Living Out Faith: Actions, Gifts, and Community
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor introducing the concept of "Between Sermons," a podcast that aims to turn the monologue of Sunday sermons into a dialogue. The current sermon series is called "A Walk Through the New Testament," and the discussion continues from the previous sermon which focused on the general Epistles. The pastor emphasizes the importance of evaluating one's actions as a follower of Jesus, encouraging the congregation to reflect on whether they are truly embodying the five key aspects of being a follower of Jesus. He also highlights the significance of loving both God and people, and the need to show love through actions rather than just words.
The pastor then discusses a book that is being released by his wife. He mentions that although the primary audience is ladies, anyone can benefit from reading it. The book will be available on Amazon and his wife's website, and there will also be a release event at their church. The pastor then transitions to talking about the current series they are doing on studying the New Testament. He emphasizes the importance of not just reading the Bible, but studying it and becoming students of the word of God.
The pastor emphasizes the importance of fixing our eyes on Jesus rather than ourselves when faced with opposition. He encourages the congregation to follow Jesus and not their own hearts. The pastor then refers to Peter's message about living out the faith and being chosen by God. He clarifies that Peter's reference to a holy nation is not limited to the Jewish people but includes all believers. The pastor emphasizes that our national pride should be in Christianity rather than any earthly nation.
The sermon concludes with the pastor emphasizing the importance of understanding and utilizing the abilities, gifts, passions, and desires that God has given to each individual. The church aims to help people discover their giftings so that they can use them to bring glory to God and build up the body of Christ, both within the church and in the marketplace. The pastor encourages the congregation to recognize that their gifts are not just for their own benefit, but also for the blessing of others.
Key Takeaways:
- Evaluating one's actions as a follower of Jesus is crucial. It encourages reflection on whether one is truly embodying the five key aspects of being a follower of Jesus. This reflection is essential in identifying areas of weakness and striving to improve in those aspects. ([12:45])
- Loving both God and people is significant, and love should be shown through actions rather than just words. This is a reminder that faith is not just about professing love, but also demonstrating it through actions. ([18:30])
- It is important to not just read the Bible, but to study it and become students of the word of God. This involves diving deep into the history and background of the Bible, understanding the context and author's intentions, and applying the teachings to one's own life. ([24:15])
- When faced with opposition, it is important to fix our eyes on Jesus rather than ourselves. Peter's reference to a holy nation is not limited to the Jewish people but includes all believers, emphasizing that our national pride should be in Christianity rather than any earthly nation. ([32:00])
- Understanding and utilizing the abilities, gifts, passions, and desires that God has given to each individual is important. The church aims to help people discover their giftings so that they can use them to bring glory to God and build up the body of Christ, both within the church and in the marketplace. ([40:00])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 22:37-39: "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"
2. James 2:17: "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."
3. Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 22:37-39, what are the two commandments that Jesus highlights as the greatest?
2. What does James 2:17 suggest about the relationship between faith and action?
3. According to Proverbs 1:7, what is the beginning of knowledge?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the commandment to love God and neighbor, as stated in Matthew 22:37-39, relate to the concept of embodying the key aspects of being a follower of Jesus?
2. In James 2:17, what might be some examples of faith being accompanied by action?
3. How might the fear of the Lord, as mentioned in Proverbs 1:7, influence one's approach to studying the Bible and becoming a student of the word of God?
Application Questions:
1. Reflecting on Matthew 22:37-39, can you identify a specific situation in the coming week where you can demonstrate love for your neighbor through action, not just words?
2. Considering James 2:17, what is one tangible action you can take this week to demonstrate your faith?
3. In light of Proverbs 1:7, what is one step you can take to deepen your understanding of the Bible and become a more diligent student of God's word?
4. Reflecting on the concept of a holy nation, how can you show pride in your Christian identity in your daily interactions this week?
5. Considering the importance of utilizing the abilities, gifts, passions, and desires that God has given you, can you identify one specific way you can use your gifts to bless others in the coming week?
Devotional
Day 1: Evaluating Our Actions as Followers of Jesus
Theme: Reflective Faith: Evaluating Our Actions
Description: As followers of Jesus, it is crucial to evaluate our actions regularly. This encourages reflection on whether we are truly embodying the five key aspects of being a follower of Jesus. Such reflection is essential in identifying areas of weakness and striving to improve in those aspects. ([12:45])
Bible Passage: Lamentations 3:40 - "Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the LORD."
Reflection: What are the five key aspects of being a follower of Jesus in your understanding? Reflect on your actions in the past week. How have they aligned with these aspects?
Day 2: Demonstrating Love Through Actions
Theme: Love in Action: Beyond Words
Description: Loving both God and people is significant, and love should be shown through actions rather than just words. This is a reminder that faith is not just about professing love, but also demonstrating it through actions. ([18:30])
Bible Passage: 1 John 3:18 - "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth."
Reflection: How can you demonstrate your love for God and others through your actions today? Can you think of a specific act of kindness you can perform?
Day 3: Becoming Students of the Word
Theme: Deep Dive: Studying the Word of God
Description: It is important to not just read the Bible, but to study it and become students of the word of God. This involves diving deep into the history and background of the Bible, understanding the context and author's intentions, and applying the teachings to one's own life. ([24:15])
Bible Passage: Acts 17:11 - "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."
Reflection: What is one Bible passage that you find difficult to understand? How can you study it more deeply to gain a better understanding?
Day 4: Fixing Our Eyes on Jesus
Theme: Unwavering Focus: Eyes on Jesus
Description: When faced with opposition, it is important to fix our eyes on Jesus rather than ourselves. Peter's reference to a holy nation is not limited to the Jewish people but includes all believers, emphasizing that our national pride should be in Christianity rather than any earthly nation. ([32:00])
Bible Passage: Hebrews 12:2 - "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Reflection: What opposition are you currently facing? How can you shift your focus from the opposition to Jesus?
Day 5: Utilizing Our God-Given Gifts
Theme: Purposeful Living: Utilizing Our Gifts
Description: Understanding and utilizing the abilities, gifts, passions, and desires that God has given to each individual is important. The church aims to help people discover their giftings so that they can use them to bring glory to God and build up the body of Christ, both within the church and in the marketplace. ([40:00])
Bible Passage: 1 Peter 4:10 - "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms."
Reflection: What are your God-given gifts? How can you use them to serve others and bring glory to God today?
Quotes
1. "If this is what it means to be a follower of Jesus, then we need to kind of evaluate, okay, which am I doing that right? Am I doing these five things? If I'm not, I should probably start, right? Or maybe if there's an area where I'm really strong in these four, but this fifth one I'm really weak in." [01:09:30]
2. "Opposition comes, I don't think there's any better advice than fix your eyes on Jesus, don't fix your eyes on yourself, don't follow your heart, follow him." [49:33]
3. "As we're looking at what's our guide to living out the faith, the living out the faith is recognizing God chose you. Peter says you're a holy nation, you are God's chosen. So, our national pride is Christianity, like we're part of a new kingdom." [57:17]
4. "If you're going to pursue that purpose that God has for you, it includes loving people, it includes prayer, and it says to serve others. Whatever gift God has given you, use it to serve others." [58:32]
5. "Understanding the word of God...one of the things that helps you understand it is trying to get a basic understanding of the fact that the Bible has is broken up into Covenant, context, and culture...these things matter." [45:36]
6. "If I love God with everything I have, I'm not going to want to sin against Him. It goes then, it bleeds to your neighbor. If I love my neighbor like I love myself, I don't want anybody to harm me, lie to me, steal from me, belittle me, disrespect me. Therefore, I won't do that to anyone else." [25:55]
7. "We're really trying to get people to not just read their Bibles but study their Bibles that they become students of the word of God." [03:36]
8. "God wants you to utilize it for his purposes which can bless the church and the world...which shows the world who you got it from, which is what ultimately all of our gifting should do - point us Point everybody back to him." [01:02:08]
9. "When you fix your eyes on Jesus, you run towards Jesus. When you fix your eyes on yourself, you run towards yourself... one of those is going to end up great for you, the other one is going to end up in destruction." [55:30]
10. "Just demonstrating love for somebody, buying them a meal, buying them coffee, or buying them a gift, is a way of communicating that you love them. It's the little things that can make a big impact." #!!31:40!!#
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