Embracing God's Light and Our Eternal Purpose
Summary
In this gathering on the fourth Sunday of Epiphany, we reflect on the light of God illuminating our paths as we grow in our Christian walk. We are reminded of the program "Transfer the Blessing," which has been a source of joy and support for many families in our congregation. Looking ahead, we anticipate a hymn festival and seminar, a time to deepen our understanding of worship and enrich our spiritual experience. Understanding the intricacies of worship can transform it from a routine to a vibrant encounter with God.
Our scripture readings today from Jeremiah, 1 Corinthians, and Luke guide us in understanding God's plans for our lives. Just as God knew Jeremiah before he was born and called him to be a prophet, He knows each of us and has plans for us to be His light in the world. Despite Jeremiah's initial reluctance, God assured him of His purpose, just as He assures us. We are called to pray for guidance and to walk in the plans God has for us, knowing that He desires for us to be with Him in heaven.
Reflecting on the book "One Minute After You Die" by Erwin Lutzer, we are reminded of the eternal realities that await us. The choices we make in this life have eternal consequences, leading either to a joyous reunion with God or a separation marked by regret. This underscores the importance of living out God's word and sharing His love with others. We are encouraged to overcome excuses and embrace our calling to be God's messengers, sharing the good news of His kingdom.
In 1 Corinthians, we are reminded that our understanding is limited, but one day we will see God face to face. This hope should inspire us to live lives of love and obedience, reflecting God's love to those around us. We are His workmanship, created for good works, and called to walk in them. As we pray for strength and guidance, we are empowered to spread God's word and be His light in the world.
Key Takeaways:
- God's intimate knowledge and plans for us are profound. Just as He knew Jeremiah before birth, He knows us and has a purpose for our lives. We are called to be His light, spreading His good news and living out His plans with faith and obedience. [30:32]
- Understanding worship enriches our spiritual experience. Like understanding the rules of a game enhances enjoyment, grasping the depth of worship transforms it from routine to a vibrant encounter with God. [07:14]
- The reality of eternity should shape our present lives. "One Minute After You Die" reminds us of the eternal consequences of our earthly choices, urging us to live in alignment with God's word and share His love with others. [38:21]
- Overcoming excuses is essential to fulfilling our calling. Like Jeremiah, we may feel inadequate, but God equips us to be His messengers. We are called to rise above excuses and embrace our role in His kingdom. [45:42]
- Love is the foundation of our Christian walk. As 1 Corinthians 13 emphasizes, love is central to our faith. We love because God first loved us, and this love should be evident in our actions and interactions with others. [49:31]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[07:14] - Understanding Worship
[29:14] - God's Knowledge and Plans
[30:32] - Jeremiah's Calling
[34:39] - Meditation and Reflection
[36:23] - Eternal Realities
[38:21] - One Minute After You Die
[40:22] - Immortality and Choices
[41:12] - Heaven and Hell
[42:28] - Two Funerals, Two Destinies
[43:22] - Jesus' Mission and Our Calling
[45:42] - Overcoming Excuses
[47:08] - Embracing Our Role
[48:01] - The Spirit's Empowerment
[49:31] - Love as Our Foundation
[50:28] - Created for Good Works
[51:51] - Sharing God's Word
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Jeremiah 1:4-10 - God's call to Jeremiah and His assurance of purpose.
2. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 - The promise of seeing God face to face and the importance of love.
3. Luke 4:43 - Jesus' mission to preach the good news of the kingdom of God.
#### Observation Questions
1. What was Jeremiah's initial reaction to God's call, and how did God respond to his reluctance? [30:32]
2. How does the sermon describe the transformation of worship from routine to a vibrant encounter with God? [07:14]
3. What are the eternal realities mentioned in the sermon that should influence our present lives? [38:21]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the concept of overcoming excuses in fulfilling our calling? [45:42]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. In what ways does God's intimate knowledge of us, as seen in Jeremiah's story, impact our understanding of His plans for our lives? [30:32]
2. How does the sermon suggest that understanding worship can enrich our spiritual experience and relationship with God? [07:14]
3. What does the sermon imply about the consequences of our earthly choices in light of eternity? [38:21]
4. How does the sermon encourage believers to overcome excuses and embrace their role in God's kingdom? [45:42]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt inadequate for a task God called you to. How did you overcome your reluctance, and what was the outcome? [30:32]
2. How can you deepen your understanding of worship to transform it from a routine to a vibrant encounter with God? What steps will you take this week? [07:14]
3. Considering the eternal consequences of our choices, what is one area of your life where you feel called to align more closely with God's word? [38:21]
4. Identify a specific excuse you have used to avoid fulfilling your calling. What practical steps can you take to overcome this excuse? [45:42]
5. How can you actively reflect God's love in your daily interactions, as emphasized in 1 Corinthians 13? [49:31]
6. What is one way you can be a light in your community, sharing the good news of God's kingdom? [43:22]
7. How can you incorporate prayer into your daily routine to seek guidance and strength in walking in God's plans for your life? [30:32]
Devotional
Day 1: God's Intimate Knowledge and Purpose for Us
God's knowledge of us is profound and personal, as illustrated by His relationship with Jeremiah. Before Jeremiah was born, God had already set a purpose for his life, calling him to be a prophet. This same intimate knowledge and purpose apply to each of us. God knows us deeply and has a unique plan for our lives, calling us to be His light in the world. Despite our feelings of inadequacy or reluctance, like Jeremiah, we are assured of God's purpose and guidance. We are encouraged to pray for direction and to walk confidently in the plans God has for us, knowing that He desires for us to be with Him in heaven. [30:32]
Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV): "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations."
Reflection: What specific purpose do you feel God has placed on your heart, and how can you take a step towards it today?
Day 2: Transforming Worship into a Vibrant Encounter
Understanding the depth of worship can transform it from a routine practice into a vibrant encounter with God. Just as understanding the rules of a game enhances enjoyment, grasping the intricacies of worship enriches our spiritual experience. Worship is not merely a ritual but a profound connection with the divine, where we express our love and reverence for God. By deepening our understanding of worship, we can experience a more meaningful and fulfilling spiritual journey, allowing us to encounter God in a transformative way. [07:14]
Psalm 95:6-7 (ESV): "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."
Reflection: How can you deepen your understanding of worship this week to make it a more meaningful experience?
Day 3: The Eternal Consequences of Our Choices
The reality of eternity should shape our present lives, as the choices we make have eternal consequences. Reflecting on the book "One Minute After You Die" by Erwin Lutzer, we are reminded of the eternal realities that await us. Our earthly decisions can lead to either a joyous reunion with God or a separation marked by regret. This understanding urges us to live in alignment with God's word and to share His love with others. By embracing this eternal perspective, we are motivated to make choices that reflect our faith and commitment to God's kingdom. [38:21]
2 Corinthians 5:10 (ESV): "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."
Reflection: What is one decision you can make today that aligns with an eternal perspective and reflects your commitment to God's kingdom?
Day 4: Overcoming Excuses to Fulfill Our Calling
Overcoming excuses is essential to fulfilling our calling as God's messengers. Like Jeremiah, we may feel inadequate or reluctant, but God equips us to rise above these excuses and embrace our role in His kingdom. We are called to be His light in the world, sharing the good news of His love and salvation. By trusting in God's strength and guidance, we can overcome our fears and hesitations, stepping boldly into the purpose He has for us. [45:42]
Exodus 4:10-12 (ESV): "But Moses said to the Lord, 'Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.' Then the Lord said to him, 'Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.'"
Reflection: What excuse have you been using to avoid fulfilling your calling, and how can you overcome it with God's help today?
Day 5: Love as the Foundation of Our Christian Walk
Love is the foundation of our Christian walk, as emphasized in 1 Corinthians 13. We are called to live lives of love and obedience, reflecting God's love to those around us. This love is not just an emotion but a deliberate choice to act in kindness, patience, and selflessness. As we grow in our faith, we are reminded that we love because God first loved us, and this love should be evident in our actions and interactions with others. By embodying this love, we fulfill our purpose as God's workmanship, created for good works. [49:31]
1 John 4:19-21 (ESV): "We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."
Reflection: How can you intentionally show God's love to someone in your life today, especially someone you find difficult to love?
Quotes
"Well, Jeremiah lived about 600 years before Jesus was born. And God told Jeremiah, I knew you before you were in the womb of your mom. God knows everything. Did God know about you before you were in your mother's womb? Yes, he did. And God told Jeremiah, I am going to have you talk to people about me." [00:29:52]
"He had plans for him, just like he has plans for you. And he had plans. He had plans for Jeremiah to tell everyone about God and his word and the law and the good news of his love. Hey, does God have plans for you? Yes, he does. Do you think God wants you to be his light in this world and to spread his good news?" [00:31:04]
"This morning we are reminded of the importance of Jesus' mission, the importance of love and obedience. He has a place in our lives, the lives of his people, and this morning we're going to take a little book about this little book called One Minute After You Die, written by Erwin Lutzer. One Minute After You Die." [00:34:39]
"For now we see in a mirror dimly, here we are told about the promises that God has in store for us in heaven and holy scriptures, but we really, really can't see the wonders, the marvels of, but then one minute after death at that moment you will see face to face the incredible God, the father who sent his son, the spirit given," [00:38:21]
"One minute after you slip behind the parted curtain, you will either be enjoying a personal welcome from Christ, or catching your first glimpse of gloom as you have never known it. Either way, your future will be irrevocably fixed and eternally unchangeable." [00:39:15]
"Every human being, says C .S. Lewis, is in the process of becoming a noble being, noble beyond imagination, or else, alas, a vile being beyond redemption. He exhorts us to remember that, quote, the dullest and most uninteresting person you can talk to may one day be a creature which, if you saw it now, you would be strongly tempted to worship, or else a horror and a corruption such as you now meet, if at all, only in a nightmare." [00:39:39]
"They will think back to their friends, family, and relatives. They will brood over opportunities they squandered and intuitively know that their future is both hopelessness and an unending. For them, death will be far worse than they imagined. And so while relatives and friends plan your funeral, deciding on a casket, a burial plot, and who the pallbearer shall be, you will be more alive than you have ever been." [00:41:12]
"We're told that he went to the town and brought to them the good news of his death. of the kingdom and that the kingdom of god was in their midst that the promised one was with them this one who would usher in the kingdom of god for all eternity and he showed himself to be so in his miracles and healings and casting out demons and you heard how the people in the town wanted him to stay but he said no why did he say no well when a person says no with that has conviction it means that they have a stronger yes the reason he said no to them sure it would have been good for him to say but he had a stronger yes he said i am to go to all the towns to all the people and to bring them the good news of the kingdom our gracious god desires that his people would bring the good news of God's love towards us in Christ, the one who came to die, to forgive, to give us life with God that will never end." [00:43:48]
"It's why he planned before Jeremiah was even in the womb of his mother to call this one to be his prophet, to speak his word, touched his lips. That he might speak the word that he wanted spoken to the people then, to proclaim the truth, to stand up for the truth. But you know, Jeremiah had an excuse. He says, he didn't say not me, but that's what he was saying." [00:45:42]
"But sometimes, you know, we have excuses, and we live with them, and we never get beyond them. You know, the excuses can be multiple and many. Well, I'm too young, I'm too old, I'm not smart enough, I don't know enough, I'm too weak. Who's gonna listen to me? Nobody's gonna listen to me. Well, that's not my calling, I'm not Jeremiah." [00:46:44]
"And he has touched your entire being, not just your mouth. He has poured himself into you in the waters of holy baptism. He has claimed you as a very child of the Heavenly Father. He has redeemed you, purchased you with the blood of Jesus Christ in which you are connected to his death and resurrection. He has poured his Spirit into you that he might strengthen you for this life as you grow in his word and as you call upon him in prayer that you might be his light. You are his light in this world. You are his truth in this world. You are the one who brings the word of life." [00:48:33]
"So many people have memorized Ephesians 2, 9 and 10, those incredible, incredible verses about God's grace and how we are saved, that we're saved by grace, through faith. And this is not your own doing. It's the gift of God, not a result of works, you know, so that no one can boast." [00:49:58]
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