Embracing God's Call: Transforming Lives for His Glory
Summary
### Summary
Today, we celebrated the testimonies of our volunteers and the incredible work God is doing through them. We also announced our upcoming baptism service, a significant event where individuals publicly declare their faith in Jesus Christ. Baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, and it's a powerful outward expression of an inward transformation.
We continued our series on "The Whosoever," based on John 3:16, emphasizing that God's love and salvation are available to everyone, regardless of their past or present circumstances. We explored the idea that God has a need for the whosoever—not because He lacks anything, but because He has uniquely equipped each person with gifts and talents for His glory. This was illustrated through the story of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where He needed a colt, symbolizing that God often uses ordinary things and people for extraordinary purposes.
We also delved into the story of Saul, who later became Paul. Despite his past as a persecutor of Christians, God had a deliberate plan for him. Saul's transformation on the road to Damascus and his subsequent ministry highlight that God can use anyone, no matter their past, for His divine purposes. This serves as a reminder that we should not judge others based on their past but see them as potential instruments of God's work.
The message concluded with a call to action: to recognize the unique gifts and talents God has placed in each of us and to use them for His kingdom. We were reminded that our purpose is not just to get saved and go to church but to actively participate in God's work by sharing the gospel and showing His love to others.
### Key Takeaways
1. God's Love is Inclusive: John 3:16 reminds us that God's love is for everyone, the "whosoever." This means that no one is beyond the reach of His grace and salvation. We are called to share this inclusive love with everyone we meet, recognizing that each person is a potential recipient of God's transformative power. [46:24]
2. Unique Gifts for God's Glory: Each of us is uniquely equipped with gifts and talents that God has placed in us from birth. These are not just for our benefit but for His glory. When we surrender our lives to Him, He can use these gifts in ways we never imagined, impacting others and advancing His kingdom. [54:58]
3. Transformation Through Encounter: The story of Saul's conversion to Paul illustrates that a genuine encounter with Jesus can radically transform a person's life. No matter how far someone seems from God, He can turn their life around and use them mightily for His purposes. This encourages us to never give up on anyone. [01:06:29]
4. Purpose Beyond Salvation: Our journey doesn't end at salvation. We are called to get to work, using our gifts and talents to serve others and spread the gospel. This involves active participation in God's mission, recognizing that we are His hands and feet in the world. [01:21:02]
5. Seeing Potential in Others: Like Ananias, we may struggle to see the potential in those with a troubled past. However, God sees beyond their history and has a plan for their future. We are called to look at others through God's eyes, recognizing their potential and helping them discover their purpose in Him. [01:14:13]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[43:38] - Announcement: Baptisms
[45:00] - Welcoming First-Time Visitors
[46:24] - Prayer and Introduction
[48:07] - Series Recap: The Whosoever
[49:48] - God’s Need for the Whosoever
[51:29] - Illustration: The Louvre Museum
[53:06] - The Wedding at Cana Painting
[54:58] - God’s Gifts and Talents
[57:14] - Ephesians 2:10
[59:05] - Jeremiah 1:4-5
[01:01:01] - Genesis 1:27
[01:02:55] - Purpose and Value in God
[01:04:29] - Unique Abilities for God’s Glory
[01:06:29] - Saul’s Conversion
[01:10:13] - Saul’s Background and Gifts
[01:12:16] - God’s Deliberate Choice
[01:14:13] - Ananias’ Obedience
[01:15:58] - Saul’s Mission to Jews and Gentiles
[01:17:45] - Paul’s Impact and Legacy
[01:19:08] - Paul’s Testimony to Timothy
[01:21:02] - Call to Action: Get to Work
[01:22:51] - God’s Need for the Whosoever
[01:24:47] - Personal Testimony: Pastor’s Father
[01:28:30] - Prayer and Closing Remarks
[01:30:15] - Offering and Giving
[01:33:47] - Instructions for Giving
[01:37:30] - Invitation to Accept Christ
[01:40:38] - Final Announcements and Dismissal
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
2. Acts 9:1-19 - The conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus.
3. Ephesians 2:10 - "For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
### Observation Questions
1. What does John 3:16 say about the scope of God's love and who it is for?
2. Describe the transformation that Saul experienced on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19). What was his mission before and after this encounter?
3. According to Ephesians 2:10, what are we created for, and when were these works prepared for us?
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the inclusivity of God's love in John 3:16 challenge our views on who can receive salvation? [46:24]
2. In what ways does Saul's story in Acts 9 demonstrate that no one is beyond God's transformative power? [01:06:29]
3. How does understanding that we are God's handiwork, as stated in Ephesians 2:10, affect our perception of our own purpose and value? [57:14]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on John 3:16. How can you actively share the inclusive love of God with someone in your life this week? [46:24]
2. Think about Saul's transformation. Is there someone in your life who seems far from God? How can you be an Ananias to them, helping them see their potential in Christ? [01:14:13]
3. Ephesians 2:10 speaks of good works prepared in advance for us. What unique gifts or talents do you have that you can use to serve others and advance God's kingdom? [54:58]
4. The sermon emphasized that our journey doesn't end at salvation but involves active participation in God's work. What specific steps can you take to get more involved in your church or community to share the gospel and show God's love? [01:21:02]
5. How can you change your perspective to see the potential in others, especially those with a troubled past, and help them discover their purpose in God? [01:14:13]
6. Reflect on a time when you felt judged by your past. How did it affect you, and how can you ensure you don't do the same to others? [01:14:13]
7. Identify one person in your life who is curious about faith. How can you engage them in a spiritual conversation this week, sharing the transformative power of Jesus? [01:06:29]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Love is for Everyone
God's love is inclusive and extends to everyone, regardless of their past or present circumstances. John 3:16 emphasizes that God's love and salvation are available to "whosoever" believes in Him. This means that no one is beyond the reach of His grace and transformative power. As believers, we are called to share this inclusive love with everyone we meet, recognizing that each person is a potential recipient of God's transformative power. This understanding should shape how we interact with others, seeing them through the lens of God's boundless love and grace. [46:24]
Romans 5:8 (ESV): "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who seems far from God. How can you show them God's inclusive love today?
Day 2: Unique Gifts for God's Glory
Each of us is uniquely equipped with gifts and talents that God has placed in us from birth. These gifts are not just for our benefit but for His glory. When we surrender our lives to Him, He can use these gifts in ways we never imagined, impacting others and advancing His kingdom. This calls for a deep reflection on the talents and abilities we possess and how we can use them to serve others and glorify God. Recognizing that our gifts are part of God's plan for us can inspire us to step out in faith and make a difference in the world. [54:58]
1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
Reflection: What unique gifts and talents has God given you? How can you use them to serve others and glorify Him this week?
Day 3: Transformation Through Encounter
The story of Saul's conversion to Paul illustrates that a genuine encounter with Jesus can radically transform a person's life. Despite Saul's past as a persecutor of Christians, God had a deliberate plan for him. Saul's transformation on the road to Damascus and his subsequent ministry highlight that God can use anyone, no matter their past, for His divine purposes. This serves as a powerful reminder that we should never give up on anyone, no matter how far they seem from God. Instead, we should pray for their transformation and believe in God's power to change lives. [01:06:29]
Acts 9:15 (ESV): "But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.'"
Reflection: Is there someone in your life who you think is beyond God's reach? How can you pray for their transformation and believe in God's power to change their life?
Day 4: Purpose Beyond Salvation
Our journey doesn't end at salvation. We are called to get to work, using our gifts and talents to serve others and spread the gospel. This involves active participation in God's mission, recognizing that we are His hands and feet in the world. Our purpose is not just to get saved and go to church but to actively participate in God's work by sharing the gospel and showing His love to others. This understanding should motivate us to live out our faith in practical ways, making a tangible difference in the lives of those around us. [01:21:02]
Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."
Reflection: What is one specific way you can actively participate in God's mission this week? How can you use your gifts to serve others and spread the gospel?
Day 5: Seeing Potential in Others
Like Ananias, we may struggle to see the potential in those with a troubled past. However, God sees beyond their history and has a plan for their future. We are called to look at others through God's eyes, recognizing their potential and helping them discover their purpose in Him. This requires us to set aside our judgments and biases and to see people as God sees them. By doing so, we can become instruments of God's grace and help others realize their God-given potential. [01:14:13]
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV): "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'"
Reflection: Think of someone you have judged based on their past. How can you begin to see them through God's eyes and help them discover their potential in Him?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "What is baptism? It's that opportunity that you have to really, really go public with your faith. It's the outward declaration of the inward confirmation. You have said, Hey, I want to make, or I have made Jesus Christ, the Lord of my life. And I'm going public through baptism, the symbolic expression of the, of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ going down into the water old and coming up brand new." [43:38] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We know that you could be anywhere else on a Sunday morning, but we actually believe that God brought you here for a specific purpose. We don't believe that you're here by accident. I know you thought you woke up this morning, put your makeup on, got your hair right and said, I'm going to church this morning. I'm going to check it in. But guess what? God had been preparing your heart. God had been preparing your conversations. He had been clearing your calendar. He had been preparing your calendar to make sure that you made it here today." [45:00] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "The world tells you that our existence is a cosmic accident, that you have no purpose, you have no value. God says, no, you were created with purpose from birth, and I have need of you. I have need of you. How do you know that, pastor? You sound like you're just talking. Well, I'll take it to the book, because that's what we do here at Limitless. Jeremiah chapter 1. Jeremiah chapter 1, verse 4 says, now the word of the Lord came to me saying, before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And before you were born, I consecrated you." [59:05] (65 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "When we're out here talking to people, when we're having conversations with people, when you're telling people about Jesus or not, depending on whether they're not, hallelujah. When we're supposed to be out here telling people about Jesus, this is what we have to know, that there is a purpose on their life. There is a destiny on their life. There are things that God placed in them at birth that he desires to use for his glory, and your job is to introduce them to Jesus." [01:02:55] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "We don't know the end story of the whosoever. We don't know what God has for the person that he's called us to. To evangelize to. We don't know who, what God has called them to do. It could be the next Paul to Saul. It could be the next evangelist. It could be the next Billy Graham. We have no idea who God has called us to tell about the grace of Jesus Christ. Regardless of who they are, we are called to the whosoever because the whosoever is who Christ came for." [01:17:45] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "God has a need for the whosoever. In the sense that he is lacking in any way, because God has never lacked and he never will lack, but he has a need for the whosoever. There is something unique that he has placed in each and every one of us from birth, regardless of who we are. And when we make a decision to make him Lord, he is able to use that thing that he created us with for his glory." [48:07] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Each and every whosoever is God's handiwork and he created each and every one with purpose and intention no matter where they are, no matter who they are and while we may look at them in sin, while we may look at them in ruin and see no value, no hope, no purpose, God sees an image bearer of his son. And not only that, here's the thing, he looks at the things he has prepared beforehand, the good works he has prepared beforehand for them to accomplish." [01:21:02] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "It's not just get saved, love Jesus, go to church. It's get saved, love Jesus, go to church and get to work. There is stuff, there are things, there are people who need to know the love, grace, and mercy of Jesus Christ. They need to know how he pulled you out of the pit, how he took you from depression, how he took you from what you were struggling with, how he turned your mourning into dancing, how he took you from where you were and brought you into the marvelous light." [01:21:02] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "God has need of you. God has need of me. He has need of your gifts. He has need of your talents. He has need of your abilities but he has a need for those that are not sitting in these seats. Lot of times we focus on getting here and we focus on the people who are in here and we focus on loving the people who are in here but there are over 70 60 000 people outside of these doors right now that need to know that they are uniquely equipped and gifted that they are desired and that god has a need." [01:28:30] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God has uniquely positioned them, and he gave them this thing from birth. He gave them this thing from birth. God has uniquely positioned them, and he gave them this thing from birth that he would put in them and give them the ability to see christ through them think about this and i see this in my life and in the life of others i think about my dad and dad tells the story when he preaches he talks about how he used to be hallelujah and how he used to move and the things that he walked through in life." [01:24:47] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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