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WEEKLY
FOCUS ARCHIVE
"Moses
Gets His Shine On"
(Notes
from Exodus 33 & 34)
March
9, 2005
Friends,
This
past Sunday we looked at a text in the Old Testament that is of particular
importance, I believe. Our goal as a Church and as a people of God is
to reflect the shining majesty of our Great God to an on-looking world.
We are called to have a transforming effect on our culture. It has been
suggested that if Christians lived lives more closely resembling the
life of the Christ they proclaim to follow then others would have an
easier time accepting Christianity. To the extent that this is true,
it is a sobering call for the people of God to spend more time before
the One they follow, hungering for a deeper knowledge of Him. Below
are some themes from our discussion Sunday and some key study points.
Take time this week to read these passages again, and set yourself before
God asking Him to make you a more Contagious Christian. Get your shine
on!
Developing Contagious Character
- Contagious character leads to a contagious life, which leads to
contagious relationships, which leads to contagious community, which
leads to contagious culture.
- Becoming a contagious Christian is about our being in proper, fully-devoted
relationship with God which in turn enables us to be in fully-committed
relationship with those around us.
- The depth of our knowledge "of" God is visible in our lifestyle.
- The spread of contagious living begins in the unseen world.
- Our God centered hunger, the desire and drive to allow Him to guide
and direct our every affection is what brings His favor.
The Contagious Character
of God
- Merciful
- Gacious
- Slow to anger
- Abounding in love
- Abounding in faithfulness
- Steadfast love
- Forgiving sin upon sin
God's Character
The other side of the coin
- He will hold the guilty to account
- The vice-grip of sin is strong, the effects continue and reach deep
into us and our families-Beware
Making Preparation to Shine
Toward Full-Devotion
- Luther, aware of the greatest commandment, went on to ask what
the greatest transgression was. R.C. Sproul, The Holiness of God,
"Then he asked himself, 'what is the greatest transgression?' Some
answer the question by saying the greatest sin is murder, adultery,
blasphemy, or unbelief. He concluded that if the greatest commandment
was to love God with all the heart, then the greatest transgression
was to fail to love God with all your heart. He saw a balance between
great obligations and great sins".
- Our love of God shines through in every way, but particularly
in our love for and our effect upon those around us…take a look
at your own life and influence in your home, the workplace, the
gym…
- Contagious Christianity begins in the heart and flows out into
our reaching those around us. "God make us a Contagious Church.
God we pray that you would bless us, keep us, and make your face
to SHINE upon us. Amen."
Bruce Smith (Rev.)
Director of Development, Teaching Pastor
bruce@uptownchurch.net
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