newlifepembrokepines

Series: Experience the Spirit

4/29/12

Jesus compares the Spirit to wind.  We cannot see it; we don’t know where it goes; we cannot even explain how it works; but we know it is there and we see, feel and experience its effects.  The wind is one of the most common symbols fo the Holy Spirit in the Bible. In both the Testaments, in the original languages, the word "spirit" is also translated as “wind” and “breath.”  The Kingdom of God is about the Spirit at work in us bringing new life, the life God intends for us which was lost through sin, and it is about the Spirit empowering us to live the life God intends for us and to do His work to advance His Kingdom in this world. As we look again at this prominent symbol of the Spirit, we learn three more important parallels between wind and the Holy Spirit that reveal to us the nature and work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

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Series: Experience the Spirit

4/22/12

When Jesus said, “You must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God,” Nicodemus did not understand. He was confined to think in terms of the material world. How can a man that is old enter his mothers womb? He was confused. So as Jesus explains in v8: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”   Though we often think of the point of this passage as dealing with salvation, it really deals with a much larger truth.  The focus is on the Kingdom of God.  Being born again is the entrance into the Kingdom, but there is much more to the Kingdom of God than salvation. That’s why we see the wind blowing again on the Day of Pentecost, empowering the church to live like Christ and minister as Christ in the world with signs and wonders. And as we consider the parallel between the wind and the Spirit, it reveals to us several important truths about the work of the Spirit.

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Series: The Church Jesus is Building

4/15/12

Though it is true that His Church encompasses everyone who believes everywhere in the world, throughout time: it is also true that His Church is being built in specific places, among specific communities of people, throughout the world.  All of the epistles in the New Testament are addressed to churches or leaders of churches located in specific cities, such as: the church of Ephesus, the church of Colossae, or the church of Phillippi.  Today, this message is addressed to the church at Pembroke Pines.  New Life Assembly is the church that Jesus is building in this location at this time.

I believe that Jesus is speaking to New Life Assembly today through His words in Matt 16:18-19. This is Jesus’ own guarantee to us.  This is an absolute, 100% guarantee. No fine print. No exclusions. “I will build My church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” As I was praying over this passage of Scripture, Jesus spoke to me very clearly two words: invincible and indispensable.

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The resurrection is not just about something that happened in the distant past. Nor is it about something that will happen in the far future. Paul didn’t say “we shall be raised with Christ,” he said “since then you have been raised with Christ....”  The resurrection is an accomplished action; a victory won.  It has already occurred, and it is a present reality – a reality that all those who have personally trusted in Christ have experienced. And Paul is basically telling the believers at Ephesus, and us as well, that we need to live and act like resurrected people. There was a cartoon in a magazine, that depicted a pastor addressing an overflow congregation on Easter Sunday and asking, “Are you not just a little curious as to what goes on here between Easters?” Well today we want to talk about what goes on between Christ’s resurrection 2000 years ago, and our blessed hope, when Christ shall come and we shall be taken up to spend all eternity with Him..But between those two Easters, or resurrections, we need to live a resurrection life.

Resurrection is the key, the guide, the power, the reason for living life now in this world.  The resurrection changes the way we live life on earth.  It makes a difference in our day to day life.

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Series: The Church Jesus is Building

3/25/12

We live in the in between time, between the coming of His Kingdom and the completion of His Kingdom.  We are living in a time when a huge cosmic conflict is under way, a battle between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of God, and as these two kingdoms confront one another the battle is for our hearts, for the heart of every person, for my heart and your heart, for the heart of the church.  The victory has been won, but the battle must be fought.

The battle that is wagging right now is the battle for Lordship.  Who will reign?  The choice is up to us.  In the garden, through disobedience, Adam and Eve rejected the rule of God, and embraced the rule of Satan. As we today, embrace the rule of God through faith and obedience, Satan and the kingdom of darkness is defeated, and God’s kingdom is established in our lives, and we become instruments to advance His kingdom in the world.

This kingdom parable that we are looking at this morning, reveals to us that until Christ’s return to consummate His Kingdom, He has entrusted the affairs of His kingdom here on earth into our hands. We are stewards of His Kingdom, and we need to understand what that means for us, because it will radically transform the way we live, even as the Kingdom of God is about radical transformation.

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Series: The Church Jesus is Building

3/2/12

I noticed when watching the world cup last year, that the teams that kept on the offensive and kept the ball down at their opponents goal, were much more likely to win. If all a football team does is play defense, they will never score-all they are doing is protecting their end zone to keep the other team from scoring But to win a game you have to go on the offensive, you have to take the game to the other side of the field, to the opposing teams territory, to be able to score.

Today, I want us to recognize that the church that Jesus is building is not a church on the defense, it is a church on the offense. We are not a church that is just fighting to hold the devil back, but we are a church that is moving forward to take new territory for God.  As we look at this passage of Scripture, we need to see the church Jesus is building is a church that advances the Kingdom of God.

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Series: The Church Jesus is Building

3/18/12

These two passage (Matt 16:13-18; 1 Pet 2:5, 9) both speak of the primary purpose of the church Jesus is building and that purpose is worship. In John 4:23, Jesus plainly declared that God is actively at work in the world seeking true worshipers. The purpose for which we, the church, have been called out of the world is to worship God. That is the primary job description of a Christian, and the chief purpose of His church. We should declare that God is worthy; worth more than everything else put together. Matt 16:13-18 teaches us several vital principles about being a church that connects to God in worship.

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Series: The Church Jesus is Building

3/11/12

Any time you set out to build something you need a blue print, a set of plans. Those blue prints not only define the shape and structure of the building, but they allow everyone involved in the project, to know exactly what to do.  Jesus, as the master designer, architect and builder of His church has provided just such a blue print in His word for the building of His church.

Something we see clearly in this passage, as well as others, is that Jesus is building people who will build His church. Here in Eph 4, God provides the plan and pattern for building believers who will build His church. As we look at this passage, God reveals to us several vital truths that will build our lives, and build His church.  He reveals the gifts of ministry, the goals of ministry, and the growth process of ministry.

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Series: The Church Jesus is Building

2/19/12

Peter reveals the two fold meaning of Jesus’ statement “Upon this rock I will build my church.”  First, Peter calls us “living stones.” We are the building materials that Jesus is using to build His church. Secondly, Jesus is the chief cornerstone that God has laid. A cornerstone was originally the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation.  It was very important since all other stones would be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position and strength of the entire structure.

Jesus is the foundation upon which the church is built, that means that the church is shaped and defined by the character and mission of Christ. And that means that New Life must be shaped and defined by the character and mission of Christ.

What does that look like?  What does it mean to be the church?  What are we suppose to doing as the church?  Why do are we to do it? These are all questions that we need to consider the morning, because we must understand our identity if we are to function properly.

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Series: I will Build My Church

2/12/12

It doesn’t matter what anybody thinks, it doesn’t matter what opposition may be encountered, it doesn’t matter what things may look like at the moment, Jesus declares “I will build my church!”  He believes so much in the church, he was willing to lay it all on the line for the church – Acts 20:28 says He purchased the church with His own blood.  He places great value on the church, He is completely committed to its success.

He entrusted it to an unlikely band of disciples, a bunch of imperfect people, whom he defended, prayed for, and prepared to spread the gospel. To outsiders they (and we) might seem weak, inadequate, and even foolish. But Jesus, the architect of the church, that it is destined for greatness and it will stand throughout time, and it will prevail over all opposition. This applies to His Church universally and it applies to His church locally.  New Life, Pembroke Pines, was included in that statement, when Jesus declared it.

As we consider this powerful declaration of Jesus, it reveals to us three truths that should give us great confidence as we move forward as a church, to the fulfillment of the vision that God has given us.

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