God Centered Relationship
Occupy till He comes 1,2 &3
Occupy till He comes 1,2 &3
Psalm 100:3 describes us as ..."the sheep of His pasture". Sheep and shepherd holds profound symbolism, representing various aspects of Gods relationship with Man.
What are the responsibilities of the Shepherd and the Sheep?
Shepherd and Sheep illustration:
-Depicts Gods relationship with his people
- Represents Gods love, provisions and protection
-Represents God presence in the lives of His people.
Shepherd symbolizes:
. Leadership, Responsibilities and Guidance.
. Care, protection, provision
Sheep symbolizes:
. Followership
. Submission
. Vulnerability
. Dependency
. Trust and reliance on the Shepherd for guidance, Care and protection.
John 10:14, Hebrews 13:20, Luke 11:3, Mathew 7: 9-11.
.
" Love not the World, neither the things that are in the World. If any man loves the World, the love of the Father is not in him." 1 John 2:15-17.
What is the World System ?
The World System is a collection of values, beliefs, and structures that govern human societies.
Values: Principles, ideals and standards of behavior that we consider important or desirable.
Beliefs: Assumptions or convictions that we generally accept to be true.
Structures: The state of being well planned with all parts linked together.
Roman 12:2 warns us not to conform to the patterns of this world but should be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
2 Corinthians 6:17 warns believers to separate themselves from the World and its uncleanness.
Silence is golden - is a statement that is used to say that it is often better to remain silent than to speak. If you don't say it, text it, email it, or post it, you are protecting yourself from possible evidence gathering.
Choose your words carefully for we will give account for every careless word Matthew 12:36.
When is it better for us to keep silent?
1. When we are angry Prov,14:17.
2. When we are not fully informed. Prov. 18:13,17
3. When it will hurt others. Prov. 16:28.
4. When it is time to listen. Prov. 13:1
5. When you are tempted to joke about sin Prov. 14:9.
etc.
We find an example in Christ in the wisdom of knowing when to speak.
Isaiah 53:7- 'He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brough as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth.'
Also read John 19: 8-11.
In Psalms, the imagery of the Shepherd and Sheep is used to capture the fundamentals of the Psalmist relationship with God
How does this Shepherd and Sheep imagery help the believer to relate with Christ?
It helps the believer to recognize Christ Shepherding role in the believer's life.
The believer obediently follows and totally relies on Christ. John 10:14
The believer subject's self to the leadership of Christ. Hebrews 13.20.
Believer depends on God for spiritual and physical provisions. Luke 11:3, Mathew 7:9-11.
Believers are saved from "hirelings"- False prophets, fake preachers, heretical teachers etc.
Believers are protected from unseen dangers. 1 King 22:17.
When a Believer accepts Christ, the goal is holy living and eternity with Christ. The Believer is faced with three enemies- The World System, the flesh and the Devil. Acts 20:29-30.
How does the World System affect our Christian Journey?
The World System places priority on materialism, individualism and self-interest, all of which are at variance with the values and principles of God.
It affects our Christian Journey through:
- Tempting us to prioritize temporal things over eternal things
-Distracting us from God
-Pressuring us to conform to its values and norms
-Causing us to compromise our faith
An Idol is anything that replaces the one and only true God in our lives. It can be anything that appeals to our own heart more than God does., and anything that takes a significant amount of our time leaving us with little or no time to spend with God.
What are some of the things that constitute modern day idolatry?
Mathew 22:37.... love the Lord thy God with all the heart, with all thy soul and with all thy mind.
Isaiah 42:8....my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.
Idolatry can take many different forms and often disguises itself in ways you may not even realize. --it can be things or ideas that occupy your thoughts, time, resources, or relationships can become idols if they take the place of God.
- idolatry can manifest through the pursuit of wealth, success, or power.
-Hobbies and interest.
-Materialism- great regard for worldly possessions.
- Pride and ego. Prov 8:13.
-self-indulgence: Nurturing habits like alcoholism, drugs, social media, gambling etc. cor. 10:31.
-Idolizing fellow humans- football/ music/movies stars, men of God, politicians, spouses etc.
God created us in His image and laid down instruction for us to follow. He wants us to make positive impact in the world. Whatever we become is because of the choices we make.
What message was Jesus' parable of the Talents in Mathew 25: 14-30, intended to convey to believers?
1. We are not all created with equal skills, abilities and opportunities.
-Success is measured by the degree of effort.
2. Success only happens when we take action. Prov. 12:11.
- The man that received 1 talent did not work.
-We should be faithful with God-given gifts and leverage on our opportunities.
-Our gifts should be used to glorify God, serve the common good, and to further His kingdom.
3. Our effort should be aimed at pleasing God and not our own self pleasure.
- As Christ followers, we die to self, and follow Him.
- Everything we have acquired since birth belongs to God. 1 Cor. 6:20.
4. God provides everything we need to do His work." I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me" Phil. 4:13.
-The Master in the parable, expects his servants to do more than passively preserve what has been entrusted to them.
-God expects us to generate a return by using our skills and abilities toward a productive end. Eph. 2:10.
5. We will be held accountable.
- The unfaithful servant did not waste the Masters money but wasted an opportunity.
-We are responsible for what we have been given and we will be held accountable. Gen. 1:28.
Satan is identified as the ruler of the World System. Describe some of the structures by which he controls the world?
Economic systems: Capitalism, consumerism- focus on profit over people.
Political System: Power and control over serving people.
Media and entertainment: Promote hedonism and individualism.
Educational system: Intellectualism over character.
Social media: competition and narcism.
Religious Institution: tradition and dogma over spiritual growth.
Cultural values: Celebrate celebrity, wealth and status over humility, compassion and kindness.
Legal System: Priortize punishment over rehabilitation.
Corporations: Prioritize profit over ethical. practices.
Social norms: conformity and material success over spiritual exploitation.
-Satan uses the attractive things of this World to deceive and destroy people. Matthew 4:8-9. 1 Peter 5:8.
Hypocrisy is claiming to have high moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform.
What was the major sin of Ananias and Saphira? What is the lesson?
The major sin of Ananias and Saphira was dishonesty, corporate deceit, hypocrisy, pretense.
-They presented a false image of themselves.
-They were under no obligation to sell their property or give all the money.
-But they were obligated to be honest.
Lessons:
God knows the secrets of men's heart. Nothing can be hidden from Him. Ps 44:21, Jeremiah 17: 9-10.
God knows all the ways of man and all the things done in the darkness. Job 31:4, Daniel 2:22.