Introduction

• Luke 19:8 – Zaccheus made a radical turn toward God. This is a great story of repentance.

I may be misunderstanding repentance.

I may thing it’s just a one-time thing.

• Everybody who has sinned needs to repent – and we’ve all sinned!
• Acts 8:13-22
• Romans 1:7; 6:3
• II Corinthians 7:8-9 – They needed to repent again!
• Revelation 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 19
• God offers grace, but we must repent!

I may not realize I need to grow.

• Ephesians 4:1-3
• John 8:11; Luke 22:32 – God told people to grow!
• We can’t just say, “This is the way I am.”
• Acts 17:30
• I Corinthians 6:9-11 – These were hard changes to make!

I may not ever really commit.

• Acts 26:19-20
• Acts 2:41, 44 – Why didn’t they all obey?
• John 3:5-10

• Hebrews 4:15 – Jesus can be touched by our infirmities because He was tempted like we are, yet never sinned.
• Hebrews 4:16 – Because Jesus endured temptation, we know that He understands us and can approach Him with confidence.
• Hebrews 5:5 – Compare Acts 13:32-33. Thi sis referring to Jesus’ resurrection – not His birth.
• Hebrews 5:6 – See Psalms 110:4.
• Hebrews 5:7 – Jesus was clearly not praying that He would not die because it says His prayer was heard. The Father was able to save Him from physical death and Jesus was resurrected. Jesus was evidently praying that the time on the cross would be short, which it was (six hours rather than multiple days as was often the case for crucifixion). See Matthew 26:39-42; John 12:27; Acts 27:9; James 1:10.

Relationships affected by work

Do you think work ethic has changed in America?

• Galatians 2:20
• Proverbs 30:8-9

How does a good, strong work ethic affect my relationships with others?

• Genesis 2:15 – Work was part of God’s plan from the beginning!
• Psalm 128:1-2
• Ephesians 4:28 – Work so that you have something to share with others.
• I Timothy 6:17-19

What if I’m lazy and don’t work enough? How does that affect my relationships?

• II Thessalonians 3:6-12; II Thessalonians 2:2 – God expects us to work!
• I Timothy 5:8
• Proverbs 21:25-26

What if I’m alcoholic or materialistic? How does that affect my relationships?

• Luke 3:10-14
• James 3:13-18
• I Timothy 6:9-11
• Proverbs 15:16-17

Introduction

• The Bible shows us the importance of good fathers.

Paul

• Paul was not a father, but he was a tremendous servant to God.
• I Corinthians 7:32-34, 18-21
• I Corinthians 12:4-31
• Romans 12:3-5, 1

Serving God vs. using my gifts

• Philippians 3:14-17 – What should you do if your gifts are not fully developed for serving God? Find a mentor to help and grow it!
• Serving God is not so much about what we want as it is about what He has given us.
• Romans 12:9-21
• Matthew 25:15 – There was a five-talent man before he had five talents.
• I Corinthians 7:7, 18
• I Corinthians 14:12 – Whatever abilities you have, use them to serve God!

Action items!

• Evaluate yourself
  • Identify your strengths
    • Clifton Strengthsfinder
    • Isaiah 40:29-31
  • Look for and make opportunities to use and build on your strengths.
  • Shore up your weaknesses, do your best.
• Evaluate your actions
  • How are you using your gifts? Are you investing them or burying them?
  • Go ALL IN.

Conclusion

• Paul was not a biological father, but he was a father figure to many people in a spiritual sense.
• Ephesians 4:11

• Hebrews 4:1-16
• Hebrews 4:1-2 – We must be careful to live faithfully so we can take advantage of this rest.
• Hebrews 4:3 – The writer compares lack of faith now to the lack of faith of the Israelites (Hebrews 3:7-14) that caused God to make them wander in the wilderness for forty years, rather than entering God’s rest.
• Hebrews 4:6-7 – There remains a rest for those who will serve God faithfully.
• Hebrews 4:8 – Joshua has a rest to give the people, but it was far inferior to the rest Jesus would offer.
• Hebrews 4:11-13 – The word of God can see through us like no one on earth can. God can see our disobedience even if it is hidden from men. “Division of soul and spirit” means dividing soul and dividing spirit – not separating them from each other.
• Hebrews 4:14-16 – The incredible (Romans 7:25; 8:26-34) nature of our high priest, Jesus, is all the more reason to hold fast to our faith.