Download expansion 6 - Greg Howse

EXPANSION – DEVOTION TO JESUS
Greg Howse, July 20, 2014
THIS IS A TIME FOR ENLARGEMENT / EXPANSION
Isaiah 54:2,3
2 “Enlarge the place of your tent,
and let them stretch out the curtains of
your dwellings;
do not spare;
lengthen your cords,
and strengthen your
stakes.
3 For you shall expand to the right and to the left,
and your descendants
will inherit the nations,
and make the desolate cities inhabited.”
Revelation 1:9-20
9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom
and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for
the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. 10 I was in the
Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a
trumpet, 11 saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the
Last,” and, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven
churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to
Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”
12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I
saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the seven lampstands
One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and
girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were
white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His
feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the
sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His
mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the
sun shining in its strength. 17 And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as
dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I
am the First and the Last. 18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold,
I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.
19 Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and
the things which will take place after this. 20 The mystery of the seven
stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands:
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven
lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.
ENLARGEMENT - THE MAGNIFICENCE OF JESUS
Revelation 1
Magnificence of Jesus
Impressively beautiful, elaborate, extravagant, and striking
Glorious, superb, and majestic
Awesome and breath-taking / Marked by stately grandeur
Exalted / Excellent
Impressive to the mind and spirit
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Garment . . . King (royalty) & Priest (ministering / representing)
Head & hair white like wool . . . Ancient of Days / Eternal / Wisdom
Eyes like a flame of fire . . . Penetrating / Measuring
Sound of many waters . . . Commanding authority
Daniel 10:6 His voice like the sound of a great multitude
VOICE: The church fully integrated into Christ; grow up into
the Head (Christ); when He speaks, His church is speaking;
many waters because there are many people
VOICE: Sound; sound of uttered words; the faculty of utterance;
expression; the idea of disclosure
VOICE: Speech; language; tongue; articulation; the ability to express
ideas fluently, clearly, and accurately; to disclose;
Manifest: To make known; bring forth into the light
Sharp two-edged sword . . . The Word that is decreed
Feet like fine brass . . . Glowing white hot . . . immutable presence
Changing appearance / Changing landscape
Countenance like the sun shining in strength . . . Magnificence
Seven stars . . . Messengers
Seven lampstands . . . Churches continually burning with fresh oil
A lamp on a stand . . . shining brightly
ENLARGEMENT - OUR COMFORT LEVEL IS NOT A BIG CONCERN
No comfort for John
An elderly man fell like a dead man
Our conditions and circumstances seem like nothing in contrast to His magnificence
James 1:2-4
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let
patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and
complete, lacking nothing.
I Peter 4:12-14
12 Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is
to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; 13 but
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rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that
when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.
14 If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for
the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is
blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.
MY BEST LIFE??? . . . Being patient / Being complete, lacking nothing
Living to reveal the glory of Jesus
EXNLARGEMENT – KNOW THE CULTURE
We are faced with a culture that dislikes the church and dismisses the Bible
The church is considered - Out of touch / Judgmental / Too traditional / Irrelevant
The Bible is considered to be an ancient history book that cannot be taken literally . . . (“The
Bible says” – Billy Graham)
“Same Love” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
The right wing conservatives think it's a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made rewiring of a predisposition
Playing God, aw nah here we go
America the brave still fears what we don't know
And God loves all his children, is somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written thirty-five-hundred years ago
I don't know
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
AN ATTEMPT TO CHANGE OUR LANGUAGE
GAY: Having or showing a merry, lively mood: gay spirits; gay music. Synonyms:
cheerful, gleeful, happy, glad, cheery, lighthearted, joyous, joyful, jovial; sunny, lively,
vivacious, sparkling; chipper, playful, jaunty, sprightly, blithe. Antonyms: serious,
grave, solemn, joyless; staid, sedate; unhappy, morose, grim; sad, depressed,
melancholy.
Bright or showy: gay colors; gay ornaments. Synonyms: colorful, brilliant, vivid,
intense, lustrous; glittering, theatrical, flamboyant. Antonyms: dull, drab, somber,
lackluster; conservative.
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Deck the Halls: “Don we now our gay apparel”
Hallmark: “Don we now our fun apparel”
The RAINBOW has been hijacked . . . promise / preserving / salvation / covenant
PRO-CHOICE . . . the baby doesn’t get a choice, and the woman’s choice should have been
made before the sexual encounter
Economic INEQUALITY . . . DISTRIBUTION of wealth
Who is deciding what is unequal? (Equal for everyone “down there”)
Early church by their own choice / willing heart / not government mandated
EQUALITY of marriage . . . man & woman / two shall become one flesh / God puts no glue
on same sex marriage
BUT, this culture, for the most part, still honors JESUS
We must learn how to leverage Jesus
Isaiah 60:1-3
1 Arise, shine;
for your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen
upon you. 2 For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
and deep
darkness the people;
but the Lord will arise over you,
and His glory will
be seen upon you. 3 The Gentiles shall come to your light,
and kings to
the brightness of your rising.
Darkness is becoming darker . . . Light is growing brighter
Joel 2:11
For the day of the Lord is great and very terrible; who can endure it?
A GREAT day:
A TERRIBLE day:
A mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit
A severe outpouring of God’s judgments on the rebellious and
the oppressors
ENLARGEMENT - HOW TO LIVE OUR DEVOTION TO JESUS
1. Live in the values, doctrine, power, purity, and maturity of the word of God
Honor the Word of God
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2. Emphasize the supremacy / preeminence / Lordship of Jesus
Jesus at the center (vs. compartments) . . . Jesus is magnificent
Honor Jesus
I Timothy 6:15,16
15 He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and
Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in
unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom
be honor and everlasting power. Amen.
Colossians 1:15-18
15 Christ is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all
creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven
and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or
dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created
through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him
all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who
is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He
may have the preeminence.
Psalm 145:3 (The Message)
3 God is magnificent; He can never be praised enough. There are no
boundaries to His greatness.
3. Honor the Church (walking in love; honoring members; carrying the kingdom)
We are vitally connected to one another
We love one another
We value one another
We honor one another
4. Live in a missional spirit, making disciples (sent with power; making relational connections)
MAKE DISCIPLES:
Relational connections, turning people into followers of Jesus
Be WITH (relationship) / Be MADE (how to live) /
REPRESENT Jesus
MISSIONAL:
You are a sent one . . . sent on an assignment
Matthew 5:14-16
14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set
on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a
lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand,
and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let
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your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Luke 12:36
While you have the light, believe in the light, that
you may become sons of light.
You belong to the light / You are characterized by light
Penetrate the darkness . . . exposing what is hidden
Isaiah 60
Arise, shine; for your light has come!
Passenger airliner shot down over Ukraine
Rockets fired between Israel and Hamas (Gaza)
Isis taking over Iraq
300 girls being held captive by Boko Haram in Nigeria
(Western education is sin)
Innocent people being shot on the streets of Chicago
5. Do works of justice:
Feed the hungry
Give water to the thirsty
Take in the stranger
Clothe the naked
Visit the sick
Visit the prisoner
Move from GOING to nations . . . to . . . GOVERNING nations
Psalm 2:8 Ask of Me and I will give you the nations
for your inheritance, and the ends of the
earth for your possession.
6. Endure persecution / Patient in trouble
7. Move as forerunners (preparing the way; proclaiming the fullness of Jesus)
Breakthrough
Vanguard
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SURGE:
A strong, wave-like, forward movement; strong, swelling wave;
to rise by a swelling force
The sudden increase of electrical power
GRID:
An interconnected system for the distribution of electricity or
electromagnetic signals over a wide area, especially a network
of high-tension cables and power stations.
DECLARATIONS
In 2014 we will have passion for God
In 2014 we will break through every place of resistance
In 2014 we will experience enlargement and expansion
In 2014 we will enter the “new frontier”
In 2014 our light will grow brighter
In 2014 we will live in the values of purity and truth
In 2014 we will emphasize the supremacy of Jesus
In 2014 we will honor the Lord’s church
In 2014 we will live as sent ones
In 2014 we will be patient in times of trouble
In 2014 we will advance as forerunners
In 2014 we will keep pressing UNTIL the dwelling place of the Lord is established
in Chicago
In 2014 we will be the place where God's purpose is fulfilled to the fullest measure
In 2014 we will live in agreement with God's will, and we will obey God
In 2014 and beyond, Cornerstone will be the place of God’s presence
In 2014, God will arise . . . He will arise in glory . . . in power . . . in righteousness . . .
in magnificence . . . in love . . . and when He rises . . . His enemies will be scattered
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