FBCGridley

The small book of Ruth, tells us about two struggling widows who became unlikely friends in an out of the way village—and we relate to that. In this story relates that God is not just the God of awesome power, But He is also a God who cares about ordinary people. And He uses people like us in everyday circumstances to accomplish His will. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

We're going to talk about being friends in mentoring relationships. Most of you here are either mentors or mentees. It is not limited to teachers and students. If you are a parent, or grandparent, an older sibling in the family—you're a mentor. And if you're on the receiving end of their instruction, you're a disciple or a “mentee”. Almost every occupation has assistants, trainees, interns, understudies and apprentices. The Bible teaches us in the church that, the older men are to disciple the younger men. and the older women are to teach the younger women to be reverent in the way they live. A good example of mentorship in the Bible is Elijah and Elisha. “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Close friends are people we’re so comfortable with that we visit in one another's homes, we go to games together, out to eat together on a regular basis. And we know we can call on those friends in time of trouble. They will be there. That's what a brother is for. The Old Testament characters of David and Jonathan provide a good example of intimate friendship in the Bible. ​A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17

There's a woman in the Bible named Leah, who was disrespected by the people who mattered the most to her. But Leah met her fears head-on and made the most of the opportunity that God gave her. ​Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe. Proverbs 29:25

​ If we want God to bless this church, we need to openly welcome people into our fellowship and let them know they matter to the Kingdom of God. In Luke 13, Jesus talked about His vision for the church. Jesus intended the church to be a foretaste of what the eternal Kingdom of God would be in heaven. It is to be a place where every individual is valued and loved. In Luke 13:18-35, There are 5 characteristics that the Lord wants in His church. when these qualities are present, they guarantee individual significance. ​ Then Jesus asked, “What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to? It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches.” Luke 13:18-19

​Only the Lord can satisfy that hunger for the hope of eternal life, forgiveness of sins, unconditional love, and a purpose for living. In Luke 14 Jesus told a parable that likened the Kingdom of God to a sumptuous banquet. The church, the Kingdom of God on earth, should be a place where the spiritually hungry can be fed on a regular basis. It's not the building. It’s not the atmosphere. It’s not the location that makes the church. The food—the plain “meat and potatoes” of God's Word- nourishes our souls. Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. Luke 14:16

​ Somebody said, “There are three essentials for a meaningful life. Someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” Life can’t be meaningful if we don't have something to hope for in the future. The message of the gospel is a message of eternal hope. No matter how grim the situation, there's always hope in God. The Psalmist asked, Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God Psalm 42:5 ​The apostle Paul wrote, we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe. 1 Timothy 4:10 God's power to revive hope is best seen in the story of the resurrection of Jesus from the grave.

Paul J. Meyer said, “Ninety percent of those who fail aren't actually defeated—they simply quit.” And one of the major problems of our Christian lives is that we quit sailing on. We're not accustomed to sticking with a commitment for very long. ​But the people who please God, are the people who tough it out regardless of the cost. And no one had more resolve than Jesus Christ. He was determined to do the will of God. It was the reason He left heaven and came to the earth. Jesus said, I came to give my life as a ransom for many. just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28

​ Just hours before Jesus Christ died, He established a memorial that is endured for more than 2000 years. Jesus knew how short our memories are, so He founded a memorial we call communion to serve as a reminder of his death for us. And this is more important than any man-made monument. Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. John 6:53

Jesus Christ came to the earth to rescue those who were held hostage in sin. His salvation is open to everyone, but we must heed Christ's command to repent and believe the gospel. Otherwise, we will perish with the judgment meant for the enemy. Following Christ is an eternal life and death matter. Being a Christian is not just trying to be a better person or enhancing your personality (although that is a wonderful by-product). Being a Christian is giving total allegiance to Jesus Christ in all things. ​In Luke 21, Jesus gave a series of warnings to His disciples to prepare them for the dangerous period that was ahead. ​Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” Luke 21:5-6

Instinctively, almost from birth, we resist authority. We don't want any authority figure telling us what to do. ​ There's a sense in which every newborn is, “high maintenance.” They want their own way. And that drive for Independence surfaces in youth, in temper tantrums, and pouting spells, open defiance. Or they are just saying, “Please mommy, let me do it myself.” ​ But when we become a Christian, we make a deliberate choice to submit our wills to the authority of God. We repent of our self-will. We swallow our pride. We surrender our egos. And we say, “Lord Jesus, I am in need of a Savior. I submit to you as my God and my Sovereign in all things. No longer my will be done, but thine be done.” ​ Luke 20 relates that Jesus’ enemies challenged His authority. The religious leaders confronted Him with three difficult questions in an attempt to undermine His credibility. ​ If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 1 Corinthians 15:19

Some have classified Jesus as a good moral teacher, the founder of a world religion. And they said He should be respected like Mohammed or Dalai Lama. Others suggested that Jesus was self-deluded, a madman like Jim Jones or David Koresh. He claimed supernatural powers and was able to persuade a handful of followers to die for him. Evangelical Christians believe that Jesus was God in the flesh, that He died for our sins, He rose from the dead. And the real question shouldn't be who WAS Jesus, but who IS Jesus—because He is alive today. Who was Jesus? The answer to that question will dramatically impact how you think, feel, and behave daily. ​Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey Zechariah 9:9

Grief is a prolonged life-shaking sorrow after a loss. Sometimes grief is as evident as a tear. It is often camouflaged under surface conversation, constant activity, and phony smiles. But it is there even though it's often unseen. When C. S. Lewis's wife died, He wrote, “Her absence, like the sky—is spread over everything.” In John 11, there's a thrilling account of how Jesus Christ brought comfort and hope to the two sisters who were mourning the loss of their brother. This Bible story focuses on the grief of the loss of a loved one, and yet the principles apply to all kinds of grief. So, let's study this climactic miracle together and rediscover the hope that Mary and Martha experienced that day. Now for a little while, you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 1 Peter 1:6

John 9 records an incident when Jesus healed a man of both physical and spiritual blindness. This man was really hurting. He was born blind. He had never seen the loving expression of his parents. He had never seen the magnificence of the Temple in Jerusalem. He had never seen the blossom of a tree. He existed by sitting by the road begging. He was kind of the outcast of society. He was aching for some meaning to life. But Jesus brought hope to this blind man, both for time and eternity. So, let's look at the story and see the parallels between physical and spiritual blindness because all of us could use a healing touch from Jesus. ​ As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:1-2

What is your consuming passion in life? Is there anything that you value more than yourself? I want to challenge you to make Jesus Christ the consuming passion in your life. Christ calls us to believe in Him and His promise of eternal life so much that we are willing to sacrifice everything for Him if necessary. John the Baptist was that kind of intense believer. John's dedication to Christ cost him his freedom and then his life. I'm sure a lot of people in that day thought John was a ridiculous fanatic. ​Jesus said, “Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:37

​ There is a spiritual hunger in every one of us just as real and needed as bodily hunger. When that is satisfied, it brings about spiritual strength and contentment. But when it is denied, it produces restlessness pain, and sometimes irrational behavior. Many people are familiar with the feeding of the 5000, an incredible miracle. This is the only miracle in all of the Bible with the exception of Jesus' resurrection, which is repeated in all four gospels. But do you know what happened immediately after the feeding of the 5000? Usually, it's overlooked, but that section that follows in John 6 is even more important. So, let's look at the feeding of the 5000 and then the discussion that follows that talks about food for the soul. ​ Jesus said, Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. John 10:35

Honest DoubtsLong before the days of “fake news”— a prominent television producer was quoted and would often would quip to his reporters, “There are some stories that are just too good to check out.” Is the gospel of Jesus Christ like that? Is the account of God becoming a man, dying for our sins, and raising from the dead really true? Or is it a fictitious story designed to inspire naïve people to give their money? Can the Bible story of Jesus withstand a thorough investigation? Or is it too good to check out? Maybe you felt guilty because you doubt it the Bible, so you just keep those questions to yourself. Because after all, Christians are supposed to be people of faith. It may surprise you to discover that John the Baptist experienced doubts about Jesus. John was the first one to identify Jesus as the Messiah. John was praised by Jesus as being the greatest man who ever lived. but near the end of his life, John experienced doubts. When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” Matthew 11:2

​ Courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is moving ahead in spite of your fear. If you're you have no fear it takes no courage to perform. A courageous person is one who accomplishes the task in spite of fear, because it's the right thing to do. The bravery of John the Baptist is best seen in his courageous confrontation of sin. John was very outspoken against the evils of his day. He was so vocal that he didn't live long, but the effect of his ministry lasted forever. We could use some of John's courage in confronting some of the important evils of our day. ​ People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming… Matthew 3:5-7

Not many of us would ever take a job without a thorough job description and an understanding of the chart of accountability. And yet, everyday people are going into marriage, the highest of all human relationships, without a very clear understanding of what the role is supposed to be. The model for Biblical marriage roles is compared to Christ Himself. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25-27

The increase in live-in relationships is also an indication that a lot of people are disillusioned with marriage. Many people have been deeply wounded by miserable relationships. Or they've seen friends in unsuccessful marriages and they don't want that to happen to them. And somehow they are convinced that the problem is with the institution of marriage itself rather than the relationships of the people involved. The solution is not abandoning the institution of marriage, but returning to God’s intent of what marriage was meant to be. ​ For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Genesis 2:24

David distinguished himself as a man of God, a writer of the book of Psalms, a leader of men who just oozed charisma. But David's record was not without blemish. He had trouble at home and eventually, his marriage fell apart altogether. If marriage is ordained by God to be the highest of all human relationships, why do so many marriages break down? More importantly, how can we prevent this kind of disaster from happening to us? Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Hebrews 13:4

Love American style has been so romanticized. From the time we were little, we dream about someone who will melt our hearts and fulfill our fantasies. We are told that God has somebody out there who will be just the right one for us. and when we meet them, we will fall in love and it will be forever. The Bible indicates that God never intended marriage to be based on something as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and unstable as a loving feeling. There is love in marriage, but it bears very little resemblance to the Hollywood image or the romantic concept about which we fantasize. Let's look at the story of Isaac and Rebecca, to learn some very important truths about love in marriage. ​Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death. Genesis 24:67

​ Faith in God is tested in a number of ways: Adversity, prosperity, temptations of the flesh, temptations of pride. But one of the most difficult tests to pass comes when God seems unresponsive to our needs. Do we continue to trust God when His promises are not quickly fulfilled? Do we continue to obey God even when it doesn't seem to be paying off? Do we keep believing in God when He's silent for a long time? ​ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9

​Genesis 18-19 Hebrews 11:6 says, And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. If we really believe that God exists, and we believe that He is a benevolent gracious deity, it is only natural to pray. Especially since God has invited us to bring our requests to Him. Jesus said, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7 ​Prayer is a natural expression of a believing heart.