Access Church Pastor Jason Burns

Heaven
Up there, down here
Until Lakeland Looks Like Heaven

Matthew 6:10  //  Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.


KINGDOM: A country, state, or territory ruled by a king or queen

Matthew 6:10 (KJV)  //  Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.


KINGDOM: Wherever the will of a king is carried out

Mark 6:1-6  //  Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Mark 6:5  //  He could not do any miracles there…


If we understand what RESTRAINS Jesus, we’ll understand what RESTRAINS us.
We are…

1. High Honor


HONOR: Valuable, Precious, Weighty such as gold
DISHONOR: Devalue, to treat something valuable as common
We want to be known for what we’re FOR not what we’re AGAINST
We are…

1. High Honor
2. Hope Dealing


“A record 78% didn’t think their children’s generation will live better than their own, up from 67% in 2019.” - WSJ/UChicago

1 Thessalonians 4:13  //  Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.


We are…

1. High Honor
2. Hope Dealing
3. Party Throwers



Luke 15:7  //  I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Luke 15:10  //  In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Luke 15:22-24  //  “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.


Prodigal: Wastefully Extravagant
Until Lakeland Looks Like Heaven
We are Access, and we are High Honor, Hope Dealing, Party Throwers!

DTR
Wedding ring of Christianity

Joshua 24:15  //  But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Revelation 3:15-16  //  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 21:4-5  //  ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!”
2 Corinthians 5:17  //  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!
2 Corinthians 5:17 (TLB)  //  When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun!


How do we change?
Outside in or inside out.
Do something different or be someone different.
Improve the old you or become a new you.

Hebrews 10:16-17  //  “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.” 17 Then he adds: “Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”
Romans 6:4  //  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.


www.access.tv/baptism

Luke 5:12-16  //  While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.


Covered with leprosy
No
The prerequisite for a miracle is an impossible situation.
A miracle is a divine intervention

1. Jesus is a Noticer
2 Corinthians 5:21  //  God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2. Jesus is a Reacher
Luke 5:14  //  Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.”


Gifts & Giver
Jesus is Healer
He can AND He will.
Signs
Christians should not become obsessed with the signs, but with the one to whom they point.

Matthew 8:1  //  Large crowds followed Jesus as he came down the mountainside.


Jesus was led by the Spirit, not the crowds.

Mark 4:36  //  Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.


Are you following Jesus?
Salvation happens when we put our faith in Jesus. Real life change happens when we choose to follow Him.

Matthew 16:24  //  Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”


“Until you have given up your self to Him, you will not have a real self.” C.S. Lewis

Matthew 8:23  //  Then Jesus got into the boat and started across the lake with his disciples. 24 Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat.


Christians aren’t exempt from the storms. They’re exempt from storms with no purpose.
“Storms help to make the sailors sturdy, and trials make Christians strong in faith.” - Charles Spurgeon

James 1:2-4  //  Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Matthew 8:24  //  Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping.
Matthew 8:25  //  The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”
John 14:27  //  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.


Spiritual maturity can be measured by how quickly you move from panic to peace.
Faith is seeing from God’s perspective in the middle of the storm.

Matthew 8:26  //  Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.


Little faith is where we start. It’s not where we stop.

Matthew 8:27  //  The disciples were amazed. “Who is this man?” they asked. “Even the winds and waves obey him!”

You
Us
Future Us

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV)  //  Where there is no vision, the people perish.


Hebrew: châzôwn (khaw-zone’): A dream, revelation or vision for life

Psalm 126:1-2  //  When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.
Acts 2:17  //  “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”
Proverbs 29:18 MSG  //  If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; but when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed.


“Our greatest fear should not be of failure, but of succeeding at something that really doesn’t matter.” ~D.L. Moody
Everyone ends up somewhere.
Few people end up somewhere on purpose.
Know God

1 Peter 3:21 TLB  // “In baptism we show that we have been saved from death and doom by the resurrection of Christ; not because our bodies are washed clean by the water but because in being baptized, we are turning to God and asking him to cleanse our hearts from sin.”


Find Freedom
Discover Purpose

Psalm 139:13-16  //  “For you created my inmost being you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well… All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”


Make a Difference

John 15:8,11  //  Jesus said, “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”
Proverbs 11:25 (NLT)  //  “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”

Luke 10:25-37 (NIV)  //  On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’ “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”


Embracing relationships with our heart and soul includes loving our neighbor.
Who Is My Neighbor?

Leviticus 19:18  //  “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.


The Answer: Our neighbor is anyone we encounter regardless of their race, beliefs, or actions.
Do I Have To Love Them?

Luke 10:27  //  He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”


The Answer: Yes!
We show our love for God by the way we love people.
Loving our neighbor is reflective and responsive.
How Do I Love My Neighbor?

Luke 10:27  //  He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”


The Answer: We should love our neighbor practically and sacrificially.

Ephesians 5:29 (NLT)  //  No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church.


Our challenge: See a need, meet a need.