Living with Purpose: Serving God and Each Other

Devotional

Day 1: Living with Eternity in Mind

Reflecting on the most significant moment of our existence, the day we meet God face to face, should shape how we live our lives today. This perspective encourages us to use our God-given gifts to serve others and build up the body of Christ. By doing so, we prepare ourselves and others for His return. Living with eternity in mind means prioritizing spiritual growth and service over temporary pleasures and distractions. It is a call to live intentionally, with a focus on glorifying God in all that we do. [01:59]

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one specific way you can use your gifts to serve someone in your community this week, keeping in mind the eternal significance of your actions?

Day 2: Boldly Declaring God's Truth

Reading through the Bible in a short time can reveal the continuity and depth of God's story, challenging us to speak His truth boldly. The prophets and Jesus were unafraid of rejection or persecution, focusing solely on declaring God's message. This challenges us to move away from a consumer-driven church model that seeks to please people and instead focus on attracting the presence of God by being faithful to His word. We are called to speak the truth in love, without concern for popularity or acceptance, trusting that God's word will accomplish its purpose. [06:59]

"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God." (2 Corinthians 4:1-2, ESV)

Reflection: Is there a truth from God's word that you have been hesitant to share with someone? How can you approach this conversation with love and boldness this week?

Day 3: Ministering to the Lord

Ministering to the Lord involves coming before Him with a heart full of worship, seeking to please Him above all else. This practice, largely forgotten today, is crucial for attracting God's presence and favor. The Levites in the Old Testament were set apart for this purpose, and as a royal priesthood, we are called to take on this responsibility today. Our gatherings should be about ministering to God, creating a space that is attractive to Him, where His presence is welcomed and honored. [24:34]

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9, ESV)

Reflection: How can you incorporate a practice of ministering to the Lord in your personal worship time this week, focusing on adoration rather than requests?

Day 4: Unashamed of God's Words

We must not be ashamed of God's words, even in a world that mocks His morality. God promises to prepare a city for those who live by faith and are unashamed of His truth. As believers, we are called to stand firm in our faith, holding up God's word regardless of its popularity or acceptance in society. This requires courage and conviction, trusting that God will honor those who honor Him. [20:37]

"For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels." (Mark 8:38, ESV)

Reflection: In what area of your life do you feel pressure to conform to societal norms that contradict God's word? How can you stand firm in your faith this week?

Day 5: The Church as a Pillar of Truth

The church is called to be a pillar and buttress of truth, holding up God's word regardless of its popularity. Our focus should be on worshiping God in spirit and truth, aligning our hearts with His and declaring His truths boldly. This involves creating a community that is committed to living out the gospel, supporting one another in faith, and being a light to the world. As a church, we must prioritize truth over comfort, seeking to honor God in all that we do. [36:16]

"I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth." (1 Timothy 3:14-15, ESV)

Reflection: How can you contribute to your church community being a pillar of truth? What specific action can you take this week to support this mission?

Sermon Summary

In our gathering today, we focused on the profound responsibility and privilege we have as believers to use our God-given gifts to serve one another and prepare for the moment we meet God face to face. This moment, the most significant second of our existence, should be at the forefront of our minds, shaping how we live and serve. We are reminded that each of us has been entrusted with gifts meant to build up the body of Christ, and it is crucial that we use them to glorify God and prepare ourselves and others for His return.

Reflecting on my personal journey of reading through the Bible in a short span, I was struck by the continuity and depth of God's story. This experience has been transformative, revealing the stark contrast between the teachings of the prophets and Jesus and the modern approach to Bible teaching. The prophets and Jesus spoke with boldness and truth, unafraid of rejection or persecution, focused solely on declaring God's message. This challenges us to move away from a consumer-driven church model that seeks to please people and instead focus on attracting the presence of God by being faithful to His word.

We explored the concept of ministering to the Lord, a practice that has been largely forgotten in modern Christianity. This involves coming before God not with a list of requests but with a heart full of worship and adoration, seeking to please Him above all else. The Levites in the Old Testament were set apart for this purpose, and as a royal priesthood, we are called to take on this responsibility today. Our gatherings should be about ministering to God, creating a space that is attractive to Him, where His presence is welcomed and honored.

In examining passages from Luke and Hebrews, we see a clear distinction between those who are ashamed of God's words and those who live by faith, unashamed of the truth. God promises to prepare a city for those who are not ashamed of Him, and we are called to be among those people. As a church, we must stand as a pillar and buttress of truth, holding up God's word regardless of its popularity or acceptance in society. Our focus should be on worshiping God in spirit and truth, aligning our hearts with His and declaring His truths boldly.

Key Takeaways

1. The most important moment of our existence is when we meet God face to face. We must live with this moment in mind, using our gifts to serve and build up the body of Christ, preparing ourselves and others for His return. [01:59]
2. Reading through the Bible in a short time can be life-changing, revealing the continuity of God's story and challenging us to speak His truth boldly, like the prophets and Jesus, without concern for popularity or acceptance. [06:59]
3. Ministering to the Lord involves coming before Him with a heart full of worship, seeking to please Him above all else. This practice, largely forgotten today, is crucial for attracting God's presence and favor. [24:34]
4. We must not be ashamed of God's words, even in a world that mocks His morality. God promises to prepare a city for those who live by faith and are unashamed of His truth. [20:37]
5. The church is called to be a pillar and buttress of truth, holding up God's word regardless of its popularity. Our focus should be on worshiping God in spirit and truth, aligning our hearts with His and declaring His truths boldly. [36:16]
** [36:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - The Joy of Communion
[00:28] - Using Our Gifts
[01:59] - Preparing for the Moment
[04:33] - Reading Through the Bible
[06:59] - The Prophets' Boldness
[08:22] - Attracting God's Presence
[10:08] - Speaking God's Truth
[12:18] - Reaping What We Sow
[14:22] - Ministering to the Lord
[16:32] - Unashamed of His Words
[19:36] - Faith and Promise
[21:30] - A City Prepared by God
[24:34] - Fasting and Worship
[27:24] - God as a Real Person
[30:48] - The Role of the Levites
[36:16] - The Church as a Pillar of Truth
[38:03] - Worship in Spirit and Truth

Sermon Clips

The scripture says that everyone's been given a gift and you're to use that for the building up of the body of Christ, and I've been praying for the church we as Elders have been praying for the church and just saying God we so want the church to be ready for when you return and so God how can we use our gifts to to serve the body so that we're we're ready when you return and that it's because we love you and we're going God I just want every person that that is is that calls we are Church a part of our church I want every person just ready for that day. [00:63:48]

I mean in short we want to prepare you for the most important second of your existence, the second one you see God for the first time, and I believe people grossly underestimate how shocking it's going to be when your eyes first lay hold of his and you first see this being that someone else is reading as we're reading the scriptures earlier a God who dwells in unapproachable light whom no one has ever seen or can see. [00:112:92]

Think about all the things you thought about this week that you cared about this week maybe even stressed about this week, and yet when's the last time you thought about the most shocking second of your existence, and so the scripture just says you know what we've been given gifts to build one another up to prepare one another for that day. [00:195:65]

I've got to say this is one of the most significant things I've done in my life to read through the Bible I'll finish tomorrow read through the Bible in two weeks. I can't believe it's taken me this long to do something like this it is life-changing I mean that I'm trying to think of all the things I've done in my life. [00:300:41]

And then when it finally got to Jesus I'm like wow he sounds so much like the prophets you just see the continuity of this story like never before, like I said I'm only at ax so I don't know what happens at the end yet but uh it's just like whoa this is so good so refreshing but one of the things that hit me as I'm I'm reading the scriptures like this I'm going I'm looking at the way the Old Testament prophets would teach and the way that Jesus would teach. [00:390:60]

And I'm just repenting before God because I'm going God I've I've been sucked into something. I want to be like one of these guys they're not thinking oh are you gonna like this today are you going to come back next week is this going to draw a bigger crowd they're not thinking about that at all they're just saying God what is the truth what are you saying and what do you want me to declare and if I'm hated I'm hated if I'm killed I'm killed and a lot of them were killed and rejected their whole lives. [00:438:60]

It was not about creating a space that would attract people it was creating a gathering that would attract the presence of God where it would get his attention and go what there's a group of people in San Mateo and and they actually came to minister to me they walked in not thinking about what they want and they said no I want to come and minister to him I just want to show up to a place and tell him how great he is. [00:805:98]

And so with a vision of these times on Friday nights as for just to remind us as a church that we're here for him and it's him that we're trying to attract and go God we'd love for your eyes to be upon this place and I want to come and pour out all of my worship all of my guests I want to join with all believers around the earth and say Worthy is the Lamb and take of his body and his blood because that is the only thing that saves me. [00:892:98]

And one of the words that came to us was just the Declaration of his word of Truth. God says I want people who worship me in spirit and in truth, to declare his truth, it's two passages I want to look at tonight one is in Luke verse 9 chapter 9. verse 26. I want us to meditate on this verse Luke 9 26. [00:958:01]

For whoever is ashamed of me and my of my words of him will the son of man be ashamed when he comes in the glory in his glory and the glory of the father and of the Holy Angels let's just meditate on that this is Jesus speaking whoever is ashamed of me and of my words of him will the son of man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the father and of the Holy Angels. [00:997:01]

He says there's two groups of people there are those who are ashamed of me and my words and so they'll not speak my words in a world that that rejects it they're ashamed of me and I'll be ashamed of them when I return but he says there's other group of people and these are the ones that aren't thinking about this home on this Earth they're they believe in this heavenly they actually believe in this promise and they're willing to go through and suffer whatever they need to on this Earth that's what Hebrews 11 is about those who live by faith and live down and what it says is and those people God is not ashamed to be called their God. [00:1237:26]

The Bible is saying that the church is the pillar that holds up the truth like and if if I if I don't stand on this and hold it up and say everything that this book says no one else is going to do it it's a churches I'm not saying I'm the only one what I'm saying is that's the church's job we as a church are to declare the truth of God whether it's palatable to people or not that's what the prophets did that's what Jesus did this what is what God so many people killed they said no I don't care kill me cancel me leave me but I was given one task I'm part of the church and so I'm the pillar that holds up the truth I'm the buttress that's a yeah you know like if there's a wall that's that support there's just like this Wall's not coming out on my watch he says that's the church. [00:2179:44]

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