Sunday February 4th Service_summary.txt

• The speaker grew up on a sheep farm and thanks listeners for eating lamb as it kept their family business going
• A series of lectures is being given on Galatians, with chapter 5-6 focusing on living in accordance with the Spirit
• Key points from Galatians 5 include not using freedom to indulge sinful nature but rather serving others humbly and loving them
• The conflict between the sinful nature and the Spirit is described, as well as the fruit of the Spirit being love, joy, peace, etc.
• A personal anecdote is shared about a corrections officer re-integrating former prisoners into society, highlighting the importance of helping people make positive changes in their lives
• This relates to Galatians 5, where new believers with harsh backgrounds are encouraged to make positive choices and not fall back into old habits.
• The speaker's faith is not being taken seriously enough
• Importance of taking the law seriously in Christianity
• Concerns about new Christians with a rough background and how they will live according to the law
• Paul's answer: the old nature has been crucified with Jesus and the power of God through the Holy Spirit can change hearts
• Christianity is about freedom, not just an external moral code
• The speaker reads verses 1 and 13 from the passage, highlighting the theme of freedom in Christianity
• Freedom is defined as serving, loving, and being humble, not doing what one wants
• The only way to achieve true freedom is through the work of the Holy Spirit
• Definition of freedom
• Misunderstanding the concept of freedom
• Freedom from external control vs internal struggle
• True freedom vs selfish desires
• Consequences of misdefining freedom (anxiety, broken relationships, unhealthy habits)
• Anxiety and freedom from the old self
• Being rescued from enslaving habits through Jesus' work
• Paul's definition of freedom: serving one another humbly in love
• Serving others as an act of humility and love leads to becoming more human and fully alive
• Giving one's life away in service results in receiving it back enhanced
• The definition of freedom is to serve with humility and love others
• The Holy Spirit is necessary to change one's sinful nature
• Christians receive the Holy Spirit at the time of conversion
• The plan from the beginning was for nations to come to faith in Jesus and receive the power of the Holy Spirit
• The Holy Spirit enables believers to call God "Dad" and have an intimate relationship with Him
• The Holy Spirit is necessary for victory over one's sinful flesh and produces the fruit of love
• The importance of the Holy Spirit in believers' lives
• Jesus' defeat of death, sin, and Satan through resurrection life
• Paul's statement "walk by the Spirit" and its implications for living a Christian life
• The contrast between walking by the Spirit and gratifying fleshly desires
• The author's question to the church: do you truly believe in this passage?
• The importance of the Spirit in Reformed tradition
• Criticism from charismatic traditions about lack of emphasis on the Spirit in Reformed preaching
• Plans to preach more on spiritual gifts and power after Easter
• Exploring what it means to "walk in step with the Spirit"
• A story about whale watching used as an analogy for relationship with the Holy Spirit
• A group on a whale watching tour has an unexpected and memorable experience with a large whale breaching right beside their boat
• The whale's splash soaks those on the side of the boat with water and mucus, but others on the boat who are below deck or behind glass do not get affected in the same way
• A pastor relates this experience to a person's relationship with the Holy Spirit, using different areas of the boat as metaphors for varying levels of engagement with God's presence
• The pastor asks his congregation to reflect on whether they are "below deck", "behind glass", or "latched to the side railing" in terms of their relationship with the Holy Spirit.
• The speaker emphasizes the importance of surrender and letting go of control, citing Galatians 5:25-26 as a reference.
• Walking in step with the Spirit is described as surrendering one's ambitions, intentions, and desires to God's will.
• This surrender is a lifelong project that requires daily practice and loosening one's grip on life.
• Prayer is identified as the key that opens the work of the Spirit.
• Jesus' example in the Bible shows him retreating to prayer when faced with demands, needs, or difficult situations.
• The Spirit leads and empowers the church
• Prayer is the door to experiencing the life of the Spirit
• The gift of the Spirit is available to all believers at all times
• Jesus' ministry was empowered by prayer and the leading of the Spirit
• The power of the Spirit is available for resisting temptation and living a life of obedience, self-denial, and love
• The solution to division in the church and spiritual struggles is the power of the Spirit, accessed through prayer.
• God requires prayer and the Holy Spirit
• The door to the power of the Spirit is available to all through prayer
• A personal story about a retired pastor who asked about protecting marriage in ministry and praying for the infilling power of the Holy Spirit
• The importance of daily praying for the power of the Spirit
• Prayer as a means to seek God's guidance, transformation, and service to Him faithfully
• Feeling of not being safe with the Spirit
• Possibility that guilt or hunger is causing this feeling
• Request for prayer and worship before breaking bread
• Praying for the Holy Spirit to breathe life into the church and bring freedom from control
• Desire to be free to love others and serve in humility
• Prayer for a deep hunger for change and desire to let God lead the way
• Asking for the Holy Spirit to have its way in the church, marriages, families, and personal lives