From Consumers to Contributors: Embracing Our Divine Purpose
Summary
In this message, the focus is on the transformative power of faith and the call to move from being consumers to contributors in our spiritual journey. The year 2024 was described as a year of pressing, a time when challenges and pressures were meant to bring out the best in us, much like how olives are pressed to produce oil. This pressing was not just about enduring hardships but about understanding that these challenges serve a purpose in refining us for our divine assignments. As we step into 2025, the emphasis shifts to breaking cycles that have held us back, distinguishing between seasons that change with time and cycles that require intentional change on our part.
The call is to redefine our relationship with God and the church, moving away from a consumer mindset that focuses on what we can get, to a contributor mindset that seeks to add value and fulfill our purpose. This involves committing to God's purpose, taking responsibility for our actions, and aligning ourselves with the larger mission of the church. The message challenges us to examine our motivations and to choose daily to stand on the Lord's side, contributing to the body of Christ rather than merely consuming its benefits.
The sermon also highlights the importance of community and corporate worship, emphasizing that our individual callings are tied to the collective mission of the church. As we engage in 21 days of fasting and prayer, the focus is on seeking God's presence, purpose, and provision, with a prophetic vision of a revival culture where God's glory is so tangible that it transforms our gatherings.
Key Takeaways:
1. Year of Pressing and Purpose: The challenges of 2024 were meant to press us for a purpose, refining us for our divine assignments. This pressing is not just about enduring hardships but understanding their role in our spiritual growth. As we move into 2025, we are called to break cycles that hinder our progress and embrace the purpose God has for us. [40:29]
2. From Consumers to Contributors: The call is to shift from a consumer mindset, which focuses on what we can get, to a contributor mindset, which seeks to add value and fulfill our purpose. This involves committing to God's purpose, taking responsibility for our actions, and aligning ourselves with the larger mission of the church. [54:59]
3. Breaking Cycles, Not Seasons: Many of the challenges we face are not just seasons that will pass with time but cycles that require intentional change. By recognizing and breaking these cycles, we can move forward in our spiritual journey and fulfill our God-given purpose. [45:03]
4. Commitment to Community: Our individual callings are tied to the collective mission of the church. By committing to the community God has placed us in, we can grow together and fulfill the larger mission of the body of Christ. This commitment involves enduring through disagreements and challenges for the sake of the greater good. [47:00]
5. Revival Culture and God's Presence: As we engage in 21 days of fasting and prayer, the focus is on seeking God's presence, purpose, and provision. The vision is for a revival culture where God's glory is so tangible that it transforms our gatherings, leading us to a deeper, more authentic worship experience. [01:14:03]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [29:21] - Celebrating Salvations
- [40:29] - Year of Pressing and Purpose
- [42:54] - Understanding Pressing for Purpose
- [45:03] - Breaking Cycles, Not Seasons
- [47:00] - Commitment to Community
- [49:38] - Invitation to Purpose
- [51:14] - Moses and the Golden Calf
- [54:02] - Consumer vs. Contributor
- [54:59] - Shifting Mindsets
- [56:29] - Spiritual Consumerism
- [57:17] - Jesus' Call to Discipleship
- [58:12] - Contributors Change the World
- [01:06:25] - Responding to the Call
- [01:14:03] - Revival Culture and God's Presence
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- Exodus 32:19-26
- Ephesians 4:7
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Observation Questions:
1. What was Moses' reaction when he saw the Israelites worshiping the golden calf, and what actions did he take in response? ([51:14])
2. How does the sermon describe the difference between a season and a cycle, and what is required to break a cycle? ([45:03])
3. According to the sermon, what is the significance of the year 2024 being described as a "year of pressing"? ([40:29])
4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between individual callings and the collective mission of the church? ([47:00])
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Interpretation Questions:
1. In what ways does the story of the golden calf in Exodus 32 illustrate the dangers of impatience and misplaced priorities in our spiritual lives? ([51:14])
2. How can understanding the difference between seasons and cycles help individuals in their spiritual growth and personal development? ([45:03])
3. What does it mean to shift from a consumer mindset to a contributor mindset in the context of one's faith and involvement in the church? ([54:59])
4. How does the concept of "pressing" relate to spiritual growth and the fulfillment of divine assignments, as discussed in the sermon? ([42:54])
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt pressed or challenged in your life. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? How can you apply this learning to future challenges? ([42:54])
2. Identify a cycle in your life that you feel is holding you back. What steps can you take to intentionally break this cycle and move forward in your spiritual journey? ([45:03])
3. Consider your current involvement in your church community. Are you more of a consumer or a contributor? What specific actions can you take to add value and fulfill your purpose within the church? ([54:59])
4. How can you redefine your relationship with God and the church to align more closely with a contributor mindset? What changes in attitude or behavior might this require? ([54:59])
5. As you engage in the 21 days of fasting and prayer, what specific areas of your life do you want to focus on seeking God's presence, purpose, and provision? How will you incorporate these focuses into your daily routine? ([01:14:03])
6. Think about a time when you were part of a community or group that faced disagreements or challenges. How did you handle it, and what did you learn about commitment to community? How can this experience inform your current or future commitments? ([47:00])
7. What practical steps can you take to cultivate a revival culture in your personal life and within your church community, as envisioned in the sermon? ([01:14:03])
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Pressing for Divine Purpose
In 2024, the challenges and pressures you faced were not mere obstacles but opportunities for growth and refinement. Much like olives are pressed to produce oil, these experiences were designed to bring out the best in you, preparing you for your divine assignments. This pressing is not about simply enduring hardships but understanding their role in your spiritual development. As you transition into 2025, you are called to break free from cycles that hinder your progress and fully embrace the purpose God has for you. Recognize that these challenges serve a greater purpose in shaping you for the tasks God has set before you. [40:29]
Isaiah 48:10 (ESV): "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction."
Reflection: What specific challenge in your life can you view as a refining process for your divine purpose? How can you embrace this pressing to grow spiritually today?
Day 2: Shifting from Consumer to Contributor
The call to move from a consumer mindset to a contributor mindset is a transformative shift in your spiritual journey. Instead of focusing on what you can receive, seek to add value and fulfill your purpose within the church and your relationship with God. This involves committing to God's purpose, taking responsibility for your actions, and aligning yourself with the larger mission of the church. Examine your motivations and choose daily to stand on the Lord's side, contributing to the body of Christ rather than merely consuming its benefits. [54:59]
1 Peter 4:10 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace."
Reflection: In what ways can you shift your mindset from being a consumer to a contributor in your church community today? What specific action can you take to add value?
Day 3: Breaking Cycles for Spiritual Progress
Many challenges you face are not just seasons that will pass with time but cycles that require intentional change. By recognizing and breaking these cycles, you can move forward in your spiritual journey and fulfill your God-given purpose. It is essential to distinguish between temporary seasons and recurring cycles that hold you back. This intentional change involves self-reflection and a commitment to growth, allowing you to break free from patterns that hinder your spiritual progress. [45:03]
Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV): "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."
Reflection: Identify a recurring cycle in your life that you feel is holding you back. What intentional steps can you take today to break this cycle and move forward in your spiritual journey?
Day 4: Commitment to Community and Collective Mission
Your individual calling is intricately tied to the collective mission of the church. By committing to the community God has placed you in, you can grow together and fulfill the larger mission of the body of Christ. This commitment involves enduring through disagreements and challenges for the sake of the greater good. Embrace the importance of community and corporate worship, understanding that your personal growth is connected to the growth of the church as a whole. [47:00]
Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "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."
Reflection: How can you actively contribute to the growth and unity of your church community today? What specific action can you take to support the collective mission of the church?
Day 5: Cultivating a Revival Culture through God's Presence
As you engage in 21 days of fasting and prayer, focus on seeking God's presence, purpose, and provision. The vision is for a revival culture where God's glory is so tangible that it transforms your gatherings, leading to a deeper, more authentic worship experience. This pursuit of God's presence is not just for personal edification but for the transformation of the entire community. Embrace this time of fasting and prayer as an opportunity to draw closer to God and cultivate a culture of revival within your church. [01:14:03]
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV): "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
Reflection: During this period of fasting and prayer, what specific aspect of God's presence are you seeking? How can you contribute to cultivating a revival culture in your church community today?
Quotes
Now, I feel like we've kind of been on repeat since 2020. We keep saying 2020 was a trying year. 2021 was a trying year. 22 was a trying. And so I look back on it, and I was like, Lord, you really are right. Man, it was a year of pressing. And we have to understand that when we look at that, we have to realign our expectations [00:42:08] (27 seconds)
The problem is, is most of us look at the cycles of our lives and we go, well, it's just a season. And I'm here to tell you that some of that stuff ain't a season, it's a cycle. And seasons might change one time, time changes, but cycles only change when we do. Come on. [00:44:28] (21 seconds)
The way that I handle difficulty and trouble in my life, that ain't a season. Trouble might be, but my response to it is not a season, it's a cycle. And I'll continue to go through trouble until I learn how to respond in the correct way. And when I learn to respond in the correct way, the cycle breaks and I move on. [00:45:27] (25 seconds)
And we're going to press, one, into God and two, we're going to press on to our more. Now, I don't have time because I'm just in review. Right? So, I don't have time to re-preach all the more stuff. So, y'all need to go back and watch last week and get caught up on the more stuff. But, I want us to jump forward because as we were talking about our more last week, that's our purpose, the thing that God's called us to, right? Ephesians 4 and 7, to each one of you, grace has been given according to the measure of Christ's gift. What we did notice was that that was the only verse in the entire text in the entire section of Ephesians that had to do with us individually. Everything around it had to do with the corporate body, the church. [00:47:00] (52 seconds)
And the understanding and what we have to understand from that, grasp from that, interpret from that, is that what God has called us to individually is ultimately tied to the body He has tied us to corporately. So, your more is inevitably tied to the body. If you are a part of Harvest Church, to Harvest Church's more. And ours is tied [00:47:52] (32 seconds)
What we have created no longer looks like what He intended. And for us to get back on track we have to understand what He intended so that we can press on to become what He created. So today, I want to tear down some ideologies about following Jesus. [00:48:45] (33 seconds)
Consumer is someone that judges the value of something based on what they can get from it. It's a transaction. Right? I went to Starbucks as long as I didn't know a whole lot about coffee. I don't sink into some of y'all. Right? And then once my taste palette had tasted the real thing, come on, right? [00:54:59] (35 seconds)
I don't, no, I like, I love coffee. I don't just like, I love coffee. I like real coffee, though. Right? So, so, so I went until it no longer suited my needs. And then I found other coffee shops. Was that thunder? Was it wind? Okay. I was like, it ain't supposed to rain, is it? It's already snowing? All right, so we'll rush this. All right. So consumer versus contributor, right? All right. So consumer is transactional. So a spiritual consumer looks at it and they go, prayer is about what God gives me. [00:55:29] (52 seconds)
Me being generous is about what I get back. Worship is about what it does for me. Worship is about what it does for me. Church is a country club to be a part of and not a family to grow with. A contributor, however, is something that offers. [00:56:29] (21 seconds)
Something that makes whatever it's a part of more valuable. A spiritual contributor adds value through the spirit to whatever they encounter. Let me tell you this. Consumer Christianity is not faith. It's a convenient fad that will fade based on the deliverables. [00:56:57] (28 seconds)
Listen to the statements of Jesus and tell me if it aligns itself with current Christianity in our nation. Come, follow me. Take up your cross. Let the dead bury you. Bury the dead. You must hate your father and mother. Those are all things Jesus said. What he was doing was he was drawing a line in the sand and asking his disciples to pick a side. [00:57:17] (38 seconds)
And the first thing I'm going to ask is every head bow, every eye closed. If you're in here, I'm not going to draw this out. I'm not one of these preachers that draw this out very long. But if you're in here and you don't know Jesus, here's how we do it. I'm not going to call you to the front. I'm not going to embarrass you. I'm not going to embarrass you and make a spectacle. What I'm going to do is I'm going to ask everybody to pray a prayer. And so if you're in this room and you don't know Jesus but you would like to know him before you walk out of here today, [01:15:37] (29 seconds)
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