Counter Culture
“Being God-Centered in
a Self-Centered Culture”
Sermon #30
May 22, 2016
What is the center of our lives?
Our center changes ______
- How we think about ourselves
- What we believe our purpose is
- How we relate to the world around us
Common Cultural Beliefs:
- Life is ______-______.
- We hold the central position in our lives.
- We have ultimate authority and priority.
- Our ______is to protect and fulfill our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
- Everything should ______around us and serve our purpose
> If something doesn’t do that, we change it or get rid of it
The Christian counter-culture:
1) ______our self-centered beliefs.
2) ______us to a God-centered life.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (pg. 952)
Consider who we are apart from Christ (vs. 26):
1) We are ______
2) We are ______
3) We are ______
· That’s unsettling because it strips us of our cultural concept of self-worth:
- We believe self-worth is ______based on who we are and what we do.
The Bible says: God created us in His ______. (Genesis 1:27)
What’s the worth of an image?
- The worth of an image is derived from what it is an image of.
- We ______our worth based on who God is and what He does.
What’s the purpose of an image?
- to ______in what it is an image of.
vs.30
• Boast = to draw attention to the worth of something
- ______boasts.
- It’s not a matter of if we boast, but what we boast in.
- As images of God, our purpose is to boast in ______.
Why live a God-centered life? (II Corinthians 5:14-15)
- The ______of Christ
Five Ways Jesus Loves Us (I Corinthians 1:27-28, 30):
1) He ______us.
2) He became ______from God.
3) He became our ______.
4) He ______us.
5) He became our ______.
Take Away Questions & Reflections:
1) In what ways is your life self-centered?
2) What would it be like to be God-centered in those areas of your life?
3) What can you boast in God about?
4) Try boasting in God using the same ways you may boast in other things.
5) Take time this week to reflect on the love of Christ.
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