Walking with Jesus #1 - From Here to There
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Grace Church By John Demo

Walking with Jesus #1 - From Here to There

Our summer series, Walking with Jesus, uses a chronological approach to look at the life and ministry of our Lord. This series will provide a deeper knowledge of the life of Jesus, a greater devotion to Him, and a life-long commitment to His mission for yo

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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 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]).
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Monday, July 6th - Wyatt Cowell, Paisley Dykhouse
Tuesday, July 7th - Jaiden Gillons
Wednesday, July 8th - Joe & Emily Mater
Saturday, July 11th - Anita Henline, Teresa Tucker
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Our summer series is called Walking with Jesus. We are looking at the life and ministry of the Lord using a chronological approach.
1 John 2:6 [NLT]
Rather than treating the Gospels as a loose collection of stories, a timeline allows us to trace the strategic and logical development of His personal abilities, relationships, teachings, and mission strategies.
This series will help you to feel as though you were walking alongside Jesus.
The end-game is to gain a deeper knowledge of the Lord's life, a greater devotion to Him, and a life-long commitment to His mission for your life.
1 John 2:6
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6 Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.
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Life and Ministry of Jesus - Process Chart
The first phase - PREPARATION - (30+ yrs) dealt with the Pre-existent Christ (Heaven), the Incarnation / Birth, His childhood, and transition into adulthood.

The second phase - FOUNDATIONS - (18-21 months) started with the baptism of Jesus by John, the importance of understanding our spiritual identity, how to resist temptation, the method of how to make and grow disciples, the modeling of compassion, responding to conflict, and stepping out of our comfort zone.
We finished last year's portion of this series (Luke 4:16-30) with Jesus returning to the town in which He grew up...Nazareth.
Nazareth - small, rural, farming village where Jesus spent His early years learning the trade of a carpenter.
Capernaum - bustling, diverse fishing town on the Sea of Galilee. This city was known as the Lord's "home city" and the primary base for His public ministry.
Today we look at the next event in the life and ministry of Jesus. The Lord re-locates from Nazareth to Capernaum - He moved from Here to There.
In the Harmony of the Gospels, it is found in section #40 and covers Matthew 4:12-17.
God's ministry CONTINUES even when life CHANGES.
Matthew 4:12
Context - This follows the story of Jesus in the land of Samaria (Woman at the Well)
Background - After His encounter with Nicodemus in John 3, the Lord spent time along the Jordan River with His disciples
Matthew 4:12
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12 When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee.
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Have you ever had a good day go bad? Have you had your plans interrupted by some unforeseen circumstance? Both John the Baptist and Jesus experienced this.
- Upon arrival in Tiberias, John the Baptist confronted Herod Antipas and was then arrested and imprisoned.
- Jesus went home to Nazareth and is rejected and nearly killed.
Matthew 4:13
Matthew 4:13
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13 Leaving Nazareth, He went and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali,
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From a human perspective, life often looks like evil is winning. Imagine what each of these leaders and their followers would have thought and felt.
If their attitudes and actions had been run by their own logic and emotions, it would have been quitting time!
The same may be true for some of us today. Maybe you are just getting started with God or are moving along at full speed and then...a diagnosis, desertion, deceit, dark-hearted plot, divorce, dangerous event, or some mole hill that we blow up into a disaster.
We look at the circumstances of life as either good or bad.
The re-location of Jesus was totally within God's plan. The verses in Matthew 4:14-16 are a reference to Isaiah 9:1-2 which predicted the life and ministry of Jesus.
Matthew 4:14-16
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14 to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
15 “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”
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We have to view life from God's perspective.
The rejection and the relocation were used by God to grow Jesus and prepare Him for the ministry of making disciples, but also for the purpose of salvation.
The same is true for us. God uses the circumstances of life to grow us in our faith so we can minister for Him.
Ephesians 2:10
Romans 8:28
Ephesians 2:10
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10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
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Romans 8:28
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28 And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
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When we have the right understanding of the nature of God and perspective toward the events of life we will not be bogged down but boldly move forward!
Jesus demonstrates that we are to live our lives in high gear, and with the focus of Honoring God and Helping others spiritually.
Matthew 4:17
Our disappointments become God's doorway
Our obstacles His opportunities
Matthew 4:17
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17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
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Application:

1. Do you have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ?
This comes when we REPENT of our rebellion and selfishness toward God, trust Jesus alone for the forgiveness of our sin, confess Him as our Lord, and commit to living a life that honors God.
2. How are you responding to the changes of life?
Are you praising God in the good times and bad, looking for opportunities to tell others about the Lord, and modeling a consistent life of faith to others?
3. Are you maturing in your walk with the Lord?
This will be evidenced by taking ownership for your spiritual growth, actively ministering in your church and community, and re-arranging your priorities to financially and prayerfully support the Lord’s work?
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