Embracing Disruption: The Pursuit of Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Disruption for Spiritual Growth

Disruption, though often uncomfortable, is essential for spiritual growth. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him, which means embracing change and discomfort for the sake of knowing Him more deeply. This earth is not our final resting place; our ultimate rest is in heaven. Disruption challenges our comfort zones and compels us to rely more on God, fostering a deeper relationship with Him. It is through these moments of upheaval that we often experience the most significant spiritual growth and transformation. [18:16]

Bible Passage:
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4 ESV)

Reflection:
Think of a recent disruption in your life. How can you see God's hand in it, and what steps can you take to embrace this change for your spiritual growth?

Day 2: Finding Joy in Following Jesus

Our greatest joy and fulfillment come from following Jesus. Scriptures like Psalm 16:11 and John 10:10 remind us that true joy and abundant life are found in His presence. Pursuing Jesus wholeheartedly leads to a life of joy and purpose. When we align our lives with His will, we experience a deeper sense of satisfaction and contentment that the world cannot offer. This joy is not dependent on our circumstances but is rooted in our relationship with Him. [20:39]

Bible Passage:
"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." (Psalm 16:11 ESV)

Reflection:
Reflect on a time when you felt the joy of following Jesus. How can you cultivate that same joy in your daily walk with Him today?

Day 3: Worshiping Jesus as Worthy

Jesus is exalted above all and is worthy of our worship. Philippians 2:9-11 and Revelation 5:12 highlight the glory and honor due to Him. Our pursuit of Jesus is not just for our benefit but because He is deserving of all our devotion and praise. Worshiping Jesus involves recognizing His supreme worth and responding with our whole lives. It is an act of surrender and adoration, acknowledging that He alone is worthy of our highest praise. [21:17]

Bible Passage:
"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11 ESV)

Reflection:
What are some ways you can intentionally worship Jesus in your daily life? How can you make worship a central part of your routine?

Day 4: Sharing the Hope of Jesus

There is no other hope for our neighbors and the nations but through a fully surrendered life to Jesus. Acts 4:12 and the Great Commission emphasize the importance of making Jesus known. Our mission is to live out our faith and share the hope of Jesus with others. This involves both our words and actions, demonstrating the love and truth of Christ in tangible ways. By living a life surrendered to Jesus, we become beacons of hope to those around us, pointing them to the only source of true hope and salvation. [22:16]

Bible Passage:
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 ESV)

Reflection:
Think of someone in your life who needs the hope of Jesus. How can you share His love and message with them this week?

Day 5: Committing to Holistic Discipleship

At Grace Point, we are committed to holistic discipleship, which involves equipping, community, and mission. We provide resources and opportunities for everyone to grow in their faith, from infants to adults. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone can become holistic disciples of Jesus. This means nurturing every aspect of our spiritual lives, including our knowledge of God's Word, our relationships within the church community, and our engagement in mission. Holistic discipleship is about growing in Christlikeness in every area of our lives. [39:12]

Bible Passage:
"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:11-13 ESV)

Reflection:
What steps can you take to grow as a holistic disciple of Jesus? How can you engage more deeply in equipping, community, and mission within your church?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, Grace Point! Today, we gathered to reflect on the great things God has done and to discuss the importance of disruption in our lives. Disruption, though often uncomfortable, is a necessary part of our spiritual journey. Jesus calls us to a life of ongoing pursuit, not settling. This earth is not our final resting place; our ultimate rest is in heaven. Jesus' call to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him is a call to a life of continuous pursuit and transformation.

At Grace Point Church, our mission is to encourage one another in this pursuit of Jesus. We believe that our greatest joy and fulfillment come from following Him. Jesus is worthy of our worship, and there is no other hope for our neighbors and the nations but through a fully surrendered life to Jesus. Our church is committed to making disciples who make disciples, both locally and globally.

We have restructured our staff and budget to align with this vision. Our focus areas include community and member engagement, adult discipleship, family discipleship, worship, and operations. Each of these areas is designed to support our mission of making holistic disciples of Jesus.

Our discipleship pathway involves equipping, community, and mission. We provide resources and opportunities for everyone, from infants to adults, to grow in their faith. We also emphasize the importance of being grounded in God's Word and living out our faith in community and mission.

We are excited about the future and the opportunities God is giving us to impact our community and the world. We encourage everyone to get involved, whether through serving, giving, or participating in our various ministries and missions. Together, we can make a difference and fulfill our calling to be disciples of Jesus.

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Key Takeaways

1. 11 and Revelation 5:12 highlight the glory and honor due to Him. Our pursuit of Jesus is not just for our benefit but because He is deserving of all our devotion and praise. [21:17]
4. The Hope of the World: There is no other hope for our neighbors and the nations but through a fully surrendered life to Jesus. Acts 4:12 and the Great Commission emphasize the importance of making Jesus known. Our mission is to live out our faith and share the hope of Jesus with others.

5. Holistic Discipleship: At Grace Point, we are committed to holistic discipleship, which involves equipping, community, and mission. We provide resources and opportunities for everyone to grow in their faith, from infants to adults. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone can become holistic disciples of Jesus.

### [21:17]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:58] - The Challenge of Disruption
[16:47] - The Quest for Rest
[17:33] - Jesus Calls Us to Follow Him
[18:55] - The Life of Pursuit
[19:54] - Motivation for Hard Things
[20:39] - Joy in Following Jesus
[21:17] - Jesus is Worthy
[22:16] - Hope for the World
[23:00] - Vision for Grace Point
[24:22] - Staff Restructuring
[27:14] - Financial Stewardship
[28:40] - Pastor Search Process
[30:12] - Discipleship Pathway
[39:12] - Holistic Discipleship
[41:48] - Family Discipleship
[50:20] - Sunday Gatherings
[51:09] - Focus on God's Word
[56:03] - Preparing Our Hearts for Worship
[59:46] - Upcoming Preaching Series
[60:27] - Prayer Prompts
[64:40] - Mission and Outreach
[76:52] - Their Pursuit
[80:55] - Commitment to the Pathway
[82:22] - Final Prayer and Baptisms

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Jesus mean when He says to "deny himself and take up his cross" in Matthew 16:24? How does this relate to the concept of disruption mentioned in the sermon? [18:16]
According to Psalm 16:11, where is true joy found, and how does this align with the sermon’s message about the joy of following Jesus? [20:39]
In Philippians 2:9-11, what is the significance of every knee bowing and every tongue confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord? How does this passage support the idea that Jesus is worthy of our worship? [21:17]
How does the sermon describe the role of disruption in our spiritual growth and pursuit of Jesus? [15:58]

Interpretation Questions

How does the call to deny oneself and take up the cross challenge our natural desire for comfort and stability? What might this look like in practical terms for a believer today? [18:16]
The sermon mentions that our greatest joy and fulfillment come from following Jesus. How do Psalm 16:11 and John 10:10 support this claim? What does it mean to experience "abundant life" in Christ? [20:39]
Why is it important to recognize Jesus as worthy of all worship, as stated in Philippians 2:9-11 and Revelation 5:12? How does this recognition impact our daily lives and worship practices? [21:17]
The sermon emphasizes that there is no other hope for our neighbors and the nations but through a fully surrendered life to Jesus. How do Acts 4:12 and the Great Commission reinforce this mission? [22:16]

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent disruption in your life. How did you respond to it, and how might you see it as an opportunity for spiritual growth and deeper pursuit of Jesus? [15:58]
In what ways can you actively deny yourself and take up your cross in your daily life? Identify one specific area where you can practice self-denial for the sake of following Jesus more closely. [18:16]
How can you cultivate a deeper sense of joy and fulfillment in your relationship with Jesus? What practical steps can you take to spend more time in His presence, as suggested by Psalm 16:11? [20:39]
Consider your current worship practices. How can you more fully acknowledge and honor Jesus as worthy of all worship in your personal and communal worship times? [21:17]
Think about your neighbors and the nations. What is one specific action you can take this week to share the hope of Jesus with someone who does not yet know Him? [22:16]
How can you get involved in the discipleship pathway at Grace Point Church? Identify one area (equipping, community, or mission) where you feel called to participate and grow. [39:12]
Reflect on the sermon’s call to holistic discipleship. What steps can you take to ensure that your spiritual growth encompasses equipping, community, and mission? How can you encourage others in your small group to do the same? [39:12]

Sermon Clips

1. "Jesus calls us to this life of pursuit. Pursuit. This life is about us following Jesus. It's not a settling. There's not a place where we can say we're finally there. Jesus calls us to this ongoing life of following him." [18:16] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Why do we pursue Jesus? Because that's where we find our greatest joy. It's because Jesus. He's worthy of our worship. And last, because there's really no other hope for our neighbors. There's no other hope for the nations other than us living a fully surrendered life to Jesus." [22:16] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We don't want you to come to Grace Point Church and leave the same. We want you to encounter the work of Jesus in our lives and to leave differently and encourage, right? We don't want you to feel the same. We don't want you to feel the same, but we want you to feel loved. We want you to feel welcomed, but we also want you to feel challenged." [23:00] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We have an unyielding pursuit to be disciples of Jesus, holistic disciples of Jesus, all the way from how we start. How we structure, how we do church, our team, our finances, our resources, but then we have to prioritize what we do, right? We have to decide what does it look like for us as a church to be intentional to help one another grow as holistic disciples of Jesus." [30:12] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We want to be sure that we as a church are grounded in truth so that we can share well to our neighbors, to the nations. And that we're all... We're all comfortable in what we believe from God's Word. And so, that takes opening God's Word and studying together." [52:47] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Think about the greatest investment potentially you can make in the life of this church is in this next generation. You know, we all kind of struggle with, you know, where our country's heading, like where we are as a culture. This is a way for us to shape the next generation that really does know and love Jesus." [49:40] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "We desire for our neighbors, our coworkers, our Northwest Arkansas community, and the nations. We desire for Jesus to also be their pursuit. So, let's just spend a few moments in prayer. And once again, this is just a prayer prompt. Maybe you don't know what to pray, and that's a good place to start and say, okay, God, I want to be a part." [01:16:52] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Paul says, listen, it's time to wake up. The night is far gone. And we can see this in our culture around us, that it's time to wake up, church. And since the urgency of the hour has come, it's time to wake up. And so Paul says, listen, it's time to wake up. And since the urgency of the hour has come, it's time to wake up." [01:22:22] (10 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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