Lifting Up Jesus: Our True Witness and Focus

Devotional

Day 1: Look to Jesus, the One Lifted Up for Our Healing

Just as Moses lifted up the bronze serpent in the wilderness for the healing of the Israelites, so Jesus was lifted up on the cross so that all who look to Him in faith may receive eternal life and true healing. The story reminds us that the solution to the consequences of sin is not found in our own efforts, but in turning our eyes to Christ, who alone can save and restore us. In the same way that the Israelites had to look at the bronze serpent to be healed, we are called to turn to Jesus, trusting that He is sufficient for our deepest needs and brokenness. [26:12]

John 3:12-15 (ESV)
"If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to intentionally turn your eyes to Jesus today, trusting Him for healing or restoration instead of relying on your own solutions?

Day 2: Share Christ, Not Just Church

It is easy to invite others to church or talk about our favorite programs, but the true calling is to lift up Jesus Himself—sharing with others the real ways He has changed our lives. People are not searching for another institution or activity; they are searching for hope, meaning, and the presence of Christ. When we focus on sharing our personal encounters with Jesus, rather than just promoting our church, we become true ambassadors for Christ, helping others to see Him clearly and be drawn to Him. [39:25]

2 Corinthians 4:5 (ESV)
"For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake."

Reflection: Think of someone you know who is searching for hope—how can you share a specific way Jesus has made a difference in your life, rather than simply inviting them to a church event?

Day 3: The Power of Testimony in Overcoming

Our stories of how Jesus has worked in our lives are not just for us—they are powerful tools God uses to encourage others and to help us overcome. Scripture says that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Sharing recent experiences of God’s faithfulness, not just stories from long ago, keeps our faith alive and helps others see that God is active and present today. Your testimony, even from last week or last month, can be the very thing that helps someone else find hope and victory. [52:09]

Revelation 12:11 (ESV)
"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death."

Reflection: What is one recent way you have seen God at work in your life that you could share with someone this week to encourage them?

Day 4: Experiencing and Sharing the Peace That Passes Understanding

True peace is not found in comfortable circumstances, but in the presence of Christ—even in the darkest moments. When we experience God’s peace in situations that make no sense to the world, our lives become a testimony to the reality of Jesus. Sharing these stories of supernatural peace, especially in times of suffering or loss, powerfully lifts up Christ and points others to the source of true comfort and hope. [55:36]

Philippians 4:6-7 (ESV)
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Reflection: Recall a time when you experienced God’s peace in a difficult situation—how might sharing that story with someone today help them see Jesus more clearly?

Day 5: Examine What You Are Lifting Up

Each day, we have the choice to lift up Jesus or to lift up other things—our preferences, our church, our traditions, or ourselves. God calls us to examine our hearts and actions, ensuring that in all we do, we are exalting Christ above all else. When we focus on making God known and glorified in our words and deeds, He promises to draw people to Himself, and our lives become a living invitation for others to encounter Him. [01:00:21]

Psalm 34:3 (ESV)
"Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!"

Reflection: As you go about your day, what is one practical way you can intentionally lift up Jesus—rather than your own preferences or traditions—in your conversations and actions?

Sermon Summary

This morning, the invitation is to consider what we are truly lifting up in our lives and in our witness to others. Drawing from Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John 3, we are reminded of the story of Moses lifting up the bronze serpent in the wilderness—a symbol of healing for those who would look upon it. Jesus uses this image to point to Himself, declaring that just as the serpent was lifted up, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that all who look to Him in faith may find life and healing. This analogy challenges us to examine the focus of our faith and our testimony: are we lifting up Jesus, or are we inadvertently lifting up our church, our traditions, or our preferences?

It is easy to fall into the habit of inviting people to church, thinking that the institution or its activities are what will draw people to Christ. Yet, the reality is that people are not searching for a church—they are searching for Jesus. The most powerful witness we can offer is not a list of church programs or a polished invitation to a service, but a genuine testimony of how Christ has met us in our darkest moments, brought us peace that surpasses understanding, and transformed our lives. The world is not hungry for more institutions; it is hungry for the living Christ, made visible through the stories and lives of those who have encountered Him.

We are called to be ambassadors for Christ, not recruiters for a particular congregation. Our role is to lift up Jesus in our conversations, our actions, and our relationships, trusting that as we do, He will draw people to Himself. This means sharing not just the moment of our salvation, but the ongoing ways Christ is at work in our lives—how He comforts, heals, and sustains us through every season. It also means recognizing that fruitfulness is not measured by how many people we bring into our own church, but by how faithfully we point others to Jesus, wherever they may find Him.

As we go into this week, the challenge is to reflect on what we are lifting up. Are we exalting Christ above all else, or are we allowing other things to take center stage? May we be a people who daily remember and share what Christ has done, so that He is lifted high in our lives and in our community.

Key Takeaways

1. The True Focus of Our Witness It is tempting to equate sharing our faith with inviting people to church or promoting our favorite programs. However, the call is to lift up Jesus Himself, not our institutions or traditions. When we share the ways Christ has personally transformed us, we offer something the world truly needs—a living encounter with the Savior, not just an introduction to a religious organization. [39:25]
2. The Power of Testimony in Darkness Our most compelling witness often comes from the places of pain, loss, or struggle where Christ has met us with comfort and peace. Sharing these stories—where the peace of Christ was present in circumstances that defy understanding—makes Jesus visible and real to others. It is in these moments that our testimony carries the weight of authenticity and hope. [55:36]
3. Healing Comes from Looking to Christ, Not to Substitutes Just as the Israelites were healed by looking at the bronze serpent, we find healing by turning our eyes to Jesus, not to substitutes like church activities or religious routines. While community is important, it is Christ who saves, heals, and restores. Our role is to point others directly to Him, not to the things that merely surround Him. [35:03]
4. Fruitfulness Is Measured by Faithfulness, Not Numbers Success in the kingdom is not about how many people we bring into our own church, but about how faithfully we lift up Christ and point others to Him. Sometimes, those we share with may find Christ in another congregation or context, and that is still a victory for the kingdom. Our calling is to be ambassadors for Christ, not gatekeepers of a particular community. [42:59]
5. A Living Testimony Is Ongoing, Not Just Historical Testimony is not just about a single moment of conversion or a story from decades past. It is about the ongoing, daily work of Christ in our lives—how He is sustaining, guiding, and transforming us right now. If we are not experiencing and sharing fresh encounters with Christ, we risk offering a stale or secondhand faith to others.

** [53:28]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Wake Up Call Devotional Invitation
[03:10] - Worship and Turning Our Hearts to God
[05:30] - Opening John Chapter 3
[08:00] - Jesus and Nicodemus: The Nighttime Conversation
[12:00] - The Bronze Serpent in the Wilderness
[15:00] - Symbolism and the Danger of Misapplied Symbols
[17:30] - The Cost of Sin and the Need for Healing
[20:00] - The Power of Looking to the Lifted One
[23:00] - What Are We Lifting Up?
[25:00] - The Temptation to Lift Up Church Instead of Christ
[28:00] - The Power and Pitfalls of Testimony
[31:00] - Real-Life Stories of Christ’s Peace
[35:00] - The Call to Daily Lift Up Jesus
[38:00] - Responding to God’s Word and Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 3:12-15 (ESV) — > If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Observation Questions

In Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus, what Old Testament story does Jesus refer to, and why does He use that image? ([26:12])
According to the sermon, what was the result for the Israelites when they looked at the bronze serpent Moses lifted up? ([35:03])
What are some things, besides Jesus, that the sermon says we are tempted to “lift up” in our lives or in our witness to others? ([38:06])
What does the pastor say is the most powerful witness we can offer to others? ([39:25])

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus chose the image of the bronze serpent to describe His own mission? What does this analogy teach us about how people find healing and life? ([26:12])
The sermon suggests that people today are not searching for a church, but for Jesus. What are the dangers of focusing our invitations and conversations on church activities or traditions instead of Christ Himself? ([40:29])
The pastor says that fruitfulness is measured by faithfulness, not by numbers. How does this challenge common ideas about “success” in church life? ([42:59])
Why is it important to share ongoing, current testimonies of Christ’s work in our lives, rather than only stories from the distant past? ([53:28])

Application Questions

When you talk to others about your faith, do you find yourself inviting them to church or sharing about Jesus Himself? Why do you think you default to one or the other? ([38:43])
Think about a time when you experienced Christ’s peace or comfort in a difficult situation. How could you share that story with someone who is struggling right now? ([55:36])
Are there any “substitutes” (like church programs, traditions, or routines) that you tend to lift up instead of Jesus? What would it look like to shift your focus? ([38:06])
The sermon says that people are hungry for a living Christ, not just a religious organization. What are some practical ways you can make Jesus visible in your daily life this week? ([39:25])
The pastor shared that sometimes people find Christ in another church or context, and that’s still a victory for the kingdom. How does this perspective affect the way you think about sharing your faith? ([42:59])
Do you have a recent testimony of how Christ has been at work in your life? If not, what might be keeping you from experiencing or recognizing His ongoing work? ([53:28])
As you reflect on your week ahead, what is one specific way you can “lift up Jesus” in your conversations, actions, or relationships? ([01:00:21])

Sermon Clips

Jesus is saying, when I am lifted up, I will bring you. He says, I will draw all men unto myself. One way that he words that in one of the two places in the book of John. He says, all men will be drawn to him and that they will be healed. That's interesting, isn't it? That all we have to do is turn to Jesus and be healed? [00:35:39] (34 seconds) #JesusDrawsAndHeals

Moses, as a priest, his job is to make God available for everyone, to make sure that you can connect with God. You know whose job that is here in Lake City in this church? Not mine. Mine, but only a part of mine. It's your job to make Jesus available for each and every person in this community. [00:36:32] (28 seconds) #EveryoneCanShareJesus

``What's the first thought that we have when we want to share Christ with someone? Well, you ought to come to church with me. Oh, I thought we were going to share Christ, not our church. You see, we don't mean to. We don't even realize we're doing it. We think that we're lifting Jesus up. But the problem is what we're actually lifting up is our style, our culture, and the way that we like things. We're lifting up an institution, our particular church. [00:39:16] (27 seconds) #SharingChristNotChurch

Do you know that it's entirely possible for you to share your faith with someone else? Share how powerful God has been in your life and suddenly they see a need for God in their lives and when they start attending church, it ain't here. And you know what you call that? Success. Fruitfulness. Because your job is not to gather people into one boat. Right? Your job is to be an ambassador for Christ. [00:42:59] (32 seconds) #AmbassadorsOfChrist

If someone doesn't believe in God, you inviting them to church is pointless. How do you think they would respond? About like that. About like you're thinking right now. Sometimes we spend a lot of time in the church consumed with manicuring our activities. Shaping our activities and what we do in the hopes that it will draw people in. There are very few things that we can do in the church that are attractional and that will work. And the only things that we can do in the church that are attractional and work, only work to attract people who are already part of the church. Just not coming much. [00:47:40] (48 seconds) #FaithBeyondChurchWalls

How do we draw them in how do we attract them we lift Jesus we lift him up in our lives and share and I here's the hard part that probably means that the most effective thing you can share is a dark day in your life where things look bad it's probably your fault although in some situations it wasn't sometimes there's a car wreck there's a cancer there's something else going on and it's nobody's fault but in the midst of that darkness a bright light shown Jesus Christ ministered to you your family and others around you in a way that helped you get through that dark time that's what we have to share. [00:49:05] (58 seconds) #SharingLightInDarkness

There's nothing more powerful to me than to know what's going on in your life as it relates to Jesus Christ. Because we don't worship a God who died on the cross, ran off to heaven, left you all alone. He was here with the apostles, but he don't like you as much as them. So he ran off to heaven and left you all alone. And now he's just on the other side of the finish line. I'll be with you when you get here. That's not the God we serve. We serve a God who sent his Holy Spirit to live within us, to guide us into all truth, to lead us through each and every day. [00:52:22] (45 seconds) #GodWithUsAlways

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