HOW TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION

The Power Of The Cross   HOW TO LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION  Philippians 2:12-26

Some bring joy wherever they go, others whenever they go.

Dave Kraft Biggest Mistakes 

Here is a complete list of all the mistakes:

Allowing ministry to replace Jesus          

Allowing comparing to replace contentment

Allowing pride to replace humility

Allowing pleasing people to replace pleasing God

Allowing busyness to replace visioning

Allowing financial frugality to replace fearless faith

Allowing artificial harmony to replace difficult conflict

Allowing perennially hurting people to replace potential hungry leaders

Allowing information to replace transformation

Allowing control to replace trust

Allowing selfish ambition to replace godly ambition

Allowing reactive to replace proactive

Allowing discouragement to replace dreaming

Allowing teaching to replace training

Allowing tactical to replace strategic

Allowing politics to replace principles

Allowing talking to replace listening

Allowing careless firing to replace careful hiring

Allowing competence to replace character

Allowing pornography to replace purity My biggest mistake was allowing competence to replace character!

 

1. The Problem of Contention

 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.

Genesis 3:4-7 Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die.5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. The Curse  Genesis 3:16 To the woman he said, “I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you.”  Sin perverts every aspect of life.   Total Depravity  Competition, Subjugation, Domination

Gen 3:17 And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

Eccles 2:11 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Its all thorns and thistles! till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
2. The Continuing Power of the Cross

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus,6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God,7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

The Presence of The King  9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Hold Thou Thy cross  Before my closing eyes   Shine through the gloom and  Point me to the skies  Heaven’s morning breaks  And earth’s vain shadows flee   In life in death O Lord Abide with me

3. Work down what God has worked in!

Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Shalom –Peace in you and around you Do all things without complaining and disputing,15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

4.The Compelling Witness To The Cross

among whom you shine as lights in the world,16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

5. The Connecting Empathy Of The Cross

19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state.20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state….

22 But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.

The Cross Produces Friendship and Fellowship in the Work  Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; … and hold such men in esteem;30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

John 15: 12  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15  No longer do I call you servants, for the servant  does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

Love is Kindness and Caring    1John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.17 But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

6. The Conscious Participation In the Work

so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. 17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.   Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful.

Service, Sacrifice, Self-forgetfulness 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem;30 because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

I am glad and rejoice with you all. For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.
The Joy of Fulfillment Fellowship   Fruitfulness John 12:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.