Recalibrating Our Lives: Following Jesus in Today's Culture

 

Summary

In today's gathering, we embarked on a journey through the book of Romans, aiming to recalibrate our internal compasses towards true north, which is following Jesus in every aspect of our lives. This recalibration is essential because the voices and influences around us often lead us astray, and we need to ensure that our lives align with the teachings of Jesus. The concept of lordship was central to our discussion, emphasizing that following Jesus should be our primary focus, with everything else being secondary. It's not enough to merely believe in God; we must allow Him to transform our hearts, leading to genuine inward change that reflects in our actions.

We explored the challenges of living in a culture that often contradicts biblical teachings. The story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon served as a powerful illustration of how to live faithfully in an ungodly culture. They stood firm in their faith without being judgmental or confrontational, setting an example for us to follow. The spirit of Babylon, which represents the ideologies that pull us away from God, is still active today, urging us to conform to cultural norms that oppose biblical truths.

Paul's letter to the Romans addresses the need for salvation and the power of the gospel to transform lives. He highlights the importance of understanding the gravity of sin and the necessity of repentance. The passage we examined is challenging because it confronts the ideologies of our culture, particularly around issues of sexuality and morality. However, it's crucial to approach these topics with humility, recognizing that we all fall short and need God's grace.

The sermon concluded with a call to action, urging us to examine our hearts and respond to God's truth. Whether it's through prayer, confession, or baptism, we are encouraged to take tangible steps towards aligning our lives with Jesus' teachings. The ultimate goal is to bow to the one true King, rejecting the counterfeit ideologies of our culture, and embracing the transformative power of the gospel.

Key Takeaways:

1. Recalibrating Our Compass: Our internal compass, influenced by various voices, needs periodic recalibration to align with Jesus' teachings. This involves evaluating whether the influences in our lives reflect the voice of Jesus and making necessary adjustments to follow Him wholeheartedly. [21:09]

2. The Challenge of Lordship: Embracing Jesus as Lord means prioritizing Him above all else. It's not just about belief but about allowing God to transform our hearts, leading to genuine change in our lives. This requires us to confront areas where our desires conflict with His teachings. [23:01]

3. Living Faithfully in a Secular Culture: The story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon teaches us how to live for God in an ungodly culture. They stood firm in their faith without being judgmental, setting an example for us to follow in today's world. [31:23]

4. Understanding the Gravity of Sin: Paul's letter to the Romans emphasizes the need to understand the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance. Recognizing our own shortcomings and the power of the gospel to transform lives is crucial for spiritual growth. [25:41]

5. Responding to God's Truth: We are called to examine our hearts and respond to God's truth through prayer, confession, or baptism. This involves rejecting cultural ideologies that oppose biblical teachings and embracing the transformative power of the gospel. [01:02:19]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction to Recalibrate Journals
- [02:30] - Midtown Campus Launch Announcement
- [05:00] - Sensitive Content Warning
- [06:30] - Internal Compass and Cultural Influences
- [10:00] - The Concept of Lordship
- [15:00] - Paul's Message to the Romans
- [20:00] - The Story of Daniel in Babylon
- [25:00] - The Spirit of Babylon Today
- [30:00] - The Challenge of Cultural Ideologies
- [35:00] - Understanding God's Anger and Love
- [40:00] - The Gravity of Sin and Need for Repentance
- [45:00] - Responding to God's Truth
- [50:00] - Call to Action and Prayer
- [55:00] - Closing and Worship

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. Romans 1:18-32
2. Daniel 1:1-21
3. Daniel 3:1-30

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Observation Questions:

1. What does the sermon suggest about the importance of recalibrating our internal compass, and how does this relate to the teachings of Jesus? [21:09]

2. How did Daniel and his friends demonstrate faithfulness in an ungodly culture, according to the sermon? [31:23]

3. What are some of the cultural ideologies mentioned in the sermon that contradict biblical teachings? [39:33]

4. How does the sermon describe the concept of lordship and its significance in a believer's life? [23:01]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. In what ways does the sermon suggest that cultural influences can lead us away from the teachings of Jesus, and how can believers guard against this? [21:09]

2. How does the story of Daniel and his friends serve as a model for living faithfully in today's culture, according to the sermon? [31:23]

3. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between understanding the gravity of sin and the necessity of repentance? [25:41]

4. How does the sermon address the challenge of aligning one's life with Jesus' teachings in the face of cultural opposition? [39:33]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: Are there any voices or influences that might be leading you away from Jesus' teachings? How can you recalibrate your internal compass to align more closely with Him? [21:09]

2. Consider the example of Daniel and his friends. How can you stand firm in your faith without being judgmental or confrontational in your current environment? [31:23]

3. Identify a specific area in your life where your desires conflict with Jesus' teachings. What steps can you take to prioritize His lordship in that area? [23:01]

4. The sermon discusses the spirit of Babylon as a representation of ideologies that pull us away from God. What are some modern-day ideologies you encounter, and how can you resist conforming to them? [39:33]

5. How can you respond to God's truth in a tangible way this week, whether through prayer, confession, or another action? [01:02:19]

6. Reflect on a time when you felt convicted by the Holy Spirit. How did you respond, and what can you learn from that experience to apply in your current spiritual journey? [01:01:42]

7. The sermon emphasizes the transformative power of the gospel. How can you embrace this power in your daily life to reflect genuine inward change? [25:41]

Devotional

Day 1: Aligning Our Compass with Christ
In a world filled with diverse voices and influences, it is crucial to regularly recalibrate our internal compass to align with the teachings of Jesus. This involves a conscious evaluation of the influences in our lives and making necessary adjustments to ensure that we are following Him wholeheartedly. By doing so, we can navigate through life's challenges with a clear sense of direction and purpose, rooted in the truth of the gospel. [21:09]

"Thus says the Lord: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.' But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'" (Jeremiah 6:16, ESV)

Reflection: What are the voices or influences in your life that may be leading you away from Jesus' teachings? How can you intentionally recalibrate your focus to align with Him today?


Day 2: Embracing the Lordship of Jesus
Embracing Jesus as Lord means prioritizing Him above all else, allowing God to transform our hearts and lead to genuine change in our lives. This requires us to confront areas where our desires conflict with His teachings and to surrender those areas to His lordship. It is not merely about belief but about a transformative relationship that reflects in our actions and decisions. [23:01]

"And he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised." (2 Corinthians 5:15, ESV)

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: Faithfulness in a Secular World
The story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon serves as a powerful example of how to live faithfully in an ungodly culture. They stood firm in their faith without being judgmental or confrontational, setting an example for us to follow today. In a culture that often contradicts biblical teachings, we are called to live out our faith with integrity and grace, reflecting God's love to those around us. [31:23]

"But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself." (Daniel 1:8, ESV)

Reflection: How can you stand firm in your faith in a specific situation where you feel pressured to conform to cultural norms that oppose biblical truths?


Day 4: Recognizing the Gravity of Sin
Paul's letter to the Romans emphasizes the need to understand the seriousness of sin and the necessity of repentance. Recognizing our own shortcomings and the power of the gospel to transform lives is crucial for spiritual growth. This understanding leads us to a deeper appreciation of God's grace and a commitment to live in a way that honors Him. [25:41]

"For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death." (2 Corinthians 7:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you experienced the transformative power of the gospel in your life? How can you cultivate a heart of repentance and gratitude for God's grace today?


Day 5: Responding to God's Truth
We are called to examine our hearts and respond to God's truth through prayer, confession, or baptism. This involves rejecting cultural ideologies that oppose biblical teachings and embracing the transformative power of the gospel. By taking tangible steps towards aligning our lives with Jesus' teachings, we can experience the fullness of life that He offers. [01:02:19]

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV)

Reflection: What is one tangible step you can take today to align your life more closely with Jesus' teachings? How can you actively reject cultural ideologies that conflict with biblical truths?

Quotes

"Like oftentimes we're like, well, you know, I believe in God and it's a good place to start. But the Bible even tells us that even the demons believe, but they don't necessarily follow Jesus. See, it's understanding that until I give God my heart, it's just empty actions and empty religion." [00:22:08]

"You see, when God evaluates your life and mine, he's not looking at external conformity to a religion or even a set of beliefs. But an inward transformation of the heart by his spirit, which then always affects the way that I live my life." [00:22:46]

"Now, oftentimes what happens is that most of us are on board with Jesus. We like the idea of Jesus as savior, but then there's this thing sort of battling against that called the way I want to live my life. And eventually those things will come into conflict. And at that point, we have a decision to make, and we can choose to reject Jesus." [00:24:05]

"Paul is going to say, hey, listen, the ground is level at the foot of the cross. We are all in the same boat. Like there is no such thing as a super Christian. That person does not exist. Like it doesn't matter if you listen to Caleb and have a Jesus fish on the back of your car, or you listen to ACDC and you have an evolution fish on the back of your car." [00:29:25]

"That'll blow all your categories, right? It's like we are all in need of Jesus. What this means is there is no such thing as a major sin or a minor sin. There may be different consequences to sin, but no such thing as a major sin or a minor sin. This means there is no good guys and bad guys." [00:29:49]

"Now, these guys were living in such a way that it stood out. Nebuchadnezzar's like, man, what is different about you guys? Now, fast forward to Daniel chapter 3. Nebuchadnezzar makes this gold statue 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide. He tells everyone in Babylon to bow down, including our boys, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego." [00:32:38]

"Now, what I want to point out here is this isn't just a kid's story. This is a counterfeit worship service. It is the demonic equivalent of what we just did a few minutes ago. There was an image to worship. We worship the image of Jesus, who is the image of the invisible God and the exact representation of his nature." [00:33:22]

"God calls people to repent of destructive behavior and false belief because he loves you. Satan counterfeits with tolerance and normalizes destructive behavior and false belief because he hates you. Whatever God creates, Satan counterfeits, and he is still doing this today." [00:35:21]

"Therefore, the church doesn't need to be woke as much as it needs to be open. It needs to be awakened. And what I mean by that is that we recognize the injustices that have gone on in our past and even today, and we recognize the real enemy behind those injustices." [00:36:06]

"Now, fast forward 800 years after the book of Daniel to the book of Revelation, and the city of Babylon, which is long gone, gets mentioned in Revelation chapter 14. It says, fallen, fallen is Babylon the great. In other words, she's no longer here. She who made all the nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality." [00:38:41]

"Here's what I want to point out in those four verses. He said a mouthful, but you will find the roots of economic, social, spiritual, and family disorder. It's all in there. Remember, we have an enemy who specializes in deceit, and he counterfeits the good gifts of God." [00:55:10]

"Don't bow to the counterfeit. Bow to the one true King who in his grace loves you enough to give everything to reconcile that relationship with you." [01:03:04]

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Transcript
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