Sermon Guide "Our Need for Purpose & Direction" John 15:1-8

Sermon Guide "Our Need for Purpose & Direction"

To view the More than enough: Session 1 Study Guide Click Here

Everyone is _______________ or _____________________________ to something.

John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches." What is Jesus saying?  Isn't he saying, "You _________ _____________________ to me . . . Here is where you ___________ your

strength. Here is what ____________________ you when life is tough.

The theme of this passage is that spiritual fruit _______________________ a spiritual life.

1. Branches always produce what they ___________________ ______________ of the vine.

What is the purpose of the branch?  To _________ _____________ ___________________.

Spiritual fruit falls into 1 of 3 categories:

a.  Making _________________________________

b.  Acts of __________________________________

c.  Character ________________________________

2. God takes_________________________ _______________________________seriously.  

3. It is important to _________________   _______________________________ to the vine.

Light throughout the bible is used as a symbol of __________________ and ____________.  

Jesus ________________________ Himself with worldly wisdom and cultural

_______________________________________ of His day.

Make your __________________________________ in Light of the Teachings of Jesus.

Sermon Guide "Our Need for Purpose & Direction"  John 15:1-8

Everyone is ________________ or ____________________________ to something.

John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches." What is Jesus saying?  Isn't he saying, "You _________ _____________________ to me . . . Here is where you ___________ your

strength. Here is what ____________________ you when life is tough.

The theme of this passage is that spiritual fruit _______________________ a spiritual life.

1. Branches always produce what they ___________________ ______________ of the vine.

What is the purpose of the branch?  To _________ _____________ ___________________.

Spiritual fruit falls into 1 of 3 categories:

a.  Making _________________________________

b.  Acts of __________________________________

c.  Character ________________________________

2. God takes_________________________ _______________________________seriously.  

3. It is important to _________________   _______________________________ to the vine.

Light throughout the bible is used as a symbol of __________________ and ____________.  

Jesus ________________________ Himself with worldly wisdom and cultural

_______________________________________ of His day.

Make your ___________________________________ in Light of the Teachings of Jesus.

Discussion Guide, Another Type of Fast

Discussion Guide  

Sermon: Another Type of Fast

Preached on Sunday, February 20, 2016  

Sermon Snapshot:

The sermon will draw from Isaiah 58:1-12 and will be entitled “Another Type of Fast.”  Briefly speaking, the sermon will discuss the difference between a selfish religion and a selfless life in service to others.  Though religious practices can be important to us, whatever those might be, we must acknowledge that those practices are not to make us selfish practitioners of our faith, but instead should illicit a selfless response that impacts the lives of other people around us.  Make sure you are not engaging in a selfish religion but are, instead, living a selfless life.  

Scripture: 

Isaiah 58:1-12  

Discussion Questions:

1. What religious practice(s) is/are important to you?  Why are they important to you? 
2. Do you ever find yourself going through the motions out of habit and ritual?  When?  Why?  
3. When are your religious practices the most meaningful to you?  Or, when do they make the biggest impact in your life?  
4. Do your religious practices impact the lives of other people around you, either directly or indirectly?  
5. How would you explain the difference between practicing a selfish religion and living a selfless life?  
6. How do we ensure that our religious practices do not encourage us to practice a selfish religion?  How can our religious practices help us live selfless lives in service to others?  

"Deploying Your Spiritual Gifts" Sermon Listening Guide 2/14/2016 (to download Click Here)

To download "Your Divine Design - Session 4" Click Here

The word "deploy" means to _____ and _____ out (people or things) to be used for a particular purpose.

There are 3 questions you must be able to answer to follow the Holy Spirit's direction:

1.  Are you ______?

2.  Are you ________?

3.  Are you __________?  

Your Spiritual Gift - Action Plan:

1. ________________to discover, develop, and deploy your spiritual gift in a local body of believers.

2. _________________ seriously seeking divine guidance.

3. _________________ the gift passages in God’s Word and guides provided.

4. _________________ quality counsel.

5. “_________________ the waters” for 6 weeks to 3 months.

6. _________________ the fulfillment (joy) factor.

7. _________________ God’s evident blessing.

Like anything in life...spiritual gifts can be ______ and ________.  

Spiritual gifts are ____ _____ to be played with, or ________ to fight with but ________ to build with.

Jesus said, "This is to my Father's glory, that you _____ _____ _____, showing yourselves to be my disciples."   John 15:8 NIV

We deploy our spiritual gifts when we take what we have learned from our ______ to our ______ to our _______.

If you are interested in deploying your spiritual gifts, please fill out this list and return it to the church office.  Opportunities To Deploy Your Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual Gifts Assessments

You are invited to take one or both of the spiritual gifts inventories/assessments accessible through the links below.  If you have trouble accessing one or both of them, please email the associate pastor, Chae Albright, calbright@nccumc.org.

http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/spiritual-gifts-online-assessment 

Spiritual Gifts Quiz - CLICK HERE

Your Divine Design: Session 3

Your Divine Design - Session 3

"Developing Your Spiritual Gifts"

Download: Sermon Guide 2/7/16

Download: Your Divine Design Developing Your Spiritual Gifts
Sermon summary:  As disciples of Jesus, we were created for good works.  God gives us spiritual gifts to equip us for the works He has prepared beforehand for us to do, and for the building up of the Body of Christ.  Though we are given a spiritual gift, it is up to us to develop the gift through service to others and/or Christ church.

Scripture: Romans 12:3-8

Additional scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12: 1, 4-7

1.  Share a time when God used you to impact the life of another.

2.  In churches you've attended, how important was the discovery and development of spiritual gifts?

3.  Which of the 5 reasons for developing your spiritual gifts most motivates you?

4.  Have you discovered your spiritual gift?  If so, what is it?

5.  How could your gifts help your Life Group?  How could the gifts of others help you?

6.  Developing your spiritual gift means getting involved with people.  Where do you feel God leading you to get involved?

7.  How engaged are you in a Life Group?  This is far more than just attending a group, it is sharing life with a few people.  What would take your group to a deeper level of sharing life together?

8.  Developing your gift is like exercising a muscle and includes ongoing training and education.  What kind of training could help you strengthen your gift?

Next week's sermon will be on deploying your spiritual gift.  You will be given list of opportunities within the church where you can exercise your spiritual gift.