Finding Security Trusting in Him Stephen Hartwell

TERM RECAP “The beginning of the good news about Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.” Mark 1:1 FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

WHAT IS SECURITY? Can you name some things that we might put our security in today? Money or Wealth Accommodation Technology Family & Friends Employment FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

SECURITY IN BRITAIN ‘Britain is now being watched by a staggering 4.2 million [cameras] – one for every 14 people and a fifth of the cameras in the entire world.’ (Source: https://www.quora.com/Which-country-has-the-most-cctv) How secure does this make you feel? FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

CHALLENGE TO CHRISTIAN SECURITY Richard Dawkins, a noted Atheist, put together this campaign with Humanists UK for London buses in January 2009. He believes that Christians are weak, needing to believe in Jesus as a crutch for living in today’s world. FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

GROUP DISCUSSION What things make you feel secure/insecure? How do you know what the things you place your security in are? FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

5 WAYS TO TRUST IN HIM 1. FINDING SECURITY IN JESUS MEANS COMING TO HIM WITH EMPTY HANDS 2. TRUSTING IN HIM MEANS ABANDONING OUR EMPTY WELLS 3. BEING SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR IDENTITY AS CHILDREN OF THE KING 4. SECURITY IS FOUND IN A PLACE OF SERVICE NOT IN A PLACE OF PRIVILEDGE 5. BEING SECURE IN HIM RESULTS IN STEPPING OUT FOR HIM FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

1. COMING TO HIM WITH EMPTY HANDS FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

THE RICH YOUNG RULER (MATTHEW 19: 16-30) “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” “If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

What does how we use our money say about where we place our security? GROUP DISCUSSION To what extent would you agree that Jesus wants us to give all of our money/possessions away in order to follow him? What does how we use our money say about where we place our security? FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

EXPLANATION PROVIDED TO THE DISCIPLES “It is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven” (vs 23) “Who then can be saved?” (vs 25) “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (vs 26) “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (vs 27) FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

OPINION OF ANOTHER WEALTHY MAN “I won Wimbledon twice, I was rich. I had all the material possessions I needed. I had everything, but I had no inner peace.” Boris Becker FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

2. ABANDONING OUR EMPTY WELLS “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” Jeremiah 2:12 FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

3. KNOWING WE ARE CHILDREN OF THE KING “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” John 15:9 “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15 “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:16 “Are you not much more valuable than they [the birds]? ” Matthew 6:26 FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

4. SECURITY FOUND IN SERVICE NOT PRIVILEDGE “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.” Matthew 19:30 “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 14:11 “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:8 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Luke 22:42 FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

How do you respond to the challenge of servanthood? GROUP DISCUSSION To what extent is it difficult for you to find security in your identity as a child of God? What empty well might God be asking you to abandon? And what steps can you take to do so? How do you respond to the challenge of servanthood? FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

5. SECURITY RESULTS IN STEPPING OUT “Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. […] And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning…” John 15: 20 and 27 “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

RECAP OF TONIGHT 1. FINDING SECURITY IN JESUS MEANS COMING TO HIM WITH EMPTY HANDS 2. TRUSTING IN HIM MEANS ABANDONING OUR EMPTY WELLS 3. BEING SECURE IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR IDENTITY AS CHILDREN OF THE KING 4. SECURITY IS FOUND IN A PLACE OF SERVICE NOT IN A PLACE OF PRIVILEDGE 5. BEING SECURE IN HIM RESULTS IN STEPPING OUT FOR HIM FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM

CONCLUSIONS We have seen then that we can find a real, deep, lasting sense of security in the person of Jesus Christ. He humbled Himself by becoming human, in order that we might know forgiveness, acceptance and security as being co-heirs with Him to the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven. We know that to find our security in Him, we must come with empty hands before Him, trusting that He will meet our needs, trusting that we are accepted by God because of His work on the Cross, taking the place of a Servant as Jesus Himself did and stepping out into the world to reclaim it for God’s Glory. I, therefore, find no better place of security than at the foot of the Cross of Jesus Christ. Where I can lay my burdens down before Him , rest in the Love of God, accept a new identity as God’s child, humble myself before Him and step out in faith to proclaim the Good News to the world. FINDING SECURITY: TRUSTING IN HIM