Security.

A distraction is a depreciating asset.

Verses 19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”

Christ followers (disciples) store their treasures with God (Heaven). They invest in what is eternal.

Mark 8:36 “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?” (New American Standard Bible—NASB)

Inventory:

What material things are taking up more of your energy and attention, than what is eternal?

If You Struggle to Hold Your focus on What is Important.

A distraction divides your loyalty.

Verse 21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Principle: My heart attaches itself to whatever I value.

Two Illustrations

First Illustration: The Eye

Verses 22-23 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

Proverbs 23:26 “My son, give me your heart and let your eyes keep to my ways…”

Colossians 1:13 “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…”

“Good”, haplous : Single eye, simple, without folds, without disease, generous

“Bad”, poneros : Evil eye, cross-eyed, stingy, with disease

James 1:8 “…he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does…”

Christ followers (disciples) set their focus (heart) on God. They focus on what is important.

Inventory:

Where are you tempted to put things over people?

Second Illustration: Masters / Money

Verse 24 “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Christ followers (disciples) synchronize their life around God. They are devoted to God.

Colossians 3:22-24a “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Inventory:

What or who is your master?
Where do you feel pulled in an opposite direction from God?
Where are you tempted to be stingy, instead of being generous?

1 Timothy 6:17-18 “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.”

If you are Being Held Captive by anxiety / Worry.

A distraction is anything that interrupts your confidence in God’s provision.

Verses 25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life…”

Verses 25-27 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

Inventory:

What have you been worrying about?

Matthew 6:31-33 “What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions.” (MSG)

Christ followers (disciples) put their trust in God, for their earthly provisions. They enjoy life now.

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SIMPLIFY

Make Some Margin – October 12, 2008

1 Kings 19:1-19*

Elijah Flees to Horeb

1 Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”

3 Elijah was afraid ^[a] and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, 4 while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, LORD,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” 5 Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” 6 He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

7 The angel of the LORD came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” 8 So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. 9 There he went into a cave and spent the night.

The LORD Appears to Elijah

And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

10 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

11 The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.”
a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.
a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

14 He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”

15 The LORD said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. 16 Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. 17 Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. 18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.”

The Call of Elisha

19 So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him.

Memory Verses:

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

When We Live without Limits (Margins):

1. We become anxious (afraid) – we lose our emotional reservoir.

Verses 3 “Elijah was afraid and ran for his life.”

2. We become subjective—we lose our objectivity (We only see our own perspective).

Verses 4 “…while he himself went a day’s journey into the desert. He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.’ ”

3. We become exhausted—we lose our physical resilience.

Verses 5 “Then he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
All at once an angel touched him and said, ‘Get up and eat.’ ”

What We Need when We’ve Been Living without Limits (No Margins):

1. We need to rest.

Verses 5-7 “…he lay down under the tree and fell asleep.
… He ate and drank and then lay down again.”

- Margin creates a place for physical rest.

2. We need to retreat.

Verses 8-9^a “So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God.”

Margin creates a space for emotional retreat.

3. We need to remember: (2 times the Lord asks.)

Verses 9^b–14 “And the word of the LORD came to him: ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’ The LORD said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’ ”

That God’s presence is always available.

Richard Rohr reminds us that “we cannot attain the presence of God. We’re already totally in the presence of God. What’s absent is awareness.”

This is the core of the spiritual journey—learning to discern the presence of God, to see what really is. (David Benner, The Gift of Being Yourself)

Why we are here.
- Margin creates a space for spiritual reflection.

What to Do:

1. We need to go back to go forward.

Verses 15 “The LORD said to him, ‘Go back the way you came…”

Margin gives us the time to look back.

Is there anything in your past that is unresolved?

2. We need to get alone and be still.

Verses 12-13 “After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ ”

Margin gives us the calm to look up.

Are you confident in what God has called you to do? Do you know why you are here?

Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.”

3. We need to examine the voice in our head.

Verses 13-14 “…Then a voice said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ He replied, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.’ ”

Margin gives us the courage to look in.

What do you frequently tell yourself that isn’t healthy or true?

4. We need the Lord’s direction for what is next.

Verses 15-18 “The LORD said to him, ‘Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael … Jehu … and anoint Elisha … to succeed you as prophet. … I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him.’ ”

“You are not alone!”

Margin gives us the vision to look forward.

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SIMPLIFY

Prioritize To His Plans – October 19, 2008

Jeremiah 29:11*

Isaiah 30:1(NASB)

Luke 14:15-33

Why is Christ’s rule in our life (The Kingdom of God) not a priority?

Verses 15^b “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

Because something else already is.

Verses 18-20 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ ”

Quote: “The place for what you want is already filled with what you’ve settle for instead.” —Stephen Pauls

My Priorities Have to Change

Verses 25-26 “Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple.’ ”

1 John 4:20

20If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.

Matthew 5:43-44a

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.’ 44But I tell you: Love your enemies…

In regard to relationships
We cannot let the relationships in our life rule over or come before our relationship with Christ.
Simply put Jesus first.

CS Lewis Quote: “Put first things first and second things are thrown in. Put second things first and you lose both first and second things.”

Priority Questions 1 & 2:

Am I meeting daily with Christ for self-examination, Bible reading and prayer?
Am I in a discipling relationship?
To be a Christian is to invite Christ to be ruler (King) of your heart.

Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

To be a disciple is to learn to make Christ Ruler (King) of your life.

-My Problems Have to Change

Verses 27 “And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.”

In regard to hardships
Carrying my cross is when I stop avoiding and start dealing with and learning from my problems/hardships.
Simply let Christ rule over my problems.

Romans 5:3-5

Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

4perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love

into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

“When we avoid the legitimate suffering that results from dealing with problems,

we also avoid the growth that problems demand from us.” —Scott Peck

Priority Questions 3, 4 & 5:

Am I over-spending—no financial margin?
Am I over-working—no financial margin?
Am I over-drinking—no financial margin?
Am I over-using—no financial margin?
Am I over-medicating—no financial margin?
Am I over-busy—no time margin?
Am I over-eating—no emotional margin?

Margin is a mechanism for staying connected to Christ as Lord overall.

My Possessions (Resources) Have to Change

Verses 28-33 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.”

In regard to ownership
The issue is not that Jesus wants to take your possessions away from you.
The issue is that your possessions are taking you away from Him.

Priority Questions 6 & 7:

Am I using my material resources to honor God?
Am I using my human resources to honor God?

Jeremiah 29:11*

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Memory Verse: Isaiah 30:1(NASB)

“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD,
“Who execute a plan, but not Mine,
make an alliance, but not of My Spirit…”

Luke 14:15-33

15When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”

16Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

18“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

19“Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

20“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

21“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

22” ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

23“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. 24I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ “

The Cost of Being a Disciple

25Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? 29For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, 30saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

31“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

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SIMPLIFY

The Call to Live On Less – October 26, 2008

Hebrews 13:5 “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ ”

Luke 14:33

33In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Two Stories:

The Rich Young Ruler = Richie

Luke18:18-30* & Mark10:17-31*

Luke18:18-30

18A certain ruler asked him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”"Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 20You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.’^[a]“”All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. 24Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! 25Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”Those who heard this asked, “Who then can be saved?”Jesus replied, “What is impossible with men is possible with God.”Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”"I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God 30will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”

The Tax Collector Zacchaeus = Zacch

Luke19:1-10*

I. The Similarities:

Both came to see Jesus.

Zacch:

Verse 3-4 “He wanted to see who Jesus was… So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him… ”

Richie:

Mark 10:17 “… a man ran up to him (Jesus) and fell on his knees before him…”

Question: What or who do you run to?

Hebrews 12:1b-2a

“… let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”

2. Both were wealthy.

Statistics on Wealth

The average American’s wealth amounted to $144,000 in the year 2000, more than 100 times higher than the average Indian or Indonesian, whose assets totaled $1,100.

$2,200 per adult placed a household in the top half of the world wealth; 10% of adults in the world required $61,000 in assets, and more than $500,000 was needed to belong to the richest 1%, a group with 37 million members worldwide.

Zacch:

Verse 2 “Zacchaeus… was wealthy.”

Richie:

Verse 23 “… he was a man of great wealth.”

Question: How wealthy are you?

3. Both were in positions of authority.

Zacch:

Verse 2 “Zacchaeus… was a chief tax collector…”

Richie:

Verse 18 “A… ruler asked him (Jesus)… ”

Question: What’s the scope of your kingdom?

4. Both had a reputation.

Zacch knew he was a sinner.

Verse 7 “… all the people saw this and began to mutter, ‘He (Jesus) has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

Richie thought he was a saint.

Verse 18 “A religious leader asked Jesus …” (New Living Translation—NLT)

Question: What is your reputation?

5. Both had the Lord’s affection.

Zacch:

Verse 5 “When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. ‘Zacchaeus!’ he said. ‘Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today.’ ” (NLT)

Richie:

Mark 10:21 “Jesus looked at him and loved him.”

Question: Do you know that you are special to Jesus?

6. Both came face-to-face with the issues of living on less.

II. The Differences:

1. One requested a plan but chose his distractions.

Richie:

Mark 10:17, 21-22 “ ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’… ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”

2. The other recognized his distractions and made a plan.

Zacch:

Verse 8 “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ ”

III. The Opportunities:

1. To put God first.

1 Timothy 1:15 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.”

Remember you’re a sinner, instead of thinking you’re a saint.

Luke 19:9-10 “Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house … For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.’ ”

2. To recognize and relinquish your distractions.

Luke 19:8 “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ ”

Choose to give up, instead of hang on to stuff.

Luke 18:22^b

“When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ ”

Mark 8:36 “What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

3. To invest in the Kingdom of God.

Mark 10:29-30 “ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus replied, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age… and in the age to come… ”

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SIMPLIFY

The Steps To Live On Less – November 02, 2008

1 Corinthians 4:2

1 Corinthians 4: 2 “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” (King James Version—KJV)

I must understand the role of a steward.

Set Limits to Your Spending

Ecclesiastes 5: 10-11 “He who loves money shall never have enough. The foolishness of thinking that wealth brings happiness! The more you have, the more you spend, right up to the limits of your income…” (The Living Bible—LB)

Proverbs 21:20^b “The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.” (LB)

Train Yourself to Be Content:

Philippians 4:11-12 “… I have learned to be content whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.” (New American Standard Bible—NASB)

Discern between needs and wants.

Ecclesiastes 6: 9^b “It is better to be satisfied with what you have than to be always wanting something else.” (The Good News—GN)

Hebrews 13:5 “Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, ‘I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you.’ ” (The Message—MSG)

Refuse to compare.

2 Corinthians 10:12^b* “When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”

Galatians 6:4 “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing…”

Establish a Habit of Tracking What you Spend

Luke 14:28 “Is there anyone here who, planning to build a new house, doesn’t first sit down and figure the cost so you’ll know if you can complete it?” (MSG)

Work a Plan to Become Debt Free

Proverbs 21:5 “Steady plodding brings prosperity; hasty speculation brings poverty.” (LB)

Psalms 37:21 “The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously.”

Proverbs 22:7 “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”

Allocate a Reserve for Being Generous

1 John 3:17 “If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.” (MSG)

Proverbs 21:20a “The wise man saves for the future…” (LB)

Proverbs 11:25 “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

2 Corinthians 9:10-11 “This most generous God… gives you something you can then give away… so that you can be generous in every way…” (MSG)

Remember to put God First with Your Tithe

Deuteronomy 14: 23^b “The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to put God first in your lives.” (LB)

Proverbs 3: 9 “Honor God with everything you own; give him the first and the best.” (MSG)

Develop a Network of Relationships that share their Resources

1 Timothy 6: 17-18 “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”

Acts 4: 34-35 “… from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.”

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SIMPLIFY

Invite Support – November 09, 2008

Galatians 6:2 “You obey the law of Christ when you offer each other a helping hand.” (Contemporary English Version – CEV)

Galatians 6:1-5*

1. I alone am responsible for my own spiritual development – Personal Responsibility.

Verse 5 “… for each one should carry his own load.”

2. Life is tough and I need help! – Total Incapability

Verse 3 “If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”

3. If I can help someone else, I should. – Shared Accountability.

Verse 1 “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.”

Personal Responsibility

Verses 4-5 “Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.”

What it means: I am responsible before God for my own life and eternity.

Hebrews 9:27 “Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.”

Matthew 7:13-14

The Narrow and Wide Gates

13“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 7:21-23

21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Matthew 25:31-34, 41 “… all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats…”

Conclusion: There will be no one to blame but me!

Question: Am I confident in what I have to offer?

II. Total Incapability

Galatians 6:3

³If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.

What it means: Life is tough and I need help!

Jesus Christ is the first and only place to turn for help when it comes to my eternity.

Romans 3:23 “… for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

It doesn’t end here … I’ll go back to Him again and again.

Matthew 14:12-13 “When Jesus heard what had happened, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place.”

Galatians 6:2 “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Conclusion: I need help!

Question: Do I regularly turn to and depend on God for help?

Am I willing to let Him help me through others?

A Suggested Process for Inviting Support in My Spiritual Development …

Step #1 – Self-assess

Step #2 – Surrender it to Christ

Step #3 – Ask someone for help

Shared Accountability

Galatians 6:1-5

Doing Good to All

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load.

What it means: If I can help someone, I should.

Galatians 6:1-2 “You who are spiritual …”

Matthew 25:34-46 “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Conclusion: When I hear a call for help, I must answer.

Question: How have I answered cries for help?

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SIMPLIFY

Fuel Your Fire – November 16, 2008

Memory Verse: 2 Timothy 1:6* “For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you….”

The Discovery Process

1. Discover what you do best.

Gift identification

1 Corinthians 12:1-2 “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.”

Romans 12:6 “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.”

1 Timothy 4:14 “Do not neglect the spiritual gift you received…”

(New Living Translation—NLT)

2. Discover why you do it.

Motive purification

1 Peter 4:10-11 “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

a. Use your gift

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received…”

Not someone else’s.

b. Use your gift to serve others

“…to serve others…”

“Diakoneo” – to serve, wait upon, minister to another.

Not yourself.

c. Use your gift to administer God’s grace

Grace—”Charis” Gift—”Charisma”: a favor with which one receives without any merit of his own.

“… faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.”

“ Oikonomos” - a steward, manager, overseer, one who has been given responsibility of another property and possessions.

Not because they deserve it.

d. Use your gift for God’s praise

“If anyone speaks…so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

Not yours.

3. Discover how to do it better.

Service maturation (skill development)

Ecclesiastes 9:10 “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” (New American Standard Bible—NASB)

Ecclesiastes 10:10 “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.”

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

Proverbs 19:8 “Do yourself a favor and learn all you can; then remember what you learn and you will prosper.” (Good News—GN)

“It is better to be prepared for an opportunity and not have one than to have an opportunity and not be prepared.”

—Whitney Young, Jr.

“It is one of the most beautiful compensation of this life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.”

—Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Helping Others”

The Recovery Process

1. Recovery is about resting from what you’ve done.

Genesis 2:3 “ And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”

2. Recovery is about reflecting on what you’ve done.

Genesis 1:31 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”

3. Recovery is about refueling for what is yet to be done.

Matthew 11:28-29 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Matthew 11:28-29 “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.” (The Message—MSG)

Isaiah 40:27-31 “Why do you say… and complain… ‘My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God’? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Recovery is dependent on your commitment to margin.

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Yield to His Will – November 23, 2008

Matthew 6:9-13

9″This, then, is how you should pray:
” ‘Our Father in heaven,
be your name,
your kingdom come,
will be done
earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts,
we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
deliver us from the evil one.

Memory Verse: Psalms 143:10* “Teach me to do your will for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”

What is yielding?

To end resistance, to give over; surrender or relinquish control; to move or pause to make room for another.

Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Galatians 5:16-17 “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.”

Romans 7:15 “What I don’t understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise.” (The Message—MSG)

The Problem:

We have a stubborn willfulness that dominates our thinking from the kingdom of self.

Isaiah 55:8-9 “ ‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’ ”

The Process:

We learn to yield to His will when we chose to turn to His Kingdom instead of ours.

Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Five Intersections that Teach Us to Yield to His Will

At the Intersection of Independence and Interdependence.

Verse 9 “Our Father in heaven …”

John 17:20^b-21 “I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”

Ephesians 4:3 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

We learn about community.

At the Intersection of Disobedience and Obedience.

Verses 9-10 “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done… ”

Romans 8:14-16 “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. So you should not be … fearful …. You should behave instead like God’s very own children, adopted into his family – calling him ‘Father, dear Father.’ For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God’s children.” (News Living Translation—NLT)

1 Peter 1:14; 22 “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance… Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.”

We learn to love.

1 John 4:18 “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

At the Intersection of Pride and Humility.

Verse 11 “Give us today our daily bread.”

1 Peter 5:5b-7 “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

We learn to trust.

At the Intersection of Debts and Forgiveness.

Verse 12 “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”

Colossians 3:13 “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

We learn to let go.

At the Intersection of Temptation and Deliverance.

Verse 13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Hebrews 4:15 “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”

We learn to think like Jesus.

1 Peter 4:1-2 “Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.” ((The Message—MSG)

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