"John 1:43-51"

These are my notes from the sermon by Jason Zastrow this a.m.

Ansel Adams transformed the west into pictures/paintings we have all seen
When we encounter Jesus, He transforms everything.
Things we like we tell others about i.e. iPhone. Do we tell others about Jesus?

Jesus says "Follow Me" He doesn't say follow a movement or a person
In Gary, Indiana is a beautiful church,City of Methodist Church, which is deteriorating. There are no people in that church. We need to learn from this lesson of this church. It's not about the church,the people,the pastor...we need to follow God.

1. Encountering Jesus stirs us to mission. (v43-45)
Philip knew Jesus scripturally as much as personally
Luke 24:24,44
We need to know Jesus as He reveals himself

2. Encountering Jesus allows us to see He is utterly God (46-49)
Where might Jesus be found? In the places we bigot against?
We can become afraid of reaching out to those we don't know.
Nathaniel finds himself with a bigoted heart.
FS Bruce..Honest inquiry is a sovereign cure for prejudice
Be open
Jesus takes things that are bad and reshapes them
Jesus looks into Nathaniel's heart. He knows him
Romans 5
Jesus from Nazareth...a lowly city..he associated himself with this city
In our muck Jesus comes to us.
"While we were still sinners..."
The "otherness" of Jesus
He crossed an alien distance to get to us.

3. Encountering Jesus gives us a new vision of reality(50-51)
Genesis 28:10
Jacob's ladder
Bethel..house of God
Through Jesus heaven and earth meet and have relationship

Questions

1. If your worship doesn't lead you to mission:

Am I really worshipping Jesus as he has revealed himself or am I worshipping a Jesus in my own image?

Are you reaching out and being with others in your city just as Jesus the "true other" came to you?

Do you know Jesus of the Bible? Does He transorm your reality?

"John 1:35-42"

These are my notes from last Sunday's sermon at Apex

John 1:35-42

Transition from John the Baptist to Jesus
In a project by Jim Collins he studied what makes good great.
He looked at leaders and what is it about leaders that make them great

1. Ambition. deep in their bones
2. Humility.

What are basic attributes of being a disciple?

A disciple beholds (v35-36)
look..oberving..sensory perciption
behold...look of affection..pondering of a relationship

2. A disciple responds. (v37)
Love your neighbor. Encourage one another. Keeping each other accountable.
It's not just the big things ie being called to other countries as a missionary
"Perfect obedience would be perfect happiness if we had perfect confidence in the power we are obeying."

Part of the armour we put on is on our feet. Our feet are in readiness
God is the initiator and we are the responder.

3. A disciple abides (v38-39)
We hang out continually with Jesus
Do the unbelievers in our life recognize we are spending time with Jesus?

sinkholes..our interior lives look like this when we aren't spending time with God
We are sitting on a fragile base..it can collapse and open up and devastate us.
Not abiding=segmenting from the vine

What are you seeking? What Jesus are you and I seeking today?
Do you see him as only a pothole filler. He fills in our problem spots and then we take over?

4. A disciple speaks (v 40-41)
You can't expand the gospel without speaking and sharing

5. A disciple brings. (42a)
Bring people into our experience with Jesus. It's about making disciples.

6. A disciple is transformed. (v42b)
Names are our identity and mission.
We will all get a new name.

"John 1: 24-34"

These are my notes from the sermon at Apex 2/6

Why is John baptizing such a radical act?
Jews knew baptism
John is continually baptizing..not just a certain time
He was baptizing Jews as well as Gentiles..Gentiles who wanted to be part of the Jewish faith baptized themselves
Apex believes in Believer's baptism. It's done after you have professed your faith.
Living in a "religious" home doesn't "save" you
Jesus is life. Anything else is death

John's baptism:

1. Was an obedient action (v24-27,31-34)
As Christians we are ambassadors and our authority is God in case you are asked "Who do you think you are?"

What is your motivation in obeying Jesus?
I am nobody but I know a God who is better than both of us
Value of who He is and all his perfections
We obey what we are intoxicated with

2. Was a symbolic action (v 26,33b)
John's baptism is repentance before Jesus comes
Our baptism..we are identifying with Jesus' death and resurrection..die to our old self
We are baptized on the inside with the Holy Spirit.

3. A preparatory action (29-31)
to present the lamb of God to us
Many references in Revelation to the lamb
Jesus is the warrior lamb of God
Are you prepared and preparing for Jesus next arrival?
He is coming back to take us home
John the Baptist prepared the way for the first coming
We are to prepare for the second coming

Question: Am I living in an intentional life or continually being caught up in trivial issues?
Am I looking forward to seeing Jesus or more concerned with who or what I will leave behind
Am I pursuing obedience to Christ or letting my flesh control my life
Am I living in awareness of future judgment?
Every person will be judged
Am I living in awareness of future grace?