House Rules Week 1: Finding Jesus

House Rules Week 1: Finding Jesus

Luke 2:41-52 NIV
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him.

1. There seemed to be PRIORITIES. 41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover.

Proverbs 22:6 NIV
6 Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. 45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him

Colossians 3:18-19 NIV
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. 19 Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.

When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” 49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” d 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to
them…51But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

46…they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished.

52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—3 “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”

He gave them four reasons to obey:
a. They are Christians
b. Its Right
c. Its Commanded
d. It brings blessings

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Jesus Saves

Jesus Saves

Luke 7:36-50 NIV
36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. 39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?” 50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

She was desperate for forgiveness

She was classified as a “sinner” because she willfully sinned

She Ran to Simon’s house and busted through the door and cried at the feet of Jesus

She cried at the feet of Jesus

“Your sins are forgiven…your faith has saved you, go in peace”

“your sins are forgiven, Go and sin no more!”

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

Your Religion can not save you, because your religion didn’t die for you. Only Jesus!!!

Going to church can’t save you, because your church didn’t die for you!

Only one sin God can’t forgive and it’s the sin of rejecting Jesus

Walk This Way PT 3: Physical & Spiritual Self-Control

Walk This Way PT 3: Physical & Spiritual Self-Control

Galatians 5:16 NKJV
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Yield – to surrender; to capitulate (cease to resist); to submit; to
give in; to give up; to show the white flag to the Holy Spirit.

There is no Greek word for “self”. The word “self” in verse 23
literally means “in strength” or “strength within”.

Self-control gives the wrong impression; it is not the self that
gives us control, but the Spirit who gives this control.

Acts 1:8 NKJV
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Acts 2:4 NKJV
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:12-15 NKJV
12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “Whatever could this mean?” 13 Others mocking said, “They are full of new wine.” 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

So, let’s establish this fact: to those who have never heard someone speaking in tongues, a common response is confusion, perplexity, and wrong assumptions (“being drunk”).

Paul writes a letter to the Corinthian church to bring understanding of this wonderful experience—speaking in
tongues.

I grew up in a church where people could pray out loud in tongues

I Corinthians 14:2 NKJV
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.

1. When we speak in tongues, we are speaking to God, not people; it is our personal prayer language.

2. No one understands the person speaking in their personal prayer language (tongues). They edify themselves, not others.

I Corinthians 14:4 NKJV
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

Ask yourself if what you are doing is bringing attention to you or to God.

I Corinthians 14:12 NKJV
12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.

I Corinthians 14:16-19 NKJV
16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

I Corinthians 14:23 NKJV
23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

I Corinthians 14:28 NKJV
28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

I Corinthians 14:37 NKJV
37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.

Walk This Way pt2

Walk This Way pt2

Galatians 5:16 NKJV
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

The Scripture says “walk in the spirit,” or “walk this way”—being led, supervised, and directed by the Spirit.

When Paul wrote “walk in the spirit,” the original language implies this was a command to be obeyed instantly and constantly.

II Corinthians 10:5 NKJV
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Within Galatians 5 is the recipe to learn to live yielded to the Holy Spirit.

Yield – to surrender; capitulate (cease to resist); submit; give in; give up; show the white flag

This phrase contains a double negative in the Greek, which
strengthens the statement to mean “to absolutely not fulfill”.

Galatians 5:17 NKJV
17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

The flesh wants to produce the fruit of the flesh.

The root meaning of kindness is “being useful to others”; it involves action.

Goodness results in a life characterized by deeds that are
motivated by righteousness and the desire to be a blessing.

Goodness is for the benefit of others.

It’s been said that a good man who is not great is 100 times more precious than a great man who is not good.

You’re not required to set yourself on fire to keep other people warm.

Exodus 34:6 NKJV
6 And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord , the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth,

Our priority must be God first, others second, and you and I third.

Faithfulness – trustworthiness; loyalty; steadfastness

The Greek word for faithfulness is the same word that is translated fidelity—more specifically, fidelity in marriage.

This is not weakness, but strength brought under control. One of the root definitions of gentleness is used to describe an animal that has been tamed and brought under control.

We need to bring our own lives under control by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The good we can now do outweighs the wrong we may have caused to others and ourselves in the past.

Get ready to yield to the Holy Spirit in every area of your life because He is relentless. He will not give up on you. He will bring you under control, so the time to yield to Him is now.