Going the Distance #4 - The Game Plan
Our series this month will look at some of the key events during the last 6-9 months of the Lord's life. His travel, public teaching, troubles, training of disciples, and emphasis on teamwork became very intense and intentional. The Phrase Going the Distan
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Grace Church holds a Meet & Greet for those who are newer to Grace Church on the 4th Sunday of each month. Our next Meet & Greet will be held today, April 27th following the service in CJ's coffee shop. It is a great opportunity to meet the staff and leadership of Grace Church and learn a little more about the church. It also gives us an opportunity to learn a little about you! Contact Leslie Booher if you have any questions ([email protected]).
Everyone is invited to a Concert of Prayer at Grace Church. May 1st at 6:30-7:30 pm. This is a National Day of Prayer Service hosted by the Prayer Team at Grace Church.
Each Saturday in May is an opportunity to help prepare the church grounds for summer at a Grace Church Work Day! Come join in on the fun & fellowship between 9:00 am and 12:00 pm on a Saturday in May. Contact Ryan Hickey with any questions ([email protected]).
This course, designed to teach people how to deal with trauma, will be offered in Grand Rapids June 2nd-6th. There will also be a 3-day class offered in August with dates yet to be determined. Colin Paul and Matt Firman have taken this training and use it as they do jail ministry. They are encouraging people to be trained in trauma healing and then use it to minister in their communities. If you have questions or want to sign-up for the training, contact Colin Paul ([email protected]) or Matt Firman ([email protected]).
"For wounds to heal, people need to express their pain and grieve so that their feelings are not buried inside of them. They can express them to God and bring their pain to the cross. As they experience Christ's healing, they can begin to forgive and rebuild their lives. Then they are better able to face future suffering."
"For wounds to heal, people need to express their pain and grieve so that their feelings are not buried inside of them. They can express them to God and bring their pain to the cross. As they experience Christ's healing, they can begin to forgive and rebuild their lives. Then they are better able to face future suffering."
April 27th - Tracy Hickey
April 30th - Ronni Crawford
May 1st - Gary & Tracy Nelson
May 3rd - Claude Snider
April 30th - Ronni Crawford
May 1st - Gary & Tracy Nelson
May 3rd - Claude Snider
Cards
The phrase, Going the Distance, means "to finish or complete something, especially something difficult, challenging, or requiring sustained effort."
The first three weeks of this sermon series centered on the final 9 months of Jesus' life and ministry. He was moving toward Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Festival and to complete the mission for His life.
The first three weeks of this sermon series centered on the final 9 months of Jesus' life and ministry. He was moving toward Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Festival and to complete the mission for His life.
On Palm Sunday Jesus rode into the city at the absolute height of His popularity and less than a week later, everything changed. It was a weekend in which Hell had a victory...but a weekend in which Hell lost the war!
God the Father was aware of all of this and allowed all of this.
Everything was part of the mission that God had entrusted to His Son, Jesus.
That mission had five key aspects:
1. To REVEAL the true nature of God
2. To SHOW mankind how to live in relationship with the Lord and each other
3. To TRAIN a team of people to tell the Story to those who were spiritually lost
4. To PROVIDE a sacrificial substitute so we could be reconciled to God
5. To RISE from the grave to empower and encourage His followers to carry out God's Game Plan.
Jesus went the distance because God's Game Plan is the only hope for sinful man to be reconciled to a Holy God.
Everything was part of the mission that God had entrusted to His Son, Jesus.
That mission had five key aspects:
1. To REVEAL the true nature of God
2. To SHOW mankind how to live in relationship with the Lord and each other
3. To TRAIN a team of people to tell the Story to those who were spiritually lost
4. To PROVIDE a sacrificial substitute so we could be reconciled to God
5. To RISE from the grave to empower and encourage His followers to carry out God's Game Plan.
Jesus went the distance because God's Game Plan is the only hope for sinful man to be reconciled to a Holy God.
We read in Acts 1, verse 3 about this 5th aspect of His mission.
The Bible records at least a dozen post-resurrection appearances and Luke (who wrote the gospel of that name and the book of Acts), lists five of these.
The term "convincing proofs" is one word in Greek. It is only used in the Bible one time and is a legal term that refers to "irrefutable evidence."
The Bible records at least a dozen post-resurrection appearances and Luke (who wrote the gospel of that name and the book of Acts), lists five of these.
The term "convincing proofs" is one word in Greek. It is only used in the Bible one time and is a legal term that refers to "irrefutable evidence."
Acts 1:3
BSB
3 After His suffering, He presented Himself to them with many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a span of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
BSB
This morning, we are looking at Luke 24:45-49 which records one of these appearances.
Here's a little background provided by Mark and John...
- Apostles huddled together on that first resurrection evening with their doors locked for fear of the Jews
- They were discussing the news of the empty tomb, the message of the women who had encountered the angels and the risen Lord, and the testimony of two travelers who had also met Jesus on the Road to Emmaus.
We see in this passage (Luke 24:45-49) that Jesus appeared to them.
Here's a little background provided by Mark and John...
- Apostles huddled together on that first resurrection evening with their doors locked for fear of the Jews
- They were discussing the news of the empty tomb, the message of the women who had encountered the angels and the risen Lord, and the testimony of two travelers who had also met Jesus on the Road to Emmaus.
We see in this passage (Luke 24:45-49) that Jesus appeared to them.
Luke 24:45-49
BSB
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
46 And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
47 and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
46 And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
47 and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
BSB
God's Game Plan is revealed here very clearly, concisely, and convincingly. The other Gospels and the book of Acts also reveal this plan a total of five times. Each time the Lord communicated this plan to His followers using different words, but the intent was always the same. They, and we, are to be witnesses of these things, to make disciples, and go into the world and tell the Story...God's Story of Jesus and our story with Jesus.
God desires that each generation of Christ-followers are to pass this on to the next.
2 Timothy 2:2
God desires that each generation of Christ-followers are to pass this on to the next.
2 Timothy 2:2
2 Timothy 2:2
BSB
2 And the things that you have heard me say among many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be qualified to teach others as well.
BSB
Our text today provides some key insights into what is needed on our part to accomplish the mission of Jesus:
1. Knowing God's WORD and His SON are transformational.
Luke 24:45; 50-53
- Bible Reading Plan
- Spent time with Jesus and His like-minded followers
- Pray (Thursday, May 1st 6:30-7:30 pm is a Concert of Prayer at Grace Church)
1. Knowing God's WORD and His SON are transformational.
Luke 24:45; 50-53
- Bible Reading Plan
- Spent time with Jesus and His like-minded followers
- Pray (Thursday, May 1st 6:30-7:30 pm is a Concert of Prayer at Grace Church)
Luke 24:45, Luke 24:50-53
BSB
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
50 When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
51 While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53 praising God continually in the temple.
50 When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
51 While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53 praising God continually in the temple.
BSB
2. Embracing our IDENTITY and PURPOSE are motivational.
Luke 24:46-48
All of us view ourselves in some manner and live our lives for some purpose. We all have a choice to make...will we continue living like the person Jesus came to save, or live like the person Jesus saved us to be?
We either live for this temporal world or for the eternal.
Luke 24:46-48
All of us view ourselves in some manner and live our lives for some purpose. We all have a choice to make...will we continue living like the person Jesus came to save, or live like the person Jesus saved us to be?
We either live for this temporal world or for the eternal.
Luke 24:46-48
BSB
46 And He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
47 and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
47 and in His name repentance and forgiveness of sins will be proclaimed to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
BSB
3. Relying upon the Father's PROMISES and the Spirit's POWER are essential.
Luke 24:49
For 3 1/2 years, the followers of Jesus had watched and listened to the Lord rely upon the promises of His Father and the Spirit's power to guide His life and ministry. Jesus understood from personal experience that living life and ministering to others was incredibly difficult.
Luke 24:49
For 3 1/2 years, the followers of Jesus had watched and listened to the Lord rely upon the promises of His Father and the Spirit's power to guide His life and ministry. Jesus understood from personal experience that living life and ministering to others was incredibly difficult.
Luke 24:49
BSB
49 And behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But remain in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
BSB
