Sermons on Spiritual Growth (Page 5)
Transforming Faith: Scripture
Pastor Jim Caler brings the first part in a two-part miniseries on Transforming Faith, with a message on reading the Bible in a transformational way. SERMON OUTLINE The Need for Transformation Be a Traveler not a Tourist Romans 12:1-2 Ephesians 4:20-24 Myths about Transformation It happens instantly (Philippians 3:12-16) It happens naturally (Hebrews 5:11-14) It happens willfully (Philippians 2:12-14) The Bible and Transformation (James 1:22-25/1 Timothy 3:14-16) Read Have a plan Work it out Reflect From Root to Fruit (or…
Mercy
Psalm 130 describes guilt, points to God’s forgiveness, and then shows the hope that comes as a result of living guilt-free. If we call ourselves children of God, we are able to walk through your guilt confidently and at the same time receive the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. This freedom marks our journey with God! SERMON OUTLINE “Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy.” (Psalm 130:2) The Mercy of Prayer (vss 1-2) The depths of life The…
Praying With the Master
When Jesus faced arrest and crucifixion, He draws away with His disciples to pour out His anguish before the Father. In that place of anguished prayer in Luke 22:39-46, Jesus yields to the Father’s will. What does it look like for us to pray with the Master in the midst of anguish? Sermon Outline “And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44) The Noticeable Pattern of…
Dying to Live
In Colossians 2:16-23, Paul addresses the tendency to be deceived by human rules or pseudo-spirituality, calling believers toward the heart of spiritual formation, which is about growing in Christ through the gospel. Sermon Outline “Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules?” (Colossians 2:20) Don’t Let Anyone Judge You (2:16-17) Rules based in religious observance Shadows of realities found in…
Rooted in Jesus
In Colossians 2:6-15, Paul builds upon the centrality of Christ with a call toward spiritual growth individually and corporately. This is rooted in the gospel and contrasts with our own abilities and any sort of false spirituality built upon human activity. Sermon Outline “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7)…
Redemption in the Darkness: Job’s Return to Joy through Suffering
When Job walks with God, even obeys God, in the midst of his suffering, redeeming grace breaks in ( Job 42:7-17). How can we also experience greater blessing in our lives through and beyond the seasons of suffering we face? (Job 42:7-17) Sermon Outline “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former.” (Job 42:12) God’s Grace in Loss (Job 42:7-17) God’s grace in restored friendships (42:7-9) God’s grace in relationships (42:10-11) God’s grace with possessions (42:12)…
Hearing God in the Darkness: Job’s Encounter with the Living God
Many times in the midst of suffering we ask God to reveal Himself or His truth into our lives. When God does speak to Job in Job 38:1-42:6, He reminds Job of how small he is in comparison to the greatness of God. How do we learn from Job about appropriate listening to God in the times of suffering? (Job 38-42:6) Sermon Outline “My ears had heard of you, but now my eyes have seen you” (Job 42:5) Job’s longing to…
Multiplied: Kingdom Perspective
Key Passages: Mark 4:1-20, 10:17-22, Matthew 28:18-20 Sermon Outline “Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” (Mark 4:8) The Kingdom of God and Multiplication (Mark 4:1-20) Multiplication in the Old Testament Multiplication in the New Testament Priesthood in the Old Testament Priesthood in the New Testament Challenges to Multiplication Demands of the __________________________ (Matthew 4:16-19) People can be __________________________ (Mark 10:17-22) Unseen __________________________ We have…
Wide: Changed with People
Key Passages: Matthew 22:39, 1 John 4:7-9, Matthew 4:1-11, John 3,4,5,9 Sermon Outline “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) Learning Wide Love with Jesus (Matthew 22:39; 1 John 4:7-9) The call to wide love Jesus as the way of love Learning from Jesus How Not to Love (Matthew 4:1-11) Love does not ________________________________ Love does not ________________________________ Love is not ________________________________ Four Characteristics of Jesus’ Wide Love Focused on ________________________________ (John 3:1-21) Open to ________________________________ (John 4:1-38) Filled with ________________________________(John 5:1-15)…
Deep: Changed with God
Key Passage: Philippians 2:12-13 Sermon Outline “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you.” (Philippians 2:12-13) Jesus the Savior: Saved from Death’s Depths Jesus the Reconciler: Opened to God’s Depths Jesus the Life Changer: Growing to Christ’s Depths DISCUSSION QUESTIONS When have you experienced the need for a total change in your life? What lead you to that place and what happened next? We continue our series, “Jesus Changes Everything,” by looking…
Jesus is in the Business of Change
Key Passage: John 1:14-17; 2:1-11 Sermon Outline “What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:11) God and Change (John 1:14-17) God understood the need God’s solution Jesus Brings Change (John 2:1-11) Physical Societal Future Belief in Power of Jesus (John 2:5, 11) Belief of Mary (John 2:5) Belief of Disciples (John 2:11) Believing in 2016 Power of Jesus to Change…
Exile Community
(1 Peter 5:1-14) Sermon Outline “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.’” (1 Peter 5:5) Exile Leaders (1 Peter 5:1-5) Exile Humility (1 Peter 5:5-7) Exile Conflict (1 Peter 5:8-11) Exile Stance (1 Peter 5:12-14) DISCUSSION QUESTIONS We conclude our series, “Exiles,” on 1 Peter by looking at chapter 5. Begin your study in prayer, asking God to speak into your life, and then read that…