 The message of your life ●All are sinners unable to meet the standard of God ●God reconciled us to himself – not counting our sins against us ●The penalty for our sins paid for through the death of Jesus on the cross ●We were made to be right with God ●This is only the beginning ●Maturity that leads to Authority  The message of your life ●All are sinners unable to meet the standard of God ●God reconciled us to himself – not counting our sins against us ●The penalty for our sins paid for through the death of Jesus on the cross ●We were made to be right with God ●This is only the beginning ●Maturity that leads to Authority

God’s Completion Project

I. The Plan  Philippians 1:3-6 ●God began the good work ●God will continue his work ●Until it is finished ●When will it be finished? – when Christ returns  Philippians 1:3-6 ●God began the good work ●God will continue his work ●Until it is finished ●When will it be finished? – when Christ returns

 Philippians 1:9-11 ●Keep growing in knowledge and understanding ●Understand what really matters ●Live pure and blameless lives ●Filled with righteous character – produced in your life by Jesus ●This brings glory and praise to God  Philippians 1:9-11 ●Keep growing in knowledge and understanding ●Understand what really matters ●Live pure and blameless lives ●Filled with righteous character – produced in your life by Jesus ●This brings glory and praise to God

 The plan – Romans 8:29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ●Chosen to become like his son ●Conformed to the image of Jesus  The plan – Romans 8:29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. ●Chosen to become like his son ●Conformed to the image of Jesus

II. The Process  Opportunities/Discoveries ●This is what pleases God ●This is what Jesus is like ●This is what the Lord wants me to do ●Yes or no – obedience or rebellion ●Pass or retake, or ____________  Opportunities/Discoveries ●This is what pleases God ●This is what Jesus is like ●This is what the Lord wants me to do ●Yes or no – obedience or rebellion ●Pass or retake, or ____________

 Walk in a manner worthy – Ephesians 4:1  Ephesians 4:22-24 ●Put off the old sinful nature ●Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes ●Put on the new nature created to be like God  Pleasing God in every respect – Colossians 1:10  Walk in a manner worthy – Ephesians 4:1  Ephesians 4:22-24 ●Put off the old sinful nature ●Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes ●Put on the new nature created to be like God  Pleasing God in every respect – Colossians 1:10

 2 Corinthians 3: Glory to Glory onion skins ●Work of the Spirit – not law ▪You are a letter written by the Holy Spirit ▪Spirit gives life ▪Freedom ●Reflect the Lord’s glory ▪The Spirit makes us more and more like him ▪We are changed (Metamorphosis) to his glorious image  2 Corinthians 3: Glory to Glory onion skins ●Work of the Spirit – not law ▪You are a letter written by the Holy Spirit ▪Spirit gives life ▪Freedom ●Reflect the Lord’s glory ▪The Spirit makes us more and more like him ▪We are changed (Metamorphosis) to his glorious image

 2 Peter 1: By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.

III. The Proving ●Yes or no – obedience or rebellion ●Pass, retake, or fail ●Yes or no – obedience or rebellion ●Pass, retake, or fail

 Israel at the border of the promised land – Numbers ●We cannot go up against the giants ●Would that we had died in Egypt or even in the wilderness ●God – I will do the very thing I heard you say (not my will, but your will be done) ●Hebrews 4:11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.  Israel at the border of the promised land – Numbers ●We cannot go up against the giants ●Would that we had died in Egypt or even in the wilderness ●God – I will do the very thing I heard you say (not my will, but your will be done) ●Hebrews 4:11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall.

 Israel wants a king – 1 Samuel 8 ●Rejected the Lord as their king ●Give us a king like all the nations around us to rule us and to go fight our battles ●Listen to what they say and give them a king (not my will but yours be done)  Israel wants a king – 1 Samuel 8 ●Rejected the Lord as their king ●Give us a king like all the nations around us to rule us and to go fight our battles ●Listen to what they say and give them a king (not my will but yours be done)

 Jonah with the mandate to go to Nineveh ●Go to Nineveh and announce my judgment against it ●But Jonah went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord ▪Violent storm ▪Great fish swallows Jonah ●Go to Nineveh and announce my judgment against it ▪This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command  Jonah with the mandate to go to Nineveh ●Go to Nineveh and announce my judgment against it ●But Jonah went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord ▪Violent storm ▪Great fish swallows Jonah ●Go to Nineveh and announce my judgment against it ▪This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command

 Joseph with a vision to become a great leader – Genesis ●Sold into slavery ●Falsely accused and put in prison ●Interprets the king’s dream ●Made ruler of Egypt under Pharaoh ●Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.  Joseph with a vision to become a great leader – Genesis ●Sold into slavery ●Falsely accused and put in prison ●Interprets the king’s dream ●Made ruler of Egypt under Pharaoh ●Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.

 Philippians 2: Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Interaction Time  How would you describe the difference between following rules and living by the Spirit of God moving on your heart? What is it about rules that stirs disobedience? ●See Romans 7:4-6 ●See Galatians 5:16-18  What areas of your life are in “Process” now, where “layers” of your old sinful nature are being peeled away?  How would you describe the difference between following rules and living by the Spirit of God moving on your heart? What is it about rules that stirs disobedience? ●See Romans 7:4-6 ●See Galatians 5:16-18  What areas of your life are in “Process” now, where “layers” of your old sinful nature are being peeled away?

 How are you being “Proven”? ●Have you denied God’s will? ●Have you run the opposite direction? ●Will you stay faithful and attain the next level of “Glory” of the likeness of Jesus?  How are you being “Proven”? ●Have you denied God’s will? ●Have you run the opposite direction? ●Will you stay faithful and attain the next level of “Glory” of the likeness of Jesus?