It's time to get real
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Intro and Tension
Intro and Tension
Recently Joined us - One thing is we are REAL - We are a REAL CHURCH with REAL PEOPLE, who have REAL PROBLEMS, and do REAL LIFE together. We are HOT - Humble, open and transparent.
You might ask why? because Church is not a building | We are the church and we exist for the world - We commit to hearing truth, and letting God’s truth change us because a dim light, doesn’t light up much darkness.
About to go on a 4 week Journey | Heart Surgery | However, it requires us to want God to work on our hearts
Name of this series is Spring Clean | 4 Weeks, 4 Character Traits
Key Scripture;
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Paul turns from first part of the book and urges us to walk, not run, in the right direction as a direct result of knowing Jesus’ Love. Today, we take the first step.
Title: Let’s get real, so God can get to work
My Hope: Today, we come to a place where we can admit at least to God, that we need help, that we need His Holy Spirit to transform us, to change us, to form us - to grow us. That we would grab humility. Remove trybg to be, step into who we are.
**Prayer**
Quickly = Series on Character - Character not personality. Personality = Outward appearance of how you operate, Character = Inward Believe systems of function you get from Flesh or Spirit.
Good News - Character can be changed through submission to the Holy Spirit
Bad News - We need the desire to want the Holy Spiirt to change us, and seek out the accountability to keep us there.
to do that, we need to want truth.
Fly was down - Thankful someone told me in communion - I could of made a fool of myself, we deal in truth, because the truth, will set you free.
What I want to do | Talk about why we should seek different, why we should seek to be authentic, why we should seek to get real, so God can get to work.
Where are we? Start in Peter | When God wrote Peter | Time of Extreme Persecution | Nero was going wild, Burning People blaming Christians | Peter was trying to give idea that this world is not our Home | Important to know if we are to get real, because while we are here | called to be different to world.
Big chunk of Scripture;
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
First Point: Why Fit in, when you were created to Stand Out
Biggest obstacle to getting real is wanting to ‘fit in’ - But God did not call to ‘fit in’ - called to ‘stand out’.
Do not be conformed to this world, 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.
Not called to blend in - Called to stand out - be different | Who wants to be normal anuyway? Look around at what is normal. Normal is Selfish, Normal is not liking your job, normal is chasing after money, normal is tension.
Jesus = 2 paths, broad and wide path = many are on it.
Narrow Path = few people on it, but it leads to LIFE - My Prayer is we find the narrow road, not because I want you to follow rules but because I want you to find LIFE.
Story about my own arrogance as recruitment - It hurt, but I trust the guy, so I changed. Working on Character is tough, that’s why you need mentorship and accountability, that’s why you need desire, but God’s got more for you, God will work on your character if you let him.
Make sure they are commited to chirst, connected to me, compassionate
since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Holy = Hagios - Different, Set a part, Pure
You shall be Holy, set apart, different = Does not say, be happy, for I am happy. Some people believe, happiness is highest calling - but it’s not - happiness is based on Happinings, and some happenings cause unhappiness but still great because it brings joy because your serving Jesus -
Happiness allows us to justify our behaviour - God wouldn’t want me broke, God wouldn’t want me miserable, God wouldn’t want me to feel pain, God wouldn’t want me to stay in an unhappy marriage.
Joy in unhappiness is far greater than happiness in comfort.
Seek the tunnel of change - know it’s going to be chaotic, but know it will bring fruit.
Point 1: Why Fit in, when you were created to Stand Out
Let’s get real, so God can get to work.
2nd Point/Question; What Veil are you wearing, that God is asking you to take off.
Catfishing - Creating online profiles of fake people - Now not all of us are at this level, but we live in a world where our online profiles are very different to our live profiles, we live with a filter on
The more of a filter is on the harder it is to being real - not new | Old Problem
Go to scripture - Corinthians - Paul going to old Story
Moses, went up mountain for 10 commandments, came down, face was glowing, When I start preaching good I get a tint | So Moses put on a veil | Some can say that it was to protect people | Spoke to the people first, then put on the veil. Paul implies he did not put it on to protect people from the glory, it was so they would not see the TRUTH that the glory was fading away.
not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
What is he saying? Jewish leaders in synogues reading the old testament, there is a veil put over their eyes, they can’t see truth.
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
Satan, puts a veil over unbelievers so they can’t see the truth
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
Unveiled living - We need to get to unveiled living - We have learnt to live a life to show people the me we want everyone to see. Moses did this | Now we do this | When we sin, instead of confessing it, we hide it with a veil | Adam and Eve did this, they Hid, afraid, shame, don’t want you to see the real me.
What Veil are you wearing, that God is asking you to take off.
Happy Marriage, where marriage is crumbling | Super Spiritual guy with a secret sin | 120 day streak in your bible, feel so far away from God | Look great on the outside, hurting on the inside | Super confident, portray perfection, underneath a deep hurt has caused so much insecurity you have to cover and cover and cover
This is a heart transplant, and God is asking you to get on the table.
lets go back
Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.
listen - A Veil that first covers the face eventually covers the heart.
and poor character is created.
Some of us have parts of our heart that we just will NEVER share- scared of judgement, scared of punishement - And it’s not just a young person issue, it’s an older person issue | Some people hung on to this for years, something deep that God wants to work on | Walking around acting like everything is fine, deep down, something is hurting | Jesus called his hypocrasy in the first use of the word
Some people so use to showing fake self | Don’t know they’re real them and God can’t use the fake version of you.
We are living for likes, but longing for Love.
The way to love, is to be real. Let’s be real, so God can get to work.
Inspo and close
Inspo and close
What do we do?
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.
We don’t take it away, we can’t | We turn away from people, away from people we are trying to get approval from | hurt us | that have us in bondage | and we turn to the LORD AND THE VEIL IS REMOVED.
Suddenly, you’re not getting your approval from their likes ,but FROM THE APPROVAL FROM GOD.
I am acceptable by JESUS, Made righeous THROUGH Jesus, Saved by JESUS, suddenly when he is ALL THAT YOU HAVE, he is ALL THAT YOU NEED.
My identity is not in who is following me, but it is who I am following , and I am following JESUS CHRIST.
Listen, living Holy is not the pathway to knowing Christ, Knowing Christ is the pathway to living Holy.
Its not about otward behaviour modification, it’s about inward spiritual transformation.
Read 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
This is a series about character, we are going into heart surgery, but you need to get on the table.
why fit in When you were made to stand out.
What veil are you wearing that god is asking you to take off
a veil that first covers the face, eventually covers the heart.
Turning to the Lord lifts the Veil
Let’s be real, so God can get to work
Where is God asking you to open your heart.
I want the spirit to show you something that I can not do.
Get everyone to stand
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!
*Prayer** **Altar Call**