HOW TO BUILD A LIFE

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John 10:10-11 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus laid down His Life for us.

John 15:13 ESV

13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone [a man] lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus laid down his Life for us.

1 John 3:16 ESV

16 By this we know love, that he [Jesus] laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

Jesus laid down His Life for us…in love

And this love is the foundation upon which we must build our lives

1 John 4:19 ESV

19 We love because he first loved us.

Jesus laid down His Life for us.

The foundation

The cornerstone

Jesus death on the cross is the key

Unlocked everything

Before the cross, we could not love God

As the apostle Paul puts it: “We were dead in our trespasses & sins.”

Ephesians 2:4-10 ESV

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,

5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—

by grace you have been saved—

6 and [He] raised us up with him

and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

7 so that in the coming ages

he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith.

And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,

which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We have been created by God in Christ Jesus for good works

“What are the good works that God has for me to do?”

Love God. Love others.

Last Sunday → the WHY

Today → the HOW

HOW do we love God?

HOW do we love others?

HOW do I build my Life upon the foundation of the love of God?

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Mark 12:28-34 ESV

The Great Commandment

28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another,

and seeing that he [Jesus] answered them well, [he] asked him [Jesus],

“Which commandment is the most important of all?”

29 Jesus answered, “The most important is [this], ‘Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.

30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul

and with all your mind and with all your strength.’

31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

There is no other commandment greater than these.”

32 And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one,

and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he [Jesus] said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him [Jesus] any more questions.

HOW do we build our lives upon the foundation that Jesus laid down for us?

2 Questions:

What is the one good habit you would like to add to your life?

What is the one bad habit that you’d like removed from your life?

HOW do we build our lives upon the love of God?

Define → Love

Love is an action

WHO we are loving determines HOW we love them

HOW do we love God?

Faith. Trust. Obedience.

Jesus said:

“Greater love has no one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.”

This is HOW God has loved us, in Christ.

Therefore, this is HOW we are to express our love to God.

Romans 12:1 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b]

To give our lives back to God is HOW we love God

What does it look like to lay my life down?

Keystone Habit

EXAMPLE → Exercise

Keystone Habits for our Life with Jesus:

Read God’s Word

Be a part of a local church

As Christians, we are to prioritize the corporate worship gathering

Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV

24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Mentally mandatory

We are encouraged

We are strengthened

God is doing a work in us when we prioritize Him in this way

Another keystone habit → SERVING

How can I help?

Where is there a need?

This is where Christian community really develops

Garrett Kell writes:

“The church is the primary means God uses to help you persevere in faith and be conformed to Jesus. You will not grow in purity or maturity apart from gospel community.” – Garrett Kell

Reading God’s Word

Prayer

Coming to church

Worshiping together at church

Serving at church

Tithing

Habits, spiritual disciplines → Water + Fertilizer

Many of us are good at water & fertilizer

Fruitful

Good works

Maybe we need PRUNING

God wants good for our lives.

Lives filled with:

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-control

HOW does God want me to build my life?

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COMMUNITY SUNDAY

We do this for you.

SERVE

Find a GROUP

Host a Community Group

He is building us up together → for our good & His glory

He wants us to bear much fruit

The Grapevine →

John 15:1-2 ESV

15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

John 15:4-11 ESV

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.