FOCUS Sermon Series -sc.com

 FOCUS Sermon SeriesWEEK 1: Focus on the GoodBig Idea: Much of what we choose to focus on is triggered by what we think about. As we begin this series, Paul talks about the importance of this concept. Our thoughts have the power either to drag us down to an emotional and spiritual valley of death, or to lift us high to a mountaintop. As a foundational rule, focusing on the negatives will make it very difficult for us to see the positives.THINK: Help the audience think about the things they are thinking about. We have to learn to be aware of our thought process on a daily basis. This is an important factor in a healthy walk with Christ, and even our view of God, that we often skip over. FEEL: The audience needs to feel the weight of their thoughts. Getting them to relate to, or think about, stories from their past and/or a time where thoughts played a significantly bad role. This exercise could help show the importance of being aware of their thoughts.DO: Help your congregation dive deeper into scripture. Based on Philippians 4:8, the things Paul wants us to be thinking about all come from scripture (give examples). This week is very foundational. If we are going to focus on the right things, we have to start with where our thoughts are right now.Prayer: “Father, I have been guilty on many occasions of simply not paying close enough attention to what kind of thoughts are taking up my brain space. Some of them are good, but often, I find myself thinking negative things toward myself, others, and sometimes even you. Would you forgive me for that as we begin this series, and would you allow me to rewire my thought processes? In Jesus’ name, Amen!”Main Scriptural Text: Philippians 4:8Supplemental Scriptural Texts: Ephesians 4:29; Psalm 1:2; Romans 12:2Introduction(Story idea - At the very beginning of your message, after a basic introduction of yourself, you can tell a story of a time when a teacher of yours from the past told either you or a classmate, rather forcefully, to “STAY FOCUSED.” This most likely caught you off guard a little bit, and it may have even gotten you to ask yourself, “Why is my teacher so mad that I lost focus?” In this instance, my teacher was leading the class’s discussion. He/she knew that the information I was being given was very important and, if I was not careful, I would miss something of significance. You see, he/she knew where my focus needed to be in THAT moment.)Today, we are beginning a brand new sermon series revolving around this same concept: FOCUS. It is a word and idea we hear in more places than just school, and it is something God desires from us each day. However, here is the truth we should all recognize: the world around us loves to be a thief when it comes to our focus. It is far too easy to scroll for hours on end through your favorite social media platform, and before you know it, you are late to a crucial meeting. You can be so focused on someone’s negativity that you lose sight of what’s positive in your life. You can be so focused on your past that you miss what God’s doing in your present, and what He’s leading you to in your future. Simply put, our focus has the potential to influence our faith. Over the next few weeks, we are going to allow God to influence our focus in a positive way. It may require some rewiring, but trust me when I say it will be worth it. Main TeachingAs we kick things off, please turn with me to Philippians 4:8. This is our main verse where we are going to be camping out today. In this verse, just for some context, Paul is writing. He is talking about the importance of what we THINK about, the thoughts that come in and out of our minds day to day. If you will allow Him, I believe God desires to show us how we can Focus on the Good. If you are taking notes today, that is the title of my message. Read Philippians 4:8In Philippians 4:8, here is what Paul says: “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.” Paul mentions a few different words in this single verse when telling us what to think about, all of which could be defined as GOOD! However, knowing what good thoughts are is one thing…putting them in our brain and choosing to focus on them is another. How do we do this consistently? I believe there is a 3-step process to thinking thoughts like the ones Paul mentions. The first step is simply to…1) Recognize the Wrong. (Illustration - Talk about when your parents began to teach you the difference between right and wrong. This may have been a long process, but now as an adult, you can easily define what is right and wrong in most situations, especially when it comes to using words.)Oftentimes when we are thinking, we are subconsciously having a dialogue with ourselves. Naturally, many of our thoughts revolve around us, some good and some bad. If we know how to point out something that is wrong in the world around us or in the conversations we are involved in, we also have to practice this with ourselves. If we want to see our negative thoughts emptied out of our minds, we have to be willing to focus on them when they come into our heads. You see, the Bible gives us categories, even in this one verse in Philippians, that show us what a positive thought looks like. The way we recognize the negative thoughts includes filtering them through these categories. Read Ephesians 4:29In Ephesians 4:29, Paul says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” I believe God’s desire is not just to use words to encourage others, but also to encourage us. The truth is, we will naturally place our focus on things that distract us.This is why social media has the potential to be such a large distraction, because it gives us a sense of peace from what we may be facing in the real world. If you have been searching for a sense of peace lately, the root issue may very well begin with what is coming in and out of your mind. If you want to get your peace back, maybe, just maybe, it has to start with recognizing what has stolen it in the first place! Therefore, once you have recognized the negative thoughts, you have to follow the second step, which is to…2) Rediscover the Replacement There are countless times in scripture where we get the sense Jesus does not just desire to take some things away from us, like sins or struggles in our life, but He intends to put something better in their place when He does. The same is true when it comes to our thought processes. God’s desire is not for us to be weighed down by our negative or unhealthy thoughts. Instead, He wants us to meditate on the positive things, mentioned by Paul in Philippians 4:8. How do we do this? Read Psalm 1:2The writer of Psalm 1 lays it out pretty clearly for us in verse 2. He says, “Delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night.” The law of the Lord is often interpreted as strictly the Ten Commandments listed in the Old Testament. However, I fully believe this verse applies to all of scripture. The good things listed by Paul in Philippians only come through knowing the Word of God. There are so many incredible stories and teachings in this book of the Bible that will influence the way we think day to day. Whatever we immerse ourselves in the most will eventually come out of us. This is why I firmly believe meditation leads to transformation. Paul actually talks about this concept elsewhere in the New Testament;Read Romans 12:2In Romans 12:2, he says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The replacement God wants to make for your negative thoughts are positive ones. However, the deciding factor in the equation is time spent meditating on God’s Word, allowing Him to transform you day by day.(Story - This is a great opportunity to tell a little bit about how you do this day to day. What are some methods you use to stay disciplined in your study of the Bible/time spent with God? Where do you go? Do you use a Bible plan?) Once I discovered knowing God’s Word was the key to finding the good things Paul talks about in Philippians, I was willing to do what it would take to get those things in my mind. However, this is not the end of the process. We, as humans, have a tendency to get comfortable in our progress and eventually take steps backwards. This leads us to the final step in the process…3) Accumulate Accountability If there is one thing I know about the Body of Christ, it is that we are not meant to do life all by ourselves. God has gifted us with brothers and sisters, which Paul talks about in Philippians, to hold us accountable in areas in which we are seeking to grow. How do we go about entering into an accountability relationship with someone close to us?(Story - Tell a story here about your best friend in school. This could be early in school, or even toward the end in college. Talk about details of your friendship that would keep the audience engaged and thinking about friendships in their lives too.)The truth is, we were best friends for many different reasons. However, there was one reason in particular that stood out to me as we got older and remained friends: he/she genuinely wanted to see me grow. There are many people in your life, whether you recognize them or not, who may say they want to see you grow, but do not actually do anything to help you take steps of growth. In fact, in some cases they even hold you back. A true friend is willing to do what it takes to help you find growth in a healthy way. Entering into accountability requires honesty. The reality of accountability is that you may not like what you hear sometimes. However, once you hear it, you can work to change it. In terms of emptying out negative thoughts from our minds, people close to you will be able to see what is in your head by what flows out of your mouth. Even your body language will show others what you are thinking about. If we are willing, those close to us can act as accountability for us. One of the greatest relational situations you can find yourself in is one where someone else is regularly checking in with you and asking how much time you have spent in God’s Word, how your prayer life is going, how church has been, ,etc... This challenges you to take steps of growth by forcing you to focus on and think about your relationship with Christ and His bride, the local church. Conclusion Focusing on the good things Paul speaks about requires a deep dive into the Bible. You will start to see the amazing things God desires for you when you allow Him to transform you step by step. You first have to recognize the wrong, negative thoughts coming in and going out of your mind. Once you do, you can start to allow God to replace them with something better. From there, accountability is key to maintaining any form of transformation. This coming week, schedule a regular time to read the Bible. Along with reading, take some time to journal and write down the specific negative thoughts you’ve had running through your mind. These could be thoughts about work, your significant others, your friends, your kids, God, the church, etc… The list goes on and on. And finally, commit to meeting with a close friend or mentor to discuss what you’re reading and learning. Pray with them. And ask them to help you identify any negativity or blind spots in your life. As I said in the beginning, this may require some rewiring, but trust me when I say it will be worth it.Let’s pray together. ................
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