Shift, Part 2 – Trash to Treasure

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S.O.A.P. – “Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer”

What did you treasure when you were younger? Has that changed?

Scripture:

Jesus said, ‘“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Matthew 6:19-27 NLT

Sermon Insights:

Our activities translate into priorities.

Pastor Greg offered a simple checklist for priorities:

How much of yourself do you invest in eternal purposes?
Do I teach my kids kingdom principles and show them kingdom life?
Do I share the love of Christ with my neighbors and co-workers?
Do I read the Bible? https://my.bible.com/
Am I part of a Life Group? https://Antioch.net/event/life-group-connection-event/
Am I serving? https://Antioch.net/serve
Do my finances reflect a kingdom commitment? https://Antioch.net/give/

Lord, you teach that wherever my treasure is, there the desires of my heart will also be. Teach me to treasure and trust you.

Define fear and faith in your own words.

Scripture: Each year Solomon received about 25 tons of gold. This did not include the additional revenue he received from merchants and traders, all the kings of Arabia, and the governors of the land. King Solomon made 200 large shields of hammered gold, each weighing more than fifteen pounds. He also made 300 smaller shields of hammered gold, each weighing nearly four pounds. The king placed these shields in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon.

Then the king made a huge throne, decorated with ivory and overlaid with fine gold. The throne had six steps and a rounded back. There were armrests on both sides of the seat, and the figure of a lion stood on each side of the throne. There were also twelve other lions, one standing on each end of the six steps. No other throne in all the world could be compared with it!

All of King Solomon’s drinking cups were solid gold, as were all the utensils in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon. They were not made of silver, for silver was considered worthless in Solomon’s day! The king had a fleet of trading ships of Tarshish that sailed with Hiram’s fleet. Once every three years the ships returned, loaded with gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks. So King Solomon became richer and wiser than any other king on earth. 1 Kings 10:14-23 NLT

Jesus said, “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Matthew 6:28-34 NLT

Sermon Insights: We cannot decide whether we will live or die; we can only decide how we will live.

When you consider how unconcerned about the future Jesus teaches us to be…what is your reaction?

Replacing FEAR with TRUST – how will you begin to settle your spirit of fear and trust that Jesus will take care of your needs?

Jesus is realistic AND helpful – he acknowledges that there will be trouble tomorrow…and he will be with us providing what we need when we need it most. How does that help you think about pursuing the Kingdom of God and his righteousness today?

Lord, it is natural for me to fear, but it is not wise or faith-filled. Teach me to rely on you!

What are you willing to sacrifice to be closer to God?

Scripture:

The Apostle Paul wrote, “So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time—before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I’ve been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won’t be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another.

For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor’s parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world—to people and angels alike. 1 Corinthians 4:1-9 NLT

Sermon Insights:

We need to experience the Kingdom of God.

Imagine the responsibility of explaining God’s mysteries to the world. Whose opinion mattered to Paul?

While Paul’s conscience was clear, he trusted Jesus to judge him, and did not even trust his own judgment. What did Paul treasure most?

What was Paul willing to actively sacrifice to promote Jesus?

Lord, thank you for being grace-filled towards me. Teach me to rest in you and rely on your judgment, not my own. Teach me to treasure you above all else!

Has there ever been a time when someone tried to give you advice, but it was clear they did not follow it themselves? What was your reaction?

The Apostle Paul continued to write (after yesterday’s Scripture), “Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don’t have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We appeal gently when evil things are said about us.

Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment. I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. So I urge you to imitate me. That’s why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.

Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?” 1 Corinthians 4:10-21 NLT

Sermon Insights:

We need to experience the Kingdom of God.

Why do you think Paul described his love and care for the church in this way?

Even back in Paul’s day, religious leaders attempted to gain power by “talking the talk” without “walking the walk.” Like children, we are tempted to tell others what to do without doing it ourselves. Are you struggling to match your advice with your lifestyle?

What does it mean that the Kingdom of God is living by God’s power, and not just words?

Prayer Suggestions (5 minutes)

Lord, thank you that you have not simply given me religious rituals or well-worded prayers. Thank you that you have called me to a life of living and loving with your power!

What is one thing you believe you will never lose?

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to him privately and said, “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will signal your return and the end of the world?”

Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

“Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come. Matthew 24:1-14 NLT

Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matthew 6:24 NLT

Sermon Insights:

We need to express the Kingdom of God.

While the timing of coming events is unclear, Jesus clearly calls us to build the Kingdom of God and pursue righteousness every day of our lives. We should always be ready to meet Jesus. Do you need to re-order any priorities in your life?

Jesus describes that some are a slave to money and serve it as their master. You can tell what you treasure most by imagining what you would do if you lost it. What would happen if you lost all of your money? What would happen if you lost your faith in Jesus? If you had to pick between them, what matters most?

Martyred missionary Jim Elliot once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” What did he mean?

Lord, thank you for giving us hope of eternal life with you beyond the temporary treasures and pleasures of this world. Help me to love and serve you with whatever resources you temporarily allow me to direct.

Shift, Part 2 – Trash to Treasure

Prayer Suggestions (5 minutes)

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