28 Jul I’m a Christian but I Still… | Part 3
WOONSOCKET PERMANENT LOCATION: As you know we have a permanent location for Woonsocket Campus – your talent is needed. If you have any experience in carpentry, HVAC, etc., let us know.
TESTIMONIES: Looking for your testimonies! If you have group wins to share from your Small Group, please email them to me! maparsons@waterschurch.org
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ROOF IS DONE IN NORTH ATTLEBORO!
WE HAVE GIVEN $42000 TO HOPE OF LIFE IN GUATEMALA
BIG THINGS WEEKEND – AUG 25/26. DON’T MISS IT!
I’m a Christian but I Still …. | PART 3 ‘Feel Empty Sometimes’ (Running on “E”)
THEME: Christians have not, do not and will not have it all together. The sooner we embrace that reality the sooner we can come to terms with the joy that is the journey of faith – moving ever closer to the goal of God’s glory.
Key Verse: Acts 19
We live in a highly consumerist society. We are happy to be lied to about what we consume. Pastor Tim gave the example of the fuel gauge in our cars. They program them to stay on full longer than they really are and empty sooner than they really are. This is because when we spend 40 or 50 dollars on a full tank and then see the needle drop immediately, we get depressed and then we are tricked into going to the gas station sooner than we need to. In the same way, we are fooled about our emptiness level and fullness level of our lives. This is the human condition. We have so much available to us but still, feel more empty than ever before. Non-believers should feel this way, but Christians who feel this way are not living the life Jesus came for us to live.
Jesus is the One who fills us with what God wants us to have. Only Jesus can truly fill us with God.
Paul asked these disciples if they received the Holy Spirit because he senses in his spirit that something is missing. They did not even know there was a Holy Spirit. They were asked what had happened when they got baptized. This is an important question, it shows us how important the early Church thought baptism was. How much more today do we need to see baptism as fundamentally important to what it means to walk with Jesus. If we claim to walk with Jesus the very next step is baptism. We don’t have to feel ready for it or argue we are not good enough that is not how it works. We were not good enough to get saved, we are not good enough to get baptized but we will never be good enough based on what we do, we as Christians realize that we are accepted because of what He has done for us not what we have done.
Ice-breaker question:
Q. Have you been baptized yet and if not, what is stopping you? (Leader, you can go directly to the Events page of the HUB and sign up those who have not yet been baptized or click here: https://waterschurch.churchcenter.com/registrations)
These disciples were baptized into Johns’ baptism. Even though they believed and were baptized they did not know about the Holy Spirit.
The “Great Debate” – Leaders – Pastor Tim talked in-depth about why these disciples in Ephesus were Christians not just disciples of John the Baptist. You can re-listen to that portion on the video above at this point in the video – 1:01:31 if needed).
These Ephesians disciples had heard of Jesus, believed in Jesus, and even listened to sermons about Jesus – but there was STILL SOMETHING MISSING.
The great tragedy of many Christians is going through the motions: Churchianity, but still not having the fullness of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It is not our charisma, our gifting or our good looks, but it is the power of God inside us. God can use anyone who is filled with His Spirit.
There is MORE to the CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE than JUST BELIEVING FACTS about JESUS. There is a FULLNESS God wants me to have.
1. I NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAUSE JESUS DIED FOR ME TO HAVE HIM.
He was going to the cross, carrying our sins with Him. He washes them away at the cross, rises up from the dead on the third day and He goes to the Father and asks the Father to send us His Holy Spirit. Jesus had to die for our sins first before we could receive the Holy Spirit because God cannot dwell fully where sin is present.
Jesus DIED to take MY SIN so that God, the HOLY SPIRIT could move in.
Day of Atonement:
Some Christians are CLEAN but they aren’t FULL.
Some Christians have no joy, some cannot ‘stay straight’ because they cannot ‘stay straight’. We ‘try’ to be good, patient, etc.
Q. What are you ‘trying’ to do in your own strength? What is evidence that the Holy Spirit dwells in you?
2. I NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAUSE HE WILL OPEN MY EYES TO THE TRUTH.
We need truth. Fake news is fake and lies are everywhere. Science is being disregarded for lies. We need to know what is true.
We need to know what to reject and what to believe. The Holy Spirit is the author of God’s word and can help us understand scriptures.
Q. What lies have you believed where the Holy Spirit revealed the truth to you? What things do you see more clearly that you may have not seen before He revealed them to you?
3. I NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT BECAUSE OF THE LIMITLESS POSITIVE BENEFITS HE BRINGS TO ME.
He brings BOLDNESS & COURAGE:
He brings HOPE.
Q. In what specific situation has the Holy Spirit has brought you boldness and courage where you once had fear and/or where has He brought hope to someone where there did not seem not to be any?
He brings POWER to our INNER PERSON:
We need power inside us to stand strong about what we believe.
Q. What is a particular situation where you needed to stand strong about your beliefs where the Holy Spirit had brought you the power to do so?
He brings COMFORT:
Q. How has the Holy Spirit has brought you comfort?
He brings LIFE CHANGE:
Q. What are some examples of life-change you have witnessed where you can say that ‘this can only be by the power of the Holy Spirit’?
He brings GOOD RESULTS out of BAD EVENTS:
Q. What is a bad situation from which the Holy Spirit brought out good results?
He brings SUPERNATURAL GIFTS:
How to Receive the Spirit:
1. Acknowledge that I NEED the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:2 (ESV) “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
2. Surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Acts 19:5 (ESV) On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
3. Submit yourself to the BODY of Christ.
Acts 19:6 (ESV) when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
Make time for prayer and fellowship and allow yourselves to end on time.
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