God Fills What You Empty
Sermon Notes
God requires trust.
Jesus requires sacrifice.
The Holy Spirit requires space.
Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.
Romans 8:23
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:8
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
Acts 2:2-4
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit…
Ephesians 5:18
who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory…the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Ephesians 1:14, 23
Physical changes precede spiritual breakthroughs.
Forgiveness precedes miracles.
Fasting precedes feasting.
Table Group Resources
Mixer
What are your favorite Game Day eats?
‘Neighborly’ - Daily Devotional
To get the Daily Devotionals delivered to you every morning, text ‘dailydevotional’ to 97000.
In Pastor Ken’s 2/3/21 entry, Watches vs Time, he used the quote by Eleanor Roosevelt: “For your own success to be real, it must contribute to the success of others.” Agree or disagree? How did this week’s message, Present sacrifice. Eternal investment., reframe thoughts about your current sacrifices?
In Middle School Director, Cristina Schmitter’s, 2/4/21 entry, God Knows, she asks if we trust that God knows what we need? Do you think of God as a vending machine to give us everything we ask, or, as the Father with foresight, who needs to guide His immature children (that’s all of us!) into a better future?
Sermon Questions
Scripture: Romans 8:23; Acts 1:8, 2:2-4; Ephesians 1:14, 1:23, 5:18
Pastor Jared summarizes the New Testament like this: God requires trust. Jesus requires sacrifice. And the Holy Spirit requires space. Discuss what each one means to you.
What does it mean to create space for the Holy Spirit? When we ask ourselves why we only tap into 2⁄3 of the Trinity, what is holding us back from tapping into the full “horsepower” available to us? (Think about Pentecost & the Ferrari)
Pastor Jared kept linking these two together: “in you” and “through you.” How do these two channels of how the Spirit of God works tie together? What could be the pitfalls of accepting just one but not the other? Is that even possible?
Our challenge this week is: You do the emptying and God will do the filling. What do you need to get rid of, and what kinds of practical things can you do that make room for God to step in? Give examples of what you are going to do (ex: Physical changes, Forgiveness, Fasting). Or maybe you have experienced this: “Man, God did something there... and all I was doing was creating space!”
Go Deeper - with Goodbook
Dr. Mark Strauss and Pastor Ken Ingold
Week 4 : Conquest of Canaan & the Period of Judges (Joshua, Judges, Ruth)
In God’s commission to Joshua, he repeatedly told him to “Be strong and courageous.” What are some difficult areas in your life that you need to exercise courage?
The book of Judges is characterized by times when Israel forgot God’s faithfulness in the past and turned to worship idols. What are some things that can become idols in our lives?
One of the slogans of the book of Judges is “There was no king in Israel, and everyone did what was right in their own eyes.” What are some ways we fail to acknowledge that God is our king and act instead in self-centered ways?
In what ways is the book of Ruth a ray of light at a very dark time in Israel’s life? What are some lessons we can learn from the actions and attitudes of Ruth? Of Boaz?
Serve
Get your Table Group together and connect with each other on a service project at our next Good Neighbor Day, Saturday, March 20! Registration to open soon!
Pray
LORD, help me to honor the principle of emptying myself, and to rely on You more with the things You want to do in that space. I want to be a witness for You and I ask for Your Spirit to work in me and through me and create that unique me. Do something new and great with me - I am available! In Jesus’ mighty name. Amen.
