Investing in What Lasts: Living a 3D Faith Life

Devotional

Day 1: Living a Three-Dimensional Life: Up, In, and Out

God calls us to live a balanced, three-dimensional life—cultivating our relationship with Him (up), building deep connections with our church family (in), and reaching out to serve and love the world (out). Just as Jesus modeled this in Luke 6 by spending time in prayer, investing in His disciples, and ministering to the crowds, we are invited to imitate Him by nurturing each of these dimensions. When one area is neglected, our lives become unbalanced and exhausting, but when we invest in all three, we experience the fullness of the life God intends for us. [34:43]

Luke 6:12-19 (ESV)
In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

Reflection: Which of the three dimensions—up (God), in (church family), or out (serving others)—do you most often neglect, and what is one concrete step you can take this week to invest in that area?

Day 2: Invest in What Lasts: Faith, Hope, and Love

In a world where everything seems to be falling apart and death is pervasive, God calls us to invest in what truly lasts—faith, hope, and love. The things of this world, though good, are temporary, but the love of Christ endures forever. When we pour ourselves into our relationship with Jesus and into loving others, we are building something eternal that will never fade away. [44:41]

1 Corinthians 13:4-8, 13 (ESV)
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. ... So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Reflection: What is one way you can intentionally invest in faith, hope, or love today—either in your own life or in the life of someone else?

Day 3: The Gift of Eternal Life in Christ

Though the wages of sin is death and we see brokenness all around us, God offers us the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus took on our sin, pain, and grief, and overcame death so that we might have life that never ends. In the face of loss and sorrow, we are invited to cling to this hope and to let it shape the way we live and invest our lives. [41:26]

Romans 6:23 (ESV)
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reflection: When you are confronted by loss or the brokenness of this world, how can you remind yourself of the hope and eternal life you have in Jesus?

Day 4: Walking Humbly, Doing Justice, and Loving Kindness

God’s call is clear: to walk humbly with Him, to do justice, and to love kindness. This is a call to a life that is not self-centered but oriented toward God and others, seeking to bring His goodness and mercy into every relationship and situation. When we live this way, we reflect the heart of God to a world in need. [34:43]

Micah 6:8 (ESV)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Reflection: Who is someone in your life who needs to experience God’s justice or kindness through you today, and what is one action you can take to show it?

Day 5: The Power of Honest Community and Confession

We are called to be honest with one another, sharing our struggles and burdens in authentic community. When we confess our sins and support each other in prayer, we experience the healing and forgiveness that Jesus offers, and we are strengthened to live out our faith together. God’s grace is bigger than any failure, and He invites us to walk in the light with Him and with each other. [53:10]

James 5:16 (ESV)
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Reflection: Is there a burden or struggle you have been hiding from your church family? Who is one trusted person you can reach out to for prayer and support this week?

Sermon Summary

Life in this world is marked by brokenness, loss, and the ever-present reality of death. Yet, in the midst of all that is falling apart, God calls us to a life that is rooted in what truly lasts. We are invited to live a “three-dimensional” life—upward in relationship with God, inward in relationship with one another, and outward in love and service to the world. This pattern is not just a church strategy; it is the very life Jesus modeled for us. He spent time in prayer with the Father, invested deeply in his disciples, and reached out to heal and proclaim good news to the crowds. We are called to imitate this balanced life, even as we struggle with our own exhaustion, grief, and the temptation to invest in things that will not last.

The reality of death—whether in the loss of a loved one, the decay of our possessions, or the frailty of our own bodies—reminds us that so much of what we chase after is temporary. The world tells us to pour ourselves into achievements, possessions, and experiences, but these things inevitably fade. Instead, God invites us to invest in what endures: faith, hope, and love. These are the gifts that Christ has secured for us through his death and resurrection. Jesus took on our sin, our pain, and our misplaced priorities, and he offers us forgiveness and new life. In him, we find the only foundation that will not crumble.

This call to invest in what lasts is not just for our own sake, but for the sake of others. We are to encourage one another in faith, speak hope to each other in times of despair, and love one another as Christ has loved us. And then, together, we are sent out to a world that is desperate for something real—something that will not be taken away by time or tragedy. Our homes, our resources, our time, and our relationships are to be leveraged for the sake of God’s kingdom, so that others might know the love and hope that we have found in Jesus. As we gather, confess, receive forgiveness, and share in communion, we are reminded that we are family—bound together not by our own strength, but by the grace of God. Let us live this three-dimensional life, investing in what truly lasts, until the day when Christ returns and all things are made new.

Key Takeaways

1. A Three-Dimensional Life Reflects Jesus’ Pattern Jesus modeled a life that was balanced in three directions: upward in communion with the Father, inward in deep relationships with his disciples, and outward in compassionate service to the world. We are called to imitate this pattern, not as a religious formula, but as the way to live fully and faithfully in a broken world. When any one of these dimensions is neglected, our lives become unbalanced and spiritually exhausting. [34:43]
2. The Pervasiveness of Death Exposes the Futility of Earthly Investments The reality of death and decay is a constant reminder that so much of what we strive for—possessions, achievements, even our own bodies—will not last. Grief and loss strip away our illusions of control and permanence, forcing us to confront what truly matters. In these moments, we are invited to shift our investments from what is temporary to what is eternal. [38:38]
3. Faith, Hope, and Love Are the Only Things That Endure Scripture teaches that faith, hope, and love are the gifts that will outlast everything else in this world. These are not abstract virtues, but the very life of Christ given to us and through us. To invest in faith is to root ourselves in God’s promises; to invest in hope is to anchor our hearts in the resurrection; to invest in love is to embody the self-giving life of Jesus. [44:41]
4. Our Relationships Are the Primary Arena for Eternal Investment The call to invest in what lasts is lived out most tangibly in our relationships—with God, with fellow believers, and with those who do not yet know Christ. Encouraging faith, speaking hope, and showing love are not just church activities, but the substance of a life that matters. In moments of loss or celebration, these investments are what sustain us and bind us together as family. [45:15]
5. Responding to Grace Means Living for What Will Not Fade The forgiveness and new life we receive in Christ is not just a comfort, but a summons to reorient our priorities. We are freed from the need to prove ourselves or accumulate what will pass away, and instead are empowered to use all we have—our time, resources, and energy—for the sake of God’s kingdom. This is a life of joyful anticipation, knowing that Christ will return and all things will be made new.

** [48:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:13] - Announcements and Bible Study Invitation
[10:11] - Opening Prayer and Call for Change
[16:00] - Confession of Faith: The Nicene Creed
[29:38] - Prayer for Openness and Truth
[30:29] - Review: Family, Values, Strategy
[32:17] - Living in 3D: Up, In, and Out
[34:43] - The Balanced Life and Our Exhaustion
[36:04] - Personal Grief and the Reality of Death
[38:38] - The Pervasiveness of Death and Earthly Decay
[39:59] - Investing in What Lasts
[41:26] - The Gift of Eternal Life in Christ
[44:41] - Faith, Hope, and Love: The Things That Endure
[49:14] - Practical Ways to Invest in Up, In, and Out
[51:49] - Confession and Assurance of Forgiveness
[56:01] - Community Prayer and Communion
[74:30] - Closing Blessing and Sending

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 6:12-19 (ESV) — > In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
> And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.

Micah 6:8 (ESV) — > He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

1 Corinthians 13:12-13 (ESV) — > For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Observation Questions

In Luke 6, what three main activities did Jesus engage in before and after choosing his disciples? ([32:46])
According to Micah 6:8, what does God require of us? How does this connect to the “three-dimensional” life described in the sermon? ([34:43])
In 1 Corinthians 13, which three things does Paul say will last, and which is the greatest? ([44:41])
The sermon described how Jesus balanced his time between prayer, investing in his disciples, and serving the crowds. What are some specific examples given of how Jesus lived “up, in, and out”? ([34:15])

Interpretation Questions

The sermon talks about how death and decay are all around us, and how this reality exposes the futility of investing in temporary things. Why do you think it’s so easy to focus on things that won’t last, even when we know they are temporary? ([38:38])
The “three-dimensional” life is described as being balanced between our relationship with God, with other believers, and with the world. What happens when one of these areas is neglected? How have you seen this play out in your own life or in the church? ([34:43])
The sermon says that faith, hope, and love are not just abstract virtues, but the very life of Christ given to us and through us. What does it mean to “invest” in faith, hope, and love in practical terms? ([44:41])
The pastor shared personal stories of grief and loss, and how these experiences changed his perspective on what really matters. How can moments of loss or hardship help us reorient our priorities toward what is eternal? ([36:04])

Application Questions

The sermon described how Jesus intentionally spent time in prayer, invested deeply in a few disciples, and reached out to serve the crowds. Which of these three areas—upward (God), inward (Christian community), or outward (serving the world)—do you find most challenging to invest in right now? What is one small step you could take this week to grow in that area? ([34:43])
The reality of death and loss was a major theme in the sermon. Is there something in your life right now—an achievement, possession, or experience—that you are tempted to invest in as if it will last forever? How might God be inviting you to shift your focus? ([38:38])
The pastor shared about extending his deck not just for himself, but to create space for others to gather and talk about things that matter. Is there a way you could use your home, resources, or time more intentionally for God’s kingdom? ([42:04])
The sermon encouraged us to encourage faith, speak hope, and show love to one another, especially in times of grief or exhaustion. Who in your life right now needs encouragement, hope, or love? What is one thing you could do for them this week? ([45:15])
The pastor confessed to saying “I’m great” when he really wasn’t, and talked about the importance of honesty in Christian community. Are there ways you tend to hide your struggles from others? What would it look like to be more open with your small group or church family? ([35:21])
The sermon challenged parents and grandparents to make discipling their children a top priority, above achievements or activities. If you are a parent, grandparent, or mentor, what is one way you could invest faith into the next generation this week? ([49:44])
The call to “invest in what lasts” is not just for our own sake, but for the sake of others who don’t yet know Christ. Is there someone in your life who is far from God? What is one way you could reach out to them in faith, hope, or love this month? ([50:28])

Sermon Clips

See, what God is doing in God's Word and what we are trying to do as a church is to help all of us start investing in the things that are going to last. Real stuff. And you know what's going to last? Us. In Romans 6, it tells us the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. [00:41:01] (30 seconds) #PurposefulPossessions

Jesus Christ came and He lived and He suffered and He died. He took all of your sin and your sickness and your shame and your pain and your grief. He took every time you started investing in the things of this world instead of in His love, and He died for it. For you and for me. He overcame all of it. And now He says, respond in faith. Invest in the stuff that really matters. [00:41:31] (28 seconds) #LoveIsJesus

See, this text, it's not talking about the marriage that you have. It's talking about Jesus. Jesus is patient and kind. Jesus does not envy or boast. He's not arrogant or rude. He does not insist on his own way. He insists on the Father's way. He's not irritable or resentful. He does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Jesus bears all things, our sin, our sickness, our shame, our grief, believes all things that the Father has given, hopes all things, endures all things, like the cross and our mess up. Jesus never ends. Invest in Jesus. [00:43:34] (38 seconds) #EncourageInFaith

And then the end of that text, it tells us what to invest in. Because it tells us right here. So three things, are going to last. Three things are going to go beyond this world, the brokenness of it. Faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. So invest in the things that matter. Invest in what God is calling you to invest in. [00:44:13] (31 seconds) #GoOutWithHope

And then let's go together and go out to this world that is so broken and so messed up and so chasing after the wrong path. And let's tell them about our faith. About what God has done for us. Let's give them hope that there's a better future. That Jesus is coming back and he's going to take all this mess away. And let's love them right where they are and serve them right where they are. And to speak the name of Jesus into their lives. That's investing in the right things. Investing in things that last. [00:45:54] (31 seconds) #HopeInHisReturn

Put the rest in the right place. It's good to have a house. It's good to have a car. My goodness, it's good to go on vacation. But let those things speak to the things that really matter. Because when you are sitting by your dad, holding his hand and telling him it's okay, go home. That stuff just doesn't matter. What matters is the faith, hope, and love that Jesus Christ brings to us. Invest in that. [00:46:28] (45 seconds) #EternalWorkJoy

Invest in Jesus. Share that love. Invest in his word. Invest in each other. And invest in getting that word out there. Because that's the only thing that's going to last. Jesus is coming back and my goodness, I'm looking forward to it. Because it's going to be so different than anything that we can imagine. It is so beyond. Anything we can imagine. We can't even get close to understanding it. Because for us, there's an end to everything. Everything starts and ends in Jesus. It doesn't end. [00:47:45] (37 seconds) #MakeDisciplesFirst

He's coming back. And when he comes back, new bodies, new creation that lasts forever. There's still going to be work to do. But it's going to be fun work. It's going to be building and doing projects. And know this, when we together make some incredible thing to the glory of God, it's going to stay there. It's going to stay there. It's going to stay there. It's going to stay there. Until we take it down to build something else. Because never will things fall apart again. Never there will be another weed growing up out of the ground. Never will there be a diagnosis of cancer. And never will there be a last breath. And you won't have to hold that dog and see them go. That's coming soon. So invest in those things. [00:48:22] (45 seconds) #ImpactYourCircle

God loves you. He has made an incredible investment in you. He's given His Son for you. Now let's respond in faith. Up, in, and out together. Amen? Amen. [00:51:16] (22 seconds)

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