Faith in Action: Embracing Selflessness and Service

 

Summary

In our journey of faith, we are called to cultivate a faith that works—one that is active, visible, and transformative. As we reflect on the year, our aim is to see how God has stretched and strengthened us, enabling us to face hardships with joy, chaos with peace, and weakness with strength. This faith journey begins with a personal relationship with Jesus, extends to our community, and ultimately flows through us to others through acts of service and generosity. This outward expression of faith can be both satisfying and challenging, as it requires us to overcome the duality within us—the tension between selflessness and selfishness.

The story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 serves as a powerful illustration of this duality. Abel's offering was favored by God because it was given in faith, with a selfless heart, while Cain's offering lacked this depth of faith and was marked by a self-centered attitude. This narrative highlights the importance of the heart behind our actions. We all possess the capacity to be both selfless and selfish, and it is crucial to nurture the selfless nature within us to allow God's work to flow through us.

To cultivate a faith that works through us, we must take intentional steps toward selflessness. This involves devaluing our possessions, revaluing what we can give, and remembering the ultimate gift of selflessness—Jesus Christ. By doing so, we align ourselves with God's heart and reflect His love to the world. The church, when functioning selflessly, has historically transformed societies, establishing institutions like hospitals and orphanages. Our challenge is to continue this legacy by allowing our faith to work through us, impacting lives and communities.

Key Takeaways:

- The Duality Within Us: We all possess the capacity for both selflessness and selfishness. Recognizing this duality is the first step in nurturing a faith that works through us. By intentionally choosing selflessness, we allow God's love to flow through us, impacting those around us. [10:31]

- The Heart Behind the Offering: The story of Cain and Abel teaches us that God values the heart behind our offerings more than the offerings themselves. Abel's offering was favored because it was given in faith, with a selfless heart. Our actions should be motivated by a desire to honor God and serve others. [17:09]

- Devalue Possessions, Revalue Giving: To cultivate selflessness, we must devalue our possessions and revalue what we can give. Our worth is not in what we hold onto but in what we give away. This shift in perspective allows us to live under God's grace and be a blessing to others. [29:04]

- Reflecting God's Love: Our selflessness is a reflection of God's love for us. Just as God gave His first and best in Jesus, we are called to give the best of ourselves to Him and others. This selfless posture enables us to fulfill God's purpose and expand His kingdom. [35:25]

- The Cycle of Faith: As we allow faith to work in us, for us, and through us, we enter a cycle that deepens with each iteration. Our relationship with God, our community, and our service to others grow stronger, allowing us to experience God's joy, peace, and comfort more fully. [38:30]

Youtube Chapters:

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:30] - Introduction to A Faith That Works
[02:15] - Faith in Hardships
[04:00] - Faith in Community
[05:45] - Faith Through Service
[07:30] - The Frustration of Faith Not Working
[10:31] - The Duality Within Us
[12:00] - Selflessness vs. Selfishness
[15:55] - The Story of Cain and Abel
[17:09] - The Heart Behind the Offering
[21:02] - The Consequences of Selfishness
[24:44] - The Call to Selflessness
[27:26] - Steps to Cultivate Selflessness
[29:04] - Devalue Possessions, Revalue Giving
[35:25] - Reflecting God's Love
[38:30] - The Cycle of Faith
[40:00] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Cultivating a Faith That Works

Bible Reading:
- Genesis 4:2-8
- Hebrews 11:4
- Philippians 2:3-4

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Observation Questions:

1. In Genesis 4, what were the differences between Cain and Abel's offerings, and how did God respond to each? [15:55]

2. According to Hebrews 11:4, what distinguished Abel's offering from Cain's, and how was Abel commended?

3. How does the sermon describe the duality within us, and what examples are given to illustrate this concept? [10:31]

4. What are some historical examples mentioned in the sermon of the church functioning selflessly and impacting society? [33:17]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. What does the story of Cain and Abel teach about the importance of the heart behind our actions and offerings? [17:09]

2. How does the concept of duality within us relate to the struggle between selflessness and selfishness in our daily lives? [21:02]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that selflessness can lead to a deeper and more satisfying faith journey? [38:30]

4. How does Philippians 2:3-4 challenge the cultural norms of prioritizing self-interest, and what implications does this have for our faith? [24:44]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a recent situation where you acted selflessly. How did it impact you and those around you? How can you cultivate more of these moments in your life? [27:26]

2. Consider the duality within yourself. Identify a specific area where you tend to be more selfish. What steps can you take to nurture selflessness in that area? [10:31]

3. The sermon mentions the importance of devaluing possessions and revaluing giving. What is one possession you hold onto tightly, and how might releasing it benefit others? [29:04]

4. Think about a time when you felt frustrated because your faith wasn't "working." How can you shift your perspective to see this as an opportunity for growth and deeper reliance on God? [07:30]

5. The sermon highlights the church's historical role in societal transformation. What is one way you can contribute to your community through acts of service or generosity? [33:17]

6. Reflect on the ultimate gift of selflessness—Jesus Christ. How can you model this selflessness in your relationships and daily interactions? [35:25]

7. Identify a specific person or group in your life that you can serve selflessly this week. What practical steps will you take to make this happen? [38:30]

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Our Dual Nature
In our journey of faith, we are constantly faced with the duality within us—the capacity for both selflessness and selfishness. Recognizing this duality is crucial as it allows us to intentionally choose selflessness, thereby enabling God's love to flow through us and impact those around us. The story of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 serves as a powerful illustration of this duality. Abel's offering was favored by God because it was given in faith, with a selfless heart, while Cain's offering lacked this depth of faith and was marked by a self-centered attitude. This narrative highlights the importance of the heart behind our actions. By nurturing the selfless nature within us, we allow God's work to flow through us, transforming our lives and the lives of others. [10:31]

"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." (Romans 7:15, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a recent situation where you acted selfishly. How can you choose selflessness in a similar situation today?


Day 2: The Heart Behind Our Offerings
The story of Cain and Abel teaches us that God values the heart behind our offerings more than the offerings themselves. Abel's offering was favored because it was given in faith, with a selfless heart. Our actions should be motivated by a desire to honor God and serve others. This requires us to examine our intentions and ensure that our actions are not driven by self-interest but by a genuine desire to reflect God's love. By aligning our hearts with God's, we can offer our best to Him and others, fulfilling His purpose and expanding His kingdom. [17:09]

"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:7, ESV)

Reflection: Consider your motivations for giving or serving. Are they aligned with a desire to honor God and serve others selflessly?


Day 3: Revaluing What We Can Give
To cultivate selflessness, we must devalue our possessions and revalue what we can give. Our worth is not in what we hold onto but in what we give away. This shift in perspective allows us to live under God's grace and be a blessing to others. By focusing on what we can give rather than what we can gain, we align ourselves with God's heart and reflect His love to the world. This selfless posture enables us to fulfill God's purpose and expand His kingdom, impacting lives and communities. [29:04]

"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." (Matthew 6:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: What is one possession or resource you can give away this week to bless someone else?


Day 4: Reflecting God's Love
Our selflessness is a reflection of God's love for us. Just as God gave His first and best in Jesus, we are called to give the best of ourselves to Him and others. This selfless posture enables us to fulfill God's purpose and expand His kingdom. By reflecting God's love through our actions, we can impact lives and communities, continuing the legacy of the church in transforming societies. Our challenge is to allow our faith to work through us, impacting lives and communities. [35:25]

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." (1 John 4:11, ESV)

Reflection: How can you reflect God's love to someone in your life today through a selfless act?


Day 5: Entering the Cycle of Faith
As we allow faith to work in us, for us, and through us, we enter a cycle that deepens with each iteration. Our relationship with God, our community, and our service to others grow stronger, allowing us to experience God's joy, peace, and comfort more fully. This cycle of faith is transformative, enabling us to face hardships with joy, chaos with peace, and weakness with strength. By embracing this cycle, we can cultivate a faith that works—one that is active, visible, and transformative. [38:30]

"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." (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)

Reflection: What is one step you can take today to strengthen your relationship with God or your community?

Quotes

"And today we're actually getting to the third and final, and I think the most crucial point of this idea is we're going to be talking about a faith that works through us, right? And what this is, is this is when faith extends from us out to others through service, through generosity, right? So again, faith that works in us is our relationship with God, for us is with community, with others, and through us, when it extends out through acts of service." [00:07:22] (33 seconds)


"On contrary though what it means to be selfless is just quite the opposite is to prioritize the feelings and needs of others above yours, right? This is giving of yourself not just your stuff not just things you have but actually giving of yourself and I believe this is a very crucial step in nurturing a faith that works through us, right? Because for faith to be extended out of us to someone else it requires us to have this power of selflessness." [00:14:45] (37 seconds)


"offering over the other is actually not the value of the offering understand it wasn't because oh I like this firstborn fatty over just some fruit that Cain gives I think it goes a little deeper to that I think way God value Abel's over Cain's was the heart behind the offering we can take a further look you know Hebrews actually gives us a little deeper look at Abel's heart the book of Hebrews doesn't talk about Abel it says this it says by faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did so by faith he was commended as righteous when God spoke well of his offerings see the thing is Abel's offering was offering of faith as we talked about one it was his first born of his cattle and it was fatty right so we automatically see hey we don't know how much cattle he had so we automatically see hey we don't know how much cattle he had he had but we can tell by the value of the cattle that this took some form of sacrifice maybe for Abel and so it was a offering led by faith like hey maybe he didn't know that he was guaranteed you know so many more cattle but he was yet still willing to offer his first and his best this shows Abel's heart in his offering it was it was led by faith but on the contrary we seen Cain's heart as we look at the rest of the story check it out it says Genesis 4 what I find interesting is that God didn't outright you know reject Cain here right he didn't the Bible tells us that he actually encouraged Cain let's look at what happens it says then the Lord said to Cain why are you angry why is your face downcast if you do what is right will you not be accepted but if you do not what is right sin is crouching at your door it is desires to have you but you must rule over it no Cain said to his brother Abel let's go out to the field and while they were in the field" [00:18:56] (125 seconds)


"And one who presented what he had with a self-centered heart, with a selfish heart, right? But what I see really, in the story, is a great illustration of the warring natures that rest in all of us, right? Right? Inside all of us, guys, again, we have this capacity to be both selfless and selfish. Inside all of us, we have this Abel and this Cain kind of nature, and they're at war. They're at war constantly." [00:21:51] (32 seconds)


"Is it bad to just want to treat myself a little here and there? No, absolutely not. That is not what I'm saying. I'm not saying it's a sin whenever you want to get that cup of your favorite ice cream from here and there. As you can see, I love that too, right? That's not what I'm saying. But what I am saying is that our self cannot be our primary. Motivation." [00:24:44] (25 seconds)


"God has so much purpose for you guys. He has so much purpose. He has so many plans, so many ways he wants to partner with you to expand his kingdom, to pour out his blessings on the earth, on people around you, right? So much that we can't even imagine, right? How many ministries can be born through you? How many people can be helped? How many people can see Jesus more clearly through you when we decide to take a step towards selflessness and allow a faith to work through us?" [00:27:26] (35 seconds)


"De-value what we have. That's right. De-value what we have. You know, a big problem with all of us guys is that when it comes to our possessions, we have the wrong value on them, right? We put the wrong value on our stuff and on our resources, right? No matter what tax bracket you find yourself in, right? We put too much value and it makes us have this Kung Fu death grip on all of our stuff, right?" [00:28:20] (29 seconds)


"Again, I want us to remember this truth, again, that what we give is more valuable than what we hold on to, right? When we give of ourselves, it vastly outweighs the value of even the gift that we can give, understand, right? When we give of ourselves, when we have a selfless posture, it outweighs the value of the gift. And I think the Bible illustrates this in one of my favorite stories." [00:29:36] (25 seconds)


"There are opportunities for us to all walk more selflessly. And as I end, I just want to call a beauty of all. The beauty of it all is this. As we allow faith to work in us, as we allow faith to work in us, as we allow faith to work in us, as we allow faith to work for us, and then finally faith to work through us. I want you to understand what happens is that cycle continues. But guess what? Each cycle gets deeper." [00:38:30] (27 seconds)


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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?