3/25 Palm Sunday: Our Response To Christ’s Humility (Luke 19:28-44)

(V28-29) …Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead.

  • Leading them into purpose, example
  • Even though He leads us He sends us as well (Luke 9 sends the Twelve & 72)

(V30-31) “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

  • Humility happen is real life in the shared spaces…
  • What Christ leads them to obedience without seeking to justify / explain

(V32-34) So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?” And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.”

  • Jesus Christ demonstrates to them His sovereignty.
  • His Sovereignty is the cornerstone of OUR HUMILITY!

(V35-36) So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on. As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him.

  • The humbled is honored
  • How different than how it works in our world
  • Would you put your coat down on the road for an animal to walk on it?

Matthew 21:4-5 This took place to fulfill the prophecy that said,“Tell the people of Jerusalem, ‘Look, your King is coming to you. He is humble, riding on a donkey—riding on a donkey’s colt.’” (combo of Isa. 62:11 & Zach 9:9)

  • Matthew was focused on a Jewish audience so He mentions their scriptures
  • The specificity of ‘Donkey’s Colt’

(V37) When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

  • Still well outside of Jerusalem, the crowd is growing
  • The attention is on God because of the way Jesus rolls…

(V38) “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!” (‘Hosanna’: Matthew 21:9)

  • These are the highest of all praise, there is identification as the Messiah!
  • Matthew records use of the word ‘Hosanna’ which means ‘Save Us’

(V 39-40) But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!” He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

  • Pharisees never show ANY humility…only ‘false humility’
  • They try to get Christ to play their game
  • Jesus responds W/ reality, humility does not exclude Him or us from being real
  • Spiritual Reality: creation will rejoices in The Messiah (Then, Now and Future)

(41-42) But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.”

  • Jerusalem represents The Corrupt Jewish Religious Establishment (Temple)
  • Christ again demonstrates His sovereignty so we can be humble (He knows)
  • Recognizing factual reality and dealing with it, as it is, takes humility (U know)
  • We can truly care for the spiritual wellbeing of other is to be humbled by love

(V43-44a) “Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you.”

  • Roman Invasion of Jerusalem in 77AD (perfect description of it)

(V44b) “Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

  • The ‘Stones’ speak of The Temple which was completely destroyed
  • They put their faith in their religion (pride of performance) opposite of humility
  • Lack of humility will keep you from recognizing who God really is: Christ!

Application Questions:

At this moment of popular recognition, why does Jesus exemplify true humility?

How important is humility in the life of a Disciple of Christ? Rate your humility 1-10.

How do you react to getting attention for ‘Being Spiritual’?

What makes you react to attention like Christ? What has made you more humble?

When in your life has your true humility been honored by God?

What is the connection between humility and concern for people far from God?

If some people will not recognize Jesus, why obey God by trying to make disciples?

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Sunday 3/11: Relationship Over Rules

Colossians Part 5: Relationship Over Rules OR Connection Over Compliance

2:11-23
When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

  1. Paul is connecting old testament with new
  2. Spiritual Circumcision is God placing His (Christ’s) Spirit in you, permanently
  3. The baptism he is referring to is the ‘Immersion’ of God’s Spirit
  4. Circumcision & Baptism are rituals to help us experience God setting us apart
  5. We get Baptized to ‘Confess’ what God has done, and our trust in it

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

  1. Sin awareness is crucial, we are all spiritually dead until surrendered to Christ
  2. We are spiritually alive eternally when we trust Christ to forgive that SIN
  3. Christ’s death on the cross cancels our Spiritual Death (when we surrender)

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed (Exposed) them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

  1. God showed evil / darkness / rebellion / death / destruction to be powerless!
  2. God let those forces do their worst…and then He did His best!

So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality.

  • We trust God, not religious traditions or ceremonies
  • Christ is to be our reality, not our ability to follow rules and create facades
  • God used the Law to set His people apart to bring Christ out of them

Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things.

  • Control by condemnation is classic ‘Cult / Heretic’ behavior
  • Leaders with ‘Unique Vision’ or ‘Special Revelation’ are not Orthodox Christians
  • These thing will always appeal to some form of pride

Their sinful minds have made them proud, and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.

  • Worship of self, not Christ. Not Indwelt with Holy Spirit. Not disciples of Christ
  • John tells us to ‘Test The Spirits’ (1st John 4)
  • We need to be connected to Christ, through the body to grow to maturity

You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”?

  • Have you died with Christ? Tough question…
  • It is the ONLY way to be set free from the power of evil in this world
  • But if you have died then only Kingdom rules will matter

Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.

  • Phariseeism, that is what it used to look like
  • Rules can never deliver you from evil without and within
  • The Law (Old Testament) was given to prove this point

Application Questions:
How would you describe ‘Biblical Salvation’? What role does Christ play?

Where are you in regards to receiving complete forgiveness from God in Christ?

What does it mean to your daily life that Christ ‘Disarmed’ the powers of evil?

Are there ares in your Christian life where you seek compliance over connection?

What influences your life, pointing you towards something other than Christ?

Where do you struggle with a compliance to rules over relationship to Christ

How might you live out connection over compliance in your discipleship of Christ?

 

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Sunday March 4th: The Struggle for Simplicity (Colossians Pt.4)

Colossians Pt. 4: The Struggle for Simplicity
Chapter 1:28 – 2:10

So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ.
Proclaim, Convict, & Inform EVERYONE… Led by God’s Wisdom (H.S.)
We are guided in our own discipleship and the discipleship of others by The H.S.
This is how we create a culture of discipleship (every generation builds their own)
We have a lofty goal: All followers of Jesus Christ growing to maturity (‘Perfect’)

That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me. I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally.
The ‘That’s’ here is the vision of disciple building
Do we have a vision of ‘Biblical Disciple Building’?
That vision is dependent on Christ’s power, not our programs and organization
It doesn’t just serve our own church but even those we do not know personally
Paul had a special burden… should we have some burden?

I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God’s mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
What Christ’s Disciples are to live like, that means US… NOW!
Focus on Christ…
Author and Perfecter
The Way, The Truth and The Life

The person of Jesus Christ, in all that He is & has done & will do is our simple focus

I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong.
Purpose in focus on Christ: (knowing the truth is the cure for deception)
The idea of ‘The Church of Christ’s Disciples’ all being one body with one goal

And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.
It takes God’s power and faith in it to get ‘Saved’, same with discipleship
Root your life on Christ: Roots are the source of growth & stability
Strong rooting (foundation) in the person of Jesus Christ is the plan
Doing it right will make us thankful to God

Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.
We need this warning just like they did…
Our ‘Media / Entertainment’ is Corrupt, Godless and Destructive

For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.
Everything we need to know about God is contained in The Christ of Scripture
Being united with Christ by God’s Spirit is all we need: Connected to the Top!

APPLICATION QUESTIONS:
What is your role in ‘presenting others perfect in their relationship to Christ’?

What are opportunities to participate in building disciples personally & corporately?

How might you be more intentional in your focus on THE PERSON of Jesus Christ?

What are ways to strengthen your faith in Christ?

What would it look like to build more of your life on ‘Christ as Lord’?

In what ways are you letting ‘Wisdom of this World’ influence you rather than Christ?

What things can keep you from union with Christ?

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