Eastside Baptist Church, Winfield, Alabama

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life Chapter 13 - Cameron Jungels - Wed, December 3, 2014

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life Chapter 13 - Cameron Jungels - Wed, December 3, 2014

“Served by the Master” (John 13:1–17)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday AM/November 30,
2014 
1.      
Jesus loves his people and demonstrates
it through sacrificial service.
a.     
In giving himself to death for his people at the
hour of his glorification.
b.     
In humbling himself to serve others, even though
he is the Master and Teacher.
c.      
In serving even those who would ultimately
betray him—his enemies. 
2.     
In order to be included in Jesus’ people,
we cannot cleanse ourselves, but must humbly be cleansed by Jesus.
a.     
Our self-righteous pride wants to have a part in
our own cleansing.
b.     
By grace, in humble dependence, we realize that
we cannot cleanse ourselves but must be cleansed by Jesus.
c.      
Once having been cleansed by the atoning
cross-work of Jesus (justification/regeneration, v. 8), we stand in need of
perpetual cleansing through confession (sanctification, v. 10; 1 John 1:9). 
3.     
As Jesus’ disciples, cleansed by him, we
should follow his example and love one another through sacrificial service.
a.     
Jesus set the pattern by humbling himself, even
though he is the high King of Heaven (Phil 2:5–11)
b.     
We are not greater than Jesus, so we also should
do what he did in humbly serving others in love. 
Main Idea: Love is demonstrated through
sacrificial service, and it is the path to ultimate glory.
·        
Jesus’ path to glory was through loving
sacrificial service (Phil 2:5–11).
·        
It is our path as well.

“Faith and Gratitude” (Luke 17:11–19)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday AM/November 23,
2014 
 Luke 17:11–19
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled
along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 
12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy
met him. They stood at a distance  13
and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on
us!"  14 When he saw
them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they
went, they were cleansed.  15
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud
voice.  16 He threw himself at
Jesus' feet and thanked him-- and he was a Samaritan.  17 Jesus asked, "Were not all
ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?  18
Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?"  19 Then he said to him, "Rise
and go; your faith has made you well." 
 1.      
Jesus is powerful and full of compassion, and
many are blessed by his kindness. 
a.     
Jesus’ ability to heal multitudes with the sound of his
voice demonstrates his divine power.
b.     
Jesus’ willingness to heal despised and unclean lepers
demonstrates his bountiful compassion. 
2.     
Receiving the blessings of Jesus' common grace is
not enough to make a person thankful (Physical blessings don’t change the spiritual
heart). a.     
We are prone to a sense of entitlement.
b.     
We focus more on the gift than the giver. 
3.     
Thankfulness is the natural response of faith in
a person whose heart has been healed by Jesus' saving grace. 
a.     
Inner faith expresses itself outwardly in response to
Christ:
                                                             
i.     
Repentance
                                                          
ii.     
Praise
                                                        
iii.     
Humility & Worship
                                                         
iv.     
Thanksgiving 
b.     
Such a faith is rare in our fallen world.
c.      
Faith such as this takes root in unexpected people. 
Main Idea: Thanksgiving should be our willing and
continual response to the saving grace of Christ.

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
by Donald Whitney 
Learning…for the purpose of godliness: Chapter 12 
Learning Characterizes the Wise
Ø  Learning
is following in the foot-steps of Jesus.
Ø  Learning
is a part of discipleship
Ø  Wisdom
is characterized by humility, teachableness, and a desire to grow in knowledge
and understanding.
Ø  Learning
is a lifelong discipline. 
Fulfilling the Great Commandment
Ø  The
greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind
and strength.
Ø  God
is glorified when we use the mind that he made to learn about Him.
Ø  Learning
is a discipline that is counter-cultural in our age. 
Essential for Increased Godliness
Ø  The
Christian life begins with learning—the gospel.
Ø  Christians
are a Word-founded people, a “people of the book.”
Ø  The
Christian life begins with knowledge, and it must continue in progress toward
godliness with growth in knowledge (applied). 
By Discipline, Not by Accident
Ø  Not
much learning is gained by accident or in the normal course of life.
Ø  Growth
in godliness requires discipline; learning requires purposeful discipline.
Ø  We
must be intentional and systematic about learning. 
Learning by Various Means
Ø  Audio
Books
Ø  Video/Audio
Sermons
Ø  Internet/TV/RadioØ  Bible
Study Software
Ø  Classes/Small
Groups
Ø  Purposeful
Conversation
Ø  Reading 
Obstacles to Reading
Ø  Our
Entertainment Culture
Ø  Technology
and Media
Ø  Lack
of Time
Ø  Lack
of Ability
Ø  Lack
of Interest
Ø  Tiredness/FatigueØ  Too
Many Choices (Bad Choices)

“The Lord Seals and Protects His People” (Revelation
7:1–17)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sun AM/November 16,
2014 
Revelation 7:1–17 (NIV)
7 After this I
saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the
four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the
sea or on any tree. 2 Then I saw another angel coming up from
the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to
the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: 3 “Do
not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads
of the servants of our God.” 4 Then I heard the number of those
who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.
5 From
the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,
from the tribe
of Reuben 12,000,
from the tribe
of Gad 12,000,
6 from
the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe
of Naphtali 12,000,
from the tribe
of Manasseh 12,000,
7 from
the tribe of Simeon 12,000,
from the tribe
of Levi 12,000,
from the tribe
of Issachar 12,000,
8 from
the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,
from the tribe
of Joseph 12,000,
from the tribe
of Benjamin 12,000.  
9 After this I
looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from
every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before
the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their
hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs
to our God,
who sits on the
throne,
and to the
Lamb.”
11 All the angels
were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living
creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying:
“Amen!
Praise and
glory
and wisdom and
thanks and honor
and power and
strength
be to our God
for ever and ever.
Amen!”
13 Then
one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did
they come from?”
14 I answered,
“Sir, you know.”
And he said, “These are they who
have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made
them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore, “they are before
the throne of God
and serve him
day and night in his temple;
and he who sits
on the throne
will shelter
them with his presence.
16 ‘Never
again will they hunger;
never again will
they thirst.
The sun will
not beat down on them,’
nor any
scorching heat.
17 For
the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their
shepherd;
‘he will lead
them to springs of living water.’ 
‘And God will
wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”  
1.      
Jesus seals his people for protection in
preparation for spiritual warfare (7:1–8, cf. 14:1–5) 
The 144,000: what are the interpretive
options and what conclusion should we take?
a.    
Literal
b.    
Semi-literal
c.     
Figurative/Typological Interpretation 
2.     
Jesus will infallibly bring his redeemed
people to their eternal rest, even if through martyrdom (7:8–17). 
Main Idea: God’s
people will face persecution for the name of Christ in an unbelieving world, but
take heart we have been sealed and protected by God and he will bring us safely
to our eternal home.

“Why Don’t People Believe?” (John 12:35–50)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday AM/November 16, 2014 
John 12:35–50 (NIV)
35 Then Jesus told
them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while
you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark
does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light
while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he
had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
37 Even after
Jesus had performed so many signs in their presence, they still would not
believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the
prophet: “Lord, who has
believed our message and to whom has
the arm of the Lord been revealed?”  39 For
this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: 40 “He
has blinded their eyes and hardened
their hearts, so they can
neither see with their eyes, nor understand
with their hearts, nor turn—and I
would heal them.” 
41 Isaiah said this
because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.
42 Yet at the same
time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees
they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of
the synagogue; 43 for they loved human praise more than praise
from God.
44 Then Jesus
cried out, “Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one
who sent me. 45 The one who looks at me is seeing the one who
sent me. 46 I have come into the world as a light, so that no
one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
47 “If anyone
hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did
not come to judge the world, but to save the world. 48 There is
a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words
I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. 49 For I did
not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I
have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life.
So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.”  
1.      
The response of unbelief to the words and
works of Jesus is complex and defies simple explanation. 
a.    
Unbelief is the natural response of those
in darkness. 
                                                             
i.     
Sin has affected us all, and so we all stand in
need of new birth and the drawing power of God (John 3:3–5; John 6:37, 44). 
3 Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no
one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”  4 "How can someone be born
when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a
second time into their mother's womb to be born!"  5 Jesus answered, "Very truly
I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water
and the Spirit.  (John 3:3-5, NIV) 
37 All those the Father gives me will come to me,
and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:37, NIV) 44
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I
will raise them up at the last day. (John 6:44, NIV)  
                                                          
ii.     
Because Satan has blinded unbelievers’ eyes (2
Cor 4:4). 
4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of
unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the
glory of Christ, who is the image of God. (2 Co. 4:4, NIV) 
                                                        
iii.     
Because of their love for their own pleasure. 
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the
world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were
evil.  20 Everyone who does
evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their
deeds will be exposed.  21
But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen
plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. (John 3:19-21,
NIV) 
                                                         
iv.     
Because of their love for the praise of men –
the praise of man kept many from believing, kept some who believed in silence,
and bound others up in false/superficial belief. 
42 Yet at the same time many even among the
leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly
acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;  43 for they loved human praise
more than praise from God.  (John
12:42-43, NIV) 
b.    
Unbelief does not contradict the purpose
of God; rather, it fulfills it. 
                                                             
i.     
The unbelieving response of the Jews to Jesus
was in keeping with their long history of rejecting God and his prophets. The
rejection of the Jews in Jesus’ day was another historical manifestation of
their abiding stubbornness as a people. 
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was
coming into the world.  10 He
was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not
recognize him.  11 He came to
that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  (John 1:9-11, NIV) 
                                                          
ii.     
The unbelieving response of the Jews to Jesus, though
predicted by the prophets and purposed by God, was fully in keeping with the
willing rejection of the people, for which they will be held accountable. (In
other words, God’s hardening of them did not occur apart from their own desires
to love themselves and reject God). 
                                                        
iii.     
The unbelieving response of the Jews to Jesus
was a temporal judgment of God on them for their past sins and unbelief. They
had perpetually rejected God’s prophets, and so now God hardens them in that
response in order to bring judgment on them.  
                                                         
iv.     
God’s judicial hardening is often partial and
temporary – in other words, God’s sovereignty in the human heart holds out hope
that the God who hardens is also the God who can soften. This is why we pray
and why the prophet Isaiah pleaded with God to show compassion on a hardened
people (Is 63:15–19). 
                                                           
v.     
The unbelieving response of the Jews to Jesus
was a part of God’s impeccable and inscrutable wisdom to bring salvation to the
Gentiles. God purposed the rejection of Israel, so that the gospel might go to
all the nations. 
24 Some were convinced by what he said, but
others would not believe.  25
They disagreed among themselves and began to leave after Paul had made this
final statement: "The Holy Spirit spoke the truth to your ancestors when
he said through Isaiah the prophet:  26
"'Go to this people and say, "You will be ever hearing but never
understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving."  27 For this people's heart has
become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their
eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'  28 "Therefore I want you to
know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will
listen!" (Acts 28:24-28, NIV) 
7 What the people of Israel sought so earnestly
they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened, 8
as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not
see and ears that could not hear, to this very day." (Romans 11:7-8, NIV) 11
Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all!
Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to
make Israel envious. (Romans 11:11, NIV) 
                                                         
vi.     
In a dramatic reversal, God will then use
believing Gentiles to bring the Jewish people to repentance and they too will
be saved through faith in the Messiah. 
12 But if their transgression means riches for
the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater
riches will their full inclusion bring! (Romans 11:12, NIV) 
25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this
mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has
experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come
in,  26 and in this way all
Israel will be saved. As it is written: "The deliverer will come from
Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 
(Romans 11:25-26, NIV) 
33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and
knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing
out!  34 "Who has known
the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?"  35 "Who has ever given to
God, that God should repay them?"  36
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory
forever! Amen.   (Romans 11:33-36, NIV) 
2.     
Jesus is the perfect and ultimate
revelation of God; He is the only way, to reject him is to bring condemnation
on yourself. 
a.    
Jesus is the exact manifestation of the
glory of God (v. 41) 
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and
exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple.  2 Above him were seraphim, each
with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered
their feet, and with two they were flying. 
3 And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy,
holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."  4 At the sound of their voices the
doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.  5 "Woe to me!" I cried.
"I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of
unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." (Isa.
6:1-5, NIV) 
3 The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the
exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.
After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of
the Majesty in heaven. (Heb. 1:3, NIV) 
b.    
Jesus’ testimony and works are in perfect
harmony with the Father’s words and works. 
c.     
Jesus is the only way – to believe in
Jesus is to believe in God. 
d.    
Jesus’ words bring eternal life – to
reject them is to bring your own judgment upon yourself. 
Unbelief is deceptive and destructive. Do not harden
your own heart. Repent and believe the gospel of Jesus, or else these words
that I have spoken to you today from God’s Word will condemn you on the last
day.  
7 So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if
you hear his voice, 8 do not harden your hearts as you did in the
rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, (Heb. 3:7-8, NIV) 
This message will either quicken you or it will deaden
you. The gospel of Jesus Christ is never neutral.  
Main Idea: Unbelief
fulfills the purposes of God in salvation history; but everyone who rejects
Jesus and his words will be condemned on the last day.

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
by Donald Whitney 
Journaling…for the purpose of godliness: Chapter
11 
Journaling Explained
Ø  A
journal is a place in which a person records information important to him or
her personally for preservation or consideration.
Ø  A
Christian journal is a place to document the works and ways of God in your
life. 
Is Journaling Expected?
Ø  Journaling
does not carry the same expectation in Scripture that many of the other
disciplines do.
Ø  However,
there is biblical precedent for journaling by faithful followers of God, as
well as by many in church history. 
Value of Journaling
Ø  Help
in self-understanding and evaluation
Ø  Help
in meditation
Ø  Help
in expressing thoughts and feelings to the Lord
Ø  Help
in remembering the Lord’s works
Ø  Help
in creating and preserving a spiritual heritageØ  Help
in clarifying and articulating insights
Ø  Help
in monitoring goals and priorities
Ø  Help
in maintaining the other spiritual disciplines 
Ways of Journaling
Ø  Whatever
works best for you
Ø  Whatever
is most helpful in your pursuit of godliness
Ø  Frequency,
method, occasions, type of content, and length can all vary 
More ApplicationAs with all the disciplines…
Ø  Journaling
can be fruitful at any level of involvement.
Ø  Journaling
requires persistence through the dry times.
Ø  You
must start journaling before you can experience its value.

“Christ, the Lord of History” (Revelation
6:1–17)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday
PM/November 9, 2014 
Revelation 6:1–17 (NIV)
6 I watched as
the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four
living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” 2 I
looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was
given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
3 When the Lamb
opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” 4 Then
another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take
peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a
large sword.
5 When the Lamb
opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked,
and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales
in his hand. 6 Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the
four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six
pounds of barley for a day’s wages,  and do not damage the oil and the
wine!”
7 When the Lamb
opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say,
“Come!” 8 I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its
rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were
given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and
by the wild beasts of the earth.
9 When he opened
the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain
because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They
called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you
judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then
each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little
longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and
sisters, were killed just as they had been.
12 I watched as he
opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like
sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, 13 and
the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by
a strong wind. 14 The heavens receded like a scroll being
rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.
15 Then the kings
of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and everyone
else, both slave and free, hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. 16 They
called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of
him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For
the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?”  
1.      
Christ, the Lord of History, controls all
events, including the limits, timing, and unfolding of evil and its
aftereffects in the world (vv. 1–8).
a.     The
first horse and its rider: white horse: conquest 
b.     The
second horse and its rider: red horse: warfare/violence 
c.      The
third horse and its rider: black: famine 
d.    
The fourth horse and its rider: pale: death and
Hades 
2.     
Christ, the Lord of History, cares for his
suffering saints and will vindicate them with justice in his time (vv. 9–11). 
3.     
Christ, the Lord of History, will bring the
world to its appointed climax and will come to judge in holy wrath (vv. 12–17). 
Main Idea:
The Risen Christ is the Lord of History. Nothing happens in the
world or to his saints apart from his control. He cares for his saints and will
vindicate them when he comes to judge the world in holy wrath.

“Walk in the Light while It Is Still Shining” (John
12:35–36)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday AM/November 9,
2014 
35 Then Jesus told them, "You are going
to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light,
before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where
they are going.  36 Believe in
the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of
light." When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from
them.  (John 12:35-36, NIV) 
1.      
Opportunity: You will only have
the light for a limited time. 
4 In him was life, and that life was the light
of all mankind.  5 The light
shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  6 There was a man sent from God
whose name was John.  7 He
came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all
might believe.  8 He himself
was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.  9 The true light that gives light
to everyone was coming into the world. 
(John 1:4-9, NIV) 
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he
said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in
darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12, NIV) 
5 While I am in the world, I am the light of
the world." (John 9:5, NIV) 
9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve
hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they
see by this world's light.  10
It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no
light." (John 11:9-10, NIV) 
46 I have come into the world as a light, so
that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46, NIV) 
a.    
Judgment is coming. 
31 Now is the time for judgment on this world;
now the prince of this world will be driven out.  32 And I, when I am lifted up from
the earth, will draw all people to myself."  (John 12:31-32, NIV) 
47 "If anyone hears my words but does not
keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world,
but to save the world.  48
There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the
very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.  (John 12:47-48, NIV) 
b.     
Our hearts are hard.  
37 Even after Jesus had performed so many
signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.  38 This was to fulfill the word of
Isaiah the prophet: "Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has
the arm of the Lord been revealed?" 
39 For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah
says elsewhere:  40 "He
has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, so they can neither see with
their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn-- and I would heal
them."  (John 12:37-40, NIV) 
2.     
Exhortation: Walk In/Believe in
the light while it is still available. 
3.      
Warning: If you reject the light while
it is available, darkness will overpower/overtake you, and you will not know
where you are going.  
4.     
Promise: If you walk in/believe in the
light you will become sons of light.  
Main Idea: The light of the gospel of
Christ is shining for a limited time, walk in the light now, so that you might
live in the light for all eternity and not the unending darkness of Hell.

Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life
by Donald Whitney 
Silence & Solitude…for the purpose of godliness: Chapter
10 
Silence & Solitude Explained
Ø  Silence:
the voluntary and temporary abstention from speaking so that certain spiritual
goals might be sought.
Ø  Solitude:
the voluntary and temporary withdrawal to privacy for spiritual purposes. 
3 Principles
Ø  Think
of silence and solitude as the counter-balance to the discipline of mutual
fellowship.
Ø  Silence
and solitude are often practiced together.
Ø  Our
culture conditions us to be comfortable with noise and crowds. 
Reasons for Silence & Solitude
Ø  To
Follow Jesus’ Example
Ø  To
Minimize Distractions in Prayer
Ø  To
Express Worship to God
Ø  To
Express Faith in God
Ø  To
Seek Salvation/Deliverance of the Lord
Ø  To
Be Physically and Spiritually Restored
Ø  To
Regain a Spiritual Perspective
Ø  To
Seek the Will of God
Ø  To
Learn Control of the Tongue
Ø  Silence
& Solitude help connect us to the other disciplines. 
Suggestions for Silence & Solitude
Ø  “Minute
Retreats”
Ø  A
Goal of Daily Silence & Solitude
Ø  Getting
Away
Ø  Special
Places
Ø  Trading
Off Daily Responsibilities

“Worthy Is the Lamb” (Revelation 5:1–14)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside
Baptist Church/Sunday PM/November 2, 2014
 
Revelation 5:1–14 (NIV)
5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the
throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And
I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the
seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth
or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I
wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or
look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep!
See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is
able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a
Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne,
encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns
and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits  of God sent out into all the
earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him
who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four
living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one
had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the
prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to
take the scroll
and to open its
seals,
because you
were slain,
and with your
blood you purchased for God
persons from
every tribe and language and people and nation.
10 You
have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will
reign on the earth.”
11 Then
I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon
thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and
the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they
were saying:
“Worthy is the
Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power
and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and
glory and praise!”
13 Then
I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the
sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on
the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and
honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”
14 The four living
creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.
 
1.      
The Sacred, Sealed Scroll (vv. 1–4)
 
2.     
The Slain Lamb and Victorious Lion Who Is
Worthy (vv. 5–7)
 
8 "Judah, your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father's sons will bow down
to you.  9 You are a lion's
cub, Judah; you return from the prey, my son. Like a lion he crouches and lies
down, like a lioness-- who dares to rouse him? 
10 The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's
staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the
obedience of the nations shall be his. (Genesis 49:8-10, NIV)
 
5 "The days are coming," declares
the LORD, "when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who
will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.  6 In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called:
The LORD Our Righteous Savior.  (Jer.
23:5-6, NIV)
 
A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his
roots a Branch will bear fruit.  2
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him-- the Spirit of wisdom and of
understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge
and fear of the LORD--  3 and
he will delight in the fear of the LORD. (Isa. 11:1-3, NIV) In that day the
Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to
him, and his resting place will be glorious. (Isa. 11:10, NIV)
 
9 "As I looked, "thrones were set in
place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as
snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with
fire, and its wheels were all ablaze.  10
A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon
thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The
court was seated, and the books were opened. 
11 "Then I continued to watch because of the boastful
words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its
body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire.  12 (The other beasts had been
stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of
time.)  13 "In my vision
at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with
the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his
presence.  14 He was given
authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language
worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away,
and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.  (Dan. 7:9-14, NIV)
 
3.     
Universal Praise and Honor to God and to
the Lamb (vv. 8­–10)
 
Main Idea: Jesus of Nazareth, the
descendant of King David, is worthy of the praise of heaven and earth, because
he gave his life to redeem God’s people and then rose victoriously to reign
over all creation.
 
2 This is how we know that we love the
children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands.  3 In fact, this is love for God:
to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,  4 for everyone born of God
overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our
faith.  5 Who is it that
overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of
God.  (1 John 5:2-5, NIV)
 
35 Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or
danger or sword?  36 As it is
written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as
sheep to be slaughtered."  37
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved
us.  38 For I am convinced
that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor
the future, nor any powers,  39
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to
separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.  (Romans 8:35-39, NIV)

“Glory through
Shame; Victory through Death” (John 12:20–36)
Cameron
Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday AM/November 2, 2014 
John 12:20–36 (NIV)
20 Now there were
some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they
said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell
Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied,
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very
truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it
remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone
who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this
world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must
follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the
one who serves me. 27 “Now my soul is
troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was
for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify
your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I
have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd
that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had
spoken to him. 30 Jesus said,
“This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time
for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And
I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He
said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 34 The crowd spoke
up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how
can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” 35 Then Jesus told
them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while
you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark
does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light
while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he
had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. "After this period of sixty-two sets of seven, the
Anointed One will be killed, appearing to have accomplished nothing, (Dan.
9:26, NLT) 
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man
of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their
faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. (Isa. 53:3, NIV) 
7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the
very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.  8 And being found in appearance as
a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-- even death on a
cross!  (Philippians 2:7-8, NIV) 
15 And I will put enmity between you and the
woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you
will strike his heel." (Genesis 3:15, NIV) 
The path of Jesus’ glory was through shame, and the path
of Jesus’ victory was through death.9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name, 
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven
and on earth and under the earth,  11
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the
Father.  (Philippians 2:9-11, NIV) 
11 For all those who
exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be
exalted." (Lk. 14:11, NIV) 
44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure
hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy
went and sold all he had and bought that field. (Matt. 13:44, NIV) 
For Jesus and his followers, the path to glory is through
shame, and the road to victory is through death.

“Worshiping the Holy Creator” (Revelation 4:1–11)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside
Baptist/Sunday PM/October 26, 2014 
Revelation 4:1–11 (NIV) 4 After
this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the
voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and
I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I
was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone
sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance
of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding
the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four
elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From
the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front
of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits  of
God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a
sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne,
were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in
back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second
was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying
eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and
was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they
never stop saying:  
“ ‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’ 
who was, and is, and is to come.”  9 Whenever the
living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and
who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall
down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and
ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You
are worthy, our Lord and God,
to receive glory
and honor and power,
for you created
all things,
and by your will
they were created
and have their
being.”  
1.      
The Indescribable, Invisible God 
2.     
The Majestically Enthroned God
a.     
The heavenly throne and its surroundings
b.     
The members of the heavenly court
                                                             
i.     
24 Elders
                                                           
ii.     
The Four Living Creatures 
3.     
The Holy, Worshiped God
a.     
God is worshiped because he is Holy.
b.     
God is worshiped because he is Powerful.
c.      
God is worshiped because he is Infinite and
Eternal.
d.     
God is worshiped because he is Creator.
e.     
God is worshiped because he is Sovereign.
f.       
God is worshiped because he is Sustainer. 
Main Idea: God, the indescribable, enthroned King of
Heaven is worthy of worship because He is the Holy, Almighty, Eternal,
Sovereign, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.

“Life through Death” (John 12:20–36)
Cameron Jungels/Eastside
Baptist/Sunday AM/October 26, 2014 
John 12:20–36 (NIV)
20 Now there were
some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they
said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell
Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied,
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very
truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it
remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone
who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this
world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must
follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the
one who serves me. 27 “Now my soul is
troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was
for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify
your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I
have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd
that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had
spoken to him. 30 Jesus said,
“This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time
for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And
I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He
said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 34 The crowd spoke
up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how
can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” 35 Then Jesus told
them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while
you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark
does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light
while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he
had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.  
1.      
Jesus gave his life to save the lives of
many others.
a.     
Jesus’ death was the fulfillment of God’s
redemptive purpose.
b.     
Jesus’ death brought glory to God and to
himself.
c.      
Jesus’ death was an essential step on the path
to glorification.
d.     
Jesus’ death was sacrificial and
substitutionary: it was given on behalf of many others to secure their lives.
e.     
Though Jesus’ death is unique, it also serves a
model of self-sacrifice for all of his disciples: the path to life is through
death. 
2.     
A disciple gives his life in the saving
of his own.
a.     
Jesus set the example of self-sacrifice: he gave
his life only to take it up again, and he did it on behalf of others to secure
their salvation.
b.     
The model is established then for Jesus’
followers: the path to resurrection and eternal life is through believing,
serving, self-sacrificing discipleship.
c.      
We do not earn our salvation. Jesus merits our
salvation through his substitutionary sacrifice in death.
d.     
Our dying to ourselves now in this life is an
expression of our God-given faith and our allegiance to the Lord who gave
himself for us and bought us and made us his own.
e.     
While we do not earn our salvation through our
merits or even through our self-sacrifice; be assured that there is no eternal
life for the one who does not give himself in discipleship to Jesus.
f.       
A disciple of Jesus follows him wherever that
path may lead, through comfort and sacrifice.
g.     
The one who in faith serves Christ, receives
life and honor. 
Main Idea: The path to Life is through Death. Jesus
meritoriously gave his life in death to earn eternal life for his people.
Jesus’ disciples give their lives in loving, thankful service to him in
demonstration of their faith on the way to eternal life.

Spiritual
Disciplines for the Christian Life
by
Donald Whitney 
Stewardship…for
the purpose of godliness: Chapter 8 
The
Discipline of Stewardship 
Stewardship
is the management of that which ultimately does not belong to us. It is a
disciplined, wise use of limited resources that have been entrusted to our
care. Our stewardship of time and money reflects the state of our
disciplined life for godliness. 
The
Disciplined Use of Time
Ø  Use
time wisely “because the days are evil.”
Ø  Wise
use of time is the preparation for eternity.
Ø  Time
is short.
Ø  Time
is passing.
Ø  The
remaining time is uncertain.
Ø  Time
lost cannot be regained.
Ø  You
are accountable to God for your time.
Ø  Time
is so easily lost.
Ø  We
value time at death.
Ø  Time’s
value in eternity. 
Questions:
Ø  What
aspects of our sinful heart are the greatest enemies of the disciplined use of
time?
Ø  What
activities or attractions in our culture are the greatest time stealers?
Ø  How do
we move from wasting time to redeeming the time? 
The
Disciplined Use of Money
Ø  God
owns everything you own.
Ø  Giving
is an act of worship.
Ø  Reflects
faith in God’s provision
Ø  Should
be sacrificial and generous.
Ø  Reflects
spiritual trustworthiness.
Ø  Love,
not Legalism
Ø  Willingly,
thankfully, and cheerfully
Ø  An
appropriate response to real needs
Ø  Should
be planned and systematic
Ø  Results
in bountiful blessings. 
Questions:
Ø  Why do
we put so much value in money and things?
Ø  In our
culture what are the greatest enemies to the disciplined use of money?
Ø  How
does our use of time and money reflect the state of our spiritual progress in
godliness? 
Final
Applications:
Ø  Are
you prepared for the end of time?
Ø  Are
you using your time as God would have you to use it?
Ø  Are you
willing to accept God’s principles for giving?
Ø  Are
you giving like you mean it?

“Christ’s
Message to the Church” (Summary of Revelation 2–3)
Cameron
Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday PM/October 19, 2014 
Revelation 1:9–20 (NIV)
9 I,
John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient
endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the
word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10 On the Lord’s Day I
was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11 which
said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to
Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” 12 I
turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw
seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was
someone like a son of man,  dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet
and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hair on his
head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing
fire. 15 His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and
his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16 In his right
hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged
sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. 17 When I
saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me
and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I
am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And
I hold the keys of death and Hades. 19 “Write,
therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20 The
mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven
golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven
churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
1.      
Jesus Christ is the glorious, risen Lord
of the Churches.
a.     
Infinite authority
b.     
Infinite knowledge
c.      
Infinite Life
d.     
Infinite Justice and Righteousness
e.     
Infinite Deity
f.       
Infinite Holiness and Truth  
2.     
Jesus Christ warns his Churches that they
will face constant and dangerous threats until he returns from heaven.
a.     
External threats
b.     
Internal threats 
3.     
Jesus Christ exhorts his Churches to
repent of idolatry, worldliness, and sin and remain faithful in obedience until
he comes. 
4.     
Jesus Christ promises life and glory in
His eternal kingdom to those who persevere in faith to the end.Main
Idea: Jesus Christ, the glorious Lord, teaches his churches
that faithful obedience in this life is worth any and every cost because of the
glorious kingdom that awaits every persevering child of God.

“Jesus,
the Savior of All Peoples” (John 12:20–36)
Cameron
Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sunday AM/October 19, 2014 
John 12:20–36 (NIV)20 Now
there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They
came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they
said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell
Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus
replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very
truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it
remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone
who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this
world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must
follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the
one who serves me. 27 “Now
my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’?
No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father,
glorify your name!” Then
a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The
crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel
had spoken to him. 30 Jesus
said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the
time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven
out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw
all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of
death he was going to die. 34 The
crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain
forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this
‘Son of Man’?” 35 Then
Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer.
Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in
the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the
light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When
he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
1.      
For the purposes of redemption and to
display his glory, God elected a man (Abraham) and his descendants to represent
God’s kingdom on earth.
a.     
The LORD had said to Abram, "Go from your country,
your people and your father's household to the land I will show you.  2 "I will make you into a
great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will
be a blessing.  3 I will bless
those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on
earth will be blessed through you." 
(Genesis 12:1-3, NIV) 
2.     
Through Abraham’s nation, God determined
to send a redeemer to save his people from their sins.
a.     
I speak the truth in Christ-- I am not lying, my
conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit--  2 I have great sorrow and
unceasing anguish in my heart.  3
For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake
of my people, those of my own race,  4
the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine
glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the
promises.  5 Theirs are the
patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of the Messiah, who is God
over all, forever praised! Amen.  (Romans
9:1-5, NIV) 
3.     
By God’s grace, this redeemed people of
God includes not only the ethnic descendants of Abraham, but Jews and Gentiles
who through faith are made heirs of God’s promises.
a.     
Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to
worship at the festival.  21
They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request.
"Sir," they said, "we would like to see Jesus."  22 Philip went to tell Andrew;
Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.  23
Jesus replied, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  24 Very truly I tell you, unless a
kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.
But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 
(John 12:20-24, NIV)
b.     
And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all
people to myself."  33 He
said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. (John 12:32-33, NIV) 
4.     
Now, in this age, God is saving Jews and
Gentiles (all peoples) by his grace and is making them into one new spiritual
nation, to represent his kingdom on earth.
a.     
16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I
must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one
flock and one shepherd. (John 10:16, NIV)
b.     
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have
been brought near by the blood of Christ. 
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups
one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility,  15 by setting aside in his flesh
the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself
one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace,  16 and in one body to reconcile
both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their
hostility.  17 He came and
preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near.  18 For through him we both have
access to the Father by one Spirit.  19
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens
with God's people and also members of his household,  20 built on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.  21 In him the whole building is
joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.  22 And in him you too are being
built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.  (Eph. 2:13-22, NIV)
c.      
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who
called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  10 Once you were not a people, but
now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you
have received mercy.  (1 Pet. 2:9-10,
NIV)
d.     
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed,
and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:29, NIV)'' 
Main
Idea: Jesus, in fulfillment of Scripture and the
purpose of God, came to save not only those of the chosen nation of Israel but
peoples from all nations for the glory of God. 
Implications
and Applications:
Ø  As
Gentiles who have been grafted in to the Abrahamic promise by faith, we should
be moved to greater depths of gratitude for God’s grace.
Ø  In the
gospel of Jesus Christ, all racial, ethnic, cultural, and language barriers are
removed so as to create one new unity of diverse peoples.
Ø  The
universal church is composed of peoples from every race, nation, and language
on earth throughout time. We share a common unity in Christ.
Ø  The
church in its local expression should to some degree manifest this diverse
unity by including peoples from various races, ethnicities, social statuses,
and genders.
o  
28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor
free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  29 If you belong to Christ, then
you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Gal. 3:28-29, NIV)
Ø  Every human being,
regardless of class, race, ethnicity, language, culture, or gender is deserving
of respect and dignity and love because they are made in the image of God and
because the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ has been extended to them.
Ø  We should make
every effort to fulfill Christ’s commission to take the Gospel to the ends of
the earth, so that God’s name might be glorified among all the peoples of the
earth in fulfillment of Psalm 67.
o  
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face
shine on us--  2 so that your
ways may be known on earth, your salvation among all nations.  3 May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise you.  4
May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.  5
May the peoples praise you, God; may all the peoples praise you.  6 The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.  7
May God bless us still, so that all the ends of the earth will fear him. (Psalm
67:1-7, NIV)

Spiritual
Disciplines for the Christian Life
by
Donald Whitney 
Service…for
the purpose of godliness: Chapter 7 
The
Discipline of Service 
Ø  “When
Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer 
Ø  “It’s
costly service. God asks for your life. He doesn’t want servants who offer Him
the leftovers after their other commitments.” - Whitney 
Ø  “We’re
drawn to the appeal of service when it holds out the promise of bold
adventure…but it seems that far more commonly Christ’s call is to a death by degrees,
washing feet in obscurity.” – Whitney 
Ø  “Like
our worship and evangelism, so also our service should flow from within–without
any need of discipline–as a result of the life-transforming presence and work
of the Holy Spirit.” – Whitney  
Ø  “But…because
of the persistent gravitational tendencies toward selfishness in our hearts, we
must also discipline ourselves to serve.” – Whitney  
Service
Is Expected
Ø  Motivated
by Obedience
Ø  Motivated
by Gratitude
Ø  Motivated
by Gladness
Ø  Motivated
by Forgiveness, not Guilt
Ø  Motivated
by Humility
Ø  Motivated
by Love 
And
he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but
for him who died for them and was raised again. (2
Cor. 5:15, NIV) 
Questions:
Ø  What
keeps us from serving God and others?
Ø  In
what ways do we tend to serve for the wrong motives?
Ø  What
are some practical ways that we can serve inside and outside the church? 
Gifted
to Serve
Ø  Spiritual
Gifts
ü  At
Salvation by the Holy Spirit
ü  To
every Christian
ü  Sovereignly
bestowed
ü  Various
and diverse gifts
ü  For
the benefit of the body of Christ
ü  For
the glory of God 
Each
of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful
stewards of God's grace in its various forms. (1
Pet. 4:10, NIV) 
“The
most significant gifts in the church’s life in every era are ordinary natural
abilities sanctified.” – J. I. Packer 
 Ø  Serving
is often hard work.
ü  Spiritual
giftedness does not mean it will not be work.
ü  Service
that costs nothing accomplishes nothing.
ü  Service
is rewarding work.
ü  Service
for God is enduring and valuable work. 
Therefore,
my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give
yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in
the Lord is not in vain. (1 Co. 15:58, NIV) 
God
is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as
you have helped his people and continue to help them. (Heb.
6:10, NIV) 
Questions:
Ø  Why
do we tend to overlook some spiritual gifts in favor of others?
Ø  Why
do we sometimes think that our service is not accomplishing anything? 
Final
Applications:Ø  Worship
empowers serving; serving expresses worship. Godliness requires a disciplined
balance between the two.
Ø  You
are expected and gifted to serve, but will you serve?
Ø  The
gospel of Christ creates Christlike servants.

“The Self-Deceived, Complacent Church”
(Revelation 3:14–22)
Cameron
Jungels/Eastside Baptist/Sun PM/October 12, 2014 
Revelation
3:14–22 (NIV)
14 “To
the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the
faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I
know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one
or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor
cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am
rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize
that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I
counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich;
and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve
to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19 Those
whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. 20 Here
I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the
door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. 21 To
the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne,
just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever
has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
1.      
Jesus Christ is the faithful witness and
the Almighty Creator (v. 14). 
15 The Son is the
image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.  16 For in him all things were
created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones
or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him
and for him.  17 He is before
all things, and in him all things hold together. (Col. 1:15-17, NIV) 
2.     
Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Church
finds lazy, complacent, self-reliant religion to be abominable (vv. 15­–17). 
9 I know your
afflictions and your poverty-- yet you are rich!  (Rev. 2:9, NIV) 
3.     
Jesus Christ, the Savior of the Church
provides his righteousness as clothing for his redeemed people who believe and
repent (vv. 18–20). 
4.     
Jesus Christ, the King of Creation,
grants eternal life and royal privilege to all who endure victoriously in faith
to the end (v. 21–22). 
Big Idea: A faithful and
successful church is dependent on the Triune God for all things and is not
lulled into a false sense of complacent self-sufficiency.