Sermon Outline

Self-Awareness
Mature - Part 2

October 12, 2025

Last Sunday and Revival:

• Ask those who got baptized last Sunday to stand
• More baptisms today!
• What’s next for this revival:
  • Tend the fire
  • Pour gasoline on it
    • The Word of God
    • Worship
    • Prayer (Pray First - Thursdays, 6:30pm)
    • Evangelism
    • Men!
      • Last Monday
      • Tomorrow, 6am!
  • God’s not done!

Recap Mature Part 1:

A sustained revival will require spiritual maturity.

You’re only young once but you can be immature for a lifetime!

Being a Christian for 20 years ≠ 20 years of Christian maturity.

³⁷Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart (emotionally), all your soul (spiritually), and all your mind (mentally).’ ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor (relationally) as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 (NLT)

(A powerful example of Jesus calling out false spiritual maturity…)

²³So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, ²⁴leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” Matthew 5:23-24 (NLT)

Relational maturity IS spiritual maturity. A lack of relational maturity demonstrates a lack of spiritual maturity.

God wants you to be mature, not just spiritually, but emotionally, mentally, and relationally too.

Foundational Aspect of Maturity: Self-awareness

Declan, 3 years old, falls out of chair

• My lack of self-awareness was destructive
• My gain of self-awareness was redemptive

Maturity requires self-awareness.

⁴¹And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? ⁴²How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Luke 6:41-42 (NLT)

Self-awareness before God is one of the first steps toward true spiritual maturity.

Biblical self-awareness is honestly recognizing your thoughts, emotions, motives, patterns, and blind spots in the light of God’s truth and love.

A Theology of Emotions:

• God designed emotions as part of His good creation (Gen 1:31; Ex 34:6; Zeph 3:17).
• Emotions are indicators, not ultimate authorities (Prov 4:23; Jer 17:9; Luke 6:45).
• Jesus models a healthy emotional life (John 11:35; Luke 10:21; Mark 3:5; Matt 26:37-38).
• The Holy Spirit transforms our emotions (Gal 5:22-23; Rom 12:15; Eph 4:15).

Self-Awareness Diagnostic Qs

• Q1: Do you ever avoid being alone or quiet because you don’t want to face what’s going on inside?
• Q2: Do you get defensive when your blind spots are pointed out?
• Q3: Do you know your triggers (emotions and temptations) and how to handle them?
• Q4: Can you see patterns you picked up from your family growing up (good or bad) that still shape how you live today?

Self-Awareness Consequences/Benefits

• Without it: You get stuck spiritually, repeating the same patterns and looking busy but staying hollow on the inside.
• With it: You grow closer to God, bringing your real self to Him and experiencing deeper intimacy and transformation with His love and grace.
• Without it: Your relationships suffer. Blind spots make you defensive, overreactive, and hard to trust.
• With it: Your relationships get healthier because you recognize your moods, triggers, and patterns and build trust with those closest to you.
• Without it: You live someone else’s life, chasing expectations instead of your God-given calling.
• With it: You live out your true identity, free from chasing approval or achievements, resting in who God says you are.

Growing in Self-Awareness

1. Ask God to Search You

• Invite the Holy Spirit to reveal

²³Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)

• Anchor your identity in Christ

2. Slow Down to Listen to What’s Going On Inside

• Create time and space to be still (Psalm 46:10)
• Reflect/journal/name emotions

3. Listen to What Others Say

• Ask “What’s it like being on the other side of me?” without defending yourself.
• Invite wisdom and accountability (Prov 27:6)

Jesus has a new identity for you!

“Then Andrew brought Simon to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, ‘Your name is Simon, son of John—but you will be called Cephas’ (which means ‘Peter’).” John 1:42 (NLT)

• Simon Before Jesus - Impulsive, fearful, inconsistent, unreliable
• Peter After Jesus - Courageous, steadfast, consistent, powerful, faithful
• Honest self-awareness before God is one of the first steps toward true spiritual maturity and becoming who He created you to be.

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