Audio | Video | Sunday Summary
SPEAKER
Bob Welch
BIG IDEA
Regardless of your past, Christ loves you, forgives you and wants you to be involved in building his kingdom. OUTLINE How can
OUTLINE
How can we turn our less-than-stellar pasts into something that brings glory to God?
- When you hear God’s voice, stop, look and listen.
- Face the past, but refuse to let it shackle you in condemnation and guilt.
- The most powerful way to silence the voices of condemnation in our lives is to replace them with truths from God’s Word about who you really are
- Friend of God
- Beloved
- Precious
- Highly esteemed
- Known
- More than conquerors
- The most powerful way to silence the voices of condemnation in our lives is to replace them with truths from God’s Word about who you really are
- Don’t cave in when you meet resistance from others.
- See your desperation not as a hinderance but a help.
- Take action for God’s glory.
Paul’s pain and his past become his platform for ministry.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- If there’s darkness in your past, what are some obstacles that might be preventing you from accepting God’s gift of grace and moving forward for His glory?
- How can you overcome these obstacles?
- Why do you think God allows us second chances?
- In “A Christmas Story,” what’s the significance to Scrooge of Tiny Tim’s empty chair and of the headstone with Ebenezer Scrooge’s name on it?
NEXT STEP
- If you believe you might be struggling to leave your past behind, take a step of action — write a note, say something to someone, make a commitment and share it with a close friend — to signify your unwillingness to stay stymied by the past.