Seeing God Through Church
Dear friends,
God wants to make his presence known. God wants His light to shine to us and through us. So why is His presence and work so hard to see? The problem is not with God. There are certain hindrances that cover and interfere with His reflected light. If we can identify and deal with what gets in the way and let God work, God will be seen. You don’t cover light, you lift it up so it can bring the most illumination.
This Sunday’s message is titled, Seeing God Through Church. We will learn what we must do to have God shine to us and through us. Jesus said…
Mat 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
We must learn how to let light shine. I am praying you will make this Sunday a priority, come worship and see God at work.
Blessings, Joe
PREPARING FOR SUNDAY
- Please prepare by doing the following.
- Pray for God to make Himself known to you and through you.
- Read the following scripture and be prepared to discuss the questions
- Plan to attend a small group.
- Contact at least one person and ask them to come sit with you.
- In what way does the light of God become visible through His church?
Mat 5:14-16, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Joh 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
- What hinders us from letting His light of love reflect?
1Ti 1:5-7, But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
- What kind of issues can pollute your heart?
Mat 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
- What would it take for you to have a blameless conscience before God?
And others?Act 24:16, “In view of this, I also do my best to maintain always a blameless conscience both before God and before men.”
- Why is this so hard to do?
Jas 4:8-10, Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be miserable and mourn and weep; let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
- What does God do when we get our hearts right?
Mat 5:16, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
