Living Authentically Before God: A Lifelong Pursuit

 

Summary

Living "coram Deo" is the essence of the Christian life. This Latin phrase, meaning "before the face of God," encapsulates the call to live every moment in the presence of God, under His authority, and for His glory. This concept, emphasized by Martin Luther during the Reformation, challenges us to align our lives with God's will, not just in public but in the private corners of our hearts where no one else sees. The Christian life is not about performing for an audience but about living authentically before God, who sees all.

The journey of faith is akin to learning a skill, like playing the piano. Many start with enthusiasm, but few persevere through the difficult plateaus. Just as a pianist must push through challenging stages to master their craft, Christians must press on through spiritual dry spells and obstacles. This perseverance is crucial in seeking the kingdom of God, which Jesus described as a treasure worth all our efforts. The kingdom is not for the casual seeker but for those who pursue it with the intensity of someone searching for a lost coin or a precious pearl.

The parables of the prodigal son, the lost coin, and the pearl of great price illustrate the importance of relentless pursuit in the Christian life. The prodigal son’s return and his father’s joyous reception highlight God’s grace and the joy of reconciliation. Similarly, our spiritual journey requires us to continually seek God’s kingdom, even when we face setbacks or lose our initial zeal.

To please God, we must commit to a lifelong pursuit of His kingdom, seeking His righteousness above all else. This involves daily discipline and the willingness to learn from those more mature in faith. Just as a piano teacher guides a student through difficult stages, spiritual mentors can help us grow and overcome spiritual stagnation. Ultimately, living "coram Deo" means serving our King, Jesus, with loyalty and dedication, even in His physical absence, much like Robin Hood served King Richard in the story of old.

Key Takeaways:

1. Living "coram Deo" means living every moment in the presence of God, under His authority, and for His glory. This requires authenticity and integrity, not just in public but in the private moments of our lives. It challenges us to align our actions and thoughts with God's will, recognizing that He sees all. [03:08]

2. The Christian journey is like learning a skill; it requires perseverance through difficult stages. Just as a pianist must push through challenging plateaus to master their craft, Christians must press on through spiritual dry spells and obstacles to grow in faith. [14:07]

3. Jesus' parables of the prodigal son, the lost coin, and the pearl of great price emphasize the importance of relentless pursuit in the Christian life. These stories illustrate the joy of reconciliation and the value of seeking God's kingdom with all our efforts. [20:34]

4. Pleasing God involves a lifelong commitment to seeking His kingdom and righteousness. This requires daily discipline and the willingness to learn from spiritual mentors who can guide us through periods of spiritual stagnation. [23:10]

5. Like Robin Hood's loyalty to King Richard, Christians are called to serve Jesus, our King, with dedication and perseverance, even in His physical absence. This involves living in His presence, under His authority, and for His glory, as we await His return. [26:05]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:29] - The Big Idea of Christianity
- [01:51] - Discerning the Core of Faith
- [03:08] - Living "Coram Deo"
- [04:34] - The Prodigal Son's Journey
- [05:17] - The Challenge of Living for God
- [06:55] - Perseverance in Faith
- [08:01] - Lessons from Piano Practice
- [11:14] - Overcoming Plateaus
- [14:07] - Pressing Through Obstacles
- [15:20] - Seeking the Kingdom of God
- [16:48] - Parables of Relentless Pursuit
- [19:02] - The Prodigal Son's Return
- [22:32] - Lifelong Commitment to God
- [26:05] - Serving the Absent King

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Living "Coram Deo"

Bible Reading:
1. Luke 15:11-32 (The Parable of the Prodigal Son)
2. Matthew 13:44-46 (The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl)
3. Matthew 6:33 (Seek first the kingdom of God)

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the phrase "coram Deo" mean, and how does it relate to the Christian life? [03:08]
2. How does the story of the prodigal son illustrate the concept of living authentically before God? [04:34]
3. What are some challenges mentioned in the sermon that Christians face when trying to live "coram Deo"? [06:22]
4. How do the parables of the lost coin and the pearl of great price emphasize the importance of seeking God's kingdom? [18:28]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the prodigal son's journey reflect the struggle between living for oneself and living "coram Deo"? [19:29]
2. How might the concept of perseverance in learning a skill, like playing the piano, apply to spiritual growth and seeking God's kingdom? [14:07]
3. What does it mean to seek God's kingdom with the intensity described in the parables of the lost coin and the pearl? [16:48]
4. How can the story of Robin Hood's loyalty to King Richard serve as a metaphor for Christian dedication to Jesus? [25:22]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt distant from God. What steps can you take to live more consistently "coram Deo" in your daily life? [06:55]
2. Identify a spiritual plateau you might be experiencing. What practical steps can you take to push through this stage and grow in your faith? [14:07]
3. Consider the parable of the prodigal son. Is there an area in your life where you need to return to God and seek reconciliation? [20:34]
4. How can you incorporate the discipline of seeking God's kingdom first in your daily routine? What might need to change in your priorities? [15:20]
5. Think of a spiritual mentor or role model in your life. How can you learn from their example to overcome spiritual stagnation? [23:10]
6. Reflect on the story of Robin Hood. In what ways can you demonstrate loyalty and dedication to Jesus, even when it feels like He is absent? [25:22]
7. What is one specific action you can take this week to live more authentically in the presence of God, under His authority, and for His glory? [05:17]

Devotional

Day 1: Living Authentically Before God
Living "coram Deo" means living every moment in the presence of God, under His authority, and for His glory. This requires authenticity and integrity, not just in public but in the private moments of our lives. It challenges us to align our actions and thoughts with God's will, recognizing that He sees all. Living authentically before God means that our faith is not a performance for others but a genuine relationship with Him. It calls us to examine the hidden corners of our hearts and bring them into alignment with His desires. [03:08]

"For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him." (2 Chronicles 16:9, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you struggle to live authentically before God? How can you invite Him into those areas today?


Day 2: Perseverance in Spiritual Growth
The Christian journey is like learning a skill; it requires perseverance through difficult stages. Just as a pianist must push through challenging plateaus to master their craft, Christians must press on through spiritual dry spells and obstacles to grow in faith. This perseverance is crucial in seeking the kingdom of God, which Jesus described as a treasure worth all our efforts. The kingdom is not for the casual seeker but for those who pursue it with the intensity of someone searching for a lost coin or a precious pearl. [14:07]

"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own." (Philippians 3:12, ESV)

Reflection: What is one spiritual discipline you find challenging to maintain? How can you commit to persevering in this area this week?


Day 3: Relentless Pursuit of God's Kingdom
Jesus' parables of the prodigal son, the lost coin, and the pearl of great price emphasize the importance of relentless pursuit in the Christian life. These stories illustrate the joy of reconciliation and the value of seeking God's kingdom with all our efforts. The prodigal son’s return and his father’s joyous reception highlight God’s grace and the joy of reconciliation. Similarly, our spiritual journey requires us to continually seek God’s kingdom, even when we face setbacks or lose our initial zeal. [20:34]

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it." (Matthew 13:45-46, ESV)

Reflection: What is one way you can actively pursue God's kingdom today, even if it requires sacrifice or change?


Day 4: Lifelong Commitment to God's Righteousness
Pleasing God involves a lifelong commitment to seeking His kingdom and righteousness. This requires daily discipline and the willingness to learn from spiritual mentors who can guide us through periods of spiritual stagnation. Just as a piano teacher guides a student through difficult stages, spiritual mentors can help us grow and overcome spiritual stagnation. [23:10]

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)

Reflection: Who is a spiritual mentor or role model you can learn from? How can you reach out to them for guidance this week?


Day 5: Serving the Absent King with Loyalty
Like Robin Hood's loyalty to King Richard, Christians are called to serve Jesus, our King, with dedication and perseverance, even in His physical absence. This involves living in His presence, under His authority, and for His glory, as we await His return. Serving our King requires us to be faithful stewards of the gifts and responsibilities He has entrusted to us, living with the hope and expectation of His return. [26:05]

"Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes." (Luke 12:43, ESV)

Reflection: What is one way you can serve Jesus with loyalty today, even in His physical absence? How can you be a faithful steward of what He has entrusted to you?

Quotes


Now, Luther says we should live our whole lives, not as people seeking the cover of darkness where we have a secret life, a private life that is hidden from the gaze of our friends or of authorities, but that our lives should be lived openly in the presence of God, before the face of God, practicing a kind of consciousness of God from moment to moment. [00:04:44]

The big idea – “coram Deo” – is to live one’s life in the presence of God, under the authority of God, to the honor and glory of God. That’s what it’s all about. Jesus said it succinctly this way: “If you love Me, keep My commandments,” which is to say, “If you want to please Me, you please Me by doing what I have commanded you to do.” [00:05:40]

But to live this kind of life, obviously at the outset sounds rather idealistic, doesn’t it? There’s nobody that lives all of their life in the constant sense of the presence of God, and none of us is so righteous that everything we do is in submission to the authority of God and done unto His honor and to His glory. [00:06:18]

So what it means to please God is not simply to make a commitment or a vow, but to press forward through those moments and times where we are paralyzed and frustrated in our spiritual growth. Let me ask this question of other people. How many of you have ever taken piano lessons? [00:07:24]

I remember when I started taking piano lessons my mother had a big idea, and she said, “Young man, you’re going to start taking piano lessons,” and so she sent me off to this woman who was 110 years old, and she lived in a house that was 150 years old that was so musty and creaky and scary, and I had to walk over a mile through the woods and across a highway to go the house of this piano teacher whose name, incidentally, was Miss Bliss. [00:08:43]

I’ve spoken many times on the priority of the Christian life as Jesus declares it in His teaching when He tells His disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all of these other things will be added unto you. Elsewhere, Jesus makes a very strange and cryptic statement about this kingdom of God. [00:15:21]

Jesus said, “That’s the way the kingdom is. It’s like,” he said, “a woman who has lost a coin who sweeps the entire house – turns everything upside down. She’s obsessed until she finds that coin.” I can’t imagine how Jesus was insightful enough in the first century to tell a story based on the life of my wife. [00:16:44]

Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who finds an extraordinary pearl that is so precious and so valuable – singular in its magnificence – that that person has such a profound passion to posses that pearl – which is more costly than any other pearl – that he goes and sells all that he has that he might posses that one single pearl.” [00:18:12]

All of those parables – the prodigal son, the lost coin, the pearl of great price – are parables that emphasize the importance of pressing into the kingdom of God – of pressing beyond the points of paralysis, the plateau where things become so difficult that we stop. [00:20:48]

Ladies and gentlemen, what pleases God is somebody who signs up for the duration, somebody who prays every day, “Thy kingdom come,” somebody who spends his life – not just the beginning of his life – his life seeking the kingdom of God. Again, Edwards made this statement: that, “The seeking of the kingdom of God is not something that unbelievers do. [00:22:32]

Finally, let me give you this one illustration of how God is pleased by those who seek His kingdom. Again, when I was a boy, I went to a movie, and I don’t remember even the exact title of the movie or who even starred in the movie. It had to do with the adventures of Robin Hood, and I don’t know whether it was Errol Flynn or Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. [00:23:43]

I see no finer parallel to the call of the Christian who would please his God than to serve the one who is now enthroned as the King of kings, and in His absence seek to please Him, to honor Him, and to obey Him. [00:26:14]

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Transcript
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