Living Word Family Church Sermon Podcast

Jesus spent three years pouring His life into the disciples, especially the Twelve. Of course, Jesus knew they still had more to learn, but He told them to go into the world and start preaching. He didn't tell them to wait until they had all the answers, until the New Testament was written, or anything like that. But He DID tell them to wait for one thing... and that one thing would change everything...

A personal story about a memorial service for a 93-year-old brother-in-law illustrates the power of faith and the importance of witnessing to others. Pastor Mike emphasizes renewing the mind, referencing Romans 12:2, and the transformative journey of becoming more like Christ. He encourages changing thoughts to align with God's word and inspiring us to live for Christ.

In recent weeks we have labored to understand that our salvation rests SOLELY on our faith-filled response to the finished word of Christ. But as we grow in Him, we need to sink our teeth into the meat of the word, and that means taking His commandments seriously. 

There is more to "Live the Gospel" than walking in the blessings of the covenant, which we talked about last week. Obedience is still required, even though we are no longer under the law. Jesus said that if we love Him, we will keep His commandments. But there is another aspect to obedience, and it is absolutely wrapped up in evangelism.

Words play a crucial role in determining outcomes, as highlighted throughout God's word. We are encouraged to declare our identity in line with the truths of scripture. Pastor Mike emphasizes faith's role in overcoming challenges. Tonight, we also discuss the significance of testimony and the authority in speaking God's promises. As well as stressing the impact of words on our reality.

What does it mean to "live the Gospel"? Part of it is to recognize what God has promised (remember: the Gospel is "good news"!) and learn to enjoy the blessings of the relationship we have with Him through Christ. We have a responsibility to know what is promised to us, and to do what is necessary to appropriate those promises.

Relying on supernatural power is essential for navigating life's challenges. Warnings from scripture highlight the importance of knowing God's word to avoid deception. Pastor Mike discusses Jesus' baptism and empowerment by the Holy Spirit, emphasizing overcoming temptation through scripture. He also covers the Holy Spirit's role in guiding believers, the significance of church unity, and the expectation of signs through faith.

Everything we do and preach as believers in Christ must be grounded in what we believe, and what we believe must be grounded in scripture. In order to prepare ourselves to respond to the great commission, we need to examine some of the key beliefs we profess as a church.

We all have the opportunity to hear from God. And many of us would say we desire to. But once we DO hear from Him, then what? We need to think through the appropriate response to revelation from the Lord. How do we position ourselves to receive it, and how do we steward it WHEN received?