Rock Solid: Word
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Rock-Solid: The Word as Foundation
February 18th, 2024
“Wearing Dust”: Walking in the Life Changing Way of Jesus”
The Promise
Luke 6:47-49 (NIV) 47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like. 48 They are like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49 But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Cultural contexts impact how we see God, how we interact with God and how we share God. Mankind consistently looks for wholeness, meaning, fulfillment, purpose and peace outside of Christianity. Our mission is to live Jesus in a counter culture manner.
Scientific Revolution
Enlightenment
Modernity
Through Modern Culture’s influence, Christianity de-mystified and distilled the Bible into a set of belief statements/precepts. The Modern Church reduced Christianity into a rational/logical bite sized life system. The Modern Church elevated reason (albeit Biblical reason) over relationship. It wanted a God that could be understood, managed and explained.
Post-Modern thought rejects the idea of a Creation Story but people long to be anchored and connected.
Post-Modern thought rejects the idea of a Central Story but people long for their lives and world to make sense.
Post-Modern thought rejects the idea that there is one Central truth connected to a Central Person but people long for hope.
God is far deeper, far wider, far more relational, far more invitational and far more imitational than modernity’s boxes could contain. God is inviting us to experience an “out of the box” faith!
God’s Word is the story of a loving, redemptive, relationally connected God who doesn’t give up on His children even in their ignorance and rebellion. It is the story of a God who finished and is finishing what He started.
Genesis 3:15 (Amplified) “And I will put enmity (open hostility) Between you and the woman, and between your seed (offspring) and her Seed; He shall [fatally] bruise your head, and you shall [only] bruise His heel.”
The Word isn’t merely an external light, it is an internal light. We are to ingest God’s word.
Galatians 2:20 (NIV) 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
A rock-solid faith is more than a faith in Someone – it is a faith that has Someone living in us!!
Luke 6:47 (NIV) “47 As for everyone who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.
Christianity is relationally anchored, receptivity driven and repetition/imitation fueled.
The Greek present tense indicates a continuing action, something that happens continuously or repeatedly or something that is in the process of happening.
We are invited to repeatedly come to Christ, through His Word, boldly!
We are invited to repeatedly listen to His Word intently!
We are invited to repeatedly practice Jesus’ ways religiously!
3 Word Encounters
Personal Connection.
Group Interaction.
Congregational Worship.
Personal Connection
Psalm 1 (AMP) Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked [following their advice and example], Nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit [down to rest] in the seat of scoffers (ridiculers). 2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. 3 And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity]. 4 The wicked [those who live in disobedience to God’s law] are not so, but they are like the chaff [worthless and without substance] which the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand [unpunished] in the judgment, Nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord knows and fully approves the way of the righteous, But the way of the wicked shall perish.
Personal devotion provides a spiritual covering.
Psalm 119:9-11 (NIV) How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Rote memorization is for test taking. Ingesting is for life transformation.
The more Word I have on the inside – the more covering I have on the outside. A little Word – a little covering. A lot of Word – a lot of covering.
Personal Connection
Group Interaction
Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
The layering of contexts (Scripture and group) widen the foundation of understanding and deepens the conviction for practicing.
Group interaction provides space for testimony. Overcomers have testimonies and testimonies fuel overcoming.
Revelation 12:11 They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.
Personal Connection
Group Interaction
Congregational Worship
Kerygma.
The kerygma carries the life changing message of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
Effective preaching goes to the head and the heart.
Congregational worship is a catalyst for movement and transformation.
Our Postmodern Context attempts to reduce the Bible to being…
Lost in space… but it is down to earth. (John 1:14)
Hate-filled not love offering… but Jesus came because God loved. (John 3:16)
Tribal not universal… but everyone who asks receives. (Matthew 7:8)
Restrictive not freeing… but Jesus came to set the captive free. (Luke 4:14-21)
Of which 3 connection points are you leaving money on the table?
Personal Connection? Set a time. Get a plan.
Group Interaction? Get a group.
Congregational Worship? Elevate your engagement.