Embracing Surrender and Service in Faith
Summary
In today's gathering, we focused on the profound act of surrendering our burdens to God and embracing a life of service, modeled after Jesus Christ. We began by acknowledging the weights we carry—be it anxiety, health concerns, or financial struggles—and the importance of laying them at the feet of Jesus. This act of surrender is not just a momentary release but a daily practice of trusting in God's renewed mercies, as highlighted in Lamentations 3. We are reminded that God’s mercies are new every morning, offering us a fresh start regardless of our past mistakes.
We also explored the concept of self-control and the wisdom of avoiding temptation. Drawing insights from the book "Atomic Habits," we learned that true self-control involves not just resisting temptation but actively avoiding situations where we might be tempted. This principle is crucial in our spiritual walk, as it helps us maintain our focus on God and avoid unnecessary pitfalls.
The sermon then transitioned into the core values of our church, emphasizing the importance of community and the role of service. Through a personal story about my daughter Abigail's cross-country race, we illustrated the power of companionship and encouragement. Just as Abigail and her teammate pushed each other to achieve more, we too need each other in our spiritual journey. We are not meant to do life alone; God has placed people alongside us to help us run the race of faith.
Finally, we delved into the heart of service, drawing from Jesus' example in John 13, where He washed His disciples' feet. This act of humility and service is a powerful reminder that true greatness is found in serving others. Jesus, the Son of God, did not come to be served but to serve, setting a precedent for us to follow. Serving others is not about seeking recognition or reward but about embodying the love and compassion of Christ in our daily lives.
Key Takeaways:
- Surrendering Burdens: Embrace the practice of daily surrender, laying your anxieties and burdens at the feet of Jesus. Trust in His renewed mercies each morning, allowing Him to refresh and restore your spirit. [43:39]
- Avoiding Temptation: True self-control involves not just resisting temptation but actively avoiding situations that lead to it. Be wise in your choices and environments, ensuring they align with your spiritual goals. [45:39]
- Community and Encouragement: We are not meant to journey alone. Surround yourself with a community that encourages and pushes you towards spiritual growth, just as Abigail and her teammate did in their race. [49:43]
- Humility in Service: True greatness is measured by our willingness to serve others. Follow Jesus' example of humility, putting aside personal status to meet the needs of those around you. [01:03:36]
- Serving as Worship: Serving others is an act of worship to God. It is not about what we can gain but about reflecting Christ's love and compassion in every interaction. [01:19:47]
Youtube Chapters:
- [0:00] - Welcome
- [43:39] - Surrendering Our Burdens
- [44:27] - Renewed Mercies
- [45:39] - Avoiding Temptation
- [46:41] - Daily Acknowledgment of God
- [47:25] - The Power of Community
- [49:43] - Encouragement in the Race
- [50:31] - Running with Jesus
- [51:20] - Vision and Values
- [52:23] - Core Values Recap
- [58:00] - Authenticity and Stewardship
- [58:58] - Serving as Unto Jesus
- [59:56] - Definition of Service
- [01:01:02] - Humility in Service
- [01:03:36] - Greatness in Serving
- [01:19:47] - Serving as Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Lamentations 3:22-23
2. John 13:1-17
3. Matthew 20:20-28
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Observation Questions:
1. What does Lamentations 3:22-23 say about God's mercies, and how does this relate to the idea of surrendering our burdens to Him? [43:39]
2. In John 13:1-17, what specific act of service does Jesus perform for His disciples, and what does He say about the significance of this act? [01:12:15]
3. According to Matthew 20:20-28, how does Jesus define true greatness, and what example does He use to illustrate this? [01:03:36]
4. How did the pastor use the story of his daughter Abigail's race to illustrate the importance of community and encouragement in our spiritual journey? [49:43]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How might the concept of God's mercies being new every morning encourage someone who is struggling with past mistakes or burdens? [43:39]
2. What does Jesus washing the disciples' feet teach about the nature of humility and service in the Christian life? How can this be applied in modern contexts? [01:12:15]
3. In what ways does the pastor suggest that avoiding temptation is more about wisdom in our choices and environments than just self-control? [45:39]
4. How does the pastor's story about Abigail's race highlight the role of community in achieving spiritual growth and overcoming challenges? [49:43]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a burden you are currently carrying. How can you practice daily surrender to God, trusting in His renewed mercies each morning? [43:39]
2. Identify a situation where you might be placing yourself in temptation's way. What practical steps can you take to avoid these situations and align your choices with your spiritual goals? [45:39]
3. Think of a time when you felt encouraged by someone in your community. How can you be a source of encouragement to others in your spiritual journey? [49:43]
4. Jesus demonstrated humility by washing His disciples' feet. What is one act of service you can perform this week that reflects Christ's love and humility? [01:12:15]
5. Consider the pastor's emphasis on serving without expecting anything in return. How can you cultivate a heart of service in your daily interactions, both within and outside the church? [01:19:47]
6. Reflect on the idea that serving others is an act of worship. How can you incorporate this mindset into your daily routine, especially in mundane or challenging tasks? [01:19:47]
7. The pastor mentioned the importance of not doing life alone. What steps can you take to build or strengthen your community of faith, ensuring you have support in your spiritual journey? [50:31]
Devotional
I'm ready to provide the 5-day devotional based on the steps outlined. Here it is:
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Day 1: Embrace Daily Surrender
Description: In our daily lives, we often carry burdens that weigh heavily on our hearts, such as anxiety, health concerns, or financial struggles. The act of surrendering these burdens to God is not a one-time event but a continuous practice. By laying our anxieties at the feet of Jesus, we open ourselves to His renewed mercies each morning, as promised in Lamentations 3. This daily surrender allows God to refresh and restore our spirits, offering us a fresh start regardless of past mistakes. Trusting in God's mercies requires faith and a willingness to let go of control, allowing Him to guide us through life's challenges. [43:39]
Bible Passage: "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23, ESV)
Reflection: What is one burden you are carrying today that you can lay at the feet of Jesus? How can you make surrendering this burden a daily practice?
Day 2: Cultivate Wise Self-Control
Description: True self-control is more than just resisting temptation; it involves actively avoiding situations that might lead us astray. Drawing insights from the book "Atomic Habits," we learn that self-control is about making wise choices in our environments and ensuring they align with our spiritual goals. By being proactive in avoiding temptation, we maintain our focus on God and prevent unnecessary pitfalls in our spiritual journey. This approach requires intentionality and discernment, recognizing the areas where we are most vulnerable and taking steps to protect ourselves. [45:39]
Bible Passage: "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV)
Reflection: Identify a situation or environment where you often face temptation. What practical steps can you take to avoid this situation and strengthen your self-control?
Day 3: Find Strength in Community
Description: We are not meant to journey through life alone. The power of community and encouragement is vital in our spiritual growth. Just as Abigail and her teammate pushed each other to achieve more in their race, we too need companions who encourage and support us in our faith journey. God places people alongside us to help us run the race of faith, providing strength and motivation when we feel weary. By surrounding ourselves with a supportive community, we can grow spiritually and overcome challenges together. [49:43]
Bible Passage: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your life encourages you in your spiritual journey? How can you actively contribute to building a supportive community around you?
Day 4: Serve with Humility
Description: True greatness is found in serving others, following the example set by Jesus in John 13, where He washed His disciples' feet. This act of humility and service reminds us that serving others is not about seeking recognition or reward but about embodying the love and compassion of Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, did not come to be served but to serve, setting a precedent for us to follow. By putting aside personal status and meeting the needs of those around us, we reflect Christ's humility and love in our daily lives. [01:03:36]
Bible Passage: "But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:43-45, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you serve others with humility today? How can you follow Jesus' example of putting others' needs before your own?
Day 5: Worship Through Service
Description: Serving others is an act of worship to God, reflecting Christ's love and compassion in every interaction. It is not about what we can gain but about embodying the heart of Jesus in our daily lives. When we serve others, we honor God and demonstrate His love to the world. This perspective shifts our focus from seeking personal gain to seeking opportunities to bless and uplift those around us. By serving as an act of worship, we align our hearts with God's purposes and become vessels of His grace and mercy. [01:19:47]
Bible Passage: "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." (1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV)
Reflection: How can you view your acts of service as worship to God? What specific action can you take today to serve someone in a way that reflects Christ's love?
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Quotes
Here are the selected quotes from the sermon transcript:
1. "As we continue worshiping this morning perhaps you walked in this day or you're tuned in online and you're carrying burdens and weights that God has not designed for you to carry and I encourage you this morning to declare that you are surrendering those weights to the Lord you are surrendering those fears those anxieties those worries you're surrendering your health you're surrendering your marriage your children your grandchildren surrendering them to the Lord this morning surrendering your finances surrendering your workplace surrendering your co-workers surrender the different circumstances Jesus said come to me those who are tired and head-laden and I will give you rest and so this morning declare God I am surrendering this to you and declare it like a rushing wind like a mighty wind come and breathe within God and God will cast away blow away every single one of those burdens every single one of those weights every single one of those anxieties leave them at his feet I'm at the throne this morning I'm at the foot of the cross" [38:18] (77 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Now I will tell you, don't put yourself in the place where you can be tempted. I'm in the middle of this book, right now, that's called Atomic Habits. And it's not a Bible book, but it's really good. And in this chapter I was reading yesterday, it was talking about, because it talks about cue and craving and the ways that you get into these habits. And then it was saying that something's going to happen to you. And I'm like, oh, my God, I'm going to be tempted. And I'm like, oh, my God, I'm going to be tempted. And I'm like, oh, my God, I'm going to be think that you just need to have self-control to not fall into that bad habit. But what's interesting was the studies that they were doing was that the people who fell least into their bad habits wasn't simply because they had the most self-control. It was the ones that were actively not putting themselves in the place of temptation." [44:27] (68 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "I know we remind you every week, but 3W Church, Worship Without Walls exists to get people to a place where they will acknowledge, trust, and lean on God daily. That's our vision. That's our why. We need God every single day. And as we fill ourselves with Him, we're able to keep going. And how do we fill with God? We spend time in the Word, we spend time in prayer, we spend time in worship, we spend time in fellowship, and as we do that, we're able to go forward. You know, we need to run this race with people." [47:14] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Stop doing life alone. Stop doing life alone. When you're doing life alone, you'll quit when you have more inside of you. When you're doing life alone, you'll slow down because you think you can't anymore. But God has put somebody with you to run alongside you. And as we daily acknowledge God and run the race with each other, we will achieve far greater than we ever thought we could. And you know who's running in the mix with us, too? His name is Jesus Christ. And he will never, ever, ever stop running with you." [50:49] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "And today, we're going to talk about the seventh core value of our church. And there's no specific order. I just preached them as I felt the Lord wanted us to share them. But the truth is, they're not a specific thing. One's not more valuable than the other. They're all important. They're all core values to who we are as 3W Church and our DNA. And if you've missed any of them, I'm going to recap them quickly. The first one that we talked about this year was refill. We talked about the fact that you've got to keep your tank full." [52:02] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "We talked about the value of authenticity keep it real I don't know about you but I've come across some very fake christians as fake as a three dollar bill right and I've come across some that look like a 20 but it's counterfeit and can I tell you you cannot build on fake you know when we were in hawaii on our vacation last year we went to this place called cool little ranch and that is an area that is used for all kinds of films as a matter of fact you guys have all seen this place if you've seen jurassic park if you've seen hawaii five oh if you've seen uh um uh 50 first dates and all of these movies they're all filmed there so you can't build on fake and in the part it was really cool we we got to this area that has the huge giant gates that say jurassic world or jurassic whatever the the thing like the gates that open up in the movie and they look super spectacular but when you get up to them and you touch them you'll realize they're made out of styrofoam" [54:36] (75 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "Because stewardship is realizing that it all belongs to him. We just manage it. You just manage it. Your body belongs to God. You just manage it. Your health, your finances, your family, your spouse is God's. Your children are God's. We manage them. I mean, if we steward them well, we will be able to do more. But if we don't steward our family well, how can I steward the church if I cannot steward my family? I can't steward my family. I can't steward my family. I can't steward my family. wife and children well. So we have to constantly reflect, how am I stewarding it and can I steward it better?" [58:12] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "Our church is actually known in our community as a church that is constantly serving. I've gotten random calls from organizations that are not even Christian, but they were doing like homeless care packages and they know that we always do stuff. So can we give them to you to give out? It's part of our DNA to serve as unto Jesus. The Bible says in Colossians 3 .17, it's going to come up on the screen, Colossians 3 .17 says, whether it be in word or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus. know that it is he who we are serving. We do it as unto Jesus, not unto man." [59:15] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "So this is the definition of the word serve. The definition of the word serve is to perform duties for another person or an organization. One more time, serve to perform duties for another person or organization. I want you to go with me to Matthew chapter 20. Matthew chapter 20. We're going to read it and then I'm going to pull some points out of it. Matthew chapter 20, when you've got it, say amen. If you've got a physical Bible with you, raise it. I want to see your physical Bibles. I love Bibles. All right. Thank you. I encourage you, carry your Bible, highlight your Bible. You cannot highlight the wall." [60:26] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "Here's another thing I pulled out of that passage. So number one, serving is an act of humility. But the second thing is this greatness is measured in serving. greatness is measured in serving i mean what was the response the lady asked jesus i want them to be at your right and your left they are the big dogs they are the ones with you the other disciples are like bro what's up with that like what is this question and what is jesus answered whoever wants to be the greatest needs to be the servant whoever wants to be first go serve like a slave go do whatever is needed to be done are you willing to serve here's the truth true leadership true greatness is measured in your willingness to serve there can never be anything that is too beneath you" [65:13] (63 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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