Pack Up

In one paragraph

Pastor Mike opened the message by walking through the idea of packing the right things for where you are going, and he used that picture to ask what spiritual essentials our graduating seniors, and really all of us, need to carry. The heart of the sermon was the difference between what gets us into a right relationship with God and what flows out of that relationship once we are there. The two are...

Read together

1. Acts 17:28 opening verse read to lead into worship
2. John 14 Jesus saying his Father's house has many dwelling places and he goes to prepare a place
3. Matthew 4:4 Jesus saying we do not live by bread alone but by every word from the mouth of the Lord
4. Galatians 3:3 challenging the idea of trying to finish by human effort what was started by the Spirit
5. Ephesians 2:8-9 saved by grace through faith, not from yourselves, not by works so no one can boast
6. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 benediction stating Christ died for our sins, was buried, and raised on the third day

Talk about it

1. Michael talked about packing only the essentials and leaving behind what you don't need. When you think about your own spiritual life, what are some things you've been carrying that turned out to be non-essentials?
2. The criminal on the cross had no church attendance, no Bible reading, and no track record of good works. He simply acknowledged who Jesus was and asked to be remembered. What does that story stir up in you about how we tend to think about earning our place with God?
3. Michael drew a clear line between bag one, saved by grace through faith, and bag two, the life of following God. He said we sometimes let things from bag two sneak into bag one, making us feel like we can't approach God unless we've been good enough. Have you experienced that? What did it feel like?
4. Michael said, 'We are not Christians because we are perfect. We are Christians because we know where to turn when we mess up.' How does that land with you, and how does it change the way you think about your own failures or the failures of people around you?
5. He closed by saying that if bag two ever feels too heavy, put it down for a minute and just hold onto bag one. Is there an area of your Christian life right now that feels more like a burden than a gift? What would it look like to bring that back to the foundation of grace?