Biblical Reflection Churches That Transform

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Biblical Reflection Churches That Transform

• Bob Moffitt
• Harvest Foundation Disciple Nations Alliance

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• Story from Brazil

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Our Target

• Gods Glory
• Q. What is the chief end of man?
• A. Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to
  enjoy him for ever.
• Its relationships to the Great Commission

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The Cosmic Setting

• The heavens declare the glory of God
• the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
• Day after day they pour forth speech
• night after night they display knowledge.
• There is no speech or language
• where their voice is not heard.
• Their voice goes out into all the earth,
• their words to the ends of the world.
• Psalms 191-4

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The Cosmic Setting

• Creation
• Infinite size
• Sunsets
• Molecular complexity

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Gods Character in Words

• Supreme Worthy Honorable
• Beautiful Majestic Guileless
• Loving Pure Holy
• Merciful Just Patient
• Powerful Protective Glorious .
• Voluntary Self sacrificial Splendor

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Gods Glory

• Awesome and Fearful
• But
• Winsome and Enfolding

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Gods Glory - His Central Concern

• God wants his people to reflect his Glory
• A priest to observing nations Deut 45-8
• A light so observers praise our Father - Mt 516
• Chosen for his glory (three times) - Eph 11-14
  
• Do everything for glory of God - 1 Corn 1031
• Live so that observers glorify God - 1 Pet 212

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God our Glory, We His Glory

• God is our glory,
• our everlasting light
• Isa 6019b
• We are Gods glory,
• a crown of splendor,
• a royal diadem
• Isa 623

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Gods Glory is Reciprocal

• In the Trinity
• God glorifies the Son - Col 119 Jon 175
• The Son glorifies the Father - Jon 174
• The Spirit glorifies the Son - Jon 1614

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Gods Glory is Reciprocal

• We participate in this reciprocity
• Crown of creation - Gen 131
• God is our glory - Isa 6019b
• We are Gods glory - Isa 623
• We glorify the Son - Jon 1710

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Loss of Birthright

• Creation to display - Genesis 11-24
• Image bearers to reflect and participate Genesis
  131
• Loss of birthright - Genesis 31 - 67

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Restoration through Sacrificial Love

• Reconciliation of all - Col 115-20
• Grace - power to will and act - Phil 213
• Reflect increasing glory - 2 Corn 318
• Bear much fruit to Gods glory - Jon 158

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What is Gods Glory?

• Loving, sacrificial relationship
• on behalf of the other
• in
• The Trinity
• The Creation
• O.T. - Israel
• The Cross
• Eternity

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The Great CommissionMark 1615, Matthew 2819

• Proclamation - Go and preach the Gospel
• Church Planting - Baptizing
• Scripture knowledge - Teaching everything

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The Great Omission

• Discipling - Teaching to obey
• (application)

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The Great Omissions Consequence

• 1. Lots of conversions
• 2. Many churches planted
• but
• 3. Little transformation

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Reinstating the Omitted2 Chronicles 714

• Two Conditions
• 1. Humility
• 2. Repentance/obedience
• Two Promises
• 1. Forgiveness
• 2. Healing

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The Great Commission and Transformation

• 1. Evangelism and church planting
• - stringing the bow, positioning the arrow
• 2. Teaching what Jesus taught
• - aiming, pulling arrow against the string
• 3. Discipling to obey in the power of the HS
• - releasing the arrow
• 4. Hitting the target
• - bringing God glory and being his glory

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What Does Gods Glory Look Like in Us?

• Passion for Restoration of the Broken Mark.
• Voluntarily Suffering for Others Phil 28
• Love for One Another Acts 432
• Generosity toward Neighbors II Corn 81-13
• Hospitality Rom 1213, Titus 18, I Pet 49
• Transformed Communities Isa 5810-12
• Works of Service Eph 412

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The End Task is not
End

• Winning People to Christ
• Planting Churches
• Teaching people about what Jesus taught

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The End Task is
End

• Equipping Gods people for Gods glory
• by
• Equipping Gods people to be Gods glory
• How?
• By teaching to do all that he commanded

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Question

• Do we see Gods glory (sacrificial love/service)
• in the work of
• our denomination,
• our parachurch ministry,
• our local church,
• our personal life?

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Suggestion

• If not,
• Examine our target

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Our Father

• Forgive us for our unfaithfulness to Your full
  intentions. Help us to not only proclaim the
  Gospel, plant churches, and teach Your commands.
  But, help us to teach those you bring under our
  care to do Your will.
• Grant that we may increasingly make Your glory
  our goal. And, in the process, increasingly be
  Your glory.
• We ask this in the name of Jesus, who taught us
  to pray, Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your
  name, your kingdom come, your will be done
  Amen.

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Weakness of Current Equipping

• Personal Piety
• Knowledge of Scripture
• Training in Evangelism/Church Planting
• Without equipping for obedience

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Principle 1

• Reliance on Enabling Grace
• John 157-8
• Abide in me and obey my commands

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Principle 2

• Integrity and Modeling
• Matthew 519
• Whoever practices and teaches
• (practice before teaching)

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Principle 3

• Ongoing Teaching
• (Including Repentance as needed)
• Hebrews 514
• Milk to solid food by constant use
• Acts 2035
• A constant example

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Principle 4

• Application
• I John 318-19
• Show love by our actions

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Principle 5

• Accountability
• Acts 154
• They reported everything

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Principle 6

• Encouragement
• I Thessalonians 511
• Encourage one another

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Principle 7

• Celebration
• Psalms 343
• Exalt His name together

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Summary

• Principle 1 Reliance on Enabling Grace
• Principle 2 Integrity and Modeling
• Principle 3 Ongoing Teaching/Repentance
• Principle 4 Application
• Principle 5 Accountability
• Principle 6 Encouragement
• Principle 7 Celebration

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Illustration

• Story from Uganda

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Implication 1

• Keep our focus on the target
• Gods Glory

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Implication 2

• Build Discipleship on
• Principles that equip for obedience

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Implication 3

• Evaluate
• Not by numbers, but...
• by evidence of Gods glory (obedience)
• in your disciples