Living Out Our Core Values in Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Relentless Love

Our love for God is a response to His love for us. This love should not be confined to our relationship with God but should flow through us to others. No one is too far gone to be reached by God's love, and we are called to love relentlessly, just as God loves us. Relentless love means actively seeking to love others, even when it is difficult or inconvenient. It is a love that mirrors the unconditional and sacrificial love that God has shown us through Jesus Christ. This love is not passive but requires intentionality and action, reaching out to those who may feel unlovable or forgotten.

Relentless love challenges us to break down barriers and extend grace and compassion to everyone we encounter. It calls us to see people through God's eyes, recognizing their inherent worth and value. As we embrace this core value, we become conduits of God's love, bringing hope and healing to a broken world. Reflect on how you can demonstrate relentless love in your daily interactions and relationships. [07:57]

1 John 4:19-21 (ESV): "We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother."

Reflection: Think of someone in your life who is difficult to love. How can you show them God's relentless love today?

Day 2: Venture in Faith

Walking in faith means yielding control to God and trusting His lead. Faith is not merely a belief system but a lifestyle. The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that "the just shall live by faith," indicating that faith is the currency of our relationship with God. Venturing in faith requires us to step out of our comfort zones and trust that God will guide and provide for us. It is an active, ongoing process of surrendering our plans and desires to God's will, believing that His ways are higher and better than our own.

Faith is not static; it grows and deepens as we experience God's faithfulness in our lives. As we venture in faith, we learn to rely on God's strength and wisdom rather than our own. This journey of faith transforms us, shaping our character and drawing us closer to God. Consider how you can take a step of faith in your life today, trusting God with the unknown and allowing Him to lead you. [10:45]

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV): "And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself holding back from surrendering to Jesus? What would surrendering this area to Him actually look like in terms of daily habits?

Day 3: Generous Stewardship

True generosity goes beyond financial giving; it includes our actions and time. We believe it is more blessed to give than to receive, and this generosity should overflow into every aspect of our lives, making us a blessing to others. Generous stewardship means recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God and using those resources to serve and bless others. It involves being intentional with our time, talents, and treasures, seeking opportunities to give and invest in the lives of others.

Generosity is a reflection of God's character, and as we practice it, we become more like Him. It is an act of worship and a tangible expression of our love for God and others. Reflect on how you can practice generous stewardship in your daily life, looking for ways to give and serve selflessly. [12:11]

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (ESV): "The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Reflection: Think of a specific way you can be generous with your time, talents, or resources this week. How can you bless someone in need?

Day 4: 360 Honor

Every person has God-assigned value, and we are called to honor everyone, regardless of their position or influence. Jesus teaches that as we do to the least of people, we do to Him, leveling the playing field and emphasizing the intrinsic worth of every individual. 360 honor means showing respect and dignity to all people, recognizing that they are made in the image of God. It involves treating others with kindness, compassion, and fairness, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Honoring others is a reflection of our relationship with God and our understanding of His love for humanity. It challenges us to see beyond external appearances and value the inherent worth of each person. Reflect on how you can practice 360 honor in your interactions, seeking to uplift and encourage those around you. [13:36]

Romans 12:10 (ESV): "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor."

Reflection: Think of someone you may have overlooked or undervalued. How can you show them honor and respect today?

Day 5: Humility

True humility comes from a life surrendered to God. Being connected to Jesus, the true vine, allows us to bear lasting fruit. Humility is not just thinking less of ourselves but recognizing our dependence on God and focusing on our relationship with Him. It involves acknowledging our limitations and weaknesses, and relying on God's strength and wisdom. Humility is a posture of the heart that seeks to serve others and glorify God in all things.

As we cultivate humility, we become more attuned to God's voice and more effective in our ministry to others. It is a key aspect of spiritual growth and maturity, shaping our character and deepening our relationship with God. Reflect on how you can practice humility in your daily life, seeking to serve and honor God in all that you do. [14:55]

Philippians 2:3-4 (ESV): "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you struggle with pride? How can you practice humility and surrender this area to God today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Welcome back! Today, we delved into the vision and core values of our church. Our vision is rooted in the belief that God has called us to invest our whole lives in the mission of loving the world, inspired by John 17 where Jesus summarizes His ministry. Jesus prays to the Father, recounting how He glorified God, kept the people given to Him, and delivered God's words. We aim to live similarly, ensuring that at the end of our lives, we can say we have kept our relationships, completed our God-given work, and spoken His truth.

Our core values act as riverbanks, guiding us in our mission. The first core value is relentless love, emphasizing that no one is beyond the reach of God's love. Our love for God is a response to His love for us, and this love should flow through us to others. The second core value is venture, which means walking in faith and yielding control to God. Faith is not just a belief system but a lifestyle, a constant walk with God.

The third core value is generous stewardship. We believe it is more blessed to give than to receive, and this generosity should overflow into all aspects of our lives, not just financially but also in action and time. The fourth core value is 360 honor, which means honoring every person because every life has God-assigned value. Jesus teaches that as we do to the least of people, we do to Him.

Lastly, our fifth core value is humility, which means living a life of humble surrender to God. True humility comes from being connected to Jesus, the true vine, and recognizing that we can bear no fruit apart from Him. These core values—relentless love, venture, generous stewardship, 360 honor, and humility—guide us in fulfilling our vision of loving more people from more places.

###

Key Takeaways

1. assigned value, and we are called to honor everyone, regardless of their position or influence. Jesus teaches that as we do to the least of people, we do to Him, leveling the playing field and emphasizing the intrinsic worth of every individual. [13:36]
5. Humility: True humility comes from a life surrendered to God. Being connected to Jesus, the true vine, allows us to bear lasting fruit. Humility is not just thinking less of ourselves but recognizing our dependence on God and focusing on our relationship with Him.

### [13:36]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[05:01] - Vision of the Church
[06:34] - Core Values Introduction
[07:57] - Relentless Love
[09:19] - Venture in Faith
[12:11] - Generous Stewardship
[13:36] - 360 Honor
[14:55] - Humility
[16:09] - Recap and Conclusion

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to John 17:4-8, what three things does Jesus recount to the Father about His ministry on earth?
In 1 John 4:10-11, how is God's love for us described, and what is our response supposed to be?
What does Matthew 25:37-40 teach us about how we should treat others, and how does Jesus equate this treatment to Himself?
What are the five core values mentioned in the sermon, and how do they guide the church's mission? [16:09]

Interpretation Questions

How does Jesus' prayer in John 17:4-8 serve as a model for our own lives and ministries? What does it mean to "keep" the people God has given us? [05:01]
What does it mean to love others as a response to God's love for us, as described in 1 John 4:10-11? How does this shape our interactions with those who seem "too far gone"? [07:57]
How does the concept of 360 honor, as explained in the sermon, challenge our usual ways of valuing people? What practical steps can we take to honor everyone, regardless of their status? [13:36]
What does it mean to live a life of humble surrender to God, as described in John 15:4-5? How does this humility manifest in our daily lives and decisions? [14:55]

Application Questions

Reflect on your relationships. Are there people in your life whom you find difficult to love? How can you apply the principle of relentless love to these relationships this week? [07:57]
Think about a recent situation where you struggled to yield control to God. How can you practice walking in faith and trusting God's lead in similar situations in the future? [09:19]
Consider your current use of time and resources. What is one specific way you can practice generous stewardship this week, beyond financial giving? [12:11]
Identify someone in your life who may feel undervalued or overlooked. What is one practical action you can take to honor them and show them their God-assigned value? [13:36]
Reflect on a time when you acted out of pride rather than humility. How can you cultivate a deeper connection to Jesus, the true vine, to foster genuine humility in your life? [14:55]
How can you incorporate the church's vision of loving more people from more places into your daily routine? What specific actions can you take to live out this mission? [05:01]
Think about a recent interaction where you may have failed to honor someone. How can you make amends and ensure that you honor everyone you encounter moving forward? [13:36]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for outreach

1. "The vision of our church is rooted in the belief that God has called us to be believers that invest their whole life in the mission of loving the world. That's where we get our purpose statement: loving more people from more places." [05:01] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "We believe that loving people and being on mission to love the world is to teach people how to, when they get to the end of their life, they can say to the Father, 'Father, the people that you've given me, I've kept them. My marriage, I've kept it. My kids, I've kept them. My family, I've kept them.'" [05:01] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Our love for God is actually a response to His love for us. Listen, you're going to learn a lot of things throughout this course, but there is no greater truth that you can learn or to understand or to embrace than this truth: that God loves you so much so that He gave His son Jesus." [07:57] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We believe that the best life is a life surrendered. The key to humility is living your life completely surrendered and attached to Jesus. As you focus on being connected to the true vine, being tuned into the things of God, we believe that humility will just happen." [14:55] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We believe that every person has the same value. There's no one too big to not serve and there's no one too small to not be seen. That's just how we operate here at Central Church." [13:36] (10 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for members

1. "We believe that when we align with God's ministry and God's will and we choose to be obedient, that everything's going to work out all right. This is love. This is the heart behind it." [06:34] (14 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "What we believe at Central Church is that, like it says in Second Corinthians chapter 5, we walk by faith and not by sight. It's the way that we live this life; it's the way that we walk it out. It's through our belief and our trust in God." [10:45] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "If we have been so greatly loved, then we also ought to love one another and we also ought to love others. The love of God in our lives is not just between us and Him; it's not just loving Him in response to Him loving us or choosing us. This is not the end." [07:57] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We intentionally practice stewardship that opens the door to extravagant generosity because we believe, like we find in the book of Acts, that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive. If you hang around here for any amount of time, you will discover that there is a generosity that overflows into everything that we do." [12:11] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "We believe that the best life is a life surrendered. The key to humility is living your life completely surrendered and attached to Jesus. As you focus on being connected to the true vine, being tuned into the things of God, we believe that humility will just happen." [14:55] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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Transcript

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