Are You Prepared?

Are You Prepared?

Introduction

• • Knives
    • Rusted and neglected – useless
      • Resistant to being sharped (changed) knife will fall into disuse (transform to the world)
    • Sharped and well used – vital
      • The more they are used the more valuable they are
    • A knife is naturally destined to rust and dull; spiritual formation will not happen by chance

•  Romans 12:2

• Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

Analysis

• • Trust
    • I trust that gun will hurt me, that electricity will hurt me
      • To be transformed, you have to trust God knows best and is in control

• Romans 8:28

• And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

• • • • You can’t “kind of” trust God
        • A lack of trust in God is trust in yourself – leads to fear when you find yourself in situations in which you are not in control

• Romans 5:3-5

• We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

• • • • • “Our character is that internal, overall structure of the self that is revealed by our long-run patterns of behavior and from which our actions more or less automatically arise.” – Dallas Willard
  • Anxiety over control and modern adherence to time are some of the greatest enemies of trust in God

Application

• • Do the maintenance
    • Read your Bible
    • Pray the hours
    • Come to church
    • Participate in community
  • Fruits of the Spirit

• Galatians 5:22-23

• But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Sermon Questions

Reflecting on Romans 12:2 and the analogy of the knife:

1. In what ways can we ensure we are like a sharp knife, vital and well-used, rather than a neglected one?

Trust and Control:

1. How does a lack of trust in God lead to self-reliance and fear? Can you share an experience where you struggled with this?

Application of Spiritual Growth:

1. Discuss the importance of “doing the maintenance” in our spiritual lives, such as reading the Bible, praying, and participating in community.
2. How do the Fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) manifest in a well-maintained spiritual life? How can we cultivate these fruits in our daily lives?
3. Reflect on the idea that Christian formation is not about striving to meet a list of behaviors but about allowing Christ to transform us from within. How can this perspective change the way we approach our spiritual growth and actions?