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Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Before they were Christians (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. -Acts 11:25-26

Those who eventually became known as Christians in Antioch had something interesting in common; they had all been discipled. For an entire year they assembled with other believers and were taught by the Apostle Paul. This commitment to the doctrine of Jesus Christ garnered them more than just an education; but also a reputation.

Those who observed these disciples recognized from their speech, behavior, and beliefs that they were becoming more and more like Jesus:

A disciples is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.-Luke 6:40

Daily they were growing into His likeness. The same is still true today, if you will focus on being a disciple; soon you will be identified as being like Jesus. People will recognize your faith by what they see and hear, not by what you try to make them believe about you.

So how does one become a disciple of Jesus Christ? True discipleship always begins with repentance and forgiveness of sins; we must turn from those things that separate us from the presence of God and receive the gift of forgiveness offered to us by Jesus on Calvarys cross. We must confess that He is now Lord of our life and identify with His death, burial, and resurrection through water baptism.

Disciples then live by the Word of God:

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.-John 8:31

Disciples look to Gods Word for direction; understanding that His Word is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.-2 Timothy 3:16-17.

Disciples strive to live in unity and love one another:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another-John 13: 34-35

Finally, disciples lead fruitful lives:

By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples.-John 15:8

Remaining connected to Christ will produce a lifestyle that glorifies God and causes others to glorify Him:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.-Matthew 5:16

The word Christian was never intended to be used as a designation, but rather as a description. To those in Antioch a Christian was a proven disciple of Jesus Christ.

Pastor Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church






Before they were Christians (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

Then Barnabas departed for Tarsus to seek Saul. And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many  people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.-Acts 11:25-26.

If Acts 11:26 teaches us anything it is that you cannot be known as a Christian until first you have become a disciple. A friend of mine, commenting on this passage made this observation:

Before they were Christians, they were disciples. Before there was a label, there was content. Before there was identification, there was substance.-Pastor Mark Russell

It is worth noting that the disciples did not call themselves Christians, but rather they were labeled as Christians by those, who, upon observing their lives derived that they were more than believers in name only; but rather were a people who subscribed to the teaching and lifestyle of Jesus Christ. They were not observed as being religious, like the Pharisees or Sadducees. Instead they were recognized as becoming more like Jesus Christ; and because of this were labeled as Christian.

Unfortunately the word Christian has lost much of its significance. Being a Christian, today, has become a label we use to differentiate ourselves from atheist and other religions. We have generalized the word Christian so much that many people believe they are saved or right with God based solely on the fact that they identify as being Christian; although they have never repented of their sins and have made no real confession of faith in Jesus Christ. 

Jesus never intended for us to become Christians. In fact, when Jesus commissioned the apostles in Matthew 28 he told them:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.-Matthew 28:19-20.
  

Go and make disciples Jesus told them! The world will never recognize you as a Christian, if Jesus does not first recognize you as one of his disciples.

Pastor Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church






Thursday, October 29, 2015

Hope Now! (Pt. 2)


(Part 2 of 2)

Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?”-John 11:38-40.

When facing impossible situations, I believe that the problem that we must contend with is not an issue of faith, but instead a problem with hope! Hope is the expectation for something to happen. It believes when there is no evidence of a desired outcome!

Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hope is what gives substance (stability, foundation) to our faith. Our faith will never rise above our level of hope; and never go beyond what we expect to happen. Hope is believing that God can; faith is believing that God will.  In order to see our faith increase, first our hope must increase!

Hebrews 6:19 tells us that hope is an anchor for the soul. Anchors alone don’t hold a ship steadfast. That anchor must bite into the ocean bed (dig into the ground below) in order to keep the ship from drifting. In order for hope to be an anchor for our soul, it too must dig into something that is immovable and steadfast. Hope finds its rest in the promises of God. God’s promises are the bedrock of our hope. No one understood this better than Abraham:

Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all (as it is written, “ I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed-God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did, who contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.”-Romans 4:16-18.

When everything appeared hopeless, Abraham had hope in God’s immovable promises. He believed three things about God that made things that seemed impossible to suddenly become a reality in his life. He believed that God’s promises were for him; He believed that God gives life to the dead; and He believed that God could call those things that do not exist as though they did.

We have all reached that place in various circumstances where we have felt like there is no hope; it is over and dead. Nevertheless, just because there appears to be no life in it, doesn’t mean it’s dead. A lot of things can kill including animals, diseases, and people. To kill simply means to take life from something. However, taking the life from something doesn’t make it dead. The reality according to Romans 4:16-18 is that there is only One who can call something dead and that is the One with the power to give life. The enemy can whisper in your ear that your marriage is dead, your chances of having kids is dead, your body is dead from cancer but God’s word declares that no sickness, no disease, no person, and no devil in hell can call something dead; only God has the power to do that because only He has the power to give life and God’s Word declares that He came to give us life and life to the full. 

He can breathe life into lifeless situations and He can cause things to come to pass that moments ago did not even exist. So be encouraged! Your situation may seem lifeless, but we serve a God with resurrection power. My prayer for those of you that are in the midst of an impossible situation is found in Romans 15:13

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”