GRACE TRANSFORMS — WIN (pt. 1)

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GRACE TRANSFORMS — WIN (pt. 1)
1 Corinthians 9:19-27

NAME: We want to reach this Big Central Valley with the Grace of Jesus Christ in Community with His Church.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the Church is to bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)

MISSION: Love God, Love People, Make Disciples.  Matthew 22:37-39; 28:18-20 (ESV)

VISION: Love your [actual] neighbor. This means every member of the Body of Christ, being led by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, evangelizing and discipling our [actual] neighbors, and leading them to do the same.

Grace Transforms residents of earth into
Citizens of Heaven who WIN with Jesus Christ.  

Win with Jesus Christ by training in three WAYS:

Way #1­­—Train to SERVE.
Place the need of salvation in others ahead of your own freedoms.  

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. 1 Corinthians 9:19-22 (ESV)  

Way #2­­—Train to SHARE.
Communicate salvation by grace, through faith, in Jesus Christ alone.  

I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (ESV) 

What is the gospel?
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in [Jesus] should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (ESV)

How is a person saved?
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 (ESV) 

Way #3­­—Train to FINISH.
Complete the goal of helping someone place their faith in Jesus Christ. 

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 1 Corinthians 9:24 (ESV) 

What do I need to do to be saved?
“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31 (ESV)  

Way #4­­—Train to QUALIFY.
Exercise self-control for the purpose of eternal blessing. 

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:25-27 (ESV)  

Grace Transforms residents of earth into
Citizens of Heaven who WIN with Jesus Christ.  

“Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:54-58 (ESV)

“Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”  Luke 15:7 (ESV)

VISION: Love your [actual] neighbor. This means every member of the Body of Christ, being led by the power of the Holy Spirit of God, evangelizing and discipling our [actual] neighbors, and leading them to do the same.