Jesus Works in You Image

12242014JesusWorksInYou#1DonRuhl

Jesus Works in You #1 

Don Ruhl • Savage Street, Grants Pass, Oregon • December 24, In the year of our Lord, 2014

Prelude: 

  1. What is a bell made to do? 
    1. What is a bird made to do?
    2. What is a car made to do?
    3. What are you made to do?
  2. Can we begin a journey, 
    1. if we do not know the end?
    2. Therefore, the end, planning for it, comes first.
  3. Our lives should glorify Christ. 
    1. If we know that is the purpose of the journey,
    2. then we can know how to travel.

Persuasion: 

  1. Glorifying Christ, Knowing Christ, Living for Christ 
    1. If we think and talk about Christ,
    2. have we reached our destination yet?
      1. We need to think and talk about Him, but
      2. to what end?
    3. Therefore, the aim of our learning has to be
      1. that we live what we have learned.
      2. Jesus lives through us.
  2. We Are the Body of Christ 
    1. What do we mean when we say that we are the body of Christ?
      1. He once lived here.
      2. He inhabited a body.
        1. He died.
        2. He was resurrected.
        3. He ascended.
    2. However, through us He still lives on the Earth.
      1. We are His eyes.
      2. We are His ears.
      3. We are His hands.
        1. 1Co 12
        2. Rom 12.3–8
          1. Think about the meaning of James 2.1.
          2. Why did James connect
            1. holding the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ
            2. with not showing partiality?
    3. Therefore, the way we think about God, the way we think about Jesus,
      1. determines how we live.
      2. I have to learn from Him and of Him, but
        1. what good does that learning do,
        2. if I do not become His body on the Earth?
    4. We do not want to just think and talk about Jesus,
      1. we want to live His life.
      2. He wants to live through us?
  3. When Does Jesus Work in You? 
    1. Is it only when
      1. you read the Bible?
      2. worship on Sunday?
      3. pray?
    2. What about when you shop for food?
      1. What about raising your children at home?
      2. What about digging ditches?
      3. What about…?
        1. Consider the stories in the Gospel According to John.
        2. See how each chapter has something that Jesus used for the Spirit.
      4. Col 3.17, 28
      5. Ecc 9.10
      6. Phi 2.12–13
      7. Gal 2.20
    3. We will see Jesus working through us
      1. when we understand that this thing called Christianity
      2. is not merely about definitions and such like.
        1. Who is Earl Box?
          1. We can define him, but
          2. how can we really get to know Earl?
        2. Think of Jesus in this way.
          1. Look at it another way.
          2. What is a map?
            1. Does it provide the actual experience of being in that place?
            2. No, but it shows how to get there.