1. Find your Purpose. (10-11)

Everything in creation has a reason for existing.
Our reason for living: to know and be like Jesus.


2. Forget your past. (13)
a. forget the bad- painful experiences or things you are ashamed of (Isaiah 43:25, Jeremiah 31:34)
b. forget the good
​A good past is not enough to guarantee a meaningful future. (4-6)

(7) “whatever was to my profit, I now consider loss.”


3. Face the Present. (13b)
It's easy to live in the past, or dream away the future; it's a challenge to face the present.
Martha (John 11:27) Facing the present means that we choose to live life as it comes to us day by day.

The power of God turned despairing doubters into dynamic disciples.
The life of this man is a picture of the tragedy of the human condition.

​1. The Spirit-Filled Church Imparts Expectancy. (3-5)
The gospel of Jesus is going to change lives.


2. The Spirit-Filled Church Imparts Healing. (6-7)
What we need is power to touch people's lives with the presence of the living God.


3. The Spirit-Filled Church Imparts Joy. (8)
Havner: “Some dear souls think themselves dignified when really, they are petrified.”


4. The Spirit-Filled Church Imparts Wonder. (9-10)
Two-fold effect: People were convinced that
a. it was God at work
b. this miracle had been done in the name of Jesus.


5. The Spirit-Filled Church Imparts a Witness.
pattern of our witness:
a. God works.
b. Man explains what God did.
c. As a result, God works again.

Christians have always been called to have a “last days” mentality.


Necessary actions of a person who understands_the times
1. Wake Up! (11)
You can look around and see the signs that the time is drawing near. (I Timothy 4:1-2)


2. Put Aside. (12a)
Learn to let go of the things that are going to hold us in the past and thus cause us to sin.


3. Put On. (12b)
We need to deliberately accumulate things which are tied to the kingdom of God.
If we “clothe ourselves with the Lord (14), we are displaying outwardly what is inside our hearts.


Let people see what being saved has done to your life.


4. Behave Decently. (13)


Don't act like it is still night. It's daytime.
Get ride of this attitude of self-gratification.

1. We are not saved by works, but rather by Christ's sacrifice for us on the cross.
a. first mile: Do not murder. (21)
​second mile: Anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. (22)
b. first mile: Do not commit adultery. (27)
second mile: Whoever looks lustfully has already committed adultery. (28)

vs. 29-30- We have no chance of being saved if we are basing our salvation on how good we are.
Good people don't go to heaven. Only perfect people go to heaven.


2. Jesus is the model of the second mile.
a. first mile: God condescended to us and became man to walk among us.
second mile: Jesus walked that painful road to Calvary.
b. first mile: Jesus comes into our hearts and dwells there by His Spirit.
second mile: Jesus takes us beyond this life and brings us into His glory.


3. Not only are we forgiven for our sins, but we are made overcomers of them.
How? Not by our own sinful nature, but by the power of our faith in Christ.

Usually, giving our lives to Christ isn't glorious.
It is done in those little acts of love.