APPRECIATE IT! PT2

APPRECIATE IT! PT2

When Appreciation Depreciates

Mark 8:4-10 NLT 4 His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?” 5 Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?” “Seven loaves,” they replied. 6 So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd. 7 A few small fish were found, too, so Jesus also blessed these and told the disciples to distribute them. 8 They ate as much as they wanted. Afterward, the disciples picked up seven large baskets of leftover food. 9 There were about 4,000 men in the crowd that day, and Jesus sent them home after they had eaten. 10 Immediately after this, he got into a boat with his disciples and crossed over to the region of Dalmanutha.

I. We are CONFUSED about Christ’s COMPASSION A. v2“I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. 3If I send them home hungry, they will faint along the way. For some of them have come a long distance.”

1 Peter 5:7 NIVUK 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

II. New TESTS steal our TESTIMONY A. v4His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?”

Matthew 14:15-18 NIVUK 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so that they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ 16 Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ 17 ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. 18 ‘Bring them here to me,’ he said.

Psalms 103:2 NIVUK 2 Praise the Lord , my soul, and forget not all his benefits –

III. The PROBLEM takes our focus off the PROVISION A. v4-5His disciples replied, “How are we supposed to find enough food to feed them out here in the wilderness?” 5Jesus asked, “How much bread do you have?” “Seven loaves,” they replied. Philippians 4:6-8 NIVUK 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.

IV. Our BROKENESS never becomes a BLESSING A. v6 So Jesus told all the people to sit down on the ground. Then he took the seven loaves, thanked God for them, and broke them into pieces. He gave them to his disciples, who distributed the bread to the crowd.

James 1:2-4 ESV 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

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Appreciate It

Appreciate It

I Thessalonians 5:14 NKJV 14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all.

1. 1. Warn the unruly

2.Comfort the faint-hearted

3. Uphold the weak

4. Be patient with all

I Thessalonians 5:15 NKJV 15 See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

1. Don’t wrong (do evil to) those who have wronged you

2. Pursue good for yourself

3. Pursue good for everyone else

Philippians 2:4 NKJV 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

Learn to value what God values. Some of these people have missed the most important thing in life—they don’t know God. May God’s mercy be upon you.

1 Timothy 6:21 (TLB) God values people! To be His friend, we have to appreciate (value) people.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – encourage one another

Romans 12:10 – give preference to one another

Galatians 5:13 – serve one another

1 Peter 5:5 – be humble to one another

John 13:34 – love one another Deep and abiding relationships are not automatic; they are built, they are intentional, and they take time and effort.

4 secrets to great relationships:

1. Authenticity- The secret of being yourself

2. Vulnerability- The secret of sharing yourself

3. Credibility- The secret of getting people to trust you, being trustworthy.

4. Compatibility- The secret of harmony We can impress people from a distance, but we can only influence people when we’re up close.

I John 1:7 NKJV 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Now some bad news… People are going to hurt you while you’re trying to be a friend. You are going to be hurt; this is this is not Heaven. We tried to comfort the faint hearted, but they didn’t appreciate it. We tried to uphold the weak, but they thought we were acting like we were better than them. We tried to be patient, but their drama was just too much; we became impatient. The more you are hurt, the more afraid you become of being hurt. The more afraid you are, the more defensive or protective you become. The more defensive you become, the more inauthentic you become.

1 John 4:18 NIV 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.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 ²⁵ I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

LETS GO!

The question of worth is in evaluation of cost versus value My question for you is: “What is Jesus worth?” Acts 20:17 NIV 17 From Miletus, Paul sent to Ephesus for the elders of the church.

Acts 20:18-20 NIV 18 When they arrived, he said to them: “You know how I lived the whole time I was with you, from the first day I came into the province of Asia. 19 I served the Lord with great humility and with tears and in the midst of severe testing by the plots of my Jewish opponents. 20 You know that I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you but have taught you publicly and from house to house.

It would be so much easier to stick to the stuff that makes people happy You know it has to be said, but you don’t look forward to it

Acts 20:21 NIV 21 I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.

“I have presented Jesus to all people. I have not compromised the essential message of the gospel– repentance and faith in Jesus” The good news is for EVERYONE Acts 20:22-23 NIV 22 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.

This challenges what you believe about God Acts 20:24 NIV 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

Jesus is worth it Acts 21:3-13 NIV 3 After sighting Cyprus and passing to the south of it, we sailed on to Syria. We landed at Tyre, where our ship was to unload its cargo. 4 We sought out the disciples there and stayed with them seven days. Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem. 5 When it was time to leave, we left and continued on our way. All of them, including wives and children, accompanied us out of the city, and there on the beach we knelt to pray. 6 After saying goodbye to each other, we went aboard the ship, and they returned home. 7 We continued our voyage from Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted the brothers and sisters and stayed with them for a day. 8 Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. 9 He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. 10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ” 12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”

Because Jesus if Worth It! Jesus is worth it, because Jesus decided you were worth it!

Missions Week: Let’s Go!

Missions Week: Let’s Go!

Mark 1:35-39 NIV 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. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!” 38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Do I get up while it is still dark?

Am I willing to be interrupted?

Is the Lord calling me to GO somewhere?

What am I doing for the ‘other villages’?

Sacrifice – an act of giving up something you value for the sake of something else you consider more important or worthy

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person Mark 16:15

Philippians 4:15-16 NKJV 15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.

II Corinthians 8:1-3 NKJV 1 Moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: 2 that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. 3 For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing,