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There’s always a problem with retroactively typing these notes, and that is retention. These are notes from the Saturday and Sunday sessions (2-4?) of Jeff MacMillan at TJCAC’s 2009 Winter Retreat, and frankly I don’t remember that much from it. I should probably study over my notes from more recent sermons too…

The theme was tied to Jaffray’s “Maturing and Equipping in Christ” theme, and the topics discussed (as described by Jeff himself) were:

1. The Victorious Defeat: Matthew 27:50-54 [show] [50]And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. [51]And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. [52]The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, [53]and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. [54]When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (ESV)

- here we will look at the idea that God is so big that he was able to win our salvation out of what looked like defeat in the eyes of the world
2. Omni III – Psalm 8 [show] O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. [2]Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. [3]When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, [4]what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? [5]Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. [6]You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, [7]all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, [8]the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas. [9]O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

- here we will look at aspects of God’s character and how they relate to life
3. Mission Unimpossible – Matthew 28:16-20 [show] [16]Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. [17]And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. [18]And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. [19]Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20]teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." (ESV)

- a popular and much used passage, but a crucial one nonetheless – a reminder that the church is called to service
4. Sticking it Out – James 1:24 [show] [24]For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. (ESV)

an examination of the importance of perseverance in the midst of trials and suffering for our maturity in the faith

Note: These sessions may be mixed up, and will just be transcribed as “verbatim”.

Saturday Morning Session?

• 1 Cor 2:6-3 [show] [6]Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. [7]But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. [8]None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. [9]But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-- [10]these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. [11]For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. [12]Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. [13]And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. [14]The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. [15]The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. [16]"For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. [2]I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, [3]for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? [4]For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? [5]What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. [6]I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7]So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. [8]He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. [9]For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. [10]According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. [11]For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12]Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-- [13]each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. [14]If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. [15]If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. [16]Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? [17]If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. [18]Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. [19]For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," [20]and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." [21]So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, [22]whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours, [23]and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. (ESV)
  :9
  • going forth w/ ministry, don’t worry about outcome?
    • is it a sign of maturity to not worry about outcome?
    • demonstrates trust
  • ties back w/ quiet time pieces…
    • From Max Lucado’s Traveling Light:
      • “Say whatever is given you to say at that time, because it will not really be you speaking; it will be the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11 [show] [11]And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. (ESV)
        )
      • “The key is this: Meet today’s problems with today’s strength. Don’t start tackling tomorrow’s problems until tomorrow. You do not have tomorrow’s strength yet. You simply have enough for today.”

Saturday Afternoon/Evening session?

• God is…
  • omniscient
    • knows everything; understands
    • therefore, live in holiness
  • omnipresent
    • everywhere
  • omnipotent
    • can do everything
    • but cannot contradict His nature or do ridiculous things
    • God is perfectly wise/righteous
    • therefore, can do anything
• rid minds of small thoughts of God (as in, something tiny that can be contained and constrained); expect BIG things
  • what do you expect?
  • what do you pray about?
  • how BIG is your God? did He speak to you this morning?
• Dwight Moody: shoeclerk
  • God can use anyone
• Peter: fisherman, labourer
  • fails several times…
    • walking on water
    • proclaiming Jesus as messiah, then abandoning and denying 3 times
• are we willing to get back up after we fall?
• are you ready to recommit/commit whole-heartedly to some sort of ministry?

Sunday Morning?

• Book of James:
  • trials: has a different interpretation
    • BUT be joyful amidst circumstances
    • maturity through perseverance
• CS Lewis:
  • The love of God put you in your suffering
    • being shaped
• Heb 12:4-11 [show] [4]In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. [5]And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. [6]For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." [7]It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8]If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9]Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? [10]For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [11]For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. (ESV)
  
• Tools:
  • Word of God
  • Spirit of God
  • prayer
  • bros&sis to build up
  • serving (take eyes off own problems, help others)
• Metaphor:
  • church  = cruise ship…
    • 20% occupants does 80% of work
  • OR battleship
• will you stand and let love guide your gift?