My Epic Journey

We played this impacting missions video this week at EPIC as we finished up our final week in the series Outflow.

Here is the programming outline for Week 4 of our Outflow series:

Supply List:

• 8×14 inch paper (one per student)
• Different colored markers (lots)
• Dry Erase board and markers

Connection Game:

Students find a partner. They are given 30 seconds to share answers to the questions below. After 30 seconds, they switch to the other partner answering the question. Students will then change partners and re-do the process.

• Who was your childhood friend and why? (change partners)
• Who is your favorite relative and why? (change partners)
• Who is your wackiest relative? (change partners)
• Which family member is hardest for you to talk to about God? (change partners)

Read Acts 1.8

• What is your Judea?
• Who falls into that category?
• What is the best way for us to reach our Judea?

Video Clip—Week 3

• Where are you friends in the “process” of becoming Christians?
• How can you be there for them and help them as they go through the process?

Practical Activity—Spiritual Timeline

Hand out 8×14 paper and copies of personal timeline. Give students time to think and then construct their own personal timeline.

Divide students into pairs and have them share their personal timeline.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to speak in BIG church.  I am always thankful that Terry trusts me enough to give me an opportunity to do this.

Here are the notes from yesterday’s message:

Outflow Series (Week 3)—March 15, 2009

What Are You Thinking?

When you hear the name “Holy Spirit” what comes to mind?

Definitions

The Indwelling—Romans 8.9-11

Romans 8.8-11

Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives (dwell) in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

def.– οἰκέω, pronounced oikeō to occupy a house, of the "dwelling" together of those who are married.

Although every Christian is indwelt by the Spirit, unless he is also filled with the Spirit, he will live in spiritual weakness, frustration and defeat.

Ephesians 5.18-21

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Definitions

The Infilling—Ephesians 5.18-21

def.– πληρόω, pronounced plēroō—to fill, replete, level up (as in replenishing something that is hollow).

Be filled translates the present passive imperative of plēroō, and is more literally rendered as "be being kept filled." It is a command that includes the idea of conscious continuation. Being filled with the Holy Spirit is not an option for believers but a mandate. No Christian can fulfill God’s will for his life apart from being filled with His Spirit. If we do not obey this command, we cannot obey any other—simply because we cannot do any of God’s will apart from God’s Spirit.

The continuous aspect of being filled ("be being kept filled") involves day-by-day, moment-by-moment submission to the Spirit’s control. The passive aspect indicates that it is not something we do but that we allow to be done in us. The filling is entirely the work of the Spirit Himself, but He works only through our willing submission. The present aspect of the command indicates that we cannot rely on a past filling nor live in expectation of future filling. We can rejoice in past fillings and hope for future fillings, but we can live only in present filling.

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