Switzerland:

Canada:

Yosemite:

Death Valley:

Question: What’s the name of your valley?

1. You will be fearless because you never walk alone

2. You will be restless because of the dangers you face

Gospel Takeaway: In the darkest valley, God is with you, banishing fear 

Question: What do you do when your path isn’t leading where you hoped?

1. Divine Encounter = Personal Renewal

“The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep” – John 10:11

2. Divine Direction = Purposeful Journey

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” – Romans 8:1

Define the path of righteousness: 

1. There is a declaration of God’s approval over your life

2. You stand before God just as if you’ve never sinned and have always perfectly obeyed

3. You will never be more justified than you are right now

4. The Spirit only lives in those he approves of

3. Divine Glory = Promised Destination 

“yet he saved them for his name’s sake, that he might make known his mighty power… ” – Psalm 106:8

“For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great.” – Psalm 25:11

“For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;” – Psalm 31:3

Gospel Takeaway: Accepting Jesus’ divine invitation is a life or death decision…

Psalm 23 Antithesis:

“The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest.
It makes me lie down only when exhausted.
It leads me into deep depression.
It hounds my soul.

It leads me in circles of frenzy, for activities sake.
Even though I run frantically from task to task, I will never get it all done,
For my ideal is with me.
Deadlines and my need for approval, they drive me.

They demand performance from me, beyond the limits of my schedule.
They anoint my head with migraines,
My in-basket overflows.

Surely fatigue and time pressures shall follow me
All the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the bonds of frustration
Forever…”

Question: Who can be trusted to keep you safe?

1. See where he is leading

2. Hear what he is saying

3. Receive what he is giving

Gospel takeaway: Your survival hinges on always being near the shepherd so that his voice never fades

Question: In what ways has the wool been pulled over your eyes?

1. The Good Shepherd knows you better than you know you

“In the beginning, God…” – Genesis 1:1a

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way…” – Isaiah 53:6a

2. The Good Shepherd sees what you need when you only see what you want

“To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” – John 10:3-4

“They come when I call their names. They love me. They paw me and want my attention. They are responsive to me. They are not too afraid or flighty”  – Lynne (The Shepherdess)

Gospel Takeaway: With your life at stake Jesus invites surrender for his names sake

“I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture… I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” – John 10:9,11

Main Idea: Transform us! When we come into your presence, we want to be completely changed.

When we come into your presence…

1. Show us who you are – Elevate our view and show us truth! (v1-4)
2. Show us who we are – Devastate our pride and clean us up! (v5-7)
3. Show us what to do – Captivate our hearts and send us out! (v8-13)

 

Question: Why Does Jesus’ Death Matter?

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” – Isaiah 53:4-6

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” – 2 Corinthians 5:21

Question: Are you at the end of your rope?

1. Are you hopeless?
2. Are you confused?
3. Is there unbelief?

Gospel Takeaway: In your spiritual unraveling the resurrected Jesus will meet you to rescue you.

Question: How am I responding to my circumstances?

Prayer is a life of communion and conversation with God.

Three Conditions:

• those suffering from physical circumstances or personal situations.

• those experiencing the good life; when all seems well.

• those that are weak, or ill. 

 

Faith is not independent of reason

Faith is acting accordingly in response to the call of the God we know personally.

The faith exercised in prayer is faith in a God who sovereignly accomplishes His will. 

Sō̧zō

“And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.” – Exodus 34:6-7

Prayer is our active participation with God in His redemptive plans

 

Gospel Takeaway: Love God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. 

Our feelings
Our desires
Our trust

Prayer:

“Father, right now I am overwhelmed with .”

“Lord, I admit that what I really want is .”

“But ultimately, not what I want, but what you want, King Jesus.”

 

The Holy Spirit-enabled fruit of patience (“godly patience”) is produced when waiting is motivated by a Jesus-centered view of the future and combined with godly attitudes and actions.

Big Idea: Because Jesus the Judge is returning soon, we must live with godly patience as we await his coming.

Part 1: Godly patience waits for Jesus with hope. (vv. 7-8)

“Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.” – James 5:7-8

“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” – John 5:28-29

“Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay everyone for what he has done. I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end…” – Revelation 22:12-13

Part 2: Godly patience waits for Jesus without grumbling. (vv.9-11)

“Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.” – James 5:9-11

“Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; preserve my life from dread of the enemy.” – Psalms 64:1

“With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him.” – Psalms 142:1-2

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” – Job 1:20-22

“So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.” – Job 2:7-10 

“And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job…And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than the beginning.” – Job 42:10, 12

Part 3: Godly patience waits for Jesus with truthful speech. (v.12)

“But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” – James 5:12 

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.” – Matthew 23:16-22

“O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy hill? He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart; …who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” – Psalms 15:1-2, 4a

“Dear friends, don’t overlook this one fact: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. Since all these things are to be dissolved in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness as you wait for the day of God and hasten its coming.” – 2 Peter 3:8-12

Question: In what ways does your money own you? 

1. Money is a force

Materialism is a the belief that money and possession are the most important aspects of human existence

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.” – 1 Timothy 6:10

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19-21

2. That advances your agenda

“…You cannot serve God and money.” – Matthew 6:24b

3. Or advances God’s agenda

Gospel Takeaway: The generosity of Jesus is a lavish giveaway of grace wrapped in an abundance of sacrifice that’s impossible to lose