Seven Signs of Life

Seven Signs of Life (7 of 7) by

Sermon Series: Seven Signs of Life
Sermon Title: Nutrition: A Diet That Makes a Difference
Scripture Reading: John 4:27-38; 6:35-40; Matthew 4:3-5; 5:6

In biology we learn that there are seven processes of life that identify all living organisms. We could also view these as “signposts” to a healthy living organism. Here at CMF, we're using these seven signs as a diagnostic tool for assessing individual spiritual health as a disciple, as well as the overall health of our church.

This series looks at the seven signs of life in the Kingdom of God.

  1. Movement: Prove You’re Not Dead
  2. Respiration: Breathing God’s Breath
  3. Sensitivity: Our Spiritual Awareness
  4. Growth: The Inevitable Result of Healthy Life
  5. Reproduction: Multiplying Life, Creating the Future
  6. Excretion: Getting Rid of the Junk
  7. Nutrition: A Diet That Makes a Difference

Nutrition is necessary for life. Without the right kind of nutrition, and a steady intake of food that is good for you, you will slowly die. There is no way around that. In the same way, a wholesome spiritual diet enables us as individuals, and as a vibrant church, to function as a healthy living organism—displaying all of the signs of life! For disciples of Jesus, there is only one main course. Christ himself is the bread of life and the well of living water.

In the final message of our series, pastor David shares how we can receive Christ through a regular routine of spiritual disciplines. Practicing these fundamentals of the faith places us on the path of obedience, and produces a life of fulfillment in the Kingdom.

Listen to David and view the slides here.

Seven Signs of Life (6 of 7) by

Sermon Series: Seven Signs of Life
Sermon Title: Excretion: Getting Rid of the Junk
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:17-31; Colossians 3:1-10; 2 Corinthians 7:1-4, 8-11

In biology we learn that there are seven processes of life that identify all living organisms. We could also view these as “signposts” to a healthy living organism. Here at CMF, we're using these seven signs as a diagnostic tool for assessing individual spiritual health as a disciple, as well as the overall health of our church.

This series looks at the seven signs of life in the Kingdom of God.

  1. Movement: Prove You’re Not Dead
  2. Respiration: Breathing God’s Breath
  3. Sensitivity: Our Spiritual Awareness
  4. Growth: The Inevitable Result of Healthy Life
  5. Reproduction: Multiplying Life, Creating the Future
  6. Excretion: Getting Rid of the Junk
  7. Nutrition: A Diet That Makes a Difference

Excretion is a natural part of a healthy living organism. When Jesus told us to “Repent and believe the Good News,” he was telling us to get rid of the junk, turn from our way, and make room for new life and growth in the Kingdom. Every heart builds up a collection of junk throughout the day that needs to be emptied through the process of repentance. If we do not get rid of these sins, they will work like toxins in our body, even resulting in spiritual death.

In the sixth message of our series, pastor David expounds on how excretion comes in the form of repentance and discipline. Getting rid of the junk in your life is good for you and our church as we continually pursue Christ as his disciples on mission for the Kingdom.  

Listen to David and view the slides here.

Seven Signs of Life (5 of 7) by

Sermon Series: Seven Signs of Life
Sermon Title: Reproduction: Multiplying Life, Creating the Future
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:11, 21-23; Matthew 7:16-17; John 15:1-8

In biology we learn that there are seven processes of life that identify all living organisms. We could also view these as “signposts” to a healthy living organism. Here at CMF, we're using these seven signs as a diagnostic tool for assessing individual spiritual health as a disciple, as well as the overall health of our church.

This series looks at the seven signs of life in the Kingdom of God.

  1. Movement: Prove You’re Not Dead
  2. Respiration: Breathing God’s Breath
  3. Sensitivity: Our Spiritual Awareness
  4. Growth: The Inevitable Result of Healthy Life
  5. Reproduction: Multiplying Life, Creating the Future
  6. Excretion: Getting Rid of the Junk
  7. Nutrition: A Diet That Makes a Difference

Reproduction is necessary for the propagation of life. Healthy organisms reproduce and multiply. God's first blessing pronounced on all living things is "Be fruitful and multiply." While all living thing grow, in God's view of creation, bigger is not always better. Multiplication is also built into God's design. All living things are characterized by their ability to bear fruit or re-produce themselves, otherwise their kind will be soon become extinct in only one generation.

In the fifth message of the series, Skip Tobin (US Ministries Director at VMM) will explore God's double blessing of multiplication and fruitfulness behind the important life sign of reproduction.  Stay tuned to the end and listen in on the congregational response time.

Listen to Skip and view the slides here.

Seven Signs of Life (4 of 7) by

Sermon Series: Seven Signs of Life
Sermon Title: Growth: The Inevitable Result of Healthy Life
Scripture Reading: John 15:1-8; Hebrews 6:1-3; 1 Corinthians 3:6-9; Colossians 2:6-7

In biology we learn that there are seven processes of life that identify all living organisms. We could also view these as “signposts” to a healthy living organism. Here at CMF, we're using these seven signs as a diagnostic tool for assessing individual spiritual health as a disciple, as well as the overall health of our church.

This series looks at the seven signs of life in the Kingdom of God.

  1. Movement: Prove You’re Not Dead
  2. Respiration: Breathing God’s Breath
  3. Sensitivity: Our Spiritual Awareness
  4. Growth: The Inevitable Result of Healthy Life
  5. Reproduction: Multiplying Life, Creating the Future
  6. Excretion: Getting Rid of the Junk
  7. Nutrition: A Diet That Makes a Difference

Growth is the natural process of living things. It is an expression of life. Are you growing? Is our church growing? Sometimes it is hard to tell. We don’t see growth every day. It comes through the natural rhythms of life. But growth must always be occurring in a living being.

When you stop growing, you die. It’s that simple. So, we also need to be aware of signs of decay and death as well. In the fourth message of our series, pastor David will address how God is the one who causes us to grow. Our part is to create a growing environment, both individually and corporately. Growth then happens as an inevitable result of healthy life.

Listen to David and view the slides here.

Seven Signs of Life (3 of 7) by

Sermon Series: Seven Signs of Life
Sermon Title: Sensitivity: Our Spiritual Awareness
Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:1-16; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Colossians 3:12-17

In biology we learn that there are seven processes of life that identify all living organisms. We could also view these as “signposts” to a healthy living organism. Here at CMF, we're using these seven signs as a diagnostic tool for assessing individual spiritual health as a disciple, as well as the overall health of our church.

This series looks at the seven signs of life in the Kingdom of God.

  1. Movement: Prove You’re Not Dead
  2. Respiration: Breathing God’s Breath
  3. Sensitivity: Our Spiritual Awareness
  4. Growth: The Inevitable Result of Healthy Life
  5. Reproduction: Multiplying Life, Creating the Future
  6. Excretion: Getting Rid of the Junk
  7. Nutrition: A Diet That Makes a Difference

Sensitivity is vitally important to the life of any Christian community. There is sensitivity to sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste and these are reflected through the five-fold gifts that Paul mentions in Ephesians 4---apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. 

A healthy living community needs disciples who are sensitive in each area of human need and equipped to lovingly minister to those inside and outside the church.

In the third message of our series, pastor David addresses how the Spirit has given specific gifts to the Body of Christ that are intended to edify us and create a spiritual awareness that leads to healthy growth. How is your personal spiritual awareness? Are you using your gifts in the church?

Listen to David and view the slides here.

Seven Signs of Life (2 of 7) by

Sermon Series: Seven Signs of Life
Sermon Title: Breathing God's Breath
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1:1-2; 2:7; Ezekiel 37:1-6; John 20:19-22

In biology we learn that there are seven processes of life that identify all living organisms. We could also view these as “signposts” to a healthy living organism. Here at CMF, we're using these seven signs as a diagnostic tool for assessing individual spiritual health as a disciple, as well as the overall health of our church.

This series looks at the seven signs of life in the Kingdom of God.

  1. Movement: Prove You’re Not Dead
  2. Respiration: Breathing God’s Breath
  3. Sensitivity: Our Spiritual Awareness
  4. Growth: The Inevitable Result of Healthy Life
  5. Reproduction: Multiplying Life, Creating the Future
  6. Excretion: Getting Rid of the Junk
  7. Nutrition: A Diet That Makes a Difference

Respiration is not synonymous with breathing. Every cell in your body has a powerhouse called the mitochondrion that releases energy. This is respiration.

This process happens by oxygen entering our body through breathing. So breathing is necessary for respiration, and the respiration process is essential for energy to be released toward healthy functioning of the body. A living organism doesn’t make energy, it only releases it! This is what God does through the power of his Holy Spirit in our lives and our church.

In this message, pastor David reveals how we receive the “breath of God” through prayer and he fills us with the Spirit—releasing energy for growing up into Christ and for being a church on passionate mission for the sake of the good news! This is how we are to be breathing God’s breath.

Listen to David and view the slides here.