Rethink Christian

Think Jesus. Rethink Christian.

Who Am I?

Our Value to God

A.  Psalm 139:13-16
I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

B.  Ephesians 2:4-9
God made us alive together with Christ

C.  Matthew 6:25-34
Valuable to God, so need not be anxious.

D.  Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

E. Matthew 10:31
Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

F.  Romans 5:8
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

G.  John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

H.  Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

I.  Hebrews 4:16
Let us draw draw close to God with confidence, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

J.  1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

K.  Romans 8:32
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

L.  Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

M.  John 1:12
God gave all those who believed in his name the right to become children of God.

N.  1 Samuel 16:7
For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

O.  1 John 3:16-17
By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us.

P.  James 4:6
He gives more grace.

Q.  Ephesians 1:3-5
We are adopted children of God through Christ Jesus.

R.  Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.

Made To Love

I. LOVE ORIGINATES FROM GOD (I John 4:7-10)

A. God the Father teaches us how to love (John 3:16, I John 4:7-19)

B. God the Son teaches us how to love (John 15:12-13, I John 3:16)

C. Love is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22)

D. Love is produced in our faith in God’s love for us (I John 4:16-17)

II. WE ARE COMMANDED TO HAVE LOVE

A. We are to have love for God (Matt. 22:37-40, Mark 12:30)

B. We are to love our neighbor (Mark 12:31, Romans 13:8-10, Gal. 6:10)

C. We are to love our enemies (Matt. 5:44)

D. We are to love our brethren (John 13:34-35, 15:13, 17; I Peter 1:22, 2:17; I John 3:23, 4:20-21)

1. Requires action when a need is seen (I John 3:17-18)

2. It is provoked by assembling and exhorting one another (Heb. 10:24-25)

E. We are to love our family (Eph. 5:33, Titus 2:4)

F. We are not to love the world (Matt. 6:24, James 4:4, I John 2:15)

G. We are to pray for one another (Luke 6:28, James 5:16)

III. LOVE FOR GOD IS SEEN IN ACTION

A. It has to be with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30)

B. It results in obedience (John 14:15, 23-24; I John 5:3)

C. It produces works of faith (Gal. 5:6, Eph. 6:23)

D. It produces labor (I Thes. 1:3)

E. It causes belief, rejoicing, and faith to salvation (I Peter 1:8-9)

F. It causes one to speak the truth (Eph. 4:15)

G. It will root and ground us firmly (Eph. 3:17)

H. It will cause one to love Christ and live for Him (John 8:42, II Cor. 5:14-15, Gal. 2:20)

I. It gives comfort (Phil 2:1)

IV.  LOVE IS THE GREATEST OF ALL

     A.  “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love” (I Cor. 13:13).

B.  Peter gives the progression of what all Christians should be striving for with the end result being love; “to godliness brotherly kindness, and to 

      brotherly kindness love” (II Peter 1:7).

V. I CORINTHIANS 13 – REAL LOVE

A. Without Love we are nothing (Verses 1-3)

B. Love suffers long and endures (Verses 4-7)

1. Love is patient (Verses 4 and 7)

a. An example is God with the people in Noah’s day (I Peter 3:20, II Peter 3:9)

b. Christians are to bear with one another (Eph. 4:1-3)

2. Love is kind (Verse 4, Eph. 4:32)

3. Love does not envy (Verse 4)

a. Opposite of Joseph’s brothers (Acts 7:9)

b. Opposite of the mob who killed the Lord (Matt. 27:18)

4. Love is humble (Verse 4, Romans 12:3, Prov. 27:2)

a. If we are humble God will lift us up (James 4:10, I Peter 5:6)

b. Jesus our example of humility (Phil. 2:8, I Peter 2:21)

5. Love does not behave rudely (is courteous) (Verse 5)

6. Love does not seek its own (Verse 5)

a. The Christian is to put others first (Phil. 2:1-4)

b. The husband is to put his wife first (Eph. 5:25, I Peter 3:7)

c. The Macedonians are a great example of putting others first (II Cor. 8:1-5)

d. If we have proper love for God we will seek His will first (Matt. 6:33, 26:39)

C. Love rejoices in (with) the truth (Verse 6)

1. We can rejoice that others are walking in the truth (III John 3-4)

2. We can rejoice that we are following the Lord who is truth (John 14:6)

D. Love never fails (Verses 8-13)

II. PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR (I John 4:17-19)

A. We will use our gifts when we let love control us rather than fear (II Tim. 1:6-7, Romans 12:4-21).

B. “I cannot” will be replaced with “With God’s help I can!” (Phil 4:13)

C. In tough situations perfect love will remind us of our hope (love) for others to get to heaven (Gal. 2:11-21, I Peter 3:15, James 5:19-20)

1. Our fear for other’s salvation will overcome our fear of rejection (Jude 22-23)

D. Perfect love produces sacrifice (Matt. 10:37-38)

E. Perfect love makes us willing to suffer for Him (Acts 21:13-14, I Peter 4:1-2, I Jn 4:19)

My Identity in Jesus

BELOVED

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” – Jeremiah 31:3

A CHILD OF GOD

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” – 1 John 3:1

DELIGHTED IN

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
– Zephaniah 3:17

FORGIVEN

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” – 1 Peter 2:24

WASHED CLEAN

“Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” – Isaiah 1:18

FREE

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1

A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”
– 1 Corinthians 6:19

ADOPTED INTO GOD’S FAMILY

“The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” – Romans 8:15

CO-HEIR WITH CHRIST

“Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” – Romans 8:17

RIGHTEOUS

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
– 2 Corinthians 5:21

NEW

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: The old has gone, the new has come!” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
A SAINT

“You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Corinthians 6:11

SET APART

“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession.” – 1 Peter 2:9

AN AMBASSADOR OF CHRIST

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” – 2 Corinthians 5:20

A CO-LABORER

“For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.” – 1 Corinthians 3:9

A SWEET AROMA

“For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” – 2 Corinthians 2:15

NEVER ALONE

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:8

A MASTERPIECE

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” – Ephesians 2:10

WONDERFULLY MADE

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” – Psalm 139:14

BOLD

“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold.” – 2 Corinthians 3:12

HAVING GUARANTEED VICTORY

“You have given me your shield of victory. Your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.”
– Psalm 18:35

HOLDING A SECURED FUTURE

“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” – Jeremiah 29:11

WHOLE IN CHRIST

“In Christ you have been brought to fullness.” – Colossians 2:10