Life in the Wild

Life in the Wild

Leo Crosby / Element Church May 1-2, 2021

Life in the Wild / Fear; Fire; Spiritual Growth; Sacrifice

Big Idea: We can start and keep our spiritual fire burning. It’s not enough to want God or just know about him, you need his fire continually burning in your life.

Video #1 - fears/phobias...let’s build a fire

Introduction

My story of building a campfire

› We’ve been looking at the story of the Israelite nation in the wilderness from Egypt to the promise land.

Fire in the wilderness - 2 things

• Was to be kept burning in the tabernacle for sacrifices

Lev 6:13 (also vs Lev 6:9, 12) ESV

Fire shall be kept burning on the altar continually; it shall not go out.

• Was how they traveled through the darkness (picture for us)

Ex 13:21-22 ESV

And the Lordwent before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

› Fire is a picture of God throughout scripture (Moses, Elijah, day of Pentecost)

The fire of God, in our lives, does three things for us:

(Slide) The Fire of God calms our fears.

(Slide) Is 43:2 ESV

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

(Slide) The Fire of God gets us through the dark times.

Psalm 23:4 ESV

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

(Slide) The Fire of God directs our paths.

Psalm 119:105 ESV

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

› That’s nice but how do I have the fire of God in my life?

› Today we are going to earn our spiritual fire craft merit and learn how do we build and grow our spiritual fire.

Spiritual Fire Craft

(Slide) 3 things to start a fire:

Fuel. Oxygen. Heat.

(Slide) Fuel

Fuel is a material that is used to produce heat or power by burning.

3 different types of materials to build a fire.

Tinder is a material that catches on fire very easily.

• The dead/dying parts of our lives?

• Past mistakes

Kindling is easily combustible material used for starting a fire.

• Small steps of faith: Start serving once a month/special event, memorize one verse, give a set amount each month

Fuel is used to make a steady, hot fire.

Our lives are the fuel for God’s fire

(Slide) Romans 12:1 ESV

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

› This is wholistic, not just pieces but complete surrender…sacrifice is worship

Our worship

(Slide) Worship of Praise

(Slide) Hebrews 13:15 ESV

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

(Slide) Worship of our good works

(Slide) Ephesians 2:10 ESV

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

(Slide) Worship of our labor

(Slide) Genesis 4:3–5 ESV

In the course of time Cain brought to the Lord an offering of the fruit of the ground, and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and his offering, but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.

› 2nd Item needed for a fire is oxygen

(Slide) Oxygen: The Breath of life

The daily gathering of bread is a picture of daily communing with God

Exodus 16:21 ESV

Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat…

Jesus did this morning and evening

Luke 5:16 NLT

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

(Slide)Connect to Christ’s Community

The wrong crowd…Num 16:1, PE mentioned this group of 250 leaders a few weeks ago

Jesus needed God’s people too

(Slide) Mark 9:2 ESV

And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves.

Small Groups or Dream Team - LaDawna’s story of starting a group for youth moms

› Let’s check back in with Pastor Erik and Pastor Nathan and see how they are doing...

Video #2 - dream sequence

(Slide) Our Source - God

You can do all the above things but without a heat source you just have a pile of sticks

All consuming - don’t just blow smoke

(Slide) Source for truth -

Don’t trust strange fires

(Slide) Leviticus 10:1 NASB95

Now Nadab (nā-dab) and Abihu (A-by-hyou), the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.

(Slide) Hebrews 13:9 ESV

Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings…

TikTok - truth is relative - Cliffe Knechtle (pronounced: necktly)[1] There is no absolute truth! (Is that absolutely true?)

A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. – C.S. Lewis

Strange sources lead to a life of fear, doubt, and extremely depressing much like PN’s dreams

› If we live life this way or are not fully surrendered, all we are doing is blowing smoke

Source for life

With God as our source, where we find our validation and identity, we can live life to the full - PE’s dreams

(Slide) John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

God as your source means it where you find validation and identity!

Not your job, not your spouse, not your kids sports programs…

(Slide) When your fire’s source is God, nothing you face can defeat you!

(Slide) Rom 8:37-39 ESV

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Closing

Fire must be started and then kept burning

› You have earned your spiritual fire craft merit badge this week! download it, share it with your friends and encourage them to earn theirs

[1] Cliffe Knechtle loves to converse with skeptics and truth-seekers to discuss the reasonableness of Christianity at universities around the U.S, such as Harvard, MIT, UCLA, and Stanford. Pastors at Grace Community Church in Connecticut