Word Notes                                                                          23^rd October 2011

Number 7 in our Jesus First series in the first explores how we can overcome one of several blocks to being a disciple in a sermon entitled “ I don’t like myself” – Paul Hanley.

Discovery

Read Psalm 8 and additional scriptures that were referenced Psalm 139, Genesis 1:27-27, Psalm 103, 1 Cor 15:10, Ephesians 1:3-8, 2:10 & Romans 8:15-16.

Understanding

David the Psalmist opens the hymn of praise by declaring that Israel’s God is ‘Majestic in all the earth’. The bible asserts with no apology that the LORD, Israel’s God, is the only true God and that Jesus is the Son of God and fully God himself.

Therefore, Paul made the point that there is only one voice, one opinion, one word that is worth allowing to shape your life, influence your choices, direct your decisions and that is David’s God.

The challenging question in the midst of the voices we hear; parents, family and friends, teachers, work colleagues and the media who are we really listening to and allowing to shape our lives?

Paul’s second point flows from David’s question from verse 3 of psalm 8, “what is man that you care for him are mindful of him?’ - the answer lies in a study of these few verses in Psalm 139, Genesis 1:26-27n Isaiah 42:7 & Ephesians 2:10 .

Suggestion: Split into pairs or threes with a different verse for each pair for study and then share with everyone how that verse (s) answers the question David is asking in verse 3.

The simple answer to David’s question is that God cares about us & for us because he made us in his image and for his glory.

Paul’s third point was he said a fact about every person God had made. Ask the group if they can remember what that Fact was. (Everyone is significant and valuable because they were created by God in his image)

A lot of people don’t always feel they are significant and valuable to God or indeed anyone else for that matter!     These feelings of insignificance and unworthiness stem from a dislike some aspect of their ‘self’. It becomes a problem when their dislike leads to self- destructive behaviour. It can also lead to a person disqualifying themselves from the call of God, and a consistent absence of the love, peace and joy of God in their lives.  

Paul also said that when a believer struggles to believe that what God says of them is true, they (not deliberately of course) misrepresent the gospel and a poor witness of Jesus and his transforming victory won at the cross.

Paul said that it is God’s word, His voice & His opinion only that should be listened to, believed and trusted.   His voice/opinion of us should trump all the others voices/opinions we hear.

Application

Some questions for personal application / prayer

Would your sense of wellbeing be any different if you truly believed that what God said about you was true for you?

If a) above was felt by all RRCC church members would the Church feel any different ?

If a) above was felt by all RRCC church members what affect if any would it have on our community?