Finding God in the Ordinary Moments of Life

 

Summary

In today's sermon, I explored the concept of finding Jesus in the ordinary aspects of our lives. We often think of our lives as mundane, filled with repetitive tasks and routines. We go to work, attend school, care for our families, and interact with our communities. It's easy to feel that our lives are too ordinary for God to take an interest in us.

However, the truth is that God is present in every moment of our lives, even the most seemingly insignificant ones. We looked at the story of the widow who gave two small coins as an offering. Jesus pointed out that her gift was greater than the larger sums given by the wealthy because she gave out of her poverty. This teaches us that no matter how small or ordinary we feel our contributions are, they are significant to God.

We also discussed the importance of living with purpose and intentionality. It's not enough to simply exist; we must seek to understand what God wants from us. We may not all be called to be missionaries or seminary professors, but we can support those who are, volunteer, and use our resources to further God's kingdom.

I shared the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who were joined by Jesus after His resurrection. They didn't recognize Him at first, but as He spoke to them and broke bread with them, their eyes were opened. This illustrates that Jesus is often right beside us, even when we don't realize it. We must learn to recognize His presence in our daily lives.

Finally, I encouraged the congregation to be the hands and feet of Jesus to others. We can be the ones who walk alongside those who are struggling, sharing the love and grace that God has shown us. By doing so, we can help others to see and experience God in their own lives.

Key Takeaways:

- Our ordinary lives are the very places where God chooses to meet us. The story of the widow's offering reminds us that God values the heart behind our actions, not the magnitude of what we give. This challenges us to consider how we are using our ordinary resources—time, talents, and treasures—to serve God's purposes. [23:30]

- Living with purpose and intentionality means recognizing that our daily routines are not barriers to encountering God but avenues. We must ask ourselves how we can infuse our everyday tasks with the intention of serving and glorifying God, turning the mundane into a mission field. [21:09]

- The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus teaches us that Christ is present in our conversations and journeys, even when we are not aware of it. We should be attentive to the ways God is speaking to us through Scripture, through others, and through the circumstances of our lives. [07:30]

- Being the hands and feet of Jesus means actively participating in the lives of others, showing them the love and grace we have received. We are called to be witnesses of God's love, not just within the walls of the church but in the ordinary interactions of daily life. [32:07]

- Acknowledging God's existence and recognizing His divine presence in every moment is foundational to experiencing Him in the ordinary. We must cultivate a mindset that sees every aspect of life as an opportunity to encounter God and to serve Him. [15:23]

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Luke 24:35-45 - The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus and their encounter with the risen Jesus.

#### Observation Questions
1. What were the disciples discussing on the road to Emmaus before Jesus joined them? ([07:30])
2. How did the disciples finally recognize Jesus? What specific action did He take? ([08:17])
3. What was Jesus' response when the disciples were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost? ([08:17])
4. How did Jesus help the disciples understand the Scriptures? ([09:03])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think the disciples did not recognize Jesus immediately? What might this suggest about our own ability to recognize Jesus in our daily lives? ([10:24])
2. How does the story of the widow's offering challenge our understanding of what is valuable to God? ([23:30])
3. What does it mean to live with purpose and intentionality according to the sermon? How can this change our perspective on daily routines? ([21:09])
4. How can we be the hands and feet of Jesus in our communities, as suggested in the sermon? ([32:07])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your daily routines. How can you become more aware of Jesus' presence in these ordinary moments? ([11:04])
2. Think about a time when you felt your contributions were insignificant. How does the story of the widow's offering change your perspective on this? ([23:30])
3. What are some practical ways you can live with more purpose and intentionality in your current life situation? ([21:09])
4. Identify a person in your life who is struggling. How can you walk alongside them and show them the love and grace of Jesus this week? ([32:07])
5. How can you use your time, talents, and treasures to serve God's purposes in your community? ([23:30])
6. Have you ever experienced a moment where you realized Jesus was with you in an ordinary situation? Share this experience with the group. ([10:24])
7. What steps can you take to cultivate a mindset that sees every aspect of life as an opportunity to encounter and serve God? ([15:23])

Devotional

Day 1: God Meets Us in the Mundane
God's presence is not limited to grand events or places of worship; He is intricately involved in the ordinary aspects of our lives. The widow's offering of two small coins, which Jesus esteemed above all the larger contributions, illustrates that the value God places on our actions is not determined by their outward magnitude but by the sincerity and sacrifice behind them. This challenges us to reevaluate our daily routines and the resources at our disposal. How are we using our time, talents, and treasures in service to God and others? Every moment, no matter how routine or mundane, is an opportunity to live out our faith and serve God's purposes.

[23:30]

"Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, 'Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.'" - Luke 21:1-4 ESV

Reflection: How can you use your ordinary resources today to serve God's purposes in a way that reflects the heart of the widow's offering?

Day 2: Intentionality in the Everyday
Living with purpose and intentionality means recognizing that our daily routines are not barriers to encountering God but avenues. By infusing our everyday tasks with the intention of serving and glorifying God, we transform the mundane into a mission field. Whether it's through our work, our interactions with others, or even our rest, we can live out our calling to be disciples of Christ. This requires a conscious effort to see every action, no matter how small, as significant in God's eyes and as part of our ministry in the world.

[21:09]

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:17 ESV

Reflection: What is one routine task you can approach differently today to serve and glorify God through it?

Day 3: Christ Beside Us on Our Journey
The story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus reveals that Christ is present in our conversations and journeys, even when we are not aware of it. We should be attentive to the ways God is speaking to us through Scripture, through others, and through the circumstances of our lives. Just as the disciples' eyes were opened to Jesus' presence when He broke bread with them, we too can have our eyes opened to His presence in the ordinary moments of our lives if we remain attentive and open to His voice.

[07:30]

"And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, 'Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?'" - Luke 24:31-32 ESV

Reflection: Can you identify a moment from yesterday where Christ might have been present in your journey, even if you didn't recognize it at the time?

Day 4: Being Jesus' Hands and Feet
Being the hands and feet of Jesus means actively participating in the lives of others, showing them the love and grace we have received. We are called to be witnesses of God's love, not just within the walls of the church but in the ordinary interactions of daily life. This could mean offering support to a neighbor, volunteering our time for a cause, or simply being present for someone in need. By embodying Christ's love and grace, we help others to see and experience God in their own lives.

[32:07]

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." - John 13:35 ESV

Reflection: Who in your life could use a tangible expression of God's love today, and how can you be the one to provide it?

Day 5: Cultivating Awareness of God's Presence
Acknowledging God's existence and recognizing His divine presence in every moment is foundational to experiencing Him in the ordinary. Cultivating a mindset that sees every aspect of life as an opportunity to encounter God and to serve Him allows us to live with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. This awareness transforms our perspective, enabling us to find joy and meaning in the everyday and to recognize that we are always in the presence of the divine.

[15:23]

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein." - Psalm 24:1 ESV

Reflection: What is one practice you can start today to cultivate a greater awareness of God's presence in every moment of your life?

Quotes

1) "We are called to surrender our ourselves to follow his voice to follow his calling in everything we do and that's when we will find Jesus in the ordinary... Here I am and when you present yourself to God he will use you mightily you will have a purpose you will have an intentionality that comes by serving him." [27:49]( | | )

2) "We have a Next Generation that does not know God that does not know his love that does not know his grace it is up to us to be the conduit of that... you are going to be the hands and the feet of Jesus in their lives... the grace that God has shown me the grace that God has given to me I want to extend to you." [32:07]( | | )

3) "We also know the story of the Widow and her two single little tiny coins... perhaps you're saying I only got two little coins... but whatever you have you can present to God... God's presence is everywhere... when you wake up tomorrow morning and you're driving to work God is in the car with you as well." [23:30]( | | )

[15:23]( | | )

4) "Living with purpose and intentionality... don't let your life go by without purpose or intentionality... maybe you will not be a missionary in Africa... but you can support a missionary... maybe you think that whatever it is and even financially I can't do much but you can always help, you can always volunteer." [21:09]( | | )

5) "The everyday common life, the ordinary life is where we see that we acknowledge God in our midst and we submit to his will and we follow his lead every step of the way... Bible talks about having faith and what is Faith that's something that you cannot see you can't put your finger on it but you know it's there." [17:25]( | | )

6) "Have you seen and recognized Jesus in your everyday life... many times he's right there beside you and you act like he's not or he's there with you and he's saying I don't do this I wouldn't do that I would rather instead of doing this I would perhaps come back to the scriptures." [11:04]( | | )

7) "We must know that in every situation everywhere we go Christ is with us you may not see him you may not feel him you may not even sometimes understand but he is right there with you so three points for us to take home today and that is first and foremost we must acknowledge that God exists." [12:28](Download clip | | )

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Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
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