Sermon Title: This Changes Everything, Pt 2

Scripture: Rom. 8:5-8, Ex. 34:27-30, Matt. 5:17-20, John 14:15-21, 2 Pet. 1:3-11

Main Points:

1. Accept God’s Authority: Our relationship with God is covenantal. Accepting that covenant

means humbly submitting to the sovereignty of God.

2. Keep God’s Commands: Our love for God is not demonstrated in words, but in actions. We

show true devotion to God by keeping the commands found in scripture as our worship.

3. Plow Through the Plateaus: We often ask, “Where is God?” when we experience moments

of difficulty. In these moments, we find a return to God’s faithfulness through scripture and

the testimony of his love for all of us.

Notes: Submission requires taking a lower position while elevating someone or something else to a level that

exceeds our own. When we trust in God and submit to his authority, we relinquish our own in exchange for his.

This exchange is difficult when we are immature, but the more we know about God the better we realize this

trade to be. Love is not a statement of words or a system of beliefs. Love for God is demonstrated through

obedience to the commands that are given in scripture. In immaturity, we see Christianity as a system of dos

and don’ts. As we grow in relationship with Jesus, we learn that he had our best interests in mind from the

start. However, submission and love are challenged when difficulties arise. We may find it difficult to keep

pursuing these things with God when we are hurting, disappointed or steeped in sin. In these moments we

cannot succumb to the lies of the enemy. The only way out is to press in to the goodness of God.

Sermon Title: This Changes Everything, Pt 1

Scripture: Ex. 33:13-20, 34:29-30, Matt 17:1-6, John 1:1-6, 2 Cor. 3:13-18, Deut. 6:4, Ex 3:14-15

Main Points:

1. Attributes of God: The beauty/splendor/majesty/honor of God is expressed in his attributes. He is: self-existent, unified, spirit, simple, immutable, infinite, eternal, omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent.

2. God’s Glory Changes Me: When we reflect the glory of God, it is apparent to the world. It is not something we have to say. It shines through our character and daily lives.

3. Access to God’s Glory: The work of the cross gives us the clearest picture of God’s glory as manifested through Jesus’ substitutionary death and subsequent resurrection victory.

Small group questions:

1. What attributes of God are most recognizable and easy to believe about God?

2. What attributes of God are harder to believe fully? Which ones do you wish you understood better?

3. What are some characteristics of a person who reflects the glory of God to those around them?

4. How does Jesus reveal the Glory of God for all of us?

5. In what ways do you want to better reflect the “glorious image of Christ” for your family and friends?

Prayer: A lot of people would say that they want a deeper and more meaningful relationship with God. As we outline some of the most significant ways that our relationship changes, it’s going to be a matter of prayer and application that truly makes the shift. Pray that God would reveal his glory to the people of your group and pray that they would have the boldness to see everything in their lives changed by the Glory of God.

Notes: When we hear the word glory we are prone to think of it in our modern terms. We might describe it as the honor or the credit for something. Glory, as it relates to God, is something deeper and wider. There are about 10 different words used in scripture that we translate as glory. Most significantly we see kabowd (Hebrew; the weight of splendor) and doxa (Greek; glory) used in scripture. The Old Testament gives us the fullness of the definition through multiple words. The New Testament simplifies all of them in the word doxa which just means glory. God’s glory is made powerful in our lives through our comprehension of his beauty. Then it is magnified through the reflection of that beauty that we live as our worship for the God who redeemed us.

Sermon Title: Jesus for President

Scripture: 2 Sam. 12:14-15, Ps. 101:8, Rom. 13:1, Matt 5:14-16, Mal. 3:8-10, Num 34:2, Jer. 19:4-5, 1 Cor. 6:12-19

1. Christianity & Politics: For much of history, Christians have seen it as their duty to be involved in politics. It’s the best way to infuse Biblical beliefs into leadership positions.

2. God on the Issues: It takes study, but the Bible speaks to every issue of our day. We can find guidance and direction from the LORD if we make the effort to do so.

3. Biblical Voting: As the “light of the world” we have a responsibility to infuse Biblical truth into the dark places of the world. Voting is one significant way that we can accomplish that.