Finding True Significance as New Creations in Christ
Summary
Today, we reflected on what it truly means to live a significant life as a new creation in Christ. We began by celebrating the multiplication happening through our missions partners, recognizing that God’s work is not just about addition but exponential growth as people are trained, sent, and empowered to plant churches and share the gospel in their own communities. We also paused to grieve with those who have lost loved ones, remembering that our hope is anchored in the reality of eternity with Jesus.
Through a simple story about grading onions on a farm, we explored how easy it is to become possessive over our own “side of the conveyor belt,” wanting to be in control and to determine what is valuable. This tendency can creep into our relationship with God, where we subtly shift from being on God’s team to expecting God to be on ours—blessing our plans, affirming our choices, and validating our sense of significance through our achievements.
Looking at the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness, we saw how the enemy offers us “almost truths”—temptations to find our significance in what we can do, what we can control, or what we can achieve. Jesus, however, models a different way: He refuses to define Himself by His own provision, power, or control, but instead anchors His identity, vocation, and mission in the Father. He shows us that true significance is not found in what we accomplish, but in whose we are and whose mission we join.
As new creations, our reality is reorganized. Our identity is rooted in being image-bearers of God, not image-creators. Our vocation is to walk in the good works God has prepared for us, whatever our current role or season. Our mission is to partner with God in His work of reconciliation, not to build our own kingdoms. This reordering is not something we initiate by striving, but something that begins when we say “yes” to Jesus, just as Zacchaeus did. As we seek first God’s kingdom, everything else falls into its rightful place, and we experience the blessing of a life lived under His rule—regardless of our circumstances.
Key Takeaways
- True significance is not measured by our achievements or the impact we make, but by our identity as those whose names are written in heaven. When we anchor our worth in being on God’s team, we are freed from the endless pursuit of validation through success or recognition. This shift allows us to rejoice in God’s acceptance rather than our own accomplishments. [14:30]
- The enemy often tempts us with “almost truths”—appealing to our desires for provision, power, and control, but always with ourselves at the center. Jesus demonstrates that resisting these temptations means returning to the truth of who God is: our provider, sustainer, and the One who defines our reality. We are called to live from God’s word and presence, not from the world’s standards or our own appetites. [18:25]
- Our desire for significance is not wrong, but it is easily misdirected. When we seek to fulfill it through power, control, or the approval of others, we settle for a second-rate version of what God intends. Jesus invites us to a deeper significance—one that comes from surrender, trust, and participation in God’s mission, rather than self-promotion or self-sufficiency. [21:21]
- Being a new creation means living with a reordered reality: our identity is as image-bearers under God, our vocation is to walk in the good works He has prepared, and our mission is to join Him in reconciling the world. This reordering touches every part of our lives—our work, our relationships, our disappointments, and our seasons of wandering. It is not about changing our circumstances, but about living under God’s rule within them. [25:36]
- The process of reordering our lives begins not with our own effort, but with a simple “yes” to Jesus. Like Zacchaeus, we are invited to respond to the glimpse of God’s kingdom with openness, allowing Jesus to initiate the transformation. As we seek first His kingdom and righteousness, we find that everything else is added in its proper place, and we experience the blessing of a life lived in obedience and intimacy with God. [27:54]
Youtube Chapters
[00:00] - Welcome
[05:27] - Remembering Bill Harback
[07:26] - Praying for the Harback Family
[08:28] - Introduction: Significance and the Onion Harvester
[10:46] - Lessons from Grading Onions
[14:30] - The Disciples’ Joy and Jesus’ Redirection
[15:47] - Jesus’ Temptation: The Search for Significance
[17:19] - The First Temptation: Provision and Almost Truths
[18:25] - The Nature of Temptation and God’s Truth
[19:34] - The Second Temptation: Testing God’s Care
[20:31] - The Third Temptation: Power and Control
[21:21] - Jesus’ Response and True Significance
[22:35] - Living as a New Creation: Reordered Reality
[23:37] - Blessing vs. Curse: The Life of Obedience
[25:36] - Identity, Vocation, and Mission
[26:52] - Our Mission: Joining God’s Work
[27:54] - Reordering Begins with Saying Yes
[29:25] - Prayer for New Significance
[30:52] - Living Significantly as a New Creation
Study Guide
Small Group Bible Study Guide: Living a Significant Life as a New Creation
---
### Bible Reading
1. Luke 10:17-20
(The return of the seventy-two and Jesus’ teaching on true significance)
2. Matthew 4:1-11
(The temptation of Jesus in the wilderness)
3. Ephesians 2:10
(“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”)
---
### Observation Questions
1. When the seventy-two disciples returned to Jesus in Luke 10, what were they most excited about, and how did Jesus redirect their focus?
[[14:30]]
2. In the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness (Matthew 4), what were the three main temptations the enemy offered Jesus?
[[19:34]]
3. According to Ephesians 2:10, what does it say about our purpose as new creations in Christ?
4. In the onion grading story, what feeling did the speaker notice when someone else started reaching over to her “side of the conveyor belt”?
[[10:46]]
---
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why do you think Jesus told the disciples not to rejoice in their achievements (like casting out demons), but instead to rejoice that their names are written in heaven?
[[14:30]]
2. What do the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness reveal about the ways we are tempted to find our significance?
[[18:25]]
3. The sermon says our desire for significance is not wrong, but it’s easily misdirected. In what ways can seeking significance through power, control, or approval lead us away from God’s best?
[[21:21]]
4. How does understanding ourselves as “image-bearers” rather than “image-creators” change the way we see our identity and purpose?
[[25:36]]
---
### Application Questions
1. The speaker described a moment of wanting to control her “side of the conveyor belt.” Can you think of a situation where you’ve wanted to be in control or determine what is valuable? How did that affect your relationship with God or others?
[[10:46]]
2. Jesus resisted the temptation to prove Himself or take shortcuts to significance. Are there areas in your life where you feel pressure to prove your worth or chase after recognition? What would it look like to anchor your identity in God instead?
[[18:25]]
3. The sermon talked about “almost truths” the enemy uses to tempt us—things that sound right but put us at the center. What is one “almost truth” you’ve believed about your value or purpose? How can you replace it with God’s truth this week?
[[18:25]]
4. Ephesians 2:10 says we are created for good works God prepared for us. What is one “good work” or act of service you sense God inviting you into right now, in your current season?
[[25:36]]
5. The story of Zacchaeus shows that reordering our lives starts with a simple “yes” to Jesus. Is there an area where you need to say “yes” to God’s invitation, even if it means letting go of your own plans or comfort?
[[27:54]]
6. The sermon mentioned that living as a new creation doesn’t always change our circumstances, but it changes how we live within them. How can you seek God’s kingdom first in a specific area of your life this week—work, family, disappointment, or something else?
[[25:36]]
7. When you think about your significance, do you tend to measure it by your achievements or by your relationship with God? What is one practical step you can take to shift your focus toward rejoicing in God’s acceptance?
[[14:30]]
---
Closing Prayer Suggestion:
Invite the group to pray for a deeper understanding of their identity in Christ and for the courage to say “yes” to God’s mission, trusting that true significance comes from Him.
Devotional
Day 1: True Significance Comes from Being on God's Team
Significance is not found in our achievements, but in belonging to God and being part of His mission.
In a world that often measures worth by accomplishments, Jesus reminds us that our deepest joy and value come from being known and loved by God. When the disciples returned from their mission, excited about their success, Jesus redirected their focus—not to the power they wielded, but to the security of their names being written in heaven. This shift calls us to rest in our identity as God's beloved, not in what we do, but in whose we are. Let your heart rejoice today, not because of what you can accomplish, but because you are on God's team, chosen and cherished. [14:30]
Luke 10:17-20 (ESV)
The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Reflection: In what area of your life are you tempted to measure your worth by your achievements rather than by your identity as God’s beloved? How can you shift your focus today to rejoice in being on God’s team?
Day 2: God’s Word and Presence Sustain Us
We are sustained not by our own provision, but by every word that comes from God.
When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness to turn stones into bread, He refused to define Himself by what He could provide for Himself. Instead, He declared that true life comes from God’s word and presence. In seasons of hunger, uncertainty, or need, we are invited to trust that God is our provider, just as He provided for Jesus and for the Israelites in the wilderness. Let your dependence rest not on your own resources, but on the sustaining power of God’s promises and presence. [18:25]
Matthew 4:1-4 (ESV)
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”
Reflection: Where do you find yourself striving to provide for your own needs instead of trusting God’s provision? What is one practical way you can rely on God’s word for sustenance today?
Day 3: Trusting God’s Care Without Demanding Proof
We are called to trust God’s care without testing Him or demanding signs.
The enemy tempted Jesus to prove God’s faithfulness by throwing Himself down and expecting rescue, but Jesus refused to put God to the test. Our relationship with God is not transactional; it is built on trust, not on demanding that God prove Himself to us. Even when prayers seem unanswered or circumstances are hard, we are invited to rest in God’s faithful love, knowing He is present and caring for us, even when we cannot see it. [20:31]
Matthew 4:5-7 (ESV)
Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”
Reflection: Is there a situation where you are waiting for God to “prove” Himself before you trust Him? How can you choose to trust God’s care for you today, even without visible signs?
Day 4: Reordering Our Reality Under God’s Kingdom
Living as a new creation means letting God reorder our priorities and reality.
When we encounter Jesus, our lives are reorganized to reflect the values of His kingdom. Like Zacchaeus, whose priorities shifted when he met Jesus, we are invited to let God’s Spirit transform our hearts, our work, and our relationships. This reordering is not about striving for image or control, but about becoming image bearers—living under God’s rule, confident in our identity, vocation, and mission. As we seek first His kingdom, everything else finds its right place. [27:54]
Matthew 6:33 (ESV)
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Reflection: What is one area of your life that needs to be reordered under God’s kingdom today? What step can you take to seek His priorities first?
Day 5: Significance in Serving and Obedience
A blessed life is found in serving God and experiencing Him through obedience.
True blessing is not about circumstances, but about living in obedience and experiencing God’s presence. Jesus modeled a life of worship and service to God alone, rejecting the world’s offers of power and control. As we position ourselves under God’s rule, we find a new significance—not in what we possess or achieve, but in faithfully serving and knowing Him. Even in the same job, the same struggles, or the same grief, a reordered reality under God’s kingdom brings peace and purpose. [29:25]
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (ESV)
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?”
Reflection: In what practical way can you serve God today, right where you are, as an act of obedience and worship?
Quotes
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