Embracing Jesus First Decisions for Transformation
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, Cornerstone Church! It is a joy to be here on this special Potluck and Baptism Sunday. I must admit, I haven't felt this nervous about preaching in a long time, but I believe that God has been moving powerfully among us today. As we gather, let's open our hearts and minds to what God wants to say to us. Let's pray together. Father God, we ask that You prepare our hearts to receive Your word. Remove all distractions and help us focus on Your message. Amen.
Today, we continue our sermon series called "Jesus First Decisions," which aligns with our yearly theme, "Because of Jesus." We all face moments where we must choose between what God wants us to do and other options, whether it's our own desires, convenience, or routine. These decisions can challenge our identity and push us out of our comfort zones. For example, some of us may see ourselves as strong, but God may call us to be vulnerable and compassionate. Others may pride themselves on being hard workers, but God might ask us to take time off to serve in ministry.
One exciting event coming up is the Bold X Conference in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where 20 people from our church, including six adults, have decided to take time off work to invest in the next generation. These are the kinds of Jesus First Decisions that we celebrate. Sometimes, the choices are straightforward, like choosing between sin and righteousness, or deciding to read the Bible and pray.
I shared a personal story about how my wife and I felt called to move to this area. We were hesitant and unsure, but God made it clear that He wanted us here at Cornerstone Church. When we finally surrendered to His will, everything fell into place. This reminds me of the story in Luke 5:1-11, where Jesus called Peter to follow Him. Peter had been fishing all night without success, but when Jesus told him to cast his net again, he caught so many fish that his nets began to tear. This miracle happened because Peter obeyed Jesus' small request to use his boat.
Jesus First Decisions often start with small acts of obedience. For instance, many of you have been praying for others, writing prayer requests on sticky notes, and placing them on chairs. These small acts of faith have led to significant moments, like baptisms and life transformations. It's the consistent small yeses that prepare us for the big, life-altering decisions.
In Luke 9:57-60, we read about a man who wanted to follow Jesus but hesitated because he wanted to take care of his family first. Jesus told him that his duty was to preach the kingdom of God. This story highlights that even when we present our reasons for not following Jesus immediately, He reminds us of our higher calling.
Another powerful example is the story of the little boy with five loaves and two fish. Jesus used the boy's small offering to feed 5,000 people. This shows that God can do great things with whatever we place in His hands, no matter how small it seems.
As we reflect on these stories, let's consider what small steps of obedience God is calling us to take. It could be attending a prayer meeting, volunteering in a ministry, or simply being more present in worship. Whatever it is, let's place it in God's hands and trust Him to do something extraordinary with it.
In closing, I challenge you to examine your life and identify the areas where God is asking you to make a Jesus First Decision. It might seem insignificant, but remember that small acts of obedience can lead to significant moments of transformation. Let's pray. Father God, we thank You for the opportunity to gather and hear Your word. Help us to make Jesus First Decisions in every area of our lives. Amen.
### Key Takeaways
1. Small Acts of Obedience Lead to Big Miracles: Jesus First Decisions often start with small, seemingly insignificant acts of obedience. Just like Peter allowed Jesus to use his boat, and the little boy offered his loaves and fish, our small yeses can lead to significant moments of transformation. These small steps prepare us for the larger, life-altering decisions that God calls us to make. [11:58]
2. God Uses Our Inadequacies for His Glory: When we feel inadequate or unworthy, God can still use us for His purposes. Peter felt unworthy after witnessing the miracle of the fish, but Jesus reassured him and called him to be a fisher of people. Our feelings of inadequacy do not disqualify us from God's calling; instead, they highlight His power and grace. [29:53]
3. Consistent Prayer and Faithfulness Yield Results: The small, consistent acts of faith, like praying for others and writing prayer requests, can lead to significant outcomes. These acts of faithfulness create an environment where God can move powerfully, leading to life changes, baptisms, and other miracles. [19:32]
4. Jesus First Decisions Challenge Our Comfort Zones: Following Jesus often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and challenge our identities. Whether it's being vulnerable, taking time off work for ministry, or making sacrifices, these decisions push us to grow and align more closely with God's will. [15:19]
5. God Multiplies What We Offer: No matter how small our offering may seem, God can multiply it for His glory. The story of the loaves and fish demonstrates that when we place what we have in God's hands, He can use it to accomplish far more than we could ever imagine. This principle applies to our time, talents, and resources. [45:18]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[11:58] - Opening Prayer
[12:55] - Jesus First Decisions
[15:19] - Challenging Our Identities
[19:32] - Power of Consistent Prayer
[22:48] - Small Acts of Obedience
[29:53] - Feeling Inadequate
[31:36] - The Call to Follow Jesus
[34:49] - The Miracle of the Fish
[45:18] - God Multiplies Our Offerings
[50:49] - Personal Testimony
[53:31] - Closing Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Luke 5:1-11
2. Luke 9:57-60
3. John 6:1-14 (The story of the little boy with five loaves and two fish)
#### Observation Questions
1. In Luke 5:1-11, what was Peter's initial reaction to Jesus' request to use his boat, and how did his response change after the miracle of the fish?
2. According to Luke 9:57-60, what were the reasons given by the men for not immediately following Jesus, and how did Jesus respond to them?
3. In John 6:1-14, what did the little boy offer to Jesus, and what was the outcome of his small offering?
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How do Peter's actions in Luke 5:1-11 demonstrate the concept of small acts of obedience leading to big miracles? [34:49]
2. What does Jesus' response to the man in Luke 9:60 ("Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead") suggest about the urgency and priority of following Him? [24:09]
3. How does the story of the little boy with the loaves and fish in John 6:1-14 illustrate the idea that God can multiply what we offer, no matter how small it seems? [45:18]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt inadequate or unworthy to follow God's calling. How did you respond, and what can you learn from Peter's reaction in Luke 5:8-10? [42:03]
2. Identify a small act of obedience that you can commit to this week. How can you trust God to use this small step for a greater purpose? [22:48]
3. Consider an area in your life where you have been hesitant to follow Jesus due to personal reasons or responsibilities. How can you prioritize your calling over these hesitations, as seen in Luke 9:59-60? [25:49]
4. Think about a time when you made a "Jesus First Decision" that pushed you out of your comfort zone. What was the outcome, and how did it impact your faith journey? [15:19]
5. How can you incorporate consistent prayer and small acts of faithfulness into your daily routine to create an environment where God can move powerfully? [19:32]
6. Reflect on the story of the little boy with the loaves and fish. What small offering (time, talent, or resource) can you place in God's hands this week, trusting Him to multiply it for His glory? [45:18]
7. What is one specific area in your life where you need to make a "Jesus First Decision"? How can you take the first step towards obedience in that area this week? [31:36]
Devotional
Day 1: Small Acts of Obedience Lead to Big Miracles
Small acts of obedience can lead to significant moments of transformation. Just as Peter allowed Jesus to use his boat, and the little boy offered his loaves and fish, our small yeses can lead to big miracles. These small steps prepare us for the larger, life-altering decisions that God calls us to make. When we consistently say yes to God in the little things, we build a foundation of faith and trust that enables us to respond to His call in bigger ways.
In our daily lives, these small acts of obedience might look like praying for someone, volunteering our time, or simply being present in worship. Each small step of faith is a building block that God uses to create something extraordinary. Remember, it’s not about the size of the act but the heart behind it. God can take our small offerings and multiply them for His glory. [11:58]
Luke 16:10 (ESV): "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much."
Reflection: What small act of obedience is God calling you to take today? How can you say yes to Him in this moment?
Day 2: God Uses Our Inadequacies for His Glory
When we feel inadequate or unworthy, God can still use us for His purposes. Peter felt unworthy after witnessing the miracle of the fish, but Jesus reassured him and called him to be a fisher of people. Our feelings of inadequacy do not disqualify us from God's calling; instead, they highlight His power and grace.
God often chooses to work through our weaknesses to demonstrate His strength. When we acknowledge our limitations and surrender them to God, we create space for His power to be made perfect in our weakness. This not only brings glory to God but also encourages others who may feel inadequate themselves. Remember, it’s not about our ability but our availability to be used by God. [29:53]
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you feel inadequate? How can you surrender these areas to God and allow His power to work through you?
Day 3: Consistent Prayer and Faithfulness Yield Results
The small, consistent acts of faith, like praying for others and writing prayer requests, can lead to significant outcomes. These acts of faithfulness create an environment where God can move powerfully, leading to life changes, baptisms, and other miracles.
When we commit to consistent prayer and faithfulness, we align ourselves with God's will and open the door for His intervention in our lives and the lives of others. It’s through these daily acts of devotion that we build a deeper relationship with God and become more attuned to His voice. Our faithfulness in the small things sets the stage for God to perform great works. [19:32]
James 5:16 (ESV): "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working."
Reflection: How can you incorporate consistent prayer into your daily routine? What specific prayer request can you commit to praying for this week?
Day 4: Jesus First Decisions Challenge Our Comfort Zones
Following Jesus often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and challenge our identities. Whether it's being vulnerable, taking time off work for ministry, or making sacrifices, these decisions push us to grow and align more closely with God's will.
Jesus First Decisions are not always easy, but they are necessary for spiritual growth. When we prioritize Jesus over our own desires and routines, we allow Him to shape us into the people He has called us to be. This often means letting go of our comfort and stepping into the unknown, trusting that God will guide and provide for us. [15:19]
Matthew 16:24 (ESV): "Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"
Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?
Day 5: God Multiplies What We Offer
No matter how small our offering may seem, God can multiply it for His glory. The story of the loaves and fish demonstrates that when we place what we have in God's hands, He can use it to accomplish far more than we could ever imagine. This principle applies to our time, talents, and resources.
When we offer what we have to God, no matter how insignificant it may seem, He can use it to bless others and further His kingdom. Our willingness to give, even in small ways, opens the door for God to work through us in powerful ways. Trust that God can take your small offering and multiply it beyond your wildest expectations. [45:18]
2 Corinthians 9:10 (ESV): "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."
Reflection: What small offering can you place in God's hands today? How can you trust Him to multiply it for His glory?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Sometimes the decisions, maybe they may seem bigger, they may seem small, but sometimes those decisions that we encounter have the God-given potential to alter the course and the trajectory of our lives or the lives of the people we lead. Meaning sometimes the decisions that we are presented with have the ability to affect our children, have the ability to affect our house, have the ability to affect the ministries that we either participate in or serve in. Jesus first decisions are big, big deals." [16:19]
2. "What I constantly think about is we hear it all the time. With faith the size of a mustard seed, you can what? Move mountains. You can cast them into the sea. It's not the quantity of the faith, but it's where the faith is placed in. It's not that I have enough faith. A mustard seed is about the size of a pen. You know what? It's not about the size of the faith, but it's about the size of my God. And he is so much greater." [27:33]
3. "Jesus' first decisions begin by placing Jesus first in the small things. Jesus' first decisions begin by placing Jesus first in the small things. Jesus' first decisions begin by placing Jesus first in the small things." [22:48]
4. "What I'm here today is to challenge you is to stop looking at what it is that God's saying, sacrifice, begin to change that away and say, what is God asking you to place in his hands? It's not because he's so poor and in need. Psalm says he has cattle on a thousand hills. He makes things happen. He does not need the boat in order to make the miracle happen. It's not because he's so poor and in need. Our God is so much greater than that. He's so much powerful than that." [36:29]
5. "What I want to point out is that God is so powerful that his will will take place whether what we have to offer is a little or a lot. But that our God is so gracious that he lets us be a part of his kingdom despite how little it really is. He lets us be a part of a mighty work of God regardless of how little it really is in the grand scheme of things." [42:03]
### Quotes for Members
1. "But what I'm here to remind us about today is that what prepares us for those big, massive, life-altering faith step, Jesus first decisions. The ones that even that are so monumental that people accept salvation and even heaven joins in are the small decisions we make beforehand." [17:44]
2. "And I want us to understand is what happened is people are showing up saying yes to begin to lay hands on chairs and begin to write sticky notes and prayers. And guess what? If you are here as a result of an invitation recently, what most likely happened is I'm willing to bet that your name was on a card that we pray over almost every single week." [19:32]
3. "In those small yeses, God met them. And all of a sudden, that big massive moment of celebration happened. But what preceded the massive moment of celebration were the consistent small yeses walking in. And I love it because they used to walk in and they'd come and shake my hand. Now, what are we doing? We're praying for chairs. All right. All right. We're praying for chairs." [20:45]
4. "What I'm getting at are what are the small things? What is that thing that you're writing off as insignificant that God has been pressing upon your heart? You know there's a calling on your life. You know you were made for more. You know greater is within you. And you're wondering when that moment's going to happen. Imagine King David was as well. 15 years between the day he was anointed and the day he became king. That's a long wait." [47:49]
5. "Jesus took Peter's empty boats and empty nets and caused a great blessing to happen. Multitudes of fish to come out. And it wasn't that he needed it, but it's that Peter needed it. He took his empty boats and his empty nets and almost sunk it with blessings. You understand? His empty boats." [53:31]
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