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.

Snapshots: Twelve Baskets Full

Jn 6:1-14, Mk 6:45-52, Jn 6:22-29
1. Pass the test. Jn 6:5-6. When Jesus asks us a question, it's not because He doesn't know what to do, it's for us to learn to trust Him and look too see what He will do. They should have said: it's humanly impossible, but Jesus, you can do anything, and I can't wait to see what you are going to do.
2. Don't miss your chance to get in on what God is doing. Jesus didn't need the five loaves and two fish (lunchable) to do this miracle, but He used it. Miracles happen in the mundane, everyday stuff. We are to take what God has given us and use it for Kingdom work. Be faithful. Don't be a spiritual hoarder!
3. Be thankful for what you have, no matter what it is! Jn 6:11
4. Jesus is the miracle worker. Jn 6:12
5. Don't forget the leftovers. Jn 6:13 Jesus could have made just the right amount of food, but he made enough for the twelve disciples to each have a basket of leftover bread. Then in the boat, the disciples were afraid of the storm and then amazed that Jesus could calm the storm, instead of remembering the leftovers and trusting in Jesus. Never doubt in the storm what Jesus has shown you in the calm! Jesus wants us to remember who He is and remember He takes care of us.
6. Miracles are cool, but believe in Jesus. Jn 6:29. Don't just look to Him for the miracles, but all the time.

Snapshots: Come and See

Lk 4:1-42
1. Life is often full of pain. v16-18 this woman was in pain, had been through many divorces. Jn 16:33.
2. Pain leads to isolation. Instead of running to Jesus, the only one that could help us, we run the other way. The woman came to draw water at noon, when no one else would be there. She didn't come when others would be there. v16
3. We have no secrets from Jesus. v16. He knows everything about me, and still loves me! 💗
4. It is possible to be religious and totally messed up. v19, she tries to change the subject from her failure. We are so good at being religious and not very good at being real.
5. Jesus will meet you and I at our greatest point of pain. v26; Lk 19:10; Jn 3:17
6. Only Jesus satisfies. v13-15. We need to stop chasing after things we think will satisfy our soul, and run straight to Jesus! When we do that, our lives will be changed. He will meet us right where we are and satisfy us.
7. Jesus will use your story to help others. v28-29, 41.

Snapshots: Through the Roof

Lk 5:17-26
1. The greatest thing that can ever happen to us is to have our sins forgiven by Jesus. v20, 24. This wasn't something Jesus said lightly, He knew he would be dying for our sins. Rom 5:8; Col 2:13-14; 2 Cor 5:21
2. Jesus was and is God. v21. Phil 2:6-8; John 3:16
3. Faith matters. v20. We are reconciled to God through Jesus, but our faith matters.
4. There's good religion (focuses on what God has already done) and bad religion (focuses on what man can do). v17. The Pharisees were so wrapped up in religion they missed the Messiah. Jas 1:27
5. Whatever is going on in your world this morning, Jesus cares. v24. We praise God not only for what He has already done, but what He's yet to do.
6. When Jesus shows up, praise breaks out! v25-26.

Snapshots: Scroll Drop

Lk 4:14-30
1. Jesus came to preach good news to the poor,  v18. Poor- spiritually bankrupt, destitute. Lk 18:9-14. Good news- we don't have to be good enough, do enough. Jesus did it all for us and died and rose again to give us eternal life.
2. Jesus came to set prisoners free, v18. Col 2:13-15. He set us free from the penalty of sin and death.
3. Jesus came to restore sight to the blind, v18. Satan has blinded us to the freedom and glory of being God's children. 2 Cor 4:1-4.
4. Jesus came to set the oppressed free, v18. Oppressed- those who have been beaten down by life, overwhelmed. Mt 11:28-29.
5. Jesus came to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, v19. (The year of jubilee) It was a fresh start for people, a second chance with God.
6. Jesus is not into religion or politics, v22-30. The Jews were not the heros or benefactors of the stories Jesus shared. He spoke openly, not concerned about how the people felt about what he said. He spoke Truth.
7. Jesus turns "someday" into "today," v21. Come experience rest and peace today.

How to be generous

1 Tim 6:17-19
Generous- free in giving or sharing.
Generosity is directing more of our money towards God and others while spending less on ourselves.
1. Generous people give sacrificially. 2 Cor 8:1-4 Macedonians give out of poverty.
2. Generous people give strategically. 2 Cor 9:7.
- Give your best. Mal 1:6-10
- Give a percentage. Mal 3:8-11. God says, "Test me on this."
- Give, save, spend.
3. Generous people give cheerfully. 2 Cor 9:7