““Testing: Our Response”Testing: Our Response”Northside Mission Church (16-Sep-2012)Northside Mission Church (16-Sep-2012)

1 Corinthians 15:57-58 MSG1 Corinthians 15:57-58 MSGIt was sin that made death so frightening It was sin that made death so frightening and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its and law-code guilt that gave sin its leverage, its destructive power. destructive power. But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don’t hold back. stand your ground. And don’t hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.of time or effort.

Our ProclamationOur Proclamation

After the first year After the first year – – “Bed hard”“Bed hard”

After the second year After the second year – – “Food cold“Food cold””

After the third year After the third year – – “I quit!”“I quit!”

The older friar said, “Brother, no wonder The older friar said, “Brother, no wonder you’re quitting. you’re quitting. You’ve done nothing these past You’ve done nothing these past 3 years but complain3 years but complain!”!”

““Testing” or “Chastening”?Testing” or “Chastening”?

1.1. As Christians we will all undergo testsAs Christians we will all undergo tests

2.2. These tests come in many different forms:These tests come in many different forms:• A health crisisA health crisis• A financial setbackA financial setback• A breakdown in a personal relationshipA breakdown in a personal relationship• Rejection or persecution because of our Rejection or persecution because of our

faithfaith• Abundance or successAbundance or success

Psalms 139:23-24 NIVPsalms 139:23-24 NIVSearch me, Search me, O God, and know my heartO God, and know my heart

Test me Test me and know my anxious thoughts. and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in meSee if there is any offensive way in me, ,

And And lead me lead me in the way everlasting. in the way everlasting.

Psalms 19:12-13Psalms 19:12-13Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faultssecret faults. Keep back Your servant also from . Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sinspresumptuous sins; ; Let them not have dominion Let them not have dominion over meover me. Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be . Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgressioninnocent of great transgression.

ChasteningChastening – – when God has when God has searched our hearts searched our hearts and He puts His finger and He puts His finger on anything that is on anything that is offensive to Himoffensive to Him

Our response− Our response− RepentRepent

TestingTesting – – when God has when God has searched our hearts searched our hearts and He and He does notdoes not put put His finger on anything His finger on anything that is offensive to Himthat is offensive to Him

Our response– Our response– EndureEndure

Repentance – Mind & DirectionRepentance – Mind & Direction

Mark 1:14Mark 1:14The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. hand. RepentRepent and believe and believe in the gospel.in the gospel.

Luke 24:46-47Luke 24:46-47Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,from the dead the third day, and that and that repentancerepentance and and remission of sins should be preached in His remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nationsname to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”, beginning at Jerusalem.”

““To repent means – to recognize we are not living in To repent means – to recognize we are not living in the right way, to stop and to change our direction.” the right way, to stop and to change our direction.”

A full, 100% CommitmentA full, 100% CommitmentRomans 10:9 NIVRomans 10:9 NIVIf you declare with your mouth, If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”“Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.from the dead, you will be saved.

Acts 10:36 Acts 10:36 The word which The word which GodGod sent to the children of Israel, sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord Jesus Christ—He is Lord of allof all

Q. “What does it mean to me that Q. “What does it mean to me that ‘Jesus is My ‘Jesus is My Lord’Lord’”? ”?

““If Jesus is If Jesus is notnot Lord of all, He is Lord of all, He is not Lord at allnot Lord at all” ”

• My whole lifeMy whole life• My moneyMy money• My talents My talents • My prioritiesMy priorities• My relationshipsMy relationships

Attitude to ScriptureAttitude to ScriptureSatan helped brought the downfall of Adam & Eve Satan helped brought the downfall of Adam & Eve when he enticed them to question God’s word by when he enticed them to question God’s word by saying: saying: “Has God indeed said…?”“Has God indeed said…?” (Genesis 3:1)(Genesis 3:1)

Jesus set the seal of His divine authority upon the Jesus set the seal of His divine authority upon the Scripture when He called it Scripture when He called it the word of Godthe word of God and and added, added, “The Scripture cannot be broken.” “The Scripture cannot be broken.” (John (John 10:35)10:35)

Paul states categorically,Paul states categorically, All Scripture is given by All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.inspiration of God. (2 Timothy 3:16)(2 Timothy 3:16)

Right RelationshipsRight RelationshipsJohn 13:35John 13:35By this all will know that you are My disciples, if By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have you have love for one anotherlove for one another..

Matthew 6:15Matthew 6:15But if you But if you do not forgive mendo not forgive men their trespasses, their trespasses, neither will your Father forgiveneither will your Father forgive your trespasses. your trespasses.

““Right doctrine is the basis of the Christian faith. Right doctrine is the basis of the Christian faith. But But right doctrine rightly applied right doctrine rightly applied will produce will produce right relationshipsright relationships.”.”

Is there any: Is there any: •Bitterness?Bitterness?•Resentment? Resentment? •Unforgiveness? Unforgiveness?

““We cannot have the right relationship with the We cannot have the right relationship with the wrong people. The apostle Paul warns wrong people. The apostle Paul warns ‘‘Do not be Do not be so deceived and misledso deceived and misled! ! Evil companionshipsEvil companionships (communion, associations) (communion, associations) corruptcorrupt and deprave and deprave good manners and morals and good manners and morals and charactercharacter.’.’””(1 Cor. 15:33 AMP)(1 Cor. 15:33 AMP)

““Looking unto Jesus…”Looking unto Jesus…”

Hebrews 4:15Hebrews 4:15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all pointspoints tempted (tested)tempted (tested) as as we are, yetwe are, yet without without sinsin

InInspired by the example of Jesus, “spired by the example of Jesus, “let us lay let us lay aside every weightaside every weight, and , and the sin the sin which so easily which so easily ensnares usensnares us,, and let us run with endurance the and let us run with endurance the racerace that is set before us” that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1-2)(Hebrews 12:1-2)

““Something may not be Something may not be sinful, but they can be sinful, but they can be ‘weights’ that so easily ‘weights’ that so easily ensnares usensnares us””

Social obligations that have no spiritual Social obligations that have no spiritual significance, sentimental attachments to people, significance, sentimental attachments to people, places or pets, excessive concern with the stock places or pets, excessive concern with the stock market, sports or fashions, window-shopping, market, sports or fashions, window-shopping, worries about health, money, family or politicsworries about health, money, family or politics

Sins and WeightsSins and Weights

James 1:2-3 NLTJames 1:2-3 NLTDear brothers and sisters, when troubles come Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, your way, consider it an opportunity for great consider it an opportunity for great joyjoy. For you know that . For you know that when your faith is testedwhen your faith is tested, , your endurance has a chance to growyour endurance has a chance to grow..

Verse 4Verse 4So let it grow, for when So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully your endurance is fully developeddeveloped, you will be , you will be perfectperfect and and completecomplete, , needing nothingneeding nothing..

The need for EnduranceThe need for Endurance

1 Corinthians 9:25a NLT1 Corinthians 9:25a NLTAll athletes are disciplined in their training

“ “Temperate” or Temperate” or “Disciplined”“Disciplined” “ “Self-control” Self-control”

2 Peter 1:5-7 paraphrase2 Peter 1:5-7 paraphraseTo your faith add virtue, then knowledge, then To your faith add virtue, then knowledge, then self-controlself-control, then , then perseveranceperseverance, then godliness, , then godliness, then brotherly kindness, and finally then brotherly kindness, and finally love (agape)love (agape)