Embracing Radical Love and Obedience in Kingdom Work
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound impact of investing in kingdom business and the importance of community involvement. Sylvia and Randen exemplify how to attract investment into kingdom work by engaging their circles of influence. Their approach is not just about financial contributions but about inviting others to be part of God's work. This is a lesson for all of us to recognize our own circles of influence and to see ourselves as blessings to others, just as they are to us.
We also discussed the significance of outreach and evangelism, emphasizing that our efforts should be driven by genuine love and care for people made in the image of God. This is not about manipulation but about true religion, as James describes it—pure and undefiled. The opportunities for evangelism are naturally built into acts of love and service.
Reflecting on the legacy of Bishop Phillips, we learned that his ministry was more about impactful collisions than traditional meetings. His life was filled with moments that left lasting impressions on those he encountered. One key lesson from his life is the importance of radical obedience to God's will, even when it overturns established systems and norms. This kind of commitment often brings tension but is essential for carrying forward the genuine and special aspects of our faith.
We also heard a touching story about the Pharisees, a missionary couple sent to Africa by Bishop Phillips. Despite feeling unsuccessful, their work led to the conversion of a single family, which eventually had a profound impact. This story reminds us that our job is to sow the seed, not to analyze the soil. The results are in God's hands.
Finally, we were encouraged to embrace radical love and obedience in this new season of serving God. This involves loving each other and our neighbors through all kinds of wounds and saying yes to God even when it's terrifying. We must feel fear but not entertain it, as we continue to perfect love and walk in obedience.
### Key Takeaways
1. The Power of Influence: Sylvia and Randen show us that our circles of influence extend beyond our local assembly. By engaging those around us and inviting them into God's work, we can attract investment into kingdom business. This is not just about financial contributions but about involving others in the journey of faith and ministry. [10:37]
2. True Religion and Outreach: Our outreach efforts should be driven by genuine love and care for people made in the image of God. This is not about manipulation but about practicing true religion, as James describes it—pure and undefiled. The opportunities for evangelism are naturally built into acts of love and service. [16:07]
3. Radical Obedience: Bishop Phillips taught us the importance of radical obedience to God's will, even when it overturns established systems and norms. This kind of commitment often brings tension but is essential for carrying forward the genuine and special aspects of our faith. [47:51]
4. Sowing Seeds, Not Analyzing Soil: The story of the Pharisees reminds us that our job is to sow the seed, not to analyze the soil. Despite feeling unsuccessful, their work led to a profound impact. The results are in God's hands, and we must trust Him with the outcome. [33:37]
5. Embracing Radical Love and Obedience: In this new season of serving God, we are called to embrace radical love and obedience. This involves loving each other and our neighbors through all kinds of wounds and saying yes to God even when it's terrifying. We must feel fear but not entertain it, as we continue to perfect love and walk in obedience. [54:40]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[10:37] - The Power of Influence
[12:49] - True Religion and Outreach
[16:07] - Evangelism Opportunities
[19:23] - Legacy of Bishop Phillips
[26:08] - Lessons from Bishop Phillips
[30:02] - The Pharisees' Missionary Work
[31:09] - Impact of a Single Conversion
[32:32] - Reflections on Failure and Success
[33:37] - Sowing Seeds, Not Analyzing Soil
[35:11] - Memorable Moments with Bishop Phillips
[39:02] - Radical Obedience
[46:59] - Handling Criticism and Hate
[47:51] - Radical Love and Obedience
[54:40] - Embracing Fear and Obedience
[55:51] - Closing Prayers and Reflections
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. James 1:27 (ESV): "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
2. Luke 8:5-8 (ESV): "A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold. As he said these things, he called out, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.'"
#### Observation Questions
1. What does James describe as "pure and undefiled" religion? How does this align with the sermon’s emphasis on genuine love and care for people? ([16:07])
2. In the parable of the sower from Luke 8, what are the different types of soil mentioned, and what happens to the seeds in each type? ([33:37])
3. How did Sylvia and Randen use their circles of influence to attract investment into kingdom business? ([10:37])
4. What was the significant impact of the Pharisees' missionary work in Africa, despite their feelings of failure? ([32:32])
#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of "pure and undefiled" religion in James 1:27 challenge our modern understanding of religious practice? ([16:07])
2. What might the different types of soil in Luke 8 represent in our lives and ministries? How can we ensure that we are sowing seeds in "good soil"? ([33:37])
3. Why is it important to recognize and utilize our circles of influence for kingdom work, as exemplified by Sylvia and Randen? ([10:37])
4. What does the story of the Pharisees' missionary work teach us about the nature of success and failure in ministry? ([32:32])
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own circles of influence. How can you engage them in God's work, similar to how Sylvia and Randen did? ([10:37])
2. Think about a recent outreach or evangelism effort you were involved in. Was it driven by genuine love and care for people, as described in James 1:27? How can you ensure your future efforts align with this principle? ([16:07])
3. Have you ever felt like your efforts in ministry were unsuccessful, similar to the Pharisees' experience? How can you trust God with the outcomes and focus on sowing seeds rather than analyzing the soil? ([32:32])
4. Bishop Phillips emphasized radical obedience to God's will, even when it overturns established systems and norms. Can you identify a situation in your life where you need to practice this kind of obedience? ([47:51])
5. How can you embrace radical love and obedience in your current season of serving God? What specific steps can you take to love others through their wounds and say yes to God even when it's terrifying? ([54:40])
6. Reflect on a time when you felt fear in your walk with God. How did you handle it? What can you do differently next time to ensure you feel fear but do not entertain it? ([54:40])
7. Identify one person in your life who might benefit from your influence and involvement in kingdom work. What practical steps can you take this week to invite them into God's work? ([10:37])
Devotional
Day 1: The Power of Influence
Recognize and utilize your circles of influence to attract others into God's work. Sylvia and Randen exemplify this by engaging their circles, not just for financial contributions but to invite others into the journey of faith and ministry. This approach teaches us to see ourselves as blessings to others and to recognize the potential impact we can have within our own communities. By involving others in kingdom business, we extend the reach of God's work and create a ripple effect of faith and service. [10:37]
Bible Passage: "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16, ESV)
Reflection: Think of one person in your circle of influence who might benefit from being invited into a faith-based activity or discussion. How can you reach out to them this week and involve them in God's work?
Day 2: True Religion and Outreach
Our outreach efforts should be driven by genuine love and care for people made in the image of God. This is not about manipulation but about practicing true religion, as described in James—pure and undefiled. Acts of love and service naturally create opportunities for evangelism. When we serve others with a pure heart, we reflect God's love and open doors for meaningful conversations about faith. This approach ensures that our evangelism is authentic and rooted in genuine care for others. [16:07]
Bible Passage: "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." (James 1:27, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a specific act of service you can perform this week that demonstrates genuine love and care for someone in need. How can this act of service open a door for a deeper conversation about faith?
Day 3: Radical Obedience
Bishop Phillips taught the importance of radical obedience to God's will, even when it overturns established systems and norms. This kind of commitment often brings tension but is essential for carrying forward the genuine and special aspects of our faith. Radical obedience means saying yes to God even when it is difficult or counter-cultural. It requires trust and courage, knowing that God's plans are higher than our own and that true transformation often comes through challenging the status quo. [47:51]
Bible Passage: "And Samuel said, 'Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.'" (1 Samuel 15:22, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a recent situation where you felt God calling you to act against the norm. How did you respond, and what can you learn from that experience about radical obedience?
Day 4: Sowing Seeds, Not Analyzing Soil
The story of the Pharisees reminds us that our job is to sow the seed, not to analyze the soil. Despite feeling unsuccessful, their work led to a profound impact. The results are in God's hands, and we must trust Him with the outcome. This teaches us to focus on our efforts in spreading God's word and love, without being discouraged by immediate results. Our faithfulness in sowing seeds will bear fruit in God's timing and according to His plan. [33:37]
Bible Passage: "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth." (1 Corinthians 3:6-7, ESV)
Reflection: Think of a situation where you have been discouraged by a lack of visible results. How can you shift your focus to faithfully sowing seeds and trusting God with the outcome?
Day 5: Embracing Radical Love and Obedience
In this new season of serving God, we are called to embrace radical love and obedience. This involves loving each other and our neighbors through all kinds of wounds and saying yes to God even when it's terrifying. We must feel fear but not entertain it, as we continue to perfect love and walk in obedience. Radical love means going beyond our comfort zones to show Christ's love in tangible ways, even when it is difficult or frightening. [54:40]
Bible Passage: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love." (1 John 4:18, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a fear that is holding you back from fully loving and obeying God. What steps can you take this week to confront that fear and embrace radical love and obedience?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "These are people made in the image of God for that reason. And that reason alone, they deserve our love, our care, our attention, our support, our honor. And so there's a real sense in which it's actually just an opportunity to come alongside humans made in the image of God that are in need." [16:07] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If you come back tomorrow, we're going to be, there's going to be a special message geared toward the kids. And there's, we're going to be praying over students and faculty as we go back into the school. So if you want to be prayed over, if you want to be blessed, you want your kids to hear a message that will encourage them going into this year." [16:07] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "A radical form of love and obedience that we're called to this next season of serving God is going to look different than any other season we've ever been engaged in. And the thing that is going to define it is going to be radical love and radical obedience. Unlike anything we've ever lived in before." [53:43] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Feeling fear is a part of the human experience. You can feel fear. There's nothing wrong with that. It's not OK to do fear to obey fear. And it is not OK to entertain fear. We can feel it, but we can't entertain it. Because we've got to keep perfecting love and walking in obedience." [54:40] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Most all of us have at least a little circle of influence that is not entirely limited to this local assembly. a lot of times we don't stop and think of the fact that we're in those people's lives, yes, because they bless us, but also because we're a blessing to them. And for the most part, those people probably know that and probably have gratitude for it." [10:37] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "God told us to sow the seed, not to analyze the soil. I had it marked in my Bible that coming into this session. I had Luke eight marked a sower, went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside. And it was trampled down and the birds of the air devoured it. Some fell on rock. And as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture." [33:37] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You can please God or you can please people, but you can't do both and you're going to have to pick. And then he just walked away, changed my life and just walked out of the room. That's what I mean about collisions." [52:25] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "There is a certain kind of unconditional commitment to the will of God that will always overturn an apple cart. It will always flip the system on its head at inconvenient moments. And if you find somebody that's sold out to that, forgive any other shortcoming or flaw that you perceive. I'm not talking about sin. I'm just talking about humanity." [49:10] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "People that had never called to check on us. People that had never wondered how we were doing, people that had never written a check to our ministry, people that had never invited us to come speak, people that had never seemed to even know us or know what we were about or care suddenly had all the time in the world to send us these treatises about what traders we were and how we were, you know, just such a disappointment." [52:25] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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