BALD PROPHET: Part 3

CHILDLIKE AWE
with Adam Waters

September 30, 2007

Introduction
• What causes you to make this face? Saturday I saw this expression on Zeke's face. I threw his LarryBoy into the air and did something Zeke COULD NOT DO. We then threw it together.
• “WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD”
When you were a child
I called you my own
And you were mine
When you were a child
You could not standalone
But you were fine

I want to know that child again
Maybe time has changed you
But Love remembers when
You called my name and like the wind
I carried you away
It seems like only yesterday
When You were a child

When you were a child
The world was the unknown
But you were wise
To simply trust in me
That I will never leave
And hold on tight

CHILDLIKE AWE
 Have you ever stood on top of a mountain?
 Ever met a president?
 Ever met your heroes? THIS SERMON SERIES IS ABOUT "AWE!"
 How do you read the WORD of God? THIS SERMON SERIES IS ABOUT YOUR SCRIPTURE BELIEF.
 How do you approach God? THIS SERMON SERIES IS ABOUT HOW BIG God IS TO YOU.
 Whatever box you function in currently… guess what… it is time for that box not to just break but fall apart!
 Tell story of the Jason Upton “FLY” song.

Are you ready to read about some miracles with me? Are you ready to beilieve in a God who cna do things you CANNOT do? Are you ready to believe in a God who you CAN do it WITH?

SCRIPTURE
**Elisha’s First Miracle: 2Kings 2:19-22
**JOHN 2:1-12
**SIMPLE STORIES: in that they are short and to the point, but you can' do them.
**SIMILAR STORIES: in that they turned ordinary water into something special.
**IMPORTANT STORIES: in that people began to realize that these 2 guys were special.
**RELEVANT STORIES: in that they show a God who can do things you cannot, but that you can do with his help.

CHALLENGE:
o We want you to begin reading the Bible with completely different vision!
o Are you ready for the Bible to awe you (again)? Are you ready to realize that this is not just the stuff of legends or movies. This is the dynamic life of following Jesus. But we must become "childlike" to experience that life fully.

FALL KICKOFF SUNDAY!

"Our Relationship Model"
September 23, 2007

Introduction
· Anyone have a best friend(s)? Who?
· Why do you trust them?

SMALLER IS BETTER
— Jethro & Moses ~ Exodus 18:13-27
o Vs 18 “one man can’t do it alone”
o Vs20-21 “train and equip leaders”
o Vs22 “serve the people”
— Jesus and 1,000’s
— Jesus and 120/72

SPEND MORE TIME WITH LESS
— Jesus and 12 ~ Luke 6:12-16 Jesus chooses his small group (Mark 3:13-19)
o Chooses 12 out of many
o Chose after prayer
— Jesus narrows even further
o 9:1-2 Jesus sends out the 12
o 9:10-17 Jesus feeds 5 thousand
o 9:28-36 Jesus take 3 to pray
o 10:1-2 Jesus sends out the 72

LOCATION DOESN’T MATTER
— The Acts Church

WHY SMALLER?
o Intimate questions and explanation of teachings (Mark 4 sower parable)
o Encouragement (Hebrews 10:24-25)
o Prayer (James 5:13-20)
o NEEDS ARE BETTER MET (Jethro)

MEET OUR LEADERS, MEET OUR GROUPS, GROW and MAKE MORE GROUPS!

THE BALD PROPHET: Part 2

ELISHA'S CLOAK
with Adam Waters

September 16, 2007



Introduction
· Face-Paint, team spirit, team colors
· Uniforms… police, military, fire, job
· Super heroes, Jedi nights
· Costumes…

REMEMBER THE CALL OF ELISHA
— 1 Kings 19:19-21
— He left everything and left no excuses to follow Elijah, to follow God.
— During that encounter, Elijah threw his cloak around Elisha’s shoulders.
— That takes significance in this story…
— 2Kings 1:1-15

REMEMBER THE CLOAK OF ELISHA
— Elisha sought the powerful cloak of his master.
o Probably animal skin. Lion-head. John the baptizer’s camel hair.
o Double portion of Elijah’s spirit.

— Elisha was changed & was recognized as changed.
o Launched the longest prophetic ministry (50 years).
o Headed the prophetic schools (company of prophets = seminary essentially)
o Most importantly God’s promised power upon him was significantly noticeable!!!

— Jesus promised the powerful cloak of the Holy Spirit.
o I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. (Luke 24:48 NIV)
o John 14:12-14 ~ In his name, you will do greater works that Jesus did!

— Our lives should be changed by our cloak!
o For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. (Galatians 3:26-27 NLT)
o Galatians 5:16-25 ~ We have crucified our old lives and now live differently.

In the year 2007, we are again challenged by Elisha’s life… Are you recognized as changed?
· Are you set apart?
· Are you recognized as different?
· Has the power of God truly transformed your actions not just your heart?
· What separates you from everyone else?
· Are you different? Changed? New? Do those around you see it?

THE BALD PROPHET: Part 1

ELISHA'S CALL
with Adam Waters
September 9, 2007

WHO WANTS THE BALL?
*does anyone have a hero?
*our KidZONE is going through Heroes of the Bible all year long starting on the 23rd.
*We're going to look at one of my heroes in the prophet Elisha!
*We're going to do that through 3 series.
1) HIS CALL
2) CHILDLIKE STORIES
3) EXPECTING THE MIRACULOUS

I Kings 19:19-21 ~ The Call of Elisha
So Elijah went and found Elisha son of Shaphat plowing a field. There were 12 teams of oxen in the field, and Elisha was plowing with the twelfth team. Elijah went over to him and threw his cloak across his shoulders and then walked away. Elisha left the oxen standing there, ran after Elijah, and said to him, “First let me go and kiss my father and mother good-bye, and then I will go with you!” Elijah replied, “Go on back, but think about what I have done to you.” So Elisha returned to his oxen and slaughtered them. He used the wood from the plow to build a fire to roast their flesh. He passed around the meat to the townspeople, and they all ate. Then he went with Elijah as his assistant.

WHO WANTS THE BALL?
Elisha is being called by...
ELIJAH: master prophet, feared, powerful, loved and hated

*the master prophet met him and calls on him to follow him.
*Elisha makes an excuse.
*The master prophet allows him to go.
*Elisha left his job, his family and his life.
*Elisha left himslef no excuses to go back.
--when called he runs after him
--when called he doesn't let family get in the way
--when called he notices something special is happening
--when called he makes it permanent

Elisha sacrificed!

LUKE 9:1-5, and 9:57-62 ~The Cost of Following Jesus
One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. Then he sent them out to tell everyone about the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick. “Take nothing for your journey,” he instructed them. “Don’t take a walking stick, a traveler’s bag, food, money, or even a change of clothes. Wherever you go, stay in the same house until you leave town. And if a town refuses to welcome you, shake its dust from your feet as you leave to show that you have abandoned those people to their fate.”
As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.” He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

WHO WANTS THE BALL?

They are called by Jesus: loved and hated, feared and powerful
The MASTER meets us.
The MASTER calls us to a life of extreme sacrifice.
Those who desire to follow have excuses.
The MASTER cuts through their excuses, but allows them to leave.
Some disciples followed Luke 9:6!
Most did not.

When called to a life with nothing... no clothes, no home, no food, sometimes even no family...
Will you follow?
Jesus calls us to sacrifice!!!


TODAY WE ARE CHALLENGED
-Elisha is my hero for many reasons but foremost because he went "All in"
-Jesus is our master who calls us to a life of love and sacrifice
-Where are you at?
-Are you ready to follow the example of Elisha? the call of Jesus?

There are many moments in life where a decision needs to be made. This is your moment...

WHO WANTS THE BALL?

"THE BALD PROPHET"

A new series of talks taken from the lives of Elisha and Jesus.
Join us as we begin THIS SUNDAY September 9th at 10:30am!

FAMILY SUNDAY #3

"Baby Dedications & Baptisms"
September 2, 2007

BABY DEDICATIONS
1 Samuel 1-2 ~ HANNAH
—I asked the Lord to give me this boy, and he has granted my request. Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole.

Luke 2 ~ Joseph and Mary
—That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God.

Matthew 19 ~ Jesus
—“Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” And he placed his hands on their heads and blessed them before he left.


BAPTISMS
As with all of the values of worship within the ORCHARD, we look to the Bible for our answers in this matter. The Scriptures teach that God created man for the purpose of relationship. We, also, know that sin separates us from that relationship. We feel that baptism plays a pivotal role in the restoration of that relationship to our Heavenly Father. In Luke 15, we see the parable of the lost sheep. We see the happiness and joy of even the angles when one of God’s sheep comes home. This parable gives us insight into how God sees the importance of our restored relationship with Him. Baptism is the step of obedience that cleanses us and brings us new life in Him. After we believe what He’s done to show His love for us, repent of how we’ve wronged our love, and openly confess that He is our bridegroom, our relationship with God is restored. It is restored at our wedding with Christ (baptism) that results in our forgiveness (see Ephesians 5:25-27 for wedding illustration).

PURPOSE OF BAPTISM
The forgiveness of sin – Acts 2:38
Washing away of sin – Acts 22:16
New birth/new life – John 3:5, Romans 6:3-6, Colossians 2:12
Clothed with Christ – Galatians 2:26-27
Saved (salvation) –Acts 2:40-41, 1Peter 3:21
Appeal to God – 1Peter 3:21

METHOD OF BAPTISM
The Biblical method was to submerge or immerse completely in water (Jesus’ own example – Matthew 3:13-16, Ethiopian – Acts 8, Death, burial and resurrection – Romans 6).
The Greek word means to dip, immerse, wash, plunge, sink, drench and overwhelm (Greek-English Lexicon by Bauer, Arndt & Gingrich).
The early church leaders immersed after a confession of faith. This was the teaching of Justin Martyr (AD 110-165), Tertullian (AD 145-220), Cyril of Jerusalem (AD 315-386), and Gregory of Dyssa (AD 334-394).
Jesus tells us “not to forbid the little children to come to him.” Christening is accepted as a dedication of children to God and the church (see Samuel), but is not associated with the forgiveness of sin. Christening is an intention of the parents. Water baptism is a way of completing or fulfilling the intention of the parents. In Matthew 19, Jesus placed His hands on them and blessed them.
Actual infant baptism is not seen in the Bible, but was brought into church tradition years later. We feel that an individual must understand how they have broken their relationship in order to submit to baptism.
Baptism was the command of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20).
Must be done in His name and no other (Acts 19).