the church You’ve always wanted:Groove is in the Heart

Review- Rather than bargaining with Rather than bargaining with God, let our “yes” be “yes” and our “no,” God, let our “yes” be “yes” and our “no,” “no”“no”

““Confess your sins to each other and pray Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed”for each other so that you may be healed”

Love- Love- is not an eis not an emotionmotion, but a decision of the will , but a decision of the will to seek what’s best for the other person, whether to seek what’s best for the other person, whether they deserve it or not, and even if it costs me they deserve it or not, and even if it costs me somethingsomething

My brothers, if one of you should wander from the My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins- James 5:19-20over a multitude of sins- James 5:19-20

““Wander”- Wander”- sheep wandering away from the sheep wandering away from the flock, into dangerflock, into danger

Epistrepho- “bring back,” “turns”Epistrepho- “bring back,” “turns”

Psychen- Psychen- soul (can refer to the whole person)soul (can refer to the whole person)

What’s the main point?What’s the main point?

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing- I flames, but have not love, I gain nothing- I Corinthians 13:1-3Corinthians 13:1-3

Without the motive of love, nothing we do Without the motive of love, nothing we do mmattersatters

How should that change how we live?How should that change how we live?

Unity-Unity- God’s people uniting for God’s pGod’s people uniting for God’s purposesurposes while respecting each other’s different planswhile respecting each other’s different plans

What causes fights and quarrels among you? What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? …You quarrel and fight. You do not within you? …You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures- James 4:1-3get on your pleasures- James 4:1-3

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness- James 3:17-18harvest of righteousness- James 3:17-18

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace- Ephesians Spirit through the bond of peace- Ephesians 4:34:3

BToL: BToL: We can only be unified around We can only be unified around something greater than ourselves and our something greater than ourselves and our desiresdesires

How does it change how we approach How does it change how we approach church? Relationships?church? Relationships?

Faith- Faith- is taking God at his Word and trusting is taking God at his Word and trusting him for the rhim for the resultsesults

……faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead….As the body without the spirit action, is dead….As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead- James is dead, so faith without deeds is dead- James 2:17, 262:17, 26

What does that tell us about faith? How does What does that tell us about faith? How does that change how we do church?that change how we do church?

Commitment- Commitment- is a decision of the will is a decision of the will backed by the ibacked by the integrityntegrity to carry it out over a to carry it out over a sustained period of timesustained period of time

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring patient he is for the autumn and spring rains- James 5:7rains- James 5:7

Commitment- sees beyond what Commitment- sees beyond what someone is to what they can become someone is to what they can become

Commitment- sees beyond what a Commitment- sees beyond what a church is to what it can become church is to what it can become And then works for those thingsAnd then works for those things

What would greater commitment look like What would greater commitment look like at Layman?at Layman?

Freedom- the ability to be exactly who Freedom- the ability to be exactly who God made you to be, in all your God made you to be, in all your uniqueness and individuality, and to uniqueness and individuality, and to make your own decisions in areas of make your own decisions in areas of convictionconviction

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But one who is able to save and destroy. But you-- who are you to judge your you-- who are you to judge your neighbor?- James 4:12neighbor?- James 4:12

What’s the difference between helping What’s the difference between helping someone who has wandered from the someone who has wandered from the truth and judging?truth and judging?

Change- Change- is the willingness to follow God is the willingness to follow God even when doing so involves adjustment even when doing so involves adjustment and sand sacrificeacrifice

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him- finding fault, and it will be given to him- James 1:5James 1:5

Takeaways:

Does the motive of love permeate everything I do: placing the needs of others first, seeking what is in their best interest, not giving them what they want but what they need?

What’s my default? Looking for areas of disagreement or points of agreement?

When’s the last time I stepped out on faith, trusting God for the results? Does my faith have action- does it change how I live?

Takeaways:

What things am I absolutely committed to? What things would God want me to be committed to? What are the differences between the two?

Do I use my freedom in Christ responsibly? Do I give other people freedom to the same degree that God does? If not, what do I need to do to get rid of my “legalism?”

If I look back over the past few months, can I honestly say I’m in the process of change- growing closer to Christ and Christ-likeness? If not, why not?