04-25-2021
04-25-2021
Dr. E. Dale Locke (West & Online), Rev. Trevor Johnston (East), Pastor Efrain Silva (Español)
Sermon Series: Mistaken Identity
Week 3: Genie in a Bottle god
English PDF file for printing.
Para imprimir el archivo PDF en Español
1. Read our memory verse for this sermon series, which tells us how to get the most true picture of what God is like - Hebrews 1:3: “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”
Our goal in this series is to expose some ideas about God that may not be accurate. An incorrect picture of God can hurt our faith and can even cause some to lose faith. Share a story of someone you know who lost faith because they expected something of God that the Bible doesn’t actually promise.
2. Last week, Pastor Trevor taught on the mistaken idea of “Body Guard god” – thinking God will always keep us from all harm. God doesn’t promise that, but he does promise to be present with us always and to accomplish good purposes in our life, even in times of pain.
Read what the Apostle Paul said in Acts 20:22–24 - “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
What do you notice in Acts 20 that relates to last week’s mistaken idea that God protects us all the time?
3. Read 2 Timothy 4:1-5 – “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
Pastor Dale said he has been praying this passage over this past year. Why is it important for a pastor to pray this and strive for it?
Problematic idea: God is there to do for me what I want, when I want it.
4. Where does this mistaken idea come from?
5. Even when we’re asking God for good things – like the healing of a good person – we find that sometimes God heals the person, but sometimes he doesn’t. If you’ve ever prayed for physical healing for someone, but it didn’t happen, share how that experience impacted you.
Disclaimer: We’re NOT saying God doesn’t want to hear our requests.
6. Read the following two passages and talk about what you notice.
Matthew 7:7-8 – “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
Philippians 4:6-7 – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
7. Read what the Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 – “I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
What questions or insights come to you as you read this passage?
8. Corinth was Paul’s most difficult church. He tried many things to get them on the right track. Here he shares about a time when he prayed for God to heal him, but it didn’t happen. What can we learn from this passage for our own lives?
When we treat God like a Genie in a bottle, our relationship with God becomes:
· Transactional:
9. If you’ve ever had a relationship with another person that felt transactional, describe what that was like.
· Convenient:
10. Some people only call on God when it’s convenient for them. What might you say to someone who thinks and lives this way?
· Controlling:
11. Pastor Dale noted that, in the story of Aladdin, the genie calls Aladdin “Master” rather than the other way around. How does this help you better understand the problem of viewing God like a genie in a bottle?
We see the truth in Jesus’ life. Jesus shows us:
· Prayer is an invitation to a relationship.
· Prayer is an invitation to partnership.
· Prayer is an invitation to followership.
12. Talk together with your group about each of these three truths about prayer.
13. Share one thought that has been helpful for you so far in this series.
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