The Rock of KC

Distinctively a Disciple Jesus said this in Matthew 28:19-20 "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." THE WORD "DISCIPLE"... 1. The word "disciple" literally means A LEARNER 2. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary Of New Testament Words, it denotes "one who follows another's teaching" 3. But a disciple was not only a learner, he was also AN ADHERENT 4. For this reason disciples were spoken of as IMITATORS of their teachers. THE GOAL IN BEING A DISCIPLE... 1. Stated by Jesus himself: to be like the teacher – Lk 6:40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. 2. To be Christ's disciple, then, is to be like Him! 3. According to the apostle Paul, this coincides with God's goal in the redemption of mankind, that they be conformed to the image of His Son Rom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Luke 9:18 And it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” 19 So they answered and said, “John the Baptist, but some say Elijah; and others say that one of the old prophets has risen again.” 20 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said, “The Christ of God.” 21 And He strictly warned and commanded them to tell this to no one, 22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.” 23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily,[a] and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels. Jesus laid down three conditions for discipleship: 1. You Must deny Yourself Deny means: A. to affirm that one has no acquaintance or connection with someone. B. to forget one's self, lose sight of one's self and one's own interests In other words: “You must turn from your selfish ways” A believer in Jesus “must turn from [his] selfish ways” or “must deny himself” Matthew 16:24 (NIV), saying no to self-will, self-centeredness, self-interest, self-sufficiency, self-dependence, self-ambition, and self-exaltation, selfishness, self-seeking, 2. You must Pick Up Your Cross Daily To deny yourself is to die to self and to crucify the flesh The cross was an instrument of death. A condemned man carrying his cross toward his execution lost interest in the things of this world. To “take up your cross daily” is to die to sin. It’s a call to reprioritize your life. Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. 5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, 10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, 3. You Must Follow Him There’s also a personal aspect to the demand: “Follow me.” Jesus told us to obey His commands, but He also said to follow Him. Following Jesus means: * walking closely after Him *going where He goes * doing what He does * It means making His will your will *It means not creating your own path, but putting your feet into the footprints of Jesus. And His footprints will lead you up Calvary’s hill. You may profess to be a Christian, but if you don’t carry your own cross and follow Jesus, you’re not His disciple Luke 14:27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. A believer in Jesus must reject self, die to sin, and pursue the Savior! No Excuse Mentality!

I Cor. 15:1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. The Resurrection of the Dead 12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. The Theme of our weekend and the title of this message is: Raised To Life I want to talk about: The What we are celebrating this weekend is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave! The second pivotal historic event of all time. The Why of its importance: If Christ had not been raised from the dead: 1. If the dead are not raised then "Christ Himself is not risen!" 2. "our preaching of it is empty, and your faith is also empty!" 3. "we are found as false witnesses of God, because we have testified that God has raised up Christ from the dead!" 4. "our faith is futile if this is not true!" 5. "We are still in our sins if this is not true!" 6. "Those who have fallen asleep [died] in Christ, have perished!" 7. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitied 8. Jesus was not truthful: Jesus answered them: "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." John 2:19 Why Was it Necessary for Him to Die? God is Holy Although God is all merciful, all powerful and all forgiving, God is also holy, righteous and just. Isaiah 5:16 But the LORD Almighty is exalted by his justice. The holiness of God is displayed by his righteousness. (NLT) Sin and Holiness are Incompatible Sin entered the world through one man's disobedience - Adam, and now all of us are born into this "sin nature." Romans 5:12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. (NLT) Romans 3:23 For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard. (NLT) Sin Separates Us from God Isaiah 35:8 And a highway will be there; it will be called the Way of Holiness. The unclean will not journey on it; it will be for those who walk in that Way; wicked fools will not go about on it. (NIV) Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear. (NIV) Sin's Punishment is Eternal Death God's holiness and justice demand that sin and rebellion be punished. The only penalty or payment for sin is eternal death. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (NASB) Romans 5:21 So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God's wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (NLT) Atoning Sacrifice Our death is not sufficient to atone for sin because atonement requires a perfect, spotless sacrifice, offered in just the right way. Jesus, the one perfect God-man, came to offer the pure, complete and everlasting sacrifice to remove, atone, and make eternal payment for our sin. 1 Peter 1:18-19 For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. (NLT) Hebrews 2:14-17 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil, and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. (NIV) Only Through Jesus Christ Only through Jesus Christ can our sins be forgiven, thus restoring our relationship with God and removing the separation caused by sin. 2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV) Closing: Ravi Zacharias writes: “It is absolutely critical that we think rightly about life and death and that we understand the “what” and the “why” of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Life has a defining point. Life has a destination point. Death and separation are the destination halls of sin; hope and life the arrival points of a life that has accepted the personal significance of the death of Christ. The Lord of Life brings justice upon those who rejected his mercy and gives mercy to those who cried out for it and were willing to accept his justice. Death is either a full stop or a comma. In the Christian worldview, it is a comma. There is for the Christian both the passing of all things and the abiding in Christ’s provision.” An amazing promise: 2 COR. 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Illustration: Packages of Seeds This is not about being a better you. Or getting a better life. It is about coming into a life that never existed before. We are dead in our trespasses and sins. We don’t just need to be made better. We need to be made alive. And not just our old life but a brand new life that never existed before. So how do we get that life? Well that questioned was answered in: Acts 16 the apostle Paul was imprisoned with Silas and they were worshipping a earthquake took place and they were freed. The jailer who feared for his life if they were escape came to them trembling and asked the question: 30 He then brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." John 1:12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. Romans 10: 8 Salvation that comes from trusting Christ -- which is the message we preach -- is already within easy reach. In fact, the Scriptures say, "The message is close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart." 9 For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. 11 As the Scriptures tell us, "Anyone who believes in him will not be disappointed. " Who today wants to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, acknowledge you are a sinner and accept and receive the free gift of eternal life? Prayer of Salvation Call to be Water Baptized as a public testimony of your decision to stand with Jesus. I am identifying with His death, I am bearing the old me and I am being raised to walk in newness of Life!

The Rock of KC is a church without walls for all generations located in Kansas City, MO. We meet for our coporate worship at 9:00am and 11:00am on Sunday mornings. RockKIDS! and children's classes are available at as well. You should expect friendly people who are excited about getting together to worship, a dynamic message, and a pastoral team who are dedicated to serving the body and bringing God's message to the world! We want you to come as you are and be free to worship with us. We have no dress code, no strict guidelines, or list of accomplishments to be completed before your first visit. Wear your suit, wear your flannel, wear your shorts! All we ask is that you come with a heart ready to worship and a decency for those around you!

The Rock of KC is a church without walls for all generations located in Kansas City, MO. We meet for our coporate worship at 9:00am and 11:00am on Sunday mornings. RockKIDS! and children's classes are available at as well. You should expect friendly people who are excited about getting together to worship, a dynamic message, and a pastoral team who are dedicated to serving the body and bringing God's message to the world! We want you to come as you are and be free to worship with us. We have no dress code, no strict guidelines, or list of accomplishments to be completed before your first visit. Wear your suit, wear your flannel, wear your shorts! All we ask is that you come with a heart ready to worship and a decency for those around you!

- 1 Sam. 23:20-21 - we serve a God who wants to do the impossible through us 1. sometimes we end up in a pit (of fear, insecurity, shame) - if you get comfortable in the pit, you might not want to get out - you can't let the pit keep you from moving forward 2. sometimes it snows - God isn't moved by the snow - John 16:33 - on the snowy days, we find out what we're made of 3. sometimes we run into lions - how do we respond - the same thing with sin - we need to stop and run to Jesus - purpose is what gives us breath and motivation - Matt 16:18 - sometimes God's opportunities come disguised as insurmountable obstacles - Romans 8 - if God is for us, who can stand against us? - Isa. 40:28-31

1 Sam. 26:7-11, 23-24 Romans 13:1 - God places authority figures over us in life, but how we respond to them determines if they can lead us - If I'm going to get over what God has placed under me, I must first get under what God has placed over me 1. Honoring authority provides the ultimate protection 2. Honoring authority provides a higher perspective - the day you realize that your perspective and natural instinct isn't reliable is the day you will welcome higher perspective into your life 3. Honoring authority accelerates my maturity - God wants to put you and I through character school and He does it through submission to Godly authority - loyalty isn't tested until you disagree 4. Honoring authority gives me a heightened sense of uniqueness - I find myself MORE free and MORE gifted when submitted to authority - when your aim is to honor God and godly authority, you will become who he wants you to be. When your aim is to please others or yourself, you will become who they want you to be

The Rock of KC is a church without walls for all generations located in Kansas City, MO. We meet for our coporate worship at 9:00am and 11:00am on Sunday mornings. RockKIDS! and children's classes are available at as well. You should expect friendly people who are excited about getting together to worship, a dynamic message, and a pastoral team who are dedicated to serving the body and bringing God's message to the world! We want you to come as you are and be free to worship with us. We have no dress code, no strict guidelines, or list of accomplishments to be completed before your first visit. Wear your suit, wear your flannel, wear your shorts! All we ask is that you come with a heart ready to worship and a decency for those around you!

- Ps. 51:6 - the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom - John 8:31-34, 1 Thess, 5:23-24 - some truths that help keep me free and walking in peace: - relinquishment: I can give someone up without giving up on them - I respect boundaries: What is my responsibility "to" this person? Am I responsible in any way "for" them? - I am not responsible for the choices adults make (but I can suffer the consequences of their decisions - true brokenness has no demans - I am only a part, I prophesy in part, I see in part - I am not the Savior,I can only point to Him - I can't do everything and I am not called to do everything - I can do for the one what I can't do for the many - unspoken expectations minus reality equal relational disaster - yesterday is gone; tomorrow is not here; in this present moment I accept myself as God accepts me - I am who I am by the grace of God. I am fearfully and wonderfully made and God has not called me to compare my life to someone else. - rest glorifies God and is His gift to me - work glorifies God and is His gift to me - play glorifies God and is His gift to me - all of my life can be worship to God - only God can complete me and other complement me - as God is to me, I am to be to others - if God doesn't build the house I labor in vain, if God doesn't watch - I watch in vain and apart from Jesus I am nothing

- Ps. 51:6 - the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom - John 8:31-34, 1 Thess, 5:23-24 - some truths that help keep me free and walking in peace: - relinquishment: I can give someone up without giving up on them - I respect boundaries: What is my responsibility "to" this person? Am I responsible in any way "for" them? - I am not responsible for the choices adults make (but I can suffer the consequences of their decisions - true brokenness has no demans - I am only a part, I prophesy in part, I see in part - I am not the Savior,I can only point to Him I can't do everything and I am not called to do everything

The Rock of KC is a church without walls for all generations located in Kansas City, MO. We meet for our coporate worship at 9:00am and 11:00am on Sunday mornings. RockKIDS! and children's classes are available at as well. You should expect friendly people who are excited about getting together to worship, a dynamic message, and a pastoral team who are dedicated to serving the body and bringing God's message to the world! We want you to come as you are and be free to worship with us. We have no dress code, no strict guidelines, or list of accomplishments to be completed before your first visit. Wear your suit, wear your flannel, wear your shorts! All we ask is that you come with a heart ready to worship and a decency for those around you!

1. God desires truth in our inward being (Ps. 51:6, John 8:31-32) - He wants the truth to go from the head knowledge to heart knowledge - speak truth in the lives of thoes around you 2. abiding in truth will set you free - continuous abiding in truth and obeying God will keep you continuously in freedom - "Some secular pychologists focus on self-esteem with the goal of simply feeling good about ourselves. A biblical self-concept focuses on self-worth based on an accurate perception of God, ourselves, and others." Dr. Steven Riser - we need to udnergo a transition from a (works) a "have to" mentality to (grace) a "want to" mentality - God desires to get to the root and replace the lie with truth 3. your internal belief system interprests your perception (Num. 13:30-33, Prov. 23:7) - emotion always trumps reason - people make decisions based on their emotions and then rationalize them - belief systems bring forth your emotions - when we get changed on the inside, it begins to show on the outside - four general lies people tend to believe - from Robert McGee in his book "The Search for Significance". 1. the performance trap - "I must meet certain standards in order to feel good about myself." - becasue I'm justified, I don't have to fear failure - true grace comes in our lives and we want to do the right thing Consequences: the fear of failure; perfectionism; being driven to succeed; manipulating others to achieve success; withdrawal from healthy risks, anger, resentment, pride, depression and low motivation. God’s Answer: Justification (by grace through faith)—just as if I had never sinned. Romans 5:1: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Because of justification, I am completely forgiven and fully pleasing to God, I no longer need to fear failure. Results of God’s Solution: Increasing freedom from the fear of failure; desire to pursue the right things: Christ and His kingdom; greater love for Christ and desire to please Him through loving and serving others. 2.The Approval Addiction: “I must be approved (accepted) by others to feel good about my­self.” Consequences: the fear of rejection; attempting to please others at any cost; overly sensitive to criticism; withdrawing from others to avoid disapproval, being easily manipulated, codependency; control, depression, etc. God’s Answer: Reconciliation—brought into a right relationship with God. Colossians 1:21-22: “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behav­ior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation...” Because of reconciliation, I am totally accepted by God. I no longer have to fear rejection. God is at peace with me. Results of God’s Solution: Increasing freedom from the fear of rejection; willingness to be open and vulnerable, able to relax around others; willingness to take criticism; desire to please God no matter what others think. How does God feel about me? 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Substitute the word “God” for the word “love”. My Heavenly Father is: (1) Very patient and kind; (2) not envious, never boastful; (3) not arrogant; (4) never rude nor self-seeking; (5) not quick to take offense; (6) keeps no score of wrongs; (7) does not gloat over my sins but is glad when truth prevails; (8) knows no limit to His endurance, no end to His trust; (9) always hopeful and patient

- you can wish yourself out of a season and miss what you're to learn in that season - what or who is in you? God wants to get in us and wants us to get into Him - here's a few scriptures about being "in" 1. John 16:33 - I don't get to pick and choose my trials in life, but I do get to choose peace or turmoil 2. called to be in the world but not of the workd (John 17:9-18) - if you're not evangelizing/influencing others, then you're being evangelized/influenced 3. we are a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) - a species that never existed before - if we don't yield to that, it won't happen 4. I am complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power (Col. 2:10) in Him, we find our completeness, nothing else 5. I am alive in Christ (Eph. 2:5) 6. I am free from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2) 7. I am holy and without blame before Him in love (Eph. 1:4, 1 Peter 1:16) 8. I have the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16, Phil.2:5) 9. I have the peace of God that passes understanding (Phil. 4:7) 10. I have the Greater One living in me; greater is He Who is in me than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4). 11. I have received the gift of righteousness and reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ (Romans 5:17). 12. I have received the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Jesus, the eyes of my understanding being enlightened (Ephesians 1:17,18). 13. I have no lack for my God supplies all of my need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). 14. I can quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one with my shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16). 15. I can do all things through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:13). 16. I show forth the praises of God Who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). 17. I am God’s child?for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God, which lives and abides forever (1 Peter 1:23). 18. I am God’s workmanship, created in Christ unto good works (Ephesians 2:10). 19. I am a doer of the Word and blessed in my actions (James 1:22, 25). 20. I am a joint-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17). 21. I am more than a conqueror through Him Who loves me (Romans 8:37). 22. I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and the word of my testimony (Revelation 12:11). 23. I am a partaker of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:3,4). 24. I am an ambassador for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). 25. I am part of a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a purchased people (1 Peter 2:9). 26. I am the righteousness of God in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). 27. I am the temple of the Holy Spirit; I am not my own (1 Corinthians 6:19). 28. I am forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood (Ephesians 1:7). 29. I am crucified to the world and the world is crucified to me (Gal. 6:14) But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

- be still and know that He is God (Ps. 46:10) - Hebrew is "raphah" to sink, relax, let drop, abandon, abate, refrain, to be quiet - be silent, God is in His holy temple (Hab. 2:20) - silence: hacah to hush, be silent, hold peace, hold tongue, be still - being still implies meditation - listen for the still small voice (1 Kings 19:12) - remove the noise (Matt. 9:18-26) - let God arise and speak (Mark 4:35-41) - the same Jesus that was in the boat with the disciples is the same Jesus that is in your heart now - Jesus wants to speak to the storms in your life that's going on inside of you, He wants to calm the storm in you and He wants to calm the storm around you. But you have to know which one needs calmed first. Sometimes God's going to calm the storm in you before He calms the storm around you.

- what you believe about God will determine your future - number one attribute of God is kindness - it leads us to repentance - Ps. 65:11 (NLT) NKJV says that our paths will drip with abundance - Ps. 119:68, Gen 1:28 - very first thing God did was bless Adam and Eve Ps. 111 talks about the person of God, Ps. 112 talks about the people of God - hallelujah - praise - it changes the atmosphere of our life - it redirects the focus from me to He (Josh 6:20, Ps. 100:4) - qualities of a blessed life: 1. fears the Lord (Ps. 112:1) - fear, not in the being afraid sense, but in honor, revere, obey, and trust (Deut. 30:19-20 NLT) - God's given us a choice 2. loves God's Word (v1) (Josh 1:8-9 MSG) - trust and obey by being in God's Word - God is with you every step you take 3. family is blessed (v2) a great legacy is the successful example of your life (Ps. 37:25-26) - what we do today matters, it will influence generations 4. welth and riches are in their house (v3) (Ps. 35:27 - God takes pleasure in blessing you) Prov. 10:22 - the key is what we put first, generous people look for ways to bless others, it is a lifestyle 5. their difficult times are blessed (v4) (Ps. 46:1, 23:4, Heb 13:5 NIV, Isa 26:3 NIV) - we live from the inside out

- Matt. 6:1-4 - Luke 6:38 - giving mercy, kindness, etc, not just money - how do you want it reciprocated back to you? - Acts 20:35 - God wants us to enter into the joy of giving - Prov. 11:24-25 - live with open hands, it's all God's and not mine anyway - our intentions don't get anything done, on ly our actions - need an action plan to follow your intentions - which category do you live in? 1. live 2. live-save 3. save-live 4. save-live-give 5. save-give-live 6. give-save-live - 11 giving guidelines to fight the pull of materialism 1. give (Matt. 6:24) 2. give generously 3. give regularly 4. give voluntarily 5. give sacrificially 7. give excellently (2 Cor. 8:7) 8. give cheerfully 9. give worshipfully 10. give more as you make more - God prospers us not to raise our standard of living, but to raise our standard of giving 11. give quietly