Embracing Sacrifice: Moving Toward Need, Not Comfort

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Sacrificial Love Over Comfort

Embracing the call to move toward need rather than comfort is a reflection of Jesus' sacrificial love. This involves stepping outside our comfort zones and embracing a life of sanctification and service, empowered by the blood of Christ. Jesus' death outside the gate of Jerusalem symbolizes His rejection of worldly comforts and His commitment to sanctifying His people through His blood. As followers of Christ, we are called to emulate this radical departure from comfort and security, moving toward the needs of others with a heart transformed by His sacrifice. [03:34]

Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV): "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you are choosing comfort over service. How can you take a step toward meeting a need in that area today?

Day 2: Question Life Choices for Kingdom Impact

Questioning assumptions about life choices, such as marriage and career, in light of God's call to radical discipleship is essential. Consider how these decisions can best serve the Kingdom and meet the needs of others. This may mean embracing singleness for the sake of the Kingdom, choosing a career that allows us to serve in unreached areas, or even reconsidering our material possessions in light of eternal priorities. The call to move toward need is not a superficial or misguided attempt to seek discomfort for its own sake. Instead, it is a profound invitation to align our lives with the values of the Kingdom of God, which often stand in stark contrast to the values of the world. [08:16]

Matthew 6:19-21 (ESV): "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Reflection: Reflect on a recent decision regarding your career or personal life. How can you align this decision more closely with God's Kingdom values?

Day 3: Draw Strength from the Promise of a Heavenly City

Recognizing that true strength to live a life of sacrifice comes from the assurance of a future city, a heavenly paradise that surpasses any earthly comfort, is crucial. This eternal perspective empowers us to endure suffering and reproach, knowing that our true home is with Christ in the city to come. As we fix our eyes on this eternal hope, we are freed from the pursuit of earthly paradise and enabled to live lives of sacrificial love and service. [14:00]

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV): "For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Reflection: In what ways can you remind yourself of the eternal city to come when faced with daily challenges and temptations to seek comfort?

Day 4: Follow Jesus' Example of Rejection of Worldly Comforts

Understanding that Jesus' death outside the gate symbolizes a rejection of worldly comforts and a commitment to sanctifying His people is vital. As His followers, we are called to emulate this radical departure from comfort and security. Jesus' sacrifice is a profound example of moving toward need, and we are invited to follow Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach, and embracing a life of sanctification and sacrifice. [12:30]

Philippians 3:7-8 (ESV): "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ."

Reflection: Consider an area where you are clinging to worldly comforts. How can you begin to let go of these comforts to follow Jesus more closely?

Day 5: Focus on the Eternal City to Live Sacrificially

The pursuit of earthly paradise is a distraction from our true calling. Instead, focus on the eternal city to come, which frees us to live lives of sacrificial love and service, moving toward need rather than comfort. This eternal perspective empowers us to endure suffering and reproach, knowing that our true home is with Christ in the city to come. As we fix our eyes on this eternal hope, we are freed from the pursuit of earthly paradise and enabled to live lives of sacrificial love and service. [15:59]

Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV): "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth."

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to shift your focus from earthly pursuits to the eternal city? How will this change impact your daily life and interactions with others?

Sermon Summary

In this message, we explore the profound call of Hebrews 13:12-14, which challenges us to move toward need rather than comfort. This passage invites us to follow Jesus outside the camp, bearing His reproach, and embracing a life of sanctification and sacrifice. Jesus' death outside the gate of Jerusalem symbolizes His rejection of worldly comforts and His commitment to sanctifying His people through His blood. As followers of Christ, we are called to emulate this radical departure from comfort and security, moving toward the needs of others with a heart transformed by His sacrifice.

The call to move toward need is not a superficial or misguided attempt to seek discomfort for its own sake. Instead, it is a profound invitation to align our lives with the values of the Kingdom of God, which often stand in stark contrast to the values of the world. This means questioning our assumptions about marriage, career, and possessions, and considering how we can best serve God's purposes. It may mean embracing singleness for the sake of the Kingdom, choosing a career that allows us to serve in unreached areas, or even reconsidering our material possessions in light of eternal priorities.

The strength to live this radical life comes from the assurance of a future city, a heavenly paradise that far surpasses any earthly comfort. This eternal perspective empowers us to endure suffering and reproach, knowing that our true home is with Christ in the city to come. As we fix our eyes on this eternal hope, we are freed from the pursuit of earthly paradise and enabled to live lives of sacrificial love and service.

Key Takeaways

1. Embrace the call to move toward need, not comfort, as a reflection of Jesus' sacrificial love. This involves stepping outside our comfort zones and embracing a life of sanctification and service, empowered by the blood of Christ. [03:34]
2. Question assumptions about life choices, such as marriage and career, in light of God's call to radical discipleship. Consider how these decisions can best serve the Kingdom and meet the needs of others. [08:16]
3. Recognize that true strength to live a life of sacrifice comes from the assurance of a future city, a heavenly paradise that surpasses any earthly comfort. This eternal perspective empowers us to endure suffering and reproach. [14:00]
4. Understand that Jesus' death outside the gate symbolizes a rejection of worldly comforts and a commitment to sanctifying His people. As His followers, we are called to emulate this radical departure from comfort and security. [12:30]
5. The pursuit of earthly paradise is a distraction from our true calling. Instead, focus on the eternal city to come, which frees us to live lives of sacrificial love and service, moving toward need rather than comfort. [15:59]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:17] - Introduction to the Call
[00:56] - Prayer for Understanding
[02:17] - Christians Move Toward Need
[03:18] - The Basis of Jesus' Sacrifice
[04:35] - Moving Outside the Camp
[06:08] - Misunderstandings of the Call
[08:16] - Radical Life Choices
[09:29] - Questioning Career Assumptions
[11:25] - The Reality of Reproach
[12:30] - Jesus' Sacrifice and Our Call
[14:00] - Strength from the Eternal City
[15:59] - Rejecting Earthly Paradise
[17:27] - Real-Life Example of Sacrifice
[19:07] - The Revolutionary Structure of Thought
[20:03] - Historical Examples of Faith
[23:25] - Conclusion and Invitation

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Hebrews 13:12-14
- Hebrews 11:25-26
- Hebrews 12:2

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Observation Questions:

What does Hebrews 13:12-14 suggest about the location and significance of Jesus' death? How does this relate to the call for Christians to move toward need rather than comfort? [03:34]
In the sermon, what examples are given to illustrate the misunderstanding of the call to move toward need? [06:08]
How does the sermon describe the relationship between Jesus' sacrifice and the call for Christians to live a life of sanctification and service? [12:30]
What is the significance of the "future city" mentioned in Hebrews 13:14, and how does it empower believers according to the sermon? [14:00]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the sermon interpret the call to "move toward need, not comfort" in the context of modern life choices such as marriage and career? [08:16]
What does the sermon suggest about the role of suffering and reproach in the life of a believer, and how is this connected to the eternal perspective offered in Hebrews 13:14? [14:00]
How does the sermon use the example of Jesus' death outside the gate to challenge contemporary values of comfort and security? [12:30]
In what ways does the sermon suggest that the pursuit of earthly paradise can be a distraction from our true calling as Christians? [15:59]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on a recent decision you made regarding your career or personal life. How might the call to "move toward need, not comfort" influence similar decisions in the future? [08:16]
Consider a situation where you have chosen comfort over addressing a need. What steps can you take to align your actions more closely with the call to sacrificial love and service? [03:34]
The sermon emphasizes the importance of an eternal perspective. How can you cultivate this perspective in your daily life to empower you to endure challenges and reproach? [14:00]
Identify an area in your life where you are seeking earthly comfort or security. How can you redirect your focus toward serving others and meeting their needs? [12:30]
Think about a time when you felt called to step outside your comfort zone for the sake of the Kingdom. What was the outcome, and how did it impact your faith journey? [03:18]
How can you practically question and reassess your assumptions about life choices, such as marriage or career, in light of God's call to radical discipleship? [08:16]
What specific actions can you take this week to move toward need rather than comfort, inspired by the example of Jesus' sacrificial love? [03:34]

Sermon Clips

Christian with a savior like this who died outside the gate bearing reproach and who died to sanctify you and to make you different and to make you holy and to make you loving Christian move toward need not comfort what kind of life does Jesus call us to live. [00:06:36]

Christians move toward need not Comfort Christians move toward need not Comfort verse 13 is the trumpet call in this text so let us go out to him outside the camp bearing his reproach move with Jesus out of comfort security familiarity move with him outside the camp where there will be reproach and difficulty and stress and unfamiliarity and suffering. [00:02:26]

He died to sanctify you that means that when you go you don't go with come some kind of heroic self worked up courage you go with a keen awareness my ability to do this Sanctified thing was bought by Blood of the Son of God it didn't just come out of nowhere for me he shed his blood that I might be made pecul Sanctified holy. [00:04:41]

What makes you think you should get married where' that idea come from why don't you think verse 13 let us go with him outside the camp and get on the Calvary Road that heads towards galtha bearing reproach means god is calling you to a life of absolutely devoted radical singleness for him. [00:08:07]

The way he died and the why he died make all the difference it says he died outside the gate that is outside the seeming Comforts and securities and familiarities of the Holy City Jerusalem outside the gate on golgatha the trash heap of Jerusalem willingly sacrificially lovingly moving toward need not comfort. [00:12:27]

For here we have no lasting City but we are seeking the city which is to come now connect that make sure you see the connection see the for at the beginning of that verse let's go with him as his peculiar died for Sanctified different upside down radical outrageous people moving toward need not Comfort on the Calvary Road. [00:14:09]

He did not die to turn Minneapolis in this age into a paradise he died so that you would become the kind of person who stopped seeking Paradise in Minneapolis or Eden Prairie or New Brighton or Bloomington or Philip's neighborhood he died so that we would stop pursuing Paradise on Earth. [00:15:27]

Verse 14 says there's a paradise already right there is a city and I want it oh I want Paradise but if I try to get it now I lose it there's the message for America from the Bible it's diametrically opposed to the health wealth and Prosperity Gospel which is so dangerous as to bring people to ruin. [00:16:23]

When you are your boy goes outside the camp to fly a plane for missionaries in the mountains of Ecuador and leaves behind some of the Securities on the ground and is willing to take his life in his hands to get missionaries where they need to go he may die and when he dies there is a word that is spoken over him. [00:18:04]

Christians move towards need not comfort and you'll find God there now this structure of thought this revolutionary structure of thought in 12 13 and 14 and how 14 relates back especially to 13 this structure of thought we have seen five times at least in this book little review just so you know this is weighty. [00:19:01]

Moses he's in the court of pharaoh and what does he do he moves towards need and not Comfort by saying I choose rather to share ill treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin I consider that the reproach same word as 13313 the reproach of of Christ is greater riches. [00:20:38]

Jesus moved towards need as he moved towards the cross it says he endured the cross and despised the shame how for the joy that was set before him he looked to the city he sought another city it wasn't Jerusalem it wasn't the Kingdom on the earth it wasn't great power it wasn't political might it wasn't influence. [00:21:47]

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Embracing Sacrifice: Moving Toward Need, Not Comfort

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace Sacrificial Love Over Comfort

Day 2: Question Life Choices for Kingdom Impact

Day 3: Draw Strength from the Promise of a Heavenly City

Day 4: Follow Jesus' Example of Rejection of Worldly Comforts

Day 5: Focus on the Eternal City to Live Sacrificially

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Embracing Sacrifice: Moving Toward Need, Not Comfort

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