Pastor Pete Hartwig

SLIDE:  Covered: Relationally

 

Umbrella Analogy.  In the rain… experiences.

 

Biblically Based, Relationally driven,  Spirit led

 

God’s “covering” of our lives.  protection, grace, blessing,

God’s rule, authority, and “Lordship” over us.

 

Covered!   Cloud.   In the Garden

 

SLIDE: God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.  Genesis 1:10

 

Day and Night, Sky for rain, land and seas.

 

FUNCTIONING FOR LIFE for PEOPLE

 

God says to man…

this is ALL yours! COVERING!

 

SLIDE:  God saw all that he had made and it was very good!   Genesis 1:31

 

 

Genesis 2 –  creation of Adam and Eve. PINNACLE

 

SLIDE:  Genesis 2:18 The Lord God said, “It is not good… for the man to be alone.” 

He had the perfect life!  Work, purpose, God…  

 

MEN, WE NOT complete ALONE!

 

Self-sufficient –  self deficient

 

“Though man was possessed of all the bliss of Paradise, one thing was still wanting. He was alone!”

 

GOD doesn’t say… I am enough for you!

 

SLIDE: God makes Eve… of the same kind yet very different!

 

God’s answer is…. WOMAN.

 

Different from yet compliments

 

Eve –  HELPER- used for GOD 16 of 19xs

 

The women is NOT inadequate she is ESSENTIAL!

 

ALONE is the problem… NOT UNMARRIED!

 

SLIDE: God’s answer for aloneness is not sameness. It is diversity.

 

I want someone like ME

 

God-given necessary differences! Compliment

 

These differences are a problem to us but to God they are the answers!­­­­­

 

SLIDE: Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.  Genesis 2:25

 

There is complete transparency between each other and God.

 

GENESIS 3. THE FALL

 

Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they knew that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. They hid from the Lord God among the trees in the garden.    Genesis 3:7-8

 

SLIDE: Guilt, Shame, Self Reliance, Hiding from God and one another

 

The first way to be shame-free is to be perfect;

the second way to be shame free is based on the perfect love of Jesus.

 

Perfect love casts out all fear…

 

I am looking to be covered

 

SLIDE: In Jesus and the church: ONE ANOTHER

 

The 59 “One Another(s)” of the New Testament*

 

INTENTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS BASED AROUND Jesus

 

20 Love – one another(s)!

 

SLIDE:  PUT FEET TO OUR FAITH

 

Russ and Emily.  LIFE GROUPS

 

Rus – Skeptical about joining a group at first, didn’t think it was necessary.  You already had enough friends and felt like you could play on the worship team, but didn’t need anything more than that.  Life Group with the Biglers brought an intentionality to relationships that really helped you grow spiritually

 

Emilie – Being in a group and supporting another family through a really difficult season prepared you for a similar season in your life together down the road.  If not for the experience walking with that other family through their struggle, you wouldn’t have been prepared for the very similar struggle you faced as a family.

 

Pete, whatever questions you could ask that might give Rus and Emilie a chance to share these insights would be great!

Please share those with Emilie sometime tomorrow so they can prepare their responses.

Looking forward to the extraordinary way God will speak through you all on Sunday.