OUTLINE FOR OPEN CELLS

(Week of 2 /21 – 2/27, 2010)

Icky World 8

"Revealing Transformation; Tapping Motivation"

Subject - The ultimate goal for the mystic Christian is transformation (inwardly) into the likeness of Christ, so that the works of Christ (outwardly) might be made known. Even from a scientific perspective, these goals not only express the heart of what motivates us as Christians, but hold keys for tapping what truly motivates much of mankind in the present generation. Is your light shining before men?

I. Christlikeness? What does Christ look like?

A. The fruit of the Spirit; the nature of the Son. (Gal. 5:22-23) Trust in and intimacy with God brings transformation. The true nature of God is expressed in mercy and benevolence. (generosity of spirit)

1. love/agape/affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love (1 Cor. 13 - defined)

2. joy/kha-ra'/gladness

3. peace/a-re'-ne/national tranquility, harmony, concord, exemption from the rage of war

4. longsuffering/ma-kro-thu-me'-a/patience, endurance, constancy, perseverance

5. kindness/khre-sto'-tes/moral goodness, integrity, kindness

6. goodness/a-ga-so-thu'-ne/uprightness of heart and life

7. faithfulness/pistis/conviction of the truth, fidelity, belief, trust

8. gentleness/pra-o'-tes/gentleness, mildness, meekness

9. self-control/en-kra'-te-a/of the one who masters his desires and passions

B. "You are generous because of your faith. And I am praying that you will really put your generosity to work, for in so doing you will come to an understanding of all the good things we can do for Christ." (Philemon 1:6 NLT) Are you generous because of your faith? Are you putting generosity to work?

1. generosity/readiness or liberality in giving, freedom from meanness or smallness of mind or character, largeness or fullness (We can live to grow rich or live to enrich!)

II. Synergy; when transformation kindles and multiplies motivation.

A. What is this generation looking for? What drives or motivates the developed and developing world? Author Daniel Pink points out in his book "Drive" that current culture is no longer moved by the "carrot     on a stick" approach to life. A postmodern generation is primarily moved by:

1. Autonomy - the desire to direct our own lives

2. Mastery - the desire to get better and better at something that matters

3. Purpose - the yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves

B. Can these three postmodern "drives" be reconciled in the context of a vibrant Christianity? Can we draw people into the vortex of what moves us by drawing upon what moves them?

C. (Heb. 4:12) "For the word of God is living and powerful . . . a discerner of the thoughts and intents (motives) of the heart." (What moves our hearts is tested constantly by the living Word.)

D. Does God's Word speak to:

1. Autonomy - Though guided by God's word and Spirit, our choices must be freely made.

(2 Cor. 3:17, Gal. 5:1) Freedom isn't freedom unless its freedom. Christianity is not simply trading one bondage for another, but trading bondage for liberty.

2. Mastery - (Daniel 5:12) yat-ter'/(Aramaic)/surpassing, extreme, extraordinary

3. Purpose - (1 Jn. 3:8, Rom. 8:28)

III. Begin within. Begin now. Begin in simplicity. The Kingdom is within you.

A. Now faith! (Heb. 11:1) Faith is not in horrid history, or future fiction. It is NOW!

B. Forgetting what lies behind, I press . . . (Phil. 3:13) . . . reaching for what lies ahead