Transforming Faith: Embracing Community and Gratitude

 

Summary

The sermon begins with the pastor addressing the issue of compartmentalizing faith, which leads to hypocrisy. He discusses four ways people respond when crisis comes: stepping back from faith, stepping aside while trying to maintain faith, falling asleep to faith, and stepping forward in maturity. The pastor emphasizes the importance of transformation of heart and mind in faith, rather than just going through religious checkboxes.

The pastor then emphasizes the importance of faith being tested to reveal the true nature of our beliefs and spirituality. He encourages the congregation to actively engage in their spirituality by taking risks, practicing gratitude, surrounding themselves with people of faith, and seeking God for more faith. The pastor concludes by highlighting the essential element of faithfulness in maturing our faith, emphasizing the Hebrew concept of AMT, which can be translated as faithfulness, trust, or trustworthiness.

The pastor also emphasizes the importance of faith and community within the church. He encourages the congregation to surround themselves with people of faith in order to strengthen their own faith. The pastor also mentions the idea of passive spirituality, where God takes the initiative and we need to listen and be present with Jesus. This waiting and listening can be seen as a test of faith, where God is working in the waiting period to shape and mold us.

The pastor then emphasizes the importance of allowing God to have the final say in our lives. He encourages the congregation to listen to God in prayer and recognize that it is the best thing ever for God to speak and guide us. The pastor urges the congregation to ask God to revive and restore them, to break down any barriers that have compartmentalized their faith, and to draw them closer to Him.

Finally, the pastor discusses the importance of practicing gratitude and the detrimental effects of fear. He highlights the positive impact of gratitude on mental flexibility and cognitive function. The pastor also encourages active spirituality by getting involved with people of faith, attending church events, and forming connections with others. The pastor concludes by challenging the congregation to choose to step forward into maturity in their faith when faced with crises.

Key Takeaways:

- The pastor emphasizes the importance of transformation of heart and mind in faith, rather than just going through religious checkboxes. This transformation is crucial in maturing our faith and avoiding hypocrisy. [12:45]

- The pastor highlights the essential element of faithfulness in maturing our faith, emphasizing the Hebrew concept of AMT, which can be translated as faithfulness, trust, or trustworthiness. Without faithfulness, we risk falling away or becoming stagnant in our spiritual growth. [24:30]

- The pastor encourages the congregation to surround themselves with people of faith in order to strengthen their own faith. This community within the church is crucial for individual spiritual growth and maturity. [36:15]

- The pastor emphasizes the importance of allowing God to have the final say in our lives. He encourages the congregation to listen to God in prayer and recognize that it is the best thing ever for God to speak and guide us. This process may not be easy, but it is crucial to wake up to our faith and to be aware of God's activity in our lives. [48:00]

- The pastor discusses the importance of practicing gratitude and the detrimental effects of fear. He highlights the positive impact of gratitude on mental flexibility and cognitive function. The pastor also encourages active spirituality by getting involved with people of faith, attending church events, and forming connections with others. [59:30]

Study Guide

Bible Reading:
1. John 16:33: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
2. 1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
3. Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."

Observation Questions:
1. In John 16:33, what are the "things" that have been told and who is the speaker addressing?
2. What does 1 John 4:18 suggest about the relationship between fear and love?
3. According to Hebrews 11:1, how is faith defined and what does it entail?

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the assurance of overcoming the world in John 16:33 relate to the concept of faith as described in Hebrews 11:1?
2. In 1 John 4:18, how does perfect love drive out fear and what might this imply about the nature of faith and fear?
3. How might the confidence and assurance mentioned in Hebrews 11:1 be manifested in one's life during times of crisis?

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a recent crisis you faced. How did you respond? Did you step back, step aside, fall asleep, or step forward in faith?
2. Think about your faith community. How can you actively engage with them this week to strengthen your faith?
3. Consider your prayer life. How can you make more space for God to speak and guide you in your decisions this week?
4. Reflect on your attitude towards fear and love. How can you practice perfect love that drives out fear in a specific situation this week?
5. Identify one area in your life where you have compartmentalized your faith. What is one step you can take this week to break down that barrier and draw closer to God?

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Transformation in Faith
The journey of faith is not about ticking off religious checkboxes, but about a transformation of the heart and mind. This transformation is a crucial part of maturing in faith and avoiding hypocrisy. It is about allowing God to change us from the inside out, shaping our thoughts, attitudes, and actions to align with His will. [12:45]

Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel God is calling you to transform? How can you take steps towards this transformation today?

Day 2: Cultivating Faithfulness
Faithfulness is an essential element in maturing our faith. The Hebrew concept of AMT, which can be translated as faithfulness, trust, or trustworthiness, emphasizes the importance of being steadfast in our faith. Without faithfulness, we risk falling away or becoming stagnant in our spiritual growth. [24:30]

Proverbs 3:3-4 - "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man."
Reflection: How can you cultivate faithfulness in your daily walk with God? What are some practical steps you can take to remain steadfast in your faith?

Day 3: Building a Community of Faith
Surrounding ourselves with people of faith is crucial for individual spiritual growth and maturity. This community within the church can provide support, encouragement, and accountability, helping us to strengthen our own faith. [36:15]

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: Who are the people of faith in your life that you can lean on for support and encouragement? How can you contribute to building a community of faith in your church?

Day 4: Allowing God to Guide
Allowing God to have the final say in our lives is crucial to our faith journey. We are encouraged to listen to God in prayer and recognize that it is the best thing ever for God to speak and guide us. This process may not be easy, but it is crucial to wake up to our faith and to be aware of God's activity in our lives. [48:00]

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: What is one area of your life where you need to surrender control and allow God to guide? How can you practice listening to God in this area?

Day 5: Practicing Gratitude and Active Spirituality
Practicing gratitude has a positive impact on our mental flexibility and cognitive function. It also helps us to combat fear and anxiety. Active spirituality involves getting involved with people of faith, attending church events, and forming connections with others. [59:30]

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
Reflection: What are three things you are grateful for today? How can you practice active spirituality in your daily life?

Quotes

"We have a choice when crisis comes in a whole lot of different areas of our life but particularly faith, whether or not we're going to attempt to step forward into our maturity or we're going to step back, step aside, or just fall asleep." ([01:04:10])

"Just seeking after the idolatry of feeling good doesn't compute with Christianity but yet we figure out a way to compartmentalize our faith with that on the other side that we live in one way here and we live another way here it's really the root of hypocrisy." [59:50]

"Faith isn't just about checkboxes, it's about transformation of heart and mind and everything's just to sleep." [01:01:06]

"Ask God to revive you, to restore you, to wake up to break down the barriers that you compartmentalize things in or to draw you back closer to him." [01:16:16]

"Faith it's why we're called into Community...we cannot expect to grow in our faith and mature in our faith unless we get around people of faith." #!!01:09:53!!#

"Sometimes our active spirituality of us taking the initiative is intentionally just waiting...sometimes God wants us to wait because we literally cannot handle it...God taking the initiative...is called the test of faith." #!!01:12:08!!#

"When our faith is tested is when we really know what's inside of us...we can be active in our spirituality, we can take the initiative, we can step out in faith, we can risk, we can practice gratitude, we can get around people of faith, we can ask God for more faith, and we can just wait and be patient and allow God to work on us." (#!!01:13:31!!#)

"Maturity requires faithfulness...if we don't trust, if we don't have faithfulness, if we don't have reliability and a steadiness to just stick in and move forward, we will fall away, we will step aside, we will fall asleep." (#!!01:14:55!!#)

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Transcript
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