Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ said Dietrich Bonhoeffer. How true this has proven to be in the modern age where consumer Christianity has in so many ways watered down true discipleship. In the days to come I plan to dive into the area of discipleship by asking questions, giving examples, and trying to practice it myself as the early church did. I hope you will follow this blog in the months to come.

Pete

I For One Am Thankful

I For One Am Thankful

www.pastorpete.org

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INTRO:  

A number of women were surveyed as to what they were thankful for.

"For teenagers because they give parents an opportunity to learn a second language."

“For automatic dishwashers. They make it possible to get out of the kitchen before the family come in for their after-dinner snacks.”

"For husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house because they usually make them big enough to call in the professionals."

“For gardening. It’s a relief to deal with dirt outside the house for a change.”

"For children who put away their things and clean up after themselves. They’re such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents."

“For smoke alarms. They let you know when the turkey’s done.”

I don’t think that was what Paul had in mind in 2 Corinthians 9:15, when he wrote, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift."

Consider Psalm 92:1-2, "It is good to give thanks to the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night."

The things I am thankful for

I)Triumph

A)  2Cr 2:14  (NIV)        But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

1)I am thankful that in Christ I have VICTORY

(i) I can overcome

(ii) I can triumph

(iii) I can beat the odds

(iv) I can win

(a)  Philip 4:13 (NIV) 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

¨   I am thankful that in Christ I can do everything

Þ  For he leads me to Victory

Þ  He leads me to triumph

a.    And I am thankful about that.

B)  I remember what it was like before I knew Christ

1)Do you remember?

(i) I lived in defeat

(ii) I had no victory

(iii) I had no hope of victory

(iv) I lived a worried, confused, life

(a) But all that changed when I came to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

¨   I am Thankful that he leads me to triumph

¨   I am thankful that in Christ I am assured Victory

II)Hands

A)  John 20:19-21 (NIV)  On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”         After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.  Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”

1) Have you ever seen the Hands of Jesus?

(i) I am so thankful for His hands!

(ii) I am so thankful that I have seen his hands.

(a) I have seen his hands through broken families

(b) I have seen His hands bring peace to those who hurt

(c) I have seen His hands bring comfort to those in turmoil

(d) I have seen His hands mend broken hearts

(e) I have seen His hands heal the sick

(f)  I have seen His hands save sinners like myself

¨   Oh I am so thankful for the Hands of Jesus.

III)Arms

A)  Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV)  The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you,  saying, ‘Destroy him!’

IV)Name    

Philippians 2:8-11 (NIV)  8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

V)Kindness

A)  Eph 2:6-10 (NIV)  And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

B)  Eph 2:13-14 (NIV) But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.  For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,

VI)Source

A)  Heb 5:7-9 (NIV) During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.  Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.