Finding True Contentment: Abiding in Christ
Summary
In today's gathering, we explored the profound question of how we feel about where we are in life, not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. Many of us may feel run down, anxious, or even content, but the root of these feelings often lies in the standards and expectations set by society and ourselves. Our modern Western society has influenced the church in ways that obscure our true calling, which is to become more like Jesus, transformed by His love and guidance. We are not promised success or prosperity, but rather peace, presence, and provision. God's expectation is not success but obedience.
We delved into 1 John 2:15-17, where John warns us not to love the world or the things it offers, as they are temporary and not from the Father. The world offers cravings for physical pleasure, material possessions, and pride in achievements, which can distract us from our relationship with God. John calls us to focus on what pleases the Father, as those who do will live forever. We must be careful not to misunderstand John's message; he is not advocating for a life of misery but warning against the sinful systems that oppose God.
John also addresses the concept of the antichrist, emphasizing the importance of remaining faithful to the original teachings of the gospel and being wary of false teachings. We are in a battle for truth, and the Holy Spirit and the Word of God are our true teachers. We must remain in fellowship with Christ, reflecting His goodness and making disciples. As we navigate life's challenges, whether in seasons of plenty or hardship, we are called to abide in Him, not be distracted by the world, and continue our journey of transformation.
Key Takeaways:
1. Contentment in Christ: Our feelings about where we are in life often stem from societal standards and expectations. True contentment comes from focusing on our relationship with God, not on worldly achievements or possessions. We are called to find peace and provision in Him, not in the temporary things of this world. [32:26]
2. The World vs. The Father: John warns us not to love the world or its offerings, as they are temporary and not from the Father. The cravings for physical pleasure, material possessions, and pride in achievements can distract us from our true calling to please God and live forever in His presence. [38:07]
3. Understanding the Antichrist: The term "antichrist" refers to false teachings and ideologies that oppose Jesus and His church. We must remain faithful to the original teachings of the gospel and be wary of those who add to or alter the truth. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God are our guides in discerning truth. [51:06]
4. The Battle for Truth: In a world where subjective truth is often elevated, we must proclaim the absolutes of the gospel. There is only one God, and salvation is found only through Jesus. We are called to reflect His goodness and make disciples, standing firm against false teachings and ideologies. [53:08]
5. Abiding in Christ: Regardless of life's circumstances, we are called to abide in Christ, remain rooted in Him, and not be distracted by the world. Our journey of transformation involves reflecting His goodness, making disciples, and preparing to stand before Him with confidence. [01:04:44]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [25:41] - Explore and Restore Event
- [32:26] - How Do You Feel About Where You Are?
- [35:11] - Influence of Society on the Church
- [38:07] - Contentment and Joy in Christ
- [40:18] - Understanding "Do Not Love the World"
- [42:30] - The World and Its Cravings
- [45:52] - Threefold Temptation
- [48:48] - Temporary Nature of Worldly Things
- [51:06] - The Antichrist and False Teachings
- [53:08] - The Battle for Truth
- [58:13] - Recognizing and Opposing False Ideologies
- [01:01:16] - Tools for Discernment
- [01:04:44] - Abiding in Christ
- [01:08:44] - Moment of Silence and Reflection
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 1 John 2:15-17
Observation Questions:
1. What does John warn against in 1 John 2:15-17, and why does he caution believers about loving the world? [38:07]
2. How does the sermon describe the influence of modern Western society on the church's understanding of success and contentment? [35:11]
3. What are the three types of cravings mentioned in 1 John 2:16, and how do they relate to the distractions from our relationship with God? [42:30]
4. According to the sermon, what is the true calling of believers, and how does it contrast with societal expectations? [35:11]
Interpretation Questions:
1. How might societal standards and expectations impact a believer's sense of contentment and joy, according to the sermon? [32:26]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the concept of the antichrist relates to false teachings and ideologies? [51:06]
3. How does the sermon interpret the idea of "abiding in Christ," and what does it mean for a believer's daily life? [01:04:44]
4. What does the sermon suggest about the role of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God in discerning truth and remaining faithful? [53:08]
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your current feelings about where you are in life. Are there societal standards influencing your contentment? How can you shift your focus to find contentment in Christ? [32:26]
2. Identify a craving or distraction in your life that might be pulling you away from your relationship with God. What steps can you take this week to address it? [42:30]
3. Consider the ways in which you might have been influenced by the prosperity gospel or societal expectations of success. How can you realign your understanding of God's promises of peace, presence, and provision? [35:11]
4. How can you remain vigilant against false teachings and ideologies that oppose the gospel? What practices can you implement to strengthen your discernment? [51:06]
5. In what ways can you actively abide in Christ amidst life's challenges? Identify one specific action you can take this week to deepen your relationship with Him. [01:04:44]
6. Think about a time when you were tempted to prioritize worldly achievements over your spiritual growth. How can you refocus your priorities to align with God's expectations of obedience? [38:07]
7. How can you use the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to navigate the battle for truth in today's culture? What practical steps can you take to ensure you are grounded in biblical truth? [53:08]
Devotional
Day 1: True Contentment in Christ
Our feelings about our current life situation often arise from societal standards and expectations. True contentment, however, is found in focusing on our relationship with God rather than on worldly achievements or possessions. The world offers temporary satisfaction, but God promises peace and provision that are eternal. By aligning our desires with His will, we can experience a deeper sense of fulfillment and joy. This calls for a shift in perspective, where we seek to find our identity and worth in Christ alone, rather than in the fleeting things of this world. [32:26]
"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit." (Romans 14:17, ESV)
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you are seeking contentment outside of Christ? How can you begin to shift your focus to find true contentment in Him today?
Day 2: The Eternal vs. The Temporary
John warns against loving the world and its offerings, which are temporary and not from the Father. The cravings for physical pleasure, material possessions, and pride in achievements can distract us from our true calling to please God and live forever in His presence. By focusing on what pleases the Father, we align ourselves with eternal values that transcend the temporary nature of worldly desires. This requires a conscious effort to evaluate our priorities and ensure they reflect our commitment to God's eternal kingdom. [38:07]
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Reflection: Identify one worldly craving that often distracts you from your relationship with God. What practical steps can you take to refocus your heart on eternal values?
Day 3: Guarding Against False Teachings
The term "antichrist" refers to false teachings and ideologies that oppose Jesus and His church. We must remain faithful to the original teachings of the gospel and be wary of those who add to or alter the truth. The Holy Spirit and the Word of God are our guides in discerning truth. In a world filled with conflicting messages, it is crucial to stay grounded in Scripture and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit to navigate these challenges. By doing so, we protect our faith and ensure that we are not led astray by deceptive doctrines. [51:06]
"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." (2 Peter 2:1, ESV)
Reflection: Reflect on a teaching or ideology you have encountered that contradicts the gospel. How can you use Scripture and prayer to discern its truthfulness?
Day 4: Proclaiming the Gospel's Absolutes
In a world where subjective truth is often elevated, we must proclaim the absolutes of the gospel. There is only one God, and salvation is found only through Jesus. We are called to reflect His goodness and make disciples, standing firm against false teachings and ideologies. This involves a commitment to living out the gospel in our daily lives and sharing its truth with others. By doing so, we become beacons of light in a world that desperately needs the hope and truth of Christ. [53:08]
"For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth." (2 Corinthians 13:8, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone in your life who needs to hear the truth of the gospel. How can you share the message of Jesus with them in a loving and authentic way this week?
Day 5: Abiding in Christ
Regardless of life's circumstances, we are called to abide in Christ, remain rooted in Him, and not be distracted by the world. Our journey of transformation involves reflecting His goodness, making disciples, and preparing to stand before Him with confidence. Abiding in Christ means cultivating a deep, personal relationship with Him through prayer, study of the Word, and obedience to His commands. As we do so, we are transformed into His likeness and equipped to face the challenges of life with His strength and peace. [01:04:44]
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." (John 15:4, ESV)
Reflection: What is one practical way you can deepen your relationship with Christ this week? How can you ensure that you remain rooted in Him amidst life's distractions?
Quotes
The likely basis for those answers is the same thing, or the same things. Standards, expectations, perspectives that society, the culture, the world, our inward self have created, which we then use to evaluate, to determine our level of contentment, our level of satisfaction to answer a question like, how do you feel about where you're at? [00:34:35] (36 seconds)
The lack of fill-in-the-blank or the presence of fill-in-the-blank with whatever difficulty has so much power, so much influence to impact our levels of contentment and joy. The truth is, the majority of the Christian world globally gets this way more than we do. Because most places in the world don't have as much as we do. [00:35:23] (34 seconds)
But in our world, our reality, suffering, lack of, or the presence of hardship, or need, creates dissonance in our mind that distracts us from what our true calling, our true love is supposed to be, to become more and more like Jesus as we become more and more transformed by his love, by his mercy, by his example, by his guidance. [00:36:48] (36 seconds)
And this world is fading away along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases the Father will live forever. So often we look in the wrong direction. So often we get distracted. We are looking at the world, but John says here in verse 15, Do not love this world, nor the things it offers you. [00:39:37] (26 seconds)
The world, when he says don't love the world. Because, and maybe some of you will track with me here, doesn't he write somewhere else in scripture for God so loved the world, right? So is he sending us mixed messages? The Greek word here used is kosmon or cosmos. Sounds a little familiar, right? [00:42:23] (27 seconds)
John isn't talking about creation. He isn't talking about people. He is talking about sinful systems and sinfulness which are opposed to God. Remember a few weeks ago we talked about how God, about him being pure, about him being holy, how him, he's unblemished light that no darkness can encroach upon. [00:43:46] (30 seconds)
John's next words provide more context in verse 16. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father but are from this world. And this world is fading away along with everything that people crave. [00:44:09] (22 seconds)
John realized, and we need to realize, we are in a battle for truth. And truth is consistently being attacked and eroded. Have you noticed that? In our relativistic culture, as long as you believe something sincerely, it doesn't really matter what you believe. On one hand, we have objective truth, which has been vilified as intolerance, and subjective truth, has been elevated as long as it's sincere. [00:53:03] (44 seconds)
And we proclaim the absolutes of there being only one God and that His Son is Jesus. And we are sinners, all of us. We have all fallen short. And every man, woman, and child is precious, infinitely precious to Him. Everyone, and only through Jesus, can we find a saving grace and forgiveness that reconciles us to the one and only God. [00:55:05] (36 seconds)
We are to abide in him, stay rooted in him, not be distracted by the world and the stuff and the struggles and the systems of this world, but continue our journey of transformation. So when we stand before his throne at some point, and we all will, there isn't getting around that. That will happen. [01:04:44] (29 seconds)
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