Wednesdays in the Word (Zoom Meetings)
NEW HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH
BIBLE STUDY SERIES: ON BECOMING A DISCIPLE
Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, Instructor
THE DISCIPLE’S CHRIST CENTERED FOCUS
ZOOM STUDY - MAY 13, 2020
2020 THEME: “BRINGING THE MESSAGE AND MISSION OF CHRIST INTO SHARPER FOCUS
(Mt. 28:18,19; Lk. 4:18,19; I Cor. 2:9-12)
Key Verse: HEBREWS 12:1-4 (NKJV)... “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.”
- What weighs Us down?....Disturbs our peace?....Life happens!!
Philippians 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Sin easily ensnares us: Temptation, Being Stalked by the adversary...
Reason why we keep talking so much about Spiritual Disciplines is because as Disciples of Christ (Don’t be so Easy...If we stay focused, won’t be so easy...There is Battle for Your Mind...Put up a Fight, with Word, With Worship, With Prayer...
We probably don’t believe it but the word declares it...We are not tempted beyond the strength the Lord gives us to resist....I Cor. 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”
- RUN THE RACE LOOKING TO JESUS.....
Jesus stayed focused on His mission through everything he had to endure...the cross, the name calling, character assassination, scheming, rejection, injustice, betrayal...proved victorious, He did not come down from the cross...Suffering on the cross, still focused, still loving, still forgiving, still in touch with the Father, though in his flesh feeling forsaken!!!!.....
CONSIDER HIM WHEN WHATEVER HAPPENS TO YOU THAT MAKES YOU WANT TO QUIT, TURN BACK.....The Power to be Victorious in life, against come what may, is in YOU, because Christ is in you and is your central focus...Resurrection Power is in you...Holy Ghost Power is in You...Phil 4:13...”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
HIS PEACE (Jn 14:25-27...NKJV)” These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do, I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”.........HIS PEACE GUARDS YOUR HEARTS AND MINDS ...(When focused...Sometimes things happen to you that you ordinarily would be upset about, might even think you should be torn apart by, Spirit won’t let you be afraid, just takes your anxiety away before it can settle in...Worry, stress, depression...all very destructive...emotional, psychological, spiritual heaviness will show up in your body as well...
- THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH....ESV...” The Pioneer and perfecter....” CEV...”
He is the beginning and the end...the Creator and Originator (John 1:1-5, “He was in the beginning with God...All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being...”
That is the case for Jesus being First in our consideration of all things, First in our consideration of how our lives should be lived, because He is the One who has given us life, given us all things we enjoy, we, not owners, but stewards, our first consideration is what he wants done with what he has entrusted to us...our lives are a trust from Him, and what kind of stewards of that trust are we?.. Can we be trusted to put Him first....???
- JUDE 24....Now unto Him who is able to keep you from stumbling/falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy...”
JESUS: FIRST AND FOREMOST
Staying Focused on Christ....Have to put Him First!!
The First Commandment: Ex 20:3...”You shall have no other gods before me.”....Out of focus when we start turning our primary attention to other people, other things, other pursuits....The Hebrew nuance...not just, make everything else secondary, but don’t put anything even close to your regard, your honor of me...I am a jealous God....
Rev. 2:4.... Church at Ephesus (I know your works, labor, patience, have persevered, not become weary...but I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
- JESUS to his Disciples: Mt. 6:25-34 NKJV. “Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. Vs. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
- THE DISCIPLES: Mt 19:27 - Peter questions Jesus after the Rich, Young, Ruler goes away sorrowful.... “Then Peter answered and said to Him, “See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore, what shall we have?” So, Jesus said to them, “Assuredly I say to you, that in the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name’s sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life.”
- TWO CHALLENGES TO STAYING FOCUSED - SELF & STUFF
The Garden Temptation : You yourselves shall be gods...You won’t die if you disobey ...Gen. 3:2-7 NKJV “And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” So, when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
John 12:42,43 - “Nevertheless, even among the rulers many believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, less they should be put out of the synagogue; for they love the praise of man more than the praise of God.”
- JESUS’ Temptation in the Wilderness...Self & Stuff...”If you are the Son of God, throw yourself off the mountain...angels will take charge of you...[Don’t forget Who you are and Whose you are!].....On a High Mountain...give you all the kingdoms of the world...glory and authority…riches untold....JESUS STAYED FOCUSED...Stayed in the Word...Came out of the wilderness in the power of the Spirit and went back to Galilee
Mt. 16:24-26...” then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul? Or what will the man give in exchange for his soul? “
- Going Forward....More Challenges to Staying Focused
- Focusing on the Master
- Focusing on the Message
- Focusing on the Mission
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