Maximum and Minimum Christians - Zac Poonen - April 5, 2019
http://rlcfchurch.org/maximum-minimum-christians River of Life Christian Fellowship 1306 N Lincoln Avenue Loveland, Colorado - 80537, USA
Summary
The central message is that a genuine Christian life is marked by a constant, deep hunger for God's Word, likened to a newborn baby crying for milk. The speaker emphasizes that God shows no partiality, and spiritual growth depends on the measure of our desire to seek Him. He urges listeners to examine their own hearts to ensure they possess this vital thirst, which is necessary for spiritual growth in the present tense of salvation.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
What determines how much we receive from God?God shows zero partiality, so the difference in spiritual depth among Christians comes down to our level of hunger and diligent seeking.
The mark of a newborn babyJust as a healthy baby constantly cries out for milk, a truly born-again Christian has a natural, ongoing hunger for the word of God.
The three tenses of salvationSalvation encompasses the past tense of being saved from the guilt of sin, the present progressive tense from the power of sin, and the future tense from the presence of sin.
Living on every word from GodJesus taught that man must live not on bread alone, but on every continuous word that proceeds from the mouth of God through the Holy Spirit.
Two types of believers symbolized by Cain and AbelGenesis depicts two types of worshippers: Cain who brought a casual offering, and Abel who brought the very best of his flock.
Minimum Christians versus maximum ChristiansMinimum Christians calculate how little they can do while still making it to heaven, whereas maximum Christians ask how they can give their all to God.
Presenting our bodies and minds to GodIn the New Testament, God does not ask for monetary tithes, but asks us to present our bodies as living sacrifices and renew our minds.Romans 12:1–2
Christ's example of offering a bodyWhen Jesus came into the world, He told the Father that external sacrifices were not desired, but a body had been prepared for Him to do God's will.Hebrews 10:5–9
Cutting up the body as a living sacrificeJust as burnt offerings in the Old Testament were cut into pieces, we must consciously surrender our eyes, tongue, hands, and mind to God.
David's refusal to offer that which costs nothingDavid refused to take a threshing floor for free to present to God, declaring he would never offer to the Lord that which cost him nothing.
Abraham on Mount MoriahAbraham demonstrated the same costly devotion when he was tested on Mount Moriah with Isaac, proving he would not give God something cheap.
Denying the self-life dailyFollowing Christ requires sacrificing our self-life in moments of temptation, which God sees in the heart unlike outward religious displays.Ephesians 5:25
The way of Cain leading to BabylonThe book of Jude warns against the way of Cain, representing religious people who seek minimal effort and spiritual profit for themselves.
No merchant in the house of the LordZechariah prophesies that when the Lord establishes His kingdom, there will no longer be a merchant or a businessman seeking personal profit in God's house.Zechariah 14:21
Jerusalem as a city of sacrificeWhile Babylon operates on the commercial principle of minimum cost and maximum profit, Jerusalem and the true church are marked by blood and sacrifice.
