How do Lifegroups Really Produce Growth? (added wilsons)

Classes grow in various ways but all for the same end purpose and that is for God’s glory. What is it that holds us true to this purpose as a group?

Matthew 5:14-16 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 " Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lamp stand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Glorifying God is achieved as others see our “light shine” to others. What does this mean? These verses also say that the thing that others will see, the light, is defined as being this thing called “good works.” If we do (good works) that are done in a way so that the light shines and others see the good works, then God is glorified.

This raises the question of “what is good works?” Paul tells us in Titus 2:14,” who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” We see from this verse that God saved us as His and for good deeds, and as a result to His glory. Since God’s desire is for us to glorify Him, and this is achieved when we do good deeds, then it would be expected to read something like Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” We are created for good works.

This does not mean that everything I do that appears to be good glorifies God. It must be done with the right attitude and motivation. What is the right attitude and motivation? We find the answer to this in 1 Peter 4:10-11, “as each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

God is only glorified as we do good deeds that are depending not on our strength to do them, but on God’s strength. When we work deeds that are dependent, joyfully, on God’s strength it results in God being glorified. How does this happen? It can happen in anything if we are people of faith. People who have been transformed by His word in every aspect of their lives understand their dependence on God. For God to be truly glorified in my life, I must trust Him, because the only other choice is to trust in myself and in others.

How is this best illustrated? I think in the way we impact other people, especially salvation. We cannot save anyone, only God can do that, but we are his instruments to deliver to people the truth of salvation. So this work is only something we do in His strength and He is greatly glorified as others see our dependence on Him. If our desire is that in everything I do others will not see me but God, then God will be glorified in everything I do. How do I become a person with that mindset? This only happens by His grace and mercy to give me the right perspective of His greatness and my dependence on Him. It starts at the moment I am saved, but I continue to become a new person who daily understands that it is not about me but Him. Let us continue to demonstrate lives that are to His glory.