Embracing Lifelong Spiritual Growth Through the Holy Spirit
Summary
In this sermon, I was reminded of the importance of continual spiritual growth and the role of the Holy Spirit in this process. The speaker emphasized that accepting Jesus is not the finish line, but rather the starting point of a lifelong journey of learning more about God and being shaped into the person He has called us to be. The Holy Spirit, who resides within us once we accept Jesus, is the source of wisdom and revelation, not our intelligence or theological knowledge.
The sermon also highlighted the blessings that come from our relationship with God, focusing on three specific blessings as outlined by the Apostle Paul. The first blessing discussed was hope, defined as a confident and assured expectation based on faith. The speaker encouraged us to walk confidently in the goodness of God, reminding us that we have already won through Jesus' resurrection.
Key takeaways from this sermon include:
- The Holy Spirit is the source of wisdom and revelation, not our intelligence or theological knowledge. This wisdom and revelation are crucial for our spiritual growth and understanding of God's goodness ([12:22]).
- Accepting Jesus is not the finish line, but the starting point of a lifelong journey of learning more about God and being shaped into the person He has called us to be ([11:12]).
- Hope, defined as a confident and assured expectation based on faith, is one of the blessings that come from our relationship with God. We are encouraged to walk confidently in the goodness of God, knowing that we have already won through Jesus' resurrection ([15:54]).
- The importance of discipleship and leading others in their faith journey. The speaker emphasized that every Christ follower has been called to make disciples and encouraged those interested in leading to join their intern program ([04:08]).
- The Bible is alive and relevant, and God still speaks to His people through His word. The speaker expressed excitement about studying the Bible and encouraged us to expect God to speak to us through His word ([04:40]).
Study Guide
Main Points from the Sermon:
1. Every Christian is called to make disciples, and many desire to do so but may not know how. The church is a place to equip and train individuals to fulfill this calling ([03:35]).
2. The Bible is alive and relevant, and God still speaks to His people through His word. Studying and understanding the Bible is a way to strengthen and change lives ([04:40]).
3. The decision to turn from doing life one's way and start doing life God's way is a life-changing decision. This decision is not meant to be journeyed alone, but with the support of a spiritual community ([36:06]).
4. The act of reading and understanding the Bible is a spiritual discipline that requires the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is a means through which God reveals Himself to us ([12:56]).
5. Our relationship with God brings about blessings, one of which is hope. This hope is a confident and assured expectation based on faith ([15:21]).
Bible Chapters for the Group to Read:
1. Ephesians Chapter 1
2. Acts Chapter 1
Discussion Guide:
Observation Questions:
1. What does Ephesians Chapter 1 say about the role of Christians in making disciples?
2. How does Acts Chapter 1 illustrate the relevance and power of God's word?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Ephesians Chapter 1 explain the process of turning from our ways to God's ways?
2. In Acts Chapter 1, how does the Holy Spirit guide the understanding of God's word?
Application Questions:
1. How can you apply the call to make disciples in your daily life as described in Ephesians Chapter 1?
2. How can you cultivate a deeper understanding of God's word as illustrated in Acts Chapter 1?
3. How can you live out the confident and assured expectation based on faith as described in Ephesians Chapter 1?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Journey of Faith
The sermon emphasizes the importance of turning away from our own ways and embracing the journey of faith with Jesus as our guide. This journey is not meant to be walked alone, but in the company of fellow believers and under the guidance of the church. [07:40]
Bible Passage: Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision you made. How could you have involved Jesus in the decision-making process?
Day 2: The Power of Community
The sermon highlights the transformative power of community groups in the church. These groups provide a platform for discipleship and spiritual growth. [03:06]
Bible Passage: Hebrews 10:24-25 - "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
Reflection: How can you contribute to your church community group to foster spiritual growth?
Day 3: The Revelation of God's Word
The sermon underscores the importance of seeking the Holy Spirit's guidance when reading the Bible. It's through the wisdom and revelation of the Holy Spirit that we can gain understanding of God's goodness. [12:56]
Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 - "What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words."
Reflection: How can you invite the Holy Spirit into your Bible study time to gain deeper understanding?
Day 4: The Blessing of Hope
The sermon points out that one of the blessings we receive from our relationship with Jesus is hope. This hope is a confident and assured expectation based on faith. [14:03]
Bible Passage: Romans 5:5 - "And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a confident and assured expectation in God's promises in your daily life?
Day 5: The Importance of Serving
The sermon appreciates the staff of the church for their service. It reminds us that serving in the church is not for accolades but because of love for Jesus and the church. [02:04]
Bible Passage: Galatians 5:13 - "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love."
Reflection: How can you serve in your local church out of love for Jesus and the church?
Quotes
1. "Today I want to turn from doing life my way and I want to start doing life your way and Jesus I want to invite you into my life to be my Lord and my savior and I want to thank you Jesus I want to thank you for dying on that cross for me for conquering sin and death." - 36:04
2. "Every Christ follower in this room has been called to make disciples but what I have found to be true is that for many of you it's not that you don't desire to do that you just don't know how well here at High Ridge we want to equip you to do that." - 02:56
3. "The first promise that God gives to you is that you are saved. You are a part of God's family you have been adopted into his family and nothing can change that." - 19:24
4. "You are Overcomers not because you're great but because Jesus is great. You have the power friend and a lot of you man you got a battle going on here you got laws going through here all the time and sometimes you believe them you think you're worthless you think you're worth nothing you're unlovable you can't do it you can't overcome and I'm telling you those are lies from the enemy because God is real and because God is real his promises are real." - 32:53
5. "These four promises that I've talked about we only have access to those promises if we've given our life to Jesus these promises are only for those who have a relationship with him." - 32:53
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