Q and AQ and AMarch 2014March 2014

Is it OK to get a Tattoo?Is it OK to get a Tattoo?

You shall not make any cuts on You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: tattoo yourselves: I am the I am the LORDLORD- Lev. 19:28- Lev. 19:28

BucketsBuckets

- For all time- For all time

- Specific to Covenant, People- Specific to Covenant, PeopleCircumstancesCircumstances

For all timeFor all time- Don't murder- Don't murder

SpecificSpecific- Leviticus- Tattoo/Fibers…- Leviticus- Tattoo/Fibers…- Moses permitted divorce- Moses permitted divorce

"Didn’t Jesus say the Law "Didn’t Jesus say the Law would not pass away?"would not pass away?"

““Do not think that I have come Do not think that I have come to abolish he Law or the to abolish he Law or the Prophets; I have not come to Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to abolish them but to fulfill them…fulfill them…

For truly, I say to you, until For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, heaven and earth pass away,

not an iota, not a dot, will pass not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is from the Law until all is

accomplishedaccomplished- Matthew 5:17-18- Matthew 5:17-18

For he himself is our peace, For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility…dividing wall of hostility…

by abolishing in his flesh the by abolishing in his flesh the lawlaw with its commandments with its commandments

and regulations…and regulations…- Eph. 2:14-15- Eph. 2:14-15

He forgave us all our sins, He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written having canceled the written code,code, with its regulations… with its regulations…

he took it away, nailing it he took it away, nailing it to the crossto the cross

- Colossians 2:14-15- Colossians 2:14-15

By calling this covenant “new,” By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one he has made the first one obsolete; obsolete;

and what is obsolete and aging and what is obsolete and aging

will soon disappearwill soon disappear- Hebrews 8:13- Hebrews 8:13

For sin will have no dominion For sin will have no dominion over you, over you, since you are not since you are not under law but under graceunder law but under grace- Romans 6:14- Romans 6:14

But now But now we are we are released from the law, released from the law,

having died to that having died to that which held us captive…which held us captive…

so that we serve in the so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit new way of the Spirit and not in the old way and not in the old way of the written codeof the written code- Romans 7:6- Romans 7:6

Is there any doubtIs there any doubtThat That wewe are not under are not under

Mosaic Law?Mosaic Law?

The Law is in effectThe Law is in effect

For God's chosen peopleFor God's chosen peopleWho have not yet received Who have not yet received

MessiahMessiah

The Law is not in effectThe Law is not in effect

For GentilesFor GentilesAnd believers in JesusAnd believers in Jesus

Why would we place Why would we place Ourselves in a prisonOurselves in a prison

Christ died to save Christ died to save his people from?his people from?

We will all be judged We will all be judged Based on goodnessBased on goodness

Our own goodnessOur own goodnessOr Christ's goodness for usOr Christ's goodness for us

Only 1 leads to lifeOnly 1 leads to life

……he saved us, he saved us, not because of not because of righteous things we had done, righteous things we had done,

but because of his mercybut because of his mercy- Titus 3:5- Titus 3:5

If salvation hinges on anything If salvation hinges on anything other than the blood of Jesus, other than the blood of Jesus,

then Jesus is not sufficient. then Jesus is not sufficient. And it is, therefore, And it is, therefore,

a false gospela false gospel

10 Commandments Given:10 Commandments Given:You shall be careful therefore You shall be careful therefore

to do as the Lord your God has to do as the Lord your God has commanded you. You shall not commanded you. You shall not

turn aside to the right hand turn aside to the right hand or to the left.or to the left.

You shall walk in all the way You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well live, and that it may go well with youwith you

and that you may live long and that you may live long in in the land that you shall possessthe land that you shall possess

- Deut. 5:32-33- Deut. 5:32-33

Conditional CovenantConditional CovenantWith blessings and cursingsWith blessings and cursings

Involving the Promised Land Involving the Promised Land and God's protection and God's protection

of that Landof that Land

Tattoo WisdomTattoo Wisdom

- Parents- Parents- Wait- Wait- Tattoo Parties- Tattoo Parties- Jobs- Jobs

How do we raise kids to love How do we raise kids to love Jesus?Jesus?

- Free will- Free will- No promises- No promises"Train up a child…"??"Train up a child…"??

Doesn't cuss, great mannersDoesn't cuss, great manners

Memorized verses and knows Memorized verses and knows some theologysome theology

Walks away, never looking Walks away, never looking backback

Knowing Truth and Affirming Knowing Truth and Affirming Truth isn't the same as Truth isn't the same as

ordering your life around the ordering your life around the TruthTruth

Not behavior modificationNot behavior modificationIssue of the heartIssue of the heart

- Connect the good to God- Connect the good to God- Connect brokenness to sin- Connect brokenness to sin- Live love that - Live love that forgivesforgives/changes/changes

Be Honest:Be Honest:Pleasure in sin? Sure. TransientPleasure in sin? Sure. Transient

Following Christ leads toFollowing Christ leads toEver-increasing joyEver-increasing joy

12 Stones…12 Stones…

When your children ask in time When your children ask in time to cometo come- Joshua 4- Joshua 4

Rehearse God's goodnessRehearse God's goodnessIn your life and in theirsIn your life and in theirs

End of the dayEnd of the dayAnd all the timeAnd all the time

How do I live out the Christian life? How do I live out the Christian life? (I'm a Christian…now what?)(I'm a Christian…now what?)

Follow, Grow, Know, GoFollow, Grow, Know, Go

Follow Christ into baptismFollow Christ into baptism

- Begins discipleship- Begins discipleshipMake disciples, baptizing…and Make disciples, baptizing…and teaching to observe- Matt. 28teaching to observe- Matt. 28

- Identifies- IdentifiesWe were buried We were buried with him with him by by baptism into death, in order that, baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of lifetoo might walk in newness of life- Romans 6:4- Romans 6:4

Follow Christ into baptismFollow Christ into baptism

- Christ was baptized and tell us - Christ was baptized and tell us to be baptized and to baptize in to be baptized and to baptize in order to make discipesorder to make discipes

Grow (Acts 2:42-47)Grow (Acts 2:42-47)

- Word- Word- Fellowship- Fellowship- Prayer- Prayer- Worship- Worship

KnowKnow

Grace= free from guilt and Grace= free from guilt and accusation. Grace is opposed to accusation. Grace is opposed to earningearning

““God made Him who knew no God made Him who knew no sin sin to be sinto be sin on our behalf, so on our behalf, so that we might become that we might become the the righteousnessrighteousness of God in Him” of God in Him” - 2 Cor. 5:21- 2 Cor. 5:21

GoGo

Ambassadors for Christ…we Ambassadors for Christ…we urge you, be reconciled to Godurge you, be reconciled to God- 2 Cor. 5:21- 2 Cor. 5:21

God won't give me moreGod won't give me moreThan I can handle, right?Than I can handle, right?

God will always God will always allowallow more moreThan you can handle by yourselfThan you can handle by yourselfTo teach you that he is enoughTo teach you that he is enough

What is church? I am the What is church? I am the churchchurchWhy go to a building?Why go to a building?

Building isn't importantBuilding isn't important"I" am not the church, though"I" am not the church, thoughEkklesia is pluralEkklesia is plural

Worship, WordWorship, WordFellowship, PrayerFellowship, Prayer

2 or more are gathered2 or more are gatheredIsn't church, but a statementIsn't church, but a statementRelated to church disciplineRelated to church discipline

Elders and deaconsElders and deaconsWord proclaimed Word proclaimed (preach the (preach the Word- 2 Tim. 2:4)Word- 2 Tim. 2:4)WWorship takes place (1 Cor. 14)orship takes place (1 Cor. 14)Prayer and Fellowship (Acts 2)Prayer and Fellowship (Acts 2)Common MissionCommon Mission

Obey your leaders and Obey your leaders and submitsubmit to to them, for they are keeping watch them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those over your souls, as those who will who will have to give an account.have to give an account. Let them Let them do this with joy and not with do this with joy and not with groaning- Heb.13groaning- Heb.13How? Unless local church…How? Unless local church…

Sources of AuthoritySources of Authority

- Scriptures- Scriptures- Tradition- Tradition- Personal Experience- Personal Experience

Church is Family with a Church is Family with a Common FatherCommon Father

A dwelling place for God's SpiritA dwelling place for God's Spirit

Body of ChristBody of Christ

Team on Mission for ChristTeam on Mission for Christ

The visible representation of The visible representation of Christ upon the earthChrist upon the earth

His BrideHis Bride

Pseudo-Christian CultsPseudo-Christian Cults

- Authority over- Authority over- Change scriptures- Change scriptures- Change Jesus- Change Jesus- Change mechanism of salvation- Change mechanism of salvation

false teachers...secretly bring in false teachers...secretly bring in destructive heresies... And many destructive heresies... And many will follow their sensuality, and will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with greed they will exploit you with false words- 2 Peter 2:1-3false words- 2 Peter 2:1-3

Now the Spirit expressly says that in Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are searedliars whose consciences are seared- 1 Timothy 4- 1 Timothy 4

"Hasn't the Bible been changed "Hasn't the Bible been changed over the years? over the years? How can I trust it?"How can I trust it?"

1500 years on 3 Continents1500 years on 3 Continents3 Different Languages3 Different Languages40 Authors40 Authors

Free and ImprisonedFree and ImprisonedKing and poorKing and poor

War and Peace, Famine and PlentyWar and Peace, Famine and PlentyCaptivity and FreedomCaptivity and Freedom

6000 +6000 +Manuscripts of NTManuscripts of NTCompare and ContrastCompare and ContrastHiding nothingHiding nothing

Changes livesChanges lives