Good News for the Sinners in This Room

September 29, 2024 · The 12 Steps

Series · The 12 Steps · Week 5 of 5

Scripture referenced 7 passages

The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.

1 Peter 1:3-4 read aloud after worship, praising God for new birth into a living hope through the resurrection, and an inheritance kept in heaven

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that doesn’t fade away, reserved in Heaven for you,

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Matthew 7:24-25

quoted before the offering song, about the wise man who built his house on the rock

24 “Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock.

25 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it didn’t fall, for it was founded on the rock.

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Galatians 2:20

cited as where Paul describes being co-crucified with Christ, no longer living for self but by faith in the Son of God

20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

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John 16

upper room discourse quoted, Jesus promising the Holy Spirit will guide disciples into all truth and disclose the mind of God

1 “I have said these things to you so that you wouldn’t be caused to stumble.

2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Yes, the time comes that whoever kills you will think that he offers service to God.

3 They will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me.

4 But I have told you these things, so that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you.

5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’

6 But because I have told you these things, sorrow has filled your heart.

7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I don’t go away, the Counselor won’t come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

8 When he has come, he will convict the world about sin, about righteousness, and about judgment;

9 about sin, because they don’t believe in me;

10 about righteousness, because I am going to my Father, and you won’t see me any more;

11 about judgment, because the prince of this world has been judged.

12 “I have yet many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now.

13 However when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak from himself; but whatever he hears, he will speak. He will declare to you things that are coming.

14 He will glorify me, for he will take from what is mine, and will declare it to you.

15 All things whatever the Father has are mine; therefore I said that he takes of mine, and will declare it to you.

16 A little while, and you will not see me. Again a little while, and you will see me.”

17 Some of his disciples therefore said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me;’ and, ‘Because I go to the Father’?”

18 They said therefore, “What is this that he says, ‘A little while’? We don’t know what he is saying.”

19 Therefore Jesus perceived that they wanted to ask him, and he said to them, “Do you inquire among yourselves concerning this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you won’t see me, and again a little while, and you will see me?’

20 Most certainly I tell you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy.

21 A woman, when she gives birth, has sorrow, because her time has come. But when she has delivered the child, she doesn’t remember the anguish any more, for the joy that a human being is born into the world.

22 Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

23 “In that day you will ask me no questions. Most certainly I tell you, whatever you may ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.

24 Until now, you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be made full.

25 I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. But the time is coming when I will no more speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.

26 In that day you will ask in my name; and I don’t say to you, that I will pray to the Father for you,

27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came from God.

28 I came from the Father, and have come into the world. Again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”

29 His disciples said to him, “Behold, now you are speaking plainly, and using no figures of speech.

30 Now we know that you know all things, and don’t need for anyone to question you. By this we believe that you came from God.”

31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe?

32 Behold, the time is coming, yes, and has now come, that you will be scattered, everyone to his own place, and you will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.

33 I have told you these things, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have oppression; but cheer up! I have overcome the world.”

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Colossians 1

quoted about being previously alienated and hostile, yet reconciled through Christ's death, to be presented holy and blameless if continuing steadfast in the faith

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus through the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 to the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 We give thanks to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,

4 having heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have toward all the saints,

5 because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, of which you heard before in the word of the truth of the Good News,

6 which has come to you; even as it is in all the world and is bearing fruit and growing, as it does in you also, since the day you heard and knew the grace of God in truth;

7 even as you learned of Epaphras our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful servant of Christ on our behalf,

8 who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.

9 For this cause, we also, since the day we heard this, don’t cease praying and making requests for you, that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

10 that you may walk worthily of the Lord, to please him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 strengthened with all power, according to the might of his glory, for all endurance and perseverance with joy;

12 giving thanks to the Father, who made us fit to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light;

13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love;

14 in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins;

15 who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16 For by him all things were created, in the heavens and on the earth, things visible and things invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers; all things have been created through him, and for him.

17 He is before all things, and in him all things are held together.

18 He is the head of the body, the assembly, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 For all the fullness was pleased to dwell in him;

20 and through him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, whether things on the earth, or things in the heavens, having made peace through the blood of his cross.

21 You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds,

22 yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him,

23 if it is so that you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the Good News which you heard, which is being proclaimed in all creation under heaven; of which I, Paul, was made a servant.

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and fill up on my part that which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the assembly;

25 of which I was made a servant, according to the stewardship of God which was given me toward you, to fulfill the word of God,

26 the mystery which has been hidden for ages and generations. But now it has been revealed to his saints,

27 to whom God was pleased to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory;

28 whom we proclaim, admonishing every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus;

29 for which I also labor, striving according to his working, which works in me mightily.

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James 1:12-25

referenced, not read aloud, as being about looking in a mirror, being doers of the word and not hearers only, and every good and perfect gift being from above

12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.

13 Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God can’t be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then the lust, when it has conceived, bears sin; and the sin, when it is full grown, produces death.

16 Don’t be deceived, my beloved brothers.

17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

18 Of his own will he gave birth to us by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger;

20 for the anger of man doesn’t produce the righteousness of God.

21 Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.

22 But be doers of the word, and not only hearers, deluding your own selves.

23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man looking at his natural face in a mirror;

24 for he sees himself, and goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

25 But he who looks into the perfect law of freedom, and continues, not being a hearer who forgets, but a doer of the work, this man will be blessed in what he does.

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Philippians 1

Paul's confidence that he who began a good work among them will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus

1 Paul and Timothy, servants of Jesus Christ; To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and servants:

2 Grace to you, and peace from God, our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God whenever I remember you,

4 always in every request of mine on behalf of you all, making my requests with joy,

5 for your partnership in furtherance of the Good News from the first day until now;

6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

7 It is even right for me to think this way on behalf of all of you, because I have you in my heart, because, both in my bonds and in the defense and confirmation of the Good News, you all are partakers with me of grace.

8 For God is my witness, how I long after all of you in the tender mercies of Christ Jesus.

9 This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;

10 so that you may approve the things that are excellent; that you may be sincere and without offense to the day of Christ;

11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

12 Now I desire to have you know, brothers, that the things which happened to me have turned out rather to the progress of the Good News;

13 so that it became evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my bonds are in Christ;

14 and that most of the brothers in the Lord, being confident through my bonds, are more abundantly bold to speak the word of God without fear.

15 Some indeed preach Christ even out of envy and strife, and some also out of good will.

16 The former insincerely preach Christ from selfish ambition, thinking that they add affliction to my chains;

17 but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the Good News.

18 What does it matter? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed. I rejoice in this, yes, and will rejoice.

19 For I know that this will turn out to my salvation, through your prayers and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will in no way be disappointed, but with all boldness, as always, now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life, or by death.

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

22 But if I live on in the flesh, this will bring fruit from my work; yet I don’t know what I will choose.

23 But I am in a dilemma between the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.

24 Yet, to remain in the flesh is more needful for your sake.

25 Having this confidence, I know that I will remain, yes, and remain with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith,

26 that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again.

27 Only let your way of life be worthy of the Good News of Christ, that, whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your state, that you stand firm in one spirit, with one soul striving for the faith of the Good News;

28 and in nothing frightened by the adversaries, which is for them a proof of destruction, but to you of salvation, and that from God.

29 Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,

30 having the same conflict which you saw in me, and now hear is in me.

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Recap

The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.

This message was the tenth installment in a series walking through the 12 steps, applied broadly to whatever a person struggles with, not only addiction. The pastor led the congregation through a review of steps one through nine before turning to step 10, which calls for continuing personal inventory and promptly admitting when you are wrong. The service closed with communion, framing that honest self-examination within the new covenant Jesus established.

What was said

Before moving to the new material, the pastor asked the congregation to recite the first nine steps from memory, and they largely could. The exercise was deliberate: to show that these ideas should be internalized, not just heard. As he put it, you can memorize all these steps, but if you don't work the program, the program will not work for you.

Step 10 is what the program calls continuance. After the hard relational and confessional work of the earlier steps, this one asks a person to keep doing that work daily, not as a one-time achievement but as an ongoing posture. The key word the pastor kept returning to was "promptly." When you realize you are wrong, say so right away, before you double down.

He told a story about a song by a friend of his, written in the voice of a preacher named Leonard J. Jerome. The preacher asks his congregation to stand if they have lied, cheated, lost their temper, held a grudge, or broken a promise, and eventually the whole room is on its feet. The point was the same level ground the steps assume: not one person in the room has more standing than anyone else, and that is precisely why the good news is good news.

To fill out step 10 with scripture, the pastor moved through several passages. From Galatians he read Paul's declaration of being co-crucified with Christ, the idea that a believer's old self and its patterns were nailed to the cross, and that the life now lived is lived by faith in the Son of God. That co-crucifixion, he said, is not just freedom from the guilt of sin but freedom from the power sin had over a person, if a person is willing to reckon it as true.

He also pointed to Jesus telling his disciples to keep watching and keep praying so they would not fall into temptation. The disciples fell asleep from sorrow, which the pastor noted is a recognizable pattern: anguish and stress weaken people and make them less vigilant. The call to keep on watching is the same continuance that step 10 describes.

From John 16, the pastor read Jesus' promise that the Holy Spirit will guide believers into all truth, not all at once but progressively. He suggested that seeing all of one's sin in a single moment would be overwhelming, and that the Spirit reveals it a little at a time, which is one reason daily inventory matters. The Spirit's role is to disclose the things of the Father to anyone who stays humble enough to receive them.

He closed the sermon and moved into communion together. He connected Colossians 1, which speaks of being reconciled through Christ's death in order to be presented holy and blameless, to the new covenant Jesus announced the night he was betrayed. Partaking of the bread and cup is a regular, concrete act of remembering that the work belongs to God and that the saints are called to continue in the faith, not to arrive at it once and stop.

Doing a Bible study?

Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages in order, questions for the group, and room to write.

Monique shared that God showed her she wasn't walking in love as freely as He wanted her to, and that she had to choose the way of love even when her own wants and needs came second. Where in your own life right now is choosing love costing you something?
The pastor read from Galatians about being co-crucified with Christ, saying that Christ has freed us not just from the guilt of sin but from the power sin had over us. What does it look like practically, day to day, to reckon that to be true in your own life?

and 3 more questions in the guide

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Alright. Good morning, everybody. How are we doing? It's just good to hear you stirring, talking, laughing. I I really enjoy this.

I love I love being I love corporate worship, being here together. Would you stand with me? I'd love to sing the Lord's prayer together. Father, let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth as in heaven right here in our hearts.

Let's make it our prayer song.

Oh, father, let your kingdom come.

But deliver us from the evil one.

Let your kingdom come. It's yours. Let's sing this.

It's yours. It's yours. All yours.

Father, let your will be done on earth as in heaven, right here in my heart. On earth as in heaven, right here in our hearts.

Need retraining. Oh, here we are. The announcements this week. We do have Awana tomorrow night. What's happening, Carl?

Regular club night on at 05:45.

Regular club night, 05:45. Starts out in this room and then spreads out all over the church. Fun time. We've had 70 something kids and a lot of volunteers, 80 something and growing. Fantastic.

That's wonderful. So it's Awana tomorrow night. Jackson Hole Men's Alliance meets the first Wednesday of the month at 06:30AM, and that will be this Wednesday, 06:30 down the hall, Fellowship hall. Jackson Hole Men's Alliance. It's more than just folks from First Beast, guys from the Christian community all over and you're welcome.

Come on. Sounds good. Precept Bible study of Mark on Thursdays. Precept is kind of an inductive Bible study. We're using scripture to interpret scripture.

Thursdays at 9AM, Heidi Groesch is the one in charge of that these days down in the fellowship hall, 9AM on Thursday morning. Sunday school group for adults. There is a Sunday school group for adults that meets during this service at nine. They meet down in the fellowship hall and they come to the 11:00 service. Just to let you know, that is happening down there.

If you wander down during this service and you see a whole bunch of people sitting down there, that's what they're doing. It's their Sunday school. Jackson Hole Women's Community Bible Study is on Wednesdays through October 30. It's Wednesdays, ten to noon right here, starts out in here and then they spread out all over the church. Wonderful wonderful group, full house and it's a great time sitting around the tables and getting to know one another and scripture together.

Woah. Hey, boy. This is a new one for me. There's a QR code up there. Is Nick in the room?

Nick is the one who always does QR codes. Okay, you all know how they work anyway. There he is. QR code for anybody who wants to be in a study, host a study, or lead a study. You can do that little QR code on your phone, it'll take you where you need to go or you can go online on our website and find the same thing.

It's gonna be up for two weeks. Just for two weeks, we're trying to get these things kinda going. Thank you, Nick. Appreciate that. Youth group dodgeball.

Oh my goodness. A flaming dodgeball. I don't think we're gonna light them on fire, but dodgeball is happening today right here, two to 4PM. It's a fun place to be. Youth group is a fun place to be.

And we are updating our church directory. These are examples of good photos and bad photos. Okay? The good photo is a horizontal photo where you get more face than surrounding. A bad photo is like one that you took that you can barely tell who it is from a distance, like Nick's parents right there.

But the good photo is the one up above if you're wondering. Horizontal photo, we're looking for it. If you would send in your name, phone number, email address, mail address and all that, if you want to be included in the first b directory. It's really helpful. There are a lot of new folks, a lot of new faces.

It's really helpful. You can have your photo taken professionally by Nick out in the lobby after the service today and we'll get a good one of you so we can put it in the bulletin. As always, there is an opportunity to serve in making meals between for between services, the connect hour, or for Monday nights when we're preparing, for volunteers for Awana. There are sign up sheets in the fellowship hall if you'd like to do that. And is there anything else?

I think that's the last one. Is that the last one? I got two thumbs up from the booth. Anybody else? Have I forgotten anything?

I'm almost positive I have. When it comes to me in the middle of the sermon, I will let you know. Would you stand up with us there? God, thank you. Thank you for this gathered group, gathered in your name to do your will to sing your praises.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Oh, this

one's hitherto. Hitherto safely hold by thy good grace Jesus taught me when a stranger wandering from the fold of God he to rescue me from danger and to post his precious blood

Lord, and that's our prayer and our song this morning that we would offer our ourselves, our heart, that we would yield to you here this morning, right here in this in this place. And God, would you tune our hearts to sing your grace, your unmerited favor that you've just simply poured out on us. Before we even ask for it, you gave it. And, God, would we recognize it? Could we recognize your grace this morning?

In Jesus' name. Amen.

Stepped down from glory to wear my sin and bear my shame

the cross is broken

I have forgiven the king of kings calls me his own beautiful savior I'm yours forever Jesus Christ my living There's salvation in your name. Jesus Christ, my living lord. Set me free. Hallelujah. Death has lost its grip on me.

You have broken every chain. There's salvation in your name Jesus Christ there's salvation in your name Jesus Christ

Can I share this verse right here from first Peter? Praise be to lord. Praise be to God and the Lord father Jesus Christ. In his great mercy, he's given us new birth into a living hope. That's what I wanted to share with you.

New birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and into an inheritance that can never perish or spoil or fade kept in heaven for us. Thank you, God, for a new birth. Through your perfect life, your sacrificial death, your resurrection through belief in you, powered by the Holy Spirit. Thank you. In Jesus' name.

Amen.

All my life you have been faithful all my life you have been so so good with every breath that I am able I will sing

You can have a seat here for a moment. This is the worship through giving part of the service. I'll invite our ushers to come on forward, and we're gonna sing a song called Firm Foundation. From Matthew seven, Jesus says this, therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice, keywords there, is like the wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down.

The streams rose. The wind blew and beat against the house, yet it did not fall because it had its foundation on the rock. Before we sing, Ray, may I ask you to pray?

God, thank you for this. Thank you for this time together. Thank you for this place together. Thank you these for these people who have gathered. Lord, I'm so overwhelmed with your goodness.

It keeps running after us. It really does. You pursue us, Lord. I pray that we would be pursuing you just as hard for the blessings that you've given us, Lord. We wanna say thank you, and we want to give back a portion of it, Lord, just to say we trust you.

So I pray, Lord, you would do your will and your way through us this morning, that it would not be in spite of us, but it'd be because we're willing, humble, and obedient. God, I pray for your blessing on every conversation that is spent with every neighbor, that your blessing would rest on every bit of contemplation that we make about the scripture and how that applies to our life and to the life of this community. God, I pray for missionaries that are spread all over the world. We have one of our a couple of our folks that are there this morning in Spain with some of our missionaries in Spain. Just Lord, I'm amazed by the way that there the sun never sets.

The sun never sets on what you're doing. You're tireless and you keep running after not just us, but others. May we be a part of the advance of your good gospel. In Jesus name, we ask that you would bless for us to be able to do your will, Lord, in your way. Amen.

Alright. It's time for children's church downstairs. Children, middle school, high school, two. I'm gonna invite Monique. Monique Ibarra, if she come forward, y'all notice that we've had a few testimonies lately, a few missionaries lately.

When we have folks in town, we try to get them to say, hey, this is what's going on in the world so that you can better pray for them and so you can kinda know what's going on honestly. So Monique is here. We will get a microphone up here. Oh, and she's passing around candy now that the kids are gone. This was the announcement that I forgot during announcements, but here is a microphone.

Monique, glad to have you back and he'll turn it on. Or it is on. It is on.

Good morning. It's great to be back with you guys. I shared a little bit with the women on Wednesday. It's so wonderful to be back in Jackson. I was like, why did I leave except for just obedience to the Lord?

Accept that.

Yeah. So this, I just have a few minutes. So I was asking the Lord what he wanted me to share and this photo I think kind of encapsulates what just the message he put on my heart to share with you guys this morning which really is the way of love. So this picture is taken at one of the borders of there's many places on the border of North And South Korea. So I got to with one of the schools I've served with go to the border of North And South Korea and intercede.

This the the man right behind me is actually, this is recorded, so maybe I won't give too many details except for he's really integral in ministering to North Koreans who are coming over to South Korea. But the reason why I chose this picture is because in our team there was we really felt that division, that struggle with really loving one another. And I think the reason why we felt that is because we were called to intercede at this border that has experienced division for decades. And so yeah, it's not possible to tell you all the things that have happened in the year and a half just like if I sat down with you guys over dinner or coffee for you guys to share everything that's happened in the last year and a half, right, of how God's been faithful, how there's been ups and downs. It wouldn't be possible in three minutes.

So but I guess what has really been on my heart before I left Jackson, the Lord really showed me that through a long fast at the end of the fast, he showed me that I wasn't walking in love as freely as he wanted me to and that was a real eye opener for me. And and so I feel like I've just been on this journey of him continuing to tell me to choose the way of love even when it's hard, even when that means that my wants or my needs come second. In this last year and a half, I've been to six countries, I've done four schools. So there's been many opportunities living with, you know, in a room with 13 other girls sharing one bathroom. Just opportunities like that to really choose the way of love and not to choose myself.

And so I guess I would just leave you guys with that as you are living your life here in Jackson. All the ways that you choose love in your workplace, in your family, in your church family, that God sees that and it matters. So maybe we all just go forward in this way of love. Thanks. Thank you.

Maybe just that candy.

Yeah. Can you advance one more slide too? And the candy, she's going tell about that.

Yes. Is durian and it's a fruit in Southeast Asia. So it's kind of a caramel. And maybe try it first and then look it up and it has interesting descriptions. Okay.

Try try the way of love. Okay. Whew. That's great. Thank you, Monique.

God, I ask that your blessing on Monique as she continues to choose the way of love and to experience it in very real ways and very real time. I ask you, Lord, that that it would be infectious that what she carries with her would spread. Your love, we love because you first loved us. Thank you for Monique and thank you for the ministry that she has all over. In Jesus name, amen.

So this week this week, Thursday after the men's study, I took off and went up and did a wedding up in Montana, and I got in a car that had a CD player. Have you all been in a car that had a CD player lately? And I accidentally had with me this CD, which is a free CD a buddy of mine made years ago. He's been a singer songwriter forever. He actually went to law school, graduated from law school, practiced law for a while and thought, woah, that's bad.

I don't want to do that. So he quit and he became singer songwriter. He did that for a full career. And then because he had the law degree, because he'd still kept up with stuff, they asked him in my county that I grew up in, they asked him to be a judge. That's pretty cool.

He ended up being a judge and served a few terms doing that and he's back to ministry, singer songwriter type stuff. I listened to this probably 15 times, 15 or 20 times. It's a fairly short CD. And there's a song on here that I really like for our current study. So I'm gonna I'm gonna try not to sing it because I don't I can't play the guitar on it, but I wanna I want you to hear it.

Well, on weekdays, he fries chicken at his place called Skin and Bones. But on Sundays, he's a preacher, pastor Leonard J. Jerome. He stood up just this weekend with a Bible in his hand. The congregation said amen and waved their paper fans.

He said, I've got some questions before I start us out this week. I need to get some answers now before I start to preach. If I ask something of you and you feel that it applies, if you can say yes truthfully, then won't you kindly rise? Because I got good news. I've got good news for the sinners in this room.

Well, has everyone loved everyone the very best they can? Has anyone done all they could to help their fellow man? Has anyone been perfect since we met a week ago? The pastor looked around, but not one single person rose. Well, alright, he said, that's mighty fine.

Your posture makes it clear that every single one of us has reason to be here. But just in case there's any doubt how much we need good news, I've got a few more questions that I need to ask of you because I got good news. Good news for the sinners in this room. If you've ever lost your temper, if you've called in sick to work, if you've lied to make yourself look good or acted like a jerk, if you've ever cussed your children, won't you get about your seat? If you've ever been arrested, would you stand up on your feet?

If you've cheated on your taxes, if you've ever got a buzz, if you've ever broke a promise or you held on to a grudge, if you've lusted for a woman or you've ever teased a man, well, let me tell you plainly, you're a sinner. Won't you stand? Because I got good news. I got good news for the sinners in this room. Well, pretty soon that room was standing, not one soul was sitting down.

And then the preacher said, well now everybody look around. We all of us is needy. We are each and all the same. We are sinners. We need saving.

We are the reason Jesus came. He said, don't be high and mighty. Don't think too much of yourself. Ain't nobody better here than anybody else. And then he prayed, Lord, make us humble.

Put your mercy in our reach and everybody sit on down. I'm ready now to preach because I got good news. Good news for the sinners in this room, and I got good news. The greatest news the world has ever known. I got good news, but my name is not Leonard j Jerome.

There's a there's a level ground at the foot of the cross. Right? There's not anybody here that's any better than anybody else. And in the last few weeks, we've been going through the 12 steps. The originally 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, but we've been just going through them and trying to personalize it for whatever your particular problem is.

And I have gone repetitive on you, and I realized it. And I asked last week if you thought you could preach the first few steps, and y'all said you could. So I'm gonna give you a chance. Here we go. Step one.

We admitted we were Over our over our that our lives had become Amen. Wow. You all are really good at this. Step two. We came to believe that a Higher.

Greater than ourselves could restore us to which is wholeness. It's not just mental, it's wholeness. Right? We made a decision. Yeah.

That's it. It's volitional. We recognize I can't, that power can, and I made a decision to turn our Will. Will and our lives, either way, over to the care of God. And this is a statement of humility That's right.

As we understood it. Amen. Step four. That one's looking pretty blank. Step four, we made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

It's not just everybody else. Yep. Of ourselves. Step five, we admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Okay.

Step six. Oh, Jesus. John five to the guy near the Pool Of Bethesda. Do you want to be made well? We were entirely ready.

Threw you on that one. It's two words with one underline. We were entirely ready to have God remove all of these defects of character. Amen. Amen.

Step seven. And so we How did we do it? We humbly ask him to remove our shortcomings. We all have them. Leonard J Jerome illustrated that.

Eight, we made a list of all the persons we harmed and we came what? The reason I only put one in this one is because really step eight is all about what? Willingness. It's a willingness to change our behavior into the future. Recognizing our behavior in the past, became willing to make amends to the mall and step nine, we made two words, direct amends to such people wherever it was possible except when to do so would injure them or others.

And it is something to consider because relieving the burden off of ourselves sometimes could put the burden on us on somebody else. So it needs to be spirit led, having a sponsor, having a confidant, another believer that you can share with probably would be helpful for step nine. And we are up to step 10. No blanks, you haven't heard this one yet. So here we are.

Step 10. Step 10 is we continue to take personal inventory. And when we were wrong, promptly admitted it. Last week, at the end of the song service when Carl said, that sound like a trash can rolling down the hill. I said, that's step 10, Carl.

Wait till next week. It's the promptly in here that is really helpful. Do you want to confuse someone in an argument? Sometimes we do. If you want to confuse someone in an argument, when you realize you're wrong in the argument, admit it.

If you'll just go, oh, that came out of my head. I heard it come out of my mouth. It must be filling my heart. But I don't believe that. It's true.

And I said something that I don't believe. And if you will instead of doubling down, which is the measure of the day, that's what we usually do when we say something that is outlandish or hurtful. Yeah, I said it. And double down on it. If you realize that, wow, that was hurtful and I might not mean it.

Don't think I do mean it.

How did it why did

it come out? I don't even know why I said that. If you can say that, I saw that that was hurtful and I don't even know why I said it. I need to work on myself. It's really helpful and it's really confusing for the person you're arguing with.

Taking personal inventory, I think we're constantly taking inventory of what other people are doing. And a lot of times we sit in judgment about that. And we can tell when someone else is wrong pretty easily. We've been trained to do that. But to admit when we are wrong ourselves is really necessary.

It's a part of humility. It's a part of continuing. This this step actually, they call continuance. It's where we've gone through these first nine and it's really, you know, relationship with God, relationship with other people. And then, it's sort of a relationship with our self at this point where we we wanna stick with what it is that we've learned.

Now, daily corrective action. There are lots of different ways that you can do this, but if you have morning, full day, and evening, that's the best time. Do you get it? When you wake up in the morning, the psalmist so often says, when I breathe in, Lord, I long to do your will breathing out. Oh, that's so good.

So good. Let everything that has breath, when you wake up and you breathe in in the morning and you breathe out and you realize, then you say, Lord, I long to do your will. Show me your way and I'll walk in it. It's really helpful for how you see the day in front of you. And then as you go, as God is spirit with you, the example of Christ we have, the word of God we have, delving into the pages of his word early in the morning is a really good way or later in the morning if you wake up later in the morning.

But then as you are going forward, just meditating on it, holding on to it, it's really good. When I used to be asked to preach way before I was a preacher, occasionally, youth group or whatever, they have to have somebody and I'm a sucker, so I would do it. I always did what I call a concordance sermon, where it's just all the different Bible verses that speak about this. I cannot do that for this particular thing, but I have a few. Step 10, we continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong, we promptly admitted it.

This one stood out to me. The relationship with God first, I can't. He can. I'm gonna let him is where Paul is in Galatians, and he's speaking to them about who's bewitched you? How is it that you went from the grace of God to fall back on the law of God?

That doesn't make any sense. Don't you see it? You have to get to this place, and Paul's telling them where he has gotten to, and it's I've been crucified with Christ. I love the word. Can't pronounce it, but I love the word.

Sunastaromai, something like that. I have been crucified in tandem. Y'all do the tandem like paragliding, some of y'all do, not you do. How about being co crucified? When we think, oh yes, our sins were placed on Jesus.

We're gonna come to the communion at the end of the service today. Our sins were placed on Jesus. We are trusting in the new covenant in his blood. But as we walk this out to consider that I've been crucified with Christ, that my sins were nailed to that cross and he has freed me from the guilt of sins, but he's freed me from the power that they had over me. If I will reckon this to be true, I have been crucified with Christ.

It's no longer I who live. I have my own will and my own life that I have decided I'm gonna give my will and my life over to Christ as I understand it. It's Christ who lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the son of God and I live for life in the son of God who loved me and who gave himself up for me. And that's the that's my example, and that's how I'm supposed to be living. Taking personal inventories, recognizing anything in my life that is not Christ like, and taking the step to make sure we reckon that and nail it to the cross, to know that we are co crucified.

This is one for Jesus' disciples in weakness. Keep watching and keep praying so that you do not come into temptation. Recognizing that you were powerless over your problem, whatever that is, is a recognition that, wow, the spirits will and I wanna do right, but my flesh is really weak. And Jesus is saying that to his disciples and what they do, they fell asleep. It says they fell asleep from anguish in Luke, from sorrow.

And we do that. Anguish and sorrow and stress weakens us. But keep on watching and keep on praying as the continual nature of this come this step is to keep on keeping on. Keep on recognizing what's going on. John 16, upper room discourse.

He's speaking to his disciples about the Holy Spirit. Now, when we got to step five, step six, step seven, step five is confessing to ourselves, another human being and to God. Step six, we're completely ready. Step seven is a humble position and rebirth. And at rebirth, you're given the Holy Spirit.

And this is Jesus speaking to his disciples in that room, the upper room, but it's also Jesus speaking to his disciples today. Those who claim him, those who say, I've been co crucified with Christ. He says, when he, the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. Now, he's not gonna immediately zap you and make you a 100% in the truth absolutely immediately. He's gonna guide you into the truth.

It may be a little at a time. I think it would kill us if we saw all of our sin at one time. He reveals it to us slowly, progressively. When he, the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth for he will not speak on his own, he will speak whatever he hears, he will speak still, small voice. And Jesus says, the Holy Spirit will glorify me.

He will build me and my way up and he will take from mine, my father, and he will disclose it to you. He will make the mind of God available to you as you humble yourself before him. All things that the father has are mine and that's why I said that he takes from mine and he'll disclose it to you if you will just humble yourself before him. And step 10 is all about continually humbling yourselves. When you're wrong, promptly admitting it.

Colossians one. Oh, Colossians, the whole book. Just read the whole book. Although you were previously alienated, right over here in your problem, you're previously alienated and you are hostile in your attitude and you are engaged in evil deeds, yet he has now reconciled you in his body of flesh through his death, co crucified, Galatians two twenty. In order to present you before him, holy and blameless and beyond reproach.

If indeed you do continue in the faith that's firmly established and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven and of which I, Paul was made a minister. He's saying there is something to the persistence of the saints. You are to be walking this out and it's a daily giving over. You don't ever just arrive. Keep it close to your heart.

It's good. James. Oh, James. Anybody got a Bible? Sorry.

Didn't put that one up there. James, it's all about looking at yourself in the mirror. I'm not gonna read it. I'm just kidding. James one twelve through 25.

It's so good. It's about being doers of the word not just hearers only. You can memorize all these steps, but if you don't work the program, the program will not work for you. You have to be willing to look it over. Every good and perfect gift is from above is in here.

The hearers and doers, looking in a mirror soberly, he says, look and see what it is that you see and make adjustments based on what it is that you see instead of walking away and just forgetting about it, what you saw. And then I'm gonna go into communion with this. I am confident of this very thing Paul says to those in Philippi. Praise God that he who began a good work among you will complete it by the day of Christ Jesus. He is doing what he does and it's on him.

That's the old covenant versus new covenant. Old covenant, if you do this, if you do this, if you do this, if you do this, and then new covenant is, I am doing this. I am doing this. Jesus said to his disciples, this is the new covenant in my blood. That's why we're going into communion to remember that.

For me, looking over step 10 and seeing that promptly admitting when you're wrong is the most helpful thing about getting made right. Can I invite the ushers to come forward? And the band. Thank you. God, I thank you for the thousand miles of contemplation on a beautiful fall week.

I thank you for showing me little stuff, Lord, that still needs a lot of work or some attention at least. God, I pray that you'd be doing that right now. There's that place in the New Testament where Paul warns us not to partake of the Lord's Supper unworthily, but that we should confess our sins, confess to you, allow you to cleanse and make our hearts right and ready to receive. So Lord, we come to this table right now, we ask your blessing on it. We ask your blessing on everyone who would partake whether they've been Christian for eighty years or for the last fifteen minutes.

It's an open table for anyone who would say, Lord, I can't do this, but I believe that you can and I'm willing to let you. This is my problem, Lord. I'm admitting it to you and I'm ready for it to be gone. Would you do that? Help me to live a life that loves you so much that it shows in my relationship with other people?

And would you keep short accounts with me and let me know? I pray for your Holy Spirit to guide me into the truth. In Jesus' name, we ask your blessing on this time of communion. You break the power of canceled sin. You set the captive free.

In Jesus name, Lord, we ask you to bless. Amen. And as I mentioned, the upper room discourse, this was that night, the same night that Jesus was betrayed that he instituted this and he said, after supper, after he had given thanks for the bread, he broke it and he said, this is my body which is given for you. Take this and eat of it and do it as often as you will in remembrance of me. For that earthly body and that earthly example for walking out a perfect record, we're so thankful.

I ask your your blessing, Lord, on this little representative sample of the blood of Christ, the little plastic cup of grape juice, Lord. I ask for your blessing on it for everyone who would partake, Lord, that they would partake of this because they know that they have partaken of the sacrificial and atoning gift that you made on the cross at Calvary. In Jesus' name, I ask your blessing on this as we distribute it, Lord. For everyone who would partake and if there's anyone here who knows that they don't believe, don't trust this, Lord, pray that the witness and the life of the people around them would bring them into a good and right relationship with you. In Jesus name, by your mercy, amen.

We're your love brand red and my sins washed white. I owe you. I owe you, Jesus.

Truly Lord, we owe all to you. We all owe all to you. In the same manner that he had taken the bread, he also took the cup after supper. For them, it was a common cup and we're drinking in common right here of the blood of Christ. He said, this is the new covenant in my blood.

Take this and drink. Take it in and do it as often as you will in remembrance of me. Amen. And Paul says that as often as we do that together, we proclaim his death, the end to sin. We proclaim his death, end to guilt until he comes again.

Would you stand with us? We're gonna close out with a song.

We believe in the whole sphere, and he's given us new life. We believe in the crucifixion. We believe that conquered death. We believe in the in God the father. Believe

in Jesus Christ. We believe in the Holy Spirit and he's given us new life we believe in the crucifixion we believe that he conquered death we believe in the resurrection and he's coming back again We believe.

I pray for you. God, thank you for those of us who are realizing our own shortfall. Right now that we're realizing it, Lord, that you've been speaking to us over the course of this week or last couple of weeks. For those who have taken the step to say, I don't wanna live like this anymore. I'm gonna let you take over.

Lord, I pray specific and special blessing on outpouring of your grace and outpouring of your spirit that they can see victory in Christ, that they and that I, Lord, will see victory in the Lord. In Jesus name, I pray that you would redeem and restore, that you would bring us to the heart of God. We may be useful, helpful, and loving. Amen.

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12 Steps Admitting You'Re Wrong Communion Crucified With Christ Humility Personal Inventory

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