Yet to Come

Let me just say "Wow." I have spent the better part of this weekend attending a conference at my church. The focus of this conference was to remind us that God is limitless and with Him, we can do anything! Our God is a big, strong, awesome God and there is nothing to big or too hard for Him. I mean, he created the earth, all the planets, all the people on this earth, and all the animals and plants on this earth. That's a lot! Throughout the conference, we were reminded of God's awesomeness. Too often, we put God in a box. Somehow, we come to the conclusion that God won't - or can't - give us ___ so we don't ask Him for things. We ask Him for things we think He can give us. In all actuality, He has GREAT things for us! The Bible actually says that He "is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think," Ephesians 3:20. Hmm, "above all that we ASK or THINK." Translation: He can do WAY MORE than we could possibly imagine!


Though the conference ended last night, this morning we had the opportunity to hear Sebastian Buffa speak. He's helping out with a church plant in NYC, and is originally from Australia. I thought he had been part of Hillsong (church in Sydney for all of you hermits ;)), but I can't find any documentation on that. Either way, he is a phenomenal speaker. I really want to share with you my sermon notes from this morning. I got so, so much out of hearing him speak. It's amazing what God can reveal to you! Before I go on, I want to make sure that you understand that the notes I'm posting on here from the sermon are NOT my words, but the speaker's. 


Sebastian Buffa, 10.10.10


Hebrews 10: 1-9


 ¹The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. ²If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. ³But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, ⁴because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
 ⁵Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:
   "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
      but a body you prepared for me;
 ⁶with burnt offerings and sin offerings
      you were not pleased.
 ⁷Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
      I have come to do your will, O God.' " ⁸First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). ⁹Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second.


- verses 1-3: Explains why the law couldn't perfect us.
- verse 9: "He takes away the first to establish the the second." --> foundation of our theology. Insight into methodology (things we adhere to) of God.
-He removes the first to establish the second --> PRESENT TENSE
- With God, the best is yet to come - saved for last. "The first" is a shadow of the second.
- Ephesians 3:20 - God's "immeasurably more" starts where I end.
- John 2:9-10 (Jesus turns water into wine at wedding, first miracle) - Jesus saved the best for last.
- Philippians 1:6 - God will perfect His awesome work in us until the day of Jesus (meaning Jesus' return).
- Genesis 37:2-11 (story of Joseph)
   ❊when God gives you a dream, just spend time with it. Don't tell everyone.
-Why is it important to believe the best is yet to come?


- You have not yet reached the capacity of what God can do...
   ❊What if the best days of your marriage are yet to come? Not before the affair, but after?! What if they aren't waving goodbye with a tissue in their hand?!


1. In you.
   ❊God's doing a work in you.
   ❊ He's more concerned with who you're becoming than what you're doing right now.
2. With you.
    ❊Your accomplishments are limitless when you partner with God.
3. For you.
    ❊God is a father at heart. Like good fathers, He wants to bless us. He wants the best for us.
    ❊Galatians 6:9 - We haven't reached the capacity of the His harvest.


How do we live as if the best is yet to come?


1. Live as if only God is watching.
    ❊ Too often we worry about what other people think, which causes pressure. {I know I sure do!}
    ❊ What will make God proud?
    ❊ Perform to please your dad - God - and you can not fail! 
2. Live IN the moment, not FOR the moment.
    ❊live in the moment - you appreciate what's going on and how it will affect the next moment.
    ❊live for the moment - you get sidetracked, don't pay attention.
    ❊you weren't destined for the pit! {Reference to the story of Joseph, when he was placed in the pit by his brothers, sold into slavery, betrayed, put in prison, forgotten and then became a favorite of the Pharaoh. See Genesis 37.)

3. Live as if you have NEVER been disappointed.

    ❊Pain, mistakes and failure teach us valuable lessons.

    ❊Disappointment teaches us nothing. It teaches us not to get our hopes up. It sounds so right because disappointment hurts and we never want to feel it again.

   

   ❊God doesn't want us to live in the disappointment. He wants us to keep trying and to try new things.

Who would you be, what would you try, what would you do, how would you LIVE if you had NEVER been disappointed?

Wow. I know I actually heard the message this morning, but I'm still awestruck by that last question.

If I had never in my life been disappointed, I might live differently. I might be a different person. My marriage might look different. My relationships with family members might look different. My relationships with friends might look different. I might see the world differently. 

That's exactly the way God wants us to live. He doesn't want us to live in disappointment, or fear that we might be disappointed. We are destined for bigger, better, greater things in this life all because He loves us! 

And, oh, He loves us so much! He gave us His only son. He allowed that only son to be tortured and die on the cross. All so we could have a relationship with Him! If He'd had 20 sons, it wouldn't have been so amazing. But, God only had ONE and He gave him to us. Isn't that awesome?! I think it's even more awesome that He would not only give us His only son, but He wants to give us MORE! 

Happy Sunday!

**If you click on the "my church" link at the top, it'll take you to my church's homepage. If you want to listen to the message, you can find it through that website. It should be uploaded by tomorrow.

***If you click on the links to verses, it will take you to the website I use to look up verses. It's way easier than copying and pasting all those passages. =)

****I hope this spacing doesn't bother you as much as it does me. I think Blogger hates me. *sigh* =P