Ladies’ Brunch

January 31st, 10am – noon

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Virtual Church Service for January 11th, 2009 Minimize

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Sermon Notes

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FRIENDSHIPS WITH PURPOSE

THE POINT: Jesus deliberately chose His close friends according to God’s calling on His life. 

  • The way Jesus & the twelve apostles made disciples is significantly different than the way most of us look at evangelism and church growth.
  • Jesus deliberately chose His close friends with discipleship in mind.
  • He found these people from His local community and social circles.
  • His close friends were a pretty diverse group.

 HOW JESUS DID IT

  • Jesus had friends
    • an inner circle
    • an outer circle
    • people who knew who He was and vice versa
  • Jesus went to dinners, weddings, worship services and holiday gatherings
  • If Jesus decided He liked somebody, He’d invite Himself to their house for dinner.
  • Jesus even went to some events that the religious people didn’t approve of.

PREPARATION
Matthew 4:11-17 (NIV)
…Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee.
Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali-- to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah:
"Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles-- 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."
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."

  • Jesus had been baptized and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
  • He had fought off the devil.
  • He decided what His message was and had begun to preach it.

 CHOOSING FRIENDS
Matthew 4:18-22 (NIV)
As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.
"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."
At once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them,
and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

 

Luke 5:27-30 (NIV)
After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow me," Jesus said to him,
and Levi got up, left everything and followed him.
Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"  

CHOOSING FRIENDS
  • Jesus went through a time of preparation before going out to choose friends.
  • Jesus chose friends who were searching for God.
  • He chose friends with whom He had much in common.
  • Not all of the friends He chose looked like “church people”.
 
Mark 3:13-14 (NIV)
Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him.
He appointed twelve--designating them apostles--that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach
 
FRIENDSHIPS WITH PURPOSE
  • We all have friends
    • an inner circle
    • an outer circle
    • people who knew who we are and vice versa
  • We can go to dinners, weddings, worship services and holiday gatherings
  • We can find people there who we enjoy being with and who are searching for God.
 
WHAT THEN SHALL WE DO?
  • Who would you say are your close friends? Where do they fit into God’s calling on your life?
  • Study the way Jesus interacted with people relationally.
  • Go out and find a new friend
    • Be sure you’re empowered by the Spirit and know your message
    • Find someone with whom you have a lot in common
    • Find someone who is searching for God
 

  PowerPoint slides of this message.

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