30 Jun God’s Secret to Greatness | Part 3 “Finding Myself Through Humility”
TESTIMONIES: Looking for your testimonies! If you have group wins to share, please email them to me! maparsons@waterschurch.org
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Week 1: Purpose comes through humility.
Week 2: Healing comes through humility.
TODAY: Identity comes through humility.
Greatness happens in God’s economy through humility.
In today’s world, we look for things to give us identity. People are getting more and more offended. People are filled with pride, arrogance and it is all about ‘me first’. This is the opposite of what God says about humility.
Romans 1-11 is all about the Gospel. Paul talks about what has already been done for us. God wants us to know what He has done for us way before he asks us to do anything.
Ice-breaker question:
Q. Before you realized your identity was in Christ, what had you looked to in trying to find your identity?
1. I FIND OUT WHO I AM BY OFFERING MY LIFE TO GOD.
Paul opens with an appeal. He then says ‘therefore’ (based on what God has already done for us) we need to find out what God wants us to do. We should be saying “here I am, take me, here is my thinking, here is my body..’ This is the first step in finding our identity in God. It doesn’t happen overnight. We find out who we are when we start offering our lives to God, who created us.
Q. What was your initial response to the Gospel? Did you start serving, get baptized, join a small group right way? If not right away, how long did it take for you to take your next step?
The mercies of God (note it is not mercy, but plural).
Romans 5:8 ESV; Romans 1:8 ESV
God has every right to say that if we accept what He has done for us then we are His. Since we are His, then we are not to be conformed to this world but transformed (Romans 12:2).
“Conformed” – (Schēmatizō) – Schematic: a simplified drawing.
The world wants us to fit into their mold. The world wants us to think and act like them. We are tempted to fit in, go with the flow may be because we fear rejection. God wants our minds to be renewed, not to fear but to find our identity in Him.
Q. What influences have significantly shaped your life (whether negatively or positively) and why? What fears may keep you from allowing Him to transform you and renew your mind?
2. I FIND OUT WHO I AM WHEN I REJECT SELF-ABSORPTION.
Reject self-absorption. Narcissism is the world’s theme – being obsessed with what we look like (Pastor Tim gave an example that when we look at a picture that was taken of ourselves with others, we only see ourselves in the picture. If the other person(s) don’t look good but we do, then we are good with the pic).
Grace gives Paul the right to say this to everyone. In the world today, we are given endless opportunities to talk about ourselves. We are naturally self-absorbed. This comes from our prior father, the Devil. Satan wanted himself to be on top. When we do these things, we are following him. Jesus had to undo this for us. Jesus does the exact opposite of what the Devil does. He tried to exalt himself, but Jesus becomes a servant and climbs down while Satan climbs up.
Q. In what ways do you combat these ‘self-absorption habits’ that we naturally tend to fall into?
Matthew 16:24–25 (The Message)
Following Christ’s trajectory is how we find ourselves. We should listen to others and not try to make a conversation about ourselves. When someone does something well, we should tell them they did a good job.
3. I FIND OUT WHO I AM IN CONNECTION TO CHRIST’S BODY THE CHURCH.
Romans 12:4 (ESV) For as in one body we have many members… we, though many, are one body in Christ…
We won’t find ourselves until we realize we are a part of something bigger than ourselves. We are made to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. We are part of the whole. Individuality does not exist in the Church.
Individuality is lonely and isolating. We are part of God’s people. We are connected to Christ’s body. We function together. (An example Pastor Tim had given is that his elbow helps his arm move so he can bring the mic up to his mouth to preach).
Q. What are some ways that the areas you serve in have benefited other people in the church? What are some specific examples?
4. I FIND OUT WHO I AM THROUGH ACTIVATING MY GIFTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF CHRIST’S BODY, THE CHURCH.
Romans 12:4 (ESV) …the members do not all have the same function… 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them
If we have a gift, we are gifted. We all have something to offer. There are more parts of the church other than preaching, singing and seating people. Every area is just as important as another.
Another example Pastor Tim had given us is of the gentleman he met at Team Night who said he had nothing to offer. Pastor Tim thought of Moses. When God had said to Moses ‘what is in your hand’ – Moses had a staff in his hand and thus he led God’s people. This gentleman had a cup of coffee in his hand and he had said ‘I used to be a barista’. He joined the cafe team.
Q. What gifts do you have, what is in your ‘hand’?
I find myself by receiving Christ’s gift and then: losing myself, connecting myself and activating myself in the body of Christ.
Pray for the lost and for each other. Pray for Woonsocket’s permanent location. Pray for our nation and leaders. Guatemala missions and Compassion Weekend. Pray for our church and it’s leaders.
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