series art

A Different Way to Celebrate

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:15-20 NLT

As a Christian, I need to think about how God wants me to celebrate

So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Ephesians 5:15-16 NLT

Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Ephesians 5:17 NLT

Four great questions to ask when you are ready to celebrate:

As a Christian, I need to find ways to celebrate that don’t ruin my life

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Ephesians 5:18a NLT

Stop numbing your pain and start dealing with it. Addiction is never the problem it was just the wrong solution.

As a Christian, I need to learn to party with the Spirit of God

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20 NLT

The Holy Spirit can give me

A better attitude toward life…

Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Ephesians 4:23 NLT

New strength for my struggles…

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Ephesians 3:16 NLT

More power in my prayers…

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 NLT

How do I get the Holy Spirit in my life?

Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. Ephesians 2:18 NLT

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Ephesians 4:30a NLT

My Notes

Personal Reflection Guide

Take a few minutes to slow down, releasing to God any burdens from your day. As you practice this, invite God into this time, asking Him to help you take an honest assessment of your life right now. As you look over your patterns, your habits, the highs and the lows, is there any pain in your life that you are running from or trying to bury, rather than enter into? Ask God to show you what you are afraid of as you consider this process. As you do, examine if there is any sin in your life that needs to be dealt with. Often this sin comes as a result of trying to numb our pain; but God wants to minister directly to you in and through your pain. The practice of bringing our pain before God, even though it hurts, provides an incredible invitation for God to meet us right where we are. Practice inviting God in, right now, and ask Him to hold you in your pain and in His presence. Ask Him to reveal Himself and all of His tenderness, as He sees you, knows you, and loves you. Sit in God’s presence for as much time as you have, focusing on how you feel as you are with God. Thank Him for His incredible love for you, and ask Him for more of His presence this week. As your pain resurfaces throughout this week, and as your desire to repeat sinful patterns comes up, use these as invitations to invite God’s healing into your pain. Close your time by admitting that you are frail and that you need His presence throughout your week.

Discussion Questions

  1. PERSONAL REFLECTION: Begin group time by completing the Personal Reflection Guide, (link found on the top of sermon notes). Use this time to examine any pain you might be burying, and to practice bringing that pain before our loving God. (Tip: playing some soft background music is helpful here!)
  2. REAL WITH SELF: What does celebrating (or “letting loose”) look like and mean to you? When you reflect back on the past year, what in your life is celebration-worthy?
  3. REAL WITH SELF: Many of our problems stem from unresolved pain in our lives. As you consider your own life, in what way do you find yourself numbing the pain that hasn’t been fully dealt with? What’s your “go to” for dealing with your suffering?
  4. REAL WITH GOD: God wants to give us freedom from our pain, from our addictions, and from our “escape routes”. He does this through His Holy Spirit, who gives us a better attitude toward life, new strength for our struggles, and more power in our prayers. Where have you seen God work through your pain, using it as an invitation to experience more of His power?
  5. REAL WITH OTHERS: We worship a relational God. Relationship is all about love, and love is all about intimacy; to have intimacy we have to have honesty. Is there any wrong you need to correct, any sin you need to confess, any pain you’ve caused another that needs to be brought out into the light? What good could result from that honesty and/or confession?
  6. TAKE ACTION: Who in your life is experiencing the pain that comes from being unseen, overlooked, or uninvited? How can you be an instrument of God’s love by showing someone that they are seen, known, and loved this week?