Living Sacrifices: Proclaiming the Gospel's Eternal Impact
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor acknowledging the challenges that the gospel brings to our lives, describing it as a fiery furnace that conflicts with our flesh and battles with the world. He emphasizes the importance of the gospel message, pointing out that it was prophesied and foretold long before it was preached in churches or proclaimed by the apostles in the New Testament. The pastor then focuses on the prophets who served in the past, emphasizing their sacrifice and dedication in spreading the gospel. He encourages the congregation to recognize the significance of their work, even though they would never know or see the impact.
The pastor then shifts focus to the personal calling that God has placed on each person's life. He challenges the audience to consider the possibility that their work may not yield visible benefits or be appreciated by others. Despite this, he highlights the magnitude of the gospel, stating that it transcends individuals, generations, and time. The pastor concludes by cautioning against the desire for fame and recognition, reminding the congregation that great callings often come in humble circumstances, just as Jesus exemplified.
The pastor then reflects on the significance of the Gospel and the role of prophets in proclaiming it. He emphasizes the importance of studying and understanding the words of the prophets, who diligently searched and inquired about the grace of salvation. The pastor finds it fascinating that the prophets studied the very words that God instructed them to speak and write. As a teacher, the pastor acknowledges his own role in studying the written words of the Lord and seeking guidance from the Holy Spirit to bring a practical understanding of Jesus to the congregation.
The pastor then emphasizes the importance of giving glory to God. He warns against seeking our own glory and name, as it ultimately starves God of the glory He deserves. The pastor reminds the congregation that God will receive His glory whether we willingly give it to Him or not, and that we cannot rob Him of it. He shares his personal experience of having glory taken away from him, highlighting the pain and unpleasantness of such a situation.
The sermon concludes with the pastor emphasizing the importance of recognizing that our lives are not our own. He describes our lives as a living sacrifice offered up to God, acknowledging that when we lose our life for the sake of Christ, we will find our true life. The pastor expresses gratitude to God for beautifully setting up the greatest story ever told, referring to the story of Jesus. He encourages the congregation to take this story and proclaim it to their neighbors, coworkers, and friends.
Key Takeaways:
- The gospel message is a fiery furnace that conflicts with our flesh and battles with the world. It was prophesied and foretold long before it was preached in churches or proclaimed by the apostles in the New Testament. This highlights the importance and significance of the gospel message. [12:45]
- The prophets who served in the past made significant sacrifices and showed great dedication in spreading the gospel. Their work transcends individuals, generations, and time, and we should recognize and appreciate their efforts. [24:30]
- Our lives are not our own, but a living sacrifice offered up to God. When we lose our life for the sake of Christ, we find our true life. This concept challenges us to live our lives in a way that glorifies God and not ourselves. [36:15]
- The importance of giving glory to God cannot be overstated. Seeking our own glory and name ultimately starves God of the glory He deserves. We must live our lives in a way that does not seek credit, viral hits, or accolades, but instead focuses on Christ. [48:00]
- The greatest story ever told is the story of Jesus. We are encouraged to take this story and proclaim it to our neighbors, coworkers, and friends. This is a reminder of our responsibility to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. [59:30]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 1 Peter 1:10-12: "Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look."
2. Isaiah 9:6-7: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this."
3. Isaiah 53:2-7: "He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth."
Observation Questions:
1. What does 1 Peter 1:10-12 reveal about the role and purpose of the prophets in the Old Testament?
2. How does Isaiah 9:6-7 describe the nature and reign of the coming Messiah?
3. In Isaiah 53:2-7, what are the sufferings that the Servant of the Lord is prophesied to endure?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the prophecy in 1 Peter 1:10-12 connect to the concept of the gospel being a fiery furnace that conflicts with our flesh and battles with the world?
2. How does the prophecy in Isaiah 9:6-7 reflect the magnitude of the gospel that transcends individuals, generations, and time?
3. How does the prophecy in Isaiah 53:2-7 relate to the idea of our lives being a living sacrifice offered up to God?
Application Questions:
1. How can you emulate the dedication and sacrifice of the prophets in your own life, even if your work may not yield visible benefits or be appreciated by others?
2. In what ways can you ensure that you are giving glory to God in your daily life, rather than seeking your own glory and name?
3. Can you think of a specific situation where you can lose your life for the sake of Christ, in order to find your true life?
4. What is one practical step you can take this week to share the story of Jesus with your neighbors, coworkers, or friends?
5. Can you identify a specific instance where you sought your own glory instead of God's? How can you rectify this in the future?
Devotional
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Day 1: The Gospel: A Fiery Furnace
The gospel message is a fiery furnace that conflicts with our flesh and battles with the world. It was prophesied and foretold long before it was preached in churches or proclaimed by the apostles in the New Testament. This highlights the importance and significance of the gospel message. [12:45]
1 Peter 1:10-12 - "Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of the Messiah and the glories that would follow."
Reflection: How does the gospel message conflict with your flesh and the world? How can you better align your life with the gospel message?
Day 2: The Prophets: Transcending Time
The prophets who served in the past made significant sacrifices and showed great dedication in spreading the gospel. Their work transcends individuals, generations, and time, and we should recognize and appreciate their efforts. [24:30]
Hebrews 11:13 - "All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth."
Reflection: How can you honor the work of the prophets in your daily life? What sacrifices can you make to spread the gospel?
Day 3: A Living Sacrifice
Our lives are not our own, but a living sacrifice offered up to God. When we lose our life for the sake of Christ, we find our true life. This concept challenges us to live our lives in a way that glorifies God and not ourselves. [36:15]
Romans 12:1 - "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."
Reflection: What areas of your life are you holding onto that need to be surrendered to God? How can you live as a living sacrifice to God?
Day 4: Giving Glory to God
The importance of giving glory to God cannot be overstated. Seeking our own glory and name ultimately starves God of the glory He deserves. We must live our lives in a way that does not seek credit, viral hits, or accolades, but instead focuses on Christ. [48:00]
1 Corinthians 10:31 - "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."
Reflection: In what ways are you seeking your own glory instead of God's? How can you shift your focus to glorifying God in all you do?
Day 5: Proclaiming the Greatest Story
The greatest story ever told is the story of Jesus. We are encouraged to take this story and proclaim it to our neighbors, coworkers, and friends. This is a reminder of our responsibility to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others. [59:30]
Acts 1:8 - "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
Reflection: Who in your life needs to hear the story of Jesus? How can you share the good news with them this week?
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Quotes
"What if God says I want you to dedicate your life to something that is extremely hard and will cost you a lot, for a group of people that you will never meet and you will never know, to tell a story that you'll never witness, that you'll spend your life studying it, that you'll never fully understand. This is how big the gospel is." [44:16]
"Do you really want your life to mean something? It will cost you. And it will cost you greatly." [45:28]
"Are you willing to do something That's not for your name and glory But is for the glory of God alone You're not yours anymore" [50:30]
"God's going to get his glory. Whether we give it to him or not he will get it. You cannot rob God's glory from him, he will get it but you will either give it to him willingly or he will take it from you." [51:36]
"Let's live our lives in a way that we don't need the credit, we don't need the viral hits, we don't need the accolades. We just need Christ and we trust him. The seeds planted will affect generations to come." [52:10]
"When we lose our life for your sake, we will find our real life. But if we cling on to our own life, our own way of doing things and our own plans, we will lose the very life that we are trying to gain." [53:14]
"May we now take the greatest story that has ever been told and may we proclaim it to our neighbors, our coworkers, our friends. May our mouths never cease to talk about the Lord Jesus and his glory." [53:44]
"These prophets would serve, they worked to serve a generation that wasn't their own. It wasn't even their children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren that they were working to serve. It was us." [41:10]
"And now what Peter does in verses 10, 11, and 12 is he paints with this broad stroke of just how important this message really is. In order to do this, He has to go back to the past and point to the fact that the gospel, long before it was preached in churches like this or long before it was proclaimed by the apostles in the New Testament, the gospel was being prophesied about and foretold through the mouths of God's chosen people, His prophets of the Old Testament." [13:22]
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