Embracing Holy Ambition for the Great Commission

Devotional

Day 1: Sacrifice Leads to Greater Delight in God

A life of sacrifice, as taught by Jesus, is not about unhappiness but about finding greater delight in God by serving others and denying ourselves lesser pleasures for a higher purpose. This concept challenges the common perception that sacrifice equates to loss or deprivation. Instead, it invites believers to experience a deeper joy and fulfillment that comes from aligning with God's will and purpose. By denying oneself and taking up the cross, Christians are called to a life that prioritizes eternal values over temporary comforts. This path of sacrifice is not a burden but a gateway to experiencing the fullness of life in Christ. [00:33]

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25, ESV)

Reflection: What is one lesser pleasure you can deny yourself today to experience a greater delight in God?

Day 2: The Holy Spirit as the Wind in Our Sails

The Christian life is like a sailboat, driven by the Holy Spirit's power rather than human effort. This metaphor illustrates the necessity of relying on the Spirit's guidance to fulfill our God-given purpose. Just as a sailboat needs wind to move, believers need the Holy Spirit to propel them toward their divine calling. The mast of holy ambition must be lifted to catch the Spirit's wind, emphasizing the importance of having a clear, God-centered vision for one's life. This reliance on the Spirit ensures that our efforts are not in vain but are aligned with God's will and empowered by His strength. [02:10]

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." (John 14:16-17, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to rely more on the Holy Spirit's guidance rather than your own efforts?

Day 3: Holy Ambition Rooted in Scripture

Having a holy ambition is crucial for a meaningful life. It should be rooted in Scripture, as Paul's was, and guide us in meeting the world's immeasurable needs through unique, God-given callings. This ambition is not about personal gain but about fulfilling God's mission on earth. By immersing oneself in the Bible, believers can discern their unique calling and align their ambitions with God's purposes. This scriptural foundation ensures that our ambitions are not self-serving but are directed toward serving others and glorifying God. [12:19]

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)

Reflection: What specific Scripture passage speaks to your heart about your life's purpose, and how can you incorporate it into your daily life?

Day 4: Embracing Responsibility and Ambition

The cultural trend of delayed adulthood poses a challenge to embracing responsibility and ambition. This trend often leads to a lack of purpose and direction in life. However, believers are called to rise above cultural norms and seek a purpose that aligns with God's calling. This involves transitioning from a mindset of play to one of purpose, where responsibility is embraced as a means of fulfilling God's mission. By doing so, individuals can find true fulfillment and make a meaningful impact in the world. [16:07]

"When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways." (1 Corinthians 13:11, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can take on more responsibility to align with God's purpose for you?

Day 5: The Global Need for the Gospel

The global need for the gospel is immense, especially in unreached regions. Western missionaries have a unique role to play, and believers must be willing to go or support those who do, driven by a holy ambition. This call to action highlights the urgency of spreading the gospel to all corners of the earth. By recognizing the vast need for laborers in the mission field, individuals can discern their role in God's global mission, whether as goers or senders. This commitment to the Great Commission is a testament to one's dedication to fulfilling God's purpose on earth. [37:52]

"And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!'" (Romans 10:15, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively participate in the Great Commission today, either by going, sending, or supporting those who do?

Sermon Summary

In this message, I express my heartfelt desire for each of you to set your life's course toward the completion of the Great Commission, either as a sacrificial goer or a sacrificial sender. This call to sacrifice is rooted in Jesus' command to deny oneself and take up the cross, emphasizing that a life of sacrifice is not one of unhappiness but of greater delight in God. I urge you not to be indifferent or complacent but to actively engage in the task of world evangelization.

I use the metaphor of a sailboat to illustrate the Christian life, emphasizing the need for the Holy Spirit's guidance rather than relying on human effort alone. The mast represents a holy ambition, a plan that catches the wind of the Spirit, propelling us toward a valuable purpose. However, I also stress the importance of having ballast—solid gospel truth—to keep us steady amidst life's storms.

Drawing from Romans 15, I highlight Paul's holy ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, urging you to seek your unique holy ambition. This ambition should be rooted in Scripture, as Paul demonstrated by grounding his mission in Isaiah 52. I encourage you to immerse yourself in the Bible, seeking God's guidance for your life's purpose.

I address the cultural challenge of delayed adulthood, urging young people to embrace responsibility and ambition. I illustrate this with examples of how play transitions to purpose as we mature. I challenge you to rise above cultural norms and seek a holy ambition that meets immeasurable needs, whether through preaching, serving, or supporting missions.

Finally, I share an email from a missionary in China, highlighting the vast need for the gospel in unreached regions. This serves as a reminder of the global need for laborers and the unique role Western missionaries can play. I conclude by praying for God to guide you in discovering and pursuing your holy ambition for His glory.

Key Takeaways

1. A life of sacrifice, as Jesus taught, is not about unhappiness but about finding greater delight in God by serving others and denying ourselves lesser pleasures for a higher purpose. [00:33]
2. The Christian life is like a sailboat, driven by the Holy Spirit's power rather than human effort. We must lift the mast of holy ambition and catch the Spirit's wind to fulfill our God-given purpose. [02:10]
3. Having a holy ambition is crucial for a meaningful life. It should be rooted in Scripture, as Paul's was, and guide us in meeting the world's immeasurable needs through unique, God-given callings. [12:19]
4. The cultural trend of delayed adulthood poses a challenge to embracing responsibility and ambition. We must rise above this and seek a purpose that aligns with God's calling for our lives. [16:07]
5. The global need for the gospel is immense, especially in unreached regions. Western missionaries have a unique role to play, and we must be willing to go or support those who do, driven by a holy ambition. [37:52]
** [37:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Setting the Course for the Great Commission
[00:33] - The Call to Sacrifice
[01:14] - Delighting in God Through Service
[01:33] - Avoiding Indifference
[02:10] - The Sailboat Metaphor
[02:58] - The Importance of Ballast
[04:15] - God's Glory and the Cross
[06:08] - Discovering Holy Ambition
[07:24] - Paul's Ambition in Romans 15
[09:23] - Mission Support and Ambition
[12:19] - The Value of Holy Ambition
[16:07] - Cultural Challenges to Ambition
[20:10] - Transitioning from Play to Purpose
[23:16] - Finding Ambition in Scripture
[37:52] - The Global Need for the Gospel
[41:16] - Prayer for Holy Ambition

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Romans 15:18-24
Isaiah 52:15
Psalm 96:3

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Observation Questions:

In Romans 15:20, Paul speaks of his ambition to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named. What does this reveal about his priorities and mission? [08:44]
The sermon uses the metaphor of a sailboat to describe the Christian life. What does the mast represent, and why is it important? [02:10]
According to the sermon, what role does the Holy Spirit play in guiding a Christian's life, as illustrated by the sailboat metaphor? [02:42]
How does the sermon describe the cultural trend of delayed adulthood, and what challenge does it pose to embracing responsibility and ambition? [16:07]

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Interpretation Questions:

In Romans 15:18-24, Paul grounds his mission in Scripture, specifically Isaiah 52:15. Why is it important for a holy ambition to be rooted in Scripture, and how does this influence one's mission? [23:59]
The sermon emphasizes the need for a "holy ambition." How does this concept differ from worldly ambition, and what are the implications for a Christian's life? [12:19]
The sermon discusses the importance of having "ballast" in one's life. What does this mean in the context of the Christian faith, and how can it help during life's storms? [02:58]
How does the sermon address the global need for the gospel, and what unique role do Western missionaries play in this context? [37:52]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your current ambitions. Are they aligned with a holy ambition as described in the sermon? What steps can you take to ensure your ambitions are rooted in Scripture? [12:19]
The sermon challenges cultural norms of delayed adulthood. How can you actively embrace responsibility and ambition in your current stage of life? [16:07]
Consider the metaphor of the sailboat. How can you ensure that the Holy Spirit is guiding your life rather than relying solely on your own efforts? [02:42]
The sermon highlights the importance of sacrifice in the Christian life. What are some lesser pleasures you might need to deny yourself to find greater delight in God? [00:33]
How can you contribute to the task of world evangelization, either as a goer or a sender? Identify one specific action you can take this month to support this mission. [01:14]
The sermon mentions the need for "ballast" in our lives. What solid gospel truths can you hold onto to keep you steady during challenging times? [02:58]
Reflect on the global need for the gospel. Is there a specific unreached region or people group that God is placing on your heart? How can you support efforts to reach them? [37:52]

Sermon Clips

My heart's desire and prayer to God for you is that he would put your boat, the boat of your life, on a course toward the completion of the Great Commission towards the remaining task of world evangelization either as a sacrificial goer or a sacrificial sender. [00:03:16]

A life of sacrifice is not a life of unhappiness. We deny ourselves things that would diminish our delights in God through serving people, and there are thousands of things that would diminish our delights in God, and they are all pleasurable, and we deny ourselves those for greater pleasure. [00:00:59]

The great tragedy is that people think the Christian life can be turned into a motorboat. You can grow a church by putting an Evinrude on the back of your boat and making it happen, but it's not supernatural, it's not Christian. It's the sailboat, and the mast is to put these yards out here, drop the sails, be filled with the spirit, and driven in his power across the sea of life for a good and holy purpose. [00:02:01]

I want to help you get a more specific holy ambition for your life. The ballast in the bottom of the boat is a kind of ambition. I want my life to count as a part of God's passion for his glory, so I want to have a passion for his glory. That's the big general ballast of your life. [00:06:08]

When you're controlled by a holy ambition, there are thousand things you cannot do, you dare not do. Good things, good things. My life has been one long life of selective neglect because I have ambitions in my life about how I wanted to count things I want to say, things I want to do for a specific focus and a specific message. [00:11:18]

I want you to have a holy ambition. I want you to pursue it by reading your Bible and asking God to make something burn in your heart. I think that's the way it comes. As you're reading the Bible, you're pleading, "Oh God, speak. God, speak to me." [00:28:31]

The mark of adulthood is that play is replaced with a sense of responsibility and ambition in this world for your life to count for real babies that are out there or a thousand other things. I'm just using dolls and babies as an example. [00:20:10]

I simply want to encourage the Western Church to wake up and realize that dozens of regions around the world are still completely devoid of the gospel, and most of these places are difficult places for even native missionaries, so-called, to work. It is going to take people like you. [00:39:27]

I pray that the mast of your holy ambition will be lifted high, and you'll drop your sails of faith, and you'll catch the wind of the Holy Spirit, and he will drive you freely, no motor on the back trying to make it happen when it can't happen, but being driven by the Holy Spirit. [00:41:16]

Immerse yourself in the Bible, pleading with God to make some verse or some strategy or some trajectory or some truth so burn so continuously and so firmly and deeply and unshakably you know that's me. [00:25:58]

Every holy ambition is an expression of love for people. What was the need that Paul was trying to meet as he preached the gospel where Christ had not been named? Here's the theological problem: Paul, do you think people are responsible to believe in a name they've never heard? [00:29:24]

I want to read you an email, and I'll be done. This comes from a 30-something now, because he's been there so long in China or Tibet, and he wrote this three years ago. He wrote it because I had raised the issue about young people feeling like Western missionaries are not needed in a place like China. [00:36:47]

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Embracing Holy Ambition for the Great Commission

Devotional

Day 1: Sacrifice Leads to Greater Delight in God

Day 2: The Holy Spirit as the Wind in Our Sails

Day 3: Holy Ambition Rooted in Scripture

Day 4: Embracing Responsibility and Ambition

Day 5: The Global Need for the Gospel

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Embracing Holy Ambition for the Great Commission

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