Why do we need a pathway?

ME: ORIENTATION: FIND COMMON GROUND WITH THE AUDIENCE

How can we understand what God’s will is for our life?

What if the scripture doesn’t speak directly about it?

What do you want?

WE: IDENTIFICATION (MAKE IT CLEAR THAT YOU STRUGGLE)

How do we know whether we should be involved in something?

Should I buy a beach house at the shore?

Should my children be involved in extracurricular activities?

What activities in the church should we be involved with?

Should I buy a new house?

What does God want?

What ministries should I get involved with in church?

How can I live closer to God?

GOD: ILLUMINATION (THE GOAL IS TO RESOLVE THE TENSION

GOD: ILLUMINATION (THE GOAL IS TO RESOLVE THE TENSION

I The Importance of Holy Conversation

4 When the Lord saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then he said, “Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” (NRSV)

When we are in the moment of struggle in the quiet of the desert, we may think and wander about our life and what God may want from us. In is in these moments God can call us into Holy Conversation.

We have been talking about being part of God’s family. Intimacy with God is very important.

We have been talking about being part of God’s family. Intimacy with God is very important.

Attend to a healthy spiritual person.

Learning to spend quality time with God.

II. Scriptural call to transformation

12 I appeal to you therefore, brothers,[a] by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.[b]

“Offer Your Bodies”

What are we to do? “Offer your bodies,” Paul says, “as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God”—living sacrifices. No longer do we need to offer actual animal sacrifices. In the new covenant those sacrifices, in a sense, have been replaced with the offering of ourselves to God in service to Him. Paul specifically tells us here to offer our bodies. When Paul uses the word “body” in context like this, he means more than just the physical bodies that we have. “Body” is a word that Paul likes to use to talk about human beings in terms of their concrete interaction with the realities of this life. He’s addressing us as human beings generally, but as human beings who are embodied—that is, human beings who do have an existence here in this world, and people who therefore have obligations to live a certain way in the world where God has placed us. The results of this offering of ourselves as living sacrifices will be that we will worship God as we are supposed to do.

2 Do not be conformed to this world,[c] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[d] Romans 12:1-2

We are not to conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but we are to be transformed by the renewing of the mind.” The neat word play in English “don’t be conformed, but be transformed

TRANSFORMATION An inward renewal and reshaping of the mind through which a Christian’s inner person is changed into the likeness of Christ. Paul told the Roman believers, “Be transformed by the renewing of your minds” ().

Transformation does not happen overnight—regeneration is instantaneous, but transformation is not. Christians are transformed to Christ’s image gradually as they spend time beholding him in intimate fellowship.

Eventually, they will begin to mirror the one they behold.

Paul said, “We all with unveiled face, mirroring the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from one degree of glory to another, even as from the Lord who is the Spirit” (

This does not come from conscious imitation but from spiritual communion with the Lord.

“We can’t even imagine what we will be like when Christ returns. But we do know that when he comes we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is” (, nlt)1

The secret to being not conformed is to be transformed—to be changed from within in our very basic ways of thinking.

Ultimately, Paul says it’s by engaging in this process—offering ourselves as living sacrifices, not being conformed but being transformed—it’s by doing all of those things that we will be able to test, approve, and actually carry out the will of God. We Christians are always wondering, “What is God’s will for me?”

It’s a legitimate question to ask because often we face crucial decisions in life that aren’t easy to answer. Where should I go to school? Should I take the new job or not? Should I change houses? All of these decisions are ones that are quite significant in our lives and for which we rightly seek God’s will for

But ultimately, let’s not forget that God has made His fundamental will for us known in the words of Scripture. The most important things in our lives (the values we live by) have been revealed to us by God. And it’s by engaging in this process of transforming ourselves, allowing God’s Spirit to pattern our ways of thinking, that we will be able to do God’s will, to put it into practice, to be people who daily walk in the way God has laid down for us.1

III. Defining the pathway

Great Commandment

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart . . . soul and . . . mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (NIV)

(NIV)

Great Commission

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you .” (NIV)

Our Motto

A Great Commitment . . .

. . . to the Great COMMANDMENT

and the Great COMMISSION . . .

. . . will grow a Great Church

Methodist mission statement: To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

(NIV)

Knowing Christ leads to membership salvation

Growing in Christ leads to maturity

Serving Christ leads to ministry

Sharing Christ leads us into mission

Fellowship

Magnify which is worship

PURPOSE

TARGET

EVANGELISM IN THE COMMUNITY

WORSHIP IN THE CROWD

FELLOWSHIP IN THE CONGREGATION

DISCIPLESHIP IN THE COMMITTED

MINISTRY IN THE CORE

SENT OUT TO FULFILL THE PURPOSES

IV. Following the pathway.

IV. Following the pathway.

Your willingness to follow the pathway leads you toward what a mature Christian life should look like.

YOU: APPLICATION (TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD)

YOU: APPLICATION (TELL PEOPLE WHAT TO DO AND WHAT THEY HAVE HEARD)

Conclusion:

Understand the pathway

worship

fellowship

Member

mature

ministry

mission

Where are you on the pathway?

Yes Lord I will step up and forward to follow Christ