Engaging with God's Spirit: A Journey of Participation

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the profound truth that God's Spirit speaks to us, delivering the exact words God desires for us to hear. This journey through the series "Experiencing God" has been about recognizing and responding to God's constant work around us. From the creation narrative in Genesis to the life of Moses, we see the Spirit's involvement in God's interaction with humanity. The Spirit's role is not just historical but deeply personal and present in our lives today.

We began by reflecting on our relationship with God, considering the distractions and challenges that might be pulling us away from focusing on Him. Whether it's health issues, financial struggles, or broken relationships, these can cloud our ability to see God's work around us. Yet, God is always pursuing a love relationship with us, orchestrating our lives from the very beginning. This pursuit is not just for us but for everyone around us, as God places us in proximity to others to be part of their stories.

We also discussed the importance of not just observing God's work but actively participating in it. When God reveals something to us, it's an invitation to join Him, not just an option. This requires us to be attentive and responsive, much like Mary, who chose to sit at Jesus' feet, fully engaged and listening.

The Spirit speaks through various means: the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church. Each of these avenues is a way for God to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways to us. Our task is to be open and expectant, ready to hear and act on what God is saying.

As we continue this series, the challenge is to move beyond mere observation to active engagement with God's Spirit. This involves setting aside distractions, seeking assurance in God, and being obedient to His call. By doing so, we open ourselves to a deeper experience of God, transforming our lives and our community.

Key Takeaways:

- God's Constant Pursuit: God is always working around us, orchestrating our lives from the beginning. His pursuit is not just for us but for everyone, and He places us in proximity to others to be part of their stories. Recognizing this can change how we see and interact with the world. [31:22]

- Active Participation: When God reveals something to us, it's an invitation to join Him. This requires us to be attentive and responsive, moving beyond observation to active engagement. Like Mary, we must choose to sit at Jesus' feet, fully engaged and listening. [35:39]

- The Spirit Speaks: The Spirit speaks through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church. Each of these avenues is a way for God to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways to us. Our task is to be open and expectant, ready to hear and act on what God is saying. [38:34]

- Overcoming Distractions: Distractions and challenges can cloud our ability to see God's work. By setting these aside and seeking assurance in God, we open ourselves to a deeper experience of Him. This involves being obedient to His call and trusting in His guidance. [48:19]

- Experiencing God Together: As a community, we are called to share our stories and experiences of God. This creates a contagious environment where we see God's hand at work and are blessed to be part of it. Our conversations and interactions should reflect this shared journey. [51:15]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [02:00] - Introduction to Experiencing God
- [05:30] - The Role of the Holy Spirit
- [10:15] - God's Work in the Old Testament
- [15:45] - Reflecting on Our Relationship with God
- [20:30] - God's Pursuit of Love
- [25:00] - Invitation to Participate
- [30:00] - Hearing God's Voice
- [35:00] - The Spirit Speaks Through Various Means
- [40:00] - Overcoming Distractions
- [45:00] - Active Engagement with God's Spirit
- [50:00] - Experiencing God in Community
- [55:00] - Closing Prayer and Reflection
- [01:00:00] - Invitation to Respond
- [01:05:00] - Final Blessing and Dismissal

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Experiencing God

Bible Reading:
1. Genesis 1:1-2 - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters."
2. John 14:16-17 - "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."
3. Luke 10:38-42 - The story of Mary and Martha, where Mary chooses to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to Him.

Observation Questions:
1. How does the Spirit of God play a role in the creation narrative in Genesis 1:1-2? What does this tell us about the Spirit's involvement in God's work? [31:22]
2. In John 14:16-17, what does Jesus promise about the Spirit of truth? How is this promise relevant to believers today?
3. What choice does Mary make in Luke 10:38-42, and how does Jesus respond to Martha's concerns? [44:55]
4. According to the sermon, what are some ways the Spirit speaks to us today? [38:34]

Interpretation Questions:
1. Reflecting on Genesis 1:1-2, how does the presence of the Spirit at creation influence our understanding of the Spirit's role in our lives today? [31:22]
2. In John 14:16-17, Jesus describes the Spirit as an advocate. What does it mean for the Spirit to be an advocate in the life of a believer?
3. How does the story of Mary and Martha illustrate the importance of prioritizing time with Jesus over daily distractions? [44:55]
4. The sermon mentions that God speaks through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church. How can believers discern when God is speaking through these avenues? [38:34]

Application Questions:
1. Consider the distractions in your life that might be pulling you away from focusing on God. What specific steps can you take this week to minimize these distractions? [48:19]
2. Reflect on a recent situation where you felt God was inviting you to participate in His work. How did you respond, and what might you do differently next time? [35:39]
3. The sermon emphasizes the importance of being attentive and responsive to God's call. How can you cultivate a habit of listening to God's voice in your daily routine? [38:34]
4. Think about a time when you felt God's Spirit speaking to you through a circumstance or a person. How did you recognize it was God, and what was your response? [51:15]
5. Identify one person in your life who might be experiencing God's pursuit of a love relationship. How can you be part of their story this week? [31:22]
6. The sermon encourages sharing stories of experiencing God within the community. What is one story of God's work in your life that you can share with your small group or church community? [51:15]
7. Reflect on the story of Mary and Martha. What is one practical way you can choose to "sit at Jesus' feet" this week, despite the busyness of life? [44:55]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Pursuit of Love in Our Lives
God is always at work around us, orchestrating our lives from the very beginning. His pursuit is not just for us but for everyone, and He places us in proximity to others to be part of their stories. Recognizing this can change how we see and interact with the world. God’s love is relentless, and He desires a relationship with each of us. This understanding invites us to see our lives as part of a larger narrative where God is the author, weaving our stories with those around us. [31:22]

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him." (2 Chronicles 16:9 ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life might God be calling you to connect with more deeply, recognizing His work in their story as well as yours?


Day 2: Embracing God's Invitation to Participate
When God reveals something to us, it's an invitation to join Him, not just an option. This requires us to be attentive and responsive, moving beyond observation to active engagement. Like Mary, we must choose to sit at Jesus' feet, fully engaged and listening. This active participation means being willing to step out in faith, trusting that God’s plans are greater than our own. It’s about being present and ready to act when God calls, knowing that our involvement is part of His divine purpose. [35:39]

"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'" (Isaiah 6:8 ESV)

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel God is inviting you to take action? How can you respond to this invitation today?


Day 3: The Spirit's Voice in Our Daily Lives
The Spirit speaks through the Bible, prayer, circumstances, and the church. Each of these avenues is a way for God to reveal Himself, His purposes, and His ways to us. Our task is to be open and expectant, ready to hear and act on what God is saying. The Spirit’s voice is gentle yet persistent, guiding us in truth and wisdom. By cultivating a heart that listens, we can discern His voice amidst the noise of daily life, allowing His guidance to shape our decisions and actions. [38:34]

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in it,' when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." (Isaiah 30:21 ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you create space in your daily routine to better hear the Spirit’s voice?


Day 4: Overcoming Distractions to Experience God
Distractions and challenges can cloud our ability to see God's work. By setting these aside and seeking assurance in God, we open ourselves to a deeper experience of Him. This involves being obedient to His call and trusting in His guidance. Life’s distractions can often pull us away from focusing on God, but by intentionally setting aside time to seek Him, we can find clarity and peace. Trusting in God’s plan allows us to navigate life’s challenges with confidence, knowing that He is in control. [48:19]

"Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." (Hebrews 12:1 ESV)

Reflection: What is one distraction in your life that you can set aside this week to focus more on God’s presence and guidance?


Day 5: Experiencing God in Community
As a community, we are called to share our stories and experiences of God. This creates a contagious environment where we see God's hand at work and are blessed to be part of it. Our conversations and interactions should reflect this shared journey. By engaging with others in our faith community, we can encourage and uplift one another, fostering a sense of unity and purpose. Sharing our experiences of God’s work in our lives not only strengthens our faith but also inspires those around us to seek Him more earnestly. [51:15]

"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV)

Reflection: How can you intentionally share your experiences of God with someone in your community this week to encourage and inspire them?

Quotes



"Where are you at in your relationship with him? Are you distracted? Are you not really focused because of so many important things that are going on in your life? And I don't discount anything that's going on. Some of you have had major health challenges. Some of you are going through a major financial challenge. Some of you are weighing huge decisions when it comes to jobs, places where you're going to live. All kinds of things go in in our life, all right? It could be relationships that are broken. There's so many things that pull us, and we're going to talk about that today. We're going to talk about what pulls our attention away from who God is." [00:27:52] (40 seconds)


"God is always pursuing a love relationship with you. He has been orchestrating your life from the very beginning. But do you know what? When we look around and we see how God is working, my eyes have been changed this past week. I'm looking now at everybody in the grocery store. When I'm pumping the gas and I see the two or three cars around me, I went, God's pursuing a love relationship with that person. Do you know that? Just like he's pursuing it with you, he's pursuing it with every person on this earth all the time." [00:31:26] (38 seconds)


"But when God shows you something, it's not like it's an option to do it, right? When my dad told me to do something, it wasn't optional when something was revealed to me. It was, no, I expect you to do it. God has that same heart and desire for you. He expects you to get involved. And to be honest with you, you're missing out on your end of not getting involved. It's not like it's a demanding thing where he's holding it over your head and he's this angry God or this mean God that wants to make you do things you don't want to do." [00:33:51] (38 seconds)


"Mary and Martha are sitting there, and Martha's busy, and she's in the kitchen. And the whole time she's talking to Mary, Mary, come on. Would you please come in here? I need your help. I need you to come help me get all this done. We have too many people to feed, and all she can do is just look at Jesus and hang on his every word. She knows that Jesus isn't just randomly speaking to everybody in the room. He's speaking to her. And she didn't want to miss a second of it. That's where I want you and I to be." [00:43:57] (29 seconds)


"Sometimes it's competing voices to the point that we don't really even know who it is maybe that's talking to us. We would think that it would be one thing but not another. I referred earlier to this boy named Samuel. Samuel is an apprentice of sorts to this guy, Eli, who is a prophet. And Eli is out here, and he has been trying to teach and lead and guide Samuel. But Samuel, again, doesn't really know the voice of God, so to speak. It says in 1 Samuel 3, in his story, the boy, Samuel, ministered before the Lord under Eli. He's trying to do church things." [00:47:46] (37 seconds)


"How could you expect him to talk to you if you don't spend any time? When you started dating your spouse, you spent as much time with that person as you possibly could, right? And you would have long conversations and you would talk. But if you just did like I saw some people do when I was in college walking up saying, hey, you know, God said that we were supposed to get married. And then you don't really date that person and all you do is you just kind of say, hey, it was good to see you across campus today. I saw you over there. It was good to see you. So, when are we getting married again?" [00:50:38] (35 seconds)


"God speaks to you by his spirit. We already read that God promised that he would leave the spirit with us forever to speak to us and to talk to us. But he also speaks through his word. That's a given. We kind of know that. But this is a litmus test for almost everything. When you think that you wonder if God is speaking to you, God speaks through the Bible. And that needs to be your confirmation. If you don't find it in God's word, then there's a good chance that maybe it's not God. It's one of those competing voices." [00:52:41] (30 seconds)


"God is going to speak through other circumstances in your life. Anything that you're going through, even if it's a challenge, is a way that God is trying to speak to you. He is trying to get your attention. He's trying to talk to you and use this. I'm not saying he caused you to have a health problem. I'm not saying he caused your financial demise. That may have just been a lot of poor decisions. There may be a lot of things that you've done because of your own free will and your own choices, but God is aware of it and God can still leverage it to speak to you." [00:55:09] (37 seconds)


"God wants to speak through family, through church. That's why I encourage you to go to life groups and to share and to open up because if nobody knows who you are or what your life is like or what's going on, how is God going to speak through others around you to your situation? And when God reveals something to you, when you're in your life groups with a study, lean into it. Lean into what God's trying to do. We did a study just before this. I kind of did it by design, but there's a study in right now media called Whisper." [00:55:43] (37 seconds)


"Father, we thank you that you still speak to us today. Your servant is here. Speak to us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. I hope you have a blessed week. Thank you for being here today. I can't wait to see who's put names where. Look for our email. Give us till about the middle of the week, all right?" [01:12:04] (21 seconds)


Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from Feb 23, 2025. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?