Pre- Message Notes

1. I Own Responsibility & Choose Growth
V1. (For personal study, look at v17-32)

1.a. In what we read, do you see anywhere where Paul says, ‘Just chill and wait for it to happen’. No. When it comes to who we are and how we get to that place, you are I are required to be a part of that and OWN RESPONSIBILITY. I MUST take full account and responsibility for my maturity, for knowing who God says I am, for living that out. Ultimately, it is not the pastor’s responsibility. It is mine. Am it to come whining and complaining or lashing out and threatening the pastor that God has brought into leadership, because I am not a fully mature adult? Whose job is it to grow me? God, with my participation. (I have fought God in this and it really hurts because I don’t learn very well the easy way. Please learn from my bad choices and participate with Him!) Whose job is it to use who/what God has given me to grow up? Mine. Mine to use his precious and glorious Word, to dig in and find sweet fellowship with the Almighty Author and Dreamer and Maker of me. To get to know who Jesus is. For He isn’t just some good guy from long ago, but God the Son. God wrapped in human. We have the amazing opportunity to get to know Him and His love for us and who He says we are through His Word, the Bible. It is also my responsibility to spend regular time with God in prayer, just talking to him. It is my responsibility to hear what the pastors, teachers, and others listed and allow them to speak into me. My teacher’s job isn’t wave a magic bible wand over me to make me the best person since Jesus. No. I am accountable for my spiritual growth. And so are you. You are accountable for your spiritual growth. (There is a level of responsibility that those who are placed in the position of pastor and teacher have and they will most certainly be held accountable which is why James says at the beginning of Ch 3 to not rush into the teaching thing halfheartedly because of the greater judgement. But as a teacher, I am called to do the very best I can in how God has gifted me, to stay so close in fellowship with him that I go the direction he wants, but it is not my job to make you crack open your bible. To make you take 2 minutes to pray. To force you to be halfway decent to the stranger on the street. You are accountable for yourself.)

1.b. There is a horrible new term floating around called ‘Snowflake’, in reference to some who can’t handle the heat. Or even the idea of heat. I don’t really agree with how the word is used in such mean and unkind ways, but I think the idea of it was put into use long before. (READ Msg v 14) Fully mature adults. No infants please. No tolerating babies. Grow up. Did you get the impression of whose responsibility it is to grow? To not be a baby church person, but to grow into a fully mature child of God? Yours. Mine. Fully developed inside and outside knowing and believing and living out who God says we are. And that won’t happen without our participation in the thing. Kinda nice of God Almighty to give us a part in the process and not have a bunch of robots running around.

1.c. Here’s a test: how engaged are you? Are you ok with just coming into church on Sunday morning and not connecting in a truly meaningful way to God or his people? Just hanging out with the same people all the time? If you are ok with that, you are an infant and you are far from the identity God has set up for you.

1.d. What would our world look like if we were growing up in grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (2Pt 3:18)? If we weren’t a bunch of whiny, bratty, selfish babies who are more concerned about style and how we want things, verses growing in who God says I am be intentionally and deliberately OWNING MY PART OF THE PROCESS OF FIGURING OUT WHO GOD SAYS I AM AND CHOOSING TO GROW IN HIM.

1.e. The more secure we are in our identity and relationship with God, the more apt we are to love, and be all the things we are to be, with others. When I am secure in God and who He says I am, I am not threatened or hindered by you in any way. I will actually love you because I see you through the same eyes that God sees me. I will fight and strive for you, and not against. I will be generous and patient and earnestly seek unity. I will not make everything about me – there is an overflow from relationship with God that can’t be faked. Identity ends with I NEED TO OWN RESPONSIBILITY AND CHOOSE GROWTH.

2.… I RUN TOWARD PEOPLE

2.a. Fight for them, not against. Because we are part of the same body! You don’t see me up here going, ‘I don’t like my foot, so I’m gonna hack it off’. That’s dumb. That is what we do when we don’t value others whom God has put in body. What would our world look like if we fought more for one another and less against? For really, when we fight for each other and not against, we are going in line with what Jesus did for us on the cross. He didn’t come to earth and bash us for being sinners. He came to take our punishment and to fight death and sin for us. Because He is God the Son, He is the only one who could. That is one of the most beautiful things I love about Jesus, He said that I was worth it enough to suffer, to bleed, to die. And he did that for you too. But he didn’t stay dead! Because he is God the Son He rose from the dead on the third day. He fought for us, not against us, and won. We have his example to follow.

2.a.i. The more secure we are in our identity and relationship with God, the more apt we are to love, and be all the things we are to be, with others. When I am secure in God and who He says I am, I am not threatened or hindered by you in any way. I will actually love you because I see you through the same eyes that God sees me. I will fight and strive for you, and not against. I will be generous and patient and earnestly seek unity. I will not make everything about me

2.b. Find someone to pour into you – (Titus 2) That is part of being the body. Part of being the body is actually being around other people. I was thinking about this and I was whining to God a little bit, saying, “But God, no one has asked to pour into me.” God doesn’t speak audibly to me, part of me wished he would, but another part gets startled easily so I’m grateful he doesn’t. But after I said that to God, he spoke to my inner me saying, “Why do they have to ask you?” “Um, cause.” OWN RESPONSIBILITY/CHOOSE GROWTH AND RUN TOWARD THE PEOPLE.

Find someone to pour into– (Titus 2)

2.c.i. I learned a lesson while walking to Staples. There was a guy a ways off in front of me walking and apparently I had enough caffeine that day. I caught up to him very quickly. Early on in this walk I noticed that I was catching up rather quickly, so I slowed my pace a bit ready for him to either veer into a store or towards the parking lot. No luck. I was almost on top of him! So I really, really slowed down… almost creeper close. Then the doors to Staples were in sight, but awkwardly enough, we BOTH turned into the main doors! Him to go further on in through the left set and me to go in through the right. I ended up right next to him while grabbing a basket, and tried desperately to avoid eye contact and act so causally that he didn’t think I was a total weirdo!

2.c.ii. Don’t adjust your journey deeper into God because of another, come up alongside, wrap your arms around, and say let’s go this way together. We aren’t meant to go this thing alone, yet how many of us in this room feel alone. Own your responsibility to grow, choose growth, and along the way make sure you run toward the people!

2.d. Your identity is given by God Almighty and is meant to be lived out among imperfect people. This isn’t optional. Hebrews 10: 23-25; Eph 4: 15-16 – if there is a hand, it won’t work well if not connected to the wrist, forearm, upper arm, shoulder, neck with all the ligaments, tendons, vessels that it needs to have life and movement and functionality. Each part is different, similar, and yet so vital.

3.… I EMBRACE THE DIFFERENCE

3.a. V7, 11-12 (NLT) – Our differences are gifts from God. Our different gifts are gifts from God. I had never actually noticed that detail until reading this about 30,000 times. On time 29,999 it jumped out at me. That says to me: I need to be using the gift God gave me (or figure it out) because he didn’t give it to me for me only but for you! So, here is my question to you: Do you know how God has gifted you? Figure it out. Remember, this is the safe place to figure it out.

3.b. One thing that makes a crazy amazing difference in IDENTITY ENDS WITH I EMBRACE THE DIFFERENCE thing is praying, talking to God. If there is an issue, talk to God. Prob? Talk to God. Praise, joy, thanks, concern, confusion…Talk. To. God. If you are aren’t connected to another, talk to God and ask to help bring someone to you, to open your eyes to those around you. If there is someone you really don’t like, talk go God. Pray for God to help me see others as he sees them, pray for those around you. Ask God to change your heart towards those he calls beloved, and I promise you, He will!

3.c. I am required to actively participate w/ God in living out who he says I am to others, because I and they are so important to Him.

3.d. The more secure we are in our identity and relationship with God, the more apt we are to love and be all the things we are to be with others. When I am secure in God and who He says I am, I am not threatened or hindered by you in any way. I will actually love you because I see you through the same eyes that God sees me. I will fight and strive for you, and not against. I will be generous and patient and earnestly seek unity. I will not make everything about me.

4.

As I have been growing deeper in God and closer to Jesus in this new season the past few years, one thing that He keeps bringing me back to is: who I am…who is the I AM…and who I am in I AM. (Coffee and Tea cups)
The last few months I have started working full time. Honestly, it has been an absolutely terrifying and eye opening experience because God has shown me so much about myself. So much sometimes it hurts.
Recently, God has helped his truth dawn on my hard heart: The more secure we are in our identity and relationship with God, the more apt we are to love and be all the things we are to be with others. When I am secure in God and who He says I am, I am not threatened or hindered by you in any way. I will actually love you because I see you through the same eyes that God sees me. I will fight and strive for you, and not against. I will be generous and patient and earnestly seek unity. I will not make everything about me.
Maybe you have been burned by a church or a Christian and it is a miracle that you are in these doors at all. I know exactly the fear that comes with you sitting here. I know exactly the knot in the stomach, sweaty hands, and ready to run feeling…the apprehension and the waiting for the ax to fall while sitting here. The anxiety that the environment can bring up. But remember, we are just people and we have the choice of how to shine for God or not. We won’t get it right all the time. We will make mistakes. I will make you mad eventually. If I haven’t it is probably coming because I am a broken, chipped jar of clay, but one that is being molded and reshaped and filled with the Living God of all creation! But, what I had to learn the hard way, please know that God is bigger than me and my issues and my mistakes. He is bigger than yours too. Don’t run from Him…take each scary looking step one at a time.

First Step is to come to relationship with God through Jesus, then learn who He says I am, then I am commanded to live it out.

Paul in 4:1 said he was captive…How many of you are captive today? Pulled down, chained down, held back by your fears, doubt in God, pride. Your sin? THAT IS WHY CHRIST CAME! That is why Jesus, God the Son, came to this earth. Fully God and fully Man…God wrapped in flesh, came to live a perfect life among the humans. Holy, set apart God dwelling with man. Jesus came for the captives, we who are chained by sin and death, and in himself provided for us the key to freedom.

This is the beautiful synopsis of what Jesus did. He descended from heaven to earth. Lived a perfect life with no sin, because he IS GOD, and then died. In his death, his decent to the lower parts of the earth (which no one can speak to) was eclipsed by his resurrection from the dead. Because he is God the Son, Jesus didn’t stay dead, but came back to life (aka Easter). From there he ascended even farther, to sit at the right hand of God.
Christ did that for you and me. So that we wouldn’t be chained by our sin and death, but have the freedom to live relationally now and eternally with Him. And he did it for each one. So that person who hurt you and wronged you. That human sitting in front of and beside you. That spouse, child, customer, coworker, boss, person at the checkout line…that person is a treasure to Christ. Worth death to him.
Have you believed in the saving Grace of Jesus? If you have any questions as to what that means, or doubts, or just want to pray with someone there will be a perfect time for you during Communion in a minute to go to the back of this room. At those tables there are a few people who will be available to you. Please, don’t miss this opportunity that God has provided for you to come into relationship with Him and start learning just how much the God of the entire universe loves and adores you! Until you step into relationship with God through the saving grace of Jesus, your identity is “Loved, but Lost”.

And for you who have already believed and have that relationship with God…let us dig in together and TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND GROW! LET US FIGHT FOR ONE ANOTHER AND LET US USE THE GIFTS AND EMBRACE THE DIFFERENCES AMONG THIS BEAUTIFUL BODY.
There are some questions on the back of your worship folder. Use them. Read them. Start by reading the rest of Ephesians 4 and see what some truly tangible next steps are. Better yet, ask someone to do them with you…until then, hear the God’s words from the pen of Paul…

DISUCSSION QUESTIONS:
- Who does God say I am? Check out some of these verses from His Word to find out:
1 Cor 6:20; Col 3:12; Eph 1:6-8; 1 Pt 2:9-10; Ro 6:16-18
and 8:1-2; Col 2:9-10; Ro 8:31-39; 1 Jn 3:1-2 and Eph
2:19; 2 Cor 5:17; 2 Cor 3:18; Eph 2:10
- In what way do I see myself in verses 17-32?
- Who do I see that I can pour into and have pour into me?
- Would I be willing to talk to someone about how I can grow closer to God? Who would that be?
- How can we shine to the unbelievers if we are shining us instead of God?