Sermon Theme:
Learning to Follow Jesus
Attribute 1: Learn to be with Jesus
Step 2: Learn to recognize his fruit
Bible Verse: : “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28
Last week we talked about that Jesus said in John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;” In other words, if you stay close to God, you will bear much fruit that looks like God. You cannot bear godly fruit on your own. If you go to an apple tree, what do you expect? If you go to a grape vine, what do you expect? The same applies to God. If you stay connected to God, what can you expect?
Well the fruits that we will be talking about today is in Galatians 5:22-23. Many of you are familiar with this because we did a whole series on this so maybe this is a good review for you if forgot it or maybe this is new to you today.
So what are the fruit of the spirit that God is talking about? Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-Control.
What does these fruits look like?
Love – Loving people without expecting anything back. Unconditionally. You don’t love them because they did something for you.
Joy – Be joyful in all circumstances even when things are going bad but you know that God is still good
Peace – Having peace and not worry. Knowing God is in control. You do what you can in your own power and let God do the rest.
Patience – Being patient in everything.
Kindness – Friendly, regardless of how people treat you or even doing random act of kindness to people that you don’t know because you know they are God’s people.
Goodness – Being generous and kind to people
Faithfulness – Being faithful in everything. You are being trustworthy to your friends and not quitting on people.
Gentleness – Being gentle with your friends, maybe accepting for who they are even though they are a bit weird.
Self Control – Being able to control yourself to say certain things or certain people. Control yourself from not pleasing God. Being discipline
Let’s go back to my story how my mom cuts me fruit each night…I was wondering why she is doing that for me? Because she loves me and she wants the best for my health. In the same way, our heavenly father wants us to bear fruits because he wants the best for us. He loves us so much that we wants these fruits in our lives so that we can live a life. Stay connect with him so we can bear these fruits. Read the bible and spend time with him in prayer and through reading.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
11-7-10: Learning to Follow Jesus: Attribute 1.1 - Learn to remain in him
Sermon Theme:
Learning to Follow Jesus
Attribute 1: Learn to be with Jesus
Step 1: Learn to remain in Him
Bible Verse: : “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28
Bible Story
In our bible lesson today, Jesus told his disciples a story to teach them the importance of staying connected to him. Of course Jesus didn’t use a lamp to tell his story, because electricity hadn’t even been invented yet. Instead, Jesus used an example that his disciples would understand. He used the example of a vine. Vine is a plant with a lot of branches growing out from it. (picture) The branches have fruit on them. If it is a grapevine, the branches should have grapes on them.
Have you ever seen a branch that has been broken off a tree or a vice? What happens to it? That’s right, it withers up and dies. Can it ever have any fruit on it again? No it isn’t any good for anything except fire wood. And that’s what he said in verse 6, “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (pictures)
Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the braches. If you remain in me, you will have much fruit, but apart from me, you can do nothing.” Jesus wants us to produce a lot of fruit. We will talk about those fruit next week. Most of all, he wants us to love others as he has loved us.
Can we do that on our own? No way. Just as the lamp must be plugged in before its light can shine, and just as the branches must be connected to the vine before they can produce fruit, you and I must stay connected to Jesus to produce the good fruit that God expects of us.
The good news in verse 7: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.” – John 15:7
Verse 8 -10: When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.
Learning to Follow Jesus
Attribute 1: Learn to be with Jesus
Step 1: Learn to remain in Him
Bible Verse: : “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” –Matthew 11:28
Bible Story
In our bible lesson today, Jesus told his disciples a story to teach them the importance of staying connected to him. Of course Jesus didn’t use a lamp to tell his story, because electricity hadn’t even been invented yet. Instead, Jesus used an example that his disciples would understand. He used the example of a vine. Vine is a plant with a lot of branches growing out from it. (picture) The branches have fruit on them. If it is a grapevine, the branches should have grapes on them.
Have you ever seen a branch that has been broken off a tree or a vice? What happens to it? That’s right, it withers up and dies. Can it ever have any fruit on it again? No it isn’t any good for anything except fire wood. And that’s what he said in verse 6, “If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (pictures)
Jesus said, “I am the vine and you are the braches. If you remain in me, you will have much fruit, but apart from me, you can do nothing.” Jesus wants us to produce a lot of fruit. We will talk about those fruit next week. Most of all, he wants us to love others as he has loved us.
Can we do that on our own? No way. Just as the lamp must be plugged in before its light can shine, and just as the branches must be connected to the vine before they can produce fruit, you and I must stay connected to Jesus to produce the good fruit that God expects of us.
The good news in verse 7: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given to you.” – John 15:7
Verse 8 -10: When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.
10-31-10: Lesson 13 - Stay on course with God
Sermon Theme: Stay on course with God
Speaker: Pastor Susan Kim & Pastor Alan Wu
Bible Verse: I know the plans I have for you…plans to give you a future and a hope. -Jeremiah 29:11
Bible Story:
The word righteous means to behave morally, honoring God with the way we live.
In this coming Sunday's lesson we see Abraham's actions revealed his desire to lead a life that would please God. God's promises were to Abraham, but he shared his blessings with Lot. Instead of arguing, Abram found a solution. Abraham was not greedy, he graciously let his nephew, Lot, choose the land to inhabit. Abraham was thankful and honored God by building an Altar. He stayed on curse with God. As you read Genesis 13~19, you will find the differences between Lot and Abraham's priority of their lives. Even the purpose, and the motivation of inviting angels were different. Well, Lot got saved at the end, but that's because of Abraham.We can see Lot's hesitation between faith for God and the temptation of the world. He was once man of God, but he has gotten off the course. He missed out on everything that God has for him.
1. Training is part of the course – Weight training. I used to work out and I started out little by little. I didn’t start lifting big weights because I simply can’t. So there’s something call Benching. And that’s where all the muscular guys work out their chest. So I used to go and started out with 2 – 20s and the bar was 45 so that’s about 85lbs and I was about 160lbs at that time….and then I lift each week and I added 5 more on each side so I went from 85 to 95 to 105 to 115 and the max I ever did was 225lbs. I was pretty strong but that was because I kept working out. But in the same way God trains us little by little. By living right everyday. Maybe its not lying or cheating or stealing…he moves you to 20 lbs and then to honor your parents and he adds another 10lbs he teaches you how to stop peer pressure.
2. Obstacles are part of the course – running hurdles is like going over the obstacles in our lives. Obstacles are not there so that we can give up. Obstacles are there so that we can climb over it. If your course came without obstacles, you wouldn’t really need God. Ask God to help you overcome the obstacles
3. Finishing is part of the course – In Hebrews 12 it says “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Jesus came down from Heaven to earth cross the starting line and cross the finish line in order to help us start and finish the course God has for us. This is how you cross the finish line. You go through all the training God has for you. You do exactly what the bible tell you to do. Ask God for help when you face an obstacle. If you do all these things and complete the course God has for you, you will cross the finish line and meet God face to face. God will say “Well done my good and faithful servant” If you get off the course and live for yourself, God will say to you “Depart from me I don’t know you” finishing is part of the course. You have to decide which finish line you will cross. Is it the one God place at the end for you or the one you have place for yourself?
Speaker: Pastor Susan Kim & Pastor Alan Wu
Bible Verse: I know the plans I have for you…plans to give you a future and a hope. -Jeremiah 29:11
Bible Story:
The word righteous means to behave morally, honoring God with the way we live.
In this coming Sunday's lesson we see Abraham's actions revealed his desire to lead a life that would please God. God's promises were to Abraham, but he shared his blessings with Lot. Instead of arguing, Abram found a solution. Abraham was not greedy, he graciously let his nephew, Lot, choose the land to inhabit. Abraham was thankful and honored God by building an Altar. He stayed on curse with God. As you read Genesis 13~19, you will find the differences between Lot and Abraham's priority of their lives. Even the purpose, and the motivation of inviting angels were different. Well, Lot got saved at the end, but that's because of Abraham.We can see Lot's hesitation between faith for God and the temptation of the world. He was once man of God, but he has gotten off the course. He missed out on everything that God has for him.
1. Training is part of the course – Weight training. I used to work out and I started out little by little. I didn’t start lifting big weights because I simply can’t. So there’s something call Benching. And that’s where all the muscular guys work out their chest. So I used to go and started out with 2 – 20s and the bar was 45 so that’s about 85lbs and I was about 160lbs at that time….and then I lift each week and I added 5 more on each side so I went from 85 to 95 to 105 to 115 and the max I ever did was 225lbs. I was pretty strong but that was because I kept working out. But in the same way God trains us little by little. By living right everyday. Maybe its not lying or cheating or stealing…he moves you to 20 lbs and then to honor your parents and he adds another 10lbs he teaches you how to stop peer pressure.
2. Obstacles are part of the course – running hurdles is like going over the obstacles in our lives. Obstacles are not there so that we can give up. Obstacles are there so that we can climb over it. If your course came without obstacles, you wouldn’t really need God. Ask God to help you overcome the obstacles
3. Finishing is part of the course – In Hebrews 12 it says “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Jesus came down from Heaven to earth cross the starting line and cross the finish line in order to help us start and finish the course God has for us. This is how you cross the finish line. You go through all the training God has for you. You do exactly what the bible tell you to do. Ask God for help when you face an obstacle. If you do all these things and complete the course God has for you, you will cross the finish line and meet God face to face. God will say “Well done my good and faithful servant” If you get off the course and live for yourself, God will say to you “Depart from me I don’t know you” finishing is part of the course. You have to decide which finish line you will cross. Is it the one God place at the end for you or the one you have place for yourself?
10-24-10: Lesson 12 - You should want what God has for you more than anything else
Sermon Theme: You should want what God has for you more than anything else
Bible Verse: “Seek first the kingdom of God” –Matthew 6:33
Bible Story:
We all think we know what’s best. We think we know what will make us happy and keep us satisfied. Most of the time, we are completely wrong. There was a man in the Bible who thought he knew what was best for himself. He thought he knew what would satisfy him.
His name was King Solomon.
King Solomon spent his whole life searching for things that would satisfy him. God told King Solomon not to marry women who worshiped other gods but he disobeyed God. He wanted to find out if there was anything that he could get, or feel or accomplished that would make him feel satisfied. He built really big houses with gardens, vineyards, and pools. After all that building and hard work, He said this at the end of his life.
“Meaningless, meaningless, Everything is MEANINGLESS”
It was meaningless for him. He had everything. Big houses did not satisfy him. He had thousands of servants. He had singers who sang for him. He had the best amazing selection of foods on his table everyday. He even found the most beautiful women he could find and he married them. He had 700 wives.
He had a whole lot of Gold and silver and precious things. He had the nicest clothes and most expensive jewelry in his treasury. This made him really famous. People from all over the world brought him expensive gifts. With all these things, the houses, the women, the gold, the servants, the gifts he said all these things were meaningless. He was mad on the inside because he tried to find happiness in things but nothing satisfied him. Solomon finally came to this conclusion:
The whole purpose of man is to fear God and obey his commands. – Ecc 12:13
He realized at the end of his life that only God can satisfy you. Maybe you’re not satisfied. Maybe you’ve tried different things that the world tells you to get, like nice clothes, video games and toys, but none of these things will satisfy you, but you first have to seek the kingdom of God. You have to want what God has for you more than anything
1. What you want is never enough
We try to fill ourselves with friends, money, music
2. What the devil wants is to destroy you
Devil wants to substitute things that destroys our life.
3. What God wants will last forever
Bible Verse: “Seek first the kingdom of God” –Matthew 6:33
Bible Story:
We all think we know what’s best. We think we know what will make us happy and keep us satisfied. Most of the time, we are completely wrong. There was a man in the Bible who thought he knew what was best for himself. He thought he knew what would satisfy him.
His name was King Solomon.
King Solomon spent his whole life searching for things that would satisfy him. God told King Solomon not to marry women who worshiped other gods but he disobeyed God. He wanted to find out if there was anything that he could get, or feel or accomplished that would make him feel satisfied. He built really big houses with gardens, vineyards, and pools. After all that building and hard work, He said this at the end of his life.
“Meaningless, meaningless, Everything is MEANINGLESS”
It was meaningless for him. He had everything. Big houses did not satisfy him. He had thousands of servants. He had singers who sang for him. He had the best amazing selection of foods on his table everyday. He even found the most beautiful women he could find and he married them. He had 700 wives.
He had a whole lot of Gold and silver and precious things. He had the nicest clothes and most expensive jewelry in his treasury. This made him really famous. People from all over the world brought him expensive gifts. With all these things, the houses, the women, the gold, the servants, the gifts he said all these things were meaningless. He was mad on the inside because he tried to find happiness in things but nothing satisfied him. Solomon finally came to this conclusion:
The whole purpose of man is to fear God and obey his commands. – Ecc 12:13
He realized at the end of his life that only God can satisfy you. Maybe you’re not satisfied. Maybe you’ve tried different things that the world tells you to get, like nice clothes, video games and toys, but none of these things will satisfy you, but you first have to seek the kingdom of God. You have to want what God has for you more than anything
1. What you want is never enough
We try to fill ourselves with friends, money, music
2. What the devil wants is to destroy you
Devil wants to substitute things that destroys our life.
3. What God wants will last forever
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