Matt. 1:18-2:15 - The Promised One (Part 1)

Advent, Part 1
The Promised One
Matt. 1:18-2:15

The person was promised.
- His Tribe (Matt. 1:1-17, Gen. 49:10)
- His Family (Matt. 1:18-25, Luke 1:38, Isa. 7:14)

The places were promised.
- Place of birth – Bethlehem (Matt. 2:1-6, Micah 5:2, 5:4)
- Place of exodus – Egypt (Matt. 2:13-15, Hosea 11:1)

Jesus is the promised Messiah.
- Prophet – He proclaims the message of God (Deut. 18:15, Heb. 1:2)
- Priest – He intercedes between God and Man. (Isa. 53:10, Heb. 7:24-25)
- King – He rules over God’s people and God’s world. (Jer. 23:5, John 18:36)

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Ephesians 6:10–24 - A Believer's Strength (Part 12)

1. Strength from the Lord is not a suggestion, it’s a requirement

2. The Power of Evil is a reality that Christians must guard against

3. The People of God have unlimited resources in Christ

• Truth
• Righteousness
• The Gospel
• Faith
• Salvation 
• The Spirit

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Revive Special Series 2014 - Sexuality and Christian Faith (Part 2)

What are potential consequences of a poor view of sexuality?

• Have you seen/experienced a healthy view of sexuality? What are the benefits?
• How far is too far before marriage?
• How do you know when you are lusting sexually in your heart?
• Do you see examples in your life of a misuse of sexuality? Where and how? (Friends, self, family, coworkers, etc.)
• Why do you think our society worships sex? How can we counter that temptation?
• How do you think Revive has done handling the homosexuality issue? How could we do better?
• What arguments have you heard about homosexuality that are challenging for you?
• Do you know anyone who is gay, transsexual or bisexual? What are ways the church can love & guide?

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Ephesians 6:1-9 - Our Relationships Matter (Part 11)

Our Relationships Matter
EPHESIANS 6:1-9

1. Our morality grows out of our undeserved, intimate relationship with God as a result of our receiving God's grace.
 --It is what is going on inside of us that determines the true values of our outward behaviors.
 --Galatians 5:22, 23

2. If we are Christians, we recognize a morality in our relationships that is explicit in God's Word.
  --Beginning with our changed natures in the Beatitudes, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount taught the consequential attitudes and behaviors of citizens of the Kingdom of God.
 --Paul's letter to the Ephesian church moves from our changed natures (1:13; 2:5-9) to His immeasurably abundant  power that works within us (3:20-21) in chapters 1-3; then in chapters 4-6, the apostle reveals spiritual resources given to the churches, and the resulting dynamics in Christian relationships.

3. Our grace-changed natures transform every aspect of our relationships to reflect God's love for the world through Jesus Christ.
 --Brothers and sisters in Christ submit to one another in the reverence of Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
                What does this look like? Philippians 2:3-5
 --Marriage between a believing husband and wife pictures Christ's relationship with the Church. (Ephesians 5:22-33)
  --Believing parents make the Lord central to their family relationship. (Ephesians 6:1-4)
  --First century, Christian slaves and masters were to understand that the Lord in heaven is their Master, and He does not show partiality between them. (Ephesians 6:1-9)


What applications exist for the modern day work place?
    EMPLOYEES:
 --"[Be obedient] with fear and trembling"
 --"Be obedient"
 --"in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ"
 --"eye service"
 --"men pleasing"
 --"as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart"
 --"With good will render service as to the Lord, and not to men"
 --"knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord"

     EMPLOYERS:
 --"do the same thing to them"
 --obey
 --"give up threatening"
 --know that your Lord in heaven shows no partiality
 --We face our relationships with fear and trembling, in case we fail to trust God.



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Ephesians 5: 22-33 - Living to Serve, Loving to Die (Part 10)

Ephesians 5: 22-33 Marriage:
"Living to Submit, Loving to Die".

A. The role of Wife:

• The wife has to submit to her husband.
• Greek word hü-po-tä's-sō is used for the English word “submit”, meaning,“to arrange under, to subordinate”

Example of submission:

• She should submit as she submits to the Lord.
• Because the believer’s wife’s supreme submission is to the Lord.
• Loving submission is done as an act of obedience to the Lord.

B. The role of Husband:

• Christ like servant leadership
• Dying for the wife
• Christ died for His bride so that she can grow in holiness

Marriage is established by God. When a wife submits she is a reflection of the way Jesus submitted to the Father and as a husband loves he is an example of how God loves us. By living life this way they aren't only experiencing amazing  marriage life, but their marriage serves as an example of Christ loving His church.


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Ephesians 5:1-21 - Holiness is not an Option (Part 9)

Holiness is not an Option
Ephesians 5:1-21

1. Holiness is displaying God's character.
2. Holiness flows from our identity.
3. Holiness is radical and all-encompassing.
4. Holiness is a sign that we are saved.
5. Holiness is a light to the world.
6. Holiness is empowered by the Spirit.

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