Beyond Happiness: Embracing True Discipleship and Servanthood
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, Cove Church! Today, we have so much to celebrate, from Father's Day and Juneteenth to our students at Vertical Element and the exciting news about our West Rowan campus moving to Salisbury. As we continue our series "Tell Me Lies," we tackle the pervasive lie that life is all about our happiness. We often think that more money, less stress, or reaching the next stage in life will make us happy. However, Jesus teaches us that the ultimate goal of life is not happiness but something far greater.
In Matthew 16, Jesus tells His disciples that He will be killed in Jerusalem. Peter, trying to protect Jesus, rebukes Him, but Jesus responds harshly, calling Peter "Satan" because Peter's mind is set on earthly things rather than God's plan. Jesus emphasizes that true discipleship involves denying oneself, taking up one's cross, and following Him. This means prioritizing eternal life over temporary happiness.
Jesus was not a miserable person; He enjoyed life, relationships, and His ministry. However, He always chose obedience to God over personal comfort. This is a lesson for us: we are citizens of heaven, and our souls crave something more than earthly happiness. We are called to serve others, even when it’s not easy or rewarding in the short term. Jesus exemplified this by serving others and ultimately sacrificing His life for our salvation.
In Matthew 20, Jesus teaches that greatness in the kingdom of heaven is measured by servanthood. The greatest among us will be those who serve others selflessly. This is a call to invest in eternal treasures by serving in our church, families, and communities. Serving is an act of faith, showing that we believe in something greater than this life.
As we strive to be citizens of heaven, let us commit to serving others without seeking recognition or reward. Let us follow Jesus' example, who served and sacrificed for the sake of God's kingdom.
### Key Takeaways
1. True Discipleship Requires Self-Denial: Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This means prioritizing God's eternal plan over our temporary happiness. Our focus should be on eternal life rather than earthly pleasures. [34:01]
2. Happiness is Not the Ultimate Goal: While happiness is a good thing, it is not the ultimate goal of life. Jesus enjoyed His life but always chose obedience to God over personal comfort. We should seek to be citizens of heaven, focusing on eternal joy rather than temporary happiness. [36:55]
3. Servanthood is the Path to Greatness: In the kingdom of heaven, greatness is measured by servanthood. Jesus teaches that the greatest among us will be those who serve others selflessly. This is a call to invest in eternal treasures by serving in our church, families, and communities. [51:55]
4. Invest in Eternal Treasures: Serving others is an act of faith, showing that we believe in something greater than this life. By sacrificing our time and resources to serve others, we are storing up treasures in heaven. This investment will have eternal rewards. [54:43]
5. Be a Servant in All Areas of Life: We are called to be servants in our homes, workplaces, and communities. This means putting the needs of others first, even when it is not easy or rewarding in the short term. By doing so, we follow Jesus' example and fulfill our calling as citizens of heaven. [59:05]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[24:16] - Celebrating Together
[24:42] - Father's Day and Juneteenth
[25:13] - Vertical Element and Student Ministry
[25:48] - West Rowan Campus Announcement
[26:55] - Movies at the Cove
[27:28] - The Pursuit of Happiness
[31:12] - Jesus Predicts His Death
[34:01] - Peter's Rebuke and Jesus' Response
[35:33] - The Cost of Discipleship
[36:55] - Jesus' Joyful Life
[38:25] - The Video Game Analogy
[42:16] - The Futility of Earthly Happiness
[43:46] - Satan's Temptation and Jesus' Response
[45:10] - Living as Citizens of Heaven
[47:59] - The Greatest in the Kingdom
[51:55] - Servanthood and Eternal Rewards
[54:43] - Investing in Eternal Treasures
[59:05] - Be a Servant in All Areas
[01:00:31] - Give, Serve, and Pray Without Expectation
[01:03:20] - The Challenge of True Discipleship
[01:07:16] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Matthew 16:21-26 - Jesus Predicts His Death and Teaches on Discipleship
2. Matthew 20:25-28 - Jesus Teaches on Servanthood
3. Matthew 4:8-10 - Satan Tempts Jesus with Earthly Kingdoms
### Observation Questions
1. What did Jesus predict would happen to Him in Jerusalem according to Matthew 16:21? How did Peter respond, and what was Jesus' reaction? [31:12]
2. In Matthew 16:24, what three actions does Jesus say are required to follow Him? [34:01]
3. According to Matthew 20:26-28, how does Jesus define greatness in the kingdom of heaven? [50:24]
4. What did Satan offer Jesus in Matthew 4:8-10, and how did Jesus respond? [43:46]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus was so harsh with Peter when he tried to protect Him from going to Jerusalem? What does this reveal about Jesus' priorities? [34:01]
2. How does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 16:24-26 challenge the common pursuit of happiness in our culture? [35:33]
3. What does it mean to be a "citizen of heaven" as described in the sermon? How does this identity affect our daily lives? [45:10]
4. How does Jesus' response to Satan's temptation in Matthew 4:8-10 illustrate the importance of worshiping and serving God alone? [43:46]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you prioritized your own happiness over obedience to God. How did that decision impact your spiritual life? [35:33]
2. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross. What is one specific area in your life where you can practice self-denial this week? [34:01]
3. Serving others is a key theme in the sermon. Identify one person or group in your community that you can serve selflessly this week. How will you do it? [50:24]
4. The sermon mentioned that true joy comes from obedience to God rather than earthly happiness. What steps can you take to align your daily actions with God's eternal plan? [36:55]
5. Think about the concept of investing in eternal treasures. What is one practical way you can invest your time or resources in something that has eternal value? [54:43]
6. Jesus taught that the greatest in the kingdom of heaven are those who serve. How can you cultivate a servant's heart in your workplace or school? [51:55]
7. The sermon emphasized the importance of serving without seeking recognition. Share an experience where you served someone without expecting anything in return. How did it affect you? [59:05]
Devotional
Day 1: True Discipleship Requires Self-Denial
True discipleship involves a radical shift in priorities. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This means that our focus should be on God's eternal plan rather than our temporary happiness. In Matthew 16, Jesus rebukes Peter for setting his mind on earthly things rather than God's plan. Jesus emphasizes that true discipleship is about self-denial and prioritizing eternal life over earthly pleasures. This is a challenging call, but it is essential for those who want to follow Jesus authentically. [34:01]
Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV): "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'"
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find it difficult to deny yourself and follow Jesus? How can you take a step today to prioritize God's eternal plan over your temporary desires?
Day 2: Happiness is Not the Ultimate Goal
While happiness is a good thing, it is not the ultimate goal of life. Jesus enjoyed His life, relationships, and ministry, but He always chose obedience to God over personal comfort. As citizens of heaven, we are called to focus on eternal joy rather than temporary happiness. This means that our ultimate goal should be to live in obedience to God and seek His kingdom first. By doing so, we will find a deeper, more lasting joy that transcends our earthly circumstances. [36:55]
Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."
Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself seeking temporary happiness over eternal joy? How can you shift your focus to seek the things that are above today?
Day 3: Servanthood is the Path to Greatness
In the kingdom of heaven, greatness is measured by servanthood. Jesus teaches that the greatest among us will be those who serve others selflessly. This is a call to invest in eternal treasures by serving in our church, families, and communities. Serving others is an act of faith, showing that we believe in something greater than this life. By putting the needs of others first, we follow Jesus' example and fulfill our calling as citizens of heaven. [51:55]
Matthew 20:26-28 (ESV): "It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Reflection: Think of one person in your life whom you can serve selflessly today. What specific action can you take to put their needs before your own?
Day 4: Invest in Eternal Treasures
Serving others is an act of faith, showing that we believe in something greater than this life. By sacrificing our time and resources to serve others, we are storing up treasures in heaven. This investment will have eternal rewards. Jesus calls us to focus on eternal treasures rather than earthly possessions. By doing so, we demonstrate our trust in God's provision and our commitment to His kingdom. [54:43]
Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Reflection: What is one way you can invest in eternal treasures today? Consider how you can use your time, talents, or resources to serve others and advance God's kingdom.
Day 5: Be a Servant in All Areas of Life
We are called to be servants in our homes, workplaces, and communities. This means putting the needs of others first, even when it is not easy or rewarding in the short term. By doing so, we follow Jesus' example and fulfill our calling as citizens of heaven. Serving others in all areas of life is a practical way to live out our faith and demonstrate the love of Christ to those around us. [59:05]
Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."
Reflection: Identify one area of your life where you struggle to serve others selflessly. What practical steps can you take today to put the needs of others first in that area?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "If there was one thing you could change in your life to make you happier, what would it be? It's not rhetorical, seriously. I want you to think to yourself, what's the one thing that if this would change in my life, then I would be just happier. We're obsessed with this idea of how do we find happiness? How do I make my life better? How can I just be happier every day when I wake up in the morning and when I go to bed at night?" [27:28] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "What good is it going to do to gain all the happiness that this world can offer you and lose your soul? It's going to mean nothing. Think about this church, all those things that we thought, you know, if only I could have this, if only I could have this, if only I could have this, if only I could have this one or two things different in my life, then my life would be better. Then I'd be happy." [41:00] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Happiness doesn't feed your soul. The thing you're looking for is not another high here on earth. There are some things this world can't offer you. You are a citizen of heaven. What I mean by that is you were created for heaven. You were created to be in relationship with God. And there are some things that, that this world can't offer that nourishment, can't feed your soul." [42:16] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You want the thing that feeds your soul? It's this. It's obedience to God, walking with God, being a citizen of heaven. I want to remind you today, you are a citizen of heaven. That's what you were designed for. Even if today you're here and you're going, I don't believe this yet. That's cool. You're still designed for it. You're a citizen of heaven. You can't find this happiness here on earth. It's not lasting." [46:35] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is going to be unknown people that were servants, that were just faithful to serve. It makes me so excited for what that's going to look like. Those that didn't get payment here on earth, those that didn't get their benefits now, we got some amazing servants here at this church. Can we celebrate those who serve so faithfully at this church?" [54:43] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. He's talking about there's, there's two lives here. There's the life, here on earth. And then there's the eternal life. And if all you want to live for is this life here on earth, you're going to lose the eternal one." [35:33] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "You are not setting your mind on things of God, but on things of man. You're more focused on, you know, this moment of pleasure or peace, worldly happiness, if you will, than on the bigger picture that God has in store for us. And so this is deeply offensive to Jesus. He says, you know, Peter's just sitting there going, hey man, the good times are going to keep rolling. The last three years have been great. We're going to, we're going to, don't worry, we're going to work it out. We can still have more good times ahead." [34:01] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You want to be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? You want to have that position of importance in the kingdom of heaven? You want to be ranking high in the hierarchy in heaven one day? It's going to be the greatest servants. Again, we don't exactly know how it's going to look, but I do love to think about this. This makes me really excited to think about one day we're going to get to heaven, and we don't know how it's all set up." [51:55] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Serving, giving, it shows an investment that I believe there's something beyond this. There's something bigger than this. And this investment is not only going to help the person or people I'm investing in, but God even says it's going to benefit me, that you're storing up treasures in heaven by sacrificing things of this world that aren't going to last forever to build up treasures in heaven." [54:43] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "Church, I want to encourage you, the things that are the most fulfilling, the things that are the most valuable, it's when we're just obedient to be a servant, no matter what that means, even if we don't get credit, even if nothing else. Church, I want to encourage you, be a servant in everything that you do. Jesus had this teaching over and over and over again." [01:03:20] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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