John 3:1-7 (NIV) 1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." 3 In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
2. Rest- The rested soul is a whole soul.
In Creation:
Genesis 2:2 (NLT) On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.
OUR REST In Christ: Jesus is seated (Mark 16:19, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 12:1&2)
Matthew 11:27-30 (NLT) 27 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
3. Rhythm- Steady wins the race.
Pace- “The only sin we reward in the church is overworking.”
Mark 2:27 (NIV) "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.
4. Reliance- His breath is the oxygen for our spirit.
John 6:63 (NLT) The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
Ministry:
Receive the Holy Spirit
John 20:21-22 (NLT) 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.
What makes a masterpiece valuable?
1. Length of time it took to create
2. Materials it was made out of
3. Craftmanship that went in to it
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
What truly assigns value to something?
1. Usefulness-
Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He created us answer in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
2. Sentimental Value-
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your worries and cares to God because He cares about you.
3. Joy received
Hebrew 12:2 Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, 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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and protector of our faith. For the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
4. What someone is willing to pay for it.
Matthew 13:44 Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found a hid; and for joy over it, he goes and sells all the he has and buys that field. Again the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all the he had for it.
“The true way you can know you are valuable, is that Jesus paid everything He had to purchase you!”
Luke 7:11-15
Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, “Don’t cry.”
Then he went up and touched the bier they were carrying him on, and the bearers stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
Mark 6:1-6 (NLT) 1 Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. 2 The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” 3 Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. 4 Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” 5 And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any mighty miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then Jesus went from village to village, teaching the people.
The culture of honor…cultivates a atmosphere for miracles.
Hebrews 13:18 (NLT) Pray for us, for our conscience is clear and we want to live honorably in everything we do.
We Honor God with …
1. Our Worship (Psalm 29:1-2)
2. Our Priorities(time…Lordship)
3. Our Home (Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 5:22)
4. Our Bodies(In purity: 1 Corinthians 6:19, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5)
5. Our Finances(Proverbs 3:9)
6. Our Convictions(Timothy 2:21)
7. Our ability to honor others:
“If people matter to God they should matter to us.
We Honor…
1. Up.
A. Civil Authorities- Government, military, police(Romand 13:1-5)
B. Social Leaders- Bosses, Teachers, etc (Colossians 3:22-25)
C. Order of the home-(Ephesians 5:22-33, Ephesians 6:2)
D. Church Leaders(1 Thes 5:12-13) (Heb 13:17) (1 Tim 5:17)
2. Down
We don't honor people based upon their status we honor them based upon their value.”
Philippians 2:3-8(NIV) 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.
3. All Around
Romans 12:10 (NLT) Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Levels of Honor
Honor- A Valuing: Recognize the value, appreciate, esteem favorable regard.
Dishonor- Atimey- to treat as common or ordinary.
1. Words
Appreciation/Encouragement/ Life giving words.
Speaking well of people.
“Criticism and Cynicism robs your ability to honor.”
“Talking ABOUT a person never brings resolve but talking TO them can.”
2. Action
“Tension is where honor is tested.”
3. Spirit/Attitude
Isaiah 29:13 (NIV) The Lord says: "These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. (Matthew 15:8)
How do I nurture a honoring spirit.
1-Repent for being dishonorable, holding unforgiveness/bitterness.
2-Resolve that you are responsible for the honor you bring.
3- Relinquish agendas.(don’t be manipulative.)
4-Reconcile your differences with conversations.
5-Respond with a blessing.
The Power of Chosen…
Isaiah 61:3 (NIV) To bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV) You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, 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.
1. A Chosen people
“In Royalty you are either chosen into or or born into it- WE ARE BOTH!”
James 1:18 (NLT) He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.
2-A Royal Priesthood
“When you were picked it was for a purpose it was on purpose.”
3- A Holy Nation
HE Calls us out.
HE Calls us in.
HE Calls us to.
4. A people belonging to God.
1 Peter 2:9-10 (NIV) Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God.
"When we realize that we belong to God It changes our perspective, It guides our behavior & It empowers our purpose."
Luke 15:11-24 (NLT)11 Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. 12 The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons. 13 “A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. 14 About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve.15 He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything. 17 “When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! 18 I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, 19 and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’ 20 “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. 21 His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’ 22 “But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. 23 And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, 24 for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.
This son went seeking mercy, he found grace!
The Gifts of the Father
1. Finest Rob
-Clothing represents righteousness.
Isaiah 64:6 (NIV) All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.
-This Robe is provided.
Isaiah 61:10 (NIV) He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2. Ring
-The ring speaks of the identity & rights as royal family.
John 1:12 (NIV) To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
-It speaks of our belonging.
2 Corinthians 1:22 (NIV) (He) Set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Because we belong to God what God has belongs to us!
C. It is a sign of delegated authority.
We have authority, the kingly authority, to help govern his realm.
3. Sandals for his feet.
-Guest did not wear shoes inside.
-Servants in that time often times did not have shoes, if they did, they were not allowed to wear them inside.
Romans 8:15 (NLT) So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
The father was saying: “You are no servant in this house. You are no visitor to our home. This is where you belong as a son and all I have is yours.”
4. Feast
Luke 15:23 Kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast.
“He doesn’t just let us in the door he throws a party that we are home!”
From Prodigal to Prince…
1. Come to your Senses
2. Come Home
3. Understanding how our Value
“The Cross is more about his love than our rebellion, our acceptance than our repentance, and our value more than our sin.”
4. Embrace your new Identity
“Jesus didn't come to improve our identity he came to transform it. You are not just a little better than you were you are royalty.”
Colossians 3:3 (NIV) For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.
“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him." John 13:1-5