Will You Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone? Series

Will you step out of your comfort zone?

This month as part of our Fresh Fire Series we have been considering the teachings of Jesus on the Holy Spirit.

And this evening I want us to start with some verses from John 14. John 14:6-17

6Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. 7If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him!”

8Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.”

9Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show Him to you? 10Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. 11Just believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do.

12“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!

15“If you love me, obey my commandments. 16And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. 17He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive Him, because it isn’t looking for Him and doesn’t recognize Him. But you know Him, because He lives with you now and later will be in you.

Tonight, as most sermons, I want to begin by asking you a question.

That question is...

What is your comfort zone?

Comfort zones

Those invisible barriers that make us feel safe and secure.

All of us have our comfort zones.

Some of us surround ourselves with them.

Some of us live in them.

Some of us visit them.

And some of us have learnt to ignore them.

When we get used to something, or when we have done something in a particular way for a while, or when we just don’t want something to change, those are times when we find ourselves in a comfort zone.

When Comfort zones develop they can make us feel so secure, we never want to change the way we do things!

And so often we can become scared of what might happen if we move out of our comfort zone.

Someone once said that the only people who like change are babies with dirty nappies! (Maybe changing a nappy would take you outside your comfort zone! or maybe changing a nappy is inside your comfort zone!)

...

If we are honest with ourselves, many times it’s easier for us to keep doing the same things - over and over and over again - than it is for us to allow change in our lives!

Even when it is God’s will that change should happen in our lives -

or when it is God’s will that change should happen in the life of our church,

we choose the comfortable option,

the safe option.

Have you ever done that?

Have you ever chosen the “safe” option?

The option that says,

I know God is bigger than this,

I know God has said that all things are possible to those who believe,

I know God is a God of miracles,

but ....

just in case this situation is bigger than God,

just in case I don’t have enough faith,

just in case God has stopped working miracles,

I am going to stay in my comfort zone and take the option that seems to be the safest.

Do you ever find yourself settling for second best?

Do you ever find yourself choosing the easy option?

What is it that stops you living and serving as God want you to live?

So often we settle for something easy and routine instead of striving for the best of what God wants to give us.

We have been called to trust God,

we have been called to follow Him,

we have been told that He has promised in whatever circumstance we find ourselves that He will never leave us or forsake us...

yet we find ourselves fenced in by our own boundaries...

we hide ourselves, we trap ourselves,

we convince ourselves that we feel safe in our comfort zone....