Archive for the ‘Relationships’ Category
Contending For The Faith Delivered To The Saints! – Part 4
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Holy Spirit, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Communion, Costly Grace, Faith, Faithfulness, Fellowship, Fighting For Truth, God Fights Against Us, God Fights For Us, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's love, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, human relationships, Idolatry, Immorality, John 4, Jude, Jude 1, Love, Love Your Neighbor, Neighbor, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Pop Theology, Prejudice, Race, Race relations, Racial Reconciliation, Racism, Relational Intimacy, Relationship Cure, Rodney King, Stay Woke, Tags: Bigotry, The Great Commandment, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Woke
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Part 4a: 31min
Part 4b: 31min
Full Message:
This message of God’s Good News urges believers to contend FOR the faith once delivered to the Church, in participation with Jesus Christ!, and AGAINST the ungodly and cultural pressures and influences of our current times!
This is a Gospel message to a specific congregation of our times facing issues similar to congregations in other times as seen in the scriptures, particularly the Books of Jude and John. In this series, we make Christ-centered comparisons with the congregation in Jude and the Samaritan woman of Jesus’ time in John 4 to our particular congregation. You may, of course, see that the Church (maybe your local congregation!), especially in the United States, faces these same issues in general, and also be helped by WHO is proclaimed.
In the light of Jesus and the God revealed in Him (and over the course of 12 messages), we address today’s big questions regarding relationships, race, marriage, love, gender/sexual identity, politics, and worship and witnessing to the Father and Son through the Christian faith.
Contending For The Faith Delivered To The Saints! – Part 3
Filed under: By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, God's love, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, Spiritual Warfare, The Church, Timothy Brassell, Uncategorized, Union with Christ, Witnessing to God, Worship, Worshiping God | Tags: Bigotry, Communion, Costly Grace, Faith, Faithfulness, Fellowship, Fighting For Truth, God Fights Against Us, God Fights For Us, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's love, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, human relationships, Idolatry, Immorality, John 4, Jude, Jude 1, Love, Love Your Neighbor, Neighbor, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Pop Theology, Prejudice, Race, Race relations, Racial Reconciliation, Racism, Relational Intimacy, Relationship Cure, Rodney King, Stay Woke, The Great Commandment, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship, Woke
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Part 3a: 32min
Part 3b: 34min
Full Message:
This message of God’s Good News urges believers to contend FOR the faith once delivered to the Church, in participation with Jesus Christ!, and AGAINST the ungodly and cultural pressures and influences of our current times!
This is a Gospel message to a specific congregation of our times facing issues similar to congregations in other times as seen in the scriptures, particularly the Books of Jude and John. In this series, we make Christ-centered comparisons with the congregation in Jude and the Samaritan woman of Jesus’ time in John 4 to our particular congregation. You may, of course, see that the Church (maybe your local congregation!), especially in the United States, faces these same issues in general, and also be helped by WHO is proclaimed.
In the light of Jesus and the God revealed in Him (and over the course of 12 messages), we address today’s big questions regarding relationships, race, marriage, love, gender/sexual identity, politics, and worship and witnessing to the Father and Son through the Christian faith.
Jesus Rejected At Nazareth!
Filed under: Bible, By Richard Andrews, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Luke 4, Luke 4: 14-30, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 25min
Part 1b: 27 min
Full Message
Main Passages: Luke 4:14-30
“Jesus spoke in the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth. After He read the words of Scripture, Jesus claimed to be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy and that His mission was to free people held by various types of bondage and sin. The people in Jesus’ town rejected Him as a prophet and rejected His message of liberation. As followers of Jesus, we should expect to face opposition and experience hostility because of the gospel, but we can also depend on the Spirit’s power to endure.” -The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
Rejection and opposition do not stop God – Father, Son, and Spirit’s ministry of empowerment.
Christ Connection:
Hundreds of years before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah wrote about God’s plan to send a Messiah who would bring good news and redeem people who were in captivity. Jesus read Isaiah’s words and told everyone that He is the promised Messiah who fulfills Isaiah’s prophecy.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to endure in our mission even when we face rejection from the people closest to us.
“Try and work your home life or business life according to the rule of Jesus Christ and you will find…a continual semi-cultured sneering ridicule; nothing can stand that but absolute devotion to Jesus Christ…Christianity is otherworldliness in the midst of this-worldliness.” –Oswald Chambers
“What a Savior we have in Jesus! Although He faced rejection and opposition, the ministry of the Holy Spirit empowered Him to remain steady in order to complete the mission to seek and save those who were lost. It’s comforting to know that God had not abandoned Israel and that hundreds of years before Jesus was even born, God spoke to the prophet Isaiah to share a message that freedom from sin was coming. Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem people out of the captivity of sin. Now we can find the hope we need to endure when we face rejection and persecution. No matter if it comes from a stranger that we just met or a coworker that we’ve been sharing the gospel with or even a family member who rejects us for our stance for Jesus, may we rally among other believers to encourage them and remind them of Jesus who endured opposition for our sakes! May we reengage with those who have rejected us with the refreshing truths of the gospel of Jesus who is seeking to ransom them from captivity!” – The Gospel Project
Contending For The Faith Delivered To The Saints! – Part 1
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, Song, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, John 4, Jude, Jude 1, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 29min
Part 1b: 30min
Full Message:
This message of God’s Good News urges believers to contend FOR the faith once delivered to the Church, in participation with Jesus Christ!, and AGAINST the ungodly and cultural pressures and influences of our current times!
This is a Gospel message to a specific congregation of our times facing issues similar to congregations in other times as seen in the scriptures, particularly the Books of Jude and John. In this series, we make Christ-centered comparisons with the congregation in Jude and the Samaritan woman of Jesus’ time in John 4 to our particular congregation. You may, of course, see that the Church (maybe your local congregation!), especially in the United States, faces these same issues in general, and also be helped by WHO is proclaimed.
In the light of Jesus and the God revealed in Him (and over the course of 12 messages), we address today’s big questions regarding relationships, race, marriage, love, gender/sexual identity, politics, and worship and witnessing to the Father and Son through the Christian faith.
Foundational to this message is the urgent call for us to contend for the Christian faith (in which we participate in with Jesus Christ!) primarily by continuing to ask for and receive together from our Father – His Holy Spirit! He is WHO the Father most desires to pour out upon his human children! Even so, come Holy Spirit of the Father and Son, come!
Photo Compliments: http://www.tclministries.org/nt-scripture-gallery/
The Father From Whom We All Are Named!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Ephesians 3:15, Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, John, Matthew 23, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 24min
Part 1b: 24min
Full Message:
Main Bible Passage: Ephesians 3: 15
“Fathers, are you are struggling as a father? Then…demand time with your Heavenly Father! “…say “no!” to some stuff and demand time with your Heavenly Father because, what do you have to give them (your family!) if you haven’t been spending time with The Heavenly Father, so as to allow your Father to rub off on you so you can actually participate in HIS Fathering?!” – Pastor Timothy Brassell
“Let me emphasize that we are not called to honor our parents on our own power. Instead, enabled by the Holy Spirit, we see them in the light of Christ—the light of what our Lord intends for them. In that light, we are able to honor our parents because we know that Jesus, as Mediator, stands between us and them—he is Lord and Savior of that relationship. We also know and trust that Jesus’ purposes for us cannot be thwarted by bad parenting. Through him and by him we have a heavenly Father who graciously rules over all earthly fathers (and mothers).
Giving honor to a parent is not mere emotion—it’s an attitude that comes from faith, hope and love in God through Christ and by the Spirit. Also, giving honor does not require a positive relationship (in some cases, a face-to-face relationship with a badly abusive parent is not possible). Nevertheless, Jesus calls upon us to rise above the bad relationship to extend honor, even if from afar. We do so by focusing on our relationship with Jesus, who enables us to grow into his maturity, including his ability to love the unlovely. We do so remembering how Jesus showed incredible honor toward us when we were completely dishonorable.
One last thought: When children see parents honoring their parents, they will likely imitate that behavior. Despite the challenges, honoring others is a healthy activity for others as well as for ourselves.
Happy Father’s Day,”
Joseph Tkach, GCI President – https://update.gci.org/2018/06/honoring-our-parents/?format=printable&date=2018-06-13
How The Triune God Encounters Ordinary People!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, John, John 4, John 4: 1-42, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 25min
Part 1b: 41min
Full Message:
Main Passage: John 4:1-42
“Jesus had a conversation with a Samaritan woman He met at the well of Jacob. In their discussion, Jesus claimed to have the living water that will satisfy the soul, and He revealed the truth that God seeks people to worship Him in Spirit and truth. As Jesus’ followers, we resemble the Samaritan woman as we exalt Jesus for who He is and then tell others about the living water He offers.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
God- [Father, Son, and Spirit], is seeking true worshipers who worship Him in Spirit and truth.
Christ Connection:
Jesus told the Samaritan woman that a day was coming when worshipers would not focus on the physical location of Jerusalem or the mountain but worshipers would worship in Spirit and truth. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and ascension, our worship is no longer confined by geography. We worship Jesus as the Savior of the whole world.
Missional Application:
God, in the Holy Spirit, calls us to open our eyes to see the harvest of people across the world who need the living water that only Jesus Christ can provide.
“How does The Triune God encounter ordinary people? The Father, Son and Spirit God encounters us as one who, when we’re trapped in immorality, when we’re social outcasts, when we have no direction in our life and when we’re “EEKING” out in an ordinary mundane routine day after day life, HE IS THE ONE who can come in – and so often does – and turns our life around and may even make us like He did this woman. He made this immoral woman the first evangelist in her hometown and saw many people come to faith. Don’t you give up on anybody let alone yourself, for The Lord God- Father, Son, and Spirit is pulling off the impossible!
He [Jesus] has not allowed ANYTHING He cannot redeem, so receive Him, come, ask Him for a drink and He’ll put in you living waters that will flow out of you into eternal life. Meaning, you’ll have a relationship eternally with His Father in The Holy Spirit and with everyone else.” – Pastor Timothy Brassell
Photo Compliments: Pinterest
Nicodemus And The New Birth!
Filed under: Bible, by Tony Marra, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, Song, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, John 3, John 3: 1-21, Matthew 4, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 24min
Part 1b: 28min
Full Message:
Main Passage: John 3:1-21
“In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus taught this religious leader about the mystery of regeneration, what He described as being “born again.” As Christians, we have been born again by the Spirit of God through faith in God’s Son. The new birth is the basis of our confidence that God is at work transforming us and all who believe in the gospel.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
Regeneration is God’s [Father, Son, and Spirit] supernatural transformation of believers IN THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST.
Christ Connection:
Nicodemus was a religious man who was interested in Jesus’ teaching. Jesus told him that he needed new life, not more religious activities. Jesus’ teaching on the new birth reminds us that there is no spiritual life apart from Jesus. God loved the world in this way: He gave His Son so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to trust in His power to supernaturally transform us and those with whom we share the gospel.
“The work of regeneration is a supernatural work of God, not the natural work of man. Nevertheless, the responsibility of getting the message of the gospel out is the work God has called every believer to participate in. We should never assume that because people are familiar with religion, Christianity, or even the church that they know Jesus as their Savior. God has called every believer to trust in His power as we are transformed by the Holy Spirit.” – The Gospel Project
Photo Compliments: http://www.slideshare.net
Jesus Calls The First Disciples!
Filed under: Bible, By Richard Andrews, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Evangelism, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Matthew 4, Matthew 4: 17-22, Matthew 9: 9-13, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part1a: 20min
Part1b: 25min
Full Message:
Main Passages: Matthew 4:17-22 Matthew 9:9-13
“Jesus extended a call to repentance to unlikely and unexpected people. Instead of ignoring the call, the first disciples abandoned their old way of life and received Christ’s invitation to follow Him. Now, as believers in Christ, we have the privilege of answering God’s call to discipleship and then extending the same call to those who need to repent and believe” – the Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
Discipleship is faithfully following The son of God, Jesus, as Savior and Lord, through The Spirit’s power, and to the Father glory.
“We cannot come thinking we are someone special or a person of privilege. We come with the understanding that we are nothing without Him…We bow before the Master because godliness demands submission.” –Ted Traylor
Christ Connection:
In choosing 12 disciples (representative of 12 tribes), Jesus was forming a reconstituted Israel, not around the Law of Moses but around Himself as Savior and King. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus saves us and calls us to follow Him in obedience.
“Here they proved that they were true sons of Abraham, because by a similar pattern they followed the Savior on hearing God’s voice. For they immediately gave up hope of material advantage that they might seek eternal rewards.” –Chromatius
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to follow Jesus and to join His mission of telling others the good news of salvation with unlikely, unpopular, and unexpected people.
“Today, Jesus is calling people from every walk of life to leave their selfish pursuits and follow Him. It takes wisdom to understand the nature of God’s particular call on your life. It may not require that you walk away from your family business or sell all your belongings. But it will definitely require you to give up the idea that you command your own destiny. It will mean you give up any trace of selfish ambition that affects your life decisions. God’s kingdom must be first. The call to follow Jesus is the call to submit to Him as King and Lord. On this side of the cross, we know that Jesus has purchased us with His blood (Rom. 3:24-25). We belong to Him. He owns us. That’s why we ask God to remove the remaining selfishness in our hearts and replace our desires with His heart for the world and His plan for our lives (Ps. 37:4). As we submit to God, He does amazing things through us. The beauty of God’s call to repentance is that He brings together people from various backgrounds and groups in order to highlight His glorious work of redemption. He calls people you’d least expect. He does things you would never predict. He doesn’t just call “the cream of the crop” to be His spokespeople but unlikely people whose life-change will demonstrate the glory of His work.” – The Gospel Project
Photo Compliments: ahenonrcj.wordpress.com
What Jesus Christ Being Tempted Means For Us!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Perichoresis, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, Song, The Church, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Luke 2:52, Matthew 4, Matthew 4: 1-11, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 22min
Part 1b: 29min
Full Message:
Main Passages: Matthew 4:1-11 Luke 2:42
“Jesus demonstrated faithfulness in the wilderness of temptation. Unlike Adam and Eve in the garden and unlike the children of Israel in the wilderness, Jesus refused to gratify His desires apart from God’s will or to test God and His promises. Instead of taking the path of earthly exaltation, Jesus fixed His eyes on the cross and triumphed over the temptations of the Evil One. As Christians, we can resist temptation by trusting in the Savior who overcame temptation in our place. ” The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
In the wilderness, Jesus, relating intimately with His Father, and in the Holy Spirit’s power, triumphs over temptation at the point that Adam, and Israel, and all of us have failed.
Christ Connection:
In order to undo the consequences of Adam’s sin, Jesus steps into our world and overcomes the temptation to which Adam succumbed. In order to fulfill the purpose of His people, Israel, who doubted God in the wilderness, Jesus overcomes temptation on behalf of His people. Jesus’ temptation is connected to His cross, the place where He conquered sin as our Savior.
Missional Application:
God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to resist temptation by resting in our identity in Christ, the One who overcame temptation in our place.
“In each of the three neverto-be-forgotten pictures which our Lord has given us, the temptation of Satan centers round this point—‘You are the Son of God, then do God’s work in Your own way; assert Your prerogative of Sonship.’ Jesus deliberately rejected the suggested ‘short cut’ and chose the ‘long, long trail,’ evading none of the suffering involved.” – Oswald Chambers
“The first Adam sinned by eating. Christ prevailed by self-control. He thus teaches that there is no need for us to stay far away from God.” –Theodore of Heraclea
“The wilderness temptation represents an all-out assault on the identity of Jesus, which was revealed at His baptism. It was a threefold attack. First, Satan sought to tempt Jesus to satisfy His desires apart from the will of God. The temptation was to make Him rely on Himself apart from the Father in sustaining His own life with physical bread. Jesus triumphed when He spoke of relying on the word of God for life. Second, Satan sought to tempt Jesus to doubt God’s protection and to test that promise by jumping from the roof of the temple. Once more, Jesus displayed His total trust in the Father. Third, the Devil tempted Jesus to abandon the identity the Father bestowed upon Him at the Jordan, the radical identification with the world that would finally lead Him to the cross. Jesus’ final triumph in the wilderness occurred when He determined to serve and worship the Father alone and triumphed over the temptation of Satan. This is not simply an ancient story of a struggle between good and evil. It is a battle plan for those who long to remain obedient to God. Jesus’ victory in the wilderness matters because it is a foretaste of the victory He will achieve for the world on the cross. He is always the pattern and the paradigm. We have failed to engage or understand this narrative if we have not realized that His victory can be echoed in our own experience. His victory is ours! In light of Christ’s work, our appropriate response is following His pattern of obedience as worship.” – The Gospel Project
Photo Compliments: http://www.biblewaymag.com
The Son Of God Is Baptized!
Filed under: Bible, By Ann Vinson, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, Faith, God, God Father Son and Spirit, God the Trinity, good news, Gospel, Grace Communion Baltimore, Grace Communion International, identity in Christ, Inclusion, Jesus Christ, Love, Ministry, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, On Mission with Christ, Participation with Christ, Participation with Jesus, Prayer, relationship with God, Relationships, Sermons, Song, The Church, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit, The Gospel Project, The Holy Spirit, The Plan of Adoption, Timothy Brassell, Trinity, Uncategorized, union, Union In Christ, Union with Christ, Witness, Witnessing to God, Witnessing to Jesus, Worship, Worshiping God, Worshipping Jesus | Tags: Faith, Faithfulness, God's Faithfulness, God's goodness, God's Grace, God's Guidance, God's Holiness, God's Power, Goodness, Grace, Grace Communion Baltimore, Holiness, Matthew 3:17, New Life Fellowship Of Baltimore Maryland, New Life in Christ, Timothy Brassell, Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship
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Part 1a: 25 min
Part1b: 21 min
Full Message:
Main Passage: Matthew 3:17
“John the Baptist was the prophet who prepared the way for Jesus’ public ministry. John prepared the way by preaching a message of repentance for the forgiveness of sins and by baptizing people as a sign of their allegiance to God. Jesus chose to be baptized, even though He was sinless, in order to identify with His sinful people and provide an example of righteousness. Similarly, Christian baptism symbolizes our union with Christ in His death and resurrection and marks us out as God’s people.” – The Gospel Project
Theological Theme:
In His baptism, The son of God, Jesus the Christ, through The Spirit’s power, identifies with His sinful people.
Christ Connection:
Jesus’ baptism shows us that Jesus completely obeyed God and identified with sinners by being baptized like sinners are baptized. His baptism points to His death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. For those of us in Christ, the words spoken over Jesus at His baptism are also true of us— we are the Father’s beloved children in whom He takes delight.
Missional Application:
God through His Holy Spirit, calls us to repent and be baptized as a sign of our identification with Jesus and His people.
“Every day presents another opportunity to realize afresh our need for the forgiveness that only Jesus can give—the One who identified with us through His baptism. Baptism is an act with several layers of meaning. John’s baptism focused on repentance and preparation for the coming kingdom. Christian baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit goes further—symbolizing our sins being washed away; representing death, burial, and resurrection in Christ; and marking one’s formal entrance into a community of believers in Jesus.”
“Both by the words of the prophets and by John’s own preaching, this one thing is clear: he had arrived, making a way and preparing it beforehand. John was not bestowing the gift, which was the remission of sins, but preparing beforehand the souls of those who would receive the God of all.” –John Chrysostom
