Embracing God's Calling Through Sacrifice and Service
Summary
In my sermon, I discussed the importance of pursuing God's calling, even when it seems difficult or against our own desires. I shared my personal experience of initially running away from God's calling for me to preach and lead worship, but eventually embracing it. I emphasized that pursuing a deep relationship with Jesus means less of us and more of Him, less of what we want and more of what He wants. I also highlighted the importance of self-denial and sacrifice in our spiritual journey, as stated in Romans 12:1. I shared about our recent missions trip and the importance of serving others, both overseas and in our local communities. I also discussed the importance of daily pursuit of God, as stated in Luke 9:23-24, and the cost and sacrifice that comes with it.
Key Takeaways:
- Pursuing a deep relationship with Jesus means less of us and more of Him [ 57:02]
- Self-denial and sacrifice are key aspects of our spiritual journey [ 57:38]
- Serving others, both overseas and in our local communities, is an important part of our calling [ 58:15]
- Daily pursuit of God is crucial, and it comes with a cost and sacrifice [ 46:30]
- God's presence can be experienced in various settings, including worship nights and community groups [ 44:14]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 6:33 [44:14]
2. John 3:16 [01:08:01]
3. Luke 9:23 [01:01:53]
Observation Questions:
1. What does Matthew 6:33 tell us about our priorities in life?
2. How does John 3:16 describe the relationship between belief in Jesus and eternal life?
3. In Luke 9:23, what does Jesus mean when he says we must "deny ourselves" and "take up our cross daily"?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does Matthew 6:33 relate to the concept of pursuing God above all else?
2. What does John 3:16 suggest about the importance of actively choosing to follow and pursue Jesus?
3. How does Luke 9:23 challenge our understanding of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus?
Application Questions:
1. Can you identify something in your life that is distracting you from pursuing Jesus? How can you address this distraction?
2. What is one practical way you can "deny yourself" this week in order to make more room for Jesus in your life?
3. How can you incorporate the practice of "taking up your cross daily" into your everyday routine?
4. Reflecting on John 3:16, how can you actively choose to pursue Jesus in your daily life?
5. What steps can you take to ensure that seeking God is your first priority, as suggested in Matthew 6:33?
Devotional
Day 1: Choose Jesus Daily
Choosing Jesus is not a one-time event, but a daily commitment. It's not about being lukewarm, half in and half out. It's about making Jesus your Lord, King, and Savior in every aspect of your life. It's about pursuing Him with all your heart, every single day. [01:04:55]
Luke 9:23 - "Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'"
Reflection: Reflect on your daily routines. How can you incorporate choosing Jesus into your everyday activities?
Day 2: Be Transformed, Not Just Informed
Many of us know about Jesus, but that knowledge doesn't always translate into transformation. True transformation happens when we actively pursue Jesus, when we seek His word and ask Him to speak to our hearts. [01:06:09]
Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
Reflection: How can you move from simply knowing about Jesus to truly being transformed by Him?
Day 3: Practice Makes Perfect
Just like any discipline in life, having a deep relationship with Jesus requires practice, effort, and consistency. It's not something that just happens; it's something we need to work at every day. [01:06:47]
1 Timothy 4:7-8 - "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."
Reflection: What specific steps can you take to practice your faith more consistently?
Day 4: Seek Him First
When we focus on everything else and neglect our relationship with the Lord, we end up feeling unfulfilled. But when we seek Him first, everything else falls into place. [01:08:01]
Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
Reflection: What are some ways you can prioritize seeking God in your daily life?
Day 5: Deny Yourself
Following Jesus means denying ourselves and making sacrifices. It means giving up things we want to do in order to make room for what God wants to do in and through us. [01:00:38]
Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Reflection: What is one thing you can give up this week to make more room for Jesus in your life?
Quotes
1. "If something is distracting you from what Jesus has for you, it's got to go. For some of you, maybe it's the wrong friends, they're just pulling you one direction, pulling you the other. For some of you, this is super practical, maybe it's the wrong music, maybe it's the wrong things that you're watching. Because can I tell you, garbage in, garbage out. And what you're filling yourself with, when you're filling yourself with garbage, it's going to be hard to hear the voice of God." - 54:09
2. "Jesus lays a foundation and really honestly an expectation that if we truly want to follow after him it means full and total and complete surrender. It means complete surrender." - 46:25
3. "Jesus was different and he has not called you to just go with the flow, he's called you to go into the world and to be a disciple of him who makes disciples. We're called to be like Jesus so therefore we are called to be different." - 51:31
4. "Following Jesus, pursuing Jesus truly pursuing Jesus with all of your heart, it costs you everything. It does cost your life, it costs you everything that the world has to give but you know what the cool thing is, it means that you gain everything that Jesus has to give." - 51:31
5. "You got to deny your flesh, you got to deny yourself so that God can use you and God can speak to you. So maybe just practically, maybe that's given up a round of golf so that you can go have some time to pray. Maybe it's skipping that episode of your new favorite show to go spend some time getting in the word instead." - 59:17
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