http://bible.com/events/617092
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ 
Galatians 5:1 (NIV) 

We were once slaves to sin, but we have experienced freedom in Christ.

Because of Jesus there is 
MORE LIFE, 
MORE HOPE, 
MORE PURPOSE &
MORE FREEDOM

Galatians 5:2-5 
There is a group of believers (called “Judaizers”) teaching that the only way to receive God’s love and forgiveness was to become like a Jew and follow Jewish customs 

While there is nothing wrong with the outward act of circumcision, in this context it represented adding something to the Gospel 

MY FOCUS 
Galatians 5:2- “Christ has no value to you at all” 
When we add something to the Gospel, we make it about what we do
When we make it about what we do, we diminish Christ’s value 

MY DEBT 
Galatians 5:3- “obligated to obey the whole law”
When we attempt to pay back the debt that’s forgiven, we turn God’s free gift into a loan to be repaid or wages to be earned 

MY WORK
Galatians 5:4-  “justified by the law” 
“you have fallen away from grace”
When we make it about what we do, then it is no longer about God’s grace

MY POWER
Galatians 5:5- “through the Spirit”
“by faith”
We don’t need to rely on the “external” law to keep us in line 
We have the “internal” work of the Holy Spirit 

Those who claim to follow Jesus can still be chained…
I keep the rules 
I do enough good things 
I am a spiritual person 

I believe I have the strength to improve every day 
I do what I’m told 
I measure up to the standards set for me 

I am making progress
I don’t do some things that I used to do 
I’m better off than some around me 

I do good things and have a good reputation 
I wish others were more like me
If only other groups could be as spiritual as us

When you choose the law over grace you lose every time 

What has you chained today?

http://bible.com/events/612603

More Than Me: More Purpose

“He must become greater; I must become less.””

John 3:30 NIV

Acts 26:12-18NIV

Philippians 3:7-11 (NIV)

The Purpose of ME is often defined by…. 

-ACTIONS

-REPUTATION 

-SOCIAL STANDING

-EFFORT

-PASSION 

Phil 3:9

If we aren’t careful, building my life on my own purpose leads to a righteousness of my own.  

Some attributes of the ‘RIGHTEOUSNESS OF ME’ 

…attends Church fairly regularly because it is expected.

…chooses what is popular over what is right. It desires to fit in both at church and outside church.

…does not want to be saved from sin, just the penalty of sin.

….does not really believe that the new life Jesus offers is better than the old life of sin.

…will serve God and others but there are limitations.

… does whatever is necessary to stay in its comfort zone.

… does not live by faith. Life is so structured that faith isn’t necessary 

…does not love Jesus as much as it loves self. It loves Him some but loves self more.

HIS PURPOSE FOR ME

Philippians 3:10-11 

My purpose begins with ME 

His Purpose for me begins at the cross 

Luke 9:23-24

MY purpose is about MY POWER 

HIS Purpose for me begins with HIS POWER IN ME 

The power of God’s purpose changes us….

Instead of “What can I do?” 

It becomes “What can you do in me?”

Instead of “What can I accomplish?”

It becomes “What can you accomplish through me?”  

Instead of “My spotlight” 

It becomes “His glory” 

Instead of “I want to be famous” 

It becomes “I want to be faithful” 

The best purpose we find is not in our purpose but in God’s purpose for us. It is more than dreaming, more than your work, more than a collection of tasks, more than me.

http://bible.com/events/608342
April 28
More Than Me: More Hope

John 10:10 (The Message)  
We are living in between two tensions:
The wonder of ME….
-I am a miracle of God
-I am created with gifts, talents & abilities
-I am created in the image of God
The problem of ME…
-Sin separates me from God
-Sin prevents me from experiencing God’s best for my life today

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.” Augustine

Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)
Peace with God….
-The opposite of justification is condemnation
-Condemnation is what we deserved because of sin
-Justification means we are made righteous

Access to God…
-We used to depend on what we can do for ourselves
-Now we depend on what God can do for us

Hope of the glory of God….
-Things I place my hope in…
Who I Am (My abilities)
What I Do (My accomplishments)
My People (My relationships)
My Stuff (My finances, possessions, etc)
-The reality: ME has no real capacity to hope
Our hope is not founded in me
Our hope is founded in God’s Glory

Peace with God – takes care of the past
Access to God – addresses the present
Hope of the glory of God – speaks to the future

Romans 5:3-4

Suffering
-Suffering seems contradictory to hope, but suffering is actually a gateway to HOPE
-“Hope itself is like a star – not to be seen in the sunshine of prosperity, and only to be discovered in the night of adversity.” -Charles Spurgeon

Perseverance
-When you are willing to endure, resistance builds strength

Character
-Through suffering something beautiful is produced
-“Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted” Matthew 5:4

Hope
-Hope is the product of something else – it doesn’t appear out of nowhere.
Suffering
Perseverance
Character
Hope

Romans 5:5 
The Hope of ME can fail
The Hope of God cannot fail

http://bible.com/events/605161
The wonder….ME
I am miracle
I am created by God and made in His Image

The problem….ME
There is something broken within us. 
In our human-ness and in our frailty: There is a wrestling, there is an emptiness, & there is a brokenness within. 

Ultimately this life is about more than ME….more than what I can accomplish on my own.  

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:1-3 

The problem of ME is really the problem of SIN.
-acts of sin
-nature of sin

‭‭John‬ ‭10:10‬ ‭‬‬

Jesus isn’t speaking of simply being alive, but what FILLS our life

o Symptoms of a taste of death
▪ constant worry, fear, anxiety)
▪ we can’t be ourselves….we have to hide
▪ we lack true joy

Ephesians 2:4-5

In His mercy, He does not give us what we do deserve, and in His grace He gives us what we do not deserve.  

This life is possible when we recognize it’s beyond ME, it’s only found in Christ

More Than Me begins with a prayer…
1. “I can’t do it” (It’s more than Me, more than what I can do on my own)
2. “God, you can do it” (God is capable…He CAN fill us with real life now and for eternity) 
3. “I turn from DEATH” (the taste of death I am currently experiencing…the worry, shame, fear…I REPENT and turn from that life)
4. “God, fill me with your LIFE” (Only God can bring me true life)

http://bible.com/events/600832
Let’s share the following for ‘show notes’ for this week.

1. This Friday night at 7:00pm, we’re a having a Good Friday worship service. We hope you’ll join us this week as we reflect on the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us.
2. On Saturday at 2pm, our children’s ministry is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt. We are still accepting candy donations for the eggs in the foyer or just outside of Kid’s City. You can register online for the egg hunt and we recommend you do so. abeaconofhope.churchcenter.com/registrations
3. On Easter Sunday, we will have one additional worship service at 7:30am. All of our other service times will stay the same. If you have been thinking about serving at HFCN, Easter Sunday is about the best day we can think of to start. Let us know and we’ll work with you to find the right spot for you. Thank you!
cotnaz.org
abeaconofhope.churchcenter.com/giving
abeaconofhope.churchcenter.com/registrations
info@cotnaz.org. 540.434.1092