Embracing Faith: The Church's Eternal Victory and Stewardship
Summary
In this sermon, I emphasized the enduring nature of the church and the victory of Jesus Christ, which ensures its existence into eternity. I encouraged the congregation to embrace the present as the day of salvation and not to delay their personal journey towards faith. I also prayed for the children's ministry and the youth leaders, expressing hope that their work would inspire young men and women to enter full-time ministry. I also shared personal stories from my time in Bible College, highlighting how easily we can be sidetracked by guilt and shame from our past, and how the enemy can use these feelings to distract us from God's plans.
In the second part of the sermon, I discussed the importance of stewardship and giving, reminding the congregation that we give because we love Jesus. I also introduced our discipleship initiatives, including the Small Circle and Find One programs, encouraging members to participate and deepen their faith. Towards the end of the sermon, I reiterated the importance of faith in Jesus and invited anyone interested in learning more about Him to engage in conversation with me or any of the other pastors.
Key Takeaways:
- The church, built on the victory of Jesus Christ, will endure into eternity. ([24:29])
- Today is the day of salvation; do not delay your personal journey towards faith. ([25:01])
- Guilt and shame from our past can distract us from God's plans, but we must keep our focus on Him. ([53:25])
- Stewardship and giving are expressions of our love for Jesus. ([26:46])
- Participating in discipleship initiatives can deepen our faith and understanding of Christianity. ([28:00])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. No specific Bible passages were mentioned in the sermon.
Observation Questions:
1. What does it mean to take the "next step" in your spiritual journey?
2. How does the speaker describe the process of spiritual growth?
3. What does the speaker mean when he talks about the "obstacle" that gets in between us and our next steps?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the concept of taking the "next step" relate to our understanding of spiritual growth?
2. How can we identify and overcome the "obstacles" that hinder our spiritual growth?
3. What does it mean to focus on immediate results in our spiritual journey? How does this affect our faith growth?
Application Questions:
1. Can you identify a recent "next step" you took in your spiritual journey? How did it impact your relationship with God?
2. What "obstacles" are currently hindering your spiritual growth? How can you overcome them?
3. Have you ever focused on immediate results in your spiritual journey? How did it affect your faith growth? How can you shift your focus to long-term spiritual growth?
4. Can you think of a time when you felt like you were just going through the motions (e.g., just coming to church, just reading your Bible), but it turned out to be a significant step in your spiritual journey? How did that experience change your perspective on spiritual growth?
5. How can you encourage others in their spiritual journey, especially those who might be a few steps behind you?
Devotional
Day 1: Embrace the Ordinary Opportunities
God often uses ordinary opportunities to bring about extraordinary breakthroughs in our lives. These seemingly mundane moments are stepping stones that lead us closer to the milestones God has set for us. When we are willing to take the next step, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, we open ourselves up to the breakthroughs God has in store for us ([45:17]).
Proverbs 16:9 - "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps."
Reflection: Reflect on an ordinary opportunity you encountered recently. How can you see God working through this opportunity to bring about a breakthrough in your life?
Day 2: Spiritual Growth is a Process
Spiritual growth is a journey, not a destination. It's a process that requires patience, perseverance, and grace. We must resist the temptation to rush the process or judge others based on where they are in their journey. Instead, we should focus on our own growth and celebrate the progress we've made ([37:18]).
Philippians 3:12-14 - "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."
Reflection: Reflect on your spiritual journey. How have you grown in your faith? What steps can you take to continue growing?
Day 3: Overcoming Obstacles
Obstacles, whether they are from our past or present, can sidetrack us from our spiritual journey. However, we must remember that these obstacles are not meant to bring us down, but to strengthen our faith. By overcoming these obstacles, we can move closer to the breakthroughs God has planned for us ([53:25]).
James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."
Reflection: What obstacles are you currently facing? How can you overcome these obstacles and continue on your spiritual journey?
Day 4: The Power of Praise
Praising God is not just an act of worship, but also a powerful tool for spiritual growth. Through praise, we can remind ourselves of God's goodness, his answered prayers, and his healing power. This can strengthen our faith and bring us closer to the breakthroughs we are seeking ([24:29]).
Psalm 34:1 - "I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent time when you praised God. How did this act of praise impact your faith and your spiritual journey?
Day 5: The Call to Salvation
Salvation is the ultimate breakthrough that God offers us. It is the turning point in our spiritual journey, the moment when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. This call to salvation is not something to be put off, but to be embraced wholeheartedly ([25:01]).
2 Corinthians 6:2 - "For he says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."
Reflection: Reflect on your own salvation experience. How has this breakthrough shaped your spiritual journey?
Quotes
1. "When you walk around and something happens and you're like gosh I'm so stupid, what you just did was you agreed with what the enemy is saying about you because God would never say that about you. You're his child, you're made in His image, he would never say that about you." - 36:43
2. "Spiritual growth is a process and all of us are at different places in our journey with Jesus. The problem is some of us we want this instant breakthrough, we just want to hit the milestones and be on to our next milestone. We want God to do something in us and we want him to do it right now." - 37:57
3. "Every time we see an obstacle in the Bible, God turns that obstacle into an opportunity. Every single time you see it, every time in the scriptures you see an obstacle, Jesus turned it into an opportunity." - 55:23
4. "The enemy's voice is real and the enemy's attacks are real but it does not have any power over you. Yes, his size is real, he's a big enemy, but if you are in Christ, greater is he that is in you than he who is in the world. We have victory over the enemy." - 58:09
5. "It's funny how the enemy can take the smallest thing and can get us sidetracked. You can be having the best day ever and the enemy will take something, any opportunity he has, and he will twist it in an attempt to bring you back down. That's an obstacle." - 53:00
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