Daily Archives: May 27, 2008

Graduation Sunday
May 25th 2008
Romans 12:1-2
“No Matter What, Stay In God’s Will”

Graduation Sunday is upon us! Sunday Night as I was getting ready to leave, my thought was, “Lord, what would you like me to say to these graduates?” Monday morning, as I was driving in downtown Chicago to get to MBI for Pastors Conference, I was lost in thought, and then the Holy Spirit came into my heart and said, “Adam, do you remember when you graduated?” “Well, of course, that was not that long ago, and it was a very important time in my life, Lord.” “I want you to think back to that day in May of 1997 until now. What is the first thing that comes to mind?” Well, Lord it is how you have brought me this far and have never left me. I enjoyed seeing and meeting people that I had went to school with that I put my arm around them and told them that I was so glad to hear that God has brought them that far as well. Also, if I wanted to know your will, I always had a measuring tool from your Word to get me there.” That was always the truth. This past week in the midst of being fed myself, I continued to ask the Lord for words to say to you, and words that would help you in your walk.

This morning, I know that this message if for the graduates, but I know that this message is for all of us. The tool for seeing how we “measure up” when it comes to finding God’s will for my life. The problem that this world has is that we are too busy asking ourselves:
-Does this feel good?
-What is in it for me?
-Can I best be suited if I do this?

So, when it comes to the passages that is before us, we have to ask ourselves,

Theology can be either so esoteric that its useless for anything but discussion or it can be so simple that it loses its trancendancy

theology that does not tuch life is great information you can do nothing with

Ecclesiology;

The law of first mention takes us to Matthew 16 because it is the first mention of the church both by chronology and the first mention of the church by it’s head.
(Ephesians is Paul’s exegesis of the church).

Matthew 16:13-20- you here is plural
who do “y’all” say I am.
Peter answers a question which wasn’t addressed strictly to him. … Peter, he says, is the leader of the group and thus he answers as a group representative.

Simon means pebble
Peter means stone
Rock means a collection of smaller stones coalesced together.

The most important thing you can do is to build a leadership team.

ecclesia is an elected body who would make legislative decisions for the benefit of the people whom they represent.

The Gates of Hell: Throughout the OT the gates is a place of legislation, the elders would meet at the gate for business.

The ecclesia is going to make legal decisions which the gates of hell cannot override.

It’s not about sovereignty against free will. It’s sovereignty saying at he beginning “Let them rule” Thus it is our will wrapped inside of he sovereignty of God. It’s football field. God sovereignly defines the field and we run around on it wherever we want, we just can’t cross the lines.

2 peter 3:9 God won’t move until we seek him.

Matthew 16:19
bind means to stop, restrict
Loose means to permit,
I’m going to give you the right to say what will and won’t work. This is a legal issue.

This is why holding God to his word is critical.

I feel like a lion in a den of Daniels

five F’s for ministry

1. Remember your Foundation.
Mark 7 – a wise man builds on the rock.
your foundation is the scriptures (but I say no foundation is laid but Christ 1 Cor.)

All scripture is God breathed.
God breathed life into Adam

how long can you go without breathing? How long can you go without inhaling God’s word? No wonder we are so weak.

doctrine without practice is dangerous, but practice without doctrine is deadly

Men wrote as they were blown along by the holy spirit.

Paul tells Timothy: Preach the Word.

2. Shepherd His Flock
(I’m a sheep in charge of sheep – Tom)
Peter do you love (3x) take care of my flock, feed my sheep tend my flock.

“I exhort you elders as fellow elder to shepherd the flock.”
1 peter 5. ” Don’t lord it over your flock be an example.”

3. Nourish your Family.
You’re called to be a shepherd and you’re privileged to be a husband/father – these do not conflict. May God help you know which one to pour yourself into at the moment.

4. Focus on the Future
We are so wrapped up in this life but it really is so short.
2 Peter 3 – a thousand years like a day …
5th chapter, ‘when the chief shepherd appears you’ll get the crown…”

5. Rest in your Faith.
Mark 11:22 have faith in God (present tense command form) make it your habit to always be having faith.

Faith is the disposition (tendency to act in a certain way) that allows the object of your faith to do something for you. (Charles Price?)

“… Don’t be afraid Jairus – Just believe me…”