Transformative Journey: Embracing Growth and Community in Faith
Summary
I am filled with gratitude and excitement as I reflect on the recent developments within our church community. We've witnessed the growth and dedication of individuals like James Aslan, who has been leading worship and is nearing his college graduation. Additionally, we celebrated the commissioning of Dan McClure and Eric Keener as pastors, marking a significant step in their spiritual journeys. Tim and Aaron Riley have also embarked on a new chapter with their ministry, Compelled, as they partner with Hillside Church to integrate their vision of living a life compelled by Christ.
Our journey as a church is not just about celebrating these milestones but also about understanding the power to change. We are exploring the principles found in God's Word, which are mirrored in the 12-step program, to address the gap between where we are and where we want to be. This journey begins with acknowledging our powerlessness and the need for a power greater than ourselves to bridge this gap. It involves a decision to turn our lives over to God, trusting in His ability to transform us.
The process of sanctification is both a gift and a task. It begins with the moment we accept Christ, setting us apart for God, and continues as we grow in holiness. This growth requires ongoing personal inventory, confession, and a willingness to make amends. It is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ, marked by progress rather than perfection.
As we continue this journey, we are reminded of the importance of daily spiritual maintenance. Our faith is not static; it requires active participation and a commitment to God's will. By praying, doing, reviewing, and repeating, we align ourselves with God's purpose, allowing His power to transform us. This transformation is not just for our benefit but also for the world to see the light of Christ in us.
Key Takeaways:
1. The Power of Community and Commissioning: Celebrating the growth and commissioning of individuals within our church highlights the importance of community in nurturing spiritual gifts and callings. It reminds us that we are part of a larger body, each with a unique role in God's kingdom. [00:00]
2. Acknowledging the Gap: Recognizing the gap between where we are and where we want to be is the first step in our spiritual journey. This acknowledgment leads us to seek a power greater than ourselves, which is essential for true transformation. [05:05]
3. Sanctification as a Gift and Task: Sanctification is both an immediate gift and an ongoing process. While we are set apart for God at the moment of salvation, we must continually grow in holiness, aligning our lives with God's will. [20:49]
4. The Importance of Personal Inventory: Regular personal inventory and confession are crucial for spiritual growth. By acknowledging our shortcomings and making amends, we allow God to transform us and strengthen our witness to others. [32:17]
5. Daily Spiritual Maintenance: Our spiritual journey requires daily maintenance through prayer, action, and reflection. By committing to God's will and seeking His guidance, we experience transformation and live out our faith effectively. [37:23]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Celebrating Community Milestones
- [02:30] - The Rileys' New Ministry Chapter
- [05:05] - Understanding the Gap
- [07:30] - The Power Greater Than Ourselves
- [10:43] - The Unique Christian Faith
- [13:19] - Steps to Cross the Gap
- [16:27] - Biblical Principles in 12 Steps
- [20:49] - Sanctification Explained
- [25:00] - The Process of Sanctification
- [28:30] - Personal Inventory Practices
- [32:17] - The Importance of Making Amends
- [34:58] - Progress Over Perfection
- [37:23] - Daily Spiritual Maintenance
- [40:00] - Conclusion and Prayer
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Hebrews 11:6 - "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."
2. 1 John 1:9 - "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."
3. 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3 - "As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God’s will that you should be sanctified."
Observation Questions:
1. What recent milestones were celebrated in the church community, and how do they reflect the power of community and commissioning? [00:45]
2. How does the sermon describe the gap between where we are and where we want to be in our spiritual journey? [05:05]
3. What is the significance of sanctification as both a gift and a task according to the sermon? [20:49]
4. How does the sermon suggest we maintain our spiritual journey on a daily basis? [37:23]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of acknowledging our powerlessness relate to the idea of faith as described in Hebrews 11:6? [05:05]
2. In what ways does the process of sanctification require both God's intervention and our active participation? [20:49]
3. How does the practice of personal inventory and confession, as mentioned in 1 John 1:9, contribute to spiritual growth? [32:17]
4. What does it mean to live a life that is "compelled by Christ," and how does this align with the idea of daily spiritual maintenance? [37:23]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent milestone in your life or community. How did it impact your spiritual journey, and how can you celebrate it with others? [00:45]
2. Identify a gap in your spiritual life. What steps can you take to acknowledge this gap and seek a power greater than yourself to bridge it? [05:05]
3. Consider the process of sanctification in your life. What is one area where you feel God is calling you to grow more in holiness? [20:49]
4. How can you incorporate regular personal inventory and confession into your daily routine to enhance your spiritual growth? [32:17]
5. What specific actions can you take this week to align your life more closely with God's will and experience transformation? [37:23]
6. Think of a person you have harmed or a relationship that needs mending. What steps can you take to make amends and strengthen your witness to others? [32:17]
7. How can you practice daily spiritual maintenance through prayer, action, and reflection to live out your faith effectively? [37:23]
Devotional
Day 1: The Role of Community in Spiritual Growth
The power of community is evident in the way individuals within a church are nurtured and supported in their spiritual journeys. Celebrating milestones such as the commissioning of new pastors or the achievements of members like James Aslan highlights the importance of being part of a larger body. Each person has a unique role to play in God's kingdom, and the community provides the environment for spiritual gifts and callings to flourish. This interconnectedness reminds us that we are not alone in our journey; we are part of a supportive network that encourages growth and transformation. [00:00]
1 Corinthians 12:12-14 (ESV): "For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many."
Reflection: Who in your church community can you encourage or support this week, recognizing their unique role in the body of Christ?
Day 2: Recognizing Our Need for Divine Intervention
Acknowledging the gap between where we are and where we want to be is crucial in our spiritual journey. This recognition leads us to seek a power greater than ourselves, which is essential for true transformation. By admitting our powerlessness, we open ourselves to the possibility of divine intervention, allowing God to work in our lives in ways we cannot achieve on our own. This step requires humility and a willingness to surrender control, trusting that God will guide us toward the change we desire. [05:05]
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel powerless? How can you invite God to intervene and bring about transformation?
Day 3: The Ongoing Journey of Sanctification
Sanctification is both an immediate gift and an ongoing process. At the moment of salvation, we are set apart for God, but the journey doesn't end there. We must continually grow in holiness, aligning our lives with God's will. This process involves regular personal inventory, confession, and a willingness to make amends. It is a lifelong journey of becoming more like Christ, marked by progress rather than perfection. Embracing this journey means accepting that growth takes time and requires active participation in our spiritual development. [20:49]
Philippians 1:6 (ESV): "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
Reflection: What steps can you take today to actively participate in your sanctification process, acknowledging that it is a journey of progress?
Day 4: The Power of Personal Inventory and Confession
Regular personal inventory and confession are crucial for spiritual growth. By acknowledging our shortcomings and making amends, we allow God to transform us and strengthen our witness to others. This practice requires honesty and vulnerability, as we confront areas of our lives that need change. Through confession, we experience God's forgiveness and grace, which empowers us to move forward in our spiritual journey. This process not only benefits us but also impacts those around us as they witness the transformative power of God's work in our lives. [32:17]
James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: Is there a specific area of your life where you need to seek forgiveness or make amends? How can you take a step toward healing today?
Day 5: Committing to Daily Spiritual Maintenance
Our spiritual journey requires daily maintenance through prayer, action, and reflection. By committing to God's will and seeking His guidance, we experience transformation and live out our faith effectively. This daily practice involves praying, doing, reviewing, and repeating, which aligns us with God's purpose and allows His power to work in us. It is through this consistent effort that we grow in our relationship with God and become a light to the world, demonstrating the impact of a life compelled by Christ. [37:23]
Colossians 3:16-17 (ESV): "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."
Reflection: What specific daily habit can you incorporate into your routine to ensure you are maintaining your spiritual health and aligning with God's will?
Quotes
You know, I always lovingly refer to us as the little church that could. And it's not because we have this great locomotive and positive thinking. It's because God has chosen us for something which I don't completely understand, but I know it's true to do a really mighty and a great work through and to kind of grow the kingdom, even though it's just a few of us. And that is just a super, super blessing. [00:03:13] (32 seconds)
Part of why I think God uses us is that we genuinely want to live the way God wants us to live and not just come together and talk about it. And that's really kind of the heart behind why we've taken a season here. And we're talking about the power to change. Not the resolve to be better than everyone, to do good, but really tapping into the real, the true power that changes us. [00:03:44] (33 seconds)
Now, the first step in the 12 steps is that you admit that we're powerless, and that our lives have become unmanageable, is how they word it. But it's this basic idea that where I'm at and where I want to be, there's the gap. And here's the thing, I've tried to fill that gap. I've tried harder, I've gotten up earlier, I've read books, I've paid embarrassing amount of monies to people that were going to tell me how to get across. [00:05:44] (29 seconds)
so the second thing is we came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity you have to believe that if the only way come to a point where the only way i'm going to cross this gap is that there's going to have to be something greater than me that will help me cross now most of us spend most of our lives understanding step one and either doing two things either one denying that's it's even an issue and that only works when you're young when you're young you deny it because it's just like in time i'll get there i'll get that right and this this is this is no big deal now and of course the older you get that you that gap gets wider and at least this is my experience okay if your experience is different than next week you're teaching all right anyhow the the gap gets wider and wider and wider and wider and so we come those who understand that gap who who actually think about it begin to go if i don't get help soon i'm going to live what henry david throw calls a life of quiet desperation and so you come to understand there's got to be a power greater than myself or else i'm in big trouble right we talked about hebrews 11 that says um without faith it's impossible please god because anyone who comes to him here's the two criteria must believe that he exists duh you can't come to a v doesn't believe exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him so now you have to believe that exists you have to believe that he can get you across and get you from where you're at to where you need to be which leads us to number three now the third step is actually it goes like this we made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of god in other words we said i'm here and i can't get there without god fine but you got to make a decision that you're going to trust how god's going to get you across because if what you kept doing wouldn't work it won't help you just to say i'm going to continue doing what i do and believe in god so what so what that's probably the typical american condition [00:06:54] (139 seconds)
And so you've got to trust God, and the scriptures are clear, and this actually was a debate, and those who were in this Bible study, should they be very specific about Jesus, or should they not? And they decided to leave the door as broad as possible, hoping that people would find their own way. But here's the thing. Our Christian faith is unique in that it is about, actually, it's the only faith that I know of, where God did something to help you cross. Think about this. Every other faith will give you the six tenets that you need to do to fill that gap. [00:09:30] (41 seconds)
Step six says we are entirely ready to have God remove these defects of character. In other words, now my life changes. I admit that there's a gap. I admit that only God can do it. I'm going to give my will to Him. I start that process by getting really clear on how I can't fill the gap and how far the gap is. I confess that to God, to one other person. Right? And then I got to say, Okay, God, now you need to change me. [00:12:29] (28 seconds)
The good news is that you don't have to live the old way, you can live a new life, and the way you do that is that you acknowledge that there's a God, that he can do for you what you cannot do yourself, that he did it through the cross, and then you confess, you begin willing to give up your will, because it's gonna take his power just to do that. [00:15:41] (23 seconds)
The big book says this, as it leaves step nine and goes to step 10, it says, we vigorously commence this way of living as we cleaned up the past. Now notice what this says, we have entered the world of the spirit. Isn't that interesting? We have entered the world of the spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. So now it's a continual process. So here's step 10. We continue to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, we promptly admitted it. That sounds familiar. Didn't we kind of already do that? [00:17:04] (44 seconds)
Paul's writing a letter to the church and and Thessalonica That's why we call it that's this letter Thessalonians in the last part of the letter Of course remember we put in chapters and verses just so we can find our way around it It was just a little regular letter written to them This is his final instruction starting in chapter 4 and says finally brothers and sisters We instructed you on how to live in order to please God meaning when he was there He instructed them. This is what it means to please God as in fact you were living. He's I'm commend you the basic instruction We gave you you're doing good job now So that was passed now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this More and more now. This is in I believe this is in your handout. [00:19:47] (46 seconds)
And he brings up this idea of sanctification. Now, I'm going to spend a little time on this word, which you probably do not use on a daily basis. As a matter of fact, if you knew the church, you're like, sanctify what? All right? So let me just kind of explain. Sanctification literally means to be made holy. Great. I just use another word you don't use every day. Right? Holy means to set apart. Okay? So for instance, this concept really is first applied when they build the temple, that's the tabernacle because originally it was a tent, the place that they were going to worship God. [00:22:17] (39 seconds)
The question is, can I see where God has begun, his promise, where he's begun to do in me, to change in me, where I could not change myself? And if I'm making progress, God is good with it. It's like I told you before, when I worked at the group home, right? We used to, part of their evaluation of how they got privileges and everything is their language. And I remember sitting down with a guy at the end of the day going, you only cussed 30 times today. And we celebrated. [00:34:42] (39 seconds)
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