[Ordinary to
Extraordinary]
John 2:10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you
have saved the best till now.
Jesus
turned ordinary into extraordinary wine.
Jesus
turned the ordinary people into extraordinary figures of the history.
1 Corinthians 1:26-28
Brothers,
think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human
standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God
chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak
things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this
world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the
things that are.
They
became the pivotal of the global revolution.
The paradox
In
313 AD Freedom of religion
In
329 AD Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire.
[God Brings the Best
out of Us]
1.
God gives
us the best
Isaiah
48:17
This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of
Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you,
who directs you in the way you should go.
Hebrews
12:10
They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we
may share in his holiness.
Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I
will come forth as gold.
Luke 15:22 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.
2.
God wants the best from us
Exodus 23:19 "Bring the best
of the first fruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.
"Do not cook a young goat in its mother's milk.
1 Corinthians 7:33-35 But a married man is
concerned about the affairs of this world--how he can please his wife--and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her
aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world--how she
can please her husband. I am saying
this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right
way in undivided
devotion to the Lord.
3.
Jesus came to give us a fulfilled life
John
10:10 The thief comes only to steal
and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Psalm
138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever-- do not abandon
the works of your hands.
John
19:30 When he had
received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished."
With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
2
Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
[What Jesus Sees]
1.
The POTENTIAL of the person on the inside-Peter
John
1:42 And he
brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of
John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter)
ð Peter
He had many rough edges-hot-tempered, loud, bombastic,
and impetuous
Simon(a pebble or a small stone) a Cephas(a rock)
2.
The POSITIVE side of the person-Nathanael
John
1:46-47 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked.
"Come and see," said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael
approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is
nothing false.
John
10:14 "I am
the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me
3.
The PRIVATE thirst of the person- Nicodemus and a Samaritan woman and an invalid man
John
3:10 "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand
these things?
John
4:17-18 "I
have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when
you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the
man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.
John
5:6 When Jesus
saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long
time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"
[Keys to the Best and the Most]
1.
Involve Jesus
John
2:4 "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time
has not yet come.”
2.
Submit to the Lordship of Jesus-Do whatever he tells
you
John
2:5 His mother said
to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you.
3.
Do your own part-Fill the jars with water
John
2:7 Jesus said to the servants,
"Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.
4.
Remove impurities
John
2:16 To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you
turn my Father's house into a market!"
Best out of us_20140119.docx