Podcast appearances and mentions of jesus remember

Life in the Spirit: Beyond the Obvious This week, Andy continued our series on "Life in the Spirit," diving deep into what it truly means to be led by the Holy Spirit. He challenged our common assumptions, moving beyond ideas of just "hearing God" or "experiencing the Holy Spirit" to uncover a more foundational truth found in Paul's letter to the Romans. Andy opened with a vivid story from his recent trip to South Wales, where he and Angie encountered an ultra-marathon photographer. This photographer was positioned near the end of a gruelling 100-mile race, ready to capture the exhausted but exhilarated runners. He highlighted the crucial role of arrows pointing the way to the finish line, but more importantly, the extensive training the runners undertook to even begin such a race. This analogy set the stage: while guidance and exciting experiences are part of the Spirit's work, there's something far more fundamental – the "training" that equips us for the long haul of faith. Turning to Romans 8:12-17, Andy explained that Paul, despite his own profound encounters with the Holy Spirit (like on the road to Damascus, Acts 9), doesn't focus on visions or gifts when describing being "led by the Spirit." Instead, he points to a radical, daily transformation. The context of Romans 8, Andy reminded us, is the tension of living in the "now, but not yet." As Christians, we've inherited a glorious future free from pain and death, yet we live in a present reality filled with challenges. The Holy Spirit, he explained, is actively at work in this tension, helping us navigate it. Andy then broke down several key works of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the earlier verses of Romans 8: Freedom from sin and death (Romans 8:2): The Spirit sets us free from the old law of sin and death, establishing new consequences for our lives. A new mindset (Romans 8:4-5): We are called to live according to the Spirit, having our minds set on what the Spirit desires, not on our sinful nature's desires. This is a profound shift from a self-centred life to a God-centred one. Life and peace (Romans 8:6): A mind controlled by the Spirit leads to life and peace, in stark contrast to the death that comes from a sinful mind. Andy emphasized the ongoing "war" within us, urging us to choose to follow the Spirit's leading. Life for our mortal bodies (Romans 8:11): If the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us, He will also give life to our mortal bodies – a stirring promise of hope and resurrection power at work within us now. The core of Andy's message, drawn from Romans 8:13, revealed what it truly means to be led by the Spirit: "If by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." This is strong language. It's not about tolerating sin, burying our heads in the sand, or just "putting up with" our sinful nature. It's about actively, with the Spirit's power, killing off those self-centred desires and actions that cut us off from God's plan and the fullness He has for us. Once something is dead, it's dead. This is the "engine room" of our spiritual lives, the foundational work that enables us to grow and develop. Andy then linked this to Romans 8:12, explaining our "obligation." Before Christ, we were obligated to our sinful nature, driven by selfish desires. But now, having surrendered our lives to Jesus and with the Spirit at work, we have a different obligation: to live according to the Spirit. This isn't about rules or duty, but about responding to God's love and His desire to bring joy, peace, love, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and faithfulness into our lives. The glorious outcome of being led by the Spirit in this way, as highlighted in Romans 8:14-17, is that we become children of God. We are no longer slaves to fear, but adopted sons and daughters, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, inheriting all that Jesus has. This relationship frees us from a life of duty and rules, inviting us into a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father. Andy concluded with practical steps on how to live this out: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal sin: What does He want us to deal with? Learn and stand on God's Word: Memorize verses like Romans 8:11 to use as a weapon against temptation. Kiss goodbye to feelings as a driver: Choose to believe God's Word over fleeting emotions. Fix our eyes on Jesus: Remember it's about relationship, not rules. Confess our sins: As 1 John 1:9 says, if we confess, God is faithful to forgive and purify. This breaks sin's stranglehold. Challenge assumptions: Don't cling to "this is just who I am." The Spirit has made you a new creation! Stop dressing up sin: See it for what it truly is – a deceptive lie from the enemy. Christ died to free us from everything opposed to God. To be led by the Spirit means a radical rethinking of our lives, learning to put sin to death and choosing instead to stand in the life Jesus promised. You are a son or daughter of God – it's time to walk into more of your inheritance! Bible References: Romans 8 (specifically Romans 8:2, 8:4, 8:5, 8:6, 8:10, 8:11, 8:12, 8:13, 8:14, 8:15, 8:16, 8:17) Acts 9 (implied, road to Damascus) 1 Corinthians (implied, communion) 1 John 1:9 James (implied, confess sins to one another) Transcript pray for me in order to fit the microphone in the pocket of these trousers, I've had to give my wallet to my wife. So, it's always a risky thing. So, we're continuing our series this morning on what it is to, on what life in the Spirit is all about. Nick kicked it off last week. If you've got a Bible or an app or whatever, you might want to turn to Romans 8. We're going to be looking at some verses in there in a minute. But I wonder if I asked you a question, what does it mean to be led by the Spirit? I wonder what sort of answers I would get because I kind of think probably most of us would say, well, it means about hearing God, doesn't it? It means about God guiding us. It means about experiencing the Holy Spirit and getting a sense of what that is, which is kind of your initial reaction. But as we're going to see, actually, when Paul got the opportunity to write about it, that's not what he said. So, we're going to look at that in a minute. Just a couple of weeks ago, Angie and I had a chance to get away for a few days in Pembroke in South Wales. And one of the days there, we were walking along the coastal path there. And as we were walking along the path, we come across this guy sat on a chair, banging the middle of the path. And he had one of these massive cameras with him. And I thought, oh, he's doing some wildlife photography or something like that. And so, we started chatting to him. He wasn't doing that, actually. He was a sports photographer. And apparently, there was a race taking place. And he was sat there on the path because he was expecting some runners to come. And he lined himself up to get a beautiful backdrop. And he's really sweaty runners to come around and capture their photograph. And it turns out there was a race going on called an ultra. Who knew? Some of you probably do. And in an ultra race, apparently, you run 100 miles. Whoa. And so, these were guys that had set off running at midnight the previous day and were still running. And the race was going to finish in the village next to where we were. So, he was set up near the finishing line to capture if anybody actually made it. But Angie and I went and sat down. And actually, it was quite a nice day. We sat down in the field and had a bit of lunch. And we could see the runners coming along. And we noticed as they ran along the coastal path, you come to sort of a stile to get to the next bit. And there were these big arrows on the stile pointing them to go up the field and leave that coastal path. And the arrows, obviously, were really important because if you run, like, 99 miles, you don't suddenly want to find yourself going the wrong way, do you? So, they were showing them the way to the end. And obviously, when they got to the end, I mean, A, they'd be really exhausted, for sure. But you can just imagine the sense of exhilaration, of celebration, and achievement, and excitement that you've done about that race. And yet, as I thought about it, you know, that's great, isn't it? But actually, what's really important for those runners is they all had to do an awful lot of training in the first place to get their bodies in the kind of shape and fitness and stamina where they could cope with running 100 miles. And that in some ways is far more important for them than the arrows pointing in the right direction or the sense of celebration when they finish. Because if they put the training in, if they manage what they eat, if they put the exercise in, they get up early and go practicing and they build up the stamina to run that sort of distance, then they can go on and do it again and again and again. And in some ways, what we're going to see this morning is that, you know, we think about the Holy Spirit being something that leads us, like those arrows, points us in the right direction of where we want to go. Or we think about the experience of the Holy Spirit being exactly that, something that's exciting and stirring. But actually what we're going to see, there's something far more fundamental, far more foundational, far more set up to help us last the journey and cause us to grow and develop as we walk this race with Jesus. Walk this race, I didn't mean that. But, and it's interesting because we look at, you think about Paul who wrote these verses we're going to look at. This is Paul who encountered the Holy Spirit, encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. Wow, what an experience, right? And it was blinded and then led to the house of Cornelius where he's prayed for and eventually he's seized. This is the same Paul who writes in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit prevented us from entering Asia and preaching the word. This is the same Paul who says we saw the vision of the man of Macedonia pleading with us to come over. And so in that sense he's led by the Spirit. This is the same Paul who is the only guy in the New Testament that gives us any detail about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And yet when he writes about what it is to be led by the Spirit, that isn't where he goes. That's not what he teaches us. So we're going to get into this. I'm just going to read Romans 8 verses 12 to 17 in the NIV if you've got that. And this is what he says. Paul says, Therefore brothers, we have an obligation, but it is not to the sinful nature to live according to the sinful nature, but to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a Spirit again that makes you, the Spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you receive the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry Abba Father. The Spirit himself testifies of our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs, heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. If indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. So the context of this chapter, Paul is explaining how as Christians we live in this tension of living in the now, but the not yet. As Christians who have been born again, who have encountered Jesus and have chosen to follow Jesus, we have inherited something and we are heading towards a place where there will be no more pain, no more sickness, no more death. And we're heading towards all of that. And yet at the same time, we live in the tension of the now, that goes on now. And when we pray for healing, we're praying for the not yet to break through into the now and things like that. And we're called to do that, but it's difficult, isn't it? Because we live in this tension, but that is the promises of God that we will enjoy. But right now it's a bit of a challenge. So Paul is saying in this chapter how living in that tension, the Holy Spirit is at work in you and in me and helping us as we do that. Last week, Nick was talking about the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing us to Christ in the first place and how we choose to follow Jesus, the Holy, it's that work of the Holy Spirit to cause us to be born again in that language. What Paul is saying here, having done that, this is now the work of the Holy Spirit in your life and in my life day by day. And I kind of wonder, this is almost like the small print, right? Nicodemus got the headline story of you need the Holy Spirit to enable you to be born again, but this is the small print. Once you've done that, here's what's going to happen. And so as we read this, that's what Paul is talking about. And so in the early part of the chapter 8, he sets out a number of things that the Holy Spirit is doing in your life and in mine. So in verse 2 we read, the law of the Spirit of life has set me free from the law of sin and death. So the first thing, the Holy Spirit has set you free. Why not feel like that? Well, come on to that. But the Spirit is at work in you. He has set you free from the law of sin and death. There are different consequences to our lives. Now we are following the Spirit of God than before we did that. In verse 4, Paul writes, we do not live according to the sinful nature, but we live according to the Spirit. And in verse 5, we do not live according to the sinful nature, having our mindset on what that nature desires, but instead we live according to the Spirit, having our mindset on what the Spirit desires. So Paul is saying as we follow Jesus and if we're the Holy Spirit is at work in us, then what we are doing, we are thinking about, what is it that the Holy Spirit desires? What does God desire for me? What does God desire for my life? What does God desire for the people that I am involved with? What does God desire for the community where I live? Because before we knew God, we had our mindset on what I want. And he's making this massive contrast between life following Jesus and life before we did that. And he goes on in verse 6, the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace, but the mind of sinful man is death. What is controlling your mind today? What is controlling my mind today? See, what Paul is painting a picture here, there's a war going on. And I think we all identify with this, right? And there's a voice saying, oh, this is what you should do. You should do what you want to do. And then there's another voice saying, hang on, Jesus gave his life for you and you're trying to follow him. You should be doing what he's asking you to do. And Paul is describing this war that goes on and this tension that goes on in our lives and how the Holy Spirit is at work. And he's making the point that he's urging us to be men and women who choose to follow what the Holy Spirit is saying to us in terms of how we live our lives. And he goes on in verse 11, if the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is in us, he will give life to our mortal bodies. If the Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is in you, he will give life to you, to me. But I mean, that is such a stirring thing, right? We need to grab a hold of that and let that sink in and come back to that. He makes all these statements about the work of the Spirit in our lives in contrast to the works of what he calls the sinful nature, in contrast to a life that is about pursuing what we want and a self-centered thing that drives us. And then we get to our passage. And so in verse 14, we read, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. But when he says that, we need to understand what comes before because, right? Because he says something and then he says because those who are led by the Spirit of God. So what does it mean particularly to be led by the Spirit of God? And if we go back one verse in verse 13, we see that. We read this, he says, for if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die. But if by the Spirit of God you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. Or in another version, but if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. This is strong language. If by the Holy Spirit you put to death those deeds of the sinful nature, that work of the sinful, if by the Holy Spirit you put to death those things that are driven out of self-centeredness, that are driven out of what you want to do and that are not part of what God has in plan for you. He says we are to kill it. We are to put it to death. We are to get rid of it. You see, once something is dead, that's it. It doesn't come back. There's no more life. It is dead. He does not say, but through the power of the Spirit you put up with the sin in your life. He doesn't say through the power of the Spirit, don't worry about that, just keep going, don't worry about those things that are part of the sinful nature. He doesn't say through the power of the Spirit just bury your head in the sand and carry on as if nothing happens. No, he says through the power of the Spirit we are to be men and women who are putting to death those things that are cutting us off from God's plan for our lives and the richness and the fullness and the love and the passion that God has for you and we are to put them to death. And then he says that's what it means to be led by the Spirit. Wow, so it's a putting to death the deeds of our sinful nature. It's not about speaking in tongues, it's not about having visions, it's not about seeing signs although those things clearly follow, but it is instead what Paul is saying if we truly want to be men and women who are led by the Spirit then we are to be a people working with the power of the Spirit in our lives to put to death what he calls those deeds of the sinful nature and I kind of guess that most of you can think what they are in your own life. It's the Holy Spirit that is the active agent counteracting sin in our lives and a people led by the Spirit are allowing that to happen. That's why this is such a foundational fundamental thing because we are to go through our lives this never stops right then we have to go through our lives to keep doing this keep coming back to God keep coming back to Jesus and say Lord what else is there something in my life that needs to be dealt with needs to be addressed and then I want to trust the Holy Spirit to help me to put that to death. And then if we go back one more verse, verse 12, he says therefore brothers we have an obligation right if you rent a house you have an obligation to pay rent if you borrowed a mortgage to buy a house you have an obligation to pay it back and Paul is saying we as Christians as followers of we as Christians as followers of Jesus we have an obligation. He says but it's not to live according to the sinful nature so in other words before we were a Christian before we chose to follow Jesus we were obligated is that a word I think so we were we we had to follow the sinful nature there was no other option we had to follow our own selfish desires we had to do what we want to do and if you're outside of Jesus this morning afraid to say that's the way that life is lived it doesn't take much to see that around us but Paul is saying now we have surrendered our lives to Jesus and the Holy Spirit is at work in us we have a different obligation we are now obliged to live according to the spirit you know so often it feels the other way around doesn't it when we're battling with sin and we're battling with stuff it feels like it's just so easy to see and it's so easy to trip up or it's so easy to give in and it almost feels like the other way around which is why we got to stop trusting feelings but that's why Paul is at pains to point this out it's such a massive issue for us as we go through following Jesus day after day after day but it is such a massive win that Christ has won on the cross for us and poured out the Holy Spirit in your life and my life to bring us to a place where we learn to put these things to death and we are instead obliged to follow what the Holy Spirit wants to do in your life and in my life because he's got a calling for you he's got a purpose for you he's got a plan for you he is for you he desires to to give you good things he desires to see joy and peace and love and patience and kindness and goodness and gentleness and faithfulness growing in your heart and in your life he's for you and so he says we are obliged to live according to the spirit this is what it means to be a people led by the spirit yes it is the same spirit that produces the fruit of the spirit in our lives yes it's the same spirit that gives gifts to the church and it's the same spirit that might give us visions or over experiences and encounters with God but it's like addressing this is like the engine room of the ship it's where the action happens it's where the thing that matters you can have all sorts of stuff on a boat you know you think these super yachts or these big cruise liners that are enormous these days it seems to me with swimming pools and gyms and theatres and cinemas and everything else but actually if the if the engine room wasn't working that would all be irrelevant because that boat isn't going anywhere and so this is like the engine room of our lives that actually this is the place where God starts to drive us where he is calling us to if we take him seriously about tackling these issues in our lives are we feeling aimless this morning are we feeling we've lost direction are we feeling we're just drifting there may be that we need to look at the engine room of the work of the holy spirit in us what's he calling to mind what's he asking us to deal with what's he challenging us to say here is something you need to put to death and let's deal with this together you know maybe this is why paul writes um you know when he writes the letter to the church in Corinth and he describes about communion he talks about the detail around taking communion and he says this is why some of you have fallen weak and are sick because you're not addressing these issues of sin in your life and you're carrying on taking the lord's supper and you know because he's seen actually that we need to tackle this we need to be serious about it and address it but then if we go forwards from verse 14 there's more all right which is also just as important paul says if we're living like this if we're led by the spirit in this way and we're putting to death everything that sets itself up against god in our lives then what then you and i are children of god we are sons of god hallelujah you know that is good news it really is we are adopted as children of god himself for all who are led by the spirit are children of god no ifs there's no buts there's no exception clause if we are led by the spirit we are children of god we're no longer slaves to the form of things that enslaved our lives you know that's the argument that he's stating we're now children of god in fact he's very specific we're no longer a slave to fear and for a lot of us even as christians we still get enslaved to fears so often and paul is saying we're children of god we're led by the spirit god has made available to you and to me the ability to put to death those things that lead us into fear or anxiety or stress because in christ they can be defeated and so we're no longer slaves to the form of things before we were a christian we lived the slave to sin and the enticements and seductions of this world but no more we're now children of god heirs of god and co-heirs with christ getting the inheritance of jesus wow right wow you know we're of an age when we're thinking about inheritance for our kids as i'm sure some of you are and you know and we're going to inherit what is jesus because we're co-heirs with christ so what does all this mean what does all this mean it means we follow jesus and pursue righteousness in our lives not so much by obedience to a set of rules as living out a new relationship with god as his children conformed to the likeness of his son it's very easy just to kind of zone zone out almost and just pick and think this is about trying harder this is about i've got to do better that's not what it's about it's not about following a set of rules paul is saying it's in the context of a relationship with a loving heavenly father who gave his own son jesus for you and for me that we then decide we want to choose to work this out we want to choose to allow the holy spirit to address these things in our lives we want to choose to follow god for this and and be changed from the inside out not because we have to or because there's rules of duty but because we are now children of the living god and god wants to set us free from following a set of rules and instead he wants to be your father not with the shortcomings of an earthly father hallelujah but as a loving father who gave his only son for us and that out of that relationship everyone say lord i want you to deal with this stuff in my life i want you to deal with the crap that trips me up time and time again and i want to address it because i believe you've got something better for me you have something of greater freedom for me as being led by the spirit is evidence that we are children of god we have moved from slavery to sonship and as he goes on by him by that same spirit we cry abba father the spirit himself testifying of our spirit that we are god's children you see the holy spirit doesn't doesn't trample over our humanity or bypass it in some way but he redeems it and now works through it in your life and in my life he nor does he overtake or overwhelm us but he has come to do what the law could not do and write on our hearts the obedience in such a way that as god's people we want to follow god's ways that's the work of what he's doing in you and in me today that's the that's the stirring of the spirit that's what it needs to be led by the spirit paul is saying and so he's at pains to point out that you are a people that are led by the spirit because you are working with him to deal with those issues from our old lives and that christ the son of god died and was raised to life to bring us to life and he's now poured out his holy spirit into our life to set us free from and to deal with the mess the dross the things that trip us up don't you realize the holy spirit is at work in you verse 10 and 11 supports this but if christ is in you your body is dead because of sin yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness and if the spirit of raised who raised jesus from the dead is living in you he who raised christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit at work in you there is so much hope in this passage in a world that is crying out for hope how can i escape this how can i get out of that how can i stop doing it how can i stop all of us there is so much hope in this passage that no matter what are the things that trip you and i up there is hope that actually in god working with the holy spirit we can deal with these things that's what paul is saying here and he's pointing out for us therefore this means what does this mean practically well it means not putting up with stuff in our lives that we shouldn't be putting up with you know we can get to a place a plateau of tolerating sin can't we it's a bit like it's a bit like in your house right you can i don't know if you like me sometimes but you can just put off jobs can't you david's saying no you don't put some jobs is that right lennis you can put off jobs in your house in your cleaning jobs you know or cleaning behind the sofa you know anybody do that no it's like you always think you know if someone comes and visits oh it's nice it looks nice and clean but if they came and they pulled the sofa out or they lifted the cushions up or you know well yeah we put off jobs like that and in some ways that's how we tolerate sin and stuff in our lives we just kind of put it off we're dealing with bigger issues we're dealing with other things but maybe this morning the holy spirit is putting his finger on something else you know we're not to put up with it nor are we to play with fire in that sense you know there are times i know in my life when you kind of justify dabbling with sin you know we use the language like well i'm not as bad as that person it's not really harming anybody you know and we use language like that to kind of accommodate it and yet what paul is talking about here there is a radical approach that we need to take because of what god has been has done we need to stop being nice about sin in our lives and name it for what it is those anxieties those fears and insecurities we need to allow the holy spirit to deal with them and put them to death we need to walk away from statements like yeah but this is me or i have always been like this this is just who i am the holy spirit has made you a new creation in christ the old has gone the new has come and you can be new today even through the work of the holy spirit if you only cry out to him this morning it means tackling addictive patterns and habits and not managing them just in a medical sense but putting them to death the opportunity is there through god's spirit now how do we do this quickly at the end very quickly we need to ask the holy spirit can you show us oh god stuff in my life that you're asking me to deal with that's stopping me from growing on growing with you and going on with you we need to ask lord what can you see that i can't see like underneath those cushions of the sofa or whatever that we actually does need to deal with we need to learn god's word and stand on it we need to hold verses that say things like the spirit of him who raised jesus from the dead is living in you he who raised christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies and when you're facing the challenges and the differences and you're being tempted you hold those verses and as you memorize them and learn they become a part of you and you use them as a weapon say no i don't have to do this anymore because the spirit of christ the spirit that raised christ from the dead is at work in me and we need to let that happen we need to kiss goodbye to feelings as a driver for our life this used to be a nightmare for me as the young man it's terrible i don't feel jesus loves me i don't feel god loves me i don't feel this i don't feel that and i had to learn to hold to memorize some of those verses that trump feelings time and again and then make a choice and then choose not to believe feelings but choose instead to believe the word of god even though i didn't feel like it and we give too much sway to our feelings and our emotions and we need to learn to bring them under the word of god we need to fix our eyes on jesus it is about relationship and not about rules and we need to be free from seeing to do this as a sense of rules and duty we need to pick ourselves up brush ourselves down and start all over again when we trip up john puts it this way he says if we if we confess our sins god is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all and we all trip up paul talks about that elsewhere what do we do we we ask for forgiveness and we press on we need to we need to challenge our assumptions like i said earlier i've always been like this i quite like my insecurities it's who i am it's who god made me well guess what he's made you a new creation now redeemed by the death and resurrection of his son jesus for you we need to confess our sins to one another james writes that's a hard one but i tell you that is a hard one but there's nothing like that to break the stranglehold of sin in your life particularly personal private sins that you hold on to and that you're scared about telling others when you confess them to people it breaks the hold in your life and we need to tell it like it is we need to stop dressing sin up in our eyes as something glossy and okay and we need to see it because the devil is the father of lies he is full of deceit and false promises and destructive and death is the only end and so we need to stop dressing it up and see it as it truly is christ died on the cross to free you from everything in your life that stands opposed to god to be led by the spirit means a radical rethink about the stuff in our lives that is opposed to god it means living a life where with the power of god's spirit we are learning to put to death sin and its effects and we are choosing instead to stand in the life that jesus has promised you are a son or a daughter of god this morning it's time to walk into more of your inheritance amen

Jesus Remember Me by Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church

Send me a Text Message!When it comes to living God's dream for our lives, the journey to become  someone great, a true follower of Jesus; sometimes we focus so much on the process, all the stages that we have to master, all the different things we have to learn to  do right, that we lose sight of the motivating passion that inspires us to keep going no matter how many times we fall & fail. Our motivating passion gives us no other choic, something inside just won't let us stop. I think we begin to find that motivating passion when we ask the question, "Will Jesus remember me?"

A Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Luke 23:32-43. Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it here on YouTube.  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC: immanuelministries.ca What does Paradise mean to you? How did the sermon invite us to re-imagine it? Consider what ways you have acted like the folks around the cross. How do you see such actions played out in society today? What is indicated by the word ‘Today' as used in by Jesus on the cross? What happens when Jesus' touches us? How can the ‘Today' of the kingdom happen among us?

Luke 23:32-43 - Michael Abrams, Campus Pastor

On All Saints Sunday, we honor those whose lives have shown us glimpses of God's kingdom on earth and hold on to the hope of an eternal home, where love and life continue beyond all bounds. At both services, we will observe the Sacrament of Communion and candle lighting in honor of loved ones who know live in the eternal fullness of Christ.

Dennis Estep delivers a sermon for the Chapter & Verse of the Month!

A new MP3 sermon from Westminster Presbyterian Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Jesus, Remember Me! Subtitle: Luke, Gospel of Amazement Speaker: Dr. Michael A. Rogers Broadcaster: Westminster Presbyterian Church Event: Sunday - AM Date: 4/1/2012 Bible: Luke 23:32-43 Length: 28 min.

Sermon By: Bob O'Bannon on: 03-29-2024 Over Luke 23:39-43

“Jesus, Remember Me” from 2024-03-24 by Matt Matthews.

“Seeing the Real Jesus - Remember: The Last Supper” Mark 14:22-25, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 11:26 Rev. John Allen continues our Lent message series exploring the meaning of Jesus' Last Supper. Recorded live at Stonebridge United Methodist Church in McKinney, Texas. For more information, please visit www.mysumc.org.

Today, I'm going to talk about how to become a “10x” disciple.  If you are listening to the program you want to be a man or woman who multiplies whatever God gives you.  You want to appear before God loaded with the fruit of a life well lived.  Like the servant who took one Mina and turned it into 10 more, you want to please God with the work of your hands and content of your hear.  How do you do that?  I'll be talking about that and how prayer is the first step to becoming a “10x” disciple.  Prayer Bench Mentioned in the Podcast: https://a.co/d/3Iq3KZ9   Transcript The First “10x” Disciple Jesus prepared his disciples for his departure by telling this story in Luke 19:12-17 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,' he said, ‘until I come back.'14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don't want this man to be our king.'15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.'17 “‘Well done, my good servant!' his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.'  Luke 19:12-17 Jesus revealed that he would go away and return as King.  There would be little if any supervision.  His servants would be left only with one mina, worth about three months wages, and the knowledge that their master would someday return.  Out of the ten who received a mina, one servant came back with ten more minas than when he started.  He multiplied the gift ten times or “10x.”  This man is the original “10x” disciple.     Reading this passage recently, I thought to myself, that's the kind of disciple I want to be.  I want to be able to multiply his gifts ten times or more.  Whatever he gives me, I want to make more of it.  I would guess that if you are reading or listening to this, you feel the same way.  So, what does it take to be a multiplying disciple or a “10x” disciple?  That's the subject of this series. First of all,   A 10x Disciple Is A Man Of Prayer Prayer turns ordinary mortals into men of power. It brings power. It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God. Samuel Chadwick   4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,     but I am a man of prayer.  Psalm 109:4 How do you want to be known?  Can you say of yourself, “I am a man of prayer?”  For many men, this is the hardest challenge of all and yet it's absolutely necessary if we want to multiply the gifts that God has given us.  Prayer Is Necessary For Revival.  They all joined together constantly in prayer,  Acts 1:14 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Acts 2:42 Consistent and intentional prayer powered the explosive growth of the early church.  The same will be true today.  Jesus said that “apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).  In the wake of the pandemic, there is nothing more important than men of prayer both individually and even more importantly together with other men of prayer.  In order for our church to thrive, we have to devote ourselves to prayer like never before.  That's why we are devoting 30 minutes every midweek to crying out to God for revival. Heartfelt Prayer is Needed 3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”  4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.   Nehemiah 1:3-4 Nehemiah was broken when he considered the situation his people were in.  He himself enjoyed comfort and privilege.  However, his heart went out to his own people and the shame and disgrace they were facing.  His first response was not forming a plan or trying out a new technique, it was letting his emotions feel.  He let the hurt in.  He thought about the situation.  He first went to prayer and only later did he come up with a plan to save his people.  Just as Jesus displayed forty days in the desert praying and fasting, prayer precedes all our plans and efforts.   Patient and Persevering Prayer is Needed 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.  Daniel 6:10 Daniel's enemies had made it against the law to pray to anyone but King Darius.  Daniel ignored the law and maintained his devotion to God in prayer.  What was the result?  He was thrown into a den of lions-and then rescued! “…When Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.”  Daniel 6:23b Daniel had a prayer habit.  He forced himself to pray three times a day.  He persevered when he was busy, tired and overwhelmed.  He never quit praying and God delivered him.  This is the prayer of a multiplying disciple of Jesus. So often, we don't pray because we get anxious, run out of things to say, feel awkward or our minds run wild.  We aren't in shape spiritually and so our prayer lives are brief, sporadic and shallow.  Blaise Pascal was right when he wrote, “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” There is no shortcut to being a man of prayer without discipling yourself to sit, kneel or stand in the presence of God consistently.  Here are some things that help me: ·       Dedicate time each day for prayer ·       Set a timer ·       Get a kneeling bench ·       Keep in mind Satan doesn't want you to pray ·       Don't give in to anxiety and worry, let it be.  Don't give in to impulses (coffee, phone, checking on things etc.) ·       Take some deep breaths ·       Think about Jesus ·       Remember that the “Great I Am” is with you (Matthew 28:20) ·       Don't beat yourself up if you aren't “good” at prayer ·       Ask for what you want, not for what you should want ·       Develop prayer to the point it becomes enjoyable ·       Keep a journal of things to pray for ·       Pray for other people, especially your own family ·       Ask God for revival for the church Just like no one starts out massive the first time in the gym, no one is powerful in prayer initially.  It takes time, effort, patience and perseverance.  Over time you will become a “man of prayer.”  Men and women of prayer are what's needed in this day and age we live in.  There is nothing more powerful than prayer that moves God, the most powerful being in the universe.  Prayer is the most highly leveraged activity you can do every day. When we lived in Tokyo, I went through a period of barrenness.  I wanted to save more souls, but nothing was happening.  One night at midweek I announced that I was starting a prayer group once a week before work to pray that God would help us to save souls.  About six other disciples joined and we met for an hour every week.  In the next six months that group of six people helped 13 people become Christians and two married couples got baptized on the same day.  A multiplying disciple or a “10x” disciple is a praying disciple.  Devote yourself to growing in your prayer life.  In time you will see the fruit of a powerful life of prayer.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” — Luke 22:42 While they are dying by crucifixion, one of the two criminals next to Jesus says to him, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replies, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Have you ever wondered what that's all about? Originally the word for “paradise” referred to an enclosed garden. Later it meant a place where the righteous dead waited for the resurrection. In the book of Revelation it seems to point to the new Jerusalem and the new creation, where God's people will live with the Lord forever. In our reading today, what does Jesus mean by “paradise,” where the criminal will join him that very day? Does he mean a garden? A waiting room? The New Jerusalem? Here's what I wonder: what if “paradise” is right there, right then, on those two crosses on that Friday afternoon? I know, it doesn't sound like paradise. And no one would want to vacation there—not to mention living and dying there. But according to the Bible, when Jesus surrenders his life on the cross—right there, right then—he is in his glory. Right there, right then he is on his throne. Right there, right then he has come into his kingdom, where the Father's will is done on earth, the same as in heaven. And the criminal on the cross nearby is there with him, the first one there with him. Jesus, I want to be with you in your kingdom. So give me enough faith to take up a cross and to carry it to paradise. Amen.

As the disciples make the long walk to Galilea, they share a few of their favorite parables that Jesus shared with them. So, snuggle in for story time, and a few wooly good jokes, on this week's episode.  

This powerful, faith filled, declaration from a criminal. And yet, Jesus grants his request.

Listen as Pastor David Robinson preaches a sermon that is pertinent to the world today and the impact of the truth of the gospel.For the discussion guide to go along with the video:https://gbccambridge.com/sermonsCheck us out online: http://gbccambridge.comInstagram: @gbccambridgeTwitter: @gbccambirdgeFacebook: http://fb.com/gbccambridgeSupport the show

Unpacking the Sermon | Jesus, Remember Me! (Luke 23:26-43) Speaker: Pastor Tim Evans Every Tuesday morning, Pastor Tim will break from our current Devotional series and take a few moments to review his sermon from this past Sunday. This audio is a production of North Clay Baptist Church. For more information from North Clay Baptist Church, visit our website at www.northclay.org

Packing for Sunday | Jesus, Remember Me! (Luke 23:26-43) Speaker: Pastor Tim Evans Every Friday morning, Pastor Tim will break from our current Devotional series in order to give us some thoughts in preparation for his sermon this coming Sunday. This audio is a production of North Clay Baptist Church. For more information from North Clay Baptist Church, visit our website at www.northclay.org

Why Does Jesus Remember the Passover? - Sara Jane Roope - March 30th 2023 (Sages) by Christ Church Winchester

Rev. Jeannette's message on how we never walk alone.

An earnest simple prayer. Why do we call Jesus, King? What does it mean that he's King? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/dan-greg/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dan-greg/support

November 20, 2022 11:30:16 AM Luke 23:32-43

sermon by Rev. Kenneth Walsh based on Colossians 1:11-20; Luke 23:33-43

Special Edition by OMK FJ Pembawa Renungan : Albertus Gregory Tan – Jakarta Pengantar Renungan : Margaretta Simbolon - Jakarta Sound Editing : Indah Larasati Sirait - Cibinong, Bogor Cover Editing : Anastasia Sonia – Jakarta Luk. 23:35-43.

In Luke 23:39-43, one of the two thieves condemned to die with Jesus joins in the ridicule, blaspheming the crucified Messiah. The other thief challenges and rebukes him for his failure to fear God. He reminded the first thief that, unlike them, Jesus had done nothing wrong. Turning to Jesus, he asked Jesus to remember…

Ps. Judika Sihaloho - Jesus, Remember Me

This morning as we head into Good Friday, Jago spoke from from Luke 23:39-43. Afterwards Jago led a time of prayer, praying for: • The family and close friends of Desislava Grudeva (who passed away earlier this year) • Ourselves that we recognise that we don't have more or less to offer Jesus than the criminal • For all the different services taking place over Easter: Reset, the All-age Good Friday service, the Good Friday service of meditation and the Easter Sunday services.

Father Ben Sharpe Luke 19:29-40 Psalm 118:19-29 Isaiah 52:13-53:12 Psalm 22:1-11 Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 23:1-49

“Be a Window”“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:”‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭KJV‬‬“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”‭‭Galatians‬ ‭2:20‬ ‭KJVWhen I was a child and someone would stand in front of the television during movie night or one of our favorite shows, the snarky remark to say them was, “You make a better door than a window!”In other words, “Move! I can't see!” This was before rewind tv, if you missed something during the show, you had to wait until the re-run or be lucky enough to have a VCR tape in to record it. In regards to our walk with Christ, are we standing in the way? Are we allowing others to see Him through us? As a younger Christian, much of my focus was on myself - my victories, my prayers being answered, my healing, my blessings, my dreams, my calling, and so forth.As I've walked with the Lord for several years now, my priorities have changed. I've begun to realize that it's not about me. Jesus was our prime example - He who thought it not robbery to be equal with God took upon Him the form of a servant! Paul was continually identifying as a servant of Christ, going so far as to say that he was being poured out as a drink offering for those under his care.I want to encourage you today! Be a window! Allow others to see Jesus through you. How? By becoming a servant! The Bible says the greatest among you is the greatest servant. :) In a world where people's cameras are always running both figuratively and literally looking most times to catch you doing something wrong, let them catch you doing something right - serving, giving, imitating Christ! It's so easy to be a door, to be conformed to this world, allowing its influence to mold us - “look at my house, look at my car, look at my new hairstyle,” etc. and there's nothing wrong perse with any of these things, but they serve as doors, barring others' view from what's important JESUS! Be encouraged today! Be a window! What we make happen for others, God will make happen for us! In other words, Move out of the way, ;) the world needs Jesus :) Remember, What you make happen for others, God will make happen for you!In Christ, Joshua Scott Zeitz“Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.”‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭AMP‬‬Support the show (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/joshzeitz)

In Revelation chapter 2, Jesus gives a message to seven churches. Today, we look at the message to the church in Ephesus. Jesus praised them for several things, but He also rebuked them for leaving their first love. We'll learn about the three things necessary to return to Jesus: Remember, Repent, & Return. (Revelation 2:2-5)

In Revelation chapter 2, Jesus gives a message to seven churches. Today, we look at the message to the church in Ephesus. Jesus praised them for several things, but He also rebuked them for leaving their first love. We'll learn about the three things necessary to return to Jesus: Remember, Repent, & Return. (Revelation 2:2-5)

Listen to this encouraging prayer; it will give you hope and inspiration during all the trials and triumphs in your life.

Matt Whitt

4.2.21 Tim's Daily Bread Devotional Hymn — Jesus, Remember Me by FUMCFW

Jesus, Remember Me! - Yanah Browning - 22.11.20 by Holy Trinity Church

メッセージの原稿は、次でごらんください。 https://penguinclub.ipower.com/sermons

  Script: We’re back in our study of the gospel of John this week looking at the last section of chapter 5, from verse 30-47, entitled in the ESV, “Witnesses to Jesus” Remember the context here. The Jewish leadership, Pharisees, Sadducees, and the rest of the Sanhedrin, are all upset because Jesus healed a man […]

Today's Bible Translation Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 17 NKJV, Ch. 18-19 NIV Support Very special thanks to Denise Inglis for her generous donation! Please remember that this is a listener supported show. Your support of any amount is needed and very much appreciated. Find out how by clicking here. Thoughts Did anything strike you as strange when you heard the reaction from Peter, James and John when Jesus told them not to tell anyone about what they had seen on the mountain, when Moses and Elijah appeared and spoke with Jesus? Remember, he told them not to tell anyone, until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.  And what did they say? “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” I think my first reaction would have been, “Risen from the what?!? What do you mean, risen from the dead?” I don’t know. Maybe they did say something like that, but we are only told of the discussion of Elijah. Yeah, that’s probably it.  And then later in chapter seventeen, Jesus again told them of his death and resurrection. “Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, 'The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.' And they were exceedingly sorrowful.” Now, of course, I understand their sadness at hearing that their friend, their rabbi, their LORD was going to be killed, but again, they completely missed the most important part: and the third day He will be raised up. I think I would’ve said, “Raised up? What do you mean, raised up?” They just let the most important event in the history of mankind slip right by them. Maybe it was just so huge that their minds had no idea how to process the words. But beloved, those are the words…that was to be the event that would change EVERYTHING for anyone who believed! NOTHING in all of history would surpass this coming event!  Sometimes we don’t see the things that are the most important. We get stuck in our own little self-constructed mindset, and when something really huge comes along we don’t see it because it doesn’t fit our view of the world. The disciples could not grasp the idea of Jesus coming back to life, so it seems to have gone completely over their heads.  Let’s pray that God opens our eyes, beloved. Let’s ask Him to make us aware of His will and His moving in our lives. 

Jesus, Remember Me (Sung; Music of Taize community) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/orthodox-christian-prayer/message

The post April 9, 2020 PM | Maundy Thursday Meditation: Jesus, Remember Me appeared first on Georgetown Christian Reformed Church.

Sunday Message with Pastor Shawn Scarborough :: 04-05-2020

Sunday Message with Pastor Shawn Scarborough :: 04-05-2020

Jump start your week with a Jump Start REWIND, read by Roger Shouse.

Welcome to church! We're glad you could join with hundreds of others to listen to this message. Every week at The King's Church Mid-Sussex we prepare a message from The Bible. We believe Jesus is the answer to every question and the want of every heart. We hope and pray that this message will help you connect with God and grow in faith and understanding. We'd love to get to know you! If you'd like to find out more about the Christian faith, our church or to get involved please visit: https://www.tkc.org.uk/connect The King's Church Mid-Sussex is a church based in Burgess Hill. We exist to love God, love people and see lives and communities transformed.

Sermon for the Reign of Christ Today we celebrate the Reign of Christ. Reverend Shelley McVea preaches on how God will personally take over the care of his people. He will be the shepherd of his people and they will be his flock. He will raise up someone from King David's household who will be righteous and just. Christians see this prophecy as pointing to Jesus, who rules by self-giving love. The first person to enter the eternal realm with Jesus will be a crucified thief. His only request is “Jesus, remember me”. This is enough for Jesus. “Today you will be with me in paradise”. When our hearts are open to God, we too enter the loving reign of our King.

In just two sentences by the thief on the cross, we encounter confession, genuine self-condemnation, astonishment and horror at the state of his fellow criminal’s mind and the ministry of reconciliation as he tries to bring him to his senses, while there’s 60-90 minutes of breath left. Wait! One more thing: His noble testimony to the innocence of Jesus and all the rightfulness of His claims as King of the Jews.

Reverend Joseph Pescatello

Feast of Christ the King "Jesus Remember Me" Fr. Mark Kowalewski by St. John's Episcopal Cathedral Los Angeles

We all want to be remembered. It means that we matter, we belong, we exist. When we are remembered, someone else bears witness to all those things. When we are remembered it is as if our life is being put back together, because it is. That is exactly what is happening. We are being made whole.

Reverend Joseph Pescatello

Priest. Prophet. King. Offering sacrifice, delivering God’s message and even ruling over nations are anointed actions shown in prefigurements in the Old Testament. People such as Moses and David. The New Testament accounts Jesus as a different kind of leader, as someone who does not desire the worldly platitudes we expect from other priests, prophets and kings of the past. A salvific leader, Christ’s kingdom encompasses a differing vision from temporal reality. The greatest act of power is not merely to command or fix, but to submit to a greater power. Jesus displayed this by surrendering to His Father; by dying on the cross so that the gates of heaven could be opened, allowing reigning mercy for all to become the last word.On a personal level, we hear the words in the gospel, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” We can understand that Jesus can truly reign in our lives and even at the end, when we are brought to our own salvation.

Does it seem strange that, one month before our Christmas celebrations, the Scripture readings focus on Easter death and resurrection? Let us cry out with the thief on the cross, "Jesus, remember me!" (Organ/Choir/Cantata BWV 116 - Christ the King Sunday)

The people stayed there before the cross watching Jesus. As for the leaders, they jeered at him. ‘He saved others,’ they said ‘let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers mocked him too, and when they approached to offer vinegar they said, ‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’ Above him there was an inscription: ‘This is the King of the Jews.’ One of the criminals hanging there abused him. ‘Are you not the Christ?’ he said. ‘Save yourself and us as well.’ But the other spoke up and rebuked him. ‘Have you no fear of God at all?’ he said. ‘You got the same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus,’ he said ‘remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ ‘Indeed, I promise you,’ he replied ‘today you will be with me in paradise.’Luke 23:35-43Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/frgministry)

Mark 3:1-6

Revd Dr Simon Woodman Good Friday Sermon Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church 19 April 2019 Luke 23.26-56 http://baptistbookworm.blogspot.com/2019/04/jesus-remember-me.html To find out more about Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, check out our website www.bloomsbury.org.uk

Jesus, Remember Me When You Come into Your Kingdom

Fr Ben Sharpe Isaiah 52:13-53:12Psalm 22:1-11 or Ps 22:1-21Philippians 2:5-11Luke (22:39-71) 23:1-49 (50-56)

The post Being Jesus: Remember Who You Are appeared first on St. Paul's United Methodist Church.

The post Being Jesus: Remember Who You Are appeared first on St. Paul's United Methodist Church.

Remember when you were little and lived life with childhood innocence. Remember when things were simpler and every person and event didn’t have to pass through a lifetime of filters to reach your heart. Remember when God stirred your heart and with simple faith you believed in Jesus? Remember when. . . . Sometimes in life, we need to push back all the distractions and pressures and just trust in our God. Jesus said, the kingdom of God belongs to those who come to Him with a simple, child-like faith. Remember when?

Little Farms Chapel Sermon

Message from Pastor Steve Khang. We remember our mistakes, our shortcomings, our fears–all the wrong things, but what we need to remember is the identity of the Christ who is with us now! 

On this day of celebrating our freedom, we focus on patriotism and its proper expression in light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. How can we show our patriotism while making much of Jesus? Remember that while we may be earthly citizens of the United States, we are eternally citizens of Heaven. How should we walk in this dichotomy? Let 2 Timothy 2:14-26 be your guide.

A daily devotional through the recorded words Jesus spoke while He walked alongside us. Our website http://alittlewalkwithgod.com. Thanks for joining me today for "A Little Walk with God." I'm your host Richard Agee. Is silent prayer effective? Yep. Is vocal prayer effective? Yep. Is prayer effective? Yep. When it's for the right reason. Scripture John 11:39-42 Jesus: Remove the stone. Martha: Lord, he has been dead four days; the stench will be unbearable. Jesus: Remember, I told you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God. They removed the stone, and Jesus lifted His eyes toward heaven. Jesus: Father, I am grateful that You have heard Me. I know that You are always listening, but I proclaim it loudly so that everyone here will believe You have sent Me. Devotional I know people that are scared to death to pray out loud. They are afraid they'll say the wrong thing. They think someone might think poorly of them because of the words they say. They get their tongues tied and nothing seems to come out right They're afraid they'll forget something they really want to say I know others who think you really need to pray out loud to keep focused during prayer It's too easy to let your mind wander It's easier to gather your thoughts It helps you articulate your praise to God It helps you focus on others instead of yourself It forces you to think more clearly about what you're doing Jesus shows us that prayer is effective no matter how we pray as long as it's for the right reason. “Father, I'm grateful You have heard Me.” But He hasn't said anything out loud yet. He has obviously prayed, but communicated silently with His Father. “I know You are always listening” “I proclaim it loudly so that everyone here will believe You have sent Me.” His vocal prayer is heard so others will know His specific prayer to the Father for Lazarus' resurrection What was all of this about? Everything Jesus did was to bring glory to God He stated before He left for Bethany that His delay and actions would bring glory to His Father All His prayer requests sought direction to give the most glory to God His actions aimed glory to God and not Himself Jesus came to Bethany to bring glory to His Father He would raise Lazarus from the dead He would show He was one with the Father since only God had the power to give life He would point all of those action toward one purpose and one cause Bringing glory to His Father If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don't, tell me. I hope you'll join me again tomorrow for "A Little Walk with God."  

Central UMC, Florence SC

Sermon for Christ the King/Reign of Christ Sunday. It may seem odd to reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus as Advent and Christmas approach. However, the sign placed above his head does read "This is the king...".

The greatest leaders don’t say, “This is how great I am.” The greatest leaders say, “This is how I can serve you.” Jesus always has a different way of looking at things. That is probably one of the greatest reasons I love being a Christian. The true message of Jesus is radical and almost mind-bending. Over and over, Jesus would say, “You’ve heard it said…, but I say…” or “You’ve been taught [that], but I’m teaching you [this].” Many times, these teachings are major ways to view the world. Today’s One Verse is a great example. While on the road traveling from city to city (Galilee to Capernaum this time), the disciples were (once again) arguing with each other. Jesus asked them what they were arguing about, but they were too embarrassed to say. Of course, Jesus already knew. So, He answered their question anyway. The question? Who among us will be the greatest in the Kingdom of Jesus? Remember, they thought Jesus was coming to set up an earthly kingdom and overthrow Rome. In Mark 9:35, Jesus gave the answer: “Anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” True leadership, the best leadership is servant leadership. Great leaders never say “look at me.” They serve others and let them decide if they are great or not. They don’t stand on the backs of others. They serve. (Makes you wonder about our political process and candidates, doesn’t it? Isn’t this how people get elected? Look at me! I’m great! Vote for me! Interesting.) If you want to be a leader worth following, then serve. It may not look anything like what the world teaches, but by placing others ahead of yourself will actually mean that you become a true leader. (Note: For some that understand true leadership, this idea actually is taught a few places in our world. Even though this Jesus principle was laid out thousands of years ago, the business world is just starting to see the value of servant leadership. A great example is the book Good to Great by Jim Collins.) About One Verse One Verse is a short, free podcast devotional designed to help you grow closer to God through less than 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Consistency trumps intensity. When it comes to working out, eating healthy, or managing our finances, consistency always trumps intensity. We reach our major life goals through small, purposeful steps taken daily. The same is true in our spiritual lives. I truly believe you will grow closer to God by spending just 5 minutes a day with Him versus cramming in an hour once a month. The One Verse Devotional is here to help take away the barriers of spending time with God. Now, during your workout, drive to work, or even shopping for groceries, you can invest in your spiritual life. http://phosphorusproject.com/

We all grew up with heroes in our lives. Some, super heroes or someone in our life that we've called a hero. Many times we even emulate some of the things that we've learned from them. We are now in the Easter season; I have a hero from that story. You see, I know that the real story of Easter is that Jesus died on the cross and then rose on Easter.  But there was a hero that I can relate to. That was the thief on the cross. He was up on that cross because he messed up and was being punished for his crime, but Jesus did nothing and was up there alongside of him.He knew Jesus didn't do anything and was being punished unjustly. But he just said a few words to Jesus "Remember me when you come into your kingdom."  And Jesus being who he is, stopped dying and said "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise." The thief didn't have time to do any anything special but repent, and Jesus stopped dying and forgave him. In Rediscovering Kia, I wrote about my sin, the church found out and it wasn't a pretty sight. I was expecting Christian love from them to help me, pray with me, teach me, and bring me back into the fold. There was gossip, and they tried to bring me before the board. What I'm saying is this, we have to show love even when it's hard to show love, Christ did. He stopped dying for a brief moment to save that thief who knew he was wrong.  I can relate to that thief, I was wrong, I sinned, at that time I needed love to bring me back into the fold, but it didn't happen. Join me Hezekiah L. Montgomery host of The Man In the Mirror and Nichelle Johnson Co-Host on 2/26/16 as we explore our Heroes of the Bible. We'll want you to call in at 917-889-2271 or log in at www.blogtalkradio.com/themaninthemirror and tell us about your bible hero and how they changed your life.    

Song - Jesus Remember Me

This sermon is about the Kingship of Christ. Dr. Bell encourages all to put Christ at the center of all activity this holiday season.

Do you have dead areas in your life that needs the resurrection power of Jesus? Remember that God's timing is perfect and as you wait for the resurrection power to visit those dead areas be sure to give thanks for what He has already done.

Psalms 103:1-5 103 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's. KJV

    Jeremiah 3:21 (KJV) 21 A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.

Elder Reuben Najera