Snapshots: So What?

Heb 4:14-16
What?
Gen 1:1 "In the beginning, God" Jesus was in the beginning. Satan convinced Adam and Eve to break the one rule. We were separated from God and sin entered the world. We are born with a sin nature. Rom 3:23,6:23. Jesus sacrificed once and for all for our sin. He rose on the third day, appeared to 500 people, and ascended into heaven. 1 Cor 15:17-19
So what?
1. Jesus is better. v14 Hold on tightly to Jesus, he is better than anything or anyone else. Heb 8:1
2. Jesus understands. v15 Jesus was tested but did not sin. We have unlimited access to God through Jesus.
3. Jesus helps. v16 We can approach the throne of grace boldly because of what Jesus did for us.

Snapshots: Who is Jesus?

Mt 21:1-11
The same crowd that yelled "Hosanna," yelled "crucify him" one week later.

Who is Jesus not?
1. Jesus is not merely a superior human being. C. S. Lewis - Jesus is either Lord, Liar, or Lunatic. Liars usually crack under pressure, Jesus did not, even to the point of death on a cross. Lunatics don't speak words that pass the test of time like Jesus did. The only option is that Jesus is Lord!
2. Jesus is not a sentimental tradition. He is not something we pass down to our children. Mt 7:9,13. Sentimental Christians find comfort in tradition, but are resistant to real faith.
3. Jesus is not our spiritual "Sugar Daddy." He's not about just giving us what we want or being who we want him to be. Jn 6:26 If Jesus is only someone we turn to when we need something, we will be forever disappointed.
4. Jesus is not a superficial emotional experience. We need to have emotional intelligence, not just seek an emotional high once a week. Don't make spiritual decisions based on emotion, but based on the truth of Scripture. Jn 4:23; Eph 2:8. Don't miss the work that Christ is doing in it life because we are selling an emotional experience.
5. Jesus is not a standard that we are trying to attain. We don't have to be as good as Jesus, we can't. Rom 8 There is no condemnation in Jesus. People that believe they must attain a standard only follow Jesus out of drudgery.

Who is Jesus? Here's real, the son of the living God. The lamb of God, come to take away the sins if the world. Our Lord, Savior and friend. He is The Truth. Here's so much more than we give him credit for!

Snapshots: LOST

Lk 15
Jesus tells 3 parables (lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son) to answer the question of the Pharisees, "why does Jesus spend time with sinners?" v1-2.
1. Something of great value is lost. Jesus is saying that the sinners are of great value to God.
2. An intense search takes place. v4, 8, 20. Every person is valuable to God, and even when they are a long way off, God is searching and waiting for them.
3. A great celebration is thrown. v6-7, 9-10, 22-24. Ps 103:8-13.
4. Rules without relationship lead to rebellion. v25-32. The older brother represents the Pharisees. We don't enter into a relationship with Jesus by following the rules, only through the love and sacrifice of Jesus and our acceptance of his gift of salvation.

Snapshots: Radical Love

Lk 10:25-37 Radical Love
Love:
Storge - natural bond
Philia - friend bond
Eros - emotional/physical bond
Agape - unconditional "God" love
Radical: (especially of change or action) relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something; far-reaching or thorough.
One thing you can never be too radical about is love.
v25 the person was an "expert of the law" of the old testament, trying to trap Jesus.
v26 Jesus flips the question right back to him, knowing the person's motive.
1. Radical love ALWAYS starts with God. 1 Jn 4:19. We must understand who God is and who we are.
2. Radical love must involve action. v31-33, 1 Jn 3:18. The priest and the levite represent lifeless religion. The reason we pass by the needy and dying people in the world is either that we don't have compassion or the fact that our own agendas are our main focus. What areas have I made it more about myself that about God?
3. Radical love requires sacrifice...It goes above and beyond. v34-35. If I don't stop to help, what will happen to him?
4. Radical love is impossible without Jesus Christ. v36. Lk 6:31-33, 35-36. Where am I putting my time, money and resources? What is it doing for me?
Put yourself in that ditch, knowing that we are completely dead, spiritually bankrupt. Jesus is the one who passes by, picking us up, bringing us back to life, giving us a new life.

Snapshots: I was blind, but now I can see!

Jn 9
1. Don't play the blame game. v2, the disciples tried to blame the blindness on someone's sin. Life happens. We live in a broken world. Being angry and bitter over bad circumstances is unproductive.
2. Your crisis is a setup for God to show off. v3. God uses the bad stuff to show His power. Rom 8:28-29. God uses these things to make us more like Him.
3. Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better. v6, 2 Cor 5:7. Sometimes it takes a while for our circumstances to catch up with our faith.
4. Use what you have (Don't sit around feeling sorry for yourself). v7, the man couldn't see, but he could hear and walk, so he obeyed.
5. Jesus makes us into new people. v8-9, people didn't recognize the blind man once he could see. An experience with Jesus will change you.
6. Don't let a bad church experience keep you from Jesus. v34
7. Three words that will change your life: Lord I believe. v38.