Knowing God Individually Sermon 1 of 4 March 9 th 2014

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Opportunity for Change: O Course Corrections. O Health and Activity. O Missional Drift O Vision and Purpose Statements.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Our Vision O _________ for Jesus by: O _________ To His ______ O __________In His __________ O and ________His ___________.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Our Vision O Living for Jesus by: O Surrendering To His Will O Serving In His Kingdom O and Sharing His Message.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Our Purpose We Live to _____Christ with a Dying World. We Live to _______People to God and to Each Other. We Live to ___________to the Church and the Community. We Live to __________God Individually and as a Group.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Our Purpose We Live to Share Christ with a Dying World. We Live to Connect People to God and to Each Other. We Live to Minister to the Church and the Community. We Live to Worship God Individually and as a Group.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Thinking About It O The problem with efficiency. O The ideal – grass roots, everyone has a part to play, the real – a few people make the decisions and most people agree and support. O Group momentum is aided by conversation and we invite everyone into the conversation.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Marching Forward with Hope O We would like to propose some restructuring in our leadership and ministries to get back to being more purpose driven, having the right people in the right place, having a place for everyone, more small groups, and a reworking of the action groups.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? In Specific O In specific, at the end of the month I see us: 1. Offering some new small groups, 2. New ministry opportunities, and 3. Having people resign up for the action groups.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Cruise Ship Or Battle Ship

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Your Thoughts? O We have the opportunity to make things better so that God receives the glory and is better honoured. O What input do you have? 1. What changes do you see that could be made, 2. How are you an active part of what the Lord wants to do here, 3. Where do you have a voice? 4. What responsibilities do you have, or would like to have?

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Where Do We Start? O The slogan: O Today we focus on the individual aspect that a healthy and active body is made of active and healthy parts. O “What am I currently doing that helps me know God and reflect his character?”

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Reminders: O 1. At baptism we made a commitment to Jesus as Lord of our life. O Luke 9:23-25 Page 1609 O Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Passage #2 O 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Page 1778 O Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Knowing God Reminders O #2 We are accountable to God to grow. O John 15:1-8 Page 1676 O Vs 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. O Vs 8 8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Knowing God Reminders O #3 God wants us to grow and he works at maturing each of us. O John 15:2, 5, 8, O Hebrews 5:11-13 Page 1867 O … 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Knowing God Reminders O #4 We will be held accountable for our growth. O Matthew 25:14-28 and the parable of the talents.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Knowing God Reminder #5 O #5 Time and concentrated effort assist our growth – we do not grow by chance. O 2 Peter 1:5-9 Page 1893 O … 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Your Spiritual Growth O We are talking about Spiritual growth so we need to invite, and respond to, the Holy Spirit. It is the Spirit who provides growth and each person grows through different specifics. O What helps you know God better?

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? 7 Questions: 1) What are my spiritual inputs and outputs? How am I being filled and who am I sharing it with? 2) When have I grown the most spiritually and what was I doing? 3) How is my knowledge of God’s word? What am I learning lately?

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? 7 Questions: 4) What questions do I have and how am I answering them? 5) How do I connect with God through His word? Reading, listening, devotional books, bible study, memorization, conversation… find a way that works and look to improve. 6) How is my prayer life right now? Active, sporadic, self-focused, predictable, failing…

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? 7 Questions: O #7 How am I knowing God through the five elements as an individual? O How am I living the life of a disciple, O how do I worship on my own, O how am I involved in ministry, O with whom, and how often, do I have spiritual fellowship, and O how am I involved in evangelism?

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? Parts of the Whole O Our congregational health and activity is connected to how we have answered these questions as individuals. O Those who have been married for a while know the importance of investing in your relationship and the value of discussion and hope.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? The Joy of Discovery! O God wants you to get to know him.

How Am I “Knowing God and Making Him Known”? O Healthy parts make a healthy body and O healthy bodies are active!