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What Every True Church Should Be - Part 2 - John 17

Taught on | Topic: the church | Keywords: essentials, evangelism, evangelize, love, nonessentials, unity, the world

The prayer of Jesus in John 17 is His longest and most intimate recorded in Scripture. Here our Lord expresses His wishes for the new community of His followers we call the church. Since the church belongs to Jesus, since it is Jesus who builds the church (see Matthew 16:18), and since it’s Jesus who paid for the church (see Acts 20:28), He gets to decide what it should be like. So what are the characteristics He wants to see in His followers? What are the marks of a true church? We noted two last week and today we unpack two more.

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What Every True Church Should Be - Part 2
John 17
Skip Heitzig
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Message Summary
The prayer of Jesus in John 17 is His longest and most intimate recorded in Scripture. Here our Lord expresses His wishes for the new community of His followers we call the church. Since the church belongs to Jesus, since it is Jesus who builds the church (see Matthew 16:18), and since it’s Jesus who paid for the church (see Acts 20:28), He gets to decide what it should be like. So what are the characteristics He wants to see in His followers? What are the marks of a true church? We noted two last week and today we unpack two more.
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20/20: Seeing Truth Clearly

20/20: Seeing Truth Clearly

Over 175 million people in the United States need some sort of vision correction. From glasses to contacts and corneal reshaping to corrective surgery, there's no question that seeing clearly improves people's quality of life. But what about our spiritual vision? With so many religious, philosophical, and ideological lenses to look through, how do we find the right lens? In this series, Skip Heitzig brings the core doctrines of Christian faith into clear focus. These are the truths that define who God is, who we are, and the choices that every person has to make.

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Outline

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    Last Week:
  1. It Demonstrates God’s Glory

  2. It Communicates God’s Truth

  3. This Week:
  4. It Penetrates God’s World (vv. 14-18)

    1. We Must Know Our Position

    2. We Must Grow in Preparation

    3. We Must Go for Penetration

  5. It Emulates God’s Love (vv. 20-26)

    1. Shown by Our Unity

    2. Shown by Our Love

Study Guide

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Connect Group Recap Notes: December 27, 2020
Speaker: Skip Heitzig
Teaching: "What Every True Church Should Be—Part 2"
Text: John 17

Path

The prayer of Jesus in John 17 is His longest and most intimate recorded in Scripture. Here our Lord expresses His wishes for the new community of His followers we call the church. Since the church belongs to Jesus, since it is Jesus who builds the church (see Matthew 16:18), and since it's Jesus who paid for the church (see Acts 20:28), He gets to decide what it should be like. So what are the characteristics He wants to see in His followers? What are the marks of a true church? In this second of a two-part teaching, Pastor Skip unpacks John 17.
  1. It Penetrates God's World (vv. 14-18)
  2. It Emulates God's Love (vv. 20-26)
Points

It Penetrates God's World (vv. 14-18)
  • Like many visionaries, Jesus had a passion for a new community. He foresaw it, prayed for it, and died for it to ensure it would be what He intended.
  • What was His vision? First, that the church would demonstrate God's glory and communicate God's truth.
  • After worshiping and teaching, Christians are to penetrate the world with the good news.
  • To accomplish this, Jesus sends us out.
  • Christians are ambassadors on a mission, envoys who represent Christ.
  • As British clergyman William Temple said, "The church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members."
  • How are we to do this effectively?
    • We Must Know Our Position
      • We are in the world, not of the world. This world is not our ultimate home; it's a place to complete a commission on our way to heaven.
      • We are not to be conformed to the world's way (the ordered system) but be transformed and renewed in Christ (see Romans 12:2).
    • We Must Grow in Preparation
      • Think of the world as space or the ocean. We need the right kind of gear to survive.
      • The Word of God is the means by which we survive in this hostile environment; it enables us to live among the elements of the world.
      • The Bible:read it to be wise; believe it to be safe; practice it to be holy.
    • We Must Go for Penetration
      • What's one of the goals for knowing and growing? It's to go—to be sent.
      • Christians have five choices when it comes to dealing with the world: isolate (escape), insulate (protect), vegetate (be apathetic), imitate (be like the world), or penetrate (go and evangelize). Only the last is a biblical response.
It Emulates God's Love (vv. 20-26)
  • These final verses are exciting. Why? Because Jesus prayed for us.
  • What did Jesus pray for? Unity and love, which are how we show we're His.
  • Shown by Our Unity
    • Four times Jesus prayed for unity (based in Him), not unanimity (agreeing with every stance of a particular church or group). Throughout the generations, Christians have disagreed over certain aspects of faith (law vs. freewill, requirements for salvation, means of baptism, etc.), but we should be unified in Christ.
    • Jesus also didn't pray for uniformity, a prescribed order or style of worship. Christians will not agree on every topic, political policy, or style of worship. God's church is diverse.
    • What Jesus did pray for is unity based on God's truth. Our unity is based on the belief that Jesus came to do the Father's will. If you believe Jesus was sent from the Father, came to pay for sin, and died and rose again, then you are family.
    • Christians should not divide over nonessentials (peripheral issues that are more mood than a model of biblical belief) but can divide over essentials (core biblical doctrines).
    • Unity helps create belief in people.
    • Unity makes outsiders want be part of the community, with a common love and goal.
    • Unity among Christians proves the truth of the Christian message.
    • We live before watchful eyes. The world observes us intently, and disunity is noticed.
  • Shown by Our Love
    • Jesus also prayed that the love the Father gave to Christ would be in all Christians.
    • As Jesus stated, the world will know we are Christians by our love (see John 13:35).
    • The world should not know us by the color of our robes or pews, our mode of baptism, the cool graphics we use, or our style of music, but by our love.
    • Remember: we partner with God in rescuing people from the world. We bring people to a new community that's rooted in charity.
    • So let's allow our lives—and the church—to be characterized by love.
    • A bickering, divided church turns people off. Love leads them deeper, to Christ and His community.
Practice

Connect Up: Why do you think God allows us to participate in His rescue plan and help evangelize the world? Why not just wave His hand and poof! it's done? What does this cooperation tell you about God's character and attitude toward His people?

Connect In: What does biblical evangelism look like? What characteristics should be a part of the church's penetration of the world? Ponder and discuss these key points as motivating factors in evangelism.
  • Awe of what God accomplished in Christ; a healthy fear of His Word and way
  • Agreement with Christ's command and a biblical obedience to His Word (see Matthew 28:18-20)
  • Appreciation for what Christ provided: salvation
  • Acknowledgment of the risks and rewards of evangelizing
Connect Out: People can usually tell what you feel about them when you witness to them, and they'll react accordingly. Why are unity and love essential in reaching a lost world? Read 1 Corinthians 13 to ponder the principles of love. What characteristics do you struggle with the most?

Detailed Notes

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December 27, 2020
Skip Heitzig
"What Every True Church Should Be—Part 2"
John 17
  1. Introduction
    1. Walt Disney had a vision for a new kind of city called EPCOT
      1. Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow, a futuristic city of 20,000
      2. After his death, his vision died too
      3. Rather than becoming the living, breathing city Disney wanted, EPCOT became a place of entertainment for visitors
    2. Jesus also had a vision of a different community, the church
      1. He also died before His dream was realized
      2. But He anticipated it, prayed for it, and rose from the dead to ensure it would be what He intended
    3. We must commit to preventing the church from becoming a place of entertainment for visitors
      1. The central issue is the church's purpose
      2. John 17 gives us four characteristics of every true church
      3. We looked at two last week:
        1. Demonstrating God's glory
        2. Communicating God's Word
      4. Let's look at the other two characteristics Jesus gave in John 17
  2. It Penetrates God's World (vv. 14-18)
    1. Jesus intended for Christians to stay in the world and sent us out
      1. When He prayed for "those who will believe in Me through their word" (v. 20), He was praying for all future believers, including us
      2. It's clear that He expects His followers to go out and preach the truth
    2. Christians are to penetrate the world with the good news (see Matthew 28:20)
      1. To accomplish this, Jesus sends us out
      2. The Greek word for sent is apostelló
      3. An apostle is simply someone sent out, an ambassador sent by an authority
      4. Christians are envoys on a mission, whose goal is to represent Christ
    3. "The church is the only society on earth that exists for the benefit of non-members" —William Templeton
      1. Being at church should bless us, but the purpose isn't that feeling but to glorify God, learn His Word, and go out and penetrate the world with it
      2. Churches have a tendency to turn inwardly rather than outwardly
    4. How are we to do this effectively?
    5. We Must Know Our Position
      1. We are in the world, not of the world
        1. This world is not our ultimate home
        2. World here (Greek kosmos) refers to the system of values, philosophies, and morals controlled by the Devil (see 2 Corinthians 4:4)
      2. Earth is a place to complete a commission on our way to heaven
      3. Because we belong to Christ, the world hates us
      4. We are not to be conformed to the world's way (the ordered system) but be transformed and renewed in Christ (see Romans 12:2)
    6. We Must Grow in Preparation
      1. Jesus asked the Father to "keep" us (v. 15), or preserve us, while we are here
      2. Think of the world as space or the ocean—not our natural spiritual environment
      3. Like an astronaut or scuba diver, we need the right kind of gear to survive
      4. God's truth is what sanctifies us, preparing us to face the world
      5. Paul described the armor of God we need to use as we live in this battle (see Ephesians 6:10-18)
      6. The Bible: read it to be wise; believe it to be safe; practice it to be holy
    7. We Must Go for Penetration
      1. What's one of the goals for knowing and growing? It's to go—to be sent
      2. Christians have five choices when it comes to dealing with the world:
        1. Isolate (escape the world, like in a monastery)
        2. Insulate (protect yourself and your family and criticize everyone else, like the Pharisees)
        3. Vegetate (be apathetic, with no passion for the lost and hurting)
        4. Imitate (be like the world, showing how cool you are but not being any different from unbelievers)
        5. Penetrate (go and evangelize, being salt and light, sharing the life Christ offers)
      3. Only the last is a biblical response
        1. The salt must leave the saltshaker to do its job
        2. The goal is not to fill churches but to fill heaven
  3. It Emulates God's Love (vv. 20-26)
    1. These final verses are exciting
    2. Why? Because Jesus prayed for us
    3. What else did Jesus pray for?
    4. Unity and love are how we show we belong to God
    5. Shown by Our Unity
      1. Four times Jesus prayed for unity (based in Him)
      2. Interesting that He didn't pray for our safety, health, success, or happiness
      3. Rather, He prayed that we may be one, like the Father and the Son are one
      4. Unity isn't unanimity or ecclesiastical ecumenism, where we all get along no matter what
        1. Getting along no matter what is neither a biblical nor realistic expectation
        2. The New Testament shows some key disagreements
          1. James and John's mother asked Jesus if her sons could sit on each side of Jesus in the kingdom; that made the other ten disciples angry (see Matthew 20:20-28)
          2. The council in Jerusalem argued over the requirements for salvation (see Acts 15:1-35)
          3. Peter and Paul argued over circumcision (see Acts 11:1-3; Galatians 2:11-21)
          4. Paul and Barnabas divided over John Mark (see Acts 15:36-41)
      5. Unity is not uniformity, where we all think the same way on everything
        1. Christians have disagreed over certain aspects of faith (law vs. free will, requirements for salvation, means of baptism, etc.)
        2. But we should be unified in Christ
      6. Jesus also didn't pray a prescribed order or style of worship
        1. Christians will not agree on every topic, political policy, or style of worship
        2. God's church is diverse, and we should be glad for that
      7. What Jesus did pray for is unity based on God's truth
        1. Our unity is based on the belief that Jesus came to do the Father's will
        2. If you believe Jesus was sent from the Father, came to pay for sin, and died and rose again, then you are family
      8. Christians should not divide over nonessentials (peripheral issues that are more mood than a model of biblical belief)
        1. But we can divide over essentials (core biblical doctrines)
        2. "In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity" —Augustine
      9. Unity helps create belief in people
        1. Unity makes outsiders want to be part of the community, with a common love and goal
        2. Unity among Christians proves the truth of the Christian message
        3. We live before watchful eyes; the world observes us intently, and disunity is noticed
    6. Shown by Our Love
      1. Jesus also prayed that the love the Father gave to Christ would be in all Christians
        1. As Jesus stated, the world will know we are Christians by our love (see John 13:35)
        2. The world should not know us by the color of our robes or pews, our mode of baptism, the cool graphics we use, or our style of music, but by our love for God and one another
        3. Disunity is a sin that Satan uses as a key strategy to neutralize the church
      2. Our challenge is to become the people God intended us to be, characterized by what Jesus prayed for
        1. Demonstrating God's glory
        2. Communicating God's truth
        3. Penetrating God's world
        4. Emulating God's love
Figures referenced: Augustine, Paul Billheimer, John Stott, William Temple

Greek words: apostelló, kosmos

Cross references: Matthew 20:20-28; 28:20; John 13:35; Acts 11:1-3; 15; Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Galatians 2:11-21; Ephesians 6:10-18

Topic: the church

Keywords: essentials, evangelism, evangelize, love, nonessentials, unity, the world

Transcript

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What Every True Church Should Be - Part 2 - John 17 - Skip Heitzig

God isn't really something to worship.

I guess there's a God out there somewhere.

I hope there is a God.

God isn't really something to worship.

God is everywhere.

I'm glad you're here today. 2020 is almost over, isn't that good news? I can't wait to have 2020 in my rearview mirror. I'm just done with 2020. Of course, you never know what 2021's going to bring, right? But God's been with us in 2020. He'll be with us in 2021. Not to worry.

Would you please turn in your Bibles to John, chapter 17. We're doing a series called, "2020." And we're looking at the main major teachings, doctrines of the scriptures. The person of God, the nature and characteristics of God, the attributes of God, the person, nature, and work of Jesus, his salvation. We've looked at the Holy Spirit. We've even considered angels one week, demons another week. And we're looking at the church the last few weeks.

Last time we were together, we started in John 17, and we looked at what Jesus himself prayed to the Father and what every true church should be. Before we get started, you should know that in John 17, you have a monumental chapter. Because what you are reading is the work of Jesus in interceding for us. The Bible says, he ever lives to make intercession for us. And you get a snippet of that, for this is the longest recorded prayer of Jesus to his father in the scripture. Here he is praying for his followers, those who were following him then and those who would be following him in the future.

So it's an incredible chapter. Before we get started this morning, let's pray together. Father, thank you for the truths of every song we just sang, that you have been faithful, you have been good. And we really can't wait to see what you have for us in days, weeks, months ahead. And so Father, we want to just dedicate the new year to you coming up. As tough as this last year has been for nearly everyone on this planet, Father, we just pray for your grace in the future.

For your mercy in the future. And help us, Lord, to view everything through the correct lens. The world view, the lens of truth, as given to us in Your word. We ask in Jesus's name. Amen.

Experimental prototype, community of tomorrow. Experimental prototype, community of tomorrow. EPCOT. That was Walt Disney's dream. You have heard of Epcot Center. Many of us have visited Epcot Center. We know it today is an overpriced theme park in Orlando, Florida. But what you may not know is it was not intended by Walt Disney to be a theme park in Orlando, Florida. It was designed by Walt Disney to be an actual city of 20,000 people living together using the latest technology.

That's what his vision was. Walt Disney died before his vision, his dream could become a reality. And no one in the Disney corporation had a vision big enough like Walt Disney had for that future city. They didn't get it. They didn't ever latch onto it. So it never became what Disney intended it to become. Rather than a living, breathing city that Disney wanted, it has become as you know a theme park. It has become a place that people go to be entertained. It is a place that people visit.

Jesus also had a vision, a dream you might say, of a new community. He called it his church. Matthew 16-- "I will build my church," ecclesia. A group of people called out of the world who do life together. Jesus also died before his dream was realized. But he predicted it, he anticipated this new community. He prayed for it in John 17. And then he rose again from the dead to ensure it would become what he intended it to become-- the new community called The Church.

We must be committed to not letting the church become another Epcot-- an entertainment place, a place where people visit occasionally but don't do life together. We have to be committed to that. Which brings us to the central issue and that is, what is the purpose of the church? What function are we to fulfill? What was Jesus's vision? What was his intention? And what are the characteristics that Jesus anticipated for his church to be?

Well, we began looking at that question and answering that question last time we were together, in John chapter 17. And I gave you two of the four characteristics of what every true church should be. We noted when we were together that every true church should demonstrate the glory of God. And that every true church should communicate God's truth. And we looked at that. We discussed that. We delved into that.

That number one, when we gather, God is on center stage. It's all about him. He gets top billing and our lives get reoriented to true north. That's the glory of God. So we meet together and the purpose of our meeting is not to meet felt needs, not to just be built up and encourage, though those things should happen, but primarily, to live for his glory. And the best way we can live for his glory effectively is by that second thing we looked at-- to communicate God's truth, to preach the word.

And so the church, you might say, is a textual community. Yes, we live our lives together. We have community, but a very specific kind of community, it's a textual community. That is, we take our cues from the scripture, from the text of the scripture. So then to sum up where we've been last time, you might say that the church, His church, the true church, is both theo-centric-- God centered-- and biblio-centric-- Bible centered. It's centered on God and His glory and to ensure that it is, it is biblio-centric, centered on the scripture, which tells us how that can happen.

Now according to Jesus, there are two more characteristics that he, the founder, is praying for and anticipating his church, his community to become. And both of these qualities that we're going to look at today focus on our relationship to the world, those who are inside the church, and how we should relate to those who are outside the church. So let me begin with the third characteristic, and that is, every true church should penetrate, penetrate God's world.

Let's begin in John 17, the 14th verse. Jesus, praying to his Father said, "I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth."

So it's pretty obvious that Jesus anticipated that his followers would go out into the world and spread the message. That's what verse 18 is all about, you sent me, I'm sending them. Later on, he is going to send them. He's going to give them a command, a very, very blatant command. When before he ascends into heaven after his resurrection, he'll tell them, go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Furthermore, if you look down at verse 20, he says, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word." So again, it's pretty obvious Jesus anticipated that his followers are going to go out and preach truth, preach the word. And there will be some people who will hear that message and will believe in Jesus. Now go back to the 18th verse. That is the hinge verse of this, "as You sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world." It's a very important word, the word "sent." I'm going to say it to you in the Greek and you're going to tell me what word comes from that-- "apostello," apostle.

Someone in the first service thought, pistoli. I don't know where he got that from. But I guess there's sort of a similarity there. But apostello is apostle, and an apostle simply means somebody sent out-- a sent out individual, an ambassador, an envoy, somebody who is sent out for a specific task by someone who is in authority. So Jesus's plan was for his followers to penetrate the world around them with the truth so that more might believe. So that becomes one of the characteristics Jesus planned for, prayed for his church-- that we would penetrate God's world.

Someone once said that church is the only society on Earth that exists for the benefit of non-members. We must never allow the church to become a "bless me" club. Here I am. You got an hour to bless me, better be good. I want to be blessed. Listen, I want you to be blessed. We should all be blessed. But a blessing from God and the feeling we get at church is secondary to the primary purpose of gathering. Yes, we should be blessed as we gather together.

But the purpose isn't that we be pampered. The purpose is that we glorify God, that we hear the preaching of the word-- all of that equips us to go out and do something with it. And just so his disciples were clear, Jesus told them, it's always time to evangelize. It's always time. There's not like, well, now isn't the time to get the message out. That'll come later. It's always harvest time.

There are always people who need to hear. There are always people ready to respond. Jesus in John chapter 4 said to them, "do you not say there are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I tell you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields for they are already white for harvest." That's an important word for believers because churches have a tendency over time-- all of them have this tendency, it's human nature-- that over time, churches turn inward toward themselves rather than outward toward the world.

They may begin with an outward focus, an evangelistic focus. We want to change our community and we want to change our nation. But over time, most churches, most organizations start to turn inward. So that even though Jesus said, go into all the world. It seems that the message of the church is, come, come to church, come and hear the message. And that's important. We want people to come to church and come and hear the message. But the coming to church and coming to hear the message is simply a preparation so that we might go out and make a difference.

There was once an old church in England I read about, that was a beautiful building and it had a great purpose statement, a sign on the front of the church. And the sign said, "we preach Christ crucified." It's a great section out of the New Testament, "we preach Christ crucified." That was the sign in the front of the church. Over time, ivy that was growing around the church building started growing up on the sign, and over time, as the years went by, the last word in the statement was obscured. So you'd look up and it said, "we preach Christ."

That's good, it's still good. But as you can imagine, over time the ivy kept growing until pretty soon, it just said, "we preach." And nobody cut it down, so you know what's coming next. Over the years, the only word you could see over that church was, "we." And eventually, the church died. Any church that turns inward and makes it all about we, us, me, mine, will die. John Stott, who pastored a church in England, said, "if all churches had been faithful, the world would long ago have been evangelized."

So how do we? How can we? How do we do it effectively? How do we penetrate the world effectively? I'll give you three words and then I'll show it to you in the text, three words. We need to know. We need to grow. And we need to go. There are certain things we need to be knowing. And then there's a certain way we need to be growing, but eventually we're going to have to get going.

So what do we have to know? Well, we have to know our position. What is our position? Verse 14, "I've given them Your word; the world has hated them because--" here it is, "they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." Now back in verse 11, in praying for the church, he says, "they are in the world." Here, he says, "they are not of the world." Again in verse 16, "they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." So that's our position. We're in the world, but we're not of the world.

You've heard that before. We're in it, but not of it. We live in the world. We're surrounded by people who have their belief system, but we are not of them. We have another home. We are just passing through. This world is not our home. So we're in it, but we're not of it. Now look at the word, "world." I brought this up to you before, I just want to underscore it. In the New Testament, the world "world," "cosmos," doesn't primarily refer to the physical world, the earth, the biosphere et cetera. It refers to a world system.

A system of ideas, values, philosophies, morals, activities, and people run by, controlled by the devil, Satan. 2 Corinthians chapter 4, Paul writes, "Satan, the God of this evil world, has blinded the minds of those who do not believe." So we're in the world, we're not of that world. Earth then for us is simply a stopping off point on our way home-- heaven. And until then, we have a task to perform in this world. But we're not of it. What we have to be careful about is not becoming too immersed in the world that we live in. We're in it, but not of it.

So if we get too immersed in our world, it is as ridiculous as making a flight across the country, and you stop in an airport to make a connecting flight, you're only going to be in that airport for an hour. So you're flying from here to your destination. You stop off in an airport. You're there for an hour, you're making a connecting flight. You go into the bathroom and you say, this bathroom needs a remodel. I'm going to remodel this bathroom. Your relative or friend who is with you go, you're going to remodel the bathroom in the airport? You're only going to be here an hour.

I know, but this is important. OK, but it's not that important, because that is not your destination. So to get too immersed in the world is as ridiculous as remodeling a bathroom in the airport where you're making a connecting flight. Romans chapter 12 verse 2, Paul says, "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." You see the position of the Christian is sort of like an astronaut in space. Space is not the natural habitat for the astronaut.

If he's up there, he's going to need special protection because that is not his natural environment. Or a scuba diver in the ocean. The ocean is not the natural element. So unless we realize our position, in the world, but not of the world, we're going to get swallowed up by the world. You know why? Verse 14 tells you why, "I've given them Your word; and the world," is what? What does this say? "Hated them." Mark that. It's not like the world just tolerates you, they hate you.

The system of values and philosophies that make the world system run by Satan and his minions is against you. The world has hated them, hated them. Because they are not of the world. Now, this happens to be an occupational hazard. Get used to it, get used to it. When you follow Jesus Christ and you make that your aim, your ambition, the occupational hazard of that is the world's hatred. So we need to know our position-- that's number one.

Number two, after knowing is growing. We need to grow in preparation. Verse 15, he continues, "I do not pray that You take them out of the world, but that You should keep them." The word, "keep" means preserve them. Don't let them go, preserve them "from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." Now he tells you how he keeps you, how he preserves you. "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth." That's how you survive. That's your spacesuit. That's your scuba gear.

The word of God, the truths, the principles of scripture that you immerse yourself in allow you to be in the world, but not of the world. Allow you to walk through this crazy place called Earth without being tainted by it. You know, Paul even pictured the Christian life. In Ephesians 5, you'll recall this as I tell you, he wrote about the Christian experience here as a battle. He wanted you to know that this isn't a playground, this is a battleground. And so Paul writes, "put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wilds of the devil."

Think of the spaceman, the astronaut in the spacesuit. Put on the armor of God, that you might be able to stand against the wilds of the devil. Then he lists all the pieces of armor. But he finally says, "and the sword of the spirit," which is the word of God. So Jesus says, sanctify them by your truth. Your word is truth. That's the Bible. The Bible-- read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy. Or as Peter put it, as newborn babes desire the sincere or pure milk of the word that you might grow thereby.

So you need to know and you need to grow. We need to be knowing our position. We need to be growing in preparation. But at some point, we have to be going. Because if all we do is know and grow, you know what happens to people who just accumulate a lot of knowledge and keep growing and growing and feeding and feeding on truth? They get fat, spiritually obese. It's like, I got all this great knowledge. OK, so go work it out. Work it off. You got to go out.

And so after knowing our position and growing in preparation, we have to be going for penetration. And that takes us back to verse 18, the word, "sent." "You sent Me into the world, I have also sent them into the world." That is the goal of knowing. That is the goal of growing. I made a list of five things. I've discovered there are five different responses that Christians have historically had to the world around them.

There may be more, but just to make it easy, there are five basic responses that Christians in any era, at any time, in any age have toward the world system around them. Response number one-- and it's not the best response-- is to isolate. They isolate themselves. They become isolationists. Their whole goal is to escape the world. I'll go live in a monastery. I want to get away from all the bad things that are happening. The world is evil. It has fallen.

There have even been attempts in American history to create Christian communities, Christian villages, towns, cities that are only occupied by Christians. Because, gosh, wouldn't it be great just to have all your neighbors as born again Christians? OK, you're describing heaven now, but I get it. Or people say, wouldn't it be great to work around Christians all day long? The only people you work with are believers. Take it from somebody who works with Christians all day long, it ain't what you think it is.

We're still fallen human beings, sinners saved by grace, just like anybody else in any place else. So response number one-- and it's not the right response-- is to isolate. Here's another response, historically, Christians have had toward the world. Not to isolate, but to insulate. They become insular. It's all about protecting themselves. I'm in this bad place called the world, so I need to protect myself and to protect my children and protect my family. So I'm going to be way over here. And I'm going to notice the bad things in the world and I'm going to point at them and say, that's a bad person. That's a bad thing. Look how bad that is.

Some people, all they do is spew negative bad comments about all the bad things around them. You know who was really good at that? The Pharisees. Pharisees didn't evangelize, they just pointed out all the bad people. Even Jesus, they thought, was bad because he ate with tax collectors and sinners. He mingled with them. And they pointed out, that's bad. So you can isolate and you can insulate. Those are not the best responses. A third response, historically, the church has had toward the world is to vegetate.

I think this is even worse because this is a person who is apathetic. He's just vegging out, man. He has no passion for the lost, no concern for the lost. He looks around and notices people are dying and going to hell. So? At least I'm not. And their goal is to make it through life with as much personal comfort as possible, and who cares about everybody else? That's vegetate. All three are not what Jesus intended. We are not to isolate, we are not to insulate, we are not to vegetate.

Let me give you a fourth response-- and this is not a good response either-- to imitate the world. Be just like them, act just like them. And some believers, some Christians actually think this is a good strategy. Yeah, man, I want to show the world that I'm as cool as they are. I do what they do, I can be like them. Well, you're not going to attract unbelievers to the same thing they are. The only thing that's attractive is that you are different from they are.

You've raised the bar. So these responses, as you can see, are not the best responses. We are not to imitate, we're not to isolate, we are not to insulate, we're not to vegetate. Here's the best response-- to penetrate. To penetrate the darkness with light, to go out into the world, to rescue souls out of it. That's penetration. We want to go for penetration. Because Jesus said, you're the light of the world, you are the-- what's the next part-- you are the salt of-- you can, it's church, you can talk back to me at least-- you are the salt of the Earth.

Last time I checked, salt doesn't do a whole lot of good in the salt shaker. Just sits in the salt shaker. The only time salt as good as when you empty the salt out of the salt shaker. Then it's on your food, and you go, mmm that tastes good. Salt it up a little bit, spice it up a little bit. I'm so grateful for the salt being here in the salt shaker. But at some point, we need to get out to rescue souls. I'm going to throw something up on the screen and let's read this together. I love this paragraph.

"Live churches are constantly changing. Dead churches don't have to. Live churches have lots of noisy kids. Dead churches are fairly quiet. Live church's expenses always exceed their income. Dead churches take in more than they ever dreamed of spending. Live churches are constantly improving for the future. Dead churches worship their past.

Live churches focus on people. Dead churches focus on programs. Live churches dream great dreams of God. Dead churches relive nightmares. Live churches don't have 'can't' in their dictionary. Dead churches have nothing but. Live churches evangelize. Dead churches fossilize."

Now, think of that last part, because that's true for churches, that's true for individuals. You have one of two options. If you don't evangelize, you will fossilize. You'll start turning inward. It's all about me and my blessing and my group, and that's the tendency. Evangelize or you will fossilize. So we need to be knowing our position, growing in preparation, going for penetration. Listen, I love people coming to church. I love the church full.

But the goal is not to fill churches. The goal is to fill heaven. To fill heaven. So that is one of the marks of the church. That's what Jesus prayed for. That's what he wants. We are to be those who are demonstrating God's glory, communicating God's truth, and penetrating God's world. I'll give you a fourth and a final mark, trait, characteristic that Jesus wants and praised for his church. We are to be a church that emulates God's love. We are to emulate God's love.

Now, we come to the final part of this prayer in verse 20. And it's the most exciting part of the prayer because you're in it. You are. He is praying for you. Verse 20, "I do not pray for these alone," these 11 apostles, I'm saying 11 because of Judas, "but also for those who will believe in Me through their word." Well, that's us. We believe the testimony passed down from the apostolic era, last 2000 years to us. What does he pray for? "That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent me.

And the glory what You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one-- I in them, and You and Me; that they may be perfect in one, that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You ; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

Now that's a mouthful. So I want to distill it down. Jesus prays for, and four times he prays for, four times he mentions that he prays for oneness, prays for unity, that they may be one as we are one. Which is to me very interesting, that of all the things Jesus, in looking to the future of the church, what he prays for, he does not pray for our safety. He does not pray for our health. He does not pray for our successes. He does not pray for our happiness. He prays for unity.

That's noteworthy. That's high on his list, that they may be one as we are one. Now, let me explain unity because I want you to know what it does not mean. Unity is not unanimity. He is not somehow praying for some ecclesiastical ecumenism, where we're just going to forget denominations, and all get together in one group, and then hold arms, and sing Kumbaya, and just all get along. That ain't going to happen. If you're thinking that's going to happen, that's an unrealistic expectation. Because as I read my New Testament, even the best and closest followers of Christ didn't see eye to eye, in fact, didn't get along sometimes.

There was an argument among the apostles as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom. And at one point, two of the apostles were asking Jesus to sit in the kingdom, one on the right hand, one on the left hand, which brought the whole mess up again and they argued again. And then Peter and Paul argued about the law in relationship to the Galatian Christians. There's a couple of chapters in Galatians, all about that argument, one in particular. The Jerusalem council enacts chapter 15 had a falling out, had a quarrel, as to the requirements of salvation.

And then there's that classic argument between Paul and Barnabas. They had a falling out. And it says that the contention between them was so sharp that they split company into two completely separate evangelistic groups. That's in the Bible. That's just the early church. So when he says, I'm praying that they may be one, he's not praying for unanimity and he's not praying for uniformity. Unity is not uniformity. Or we're all going to think the same. We're all going to vote the same.

We all have to read out of the same version of the Bible. We're not going to agree on everything. Somebody once told me, a mentor told me, if you find two people that agree on everything, one of them isn't thinking. So we're not going to agree on every topic, every subject, every theological subject. We're not going to agree on church policy. We're not going to agree on every song that we sing. There are some of you go, I hate that song. Or somebody saying, I wish we'd sing that song more. That's just what it is. That's style.

And we should understand that because we're all from a family, right? You grew up in a family of brothers and sisters. Presumably, if you had a large family, you know what diversity and unity are all about. You're one family, but you're very different from one another in that family. You have, one kid is rambunctious, one who's very, very quiet and off to himself or herself. You may have one person who's a morning person, one who's a night person. Very different personalities, but still one family. There is unity in diversity.

Welcome to the church. All the kids are different. You got some fuzzy fundamentalists. You got some crazy charismatics. You got some reformed. You got some deformed. You got some pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib. You got amillennialist, pre-millennialist, post-millennialist. And you're thinking, I have idea what you just said. Hang on a couple of weeks, we'll be explaining all that. Some prefer stained glass, windows, anaerobes, and candles, and the organ, and hymns. And others prefer guitars and granola.

But we're still God's people. It's unrealistic to think we're going to agree on everything. And let me say how thankful I am that there are different churches in this community and other communities to accommodate all the different people with different styles. That can be a good thing. So when he says that they may be one as we are one, what is he praying for? Listen carefully. Jesus is praying for unity based on truth. Unity based on truth. Unity based on what? Truth. Wants you to get that, unity based on truth.

And in particular, unity based upon the truth of who Jesus Christ is and what he has come to do. That's the unity. And it's not like he's saying, boy, I hope that they have unity. He is knowing that they will have unity. It's not something we hope we get. We already have. We already have. And I want you to see that. Go back to verse 8.

Jesus said, "I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I'm glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to you. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are."

You get that? Our unity is based on the belief that Jesus came here to do the Father's will. That's what he said. So here's what it means-- I'm a Christian the same way you're a Christian. I believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ, sent from heaven to die on a cross for my sins. You're saved by the same belief. My Savior, if you've received Christ as your Savior. That's the unity. So if you believe that Jesus Christ has been sent from the Father and has come to pay for your sin, we're family.

If you don't believe Jesus Christ is sent from the Father to pay for your sins, we ain't family. You might be a neighbor. You might be a nice guy or gal, but you're not family. Because there are certain things that we would call essentials of the Christian faith. Other things we would call non-essentials. When it comes to essentials, we divide over that. We make a division. You have a kooky idea about Jesus, a kooky idea that's not biblical about how you get saved, we're not family. But if you believe that, that Jesus is who he said he is, what the Bible says he's come to do, the Father's will, die on the cross for your sins, you can believe anything you want, pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib.

You can have any belief you want about styles of worship, modes of baptism, et cetera, because all of that is non-essential, it's secondary. And we're still family. So as Augustine put it, "in essentials unity; in non-essentials liberty, but in all things charity." Now Jesus, as I mentioned, prays for unity based on truth four times in this last section, four times, over, and over, and over, and over again, he prays that they may be one as we are one. So it's pretty important for him to repeat it to the Father four times.

Why? Why is it so important? Verse 21, here it is, "that they may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they may also be one in Us," that's the unity, here it is, "that." Or better yet, so "that the world may believe that You sent Me." You see, unity helps create belief. Our unity makes outsiders want to be part of the community. They're looking for a real place that gives authentic love and is together over the essentials. They're looking for something like that.

And when they see it in us, that's attractive to them because they can't get it at the Elks club or any other club. They see it in the church. So unity among Christians proves the reality of the Christian message. You want to hear that and even write that down. Unity among Christians proves the reality of the Christian message. That's why, that the world may believe You sent me. You see we live before watchful eyes. And they, the world, is noticing with great scrupulousness our unity or our disunity. Imagine how ridiculous it seems to an unbeliever when they look at churches and see them fighting over the wearing of robes, the colors of pews, the styles of music, the length of hair, the modes of baptism.

It's absurd because we're out there supposedly trying to rescue them from their plight and bring them into God's family. And they're saying, I don't need rescuing. I don't need to go into your family because your family is like a soap opera. Right? So division in the church, bickering in the church, will turn people off. It will send people away. I want you to see what Paul Billheimer wrote.

He said, "the continuous and widespread fragmentation of the Church has been the scandal of the ages. It has been Satan's master strategy. The sin of disunity probably has caused more souls to be lost than all other sins combined." Powerful statement. Think of your New Testament. There was there was arguments within congregations back then. Paul wrote to Romans and Corinthians. And there were people arguing over eating meat, not eating meat, right? To idols. So Paul never said, listen, you got an argument going on. Go down the church street and start another church, just for meat eaters only. And then the other group go down the street and start another church for non-meat eaters only.

No, he just said, work it out. Those are non-essentials. Let there be unity over the essentials. So then our challenge is to become the people that God intended us to become, the church that Jesus prayed for. One that would demonstrate his glory. One that would communicate God's truth. One that would penetrate God's world. And one that would emulate God's love. If we don't, if that isn't what we're fixed on doing and being, then we're going to turn out to be another Epcot-- an entertainment place.

A place that people go to visit occasionally, instead of what he intended-- a place where people do life together. Father, we want to thank you for the unity we have because of what Jesus has done. We believe what he has done. We believe it is enough, it, is sufficient it saves. How thankful we are that our Lord Jesus prayed this prayer. And that John wrote it down and we can years later read what our head expected, anticipated, and rose from the dead to ensure would be his church.

I pray that we individually, as well as collectively, would be those who live for your glory, communicate the word of God, the truth of God, the scriptures of God. That we would penetrate the world around us, rescuing souls from it. And emulating, showing your love to one another here and in the community, other congregations who may do things a little bit differently, yet believe the essentials of the gospel. May we welcome them and embrace them. And fellowship. In Spirit and truth, we ask it in Jesus's name, Amen.

We hope you enjoyed this special service from Calvary Church. We'd love to know how this message impacted you. Email us at mystory@calvarynm.church. And just a reminder, you can support this ministry with a financial gift at calvarynm.church/give. Thank you for joining us for this teaching from Calvary Church.

Additional Messages in this Series

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6/14/2020
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Seeing Truth Clearly
2 Timothy 4:1-8
Skip Heitzig
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Hiram Johnson said, "The first casualty in war is truth." God’s people have been in a cosmic battle since the fall. Satan’s first allegation against truth was in Genesis 3:1: "Has God indeed said...?" Deception regarding truth is Satan's primary occupation. We now live in what might be dubbed a post-truth culture wherein the very idea of absolute truth is considered archaic and even offensive. In this series, we will look to the "Scripture of Truth" (Daniel 10:21) to reinforce our foundation and engender biblical literacy. Here at the end of Paul's life, he could foresee the abandonment of truth, and he gave Timothy this antidote: "Preach the Word!"
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6/21/2020
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Seeing God as Father
Luke 11:2
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God is presented in Scripture by a variety of images. He is called our Rock, our Refuge, our Warrior, our Shepherd, our Shield, our Hiding Place, our Redeemer, our Fountain, our Husband, and our Vinedresser. But no motif is as powerful and personal as seeing God as our Father. With this title, the invisible God becomes the intimate God. Today, on Father’s Day, we consider the singular phrase "Our Father in heaven" as an introduction to the doctrine of God. Let’s turn over each word and mine the depths of the riches contained in this great verse.
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6/28/2020
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How Can I Relate to God?
Exodus 32-34
Skip Heitzig
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The subject of God is the loftiest of all themes and the pinnacle of all pursuits. For some people, the idea of God is absurd because He is not readily perceived by the senses, like a flower or another person. But as we learn who God is and how perceptible He is to us, I think we’ll be both lifted up and humbled all at the same time. Today we trace the journey that every person must take who wants to relate to the God of the universe. Let’s examine five stages of this relationship.
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7/5/2020
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Biblical History: Fact or Fancy?
Dr. Steven Collins
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Dr. Steven Collins serves as the dean of the College of Archaeology at Veritas International University and a consulting research professor at Trinity Southwest University. He is also the director of the Tall el-Hammam Excavation Project in Jordan, which is believed to be the location of Sodom.
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7/12/2020
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Hello, I’m God!
Exodus 34:5-9
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People have written and spoken about God for millennia. It’s what I have done for nearly four decades. But today we get to hear from God Himself as He gives to Moses His own autobiography. Here He introduces Himself by stating His name and His occupation as God. He states His primary character traits, thus framing what our relationship with Him is going to be like. This is a primary passage of Scripture, meaning other biblical authors make reference to it later on in their writings. Let’s find out what God says about Himself.
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7/19/2020
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Knowing the God Who Knows You
Psalm 139:1-6, 23-24
Skip Heitzig
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A person with knowledge can be intimidating. They spew facts and figures and can dizzy us with information and understanding. But rightly seen, a study of God’s comprehensive knowledge can be a source of great comfort to us. In this series, 20/20: Seeing Truth Clearly, we come to grips with the fact that God sees everything most clearly. His knowledge is vast, infinite, comprehensive, specific, and personal. But let’s observe how God’s omniscience can become inspiring rather than intimidating.
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7/26/2020
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Here, There, and Everywhere
Psalm 139:7-12
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One of the Beatles’ most melodic hits expressed a couple’s romantic desire to be together at all times and in all places and was simply titled, “Here, There and Everywhere.” This title also expresses a unique attribute of God (what theologians call an incommunicable attribute). He is everywhere present in the totality of His being! This may be one of the hardest-to-understand characteristics of God, but one that brings great comfort to us.
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8/2/2020
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The Unrivaled Power of God
Psalm 139:13-18
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God is called Almighty fifty-seven times in Scripture. It means that the resources of His power are boundless. He is unlimited in His ability and unconstrained in His capacity. God’s attribute of omnipotence is helpful for us to remember when we are feeling overwhelmed with threatening circumstances. Just as we feel confident when our mobile devices have plenty of battery power to spare, we can live confidently knowing that our great God has power for any of our problems.
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8/9/2020
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Holy, Holy, Holy!
Isaiah 6:1-8
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Holiness sounds scary. Thoughts of dusty, cloistered halls of a monastery fill our minds when we hear the word. We might think of chants and long prayers rather than anthems and short prayers. It hardly seems like an appropriate word for the twenty-first century! But according to one theologian, God’s holiness is the one attribute that binds all His other attributes together. This is the characteristic that most uniquely describes God. Let’s consider it today.
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8/16/2020
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One Plus One Plus One Equals One?
John 14:1-18
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One of the most fundamental yet challenging truths in Scripture is the doctrine of the Trinity. The Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God. Try to explain it and you might lose your mind, but try to explain it away and you might lose your soul. The Bible openly teaches the plurality within the Godhead—three persons who are distinct from one another yet perfectly One in essence. How are we to think about this? And how should it affect us personally?
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8/23/2020
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Pain: God’s Biggest Problem
John 9:1-7
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Perhaps the biggest impediment to believing in God (as stated by those who don’t) is the presence of pain and suffering in the world. How can there be a God who is benevolent and omnipotent with the sheer volume of grief, misery, travail, and torment at any given moment? Today we explore the theme of a loving God in a universe pockmarked by pain. As Jesus was in Jerusalem with His disciples, they came across a blind man. I’d like to show you four features of this most common and universal of human experiences.
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8/30/2020
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Christ Jesus Our Lord
Philippians 2:5-11
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At the very center of history’s stage stands Jesus Christ. He has no peers. The Father in heaven sent Him on the mission of redemption and He humbly surrendered. When it was accomplished, He conquered death itself by resurrection and returned to glory. In what is considered by many to be the greatest single statement about Jesus Christ in the New Testament, Paul succinctly framed His humiliation, His exaltation, and His example to us.
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9/6/2020
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The Atonement: His Death, Our Life
John 12:20-33
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Wasn’t there any other way for God to save human beings than by sending His Son to die? The very idea of a bloody crucifixion sounds brutal and barbarous to some, yet it is the centerpiece of our faith. What is the big deal about the atonement? Why the cross? Why had it been the plan of God through the ages? Today we examine the death of Christ for us and, in His own words, His own estimation of its necessity and consequence.
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9/13/2020
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He’s Alive! Proofs of the Resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:3-8
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Just as your own heart is the pump that brings life-giving blood to your entire body, so is the resurrection of Jesus that gives life to the gospel message. Without it, our faith would be totally useless; our message would be utterly powerless. The resurrection is also what separates Jesus Christ from every other spiritual leader and would-be messiah. It validates His teaching. It authenticates His claims. It substantiates His promises. And it corroborates our confidence in Him as our Savior and Lord.
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9/20/2020
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The Holy Spirit in the World
John 16:5-11
Skip Heitzig
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We are not alone in the universe! That’s the premise of most sci-fi documentaries, but I’m not referring to alien life from another galaxy, rather to the living God Himself. In particular, I am referring to the Holy Spirit. He has a particular role when it comes to working in this world, and that is to awaken people to their great need for Christ. In our series 20/20: Seeing Truth Clearly, we will turn in the next few weeks to the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. What is His role in the life of the unbeliever and the life of the believer?
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10/11/2020
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Who Is the Holy Spirit?
John 16
Nate Heitzig
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There can be a lot of mystery and misinformation surrounding the Holy Spirit. When we look to Scripture, however, the third person of the Godhead comes into clear focus. In this teaching, Nate Heitzig describes the person of the Holy Spirit, His work both at scale in the world and individually in the hearts of believers, and how He helps you gain a deeper understanding of God's Word.
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10/18/2020
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Help Has Arrived!
John 14:15-18
Skip Heitzig
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Someone said to me this past week, “Life is hard, but God is good!” We all know it’s true. To live for God in an ungodly world is challenging, sometimes daunting. But God never intended for us to try it alone! He has provided for us a Helper, the Holy Spirit, who is not only at work in the world around us but is very busy working inside of us. Let’s drill down into the promise Jesus gave to His disciples in the upper room about the coming Spirit.
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10/25/2020
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God’s Purpose for People
Genesis 1-3
Skip Heitzig
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After spending several weeks considering God’s nature and character, we now turn to mankind. What is the purpose of the people inhabiting this planet? How can we fulfill the God-given destiny that He originally had in mind when He placed us here? Someone once said that the two most significant days in one’s life are first, the day we were born, and second, the day we discovered what we were born for. Let’s go back to the beginning.
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11/1/2020
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The Dark Side
Romans 3:10-26
Nate Heitzig
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God created humans in His own image. But even with God's imprint in humanity, people have a dark side—a sin nature—because of Adam and Eve's rebellion. One consequence of our rebellion against God is guilt, but in today's society, many people try to minimize both sin and guilt by casting them in a deceptively benign light. In this teaching, Nate Heitzig looks at what the book of Romans has to say about our true condition and its only remedy.
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11/15/2020
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Once Dead, Now Alive!
Ephesians 2:1-7
Skip Heitzig
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Of all the doctrines that adorn the New Testament, salvation is the most personal and the most transformative. Below are the various stages that every saved person goes through in coming to Christ. Today, try to remember what it was like for you when Jesus became real to you and you realized your need for Him to save you, then answer this fundamental question: How has your conversion changed your contentment?
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11/22/2020
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I’m a Christian—Now What?
Romans 8:12-17
Skip Heitzig
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Once you decide to repent from your past, say yes to Jesus Christ, and invite Him into your heart, you begin a lifelong relationship with Him. Nothing stays the same. Paul wrote, “Those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NLT). Conversion is the gateway to transformation. Let’s consider four clear experiences that happen in the life of everyone who believes.
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11/29/2020
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The Angels of God
Hebrews 1
Skip Heitzig
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Angels are largely relegated to the realms of mythology and childhood fantasy. Most people never think about them. But angels are very, very real. Martin Luther commented, "An angel is a spiritual creature created by God without a body, for the service of Christendom and of the church." He was partly correct, but angels serve an even greater role than being strictly for the church. Their ministry objective is principally concerned with the glory and majesty of God. Let’s explore some of the noteworthy traits that angels have.
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12/6/2020
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Satan: His Meaning, Minions, and Methods
Luke 10:17-20
Skip Heitzig
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Most people today don't believe in the Devil. For them, he's merely a symbol of evil, or he's reduced to a mythical figure with horns and a pitchfork. But the Bible is clear: Satan exists. There is no more powerful foe we face as believers. In this message, Skip Heitzig reveals six surprising facts you may not know about our Enemy.
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12/13/2020
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The Essential Church
Matthew 16:13-20
Skip Heitzig
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Many voices today are decrying the church, rejecting its message and doubting its relevance. And yet, according to its founder, Jesus Christ, the church is essential. COVID-19 has only served to accentuate the voices on both sides of the argument about the church’s importance, so we find ourselves on a timely subject. As we consider the nature and purpose of the church in this message from our 20/20 series, let’s be committed to being the people of God as the New Testament presents them to be.
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12/20/2020
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What Every True Church Should Be
John 17
Skip Heitzig
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Not only is the church essential, it is purposeful and practical—it has a reason to exist. Since Jesus said He would build His church, He gets to decide what the distinctive marks of this new community should be. In this most intimate prayer of Jesus recorded in Scripture, we hear what He wants most for His people who He calls His church. Today we will consider the first two characteristics of the church Jesus had in mind.
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1/3/2021
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Are We Living in the Last Days?
2 Peter 1-3
Skip Heitzig
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When it comes to the last days or the end times or, for that matter, any Bible prophecy, there is no shortage of speculation and sensationalism. Every generation has its doomsday preachers predicting the end of everything, trying to fit current events into the predictive prophecy so prevalent in Scripture. Yet one day the world will end. So what are the last days and what are the characteristics of that time period? Let’s consider five features.
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1/10/2021
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The Rapture—Is It Real?
John 14:1-6
Skip Heitzig
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The word rapture is not found in most English translations of Scripture, but the concept of it most certainly is. Latin translations of the New Testament have the word plainly rendered as rapturo, which simply means a catching away or a snatching away. The Bible presents two stages of Jesus’ second coming: first, He will come suddenly in the air to snatch away believers; then He will return to earth at the end of a seven-year period called the tribulation.
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1/17/2021
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The Second Coming of Christ
Revelation 19:6-16
Skip Heitzig
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Jesus said He was coming back (see John 14:3), and an angel told His disciples He would come back to the earth (see Acts 1:11). The second coming of Christ will be the culmination of redemptive history. After history runs its sinister course, after the final period of man’s rebellion, Satan’s retaliation, and God’s judgment is poured out, Jesus will return to planet earth. Today, we will consider four aspects of His return as found in Revelation 19 and throughout the Scriptures.
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1/24/2021
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What Most People Don’t Know about Heaven
Revelation 21
Skip Heitzig
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What happens when a believer dies? What will heaven be like? I’ve heard the craziest stories and descriptions about the afterlife over the years, often at funerals. I have since discovered that most people’s (even Christians) ideas about what heaven will be like are vastly different than what Scripture reveals. First off, I hope you indeed are going to heaven. Let’s examine a few things that might surprise you about your heavenly home.
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1/31/2021
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The Truth about Hell
Matthew 25:41
Skip Heitzig
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Hell is an eternal and biblical reality, but it’s one that has become relegated to the junk pile of modern myths. Actor Woody Allen once said that hell is the abode of all people who annoy him. People speak of hell in daily conversations usually as an expletive without any thought of the somberness of the place. Certainly, of all the Christian doctrines unfolded in Scripture, hell is the toughest one to handle. Let’s get the scriptural scoop.
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There are 30 additional messages in this series.
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