Sermon nuggets Fri July 18
Theme: Making Plans
Verses- John 11:54-57 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover.
56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, "What do you think? Isn't he coming to the Feast at all?"
57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.
The Divine Plan
Jesus knew His plan was to fulfill God's perfect prophecy and His death was to be after the Passover not before, so it was best to stay in hiding. When He does come into Jerusalem it is not hiding with the secret disguise, but rather with 1,000s at his feet hailing him king of Jews, with their shouts of Hosanna.
Jesus knew that He would not be arrested before God’s time. He knew that He would die according to Gods plan and purpose. He knew that He was not at the mercy of men, but secure in the knowledge that God was in charge.
Both the plans of the Sanhedrin and the plan of Christ were ultimately in the plan of God. Christ plan was to follow the purpose God had for Him and resulted in blessing of the world. The plan of the religious leaders was to exalt themselves, but unbeknown to them it was also incorporated into the plan of God and the other for the condemnation of hearts full of evil and wickedness.
When Peter preached on Pentecost we hear the message which God had predetermined all along, Acts 2:22,23 "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross."
Interestingly when people saw Christ there were some who professed faith and others running to tell the Jews. Some who met God and others who were more concerned with what men thought. Some who find life and others who eventually lost what they were trying to so desperately save, since the Romans came in 70 AD and killed 1,000-s and destroyed the temple to ruins.
In making plans is it out of fear or faith? Is it with concern for others or for God? Is it for God's glory or for your own sense of personal pleasure or security?
"He who gains his life shall lose it and anyone who loses his life for my sake or the Gospels shall find it."
God's word tell us, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. " God has a different plan for us. Joseph Stowell reminds us that success from the Bible means servant hood. Power is yielding to God's will. It is when we are in His place, fulfilling His purposes, that His power fills us allowing us to accomplish His perfect plan for us and for others. Prosperity is investing in eternity. Paul told Timothy that true prosperity is being godly and content with what we have. Pleasure is righteousness that bring with it joy and peace to replace guilt, fear and anxiety that unrighteousness brings.
What plans do you have in your life to carry out the purpose? Are they God's best for you? Are you seeking to walk in His ways? There are no better plans than His for your life.
Whether for good or for evil God carries out His plans. He does so with willing servants who desire God’s best. He does so through unwilling people who seek only their own glory. How he interweaves such different plans is amazing, but Scripture reveals “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Rom 8:28
It is right to review your purpose for life if God is foremost to be served. In that purpose comes a plan to carry that out that may be as unique and different as there are people. The procedures are the steps which also daily are given over to the Lord. In our obedience and perseverance we watch His greater plan unfold and we are blessed.
Pastor Dale
Friday, July 18, 2008
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Deciding a Procedure John 11:49-57
Sermon Nuggets Thur July 17, 2008
Theme Make Plans
Verses John 11:49-57 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover.
56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, "What do you think? Isn't he coming to the Feast at all?"
57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.
DECIDE A PROCEDURE
A procedure is the combination of steps needed to carry out the plan. The procedure is the way we seek to hit the target.
For the believers who plan is to follow Christ, the steps in doing that might include prayer, Bible reading, church attendance, and service to others. Other procedures might be devotions every day at 6 am, or writing a prayer journal. A procedure can be as different as individuals and as different as churches. The way we might decide to have worship is different than the way another church may decide. So much of worship and styles of worship is frankly cultural depending on the people who gather together to honor God. I do not believe one is necessarily right or wrong, but the procedure becomes the steps to carrying out your plan.
If the purpose is to glorify God and one plan to do that is worship, the procedure to glorify God through worship might be to have songs and hymns that point us all to our Lord and sing praises to His name. We might also seek a procedure to tell people at what time we gather, to have a clean sanctuary, to include an elevator so others who have difficulty walking can join in worship. Our procedure might include people who are more gifted musically to play instruments, or sing. Others might be invited to share stories about God’s work in their lives and situation. An important procedure is to allow opportunity for people to give of themselves in offerings and tithes since God says that is honor to Him. Other procedures can be added or changed as deemed important at the time, such as art to focus on God’s truths through banners, or power point pictures to focus on the grandeur of His creation. Maybe to sit in silence and quiet prayer might be a procedure on a communion Sunday, or reading a passage of the Bible in unison.
Since the purpose of the Sanhedrin was to have power, their plan to keep that power was to eliminate their threat by killing Jesus. But they now needed a procedure. They were plotting the steps to carry out their plan. The first step was to arrest him. They had to have spies out to carry out this procedure- to look for him, tell then where he might be found, so they might gather up soldiers and have him brought before them. They further needed a procedure to carry out the plan to have accusations brought against him to insure His guilt and bring about a death sentence so they could have the public support and not make him a hero by a simple assassination. They must come up with false charges that sound reasonable enough to have him convicted to die.
Unfortunately there are many who function with that thought in mind. It takes shrewd people who operate schemes when people who are innocent look guilty and people that are guilty look innocent. Caiaphas was such a person. Crafty, shrewd and aware of ways to look so very right, yet his heart was deceptively evil. But you cannot fool God.
Pastor Dale
Theme Make Plans
Verses John 11:49-57 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
54 Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
55 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, many went up from the country to Jerusalem for their ceremonial cleansing before the Passover.
56 They kept looking for Jesus, and as they stood in the temple area they asked one another, "What do you think? Isn't he coming to the Feast at all?"
57 But the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him.
DECIDE A PROCEDURE
A procedure is the combination of steps needed to carry out the plan. The procedure is the way we seek to hit the target.
For the believers who plan is to follow Christ, the steps in doing that might include prayer, Bible reading, church attendance, and service to others. Other procedures might be devotions every day at 6 am, or writing a prayer journal. A procedure can be as different as individuals and as different as churches. The way we might decide to have worship is different than the way another church may decide. So much of worship and styles of worship is frankly cultural depending on the people who gather together to honor God. I do not believe one is necessarily right or wrong, but the procedure becomes the steps to carrying out your plan.
If the purpose is to glorify God and one plan to do that is worship, the procedure to glorify God through worship might be to have songs and hymns that point us all to our Lord and sing praises to His name. We might also seek a procedure to tell people at what time we gather, to have a clean sanctuary, to include an elevator so others who have difficulty walking can join in worship. Our procedure might include people who are more gifted musically to play instruments, or sing. Others might be invited to share stories about God’s work in their lives and situation. An important procedure is to allow opportunity for people to give of themselves in offerings and tithes since God says that is honor to Him. Other procedures can be added or changed as deemed important at the time, such as art to focus on God’s truths through banners, or power point pictures to focus on the grandeur of His creation. Maybe to sit in silence and quiet prayer might be a procedure on a communion Sunday, or reading a passage of the Bible in unison.
Since the purpose of the Sanhedrin was to have power, their plan to keep that power was to eliminate their threat by killing Jesus. But they now needed a procedure. They were plotting the steps to carry out their plan. The first step was to arrest him. They had to have spies out to carry out this procedure- to look for him, tell then where he might be found, so they might gather up soldiers and have him brought before them. They further needed a procedure to carry out the plan to have accusations brought against him to insure His guilt and bring about a death sentence so they could have the public support and not make him a hero by a simple assassination. They must come up with false charges that sound reasonable enough to have him convicted to die.
Unfortunately there are many who function with that thought in mind. It takes shrewd people who operate schemes when people who are innocent look guilty and people that are guilty look innocent. Caiaphas was such a person. Crafty, shrewd and aware of ways to look so very right, yet his heart was deceptively evil. But you cannot fool God.
Pastor Dale
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Develop the Plan John 11:49-53
Sermon nuggets Weds July 16
Theme Making Plans
Verses- John 11:49-53
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
DEVELOP A PLAN
The plan is the series of steps to accomplish your purpose. It is the way one goes about it. How do you achieve your purpose?
If the purpose as a church is to glorify God, minister to those within the fellowship and those in our community and world, we need a plan to do that. We seek to glorify God by having worship services, and prayer meetings. We seek to minister to believers by training and discipling them in the teaching of the Word. Part of the plan is to provide fellowship opportunities and ways Christians can grow in their faith by serving and praying for one another. If the purpose is to glorify God by bringing other people to know God the plan is to have evangelistic outreach efforts and church planting ministry, and support of world wide missionary endeavors. As well as be a witness through good deeds including feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, share in the giving of water. We have identified a plan that includes six areas we seek to address each year- worship, fellowship, teaching, evangelism, missions, and lastly in social concerns.
Unfortunately, since the purpose of the Sanhedrin was to keep themselves in power and keep the Romans from taking away their authority, their plan to sustain that purpose was to kill Jesus. He must be gotten out of the way. They reasoned that if Jesus was left to continue to do miracles and teach He was getting such a following of people they would lose their own influence with the people and be exposed in their own deceit. They feared that the Romans would not stand for people rallying around one person like that and would try to kill many people. They thought doing away with Him would solve all their problems.
Notice this was the plan of Caiaphas, who was the high priest. He stated that it is better that one man die for the people than the whole nation perish." He was trying to make it sound like he was full of wisdom as well as compassion for the good of the people. But if they were not a threat to Rome, the Sanhedrin could keep their influence and their wealth and not be replaced. It was a good political move. They were more afraid of Rome than they were of God.
What Caiaphas did not realize, but what John realized after the resurrection was how prophetic this plan was. It was God's plan that Jesus die for the nation. It was God's plan, not the plan of the Sanhedrin that Jesus dies. They were but pawns in God's great plan, but they are also judged by their hearts and found guilty before God. They meant it for ill, but God in his grace worked it for the salvation of many.
It wasn't the Roman Government that we have been saved from but rather the Kingdom of darkness, and Satan's power over us. Jesus not only died for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. This was part of John's message all along. We Gentiles share in the grace of the cross. I believe that we are the scattered children of God. That Jesus is bringing together the believers in Jesus both Jews and Gentiles and making us one family. All who belong to Christ are children of God. His death and resurrection has won for us forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. Indeed God's purpose of sending Jesus was to seek and save that which is lost.
What are the plans in your life? Are they seduced into thinking like the world thinks? Why is it when we think of success, we think of cars, houses, social circles, vacations, and material treasures? When we think of power, we think of climbing, outsmarting, manipulating, out maneuvering, and conquering? When we think of prestige, we think of position, trophies, title, and even places in church bureaucracies? When we think of pleasure we think of being free to do all we want to do?
When we think of being a servant of God the plan He seeks is through humble availability and obedience.
Pastor Dale
Theme Making Plans
Verses- John 11:49-53
49 Then one of them, named Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, spoke up, "You know nothing at all! You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish."
51 He did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one.
53 So from that day on they plotted to take his life.
DEVELOP A PLAN
The plan is the series of steps to accomplish your purpose. It is the way one goes about it. How do you achieve your purpose?
If the purpose as a church is to glorify God, minister to those within the fellowship and those in our community and world, we need a plan to do that. We seek to glorify God by having worship services, and prayer meetings. We seek to minister to believers by training and discipling them in the teaching of the Word. Part of the plan is to provide fellowship opportunities and ways Christians can grow in their faith by serving and praying for one another. If the purpose is to glorify God by bringing other people to know God the plan is to have evangelistic outreach efforts and church planting ministry, and support of world wide missionary endeavors. As well as be a witness through good deeds including feeding the hungry, clothing the needy, share in the giving of water. We have identified a plan that includes six areas we seek to address each year- worship, fellowship, teaching, evangelism, missions, and lastly in social concerns.
Unfortunately, since the purpose of the Sanhedrin was to keep themselves in power and keep the Romans from taking away their authority, their plan to sustain that purpose was to kill Jesus. He must be gotten out of the way. They reasoned that if Jesus was left to continue to do miracles and teach He was getting such a following of people they would lose their own influence with the people and be exposed in their own deceit. They feared that the Romans would not stand for people rallying around one person like that and would try to kill many people. They thought doing away with Him would solve all their problems.
Notice this was the plan of Caiaphas, who was the high priest. He stated that it is better that one man die for the people than the whole nation perish." He was trying to make it sound like he was full of wisdom as well as compassion for the good of the people. But if they were not a threat to Rome, the Sanhedrin could keep their influence and their wealth and not be replaced. It was a good political move. They were more afraid of Rome than they were of God.
What Caiaphas did not realize, but what John realized after the resurrection was how prophetic this plan was. It was God's plan that Jesus die for the nation. It was God's plan, not the plan of the Sanhedrin that Jesus dies. They were but pawns in God's great plan, but they are also judged by their hearts and found guilty before God. They meant it for ill, but God in his grace worked it for the salvation of many.
It wasn't the Roman Government that we have been saved from but rather the Kingdom of darkness, and Satan's power over us. Jesus not only died for the nation, but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one. This was part of John's message all along. We Gentiles share in the grace of the cross. I believe that we are the scattered children of God. That Jesus is bringing together the believers in Jesus both Jews and Gentiles and making us one family. All who belong to Christ are children of God. His death and resurrection has won for us forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation. Indeed God's purpose of sending Jesus was to seek and save that which is lost.
What are the plans in your life? Are they seduced into thinking like the world thinks? Why is it when we think of success, we think of cars, houses, social circles, vacations, and material treasures? When we think of power, we think of climbing, outsmarting, manipulating, out maneuvering, and conquering? When we think of prestige, we think of position, trophies, title, and even places in church bureaucracies? When we think of pleasure we think of being free to do all we want to do?
When we think of being a servant of God the plan He seeks is through humble availability and obedience.
Pastor Dale
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Defining your Purpose John 11:42-48
Sermon nuggets Tues July 15, 2008
Theme- Making Plans
Verses: John 11:45-48 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.
46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "What are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is this man performing many miraculous signs.
48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."
Defining your Purpose.
We read in verse 45 the Jews had come to Bethany to help comfort Mary in the loss of their brother. But they saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. From that time many put their faith in Him. They were now convinced He was the Messiah. They came to believe He is the one sent from God. Their new purpose was to commit themselves to God by placing their faith in the one whom He sent. Christ gives purpose to our lives.
What good is living for power and money when you have not embraced the very purpose for which you were created?
One of the most inspiring mission’s stories I have read was by Bruce Olson, the missionary that was captured by the Colombian rebels and kept tied up for 9 months in the jungles. In his book Bruchko, Bruce relates his conversion experience when a teenager. He believed God was out to looking at all the bad things he did and judged him for them. He believed being saved meant trying to live as good a live as possible. He lived under fear that he was not good enough. One night as he was reading in his Bible, "If thou shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved."
He thought saved was the opposite of lost. Was that all? Just believe? Shouldn't one have to do some great things? Shouldn't one have to live a perfect life? He thought of all the things in his life that he didn't like his temper, his bad thoughts, his relationship with his parents. Could Jesus change these things he wondered? He thought about the people in the Bible who were changed. He felt drawn to pray to Jesus.
He prayed, "Oh Jesus, I've read about how everyone around You was changed. Now I want to be changed. I want peace and fulfillment like Paul and John and James and the others disciples. I want to be delivered from all my fears and..." At that moment he felt a presence in the room, like a stillness. He continued, "You know I don't even like myself. Everything is messed up around me. And it's messed up in me, too. But please, God I want to change. I can't do it myself. And I don't understand how you can do anything within me. But Jesus if you could change all those people in the Bible, I guess you can change me. Please, Jesus, let me know you. Make me new."
He relates that he had an unusual peace come over him. He felt alive to God and alive to the world. He knew that Jesus was personal and He had just met Him and talked with Him. He felt a new sense of the presence with him.
Bruce Olson felt like most Christians do who have experienced God in their lives with such assuredness. He was excited and wanted all his friends to know Jesus. At church he tried to explain what had happened. The other high school boys accused him of getting super spiritual. They looked at him like he was an animal in a zoo. He told his pastor. The pastor’s response was, "Well that's wonderful, that's fine, Bruce. I'm happy to hear that you've had such a fulfilling experience. But don't forget that you were confirmed in the church right here in this building and at that moment of confirmation you dedicated yourself to Christ. The Christian life began for you even before that, however, when you were baptized and given your name."
He told the pastor that he walked home after confirmation thinking is that all there is to it? He had hoped there was something more. His pastor said, "Olson, I prayed over each of you boys when you were confirmed. Are you telling me that my prayers meant nothing? You've got to believe in your confirmation vows, that they were real and meaningful" "Well, I believe in them now. Jesus is real to me now. I've been changed. I've begun to feel for people when I never did before." Jesus isi n my life now, If he was before I never knew it." After Pastor Peterson rebuked him, he thought How could something so good, so basically simple, make people so upset?
There was purpose to Bruce Olson's life now. Before religion was just a ritual. Now there was a vital relationship like the Jews who for the first time no longer followed traditions, there was the Christ they could believe in. It was a relationship that is exciting. But others do not always understand.
Pastor Dale
Theme- Making Plans
Verses: John 11:45-48 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.
46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.
47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. "What are we accomplishing?" they asked. "Here is this man performing many miraculous signs.
48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."
Defining your Purpose.
We read in verse 45 the Jews had come to Bethany to help comfort Mary in the loss of their brother. But they saw Jesus raise Lazarus from the dead. From that time many put their faith in Him. They were now convinced He was the Messiah. They came to believe He is the one sent from God. Their new purpose was to commit themselves to God by placing their faith in the one whom He sent. Christ gives purpose to our lives.
What good is living for power and money when you have not embraced the very purpose for which you were created?
One of the most inspiring mission’s stories I have read was by Bruce Olson, the missionary that was captured by the Colombian rebels and kept tied up for 9 months in the jungles. In his book Bruchko, Bruce relates his conversion experience when a teenager. He believed God was out to looking at all the bad things he did and judged him for them. He believed being saved meant trying to live as good a live as possible. He lived under fear that he was not good enough. One night as he was reading in his Bible, "If thou shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved."
He thought saved was the opposite of lost. Was that all? Just believe? Shouldn't one have to do some great things? Shouldn't one have to live a perfect life? He thought of all the things in his life that he didn't like his temper, his bad thoughts, his relationship with his parents. Could Jesus change these things he wondered? He thought about the people in the Bible who were changed. He felt drawn to pray to Jesus.
He prayed, "Oh Jesus, I've read about how everyone around You was changed. Now I want to be changed. I want peace and fulfillment like Paul and John and James and the others disciples. I want to be delivered from all my fears and..." At that moment he felt a presence in the room, like a stillness. He continued, "You know I don't even like myself. Everything is messed up around me. And it's messed up in me, too. But please, God I want to change. I can't do it myself. And I don't understand how you can do anything within me. But Jesus if you could change all those people in the Bible, I guess you can change me. Please, Jesus, let me know you. Make me new."
He relates that he had an unusual peace come over him. He felt alive to God and alive to the world. He knew that Jesus was personal and He had just met Him and talked with Him. He felt a new sense of the presence with him.
Bruce Olson felt like most Christians do who have experienced God in their lives with such assuredness. He was excited and wanted all his friends to know Jesus. At church he tried to explain what had happened. The other high school boys accused him of getting super spiritual. They looked at him like he was an animal in a zoo. He told his pastor. The pastor’s response was, "Well that's wonderful, that's fine, Bruce. I'm happy to hear that you've had such a fulfilling experience. But don't forget that you were confirmed in the church right here in this building and at that moment of confirmation you dedicated yourself to Christ. The Christian life began for you even before that, however, when you were baptized and given your name."
He told the pastor that he walked home after confirmation thinking is that all there is to it? He had hoped there was something more. His pastor said, "Olson, I prayed over each of you boys when you were confirmed. Are you telling me that my prayers meant nothing? You've got to believe in your confirmation vows, that they were real and meaningful" "Well, I believe in them now. Jesus is real to me now. I've been changed. I've begun to feel for people when I never did before." Jesus isi n my life now, If he was before I never knew it." After Pastor Peterson rebuked him, he thought How could something so good, so basically simple, make people so upset?
There was purpose to Bruce Olson's life now. Before religion was just a ritual. Now there was a vital relationship like the Jews who for the first time no longer followed traditions, there was the Christ they could believe in. It was a relationship that is exciting. But others do not always understand.
Pastor Dale
Making Plans John 11:48
Sermon Nugget Mon July 14, 2008
Theme: MAKING PLANS
Verses- John 11:48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."(NIV)
Determine a PURPOSE
A group of American business people traveled to Japan to meet with the top officers of Honda, Sony, and Mitsubishi. An 88 yr old Japanese executive was asked, "Does your company have long range goals?" His response was yes.
When asked how long were those long range goals, he replied 250 years.
"What do you need to carry them out?"
He replied, "Patience.”
Now that is planning. Although most of us aren't ready for 250 year goals it's a good reminder to us, whether in our spiritual lives, homes, jobs, or church that we need to plan.
Jesus followed the plan of His Father. And interestingly enough, as we return to the Gospel of John, we see the Sanhedrin made plans to kill Jesus. Yet, unknown to them, they were following the plan of God.
Following the joyful miracle of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the word didn't take long to spread. Some believed in Jesus and others saw Him as a threat to their personal position, authority, and traditions. As we conclude this 11th chapter we see plotting taking place among the Jews as to what they should do with Jesus. The prophetic statement of Caiaphas sets the stage for the remaining events in Johns Gospel of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We are told by all the management experts that if you do not have a target you will never hit it. We are encouraged to ask the questions, "Where are you going, and why? What is your purpose? What are you trying to do?" If we can define our goals clearly then we can make plans to achieve those goals.
Our church has a purpose statement that we believe is Biblical. "The purpose of SBC is to glorify God through worship, obedience and love to equip and edify the body of Christ for ministry of service, fellowship and spiritual growth; to proclaim Christ to our community and world by word and deed."
We seek to identify this purpose on our logo and periodically on our bulletins as the upward, inward, and outward ministry to the glory of God. We have responsibility to God to the church and to others outside of the church. That purpose becomes the ideal target to which we direct our programs and ministry as it is consistent with the Scriptures.
It is good to periodically review the purpose and to see if we are still on track. Many churches have as their purpose growth. It might be a meaningful purpose, but to what end? Entertainment? Keeping the church building open? Salaries paid?
Other churches might have as their purpose to keep the members content. Any change might bring discontent so that would not be acceptable. To maintain power among a certain family or pastor loses sight of the most important purposes. To be all things to all people so as not a upset the most, is the way some will operate.
Jesus could have done many good things, but the reason He stayed His course is that He knew his main purpose was to seek and to save that which is lost, and to do the will of His Father. IT was the main purpose of the Sanhedrin to preserve their power and position.
Whether a church reviews it’s goals, or an individual takes time to review his or her goals for life results in taking our priorities and giving them the proper attention they deserve.
Pastor Dale
Theme: MAKING PLANS
Verses- John 11:48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."(NIV)
Determine a PURPOSE
A group of American business people traveled to Japan to meet with the top officers of Honda, Sony, and Mitsubishi. An 88 yr old Japanese executive was asked, "Does your company have long range goals?" His response was yes.
When asked how long were those long range goals, he replied 250 years.
"What do you need to carry them out?"
He replied, "Patience.”
Now that is planning. Although most of us aren't ready for 250 year goals it's a good reminder to us, whether in our spiritual lives, homes, jobs, or church that we need to plan.
Jesus followed the plan of His Father. And interestingly enough, as we return to the Gospel of John, we see the Sanhedrin made plans to kill Jesus. Yet, unknown to them, they were following the plan of God.
Following the joyful miracle of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the word didn't take long to spread. Some believed in Jesus and others saw Him as a threat to their personal position, authority, and traditions. As we conclude this 11th chapter we see plotting taking place among the Jews as to what they should do with Jesus. The prophetic statement of Caiaphas sets the stage for the remaining events in Johns Gospel of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We are told by all the management experts that if you do not have a target you will never hit it. We are encouraged to ask the questions, "Where are you going, and why? What is your purpose? What are you trying to do?" If we can define our goals clearly then we can make plans to achieve those goals.
Our church has a purpose statement that we believe is Biblical. "The purpose of SBC is to glorify God through worship, obedience and love to equip and edify the body of Christ for ministry of service, fellowship and spiritual growth; to proclaim Christ to our community and world by word and deed."
We seek to identify this purpose on our logo and periodically on our bulletins as the upward, inward, and outward ministry to the glory of God. We have responsibility to God to the church and to others outside of the church. That purpose becomes the ideal target to which we direct our programs and ministry as it is consistent with the Scriptures.
It is good to periodically review the purpose and to see if we are still on track. Many churches have as their purpose growth. It might be a meaningful purpose, but to what end? Entertainment? Keeping the church building open? Salaries paid?
Other churches might have as their purpose to keep the members content. Any change might bring discontent so that would not be acceptable. To maintain power among a certain family or pastor loses sight of the most important purposes. To be all things to all people so as not a upset the most, is the way some will operate.
Jesus could have done many good things, but the reason He stayed His course is that He knew his main purpose was to seek and to save that which is lost, and to do the will of His Father. IT was the main purpose of the Sanhedrin to preserve their power and position.
Whether a church reviews it’s goals, or an individual takes time to review his or her goals for life results in taking our priorities and giving them the proper attention they deserve.
Pastor Dale
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