ECLIPSE: Misconceptions That Dim The Light (2)
ECLIPSE • Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 17 viewsECLIPSE: Misconceptions That Dim Light How often have you misjudged someone? We all do it. We assume something about a person based on what we’ve heard, or what we’ve seen. It’s not until we really listen and get to know them that we realize just how wrong we’ve been. We do the same thing with God sometimes. We misjudge His character because of something we’ve heard, or maybe because it seems like our prayers have gone unanswered. When we let our misconceptions about God eclispe our view of Him, dimness grows and light fades. In the month of August, we will turn the light of three essential truths about God and His character that will enable us to get to know Him better.
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
ECLIPSE: Misconceptions of God’s Trustworthiness
ECLIPSE: Misconceptions of God’s Trustworthiness
Intro/Me: I’m looking forward to this solar eclipse. We are going to meet a lot of new friends and be able to serve our community servants.
We: When people have a misconception of a situation it is an environment to incubates misunderstandings.
It was long ago that people had a misconception about the earth. Their concept was that the earth was flat and that the sun rotated around the earth. Their concept was that as far as they could see had to be the end. That concept was a misconception.
It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,
and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;
who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,
and spreads them like a tent to dwell in;
Conceptions = the way in which something is perceived or regarded
Conceptions = the way in which something is perceived or regarded
Misconceptions = a view or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or understanding
We can’t afford to have misconceptions about His character because of something we have heard or experienced. When we let our misconceptions about God eclipse our view of Him, dimness grows and light fades.
So let’s get to know him better.
Conceptions = the way in which something is perceived or regarded
Misconceptions = a view or opinion that is incorrect because it is based on faulty thinking or understanding
“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us… We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God. - A.W. Tozer
God: Remember our God is a relational God. In relationships when you have a misconception it messes up that relationship. When we have a misconception about God it hinders our relationship with Him.
God is viewed in various lights. He is a cosmic kill joy. The old man upstairs… One misconception about God is that he is a LIFE COACH. God can coach me to get what I want. If I don’t get what I want then I wonder if God is TRUSTWORTHY.
GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY
We want our life to be perfect
As we walk this earth we have certain expectations. When those expectations are not meet we tend to blame God. When we don’t experience what we were expecting we start to question the trustworthiness of God.
CONCEPTIONS | EXPERIENCE
The greater the gap the lower the trust.
Ill - Guy at Ingles. I’ll never be back here.
This happens in human relationships.... It can happen in our supernatural relationship with God. God is good, great and generous - Our conception of God is that He is going to meet all of my expectations. When He doesn’t we loose confidence in our “life coach.” Our experience lines up with an unmet expectation and dims the Light of God.
Jesus spoke these words...
“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.”
you will have trouble / take heart / overcome the world
Ex: Disciples misconceptions. Life coach!
WHAT IS TROUBLE?
Misfortune, pain, trail, suffering, mess, difficult problems, heartaches, distress.
“Trust me.”
IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLE IN YOUR...
Marriage
Finances
Relationships
Job
Family
Health
“This is not heaven.”
Arg: So God’s not a life coach? No, you have a misconception of God. You don’t tell God your expectations and have Him guide you through the experiences of life.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Romans 8:28
Ex: Paul… the group he was writing to were Christians that were being feed to lions.
Ex: Paul… the group he was writing to were Christians that were being feed to lions.
Don’t let your troubles eclipse the trustworthiness of God. God is trustworthy!
This verse is so often misinterpreted - everything will be happy!
And we know / that God causes / everything / to work together (ill - cookies) / for the good / of those who love God / and are called according to his purpose / to be conformed to the image of his Son
God never agreed to your expectations. You know what He agreed to? I will take it all and work it for your good.
God takes full responsibility for someone fully trusting Him.
God take
The trust gap will be huge in this world if we have a misconception of God. Jesus let’s us know that in this world we will have troubles but He will take the good and the bad and create something amazing if we trust Him.
GOD USES PROBLEMS, PAIN, AND DISAPPOINTMENTS TO...
Direct us
“Until the pain of remaining the same is greater than the pain of change, there will be no change.”
Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.
“We don’t change when we see the light. We change when we fill the heat.”
2. Inspect us
God can find what is in my heart. I have a tendency to lie to myself. I have blind spot. We are a lot like tea bags. You don’t know what is inside until there is hot water applied.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
3.
Reactive trust or proactive trust? Your relationship is more dynamic with proactive trust.
3. Correct us
For the Lord corrects those he loves,
just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights.
Ill - Walmart, parental discipline observations.
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
4. Protect us
Rejection Is Protection
If you are fully trusting God you are protected. What is God protecting you from?
Ill - Joseph: kidnapped, sexual harassment
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
No person can ruin my life!
Ill - Purity
5. Prefect me
He is making me life Jesus. Paul would agree
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,
2 Corinthanis
ourselves / God
GOD IS TRUSTWORTHY
Faith is the refusal to panic. Faith is believing that God is who He said He is and that He will do what He has promised to do.
We serve a God who is much more in control than you realize. You and I must learn to trust Him. If we can trust Him, He can work it out. He has His will. He just want our faith and our heart and our obedience.
Will you give Him your trust?
Trust God with my circumstances
Trust God with my finances
Trust you with my time
Conclusion:
Don’t let a misconception eclipse God’s trustworthiness. Jesus told us what to expect and promises us that He will work it all out for our good and His glory. He takes 100% responsibility for those that fully trust in Him.
Prayer:
“Often the questions with the most seemingly obvious answers are the questions we most desperately need to ask.”