Embracing Freedom Through Trust and Unity in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Trust in God to Reject Selfishness

Trusting God enough to reject selfishness is the first step toward experiencing the joy, peace, hope, and power that He promises. Our natural inclination is to be self-centered, but true freedom comes from focusing on the good of others, as Christ did. This shift from self to others is crucial for spiritual growth and unity. When we trust God, we can move beyond our selfish tendencies and genuinely care for others, reflecting Christ's love in our actions. This trust is not just a one-time decision but a daily commitment to live out our faith in practical ways.

Romans 15:1-2 (ESV): "We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up."

Reflection: Think of a recent situation where you acted out of selfishness. How can you trust God to help you act selflessly in a similar situation today? [32:35]

Day 2: Stages of Trust

Moving from self-reliance to God-reliance involves stages. Initially, we trust ourselves to handle our problems. As we grow, we learn to trust God to take care of us, which frees us to care for others. This progression is essential for developing a Christ-like attitude and living in true freedom. Trusting God in this way allows us to shift our focus from our own needs to the needs of those around us, fostering a community of support and love.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you are still relying on your own strength. What steps can you take to trust God more in this area today? [33:57]

Day 3: Loving Others Despite Differences

True love for others, even those we disagree with, is a mark of Christian maturity. The Scriptures teach us endurance and encouragement, helping us maintain a Christ-like attitude. This love and acceptance, especially of those who are different or flawed, bring glory to God and foster unity within the church. Loving others despite differences requires us to see them through the eyes of Christ, who accepted us at our worst.

Colossians 3:12-14 (ESV): "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."

Reflection: Think of someone you disagree with or find difficult to love. How can you show them Christ-like love and acceptance today? [41:33]

Day 4: Trusting God's Power

Trusting in God's power to work in and around us is vital. We are not responsible for fixing everything; instead, we are to exemplify Christ and trust that God is at work. This trust allows us to engage with others without fear and to focus on our mission of spreading the gospel. When we trust God's power, we can rest in the assurance that He is in control and working all things for His glory and our good.

Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV): "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you feel overwhelmed or powerless? How can you trust God's power to work in this area today? [56:25]

Day 5: Feeling Good in Christ

Despite the world's chaos, we can feel good about our relationship with Jesus. The joy, peace, hope, and power that come from trusting Him should overflow in our lives. This positive outlook is not dependent on external circumstances but on our secure position in Christ. When we focus on our relationship with Jesus, we can experience true contentment and joy, regardless of what is happening around us.

John 16:33 (ESV): "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world."

Reflection: Reflect on your current relationship with Jesus. How can you cultivate a deeper sense of joy and peace in Him today? [01:00:35]

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In today's sermon, we explored the theme of "Freedom" and how to live in it amidst a divided and divisive culture. We began by acknowledging the current societal climate, filled with political and social tensions, and how it often leads to anger and division. We then turned to Romans 15:13, which speaks of the God of hope filling us with joy, peace, and hope through the power of the Holy Spirit as we trust in Him. This verse sets the stage for understanding how to achieve internal peace and unity despite external chaos.

The core message revolves around trusting God to reject selfishness and embrace unity. We delved into Romans 15:1-13, which emphasizes the importance of bearing with the failings of the weak and not pleasing ourselves but building up our neighbors. This requires a deep trust in God to move beyond our natural selfish tendencies and to care for others genuinely. We discussed three stages of trust: trusting ourselves to take care of ourselves, trusting God to take care of us, and finally, trusting God to take care of us so we can care for others.

We also highlighted the importance of loving others, even when we disagree. This love is rooted in the endurance and encouragement taught in the Scriptures, which help us maintain the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. This unity is not about uniformity but about mutual respect and acceptance, recognizing that Christ accepted us at our worst.

Finally, we addressed the need to trust God's power to work both in us and around us. This trust allows us to feel good about ourselves and our relationship with Jesus, despite the world's chaos. We concluded with practical steps to foster this unity and trust, such as joining connection groups and serving in ministries, emphasizing that we need each other to grow and maintain our focus on Jesus.

###

Key Takeaways

1. centered, but true freedom comes from focusing on the good of others, as Christ did. This shift from self to others is crucial for spiritual growth and unity. [32:35]
2. Stages of Trust: Moving from self-reliance to God-reliance involves stages. Initially, we trust ourselves to handle our problems. As we grow, we learn to trust God to take care of us, which frees us to care for others. This progression is essential for developing a Christ-like attitude and living in true freedom.

3. Loving Others Despite Differences: True love for others, even those we disagree with, is a mark of Christian maturity. The Scriptures teach us endurance and encouragement, helping us maintain a Christ-like attitude. This love and acceptance, especially of those who are different or flawed, bring glory to God and foster unity within the church.

4. Trusting God's Power: Trusting in God's power to work in and around us is vital. We are not responsible for fixing everything; instead, we are to exemplify Christ and trust that God is at work. This trust allows us to engage with others without fear and to focus on our mission of spreading the gospel.

5. Feeling Good in Christ: Despite the world's chaos, we can feel good about our relationship with Jesus. The joy, peace, hope, and power that come from trusting Him should overflow in our lives. This positive outlook is not dependent on external circumstances but on our secure position in Christ.

### [32:35]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[26:13] - Introduction to the Series "Freedom"
[26:51] - Using the Church App
[27:15] - The Divisive Culture
[28:34] - Romans 15:13 - The God of Hope
[29:14] - Joy, Peace, Hope, and Power
[29:44] - Trust as the Method
[31:02] - Internal Unity and External Focus
[32:35] - Rejecting Selfishness
[33:57] - Stages of Trust
[35:30] - Caring for Others
[38:43] - Loving Others Despite Differences
[41:33] - Accepting One Another
[47:20] - Unity Through Mutual Respect
[56:25] - Trusting God's Power
[60:35] - Feeling Good in Christ
[63:20] - Importance of Community
[66:25] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Romans 15:13, what are the four things that God of hope fills us with as we trust in Him? ([28:34])
What does Romans 15:1-2 say about how we should treat our neighbors? ([31:02])
In the sermon, what are the three stages of trust mentioned? ([33:57])
How does the sermon describe the attitude of Christ towards others, especially in the context of unity and acceptance? ([41:33])

Interpretation Questions

Why is trusting God enough to reject selfishness considered a hard step, according to the sermon? ([32:35])
How does the progression from self-reliance to God-reliance free us to care for others, as discussed in the sermon? ([33:57])
What does it mean to love others despite differences, and how does this bring glory to God? ([41:33])
How does trusting in God's power to work in and around us change our perspective on engaging with others? ([56:25])

Application Questions

Reflect on a recent situation where you acted selfishly. How could trusting God have changed your response? ([32:35])
Think about a time when you relied solely on yourself to solve a problem. How can you practice trusting God more in similar situations in the future? ([33:57])
Identify someone in your life with whom you have significant disagreements. What practical steps can you take to show them love and acceptance this week? ([41:33])
How can you remind yourself daily to trust in God's power rather than feeling responsible for fixing everything around you? ([56:25])
What are some ways you can foster unity and mutual respect within your small group or church community, especially during divisive times? ([47:20])
How can you actively participate in a connection group or ministry to help maintain your focus on Jesus and grow in your faith? ([01:03:20])
Despite the chaos in the world, what specific practices can you adopt to feel good about your relationship with Jesus and let His joy, peace, hope, and power overflow in your life? ([01:00:35])

Sermon Clips

1. "We live in a very, very divided, divisive culture. In lots of ways. Not just about politics. We look for ways to choose up sides and get mad at each other. I mean, football season, college football season sort of started yesterday. And you're allowed to root for the wrong team. I don't get mad at you for it. It's not a big deal. But we do. We'll get mad about it." [27:15] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "What God wants for you is hope, joy, peace, and power, right? That's what God wants in your life: hope, joy, peace, power. Correct? Say yes. Okay, now what's the method to get there? Trust. That's how you get to that spot. Now the rest of this passage, Romans 15 verses 1 through 13, is all about an external focus that comes out of that, and that external focus is unity." [30:14] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We have to trust God enough to reject selfishness because you know what I know about you? You're selfish. It's me too. That's the flavor we come in. Humans are not Baskin Robbins 30 some flavors. We are selfish. That's what we are. That drives everything about us. But we have to trust God enough to reject selfishness." [32:35] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "Trusting God is when I start saying, 'God, you've got the stuff, the bad stuff in my life, the problems in my life, the concerns, the uncertainty, the challenges. God, you've got it. Now I know I'm going to do my part. I'm willing to do my part, but God, you got them. You're going to show me what to do. You're going to do it.'" [34:30] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Trust God enough to truly love others even when we disagree. One of the guys from the commentaries I looked at, he took this whole section and he put a title on it. He called it 'Unity through Mutual Respect.' If Jesus could endure the insults of others, Jesus could put up with what he put up with, the people, his followers should certainly be with him." [47:20] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "No matter how you vote, you are welcome in our church. I just ask you would commit to see politics through Jesus and not Jesus through your politics, that you would be curious about why your brothers and sisters see things differently, and that you would live humble, prayerful lives." [48:49] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "You can't hate a people and reach a people at the same time. What the enemy wants more than anything else is for you to divide yourself politically and say that this group of people over here, I'm denying their faith. They're not really Christians because if they were real Christians, they'd be in the same political party as me." [53:22] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Trust God's power to work in you. Some of you think you can't be hanging around people who disagree with you because God's power won't work. I'm not talking about people who tempt you to sin. I'm talking about people who just disagree with you. You can hang around them. It's okay." [56:25] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Trust God enough to allow yourself to feel good. I mean, our culture is going to tell you you should feel bad about yourself right now. They're going to tell you how miserable you should be because everything's going wrong if we don't get our way. And they're going to tell you you should... What did he say? That's where we started." [01:00:35] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "You need other people in your life. You need other people who aren't telling you the divisive stuff in the world around you. You need other people who are saying, 'Hey, you know what? We don't agree on this and we don't agree on this. But we agree on Jesus. And because we agree on Jesus, we can get along just fine.'" [01:03:20] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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