Sola Gratia: By Grace Alone

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Sola Gratia: By Grace Alone
Ephesians 2:1-10

I.  Apart from Christ, we are dead in our sins.

II.  Through Christ, God raises us from the dead
     A.  Because of his mercy
     B.  When we were still dead
     C.  By the regeneration of the Holy Spirit
     D.  To showcase the riches of his grace

III.  In Christ, we live for God's glory and purpose.

If it really is grace alone:
1. You aren’t any better than anyone else for having believed the Gospel.
2. You didn’t earn your salvation, and you can’t lose it.
3. Pray for those who don’t believe.
4. Share the Gospel.  
5. Teach new believers.
6. Legalism and licensure have no place in the Christian life. 

Sorrow to Joy: How a Person’s Desire for Joy and Community Is Fulfilled Through the Work of the Triune God (John 16:23-33)

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Sorrow to Joy:
How a Person’s Desire for Joy and Community Is Fulfilled
Through the Work of the Triune God
John 16:23-33

I. Joy and community are found in belonging
  A. Unparalleled access to the Father
  B. Unparalleled knowledge of the Father
  C. Unparalleled love from the Father
 
II. Joy and community are found in trust
  A. I can be trusted because I am from the father
  B. I can be trusted because I voluntarily came to the earth
  C. I can be trusted because I will voluntarily give my life up
  D. I can be trusted because I will go back to the father for you
 
III. Joy and Community are found in future hope
  A. They scattered
  B. They go about their own affairs
  C. The will leave Jesus

Sorrow to Joy: Living With the Cost of Our Faith (John 16:16-22)

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Sorrow to Joy:
Living With the Cost of Our Faith
John 16:16-22


I. Sorrow is a necessary means to a final joy
   A. He would soon die and be raised from the dead
   B. He would soon ascend to the Father and come to them by the Spirit of God
   C. He would leave them physically, but return one day as the conquering king

II. Often the Sorrow is the genesis of our greatest joy

From Slave to Friend: Why Friendship With God is Enmity With the World (John 15:18-27)

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From Slave to Friend:
Why Friendship With God is Enmity With the World
John 15:18-27

I. Our identity is not in the world
II. The world’s hatred is for Jesus
    A. Despised because he is the only way to God
    B. Despised because he is the final authority and man is not
    C. Despised because he is holy and holds men accountable for their sin
III.  The Father gives an answer to our opposition

From Slave to Friend (John 15:12-17)

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From Slave to Friend
John 15:12-17

I. Jesus is our master and friend
   A. This slavery is self-sacrificing love
        4 aspects of Jesus’ self sacrificing love
        1. Denied what he deserved to come to this earth
        2. Constantly put others first by serving
        3. Did not defend himself in the face of injustice
        4. Died when he could have easily gone back to heaven
   B. This slavery is productive
        1. Produces personal fruit
        2. Produces spiritual fruit
   C. This slavery is involuntary

Abiding in the Vine (John 15:1-11)

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Abiding in the Vine
John 15:1-11

Key:
True Vine = Jesus
Vinedresser = Father
Fruitful branches = Believers
Fruitless branches = Unbelievers
Fruit = Obedience 

I.  The Vinedresser removes fruitless branches (2)
    A. Branches that do not abide in the Vine do not produce fruit (4)
    B. Fruitless branches are burned in the fire (6)

II. The Vinedresser prunes fruitful branches (2)
    A. Fruitful branches must abide in the Vine (4)
    B. The Vinedresser takes special care of fruitful branches (7, 11)

The Process of Peace Begins (John 14:27-31)

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The Process of Peace Begins
John 14:27-31

I. Jesus promises his peace to his disciples (27)
   A. Jesus can promise peace because he is the Prince of Peace
   B. Peace is a byproduct of justification by faith
  C. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit

II. Jesus rebukes his disciples for their unbelief and lack of love (28-29)

III. Jesus reaffirms his mission to his disciples (30-31)

Jesus Leaves a Helper: The Third Person of the Trinity and God’s Power on Earth (John 14:15-26)

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Jesus Leaves a Helper:
The Third Person of the Trinity and God’s Power on Earth
John 14:15-26

I. Jesus Reveals the Manifestation of the Holy Spirit
   A. The Eternal Helper for loving and obeying God (15-24)
       1. The Spirit is manifest in love for God
       2. The Spirit is manifest in love for others
   B. The Eternal Helper for knowing God (25-26)


 

Asking in Jesus’ Name: Understanding How God Works Through Christian Requests (John 14:7-14)

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Asking in Jesus’ Name:
Understanding How God Works Through Christian Requests
John 14:7-14

I. Misinterpreting the call to pray in Jesus’ name
   A. Believing is seeing
   B. Accept the responses that God gives to our prayers
       1. We assume prayers will be answered in our way
       2. We assume that if they do not go our way then there was no answer
       3. We assume that whatever answer we receive is the only or final answer
   C. Understand that praying in Jesus’ name is about access and not effectiveness

I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: Discovering Truth in a World of Lies (John 14:1-6)

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I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life:
Discovering Truth in a World of Lies
John 14:1-6

I. The lie of the morally relative church culture is that Christ makes life easy (1-3)
   A.  We cannot minimize our own troubles
   B.  We cannot minimize the trouble of others
   C.  We cannot minimize the power of God over trouble
         1.  Jesus is God (Trust in God)
         2.  He has made his children a home in heaven (Hope in Glory)
         3.  He is going to prepare that place (A personalized dwelling)
         4.  He will return and take us to that place (He wins, therefore we win)

II. The lie of the morally relative worldly culture is that Christ is one God of many (4-6)
    A.  The Way
    B.  The Truth
    C.  The Life

Faithful to the Plan: The Faithful Revealed - Part 2 (John 13:36-38)

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Faithful to the Plan:
The Faithful Revealed
John 13:31-38 (2)

I.  The Faithful one knows God’s glory is in the cross

II. The faithful one demonstrates God’s glory through love
    A. Love Christ
    B. Love each other
    C. Love your enemies
        1. You can’t love your enemy on your own power
        2. You cannot passively love your enemies

III. The faithful one needs God’s glory in failure