MESSAGE NOTES
September 11 - October 2
Passage: John 15-16
Memory Verse:
“No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37, NIV)
Three important realities needed to be accepted by Christ-followers to experience the peace of Jesus.
- Christ-followers Will Have _____________
“In this world you will have trouble…” (John 16:33)
- Learning to live in Christ’s love (John 15:1-17)
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:12–14, NIV)
““If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” (John 15:18–19, NIV)
“If I had not done among them the works no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. As it is, they have seen, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’” (John 15:24–25, NIV)
“They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.” (John 16:2–3, NIV)
Just when we think our faith is strong enough:
- Christ-followers Will _______________
“Now we can see that you know all things and that you do not even need to have anyone ask you questions. This makes us believe that you came from God.”” (John 16:30, NIV)
““Do you now believe?” Jesus replied. “A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.” (John 16:31–32, NIV)
- Our failure is never the end (John 20-21)!
Jesus promises that:
- Christ-followers Will _____________________ (Exod. 6:6-8)
““…in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”” (John 16:33, NIV)
““When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.” (John 15:26–27, NIV)
- Overcoming victory is IN Christ Thru the Holy Spirit
““I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NIV)
- It is characterized by obedience to His Word (John 15:10)
Conclusion:
As Jesus prepared His disciples for His imminent arrest and death, he assured them that they too will face trouble, persecution, even hatred just because they were His followers. And the fact of the matter, we will too.
This is part of living out Christ’s mission on earth. But, like His 1st disciples, Jesus commands us to remain in his love, to seek and depend on the comfort of the Holy Spirit to be at peace, knowing that he has overcome.
As we continue to follow Jesus in our everyday lives, what are some ways that we can actively love one another and support each other when we are faced with the evil and trouble of this world?
One way is to come together in small groups where we can encourage and pray for one another while learn how to navigate life from God’s Word.
The Bible tells us we need each other. We need to make this a priority for our spiritual growth.
Will you take a step to be part of a small group today?
What is God calling on you to do today?
Share it with me so I can pray for you.
NEXT WEEK: Part 4, Because of Our Future
Answer Key:
Trouble
Stumble
Overcome
You can share what God is saying to you today by telling Pastor Blake about it on your Next Step form. Click this link to share your spiritual step with Pastor Blake.
Watch our Livestream each week HERE
Passage: Exodus 4:29-6:8
Memory Verse:
“No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37, NIV)
Everyone goes through seasons of unbearable hardship or live with the the dark cloud of past hardships. But we can be hopeful that we will overcome these things because today’s message from the book of Exodus teaches us that:
- God _____________ to His People’s Cry
- He heard and remembered the Israelites (Exod. 4:31)
- Note two things
- “they believed”
- “they bowed down and worshiped”
- God hears & responds when you cry out to Him.
It doesn’t mean hardships go away instantly…
Pharaoh increased the workload for the Israelites after Moses and Aaron told him that God said to “Let my people go” (Exod. 5:1, 6-19)
Israel’s leaders complained to Moses and Aaron for making their hardship worse! (Exod. 5:20-21)
“Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people? Is this why you sent me? Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued your people at all.”” (Exodus 5:22–23, NIV)
But:
- God Responds Even When We _______________ (Exod. 6:1)
- Israel often doubted God, yet He always delivered!
- They didn’t realize they were part of something bigger than themselves
- God hears and delivers according to His plan and purpose
He responds when His people doubt and:
- God Responds to His ______________________ (Exod. 6:6-8)
- Israel’s deliverance fulfilled God’s promise. (Gen. 15:13-14)
- Our life in Christ is a life of fulfilled promises
- The biggest promise is that God hears and responds to our cry for help.
Conclusion:
Susan and I went through a season of miscarriages,
I didn’t angry & bitter w/ God, instead I cried out to Him.
I wanted to understand, so I began studying God’s Word, the Bible to learn what it said about children!
What I learned was that children are a gift from God!
So I cried out to God, asking Him to give us the gift of children.
When it seemed that childbirth wasn’t the way God was going to give us this gift, we began to explore adoption.
After completing the all the initial preparation to adopt, we postponed the final step of submitting the paperwork until after Christmas and then found out Susan was pregnant again.
But it felt it was different this time!
We were scared but believed that God had given this gift to us, even despite of a trip to the ER.
I remember sitting in the waiting room w/ my pastor and praying a prayer of faith that this time we would see the birth of our baby!
Many of you know our son, and our two sons and daughter that came after him.
Whatever your difficulties or hardships are, God hears you and He will respond just like He did for the Israelites, and He did for us. However He answers, it will be according to His plan and purpose!
Put your trust in Jesus and see what he will do for you
Take a step in your spiritual journey today and share it with me!
What is God calling on you to do today?
Share it with me so I can pray for you.
NEXT WEEK: Part 3, Because Jesus Overcame
Answer Key:
Responds
Doubt
Promises
You can share what God is saying to you today by telling Pastor Blake about it on your Next Step form. Click this link to share your spiritual step with Pastor Blake.
Watch our Livestream each week HERE
Passage: Romans 8:31-39
Memory Verse:
“No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37, NIV)
There are many blessings listed in Romans 8 that the Christ-follower receives from their relationship with Jesus. Verses 26-30 explains how, even in our suffering, the follower of Jesus is blessed. Then the chapter closes with a summary of why we can remain hopeful in our distress.
Because:
- God is _________ Us (Rom. 8:31)!
- By Providing Salvation (Rom. 8:32a)
- By Providing All Things (Rom. 8:32b)
- With Our Justification (Rom. 8:33-34)
We remain hopeful and be certain that:
- God’s Love is _______________ (Rom. 8:35-36)
- We Will All Face Troubles (Psa. 44:22; John 16:33)
- BUT, in Christ’s Love, We Shall Overcome (Rom. 8:37-39)
Conclusion:
Jesus told His disciples: “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33)
Followers of Jesus will experience tribulation!
But…God is for us and His love is firm, inseparable for those that remain in relationship with Christ!
And by remaining in a relationship with Christ, we shall overcome.
Our victory is not found in using the world’s tactics to overcome, rather it is in following in the steps of Jesus that real victory is won. And God’s love assures us that we shall overcome!
Are you living in the love of Christ? Do you know Jesus or just know about Him? Is today the day you step into the love of God by surrendering your life to Jesus?
Maybe you need to surrender your trial or hardship to God? Have you been trying to overcome it on your own? Do you need to draw close to Jesus and let Him win the victory for you?
What step do you need to take today?
Share what you decided with me so I can pray for you.
NEXT WEEK: Part 2, Because God Hears
Answer Key:
For
Firm
You can share what God is saying to you today by telling Pastor Blake about it on your Next Step form. Click this link to share your spiritual step with Pastor Blake.
Watch our Livestream each week HERE