Letting Go: Embracing Life in Christ
Summary
In this sermon, I was reminded that as Christians, we often have patterns of behavior or thinking that we need to stop because they don't lead to life. We may be scared to let go of these patterns because they are familiar and we don't know what life will look like on the other side. Following Jesus involves letting these patterns die. For some of us, it might not be about stopping behaviors but starting new ones that will invite us into life. The prayer series over the summer was an invitation to the whole church into a new phase of growth through learning the language of prayer. However, some of us may be lazy or unwilling to do the work involved in carving out times for solitude or quiet. This unwillingness to change is to our loss.
The sermon also touched on the story of Jonah, who had a vision of his life and what he thought it should look like. When God called him to go to Nineveh, Jonah ran away because God's call was disrupting his vision of his life. He thought he was running for his life, but in reality, he was running from his life. This is a situation that we often find ourselves in when we face the decision of whether or not to follow Jesus. We have competing visions of what life is about and what constitutes true life as a human being. When Jesus calls us to follow him, he's calling us to see that he was the faithful human being that none of us ever was or ever will be. He lived for us in a way that we could never live and died to absorb the consequences of our poor decisions.
Key Takeaways:
- Following Jesus involves letting go of familiar patterns of behavior or thinking that don't lead to life. This could involve stopping certain behaviors or starting new ones ([47:12]).
- We often have competing visions of what life is about. When Jesus calls us to follow him, he's calling us to see that he was the faithful human being that none of us ever was or ever will be ([38:05]).
- The story of Jonah serves as a reminder that we often run from our lives when we think we are running for our lives. We may be so fixated on our own plans that we miss out on the amazing events of God's grace and mercy ([43:16]).
- Becoming a Christian involves letting our vision of what our life is about die. It may involve taking up a whole bunch of that again on the other side but with a whole different perspective because it's not our little story that's at the center, it's the fact that we are now a bit player in the story of Jesus who's at work in the world ([46:35]).
- The purpose of the scriptures is not to entertain children or teach us about fish. The scriptures' purpose is to reveal the character of God, to reveal Jesus to us and his character and his purposes and what he's up to in the world ([03:29]).
Study Guide
Bible Passages:
1. Jonah 1:1-3
2. Jonah 1:4-17
3. Jonah 2:1-10
Key Points from the sermon:
1. We often run from God's calling, especially when it's uncomfortable or challenging.
2. Our vision of a good life can often conflict with God's vision for our lives.
3. Following Jesus involves letting go of our own vision of life and embracing His vision for us.
Observation Questions:
1. In Jonah 1:1-3, what was Jonah's initial response to God's call?
2. How does Jonah 1:4-17 describe Jonah's attempt to flee from God?
3. What does Jonah 2:1-10 reveal about Jonah's state of mind and his relationship with God?
Interpretation Questions:
1. Why do you think Jonah initially ran away from God's calling?
2. How does Jonah's attempt to flee from God reflect our own responses to God's call in our lives?
3. What can we learn from Jonah's prayer in Jonah 2:1-10 about turning back to God after running from Him?
Application Questions:
1. How can we respond when God's calling for our lives seems uncomfortable or challenging?
2. In what ways might our own vision of a good life conflict with God's vision for us?
3. How can we let go of our own vision of life and embrace God's vision for us?
Devotional
Day 1: The Challenge of Letting Go of Our Own Vision of Life
We all have our own vision of how we want our lives to be. However, God's plan for us may not always align with our own vision. This can be a challenging realization, but it is important to remember that God's plan is always for our good, even when it doesn't seem like it.
Proverbs 19:21 - "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when your vision of life didn't align with God's plan. How did you respond? How can you better trust in God's plan for your life moving forward?
Day 2: The Importance of Obedience to God's Call
God often calls us to do things that are outside of our comfort zone. It can be difficult to obey these calls, but it is through obedience that we grow in our faith and experience God's blessings.
John 14:15 - "If you love me, keep my commands."
Reflection: Can you recall a time when you felt God was calling you to do something outside of your comfort zone? How did you respond? How can you better align your actions with God's commands in the future?
Day 3: The Danger of Running from God's Call
When God calls us to do something, it can be tempting to run in the opposite direction. However, running from God's call can lead to negative consequences and missed opportunities for growth.
Jonah 1:3 - "But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish."
Reflection: Have you ever experienced a time when you ran from what you felt was God's call? What were the consequences? How can you ensure you don't run from God's call in the future?
Day 4: The Power of God's Grace and Mercy
God's grace and mercy are powerful gifts that we often don't feel we deserve. However, it is through these gifts that we are able to experience God's love and forgiveness.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Reflection: Can you think of a time when you experienced God's grace and mercy, even when you felt undeserving? How did that experience impact your relationship with God? How can you better accept and extend God's grace and mercy?
Day 5: The Call to Die to Self and Live for Christ
Following Christ often requires us to deny our own desires and live for Him instead. This can be a difficult process, but it is through dying to self that we truly live.
Galatians 2:20 - "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you had to deny your own desires to follow Christ. How did that experience shape your faith? How can you continue to die to self and live for Christ in your daily life?
Quotes
1. "Following Jesus involves letting patterns of behavior that don't lead to life die. It's about starting new behaviors that invite us into life. It's a competition of views of life." - 47:12
2. "When Jesus calls us to follow him, he's calling us to see that he was the faithful human being that none of us ever was or ever fully will be. He lived for us in a way that I could never live and he died to absorb the cumulative waves of just the horrible stupid decisions that we make when we run from life." - 44:39
3. "Becoming a Christian involves letting my vision of what my life's about to let it die. It's not my little story that's at the center, it's the fact that I am now a bit player in the story of Jesus who's at work in the world and inviting to become a part of it." - 46:35
4. "What I want to do is humble myself before God's Word, not tell it what I think it ought to be but let the author tell me what kind of story he's writing." - 15:42
5. "Jonah thinks he's running for his lives, he thinks God's ruining his party and the tragedy is that he's actually running from life. He has a chance to participate in a movement of God's grace that is on a greater scope than anybody had ever known and he totally misses out on being a part of it and enjoying it because he won't give up his little vision of the good life." - 39:19
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