The Compass

A Daily Personal Reflection & Small Group Discussion Guide

by John Hay, Jr.
Senior Pastor, West Morris Street Free Methodist Church

Series: "One More Soul" Series
Week's focus: "Somewhere on the Journey"
Scriptures: Ephesians 3:14-19; 4:13
Week of: October 9, 2005

TRACKING THE WORD IN WORSHIP
Find your bearing on the spiritual terrain--and press on!

These are notes from Exploring the Word in Morning Worship; message points are CAPITALIZED.

1. Our journeys have an ETERNAL trajectory. Ephesians 4:13

2. God is actively INTERVENING in our lives-even before we acknowledge our condition or need of GRACE. Ephesians 3:16-17A

3.Our relationship of sin and separation is INTERRUPTED by SAVING grace. Ephesians 2:1-10

4. Our crises of control, powerlessness, and guidance are RESOLVED in SANCTIFYING grace. Ephesians 3:17-19; 4:13

GUIDED STUDY / JOURNALING / DISCUSSION
For daily personal devotions or small group discussion

1. One of the values of a map is to locate where you are, where you want to go, and figure out the best way to get to where you want to go. What are some tools, relationships, and/or resources that can help you locate yourself on the spiritual map? What makes these sources reliable and trustable to you? What resources do you NOT place confidence in? Why? Discuss or journal your responses.

2. Read Ephesians 2:1-10. In verse 1-4, how does Paul describe life before we encounter Jesus Christ? In what ways does this describe your "B.C." life? Discuss or journal your responses. In verses 5-10, Paul describes the beginnings of our new life in Christ. What makes new life in Christ possible? Journal or discuss your responses. Spend some time expressing gratitude to God for the change he brings in our lives.

3. Read Ephesians 3:14-19. In this prayer, Paul shares his desire for all believers to grow beyond being "infants in Christ." List some of the ways he describes a growing Christian in these verses (example: "strengthened with power"). What is the ultimate growth point or trajectory for believers, according to verse 19? Where are you in the process? Journal or discuss your responses.

4. Identify your "location" in this spiritual growth diagram. Ask God for insight, wisdom, grace, and courage to take the next step in your journey to eternity.
A = The Pull of God - pre-Christian, the "God-shaped vacuum in us," prevenient grace, awakening, conviction for sin, problem recognition.
B = The New Beginning - repentance & faith in Christ, born again, baptized into Christ, saved, regenerated, alive in Christ, adopted, justification, initial sanctification.
C = Deepening Awareness - babe in Christ, emerging growth, struggling with growth, "three steps forward, two steps back," "the carnal Christian," hungering for righteousness.
D = Complete Commitment - consecration, entire sanctification, cleansing love, perfect love, fullness of the Spirit, the deeper walk.
E = A Lifestyle of Growth - growing in grace, maturing in faith, loving service, stewardship, meeting crises with overcoming faith, glory to glory
F = Final Graduation - heaven, glorification, eternal rest, perfect sanctification.

MARKINGS LEFT BY PREVIOUS TRAVELERS
Selected on growing in grace

WE ARE FAITH EXPLORERS. "Jesus is our faith. We are not travel agents handing out brochures to places we have never visited. We are faith-explorers of a country without borders, one we discover little by little not to be a place but a person. Our faith includes beliefs, but it also transcends them, for the reality of Jesus Christ never can be found within doctrinal formulations." -- Brennan Manning in The Signature of Jesus

RESPONSES & OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE
Want to explore The Compass with others? Have questions?

If you'd like to connect with others who are working weekly with The Compass, e-mail me or call the church office (317.632.8311)

If you have questions about Scriptures or some of the questions, or just want to share what your are discovering through The Compass, you are welcome to e-mail me.

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