(a copy of the 10 Week Spiritual Challenge can be obtained by emailing Michael Luke)
TEXT: SELECTED
TITLE: “MEETING THE CHALLENGE: Part One”
OPEN: A. Being a Christian is not easy
--there are some common misconceptions concerning the Christian life
1. Once you become a Christian, God will solve all of your problems.
--1 Pet. 4:12-13 – “ Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as
though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the
sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”
2. Becoming a Christian means giving up all fun and following a life of rules.
--Rom. 14:17-18 – “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of
righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way
is pleasing to God and approved by men.”
3. All Christians are loving, perfect people.
--Col. 3:13 – “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one
another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
4. Bad things don’t happen to truly godly Christians.
--2 Cor. 11:24-26 – “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times
I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a
day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in
danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger
in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have
labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have
often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the
pressure of my concern for all the churches.”
5. True Christians always feel close to God
--Ps. 42:1-3 – “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul
thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my
food day and night, while men say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’”
B. If you became a Christian so that your life would get easier, simpler, and less challenging, you
joined up with the wrong bunch of folks!
1. The goal of a Christian is to become more like Christ!
2. Rick Warren: “Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted
lives. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven.”
a. Rom. 8:28-29 – “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also
predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among
many brothers.”
--God’s plan has always been to make you like Jesus Christ.
1). His intention from the very beginning has been to make human beings like Himself.
2). God is not promising that you, too, will become a god
3). God doesn’t want you to become a god
--He wants you to become GODLY.
b. Eph. 4:15 – “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is
the Head, that is, Christ.”
--“God wants us to grow up…like Christ in everything”.
C. Growing to be like Christ is certainly not an easy thing
--It is definitely a challenge
1. Starting next week, we begin our 10 Week Spiritual Challenge
--Starts Jan. 6th and ends on March 15th 2008 (the day before we begin revival services)
2. Our goal in the 10 Week Spiritual Challenge is to provide opportunities for everyone of us to
grow to become more like Christ
--nothing more can be accomplished but nothing less is expected
3. (Briefly cover the 10 Week Spiritual Challenge sheet and covenant)
4. This morning and next Sunday morning, I want to briefly cover the areas where we challenge
ourselves to be more like our Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ
I. BIBLE READING
A. Why should we spend time reading the Bible?
--1 Tim. 3:16-17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
1. Basically, the Bible holds all of the information and inspiration we need to teach us how to be like
Christ
2. The Bible is a testimony to Christ
--The planned Messiah, the Suffering Servant, the Great Teacher, the Lamb of God, the Victor of sin
and death, and soon-returning King of Kings
B. Bible reading is important because it tells us what God wants us to know
1. He shares His plans and His promises
2. He shows His faithfulness
3, He further invites us into deeper delights
C. Bible reading and study commended in the scriptures
--Acts 17:11 – “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received
the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was
true.”
D. Practical helps:
1. Find a translation with which you feel comfortable and can understand
--KJV, NIV, NASB, NLT. The Message
2. Find a place that’s comfortable and has plenty of light
3. Some are better morning readers
--others afternoon or evening readers
4. The most important thing is just do it and do it on a daily basis
5. How much time will it take me?
a. Level 1 – Sermon on the Mount
--over 10 weeks, 2 verses a day
b. Level 2 – Four Gospels
--over 10 weeks, 1½ chapters a day
c. Level 3 – New Testament
--over 10 weeks, 4 chapters a day
II. PRAYER
A. Mt. 6:5 – “When you pray…”
1. Jesus expects that those who would claim to be His follower would also practice prayer
2. Prayer was a regular practice in his earthly life
--Many times we read where Jesus left the disciples and went to a secluded place so that h e could
spend time with his father
B. Why pray?
1. It’s a great privilege that cam with a great price
a. What greater privilege could we be extended than to talk to the Creator and Sustainer of all things?
b. That privilege cost Jesus Christ his very life
--His death on the cross provided our access to the very throne room of heaven
2. It causes our relationship with God to grow
--Every relationship needs communication to grow as much as a flower needs sunlight and water
3. It helps to deter sin in our lives
--When God’s light shines within us, we can see our failures and humbly seek forgiveness and
strength
4. It helps us fight the good fight in spiritual warfare
--When we face the devil without prayer, we go into battle helpless
C. What is prayer?
--Prayer is simply talking AND listening to God.
1. Nothing more.
--Nothing less.
2. Mt. 7:7-9 – “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be
opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door
will be opened.”
a. Ask – don’t demand
b. Seek – don’t be afraid or passive
c. Knock – don’t give up
D. Practical helps
1. Pray to discern God’s will
2. Pray to DO God’s will
3. Pray at all times
--continue in an attitude of prayer (Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof)
4. Pick a particular time of prayer
--again, base it on when you’re most alert
5. Don’t get too ambitious
--If you and God haven’t talked for awhile, don’t expect to have a several hour conversation. God’s
ready for it but you’re certainly not
6. Don’t get hung up on flowery phrases or smooth-sounding words
--pray just like you were talking to your best friend
7. Make prayer your first step and not your last resort
E. The importance of the levels
1. Level 1 – personal time of prayer
--just you and God
2. Level 2 – personal time of prayer plus pray with spouse and children
--if not applicable, maybe find a prayer partner
3. Level 3 – personal time of prayer, pray with spouse and children, keep a journal of your prayer
--a prayer journal keeps you regular in prayer but it also gives you the opportunity to see how God
answered your prayer
III. FASTING
A. Jesus said in Mt. 6:16 – “When you fast…”
1. Fasting is not something we do very regularly as Christians.
--It may surprise you to find out that there are at least 74 specific and separate references to fasting in
the Bible
2. Jesus doesn’t say: “If you fast. He says, “When you fast”
B. What is fasting?
1. Fasting in the Bible is never associated with weight loss, or as a hunger strike to be used for political
purposes.
--Fasting is the practice of abstaining from something we like in order to grow spiritually.
2. Fasting is simply a sacrifice to God and a personal tool for relationship growth.
--We take the time we would normally spend in one activity and use that time now –
C. Why fast?
1. Fasting humbles us
--we stop trusting in physical food to depend on spiritual food
2. It leads us to a closer intimacy with God
--We turn from worldly needs to spiritual needs
3. It forces us to depend on God
--We receive only the sustenance from His Spirit
4. It prepares us for a spiritual harvest
--It keeps us focused on the fact that there are millions who are spiritually hungry
D. Practical helps:
1. Everyone can fast something
a. You simply give up something in order to spend time with God in prayer
b. You can fast from eating meat or sweets
--just give up something
2. Don’t get too ambitious
--It takes awhile to build up to the longer fasts
3. Fasting is not for show or for religious ritual
4. Make sure you drink plenty of water
E. Work the levels
1. Level 1 – Fast from one meal over the next 10 weeks
--3 meals a day x 70 days = 210 meals. You can miss one
2. Level 2 – Fast from one meal each week for the next 10 weeks
--see math on level 1. 21 meals a week. You can make it on 20.
3. Level 3 – Fast one day each week for the next 10 weeks
a. A little tougher than the first two.
b. However, you’re still eating 180 meals over the next 10 weeks.
-That’s better than most of the people in third world nations
IV. MEMORIZATION
A. Why memorize scripture?
--the Bible gives several important reasons:
1. Ps. 119:11 – “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”
--keeps us from sinning
2. Deut. 11:18-21 – “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your
hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you
sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write
them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your
children may be many in the land that the LORD swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days
that the heavens are above the earth.
--brings God’s blessings on our lives
3. Col. 3:16 – “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with
all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God
--it aids our fellowship with other believers and your worship of God
4. 1 Pet. 3:15 – “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to
everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.
--makes us a more effective witness for Christ
B. How to memorize
1. Get away from noises and distractions
2. Choose the time of day when you mind is the most attentive
--some are morning people, afternoon people, evening people, and night owls
3. Sorry to say that memorization is work
a. You have to do it regularly
b. You have to review regularly
c. On the positive side, the more you do it, the easier it comes
4. Don’t set your goals too high
--You can defeat yourself before you even get started
C. Work the levels
1. Level 1 – 2 verses from the Sermon on the Mount
--you get to choose (a few minutes each day)
2. Level 2 – 7 verses (the Beatitudes)
--10 days for each verse
3. Level 3 – 48 verses
--a day and a half for each verse
CLOSE: A. A challenge can be defined several different ways:
1. A call to engage in a contest, fight or competition
--a challenge to a duel
2. An act or statement of defiance; a confrontation
--a challenge to governmental authority
3. A demand for explanation or justification; a calling into question
--a challenge to a theory
4. A test of one’s abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking
--a task that offers a challenge
B. We are challenged to become like Christ
--We can only do so through challenging ourselves to become stronger and more mature in the
faith
C. Will you join the challenge?
