Series: How to Look God Naked
Sermon: Naked Before the World
George J. Saylor
February 24, 2008
Opening:
So what is your tendency- prude or exhibitionist? Are you prone to conceal, or are you all too eager to let it out? If the former, take a step and open up; if the later, how has it gotten you in trouble?
Digging Deeper:
Moses put a veil over his face to hide the fading glory of God. What is the veil you put up? What does it hide?
Living with unveiled faces is a risk. Talk about the three steps mentioned to get there- Prudence, Prudent Exhibitionism, and finally Unveiled Lives. With whom can you live an unveiled life? Anyone?
Read Colossians 3:1-14
What do you need to strip away from your life?
What “clothes” are hardest for you to put on- compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience? Why is it so tough to “bear with” on another? Why is forgiveness so vital? Why is love so essential?
Closing:
Is your group ready to live unveiled before one another? What can you prudently expose in an effort to develop authenticity and true community?
___
Colossians 3:1-14
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7 You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Monday, February 25, 2008
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Connection Group Covenant
Connecting with God. Connecting with people. Connecting with the world.
Connection Groups target the second part of our mission- to connect with people. We believe that being in relationships, in the body of Christ, is an essential part of every Christ-followers life.
In the days of the early Church the first Christ followers gathered the first day of the week (Sunday) for worship. In addition, they meet throughout the week, daily in fact, in homes (Acts 2:46; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15). We believe that being a part of a Connection Group is not something we do in addition to “going to church,” it is essential to “be the church.”
We gather around the following values:
Common Purpose: To become more Christ-like in everything.
Common Place: To become more a part of our community.
Common Possessions: To become more generous in supporting one another.
Therefore,
• We agree to meet for the duration of this semester.
• We will try to make every Group meeting.
• We will discuss the topic/text of worship services.
• We will make worshiping at Connections a priority. If we cannot be at worship we will listen or read the message online.
• We will support our facilitators and hosts and respect their role.
• We will be respecters of persons.
• We will practice confidentiality.
• We will seek to deepen relationships within the group.
• We will play together.
• We will serve together.
When: _________________________________________________
Where: _________________________________________________
Other:
Connection Groups target the second part of our mission- to connect with people. We believe that being in relationships, in the body of Christ, is an essential part of every Christ-followers life.
In the days of the early Church the first Christ followers gathered the first day of the week (Sunday) for worship. In addition, they meet throughout the week, daily in fact, in homes (Acts 2:46; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15). We believe that being a part of a Connection Group is not something we do in addition to “going to church,” it is essential to “be the church.”
We gather around the following values:
Common Purpose: To become more Christ-like in everything.
Common Place: To become more a part of our community.
Common Possessions: To become more generous in supporting one another.
Therefore,
• We agree to meet for the duration of this semester.
• We will try to make every Group meeting.
• We will discuss the topic/text of worship services.
• We will make worshiping at Connections a priority. If we cannot be at worship we will listen or read the message online.
• We will support our facilitators and hosts and respect their role.
• We will be respecters of persons.
• We will practice confidentiality.
• We will seek to deepen relationships within the group.
• We will play together.
• We will serve together.
When: _________________________________________________
Where: _________________________________________________
Other:
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