SOAKED IN THE SPIRIT: part 3

SWIMMING LESSON: We belong to each other.
March 2, 2008
with Adam Waters


INTRODUCTION
Are you ready to go swimming everyone? Are you ready for your 3rd lesson?
In the summer of 1995, I was first introduced to the movie Dumb and Dumber. This was an incredibly funny story of 2 guys who completely missed the point.
We DO NOT want you to miss the point of what we're doing here on Sundays.
We are not doing this "year of growth" just to tell you how to swim.
WE ACTUALLY WANT YOU TO BECOME BETTER SWIMMERS!!!

SWIMMERS
n …are WET because they can swim and they choose to swim.
n SATISFY the Spirit’s leading.
n WIN the battles of the flesh.
n INHERIT the Kingdom.
n MANIFEST the character of God.

WEEK #1 ~ We tried to focus you on the SOURCE of the gifts: God's Spirit!
WEEK #2 ~ We tried to focus you on the OUTCOME of the gifts: Love!

Romans 12:1-8 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

TODAY (week #3) ~ We really want you to focus on USING YOUR GIFTS.
12:1 “give your bodies to God because of all that he has done for you.”

Getting Rid of Waste:
n Being soaked in the Spirit requires you to get wet.
n Being soaked in the Spirit requires using your gift is worship.
n Being soaked in the Spirit requires God doing the transforming.
n Being soaked in the Spirit requires belonging to each other. Greek Study: members inside one another. The idea is one of intercourse.

Helping you SWIM!
n We have different gifts.
n We have the ability to do them WELL!
n We prophets must speak out.
n We servants need to get dirty.
n We teachers prepare to teach.
n We encouragers practice building up.
n We with money should let go of it.
n We leaders must take it seriously.
n We who are kindhearted can’t hold back.