Living as Sacrifices: Faithful Exiles in Community
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound concept of offering our lives as a living sacrifice to God, recognizing His worthiness and our need to fully commit to Him. Reflecting on personal experiences, we acknowledged that there are times when we struggle to live out this truth, but we must continually seek God's strength and courage to overcome these barriers. We delved into the series "Redeeming Religion," emphasizing that religion, as depicted in Scripture, is a neutral term that can either direct us towards God or lead us astray. True religion, as opposed to empty or false religion, directs, moves, produces, connects, and builds us up in our faith and community.
We examined the Israelites' exile to Babylon, drawing parallels to our own lives as exiles in a world that is not our home. God's instructions to the Israelites were counterintuitive: instead of resisting their exile, they were to build houses, plant gardens, marry, and seek the peace and prosperity of their new city. This teaches us to plant roots, be self-sustaining, nurture our families, promote peace, and engage in prayer, even in a world that often feels foreign and hostile to our faith.
We also discussed the importance of building up the church community through small groups and equipping the saints for ministry. This involves understanding and teaching the foundational elements of our faith, such as repentance, faith in God, baptism, spiritual gifts, and the hope of Christ's return. Our church is committed to fostering deeper fellowship, discipleship, and incarnational ministry, particularly through partnerships with local schools and community programs.
### Key Takeaways
1. Offering Our Lives as a Living Sacrifice: True worship involves offering our entire lives to God, recognizing His worthiness and our need to fully commit to Him. This requires ongoing prayer and seeking God's strength to overcome barriers that prevent us from living out this truth. [01:33]
2. The Neutrality of Religion: Religion, as depicted in Scripture, is a neutral term that can either direct us towards God or lead us astray. True religion directs, moves, produces, connects, and builds us up in our faith and community, while false religion leads us away from God. [02:56]
3. Living as Exiles: Like the Israelites in Babylon, we are exiles in a world that is not our home. God's instructions to plant roots, be self-sustaining, nurture families, promote peace, and engage in prayer teach us how to live faithfully and fruitfully in our current circumstances. [10:00]
4. Building Up the Church Community: The church is called to build up its members through small groups and equipping the saints for ministry. This involves understanding and teaching foundational elements of our faith, fostering deeper fellowship, and engaging in incarnational ministry. [28:18]
5. Equipping the Saints for Ministry: Every believer is part of the priesthood of all believers and is called to steward God's grace and gifts for the benefit of others. This includes being able to articulate the gospel, understand salvation, and engage in ministry and mission work. [30:06]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[01:33] - Offering Our Lives as a Living Sacrifice
[02:56] - The Neutrality of Religion
[04:43] - Religion Directs, Moves, Produces, and Connects
[06:21] - Religion Builds
[08:03] - The Israelites' Exile
[10:00] - Living as Exiles
[11:47] - God's Instructions to the Exiles
[13:18] - Maintaining Identity in Exile
[15:31] - Planting Roots
[17:26] - Sowing Crops and Being Self-Sustaining
[19:29] - Sowing Families
[22:00] - Sowing Peace
[24:11] - Sowing Prayer
[26:31] - Church Announcements
[28:18] - Building Up the Church Community
[30:06] - Equipping the Saints for Ministry
[33:32] - Fellowship and Discipleship Programs
[35:03] - Incarnational Ministry
[37:23] - Closing Scripture Reading
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
> "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
2. Jeremiah 29:4-14 (NIV)
> "This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 'Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.'"
3. 1 Peter 2:9-12 (NIV)
> "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Romans 12:1-2 say about how we should offer our lives to God?
2. According to Jeremiah 29:4-14, what specific instructions did God give to the Israelites in exile? [10:00]
3. In 1 Peter 2:9-12, how does Peter describe the identity and role of believers?
4. What are the five things that God instructed the Israelites to do while in exile, as mentioned in the sermon? [15:31]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the concept of offering our lives as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1-2) challenge our daily routines and priorities? [01:33]
2. Why might God have instructed the Israelites to build houses and plant gardens in Babylon instead of resisting their exile? [10:00]
3. What does it mean to be a "royal priesthood" and "holy nation" in the context of 1 Peter 2:9-12, and how does this apply to our lives today?
4. How can the church today apply the principles of planting roots, sowing crops, sowing families, sowing peace, and sowing prayer in our communities? [15:31]
### Application Questions
1. Reflecting on Romans 12:1-2, what specific areas of your life do you find hardest to offer as a living sacrifice to God? How can you seek God's strength to overcome these barriers? [01:33]
2. In what ways can you "plant roots" and be self-sustaining in your current circumstances, similar to the Israelites in Babylon? [10:00]
3. How can you actively promote peace and prosperity in your community, as instructed in Jeremiah 29:7? What practical steps can you take this week? [11:47]
4. Considering the call to be a "royal priesthood" in 1 Peter 2:9-12, how can you represent God to those around you and intercede for your community in prayer? [24:11]
5. How can you contribute to building up the church community through small groups and equipping others for ministry? What specific role or action can you take? [28:18]
6. Identify one foundational element of faith (repentance, faith in God, baptism, spiritual gifts, hope of Christ's return) that you feel less confident about. How can you seek to understand and teach this element better? [30:06]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt like an exile in your own life. How did you respond, and what can you learn from the Israelites' example to apply in future situations? [10:00]
Devotional
Day 1: Living Sacrifice: Total Commitment to God
True worship involves offering our entire lives to God, recognizing His worthiness and our need to fully commit to Him. This requires ongoing prayer and seeking God's strength to overcome barriers that prevent us from living out this truth. We often struggle with distractions and personal weaknesses that hinder our full devotion. However, by continually seeking God's strength and courage, we can overcome these barriers and live a life that truly honors Him. [01:33]
Romans 12:1 (ESV): "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."
Reflection: What is one specific area of your life where you struggle to fully commit to God? How can you seek His strength and courage to overcome this barrier today?
Day 2: The Neutrality of Religion
Religion, as depicted in Scripture, is a neutral term that can either direct us towards God or lead us astray. True religion directs, moves, produces, connects, and builds us up in our faith and community, while false religion leads us away from God. It is essential to discern and practice true religion that fosters a genuine relationship with God and strengthens our community. By focusing on the core elements of our faith, we can ensure that our religious practices are meaningful and life-giving. [02:56]
James 1:27 (ESV): "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world."
Reflection: Reflect on your religious practices. Are they drawing you closer to God and building up your community, or are they merely rituals? How can you align your practices with true religion today?
Day 3: Living as Exiles
Like the Israelites in Babylon, we are exiles in a world that is not our home. God's instructions to plant roots, be self-sustaining, nurture families, promote peace, and engage in prayer teach us how to live faithfully and fruitfully in our current circumstances. Even in a world that often feels foreign and hostile to our faith, we are called to be a positive influence and seek the welfare of our surroundings. By doing so, we reflect God's love and purpose in our lives. [10:00]
Jeremiah 29:5-7 (ESV): "Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."
Reflection: How can you plant roots and seek the welfare of your community, even if it feels foreign or hostile to your faith? What practical steps can you take today to promote peace and engage in prayer for your surroundings?
Day 4: Building Up the Church Community
The church is called to build up its members through small groups and equipping the saints for ministry. This involves understanding and teaching foundational elements of our faith, fostering deeper fellowship, and engaging in incarnational ministry. By investing in relationships and discipleship, we can create a supportive and nurturing environment that encourages spiritual growth and service. Our commitment to building up the church community reflects our dedication to living out our faith in tangible ways. [28:18]
Ephesians 4:11-12 (ESV): "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ."
Reflection: How can you contribute to building up your church community? Are there specific small groups or ministries you can join or support to foster deeper fellowship and discipleship?
Day 5: Equipping the Saints for Ministry
Every believer is part of the priesthood of all believers and is called to steward God's grace and gifts for the benefit of others. This includes being able to articulate the gospel, understand salvation, and engage in ministry and mission work. By equipping ourselves and others for ministry, we fulfill our calling to serve and spread the message of Christ. It is essential to continually grow in our understanding of the faith and actively participate in the mission of the church. [30:06]
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: What spiritual gifts or talents has God given you? How can you use these gifts to serve others and contribute to the ministry and mission of your church today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "If you haven't done that yet, if you're still working on that man keep praying for that and keep working towards that and keep asking the Lord to give you strength and courage to put your trust in his son Jesus Christ for your salvation for your life and then man whatever is holding you back that you would pray that the Lord would break that for you that you could be free to live for him to work for him to worship him to love him with all your heart soul mind and strength." [01:33] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We want to love and we want to be loved and so we said pay attention to where your heart takes you because that thing will be your religion and it will direct you to the one true god or it will direct you to false gods." [02:56] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Well, church, you are in exile. First Peter says, as strangers and exiles, you are in exile. This is not your land. This is not your home. You are citizens of heaven. You belong. You belong to a different kingdom. You are sojourners. That means you're passing through. You have an eternal home. And this ain't it." [10:00] (44 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Don't you see it all over society that the world is designed so that you would stop thinking about God and stop concerning yourself with what God wants? And if we're honest, we want God's letter to the exiles to be, don't get comfortable and sharpen your sword. But he doesn't say that." [15:31] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "As a matter of fact, I think every single person in this room should be able to state the simple gospel, should know a simple expression of what salvation means to them, and should be able to share it with others." [30:06] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Religion is not a naughty word in scripture. We've been learning that religion is not a bad thing that it's a neutral term in the bible that scripture knows of good religion truth true religion it also knows of empty religion and false religion so it will use the word as a neutral term there's both there's good religion there's god-given religion there's god instituted religion there's the idea that you and i are wired for religion." [02:56] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Religion directs us and so our hearts are wild and directionless they chase after things for us to love chase after things for us to love and we're going to learn that religion is not a thing for us to worship chase after things for us to give our hearts and our lives to." [02:56] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "God speaks to the Israelites who are about to go into exile. The Israelites are going into exile. They're going into exile. They're going into exile. Kicking and screaming. If we were to put ourselves in their position, we would do the same. They're losing their national borders. They're losing their political leaders. They're losing their government. They're losing what feels like their cultural heritage. They're losing their temple. They're losing it all. And Jeremiah is a lone prophet who is saying to the people, this is God's plan for you. Accept it." [06:21] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "And so there are five things that God says to the exiles in Israel and five things that the church needs to hear this morning. The first is that you should plant roots. He says, build houses and settle down. So the church should understand and Israel should understand. I'm in it for the long haul. This is not a layover. This is something that I will endure and persevere." [15:31] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "God's wisdom is the opposite, that you should lead your families in the faith, that you should know the faith well enough to be confident to teach it to your children, and that you should do everything you can to raise your children in the faith, and pass it on." [22:00] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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