Responding to Christ: Love, Freedom, and Courage

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus as Our Rescuer and King

Jesus' kingship is not about earthly power or dominion but about His profound role as our rescuer from sin. He came into the world to testify to the truth and to offer us freedom through His sacrifice on the cross. This freedom is not merely a concept but a reality that Jesus secured for us by willingly giving Himself to rescue us from the captivity of sin. As we reflect on this, we are invited to listen to His voice and live in the freedom He offers, responding in faith and love. This freedom is a gift that requires our active response, acknowledging Jesus as our King and Rescuer. [19:53]

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." (Colossians 1:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you actively acknowledge Jesus as your King and Rescuer in your daily life today? How can you live out the freedom He offers?

Day 2: Gratitude, Surrender, and Courage

Gratitude, surrender, and courage are essential virtues in responding to God's immense love. Gratitude involves acknowledging the love we have received from God, while surrender is the act of giving ourselves fully to Him. Courage is needed to live out this love in our daily lives, especially when faced with challenges. These virtues not only sustain our relationship with God but also our relationships with others. By embracing these virtues, we can respond to God's love with a heart full of gratitude, a spirit of surrender, and the courage to live out our faith boldly. [23:55]

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to practice more gratitude, surrender, or courage? How can you take a step towards this today?

Day 3: Loving God and Others

True love requires us to shift our focus from ourselves to the needs and desires of others. In our faith journey, this means asking God how He desires to be loved and responding to His call through the Church's teachings and sacraments. By asking, "How can I love you right now?" we foster deeper connections with God and others. This question invites us to be present and attentive, seeking to love in ways that are meaningful and transformative. Our actions of love and devotion are responses to the love we have first received from God, guiding us in our journey of faith. [26:06]

"Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Philippians 2:4, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life needs to feel loved by you today? How can you show them love in a way that meets their needs?

Day 4: Faith Over Feelings

Our faith, more than our feelings, guides us in our journey with God. While feelings are important, they are not the foundation of our relationship with Him. Our actions of love and devotion are responses to the love we have first received from God, and they are what sustain us in our faith. By prioritizing faith over feelings, we can remain steadfast in our commitment to God, even when emotions fluctuate. This perspective helps us to trust in God's promises and to act in love, regardless of how we feel at any given moment. [28:48]

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you prioritize faith over feelings in a specific situation you are facing today? What steps can you take to act in faith?

Day 5: Proclaiming the Gospel Boldly

We are called to be agents of light in a world of darkness, to proclaim the Gospel boldly, and to live out our faith without fear. Simple acts like making the sign of the cross, praying before meals, and sharing our faith with others are ways we can bring the light of Christ into every situation. By doing so, we sabotage the kingdom of darkness and bring the light of Christ into every situation. Let us pray for the courage to live out this calling, trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide us in love and truth. [35:00]

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5:14, ESV)

Reflection: What is one simple act you can do today to boldly proclaim the Gospel and bring the light of Christ into your environment?

Sermon Summary

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we gather to reflect on the profound truth of Jesus as the King of the Universe. This truth challenges us to consider what it means for Jesus to be our King and how we respond to His immense love. Jesus, who came into the world to testify to the truth, invites us to listen to His voice and live in the freedom He offers. This freedom is not just a concept but a reality that Jesus secured for us through His sacrifice on the cross, where He willingly gave Himself to rescue us from the captivity of sin.

As we conclude our series on Father John Ricardo's book, "Rescued," we are reminded of the beauty and perfection in which we were created, the captivity of sin, and the ultimate rescue by Jesus. Our response to this rescue is crucial. It requires gratitude, surrender, and courage—three pillars that also sustain a marriage. Gratitude acknowledges the love we have received; surrender is the act of giving ourselves fully to God, and courage is needed to live out this love in our daily lives.

In our relationships, both with God and others, we must ask, "How can I love you right now?" This question shifts our focus from ourselves to the needs and desires of the other, fostering deeper connections. In our faith journey, this means asking God how He desires to be loved and responding to His call through the Church's teachings and sacraments. Our faith, more than our feelings, guides us in this journey, reminding us that our actions of love and devotion are responses to the love we have first received from God.

We are called to be agents of light in a world of darkness, to proclaim the Gospel boldly, and to live out our faith without fear. This involves simple acts like making the sign of the cross, praying before meals, and sharing our faith with others. By doing so, we sabotage the kingdom of darkness and bring the light of Christ into every situation. Let us pray for the courage to live out this calling, trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide us in love and truth.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus as King and Rescuer: Jesus' kingship is not about earthly power but about His role as our rescuer from sin. His sacrifice on the cross was a deliberate act of love to free us from captivity, inviting us to live in the freedom He offers. This freedom is a gift that requires our response in faith and love. [19:53]
2. Gratitude, Surrender, and Courage: These three virtues are essential in responding to God's love. Gratitude acknowledges the love we have received, surrender involves giving ourselves fully to God, and courage is needed to live out this love in our daily lives. These virtues also sustain our relationships, both with God and others. [23:55]
3. Loving God and Others: True love requires us to ask, "How can I love you right now?" This question shifts our focus from ourselves to the needs and desires of others, fostering deeper connections. In our faith journey, it means asking God how He desires to be loved and responding to His call through the Church's teachings and sacraments. [26:06]
4. Faith Over Feelings: Our faith, more than our feelings, guides us in our journey with God. While feelings are important, they are not the foundation of our relationship with God. Our actions of love and devotion are responses to the love we have first received from Him, and they are what sustain us in our faith. [28:48]
5. Proclaiming the Gospel Boldly: We are called to be agents of light in a world of darkness, to proclaim the Gospel boldly, and to live out our faith without fear. Simple acts like making the sign of the cross, praying before meals, and sharing our faith with others are ways we can bring the light of Christ into every situation. [35:00]
** [35:00]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[10:03] - Acknowledging Our Sins
[19:53] - Jesus as King and Rescuer
[23:55] - Gratitude, Surrender, and Courage
[25:17] - Loving God and Others
[26:06] - Asking How to Love
[27:10] - Holy Communion and Union with God
[28:48] - Faith Over Feelings
[29:36] - Obligation and Love in the Church
[30:27] - The Gift of Adoration
[31:48] - Receiving Communion with Devotion
[32:34] - Responding to God's Love
[33:12] - Proclaiming the Gospel Boldly
[35:00] - The Sign of the Cross
[36:41] - Prayer and Vulnerability

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Jesus mean when He says He came to bear witness to the truth? How does this relate to His kingship? [19:53]
How does the sermon describe the concept of freedom that Jesus offers? What is the significance of this freedom? [19:53]
What are the three virtues mentioned in the sermon that are essential in responding to God's love? How are they related to marriage? [23:55]
How does the sermon suggest we should ask God how He desires to be loved? What role do the Church's teachings and sacraments play in this? [27:56]

Interpretation Questions

In what ways does the sermon suggest that Jesus' kingship differs from earthly kingship? How does this understanding affect our relationship with Him? [19:53]
How can the virtues of gratitude, surrender, and courage transform our daily lives and relationships, according to the sermon? [23:55]
What does the sermon imply about the importance of faith over feelings in our spiritual journey? How can this perspective influence our actions? [28:48]
How does the sermon encourage believers to be agents of light in a world of darkness? What practical steps are suggested to live out this calling? [33:12]

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you struggled to see Jesus as King in your life. What steps can you take to acknowledge His kingship more fully? [19:53]
How can you practice gratitude, surrender, and courage in your current relationships? Identify one specific action for each virtue that you can implement this week. [23:55]
Consider a situation where your feelings have overshadowed your faith. How can you prioritize faith in similar situations moving forward? [28:48]
Identify one way you can ask God how He desires to be loved this week. How will you incorporate the Church's teachings and sacraments into your response? [27:56]
Think of a simple act you can do to bring the light of Christ into a specific situation in your life. How will you overcome any fear or hesitation in doing so? [33:12]
How can you make the sign of the cross or pray before meals more intentionally as a way to proclaim your faith? What challenges might you face, and how can you address them? [35:00]
Reflect on a person in your life who might benefit from hearing about Jesus' love. How can you share your faith with them in a way that is both bold and compassionate? [33:12]

Sermon Clips

"It takes gratitude because what is marriage? It's to say, I love you and I thank you for loving me. I love you and I thank you for loving me. Gratitude. Surrender. I vow that I give you myself. I give you myself. I surrender. If you're going into battle and you wave a white flag, it means I surrender to you, the king or the queen or whoever is the opposing army. I surrender to you and whatever happens, let it happen." [00:23:55] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"But it's a beautiful thing if I'm throwing up the white flag and surrendering to a good king. Amen? Or if I'm at the sacrament of matrimony, I'm surrendering to one I love and whom I know loves me. Amen? That I'm surrendering to love. And that's not hard to surrender to love. love, it's hard to choose to love after I've surrendered. That's why I need, third word is what? Courage. I need courage to live my life with gratitude and surrender." [00:24:32] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Because if you say, I'm going to keep giving you gifts, I'm going to give you flowers, I'm going to give you diamonds, I'm going to give you pearls, all these things, and she's like, listen man, I just want you to cut the grass. It's like, I'm loving you, why don't you see that? It's like, oh, that's not what she's asking, that's not how she is asking to be loved. And it could go the opposite way too, right? Like, I receive love a certain way. I give love a certain way. I give love a certain way. I give love a certain way. But when I'm giving love, I have to ask, what's the best way to love you right now?" [00:26:06] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Because God, Jesus, has established the church out of love for you so that you know how he desires to be loved. And so when we start to look at, like, what are the obligations of a Catholic, and people are like, the Catholic Church lays out obligations so that they can be tyrannical, and rule your life, and you don't have freedom. I want to say, like, you know? I just want to vomit." [00:28:02] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"My feelings are really important. Your feelings are important, but your faith is more important. Amen? Whoo! Yeah, our faith. Just say, my faith is more important than my feelings. Yeah! Yeah! Because your feelings won't save you for eternity, but your faith sure will. Amen? Whoo!" [00:28:48] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"And so we go to Mass out of responsive love, because if I know that he has loved me to the very end, then what do I do? I want to respond in the way that he asks. And so what does the church ask? Well, there's that. She also gives us the place of adoration, that if I haven't gone to adoration, we have a beautiful adoration chapel that you can come to day or night and just spend time with the king." [00:30:09] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Do you talk about God? Do you talk about God? The one who saved you? The one who died for you? Or do you just like, eh, he's alright. You know what Father, I don't want to, I don't like to talk about faith or politics. I don't like to push upon people. I don't want to shove my religion down their throats. Listen, I'm not asking you to shove your religion down your throat. But if you're not even willing to mention the name of Jesus, then I ask that you would cast out the spirit of fear." [00:33:12] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Because if I have been loved to the point of death by someone, I want to let people know. Last May, I was choking on a piece of pork and watermelon, maybe I shared this story, and my athletic director down at ACC did the Heimlich and saved my life. Every time after that, all I wanted to do was give him a hug. And he's not a very huggy guy." [00:33:41] (20 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"But like, how do we respond out there in the world? Do I hide the fact that Christ has died for me, that he saved me? Have I let myself be overwhelmed by the Gospel so that I go and I proclaim? Do I make the sign of the cross? And Bishop always talks about this, and I love it. When he does confirmations, he's like, when you pray before meals, if you don't pray before meals, at least start that." [00:34:21] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Prayer is the most vulnerable thing you can do because it exposes your relationship with God. Like Jesus exposed His relationship with you. Vulnerable. Woundable. That I let myself be wounded, but allowing myself to be wounded it also means I let myself be loved. I cannot experience true love if I do not allow myself to be vulnerable. Amen?" [00:36:41] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

"Father John Ricardo uses the word, we have to be agents of sabotage in the best way possible, that we're sabotaging the kingdom of darkness by bringing the light of Jesus Christ into every situation. Amen? So let's pray together. Say, Jesus, I am sorry for the times in my life I didn't believe or profess that you were Lord and King, and I give you permission to send me your Holy Spirit to teach me how to pray." [00:39:28] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?