Living Outward: Faith for Others in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Living Out Justice, Mercy, and Humility

God’s people are called not just to right beliefs or vibrant worship, but to lives marked by justice, mercy, and humility, especially in times of uncertainty and upheaval. When faith is reduced to rituals or partisan agendas, it loses its power; but when it is lived out in tangible acts of justice and kindness, it becomes a witness to God’s covenantal love for all. The invitation is to let our faith be seen in how we treat the vulnerable, the marginalized, and even those with whom we disagree, embodying God’s heart for the world. [31:33]

Micah 6:8 (ESV)
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Reflection: Who is someone in your life or community who is experiencing injustice or hardship, and what is one concrete way you can act with justice, mercy, or humility toward them this week?

Day 2: Sent as Christ Was Sent

Jesus sends his followers into the world just as he was sent by the Father—not to grasp power or build empires, but to heal, forgive, and serve. The mission of every Christian is to participate in God’s redemptive work, stepping into the world’s pain and brokenness with humility and love. This calling is not about exporting our own agendas, but about embodying the self-giving, reconciling love of Christ wherever we are sent. [24:28]

John 20:21 (ESV)
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Reflection: In what area of your daily life do you sense Jesus sending you to serve or bring healing, and what is one step you can take to respond to that call?

Day 3: Being Salt and Light for Others

Followers of Jesus are called to be salt and light—existing not for themselves, but to bring out the God-flavors and God-colors in the world around them. Salt seasons and preserves, and light reveals and guides; both are only effective when they are poured out for the sake of others. Our good deeds, done in the open, point people not to ourselves but to the God who is at work through us, making the world a little brighter and more whole. [23:50]

Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV)
“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Reflection: What is one ordinary, everyday way you can let your light shine for someone else this week, so that they might experience God’s goodness through you?

Day 4: Faith That Flows Outward

Christian formation is never meant to stop with us; it always flows outward, moving us from self-absorption to Christ-shaped service. True faith is not a private preference or a self-help program, but a call to join God’s mission of reconciliation and renewal in the world. When we allow God’s love to flow through us, we become part of a story that bends outward—blessing, serving, and setting a place at God’s table for others. [30:57]

2 Corinthians 5:14, 18-20 (ESV)
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died... All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

Reflection: Where have you been tempted to keep your faith private or comfortable, and what is one way you can intentionally let it flow outward to bless someone else this week?

Day 5: Setting the Table for God’s Kingdom

Every act of service, every moment of being for others, is a way of setting the table for the coming feast of God’s kingdom—a preview of the day when every tribe and tongue will be healed and made whole. The challenge is to move from vague intentions to specific, Spirit-led actions for real people in our lives, so that our neighborhoods and communities might glimpse the love that inspires us. As we do, we participate in God’s work of making all things new, one act of love at a time. [48:17]

Revelation 21:3-5 (ESV)
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.”

Reflection: Who is one person or group you can serve in a specific, tangible way this week, and how might that act be a small glimpse of God’s coming kingdom?

Sermon Summary

God’s people are called to live lives that are shaped by Jesus, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of others. The vision is not about building a faith that is private, therapeutic, or triumphalistic, but about being formed together in Christ so that we can participate in God’s redemptive work in the world. This outward movement is woven throughout Scripture—from God’s call to Abraham to be a blessing, to Micah’s call for justice, mercy, and humility, to Jesus sending his followers as the Father sent him, and to Paul’s vision of reconciliation. The love and transformation we receive from God are never meant to stop with us; they are meant to flow outward, blessing those around us in tangible, sacrificial, and sometimes costly ways.

Being “for others” is not about grand gestures or publicity stunts, but about living out the kingdom of God in the ordinary and the everyday. It’s comforting a child in the night, listening deeply to a coworker, or being a considerate neighbor. It’s also about stepping into places of sacrifice—supporting those who are vulnerable, advocating for justice, and showing up for the needs of the community. The call is to move beyond vague intentions or institutional programs and to take up specific, Spirit-led actions for real people in our lives.

The vision is for a church that is known not for what it is against, but for what it is radically for: healing, justice, mercy, peace, and hope. Imagine a community where neighbors, local businesses, and city leaders recognize the church as a source of blessing and support. This is the legacy worth pursuing—a church that sets the table for God’s coming feast by making space for others through acts of love and service. Each act of being “for others” is a participation in God’s work of making all things new. The invitation is to let the formation we receive in Christ overflow into concrete actions for others, setting one more place at God’s table, and joining in the story of renewal that God is writing in the world.

Key Takeaways

1. Christian formation is always outward-facing. The transformation we experience in Christ is not an end in itself, but a beginning—a call to participate in God’s mission of renewal and reconciliation in the world. If our faith stops with us, it has not yet become the faith Jesus calls us to embody. [26:36]
2. The biblical vision of justice, mercy, and humility is not partisan or ideological, but covenantal. God’s call through Micah is not about aligning with a political agenda, but about living out a faith that is deeply rooted in God’s character and God’s promises, especially in times of uncertainty and upheaval. [34:02]
3. Being “for others” is often expressed in ordinary, everyday acts of love and sacrifice. Whether it’s comforting a child, listening to a neighbor, or supporting someone in crisis, these small acts are previews of God’s kingdom and are just as significant as larger, more visible efforts. [37:22]
4. Distinctively Christian service goes beyond kindness to embrace reconciliation and love across difference. It is not enough to do good; we are called to embody a community that bridges divides, welcomes strangers, and serves those we would not naturally connect with, all in the name of Jesus. [38:40]
5. The invitation is to move from intention to action by naming specific people and concrete ways to serve. Completing the sentence, “Because Jesus is forming me, I will ___ for ___,” grounds our faith in real, Spirit-led acts that set another place at God’s table and participate in the renewal of all things. [45:38]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:50] - Salt and Light: Our Calling
[24:28] - Sent as Jesus Was Sent
[25:15] - WCF’s Vision: Formed Together for Others
[25:59] - The Outward Flow of Formation
[27:12] - The Pitfalls of Private and Therapeutic Faith
[29:07] - The Danger of Triumphalism
[29:45] - Formation in Christ Is Always for Others
[31:33] - Micah’s Call: Justice, Kindness, Humility
[32:09] - Faith Lived Out Amid Injustice
[34:02] - God’s Covenant, Not Our Agenda
[34:41] - Jesus’ Mission: Healing and Service
[35:20] - Ambassadors of Reconciliation
[36:00] - Salt and Light: Everyday Mission
[36:41] - A Preview of God’s Renewal
[37:22] - Ordinary Ways to Be for Others
[38:40] - Distinctly Christian Reconciliation
[39:18] - Community Engagement at WCF
[41:46] - Costly Love and Sacrifice
[42:22] - The Church Known for What It’s For
[43:44] - Imagining WCF’s Legacy
[45:38] - From Vision to Action: Your Next Step
[47:38] - Setting the Table for God’s Feast
[49:22] - Offering and Response
[49:59] - Closing Prayer and Song

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Micah 6:8 (ESV) — He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Matthew 5:13-16 (ESV) — “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

John 20:21 (ESV) — Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Observation Questions

According to Micah 6:8, what three things does God require of his people?
In Matthew 5:13-16, what does Jesus say about the purpose of salt and light? How are these images connected to the way we live?
What does Jesus mean when he says, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” in John 20:21?
The sermon described three ways faith can become distorted: private, therapeutic, or triumphalistic. What are some examples the pastor gave of each? [[27:12]]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Micah focus on justice, kindness, and humility instead of religious rituals or right doctrine? What does this say about God’s priorities for his people? [[32:48]]
The sermon said, “If your faith stops with you, it’s not Christian faith yet.” What does this mean, and how does it challenge common ideas about personal spirituality? [[26:36]]
How does being “salt and light” in the world relate to the idea of being “for others” in everyday life? [[36:00]]
The pastor said that Christian service is not just about kindness, but about reconciliation and loving across differences. Why is this distinction important? [[38:40]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenged us to complete the sentence: “Because Jesus is forming me, I will ___ for ___.” Take a moment to fill in that blank for yourself. Who is one specific person or group you feel called to serve this week, and what is one concrete action you can take? [[45:38]]
Think about your daily routines. What are some “ordinary” ways you can be for others—like comforting a child, listening to a coworker, or being a considerate neighbor? Which of these feels most natural to you, and which feels like a stretch? [[37:22]]
The sermon gave examples of costly love, like supporting someone who lost work or showing up for a blood drive. Is there a situation in your life right now where loving someone might require sacrifice? What would it look like to step into that? [[41:46]]
The pastor described a vision of the church being known for what it is for—healing, justice, mercy, peace, and hope—rather than what it is against. How do you think our church is currently perceived by our neighbors? What could we do to become more of a blessing in our community? [[42:22]]
The sermon warned against letting faith become just a matter of personal preference or comfort. Are there ways you’ve slipped into a “private” or “therapeutic” faith? What would it look like to move beyond that? [[27:12]]
The call to be “for others” includes loving and serving people we wouldn’t naturally connect with. Is there someone in your life who is different from you—maybe in background, beliefs, or personality—whom you could reach out to this week? What might that look like? [[38:40]]
Imagine our church five years from now. What is one hope you have for how we could be known in our neighborhood or city? What small step could you take to help move us in that direction? [[43:44]]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?