Series: Stand Alone Message
Sermon Title: What’s So Amazing About Grace?
Passage: Ephesians 1:1-2

Reno Campus
Pastor Mark Clark

Series: Stand Alone Message
Sermon Title: Our Sacred Response
Passage:

Carson Campus
Pastor Jericho Toilolo

Campus Announcements / Service Moments

Reno Campus

• Baptism Class August 11
• Foundations: Baptism Class for Kids
• Baptism August 18
• Men’s Breakfast | Aug. 24th 
• Women’s Retreat | Sept 20-22
• Men’s Retreat | Oct 11-13

Carson Campus

• LifeGroup Leader Meeting | Aug 18th
• Men’s Breakfast | Aug. 24th 
• Women’s Retreat | Sept 20-22
• Men’s Retreat | Oct 11-13

 

Series: Stand Alone message
Sermon Title: What’s So Amazing About Grace?
Passage: Ephesians 1:1-2

Notes:

 

DISCUSSION | PERSONAL REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

• Do you wrestle with the concept of earning God’s grace? 
• How have you personally experienced God’s grace in your life?
• Paul often uses the term grace and peace when he address the church, why do you think he does this?
• God uses Paul, a man with a murderous past, who experiences forgiveness and grace to change the known world. What areas of your past, do you need to experience freedom inorder to step into God’s future calling on your life? 
• Can you extend grace to others, if you have not experienced it?
• How does understanding God’s grace impact your relationships with others?
• What role does forgiveness play in experiencing and extending grace?
• How can you cultivate a heart of gratitude for the grace you’ve received?
• How does grace empower you to live a life of purpose and meaning?
• What steps can you take to deepen your understanding of God’s grace through studying additional scriptures?
• How can you share the message of grace with others in your community?

 

SCRIPTURES TO MEDITATE ON:

• Ephesians 1:1-2
• Colossians 1:2
• Ephesians 4:22-24

 

RESOURCES:

• BOOK | THE PROBLEM OF GOD | MARK CLARK
• BOOK | THE PROBLEM OF LIFE | MARK CLARK
• BOOK | PETER SCAZZERO | EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY DISCIPLESHIP

MONTHLY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE TO TRY: False Self

“Put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:22-24

Scripture is clear that we have an old self and a new self. The old self and its qualities are no longer true about our life, about who we are, or our purpose. Identifying the gap between the narrative we believe about ourselves and the truth of what God declares about us is a spiritual journey of renewal. The process allows us to live out our new and true selves.

So what is our false self? “The false self is not a bad or deceitful self so much as a construct of externals—everything from appearance and education to talents and success—that we use to both protect ourselves and to bolster our sense of self-worth”. (Scazzero, Emotionally Healthy Discipleship.) We must begin the process of identifying the layers of our false self so we can begin to step into the true identity that God has for us from the beginning of time.

Here is an exercise to help identify your false self:

Use the following list of statements to get an idea of where you’re at right now when it comes to living out of your false self. Next to each statement, write the number that best describes your response:

1. Not very true       2. Sometimes True       3. Mostly True       4. Very True

_____ I compare myself a lot to other people

_____ I often say yes when I prefer to say no

_____ I often don’t speak up to avoid the disapproval of others

_____ People close to me would describe me as defensive and easily offended

_____ I have a hard time laughing at my shortcomings and failures

_____ I avoid looking weak or foolish in social situations

_____ I am not always the person I appear to be

_____ I struggle with taking risks because I could fail or look foolish

_____ My sense of worth/well-being comes from what I have (possessions), what I do (accomplishments), or what others think of me (popularity)

_____ I often act like a different person when in different situations and with different people

If you scored mostly 3’s and 4’s, you have a strong attachment to the false self. If you scored mostly 2’s and 3’s, you have already begun to dismantle or let go of the false self. If you scored mostly 1’s and 2’s, you have a healthy awareness of your true self.

 

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT:

So often I talk with people or read statistics that we live in an anxious, riddled society. People are experiencing anxiety, panic, and depression at record levels. This is true both in and outside of the church. Why has that seemed to have hit such an extreme? I believe we as Christian individuals no longer look into our deep true selves to do the work of allowing the Holy Spirit to replace our old selves. We try to pack a new worldview onto an existing world view and mix this with the expectations from our society and world that bombard us through increased media and social platforms. This is leading even Christians to live a life chained by an anxious meta-narrative that blocks the true narrative that God says about us.

Paul often initiates his letters to the Christians of the first century, using the phrase “grace and peace”. Stop and read those words again. Grace and Peace. This is what God offers, this is what we all need. I encourage you this week to set aside time to reflect on the grace God has for you. He covers all of your shortcomings, your struggling habits, and your attitudes. You do not have to be perfect, because he was perfect for you. There is a grace that offers freedom. Peace to you, soak in the idea of peace. This week I know for many has felt like the opposite. Breathe in God’s peace for your life. Though the storms of thunder around you, he is standing with you, and his presence brings peace because he is victorious.

Grace and Peace to you in the days to come.