What I am going to share today is not rocket science.
However, if we understand it, it can help us to …
more fully enjoy God,
to more fully enjoy/marvel at who we are, and
fulfill the reason for which God created us.
Jb12:22He reveals mysteries from the darkness And brings the deep darkness into light. NASU
There are many mysteries- God wants to reveal to us.
Jesus said this to His disciples and to us as well …
Mtt 13:11 Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. NASU
God wants us to understand life and how to live it such as to glorify God and fulfill our purpose.
Let me start w/question: Do you know who you are??
Not talking about- name, SSN, engineer/housewife.
But who are you??
I want us to answer that question starting with the most general and proceeding to the more specific.
In the most general sense who are you, who am I?
Who am I …
I am a part of God’s creation
Gen 1:1-3 Genesis reveals the order of creation
Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man …
I am something that God gave thought/form to.
All creation, myself included, exists by design-
not- chance/random occurrence of events
This one understanding is so important for us to have and accurate Christian worldview.
I am man (not male, not female, part of mankind)
Gen 1:26 Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness … NASU
Man created by God in the image of God.
Of all creation, only applies to man.
I am man or woman specifically
Gen 2:21-23 I am man, Ish, or woman, Ishshah.
I am a unique individual created by God
Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." NASU
I am an individual, I have-name/unique identity
ASIDE: A Christian worldview should affect the way we think/understand/respond to life.
If God created man, and man has an identity, perhaps an identity even before conception,
should that affect my view of abortion?
Let me take it a step further- much talk- politics
If a political candidate supports abortion,
in direct contradiction to moral truths
that come from a Christian worldview, should that affect who I vote for?
(May have to vote for lesser of two evils)
I am an individual for whom Jesus died
1 Jn 4:14 We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. NASU
As a unique individual that God created, eternal life is available to me through Jesus Christ.
I am a son or daughter of God by rebirth
Jn 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." NASU
this makes me part of God’s family
2 Cor 6:18 "And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. NASU
this gives me a unique heritage and
Eph 2:6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, NASU
access to a specific spiritual inheritance
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, NASU
The point in what I am saying is this …
you are significant before God,
you are a personality designed to …
fellowship with God
worship God and
serve God.
you are someone, with a unique history/future,
you were created by God for a unique purpose,
The life we live has been given to us by God …
natural life-
Gen 2:7 Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. NASU
spiritual life-
Jn 3:6-7
6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, ’You must be born again.’ NASU
A Christian is to be alive/filled with the life of God …
Jn 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. NASU
The Challenge-
Do something NEW/DIFFERENT this week
If you are alive, then you should be growing, not just in physical age, but in …
knowledge (not just Christian knowledge)
our understanding of God and
who we are and our unique place of influence.
Jn 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. NASU
You are filled with the life and light of God.
You are not finished growing until you are dead.
Even then- not dead- step into-new level of life w/God
In your death you can leave behind a spiritual heritage
2 Ki 13:21 As they were burying a man, behold, they saw a marauding band; and they cast the man into the grave of Elisha. And when the man touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet. NASU
Ahead of you are …
divine moments with God,
divine opportunities,
divine encounters.
I want to challenge us to be vessels of light and life to the world around us.
To see ourselves as ever growing in- knowledge- God.
Rom 11:33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! NASU
There is no end to the knowledge of God.
Eph 3:14-19
Definition of insanity- doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Let me encourage you to do something NEW, something DIFFERENT this week.
Something to release that life/light God placed in you.
Mtt 5:14-16
We often interpret these verses in the context of evangelism- going out/telling someone about Jesus
That is good, but these verses say so much more.
There is a life/light inside of you that God has placed there for the world to see, enjoy, experience.
We need to learn how to release that life and light.
ILLUS: Monte allows the light of mathematical understanding that God has given him to come out and bless the world around him. He attributes his abilities to God/God’s life within.
In what way can you introduce God’s life and light into the world around you?
Mom- pouring that life/light into her children.
Engineer design something- benefits mankind.
Doctor- develop procedure- repair birth defects.
There is so much in us that God wants to release.
Sometimes it just helps to prime the pump a little.
Put your oar in the water and start rowing your boat and get going somewhere instead of being at the
mercy of the winds and currents of life.
Sometime life gets into a rut.
You cannot go anywhere but where the rut leads you.
Let me encourage you to get out of your normal routine to help you get out of- rut of everyday life.
Jn 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." NASU
Where does the breath of God, the wind of the HS, want to take you this week?
ILLUS: Have you ever been driving along a road and your right tires slip off the pavement. You have to give the steering wheel a little bit of a jerk to get the car back up on the pavement where it is meant to drive.
Sometimes life is the same way.
You have slipped off the pavement, the path God wants you on, and you must give life a little bit of
a jerk to get back on track.
Lk 13:6-9 (fig tree that would not bear fruit)
Illus: Story of fig tree in my back yard: cut it back significantly to stimulate growth.
You have the life/light of God within you, look for someway this next week to release it.
Sometimes it takes doing something NEW or in a DIFFERENT way to shake us up.
Do something NEW, DIFFERENT …
Attend a House Church meeting
Get up ½ hour early to pray and read the Bible
Attend- morning prayer mtg- Tues, Thurs, Sun
Attend Fire Dweller- Thursday
Come early SunAM and greet people
Attend the Men of Honor or Women’s Meeting
Fast
Attend a conference
Come up during worship and read a Bible verse
Read a book- Christian, fiction, history
Take a person (couple) out to lunch that is different from you- maybe even strange
(Even Balaam needed- donkey to speak to him)
Invite another family over for dinner
Take a prayer walk through a cemetery (Kirk)
As you read people’s epitaphs it stirs something in your heart about the shortness of life and what are we leaving behind- tombstone of a 2yr old or a 19yr old. Life in these mortal bodies is finite, what are we doing with it.
Take a prayer walk through a hospital (Kirk)
As you walk through the hospital and smell the smells and look at the expressions on people’s faces, develop a compassion for people and what they have to go through in life.
Table with items to give away …
Most Americans, especially men, never read a book after High School- challenge- expand your mind-
The Seer by Jim Goll
Intercessory Prayer by Dutch Sheets
America: The Last Best Hope by William Bennett
Blessed Child by Ted Dekker
Sweet Caroline by Rachel Hauck
Many of us are locked into one style of music-
Hearts of the Innocent by Kutless
Some of you never wright- learn to put down your thoughts about life, study of the Word-
Journal (3)
Some of you have never taken time to send a note of encouragement to someone else in the body-
Note cards (4)
Take someone out to lunch that is totally different from you- (will not cover entire cost- sacrifice)-
$30 gift certificates to Olive Garden
