Redefining Winning: Counting What Truly Matters
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone! Today, we continued our series "Keeping Score," which is timely given the football season. We explored how our culture is obsessed with keeping score in various aspects of life—grades, money, possessions, and even relationships. This constant counting infiltrates our relationship with God, where many of us were taught to keep score to earn His favor. However, Jesus teaches us the opposite. He wants us to correct what we count to find true victory and fulfillment.
We often count the wrong things, like the number of possessions or achievements, instead of their true value. Jesus calls us to shift our focus from worldly measures of success to what truly matters in His eyes. This involves redefining what winning means. Winning isn't about accumulating more but about aligning our lives with Jesus' teachings and values.
Jesus' words in Mark 8:34-38 challenge us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This means disassociating from our self-interests and being willing to sacrifice for His sake. It's a call to give up control and trust Him completely. When we try to hold on to our lives, we lose them, but when we let go for Jesus' sake, we find true life.
We must redefine winning by living for an audience of one—Jesus. This means seeking His approval above all else and letting His values guide our lives. When we do this, we experience the peace and fulfillment that only He can provide. This shift in perspective not only transforms our lives but also impacts those around us, drawing them closer to Jesus.
### Key Takeaways
1. Correct What You Count: Our culture teaches us to count achievements, possessions, and status, but Jesus calls us to count what truly matters—our relationship with Him and our alignment with His values. When we correct what we count, we find true fulfillment and peace. [30:12]
2. Deny Yourself: Following Jesus requires us to disassociate from our self-interests and be willing to sacrifice for His sake. This means giving up our own way and taking up our cross daily. It's a call to prioritize His will over our desires. [38:13]
3. Give Up Control: Jesus teaches that when we try to control our lives, we lose them. True life is found when we let go and trust Him completely. This paradoxical truth invites us to surrender our plans and trust in His perfect will. [48:10]
4. Redefine Winning: Winning in Jesus' eyes is not about accumulating worldly success but about living a life that pleases Him. This involves seeking His approval above all else and letting His values guide our actions and decisions. [53:28]
5. Live for an Audience of One: Our ultimate goal should be to please Jesus, not the world. When we live for His approval, we experience true peace and fulfillment. This shift in focus not only transforms our lives but also impacts those around us, drawing them closer to Jesus. [01:01:37]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[28:01] - Introduction to Keeping Score
[28:40] - Cultural Obsession with Counting
[29:31] - Keeping Score with God
[30:12] - Correct What You Count
[30:47] - Counting the Wrong Things
[31:20] - Personal Story: Counting Weeds
[32:44] - Counting in Relationships
[33:26] - Focus on Relationship with Jesus
[34:19] - Jesus' Teaching on Counting
[35:03] - Memory Verse: Mark 8:34-38
[35:29] - Jesus' Call to Deny Ourselves
[38:13] - Disassociating from Self-Interests
[39:21] - Taking Up Your Cross
[40:36] - False Gospel vs. True Gospel
[41:42] - Redefining Winning
[43:03] - Trading Self-Interest for God's Interest
[44:19] - Examples of Sacrifice
[46:55] - The Paradox of Letting Go
[48:10] - Giving Up Control
[49:42] - Finding True Life
[52:00] - Redefining Winning
[53:28] - Living for an Audience of One
[57:24] - Being Ashamed of Jesus
[01:01:37] - Living for Jesus' Approval
[01:03:02] - Impact of Correcting What We Count
[01:06:36] - Call to Action and Prayer
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
- Mark 8:34-38 (NIV): "Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.'"
#### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus mean when He says, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me"? [38:13]
2. According to the sermon, what are some examples of "counting the wrong things" in our lives? [30:47]
3. How does Jesus redefine what it means to "win" in life according to Mark 8:34-38? [53:28]
4. What does it mean to live for an "audience of one," and how does this concept relate to the passage in Mark? [01:01:37]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize the need to deny oneself and take up their cross in order to follow Him? How does this challenge our cultural values? [38:13]
2. How does the idea of "correcting what you count" change our perspective on success and fulfillment? [30:12]
3. What are the implications of Jesus' statement, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it"? [48:10]
4. How does living for Jesus' approval rather than the world's approval impact our daily decisions and relationships? [01:01:37]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your own life: What are some things you have been "counting" that may not align with Jesus' teachings? How can you begin to correct what you count? [30:12]
2. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and take up our cross daily. What are some specific self-interests or desires you need to disassociate from in order to follow Him more closely? [38:13]
3. In what areas of your life are you trying to maintain control? How can you practice giving up control and trusting Jesus completely this week? [48:10]
4. Think about your definition of "winning" in life. How can you redefine winning to align more with Jesus' values and teachings? [53:28]
5. Living for an audience of one means seeking Jesus' approval above all else. What practical steps can you take this week to focus more on pleasing Jesus rather than others? [01:01:37]
6. How can you demonstrate to those around you that you are living for Jesus' approval? Share a specific example of how you can be a witness to others by correcting what you count. [01:03:02]
7. Reflect on a time when you felt the need to "gain the whole world." How did that pursuit impact your relationship with Jesus? What changes can you make to prioritize your soul over worldly gains? [53:28]
Devotional
### 5-Day Devotional
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Day 1: Count What Truly Matters
Description:
In our culture, we are often taught to measure success by the number of achievements, possessions, and status we accumulate. However, Jesus calls us to count what truly matters—our relationship with Him and our alignment with His values. When we correct what we count, we find true fulfillment and peace. This shift in focus helps us to see the true value in our lives, not in material wealth or accolades, but in our spiritual growth and connection with God. By prioritizing our relationship with Jesus, we can experience a deeper sense of purpose and contentment. [30:12]
Bible Passage:
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21, ESV)
Reflection:
What are some things in your life that you have been counting that do not align with Jesus' values? How can you begin to shift your focus to count what truly matters today?
---
Day 2: Deny Yourself
Description:
Following Jesus requires us to disassociate from our self-interests and be willing to sacrifice for His sake. This means giving up our own way and taking up our cross daily. It's a call to prioritize His will over our desires. Jesus' words in Mark 8:34-38 challenge us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him. This involves a daily commitment to put aside our personal ambitions and comforts to pursue a life that reflects His teachings and values. By doing so, we align ourselves more closely with God's purpose for our lives and experience the true joy that comes from living for Him. [38:13]
Bible Passage:
"And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.'" (Luke 9:23-24, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one specific area of your life where you need to deny yourself and take up your cross? How can you start making that change today?
---
Day 3: Give Up Control
Description:
Jesus teaches that when we try to control our lives, we lose them. True life is found when we let go and trust Him completely. This paradoxical truth invites us to surrender our plans and trust in His perfect will. By giving up control, we allow God to lead us in ways that we could never imagine on our own. This act of surrender is not a sign of weakness but a demonstration of faith in God's sovereignty and goodness. When we let go of our need to control every aspect of our lives, we open ourselves up to the abundant life that Jesus promises. [48:10]
Bible Passage:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, 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 4: Redefine Winning
Description:
Winning in Jesus' eyes is not about accumulating worldly success but about living a life that pleases Him. This involves seeking His approval above all else and letting His values guide our actions and decisions. By redefining what it means to win, we shift our focus from earthly achievements to spiritual growth and obedience to God's will. This new perspective helps us to live with integrity and purpose, knowing that our ultimate goal is to honor God in all that we do. When we seek to please Jesus above all else, we experience a deeper sense of fulfillment and joy that transcends worldly success. [53:28]
Bible Passage:
"Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." (1 Corinthians 9:24-25, ESV)
Reflection:
How can you redefine what winning looks like in your life to align more closely with Jesus' teachings? What practical steps can you take to seek His approval above all else?
---
Day 5: Live for an Audience of One
Description:
Our ultimate goal should be to please Jesus, not the world. When we live for His approval, we experience true peace and fulfillment. This shift in focus not only transforms our lives but also impacts those around us, drawing them closer to Jesus. By living for an audience of one, we free ourselves from the pressure to conform to societal expectations and instead focus on what truly matters—our relationship with God. This intentional living helps us to stay grounded in our faith and encourages others to seek the same peace and fulfillment that comes from knowing Jesus. [01:01:37]
Bible Passage:
"For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10, ESV)
Reflection:
In what ways have you been seeking the approval of others instead of Jesus? How can you start living for an audience of one today, and what changes might this bring to your daily life?
---
Quotes
1. "But Jesus actually said the opposite. And what we're looking at over the course of this series is a lot of Jesus words to find out that there's something that is lost. And all we do is keep count. And today we're specifically going to see kind of the key verse. This is the memory verse for the series there on your handout. That really is going to teach us that if we correct what we count, that's really how we find out what winning really is all about." [30:12] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "If you really want to follow Jesus, you've got to count differently. How do you do that? You give up your own way. Give up your own interest. Stop pursuing what you think is best for you. Stop trying to do what you think is right for you. And instead, take up your cross. It's a burden to carry. It's a willingness to die. Die to my old self." [39:21] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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