Embracing Christ: The Treasure of True Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Wholehearted Reception of Christ

Faith is a complete reception of Christ as He is offered in the gospel, not a selective acceptance of certain parts. It involves embracing all that God is for us in Christ, resting upon this truth as a gift. Faith is not merely an intellectual assent but a deep, heartfelt reception of the good news, leading us to rest in the promises and the person of Christ. This means embracing all that God is for us in Christ, as a gift, and resting upon this truth. [05:31]

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16, ESV)

Reflection: What are some aspects of the gospel that you find challenging to fully embrace? How can you open your heart to receive Christ in His entirety today?

Day 2: Treasuring the Sacrifice and Grace of Christ

Receiving Christ means acknowledging His sacrifice, grace, and the freedom He grants us. Faith treasures these truths, recognizing them as precious gifts that transform our lives. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that faith is about seeing Christ as a treasure, a surpassing worth that outshines all else. This treasure is not just a concept but a reality that transforms our lives, leading us to count all else as loss in comparison to the knowledge of Christ. [06:51]

"But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Philippians 3:7-8, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively treasure the grace and freedom Christ offers you today? How can this perspective transform your daily interactions and decisions?

Day 3: Jars of Clay: Our Frailty and God's Glory

The metaphor of "jars of clay" illustrates our frailty and the treasure we carry—the knowledge of God's glory. This highlights that the power and worth belong to God, not us. Our faith, therefore, is a treasuring faith, one that values Christ above all and receives Him as our righteousness. This faith is not passive; it actively treasures and rests in the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord. [09:02]

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians 4:7, ESV)

Reflection: How can acknowledging your own frailty help you rely more on God's power and glory? What steps can you take to let God's strength shine through your weaknesses today?

Day 4: Active Treasuring Faith

Saving faith is a treasuring faith, valuing Christ above all and receiving Him as our righteousness. It is not passive but actively treasures and rests in the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. This faith is vibrant and embraces Christ as our supreme treasure. Through this faith, we are justified, not by works, but by receiving Christ as our treasured Savior and Lord. [10:44]

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

Reflection: What are some practical ways you can actively treasure Christ in your daily life? How can you ensure that your faith remains vibrant and not passive?

Day 5: Embracing Christ as Supreme Treasure

Faith is not indifferent or bored; it is vibrant and embraces Christ as our supreme treasure. It is through this faith that we are justified, not by our works, but by receiving Christ as our treasured Savior and Lord. This vibrant faith leads us to rest in the promises and the person of Christ, transforming our lives and perspectives. [12:06]

"Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you." (Psalm 73:25, ESV)

Reflection: What earthly desires or distractions might be hindering you from fully embracing Christ as your supreme treasure? How can you refocus your heart and mind on Him today?

Sermon Summary

In today's reflection, we explored the profound nature of faith and its role in receiving Christ as our supreme treasure. Faith is not a selective acceptance of certain parts of the gospel; rather, it is a wholehearted reception of Christ as He is offered to us in the entirety of the gospel. This means embracing all that God is for us in Christ, as a gift, and resting upon this truth. Faith is not merely an intellectual assent but a deep, heartfelt reception of the good news, leading us to rest in the promises and the person of Christ.

We delved into the various aspects of what it means to receive Christ. This includes acknowledging His sacrifice for our sins, the grace He bestows upon us, and the freedom He grants us from the powers of this age. Faith hears these truths and treasures them, recognizing them as precious gifts. The Apostle Paul, in his letters, emphasizes that faith is about seeing Christ as a treasure, a surpassing worth that outshines all else. This treasure is not just a concept but a reality that transforms our lives, leading us to count all else as loss in comparison to the knowledge of Christ.

The metaphor of "jars of clay" was used to illustrate how we, in our frailty, carry the treasure of the knowledge of God's glory. This highlights that the power and worth belong to God, not us. Our faith, therefore, is a treasuring faith, one that values Christ above all and receives Him as our righteousness. This faith is not passive; it actively treasures and rests in the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord.

In conclusion, saving faith is not indifferent or bored; it is a vibrant, treasuring faith that embraces Christ as our supreme treasure. It is through this faith that we are justified, not by our works, but by receiving Christ as our treasured Savior and Lord.

Key Takeaways

1. Faith is a complete reception of Christ as He is offered in the gospel, not a selective acceptance of certain parts. It involves embracing all that God is for us in Christ, resting upon this truth as a gift. [05:31]
2. Receiving Christ means acknowledging His sacrifice, grace, and the freedom He grants us. Faith treasures these truths, recognizing them as precious gifts that transform our lives. [06:51]
3. The metaphor of "jars of clay" illustrates our frailty and the treasure we carry—the knowledge of God's glory. This highlights that the power and worth belong to God, not us. [09:02]
4. Saving faith is a treasuring faith, valuing Christ above all and receiving Him as our righteousness. It is not passive but actively treasures and rests in the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. [10:44]
5. Faith is not indifferent or bored; it is vibrant and embraces Christ as our supreme treasure. Through this faith, we are justified, not by works, but by receiving Christ as our treasured Savior and Lord. [12:06]
** [12:06]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:51] - Faith Receives the Gospel
[05:31] - Christ as a Gift
[06:08] - Embracing All of Christ
[06:51] - The Blessings of Faith
[07:29] - Treasuring Christ
[08:07] - Light of the Gospel
[08:45] - Jars of Clay
[09:23] - Valuing Christ as Treasure
[10:02] - Surpassing Worth of Christ
[10:44] - Righteousness Through Faith
[11:28] - Treasuring and Resting
[12:06] - Embracing Christ as Supreme Treasure
[12:31] - Justification by Faith

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Galatians 2:16
2 Corinthians 4:4-7
Philippians 3:7-9

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Observation Questions:

According to the sermon, how does faith receive Christ as He is offered in the gospel? What does this imply about the nature of faith? [05:31]
What does the metaphor of "jars of clay" signify in relation to our faith and the treasure we carry? [09:02]
How does the sermon describe the way believers should view the blessings and works of Christ? [09:23]
What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between faith and the surpassing worth of knowing Christ? [10:44]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of receiving Christ as a treasure challenge or affirm your understanding of faith? [11:47]
In what ways does the metaphor of "jars of clay" help us understand our role in carrying the knowledge of God's glory? How does this affect our view of ourselves and God? [09:02]
The sermon mentions counting all things as loss for the sake of Christ. What does this mean in practical terms for a believer's life? [10:02]
How does the idea of faith being a "treasuring faith" influence the way we live out our daily lives and interact with others? [12:06]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your current understanding of faith. How can you move from an intellectual assent to a heartfelt reception of Christ in your daily life? [05:31]
Identify an area in your life where you struggle to see Christ as your supreme treasure. What steps can you take to realign your priorities? [10:44]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of acknowledging Christ's sacrifice and grace. How can you actively remind yourself of these truths in moments of doubt or struggle? [06:51]
Consider the metaphor of "jars of clay." How can you embrace your frailty while recognizing the treasure you carry? What practical steps can you take to rely more on God's power and worth? [09:02]
The sermon speaks about the surpassing worth of knowing Christ. What specific actions can you take this week to deepen your relationship with Him and prioritize this knowledge over worldly gains? [10:02]
How can you cultivate a vibrant, treasuring faith that actively rests in the promises of Christ? Identify one promise of Christ that you can focus on this week. [12:06]
Reflect on a recent situation where you felt indifferent or bored in your faith journey. What changes can you make to reignite your passion for Christ as your supreme treasure? [12:06]

Sermon Clips

Faith receives Christ as he is offered to us in the gospel I would say in the word of God and I don't think that's a contradiction here I think Christ offered to us in the word of God offered to us that is as a gift that's what we receive and rest upon all that Christ is or you could say all that God is for us in him. [00:05:18]

When Faith hears these glorious gifts to us in Christ Faith receives them and rests in them and I just want to underline that it receives them as precious it receives them as a treasure let me show you why I say that on the basis of what Paul says so let's look at Second Corinthians. [00:07:29]

The God of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ who is the image of God so unbelievers cannot see the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ the image of God but Believers experience this verse six for God who said let light shine out of Darkness has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. [00:08:05]

We have this treasure in Jars of Clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us and so I love to call attention to the fact that saving Faith or justifying faith when it receives all these glorious works of Christ and these dimensions of his Blessing that he purchased for us we receive them as valued as precious as treasure. [00:08:57]

Whatever gain I had I counted as loss I count it as loss for the sake of Christ so I count them as loss in order to have Christ indeed I count everything as loss that's the negative counting as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord so there's the treasure the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. [00:09:33]

We do all this rejecting of the world and all this treasuring of Christ in order that I may gain Christ so this is called through faith and it's called having accepting receiving the worth of Jesus Christ so those are my reasons for saying that when I hear Faith believe and faith here in Galatians. [00:11:00]

I hear not only that we receive him rest upon him and all that he is when he's offered to us in the gospel or in the word of God but I hear receive him and rest upon him as a treasure or you might say it's a treasuring receiving it's a treasuring resting saving faith never receives Christ as a matter of indifference a matter of boredom a matter of mere expediency. [00:11:32]

Saving Faith Embraces Christ as our Supreme treasure and thus as a receiving Grace that does no works for God no works for God no works for God we are put right in an instant by our welcoming our receiving of Jesus Christ as our treasured Savior and Lord and all that he is for us in the. [00:12:06]

Faith receives the good news and rests in it now I want to draw out one more aspect of faith and ask re when you when you say receive and you receive as what well as everything he is in the gospel so I gathered a few just from Galatians he gave himself for our sins that is we have forgiveness because of him he delivers us from the present evil age we have rescue from Satan and all the powers of this age. [00:06:03]

He gives us Grace he achieved good news for us we are justified through him he loved us gave him himself for us in him we have The Blessing of Abraham in him we are sons of God in him we are Abraham's offspring HS according to the promise because of him we are free for Freedom Christ has set us free so all of this we receive that's what faith does faith receives this. [00:06:41]

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God When Faith hears these glorious gifts to us in Christ Faith receives them and rests in them and I just want to underline that it receives them as precious it receives them as a treasure let me show you why I say that on the basis of what Paul says so let's look at Second Corinthians. [00:07:26]

We have this treasure in Jars of Clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us and so I love to call attention to the fact that saving Faith or justifying faith when it receives all these glorious works of Christ and these dimensions of his Blessing that he purchased for us we receive them as valued as precious as treasure. [00:08:57]

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Embracing Christ: The Treasure of True Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Wholehearted Reception of Christ

Day 2: Treasuring the Sacrifice and Grace of Christ

Day 3: Jars of Clay: Our Frailty and God's Glory

Day 4: Active Treasuring Faith

Day 5: Embracing Christ as Supreme Treasure

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Embracing Christ: The Treasure of True Faith

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