Embracing God's Mission: Trust, Obedience, and Provision
Summary
In a gathering at Cross Creek Church, Gary, one of the pastors, opens with a warm welcome and expresses his excitement to delve into the teachings of Jesus Christ. He extends a special thanks to first-time visitors and encourages them to connect with the church community through a QR code system. Gary highlights the importance of giving with a joyful heart, as described in Scripture, and thanks the congregation for their cheerful contributions to various ministries, including the youth ministry. He also mentions an upcoming fundraiser event, Dinner and a Show, which supports students attending winter camp.
Michael, another pastor, greets the congregation and introduces the theme of the year, "mission," based on Habakkuk 2:14. He encourages the congregation to memorize this verse, which encapsulates the church's focus for the year. Michael shares a personal story about receiving a distressing text from a church member who is facing a devastating situation. He offers three points of encouragement: acknowledging the hardships of life, recognizing the glory of God in the mission, and understanding that God's ways may not align with our plans but are higher and require obedience.
The sermon continues with an exploration of the principle of God's provision, as seen in the story of the Israelites receiving manna in the wilderness and the promise of new mercies every morning in Lamentations 3. The message emphasizes trusting in God's daily provision and the assurance that God has not abandoned or forsaken anyone. Michael draws parallels between Moses being sent to free the Israelites from slavery and Jesus being sent to free humanity from sin, offering salvation through faith in Him.
The core of the message revolves around the concept of mission, defined as allowing God to reveal Himself to individuals and, through them, to others. The life of Moses is examined as an example of someone who experienced God and was used to reveal God's glory. The congregation is challenged to consider their purpose in life and how it aligns with God's mission.
Michael outlines four application points: God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things, God expects obedience, God's plans will prevail even when they differ from personal expectations, and God provides just enough information for the next step. He also discusses the importance of adjusting one's life to join God's mission, using the analogy of white water rafting to illustrate surrendering to God's flow.
The sermon concludes with an invitation for individuals to respond to God's call, whether it's to accept Christ for the first time or to commit fully to God's mission. The message is clear: God is at work, desires a personal relationship with each person, and invites everyone to participate in His mission to reveal His glory to the world.
Key Takeaways:
- The joy of giving is not just a biblical command but a transformative experience that aligns the giver's heart with God's purposes, creating a cycle of joy and generosity that supports the work of the church and its ministries. This principle of cheerful giving reflects a deeper spiritual truth about the nature of God's kingdom, where giving is not an obligation but a celebration of faith and community. [06:25]
- Life's challenges and unexpected turns are not indicators of God's absence but are often the very context in which God's mission for an individual is revealed. The hardships faced can become a platform for experiencing and demonstrating God's glory, as long as one remains obedient and open to God's higher ways, which transcend human understanding. [01:13:30]
- Daily trust in God's provision is a foundational aspect of faith, as exemplified by the Israelites' reliance on manna in the wilderness. This trust is not just for physical needs but extends to spiritual and emotional sustenance, affirming that God's mercies are indeed new every morning and that His faithfulness is a constant in the believer's life. [53:33]
- The mission of God is like a river that flows in one direction, and believers are called to join this flow, allowing God's purposes to work through them. This surrender to the mission is not about personal ability or effort but about willingness to be carried by God's current, trusting in His guidance and provision for the journey. [23:08]
- God's invitation to join His mission often comes with the need for personal adjustment and a willingness to step out in faith. This adjustment is not just a one-time decision but a continual process of aligning one's life with God's purposes, much like Moses had to leave his comfort zone to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. [44:57]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Habakkuk 2:14 - "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."
2. Exodus 3:1-10 - The story of Moses and the burning bush.
3. Lamentations 3:22-23 - "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Habakkuk 2:14 say about God's mission for the earth?
2. In Exodus 3:1-10, how does God reveal Himself to Moses, and what mission does He give him?
3. According to Lamentations 3:22-23, what is the nature of God's mercies, and how often are they renewed?
4. What are the four application points Michael outlines in the sermon? [50:11]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the promise in Habakkuk 2:14 relate to the overall mission of the church as described in the sermon? [20:48]
2. What can we learn from Moses' initial reluctance and eventual obedience to God's call in Exodus 3:1-10? [35:41]
3. How does the daily renewal of God's mercies in Lamentations 3:22-23 encourage believers to trust in God's provision? [53:16]
4. How does Michael's analogy of white water rafting illustrate the concept of surrendering to God's mission? [22:24]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God's provision in your life. How did that experience strengthen your faith? [53:16]
2. Michael mentioned that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. What ordinary aspects of your life could God use for His mission? [50:11]
3. How can you practice cheerful giving in your daily life, and what impact do you think it will have on your relationship with God and others? [06:31]
4. Have you ever experienced a "crisis of belief" like Moses did? How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [41:16]
5. Michael shared a personal story about receiving a distressing text from a church member. How can you support others in your community who are facing hardships? [01:13:00]
6. What adjustments might you need to make in your life to align more closely with God's mission? How can you start making those changes this week? [44:46]
7. Think about the analogy of white water rafting. What does it mean for you to "get on the river" and let God's mission flow through you? How can you apply this in your current circumstances? [22:24]
Devotional
Day 1: Joyful Generosity Reflects God's Kingdom
Generosity is not merely an act of obedience but a celebration of faith that aligns one's heart with God's purposes. When giving is done with joy, it becomes a transformative experience that supports the church's work and fosters a sense of community. This joyful giving is a reflection of the deeper spiritual truth of God's kingdom, where generosity is a natural expression of one's faith and connection to the divine. [06:25]
2 Corinthians 9:7 - "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."
Reflection: How can you cultivate a spirit of joyful generosity in your life, and what might be your first step towards this today?
Day 2: Embracing God's Mission in Hardship
Life's challenges are not signs of God's absence but opportunities to reveal His mission in one's life. Hardships can become platforms for experiencing and demonstrating God's glory when met with obedience and openness to His transcendent ways. This perspective transforms difficulties into contexts for spiritual growth and deeper understanding of God's purpose. [01:13:30]
James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."
Reflection: What current hardship can you view as an opportunity to experience God's mission, and how can you demonstrate obedience in this situation?
Day 3: Trusting in God's Daily Provision
Trusting in God's provision is a daily act of faith, extending beyond physical needs to spiritual and emotional sustenance. Just as the Israelites relied on manna, believers are assured of God's new mercies every morning. This trust affirms that God's faithfulness is unwavering and that He has not forsaken His people. [53:33]
Lamentations 3:22-23 - "Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
Reflection: How can you practice trusting in God's provision today, especially in an area where you feel anxious or uncertain?
Day 4: Surrendering to God's Mission Flow
Joining God's mission is akin to surrendering to the flow of a river, allowing His purposes to work through us. This surrender is not about personal ability but a willingness to be carried by God's current, trusting in His guidance and provision. Believers are called to join this divine flow, which directs them towards God's intended destination. [23:08]
Ezekiel 47:9 - "Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live."
Reflection: What does surrendering to God's mission look like in your daily life, and what is one step you can take to better align with His flow?
Day 5: Adjusting Life for God's Mission
God's call to join His mission often requires personal adjustment and a step of faith. This continual process of realignment is essential for fulfilling God's purposes, much like Moses had to leave his comfort zone to lead the Israelites. Believers are challenged to adjust their lives to fit into the greater narrative of God's redemptive plan. [44:57]
Isaiah 6:8 - "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?' And I said, 'Here am I. Send me!'"
Reflection: What personal adjustments might God be asking you to make to join His mission, and how can you begin to make these changes today?
Quotes
1) "God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. If you read through Exodus, Moses is still giving God excuses. And what God says to Moses is, Moses, what's that in your hand?" [50:46] (Download)
2) "God expects obedience, not disobedience, whether it makes sense or not. There's things that God's going to come to us and invite us to, and we're like, that's God math, right?" [52:12] (Download)
3) "When you obey, things will go as God planned, but not always the way you planned. You ever try to tell God how things are going to go? Things are always going to go the way God planned it." [52:58] (Download)
4) "God speaks to us because he wants to reveal himself to us. God speaks to us because he wants to reveal his purposes to us. God speaks to us because he wants to reveal his ways to us." [39:29] (Download)
5) "God's mission was what? The world would be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord. God made a covenant, he was going to fulfill it." [40:20] (Download)
6) "God promises us his presence when we pursue his purposes. God didn't say, hey Moses, remember when you did this, remember when you did this. No, he just said, I'll be with you." [43:31] (Download)
7) "God is always preparing us for what he has prepared for us. And whether you showed up today feeling forsaken, whether you showed up feeling abandoned." [31:40] (Download)
8) "God will give you enough grace to get through today. And you know what? When the sun comes up tomorrow, you get new mercies." [53:33] (Download)
9) "God sent Jesus so that you and I could be set free from our sin. So that you and I could have a relationship with God." [54:28] (Download)
10) "God uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary. Why? Because as you read through the scriptures, it's always for his glory. Be careful when you try to rob God's glory." [51:36] (Download)
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