Transforming Stories Wk 8

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17
Nov '24

Transforming Stories Wk 8

Posted on Nov 17, 2024 by Jerry Ingalls in General, Sermon Notes, Transforming Stories of the Next Generation |

17
Nov '24
Transforming Stories of the Next Generation

A Family that Shines!

Acts 2:37-39

 

Last sermon, based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son, I concluded that the goal of every family and every church is to be a place where both the younger sons and older sons can hear the invitation of the Father to come home and find rest, secure in His loving embrace as members of His forever family. Such a homecoming was promised at the Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus’ resurrection and only 10 days after His ascension to the right hand of the Father. In Acts 2:37-39, we learn about how God is going to be bring this parable to real life, through the presence of the divine in His people:

 

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.”

 

We transform the stories of the next generation when churches and homes work together to see the Spirit of God transform a person’s life so that they shine like a star in heaven, taking on the divine characteristics of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). This is the practical demonstration of what it means to shine, to be like Jesus, to walk in His shoes, to be His disciple, to be transformed by the gospel of Jesus. As Peter said it in  2 Peter 1:3-4, partake of the divine nature. (Read up to verse 11 to see the training regimen.)
 
 
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 c]For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.
 
 
In Philippians 2, Paul told us it was taking on the mindset of Jesus Christ as our own and living like Him. Listen to Philippians 2:5-15, which culminates with the call to shine. Once again, we see the training regimen, the taking on of divine nature. This is imputed upon us, but we must make it visible with how we live.
 
 

5 Have this attitude a]in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be b]grasped, 7 but c]emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death d]on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will e]prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you f]appear as g]lights in the world,
 
 

This is an Old Testament image, as we see clearly in Daniel 12:3, “Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.” Referencing the brightness of the stars was familiar in the OT, as God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One example of this is found in Genesis 26:4-5, “I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes and My laws.” We shine to be a blessing, to fulfill the purpose for God choosing Abram in the first place – we are blessed to be a blessing. We are given the Holy Spirit, the divine nature, to shine the message of God like the angels, to illuminate the sky like stars, to pierce the darkness. This happens intentionally as we raise up the next generation to shine like the stars, together shining like a city on a hill.

 

Jesus carried this imagery into the New Covenant, saying in the Sermon on the Mount, in Matthew 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The city imagery brings together many households of faith… we are in this together as a community of believers.

 

Trust the promise of Pentecost! The Holy Spirit wants to partner with you in your home, in your church, wherever you may go and in whatever conversations you may have. We conclude with the invitation of Jesus from John 8:12, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” May your home and our church become like a lighthouse, shining the light of Jesus Christ into the world. May we be a safe place for people to hear the call to “Come Home and find shelter in the love of the Father, who is waiting for all His Children to return to Him in righteousness, by believing in Jesus, the Light of the lighthouse! We exist to shine His Light! It’s a promise for all His children, even those who are far off!
 
 
 

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