Embracing Our Purpose: Finding, Following, and Becoming Like Jesus

Devotional

Day 1: Healing Through God's Presence

A healthy church is a sanctuary where individuals can bring their brokenness and find healing through God’s presence, His Word, and His people. This healing is not limited to physical ailments but extends to emotional and spiritual wounds, allowing believers to live in the fullness of their identity in Christ. The church serves as a community where people can experience restoration and wholeness, supported by the love and encouragement of fellow believers. As individuals encounter God’s transformative power, they are equipped to overcome past hurts and embrace a new life in Christ. [01:12]

Isaiah 61:1-2 (ESV): "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn."

Reflection: Think of an area in your life where you need healing. How can you invite God’s presence into this area today and seek support from your church community?

Day 2: Living with Purpose

Understanding our purpose as a church involves recognizing that while identity defines who we are, purpose dictates how we function. Our collective purpose is to find, follow, and become like Jesus, impacting the world around us. This purpose is not just about personal spiritual growth but about functioning together as a body to revolutionize our world. By encountering Jesus in our gatherings and following Him in our daily lives, we are transformed into His likeness, enabling us to fulfill our mission as His representatives on earth. [02:22]

Colossians 1:9-10 (ESV): "And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Reflection: Reflect on how you can align your daily actions with the purpose of finding, following, and becoming like Jesus. What is one specific step you can take today to live out this purpose?

Day 3: Equipping for Ministry

The gifts Christ gave to the church—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—are meant to equip the saints for ministry. This equipping leads to maturity and unity, enabling believers to withstand false teachings and grow more like Christ. As each member of the church is equipped and empowered to use their gifts, the body of Christ becomes stronger and more effective in fulfilling its mission. This process of equipping is essential for the church to function as a unified and mature body, capable of impacting the world for Christ. [10:00]

Ephesians 4:11-13 (ESV): "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."

Reflection: Consider the gifts God has given you. How can you use these gifts to contribute to the maturity and unity of your church community?

Day 4: Participatory Ministry

Moving from a consumer mindset to a participatory model involves every member being active in their gifting. This shift is essential for the health and growth of the church, as it prevents the professionalization of ministry and encourages collective engagement. When each member actively participates in ministry, the church becomes a vibrant and dynamic community where everyone contributes to building up the body of Christ. This participatory model fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among believers, empowering them to serve and minister to others. [20:19]

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."

Reflection: Identify one way you can actively participate in your church’s ministry this week. How can you use your unique gifts to serve and build up the body of Christ?

Day 5: Transformative Encounters with God

True encounters with God transform our desires and priorities, leading us to live for His pleasure and glory rather than our own. These encounters are essential for spiritual growth and prevent us from creating idols in our own image. As we experience God’s presence and power, our hearts are changed, and we are drawn closer to Him. This transformation enables us to live lives that reflect His character and purpose, impacting the world around us for His kingdom. [26:42]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent encounter with God. How has this experience transformed your desires and priorities? What changes can you make today to align your life more closely with His will?

Sermon Summary

In our journey to becoming a healthy church, we have explored various aspects that contribute to our spiritual well-being. Initially, we focused on being a place of healing, where individuals can bring their brokenness and find restoration through God’s presence, His Word, and His people. We then delved into understanding our victorious identity in Christ, emphasizing the importance of living in alignment with who God says we are. Last week, we discussed the significance of generosity as an act of worship and obedience, which opens the windows of Heaven and allows us to partner with God.

Today, we turn our attention to understanding our purpose as a church. While identity defines who we are, purpose dictates how we function. God’s Word provides a blueprint for how we, as a collective body, are meant to operate to revolutionize our world. Our purpose is encapsulated in three components: finding, following, and becoming like Jesus. We aim for people to encounter Jesus in our gatherings, follow Him in their daily lives, and ultimately be transformed into His likeness.

A healthy church is not just about individual spiritual growth but about functioning together as a body. Ephesians 4 outlines the gifts Christ gave to the church—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—whose role is to equip the saints for ministry. This equipping leads to maturity and unity in faith, enabling us to withstand false teachings and grow more like Christ.

The church is called to move beyond a consumer mindset, where ministry is done to the saints, to a participatory model where ministry is done by the saints. This shift requires each member to be active in their gifting, contributing to the body’s health and growth. We must reject the professionalization of ministry, which places undue burden on a few, and instead embrace a model where everyone is engaged in building up the body of Christ.

Key Takeaways

1. Healing and Restoration: A healthy church is a place where individuals can bring their brokenness and find healing through God’s presence, His Word, and His people. This healing is not just physical but also emotional and spiritual, allowing us to live in the fullness of our identity in Christ. [01:12]
2. Purpose and Function: Understanding our purpose as a church involves recognizing that while identity defines who we are, purpose dictates how we function. Our collective purpose is to find, follow, and become like Jesus, impacting the world around us. [02:22]
3. Equipping the Saints: The gifts Christ gave to the church—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—are meant to equip the saints for ministry. This equipping leads to maturity and unity, enabling us to withstand false teachings and grow more like Christ. [10:00]
4. Participatory Ministry: Moving from a consumer mindset to a participatory model involves every member being active in their gifting. This shift is essential for the health and growth of the church, as it prevents the professionalization of ministry and encourages collective engagement. [20:19]
5. Encountering God: True encounters with God transform our desires and priorities, leading us to live for His pleasure and glory rather than our own. These encounters are essential for spiritual growth and prevent us from creating idols in our own image. [26:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:12] - A Place of Healing
[01:25] - Victorious Identity in Christ
[01:53] - Generosity as Worship
[02:22] - Understanding Our Purpose
[03:18] - Finding, Following, Becoming Like Jesus
[05:34] - Evaluating Our Spiritual Health
[07:00] - Being an Emptied Out Vessel
[08:05] - Ephesians 4: Gifts to the Church
[10:00] - Equipping the Saints
[12:17] - Five-Fold Ministry
[16:00] - Revival and Restoration
[20:19] - Ministry of the Saints
[26:42] - True Encounters with God
[36:02] - Functioning as the New Testament Church

Sermon Clips

A healthy church is a place where individuals can bring their brokenness and find healing through God’s presence, His Word, and His people. This healing is not just physical but also emotional and spiritual, allowing us to live in the fullness of our identity in Christ. [00:01:12]

God’s word doesn’t just tell us who we are as a bunch of individuals but he tells us in his word that together as a collective whole he says this then is how you should function in order to revolutionize your world because you’re not going to revolutionize your world all by your lonesome. [00:02:37]

We want people to find Jesus in our Gatherings because Jesus shows up amen he shows up to church as we sing his Praises he inhabits those he he he’s here with us where two or three are gathered he’s there in our midst so he’s literally here so our desire is that people would find Jesus here. [00:03:25]

The gifts that Christ gave to the church—apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers—are meant to equip the saints for ministry. This equipping leads to maturity and unity, enabling us to withstand false teachings and grow more like Christ. [00:10:00]

We will no longer be immature like children we won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching we will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth instead we will speak the truth in love growing in every way more and more like Christ. [00:10:48]

The church is called to move beyond a consumer mindset, where ministry is done to the saints, to a participatory model where ministry is done by the saints. This shift requires each member to be active in their gifting, contributing to the body’s health and growth. [00:20:19]

True encounters with God transform our desires and priorities, leading us to live for His pleasure and glory rather than our own. These encounters are essential for spiritual growth and prevent us from creating idols in our own image. [00:26:42]

We need to have structures that help Steward what God wants to do and so God has provided that to us already in the five-fold ministry and that’s one of the functions of the apostles see Apostles aren’t just the ones who walk with Jesus on the earth. [00:16:37]

The professionalization of ministry Moses you go up the hill Moses you go commune with God just come back and tell us what he said we want to farm out delegate assign to someone else what was meant to be our job our role our purpose is to commune with God for ourselves. [00:29:45]

We all need to be equipped and matured in the faith we read this to measure up to the full and complete standard of Christ and what do we do maybe think about it or talk to somebody about how awkward that might feel to actually step out of our comfort zone and be used by God. [00:35:40]

We have to make that paradigm shift in accordance with what is scriptural we need to understand we are vessels containing the oil of heaven and what is a vessel meant to do but be poured out we’re meant for our lives to be poured out this holy spirit inside of us he doesn’t want to be contained. [00:58:20]

Our collective pursuit of being a spiritually healthy church can only be fruitful to the extent of our individual participation. Kind of goes back to the question last week which was about tithing about money but this is different this is about spiritual Pursuit if everybody pursued God like I pursue God what would this church be like. [00:53:15]

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