Embracing Genuine Faith and Relationship with Jesus
Summary
Pastor Jeremy began his sermon by discussing the significance of baptism and the historical event of Martin Luther and the Reformation. He emphasized the importance of aligning with the kingdom of God and how baptism serves as a reminder of this. The pastor then transitioned to discussing the importance of genuine religion, urging the congregation to resist worldly values and instead embrace the values that Jesus has for them. He encouraged them to be salt and light in the world, caring for those in need and inviting others into a relationship with Jesus.
The pastor then reflected on the ways in which Christianity can sometimes deviate from the kingdom that Christ designed. He emphasized that faith is meant to connect us to each other and to God, and warned against the danger of the church becoming focused on control rather than fostering relationships. He encouraged the congregation to let go of control and embrace the grace that God wants to pour through them into the world.
The pastor then discussed the void within us that can only be filled by God, who offers eternal life. He encouraged the congregation to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice to God, to be transformed by the renewing of their minds. He shared a testimony of someone in the church who experienced God's restoration in their soul, highlighting the transformative power of living out a spiritual life.
The pastor then addressed the issue of the brokenness in the world and the various worldviews that attempt to explain it. He emphasized the importance of relationship with Jesus and how it transforms individuals, making behavior a natural outcome. He asserted that the answer to being right with God is Jesus, citing John 17:3 as evidence. He also emphasized the importance of trust and relationship with Jesus, sharing a story about a man named Mike whose life was transformed by trusting Jesus.
The pastor concluded his sermon by discussing the importance of experiential knowledge of Jesus rather than mere intellectual understanding. He explained that every individual has a spiritual longing or need for connection with God, as they were designed for relationship. He defined spirituality as a life-giving relationship with Jesus that fills the void in our spirit, which was designed by God to be met by Him.
Key Takeaways:
- Baptism serves as a reminder of our alignment with the kingdom of God. It is a symbol of God's promise to always have a place for us in his house and invites us to trust in him. ([12:45])
- Genuine religion involves becoming a voice for the voiceless and ascribing unsurpassable worth to people. It is about resisting worldly values and embracing the values that Jesus has for us. ([22:30])
- Faith is meant to connect us to each other and to God. When faith becomes solely about the individual, it fails to represent Jesus Christ. The church should focus on fostering relationships rather than control. ([34:15])
- Our spirituality was designed to be met by God, who offers eternal life. Offering our bodies as a living sacrifice to God and being transformed by the renewing of our minds leads to true spirituality. ([45:50])
- Experiential knowledge of Jesus is more important than mere intellectual understanding. Every individual has a spiritual longing or need for connection with God, as they were designed for relationship. Spirituality is a life-giving relationship with Jesus that fills the void in our spirit. ([58:20])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. John 17:3: "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."
2. Romans 12:1-2: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
3. James 1:26-27: "Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Observation Questions:
1. What does John 17:3 say about the nature of eternal life?
2. In Romans 12:1-2, what are believers urged to do and why?
3. According to James 1:26-27, what is the characteristic of a pure and faultless religion?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does knowing God and Jesus Christ, as mentioned in John 17:3, relate to the concept of eternal life?
2. In Romans 12:1-2, what does it mean to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice and to be transformed by the renewing of your mind?
3. How does the description of pure and faultless religion in James 1:26-27 challenge the common understanding of religion?
Application Questions:
1. Reflecting on John 17:3, how can you deepen your knowledge of God and Jesus Christ in your daily life?
2. Considering Romans 12:1-2, what is one specific way you can offer your body as a living sacrifice to God this week?
3. In light of James 1:26-27, identify a specific group or individual in your community who is in distress. What is one tangible action you can take this week to care for them?
4. How can you guard your tongue this week to ensure your religion is not worthless as described in James 1:26-27?
5. How can you resist conforming to the pattern of this world and instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind, as urged in Romans 12:1-2?
Devotional
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Day 1: Aligning with God's Kingdom through Baptism
Baptism is a significant act of faith that symbolizes our alignment with God's kingdom. It serves as a reminder of God's promise to always have a place for us in His house and invites us to trust in Him. It is a public declaration of our commitment to follow Jesus and live according to His teachings. [12:45]
Romans 6:4 - "We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life."
Reflection: Reflect on your own baptism. How does it serve as a reminder of your commitment to align with God's kingdom and trust in Him?
Day 2: Embracing Genuine Religion
Genuine religion is about becoming a voice for the voiceless and ascribing unsurpassable worth to people. It involves resisting worldly values and embracing the values that Jesus has for us. It is about living out our faith in practical ways that reflect the love and compassion of Jesus. [22:30]
James 1:27 - "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
Reflection: How can you live out your faith in a practical way this week? Consider ways you can become a voice for the voiceless and show love to those around you.
Day 3: Fostering Relationships through Faith
Faith is meant to connect us to each other and to God. When faith becomes solely about the individual, it fails to represent Jesus Christ. The church should focus on fostering relationships rather than control, allowing God's grace to flow through us into the world. [34:15]
Ephesians 4:2-3 - "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."
Reflection: How can you foster deeper relationships within your church community this week? Consider ways you can encourage unity and peace.
Day 4: Offering Ourselves to God
Our spirituality was designed to be met by God, who offers eternal life. Offering our bodies as a living sacrifice to God and being transformed by the renewing of our minds leads to true spirituality. This involves surrendering our will to God and allowing Him to work in and through us. [45:50]
Romans 12:1 - "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."
Reflection: What is one area of your life that you need to surrender to God? How can you offer this area as a living sacrifice to Him?
Day 5: Experiencing Jesus Personally
Experiential knowledge of Jesus is more important than mere intellectual understanding. Every individual has a spiritual longing or need for connection with God, as they were designed for relationship. Spirituality is a life-giving relationship with Jesus that fills the void in our spirit. [58:20]
Philippians 3:10 - "I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death."
Reflection: How can you deepen your personal relationship with Jesus this week? Consider ways you can experience Him more fully in your daily life.
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Quotes
1. "We can try to fill it with what's at the end of various kinds of bottles and it won't be enough, in fact, it will destroy our body in the process. That place in you was designed, your spirituality was designed to be met by God, and that's good news because he's the one that gives eternal life, that's meant to be a spring." [37:21]
2. "I can know all about the Bible, I can know all about Jesus, I can know all about the Holy Spirit, I can know about the Father and not know them, not be relationally connected... we are all spiritual, everything is spiritual, nothing in this world is not spiritual, it has spiritual ramifications on how it affects our body, mind, spirit, soul all of it together." [29:53]
3. "The life giving relationship with Jesus that fills the hole in our spirit, designed by God and to be met for, designed for God, a place where he wants to come into our life... the spirit of a person of humankind, your spirit is the lamp of the Lord that he, the Lord, uses to search out your, his innermost being." [31:22]
4. "God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. That our very design is to be an authority representation of God on earth, that unlike all the other religions who have idols or statues, we don't need any of those things because we are it, we are the representation of God's authority on earth." [34:11]
5. "Real religion, the kind that Jesus loves, is that we would become a voice for the voiceless around us. That we would ascribe unsurpassable worth to people and that we wouldn't let the values expressed in this world take over the values that Jesus has for us and through us." [48:46]
6. "The question for me, from me for you and for myself, is do you have a relationship with Jesus? Because he wants one with you. He wants one with you because it's the only way that your spirit will ever feel full." [46:25]
7. "God is searching out our innermost parts, our innermost emotions, our desires, also our motivations...the reason he searches out our innermost being is not to poke fingers at us or to shame us, but to chase us down with love and grace." [32:45]
8. "When the church gets off kilter, when it is about control like the Pharisees were about control, it misses the heart of God for us, and that's relationship." [24:44]
9. "And what baptism is, is it's God's promise to all of us that there will always be a room in his house with our name on it. That he makes that promise to us that he's the one who comes to us in grace and gives us faith and invites us in to trust him." #!!07:52!!#
10. "We aren't reformed. We are reforming. We are constantly being brought into alignment with what grace says, with what the kingdom says. And so baptism is one of those core reminders for us that we are to be in alignment with the kingdom and that when we get off, when we deviate, God will graciously bring us back in." #!!09:05!!#
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