Supernatural – Part 2
January 9, 2022
Story Time
(Tim Grover)
Lesson # 1
The Christian Life is a Real Competition that Offers Real Rewards
We don’t compete against other people, but against spiritual forces.
We are in a competition between the forces of the flesh and the forces of the spirit.
The forces of the flesh are the demands of the body and mind.
The forces of the Spirit are God’s demands on the body and mind.
There are rewards for winning this battle.
Pleasing God is its’s own reward, but God promises us rewards in the life to come for faithful service under trial.
James 1:12
We can presume that James is alluding to sports here:
- Because of the culture
- Because of other comparable passages:
- 2 Timothy 4:8
- 1 Peter 5:4
- Revelation 2:10
- Because of Paul’s explicit sports analogies:
Lesson # 2
Get in the Triple Threat Position
James 1:19–20
The Christian Triple Threat:
- Quick to Hear
- Slow to Speak
- Slow to Anger
Benefits of the Christian Triple Threat:
Lesson # 3
Put Away the Junk
James 1:21
- Many Christians look at the word as if God’s commands are inherently judgmental, unrealistic and primarily reserved for preachers.
- We have this concept that preachers are “super holy” and people in the pew are just “regular Christians.”
- All Christians are special people called by God with extraordinary power from on High.
- Almost all the commands in the Bible address all Christians and not just pastors.
- When God gives us commands, He’s asking us to do something we can actually do.
Concluding Thoughts