ECLIPSE: Misconceptions That Dim The Light (3)

ECLIPSE • Sermon • Submitted 7 years ago

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ECLIPSE: 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.

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ECLIPSE: Misconceptions of God’s Trustworthiness

Intro/Me/We: 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.

If there’s one thing you could change in your life, what would it be?

Character

Addiction

Relationships

Health

Integrity

Fear

Dysfunctional Family

Critical Attitude

(please place in two columns on the screen)

OFTEN WE THINK...

I want to be married

I want to be single

I want to have children

I don’t want to have children

Ex - Often time we focus on the wrong things. We need to focus on God. If you want to change you need to focus on God and the light of His revelation. If you could have you would have.

God is the ultimate power source for personal transformation.

If Mark wants to change. I’m not going to find it in a book or seminar. I going to find it in the person of Jesus Christ.

Eclipse - Misconceptions that dim the Light. God is POWERFUL.

Ill - Nathan Milazzo - if she saw from my perspective her reaction would have been different.

Arg: I see God as someone that can tweak me BUT transform me. I’m not sure He is that powerful.

Every person here today can be TRANSFORMED & CHANGED. I don’t have to leave here today the same person.

You can’t be in control and be transformed.

Hang on OR Let go

We approach God this way. I want us all today to fill chp 7. God is not interested in tweaking… give up control.

Hang on or Let go

Jeremiah 32:27 NLT

“I am the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything too hard for me?

too hard

One thing to change? It’s not to difficult. God is ALL POWERFUL

Paul is an amazing example of this...

AN EXAMPLE OF A TRANSFORMED LIFE: SAUL OF TARSUS

()

Ex: How do you build trust with people. Tell your story. Watch my life! Paul spends the rest of his life helping people understand this one truth - NOTHING IS TO DIFFICULT FOR GOD

How do you build trust with people. Tell your story. Watch my life! Paul spends the rest of his life helping people understand this one truth - NOTHING IS TO DIFFICULT FOR GOD

2 Corinthians 5:17–18 NLT

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.

Why do we struggle with transformation in our lives? Why do we opt out for being religious and not like Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17-18

Ill - Baby born? Fully human? They need developed. They are becoming a new creation… We are fully Christian when saved BUT now the challenge is to grow. The baby matures just as we should mature.

What do we struggle? His power is eclipsed.

3 WAYS WE ECLIPSE GOD’S POWER IN OUR LIVES

Spiritual Ignorance (not aware)

Spritual Ingnorance

The Problem: Lack of knowledge

Ill - iPhone

Saint or Sinner?

Jesus lived, died and rose again so that you can be forgiven and become a Saint. Paul, addresses churches in NT the saints...

We cannot act inconsistent with how we think.

The Solution: Think Right

… you are complete in Him. God of universe lives in YOU. Not tents, tabernacles but YOU!

Colossians 2:10 NIV

and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.

Colossians

been brought to fullness

Ill - DISCOVER EVENTS

2. Spiritual Isolation

The Problem: Pride

Isolation X dynamic

We would rather impress people rather than to be transformed. I’d rather stand at distance instead of rubbing shoulders with you and you realize I’m broken.

The Solution: Do Life In A Group

Ill - Small Groups - Talk It Over

Hebrews 3:12–13 NLT

Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

warn each other

Bold - you need to be in a group or start one. You are as sick as your secrets. You can’t confess sins in isolation.

When I’m around people the Mark get rubbed off and the Jesus sticks!

I don’t need to be tweaked I need to be transformed!

3. Spiritual Idleness

Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. - C.S. Lewis

You will be a religious person but not a transformed person if Christianity is moderately important to you.

The Problem: Trying

Ill - Keyboard - people that try hard will never play. People that train learn to play.

The Solution: Training

1 Timothy 4:7–8 NLT

Do not waste time arguing over godless ideas and old wives’ tales. Instead, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”

train

Only God can transform a MESS into a MESSAGE, STRESS into a STORY, a TRAIL into a TRIUMPH, a VICTIM into a VICTORY.

The people in the Bible are real people transformed by God’s power.

Noah was a drunk

Jonah ran from God

Gideon was insecure

Martha was a worrier

Thomas was a doubter

Sara was moody

Moses stuttered

Zaccheus was short

Abraham was old

Lazarus was dead

BUT God transformed their lives and aligned them with His glory story!

Conclusion:

Are you being transformed? Is ignorance, isolation or idleness eclipsing your view of God’s power?

Ill - Early 70s / lady was invited to church / she invited Him into her life / husband laughed atheist / he started investigating / He gave his life to Christ / LEE STROBEL

“Mommy, I want God to do for me what He did for daddy.” - Lee Strobel

When anyone say of me and you, “I want God to do for me what He has done for you.”