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There are thousands of ways that you can build your life, but Jesus says that there is only one way to build that will ensure you withstand the storms of life, and that is on the rock!
Message Notes 17/11/2024 - Gareth Nicholson
DOING MAKES THE DIFFERENCE, HEARING IS NOT ENOUGH!
Paradox: People love to share advice, but people don't like to take advice
Social Shift 1 A surge in the popularity of self-help resources: personal growth: empowerment, how to build/improve each area of your life
Social Shift 2: the elevation of the self. The individual above the community.
Referencing Richard Rohr's work - all cultures / believe systems (and movie plots) have a concept of integrated stories.
The problem is that, when the individual is promoted and made the center of a story, there is no anchoring, which drives anxiety and overwhelm. Greater questions about value, identity, and purpose can't be answered by a bigger story.
The Bible is THE Story, about God. THow you see this story is foundational to your life.
CREATION
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1
MISSION
27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground. Genesis 1:27-28
CHOICE
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:16-17
The FALL
Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’? Genesis 3:1
The UNFOLDING STORY (The Old Testament)
Can humans help themselves?
1/ Failure?
2/ Foreshadows?
It's both, a story of failure but also a foreshadow of a promised Messiah
THE FIRST GOSPEL
So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15
THE KINGDOM
From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Matthew 4:17
THE CHURCH
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; Matthew 16:13-19
The first mention of the CHURCH - not a building, but an ekklēsia (governing council)
THE KING'S COMMISSION
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
EDEN RESTORED
1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more nights. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign forever and ever Revelation 22:1-5
INVITATION
And you are invited into this drama, this grand narrative, the greatest story ever told
JESUS CONCLUDES:
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27
The houses are the same. The storms will come. Everything is fine and looks good until the storm comes.
Sand: the 1000 ways to build your life
Rock: The ONE way to build your life
- Hear the words of Jesus, and put them into practice!
Which will you choose?
17 For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Romans 5:17
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