Kingdom Open Hands

The kid with the candy At Easter Dropping it like it's hot

Spiritual Law: Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God

You are a citizen Of 2 Kingdoms Each with rules and rulers Laws, cultural expectations 1 won't last, 1 won't cease

…our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body…

…by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself - Phil. 3:20-21

God set up the world To work a certain way There are spiritual principles That will always be true

Your greatest needs are not met By seeking to have them met

Your greatest needs are not met By seeking to have them met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities As God leads

Put Another Way: Holding tightly Always robs myself Of the very thing God wants to give me

We know this "You'll only get out of it What you put into it"

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want - Prov. 11:24

Today...the "What" Next week...the "Why"

Your greatest needs are not met By seeking to have them met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities As God leads

We don't give to get… But because Jesus is worth it

I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing - Genesis 12:2

Abraham has a promise "Father of a nation"

Abraham has a promise "Father of a nation" Why not kick back and chill?

"Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you" - Genesis 12:1

In order to receive the Promise Abraham has to give up his Culture, Time, Energy, Trust

In order to receive the Promise Abraham has to give up his Culture, Time, Energy, Trust His son (Because Isaac isn't his…)

His greatest need Involves investing himself first Abraham has to give To receive

Israelites had to give up a lamb To gain Freedom

Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God And you don't receive Until you first open your hands

God gave his Son To win us back to himself

Our Faith is a Paradox What I give Determines what I get?

"If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me"

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" - Jesus, Matt. 16:24-25

Jesus says… "I have come that you may have life…to the full!"

Jesus says… "I have come that you may have life…to the full!" Great- how do I get it? "Give up your life and die"

Spiritual Law: Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God

Grace …forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you - Luke 6:37-38

How do I walk in daily Forgiveness? Forgive How do I receive grace? Give grace

Your greatest needs are not met By seeking to have them met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities As God leads

among …whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave

…even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many - Matt. 20:27-28

Give up being served To be the greatest

The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted - Matt. 23:11-12

Give up being served and Give up pride to be great

Spiritual Law: Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God - Including spiritual gifts

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good - 1 Cor. 12:4-7

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good - 1 Cor. 12:4-7 Spiritual Gifts don't get activated Until they are used for God's People

Spiritual Law: Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God

When we put others first - As God leads - We find our own needs met Esp. true of love… Whole Law: Love God, People

…you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength…

You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these - Jesus, Mark 12:30-31

What's Missing…?

Why?

You don't need to learn To love you…

You don't need to learn To love you… You need to Start loving others Like you already love yourself

Do you know people Who focus on themselves All the time?

Have they gotten better? Why not?

Your greatest needs are not met By seeking to have them met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities As God leads

Spiritual Law: Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God

Abandoned- Mother didn't want her Birth certificate said "Unnamed" Birth number was 2508 of 1966 Social work report, "Unwanted"

Sexually abused for 12 years Multiple times per week By 4 different men

If anyone needed to focus on herself, Christine Caine did

She could have held on To her victimhood and pain… Who could blame her? If anyone needed to focus on herself, Christine Caine did

Today: Rescuing thousands of sex slaves Speaking to overflow crowds About the difference Jesus makes

She didn't need to get She needed to give herself To Jesus and to The ministry he had for her

Had she focused inwardly… - Self-destructive - Bitter - Why me/isolated - Unable to heal

Worse… Probably become hurtful Because hurt people Hurt people…always

Your greatest needs are not met By seeking to have them met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities As God leads

Her Greatest need: Healing To know she mattered Give up: Right to bitterness Right to unforgiveness Right to victimhood

When her greatest need Became her greatest ministry She found healing And mattered more than She ever could have imagined

What's your pain? What's your hurt? What's your story?

When we connect our Our Pain  to a Need Jesus wants to meet in others We find healing for ourselves

Spiritual Law: Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God

Spiritual Law: Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God She let go, received Jesus And the work he had for her

Your greatest needs are not met By seeking to have them met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities As God leads

Raped…

Raped… "My baby was what healed me… As I tended to him, forgiveness replaced bitterness. Prayer replaced cursing"

…unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit - Jesus, John 12:24 Self, past, present, future Dreams, desires, plans

Your greatest needs are not met By seeking to have them met But by investing yourself in God-given opportunities As God leads

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” - John 6:9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” - John 6:9

5 + 2= ?

5 + 2= ? Unless it's given to Jesus 5 +2= 5000r12

What does this mean for you? - Time - Attention - Money - Mission

We do it because he's worth it What we get back Is so much more

Only open hands Can receive the gifts of God The greatest hindrance To receiving God's blessings… Is Me

Where is God Pressing on you, right now?

What does this mean for us? Mission vs. Therapeutic/Consumer Church

Therapeutic/Consumer Church - Me-focus - Short commitment - Shopping

Therapeutic/Consumer Church - Burned out professionals - Lost generation (great commission)

Christ's Mission Church - Christ's' outward focus= Our own needs met - Commitment = Maturity

Christ's Mission Church - Seeking value Replaced by joy, purpose - All meet each others' needs - People introduced to New life in Christ

What has God done In your life already? What more could he do Through you?

In Christ, your deepest wounds Become your greatest ministry

Am I involved in serving Instead of looking to be served? Where does God Want to use me?

Pray

Questions, Comments Disagreements

Next Sunday, 6 PM MCW (Men Cook for Women)

First Sunday in March Chili Cookoff