Big Thought: As we pursue to please God through , we will the Gospel, people will be , and we will deeply our partnership with one another.
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1. We please God as we His Gospel out of .
a. This Gospel belongs to and is all about .
b. God the Gospel to us.
2 Corinthians 4:7-15 (ESV) – But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
c. We the Gospel.
2 Corinthians 4:5 (ESV) – For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
d. We the Gospel.
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2. We please God as we the Gospel as His .
a. We must the Word of God.
Romans 10:17 (ESV) – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
b. We must receive it as the Word of and not of .
John 1:12-13 (ESV) – But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
c. The Word does a in us.
Philippians 2:13 (ESV) – For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Isaiah 55:11 (ESV) – So shall My word be that goes out from My mouth; it shall not return to Me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
d. This results in us exemplary and also .
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3. We please God when we deeply our with one another.
a. We grow in our to be with each other.
1 John 1:3-4, 7 (ESV) – That which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete… But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
b. The church becomes very to us.
1 John 3:14a (ESV) – We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers.
c. We have a relationship.
i. We are .
ii. We are .
iii. We are to walk in a manner of God.
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