Rise Up: Embrace Your Purpose for Impact

Devotional

Day 1: Encountering Jesus Equals Life Change

When Jesus enters a life, everything changes—old patterns, hurts, and limitations are transformed by His presence. The story of the man at the pool of Bethesda shows that Jesus is not just interested in giving us a momentary miracle, but in bringing about a total transformation that affects every part of our lives. He asks, “Do you wish to get well?” not just to heal, but to invite us into a new way of living, free from what has defined us in the past. When we truly encounter Jesus, we are called to rise up, leave behind what has held us back, and walk forward in newness of life. [44:53]

John 5:5-9 (ESV)
One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath.

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you have been waiting for change, but Jesus is inviting you to get up and walk in newness today?

Day 2: We All Need Jesus

No one is exempt from the need for Jesus—no matter our background, struggles, or how long we’ve been waiting for breakthrough. The pools of Bethesda were crowded with people desperate for healing, just as our world is filled with people longing for hope and restoration. The enemy tries to convince us that our struggles are unique and isolating, but the truth is, everyone needs the compassion and power of Jesus. He sees the crowds, feels compassion, and calls us to recognize our shared need for Him and to reach out to others who are waiting for an encounter with God. [58:23]

Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Reflection: Who in your life might be quietly longing for Jesus’ compassion and hope, and how can you reach out to them this week?

Day 3: The Harvest Is Plentiful, But the Workers Are Few

There are countless people around us who need Jesus, but so few who are willing to step out and share His love. Jesus’ words remind us that the need is great, but the response is often small—not because people aren’t searching, but because too few are willing to get up and go. The call is not just to recognize the need, but to become one of the few who will answer, “Here I am, send me.” The world is hungry for purpose, meaning, and truth, and God is looking for those who will rise up and make a difference. [01:02:02]

Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV)
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take this week to be “one of the few” who shares Jesus’ love with someone in your community?

Day 4: Get Up—Don’t Let Comfort or Your Past Define You

The greatest enemy to making an impact is staying comfortable or letting your past define you. It’s easy to remain on the mat of old hurts, disappointments, or routines, but Jesus calls us to get up, pick up what once defined us, and walk forward in faith. When we stop worshiping our problems and start worshiping our Provider, we find freedom and purpose. The invitation is to move beyond comfort, to trust God, and to let Him use your story for His glory. [49:14]

Philippians 3:13-14 (ESV)
Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Reflection: What comfort zone or past hurt is God asking you to leave behind so you can step into the purpose He has for you?

Day 5: Your Life Should Testify to Jesus’ Saving Power

The freedom, joy, and purpose you live with should be a testament to the life Jesus has saved and transformed. If you have truly submitted your life to Jesus, your daily actions, words, and attitudes should reflect His love and power. The world is watching, and your life can be the evidence that Jesus changes everything—not just for you, but for those around you. Let your life be a living testimony that points others to the hope and freedom found in Christ. [50:33]

Matthew 5:16 (ESV)
In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Reflection: In what specific way can your life shine the light of Jesus to someone who needs hope today?

Sermon Summary

Today’s focus is on the invitation and challenge to “get up” and live a life that makes a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God. As we celebrate the transitions of our children and students moving up in school, we’re reminded that every season of life is an opportunity to step into God’s purpose. The local church is not just an organization, but a movement that has the power to change lives, communities, and even generations. The call is clear: each of us is invited to be part of something that outlives us, something that brings hope, healing, and transformation to the world.

Drawing from John 5, we see the story of a man who had been sick for 38 years, lying by the pool of Bethesda, waiting for a miracle. Jesus’ question to him—“Do you wish to get well?”—is more than a question about physical healing; it’s an invitation to a completely new way of living. Jesus doesn’t just heal the man; He commands him to “get up, pick up your mat, and walk.” This is a call to action, to move beyond comfort and familiarity, and to step into a life that testifies to the power and presence of God.

Comfort is often the greatest enemy of impact. We can become so accustomed to our struggles, our routines, or even our pain, that we miss the invitation to rise and participate in God’s mission. The mat that once defined us—our past, our wounds, our limitations—no longer has to hold us down. When Jesus enters our story, everything changes. We are not called to wait for the next emotional high or spiritual moment; we are called to live out our faith daily, making a difference wherever we are.

The world is full of people who need Jesus—people who are waiting for someone to care enough to share hope with them. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. The challenge is not just to experience God’s power, but to become one of the few who will get up, pick up their mat, and go. Whether it’s in our homes, workplaces, or communities, we are called to be agents of change, carriers of hope, and witnesses to the life-changing love of Jesus. Today, the invitation is simple but profound: will you get up and be one of the few?

Key Takeaways

1. True impact requires action beyond comfort. It’s easy to settle into routines or even our struggles, but real change happens when we refuse to let comfort dictate our choices. The call to “get up” is a call to disrupt the status quo and step into the unknown, trusting that God’s purpose is greater than our comfort. [40:31]
2. Jesus’ invitation is to holistic transformation, not just a momentary miracle. When Jesus asked the man at Bethesda if he wanted to get well, He was inviting him into a new identity, not just a healed body. God’s work in our lives is not just about fixing problems, but about reshaping who we are and how we live. [44:53]
3. We often let our past or pain define us, but Jesus calls us to carry our story as a testimony, not a limitation. The mat that once represented the man’s suffering became the very thing he carried as evidence of God’s power. Our wounds and histories can become platforms for God’s glory when we choose to get up and walk forward in faith. [47:38]
4. Everyone needs Jesus, and the need is greater than we often realize. The enemy loves to isolate us, making us believe our struggles are unique or disqualifying. In reality, the world is full of people waiting for hope, and we are called to be the ones who bring it. The harvest is plentiful—there is no shortage of people who need the love and truth of Christ. [58:23]
5. Being “one of the few” means living out faith with courage and consistency. The world doesn’t need more spectators; it needs people willing to get up, pick up their mat, and go. Generational patterns, spiritual apathy, and negativity can stop with us if we choose to respond to God’s call. Our daily faithfulness can change the trajectory of families, workplaces, and communities. [63:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:10] - Celebrating Up Day and Community Impact
[04:30] - The Vision: Making a Lasting Difference
[07:36] - The Power and Growth of the Local Church
[10:31] - The Enemy of Impact: Comfort
[13:00] - The Call to “Get Up”
[15:50] - The Pools of Bethesda: Setting the Scene
[18:53] - Jesus’ Question: “Do You Want to Get Well?”
[21:38] - The Command: Get Up, Pick Up Your Mat, and Walk
[24:14] - Moving Beyond Our Past
[27:33] - Life Change: Living for Someone Different
[31:37] - The Universal Need for Jesus
[34:23] - The Plentiful Harvest and the Few Workers
[37:45] - Becoming One of the Few
[41:46] - Responding to the Call and Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

John 5:1-9 (ESV) — > After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed. One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, “Do you want to be healed?” The sick man answered him, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me.” Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.

Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV) — > And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Observation Questions

In John 5, what question does Jesus ask the man who had been sick for 38 years, and how does the man respond? (John 5:6-7)
According to the sermon, what did Jesus command the man to do after healing him, and why is this significant? [47:38]
In Matthew 9:36-38, how does Jesus describe the crowds, and what does He say about the harvest and the workers?
The sermon mentions that comfort can be the greatest enemy to making an impact. What are some examples given of how comfort can keep us from stepping into God’s purpose? [40:31]

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus asked the man at Bethesda, “Do you want to get well?” instead of just healing him right away? What does this reveal about Jesus’ approach to transformation? [44:53]
The sermon says that Jesus’ invitation is to holistic transformation, not just a momentary miracle. What does it mean for someone’s identity and daily life to be changed, not just their circumstances? [44:53]
The “mat” represented the man’s suffering and limitations. How can our own past or pain become something we carry as a testimony rather than a limitation? [47:38]
Jesus says the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. What are some reasons people might hesitate to “get up” and be one of the few who go out and make a difference? [58:23]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to “get up” and not let comfort or routine keep us from making an impact. Is there an area in your life where you’ve become too comfortable or stuck? What would it look like for you to “get up” in that area this week? [40:31]
Jesus told the man to pick up his mat and walk, turning his place of pain into a testimony. Is there a part of your story or past that you’ve been letting define you? How could you begin to use that as a testimony to God’s power instead? [47:38]
The world is full of people who need hope and the love of Jesus. Who in your life—at home, work, or in your community—might be waiting for someone to care enough to share hope with them? What is one step you can take to reach out to them this week? [58:23]
The sermon says, “We are not called to wait for the next emotional high or spiritual moment; we are called to live out our faith daily.” What is one practical way you can live out your faith consistently, even when you don’t “feel” it? [49:14]
“Being one of the few” means living out faith with courage and consistency. What is one area where you need courage to step out and make a difference? How can the group pray for you in this? [01:03:45]
The message talked about generational patterns and spiritual apathy stopping with us. Is there a negative pattern in your family or life that you want to see end? What step can you take to break that pattern and start something new? [01:03:45]
The sermon ended with a call to pick up your mat and go. What is your “mat” right now, and what would it look like for you to pick it up and walk forward in faith this week? [01:09:09]

Sermon Clips

Let me tell you what it is. It's one two -word answer, and it's this. Get up. You got to get up. Every day of your life, you got to get up. Every morning, you got to get up. And I'm not just talking about like wake up. And don't like get up and leave right now. Stay with me. We got a little while longer. It's get up. You got to get to a place where you go, I'm going to make an impact today. I got to get up. I got to do something. [00:42:43] (23 seconds) #PickUpYourMat

In other words, get up and do something with your life. Stop laying there. Stop letting this define you. And here's what I want to encourage us with today. The greatest enemy to making an impact in your life is laying on the mat and never getting up because it's comfortable. [00:49:15] (19 seconds) #WalkInFreedom

Can I tell you something? Some of us worship our problem more than we do the Savior. Y 'all don't leave me by myself today. Florence, I hope you are shouting that screen down today. I'm just saying because the reality is this will set somebody free. When I learn to stop worshiping my problem and worship the provider, everything changes. [00:49:34] (23 seconds) #TestamentOfJesus

The life we live, the freedom I live in, the joy I have, the ability to walk in the goodness of God in my life should be a testament to a life that Jesus saved. Can I ask you a question? If you're a follower of Jesus, if you've submitted your life to Jesus, I mean like really submitted your life to Jesus, this question is for you. If you have not, this isn't for you. But if you've given your life to Jesus, here's a question for you. The way you live, would people look at you and know that you've given your life to Jesus Christ? [00:50:47] (34 seconds) #HarvestIsPlentiful

When Jesus shows up, everything changes. When God's power is in our life, we don't have to search for the next stirring. We don't have to wait for the next goose bump. I can get in my car and worship just like I did in here today. I can pray in my bed just like I did here today. I can get in the word sitting in my living room with a good cup of Nespresso coffee, a little bit of vanilla creamer, come on, praise God, and some sweet and love. Just like I can whenever the preacher's preaching. It changes everything. I can pick up my mat and go. [00:51:39] (38 seconds) #BeOneOfTheFew

``Encountering Jesus equals life change. Here's the truth. I can't read anywhere in the New Testament where Jesus shows up and life doesn't change. I can't read anywhere in the New Testament where Jesus shows up and life doesn't get better. Where life doesn't shift. Something in the atmosphere doesn't change. In fact, if Jesus is life change, nothing else is life change. [00:52:28] (26 seconds) #StopWaitingStartLiving

For the first time in decades, the United States, in the United States, Christianity is actually not in a decline as we sit here today. For the first time in decades, in this very moment, Christianity is actually not in a decline in the United States. The world is actually asking for biblical answers to worldly questions. It's time to get up. This generation is actually curious about purpose and meaning in the afterlife to get up. The world needs to see the commitment of marriage and everlasting love. It's time to get up. The world needs to see generosity and not more greed. The harvest is plentiful. and it's time to get up. [01:01:35] (50 seconds)

If you're a follower of Jesus, can I just encourage you with something? It's time to be one of the few. Come on, guys. I don't care if you're in Columbia or Florence. I don't care if you're online or listening to this on a Thursday afternoon on the podcast. It's time to be one of the few. The harvest is plentiful. We're not waiting on people to get ready for Jesus. They're asking the questions. They're begging for the difference. The reality is, will we be one of the few? Will we get up? [01:03:37] (28 seconds)

At some point, it's got to be, am I just waiting on the waters to stir or do I want something actually life -changing? Do I actually want to be one of the few? Do I actually want to make a difference? I want to encourage somebody in the room today as we end this, that today generational curses can stop with you. Financial stress and strain can stop with you. Marital issues and confrontations can stop with you. Spiritual apathy can stop with you. Indifference to the mission of the church and the kingdom can stop with you. Chronic negativity and a victim mentality can stop with you. It's time, church, to get up and make a difference. The harvest is plentiful. Will we be one of the few? Will we be one of the few? It's time to make a difference. It's time to get up. [01:04:47] (63 seconds)

If you look around today, there's a lot of people that will try to get the fear in you. I don't want fear. I want faith to move you. It's time to go, no, there's a better life. That co -worker that you go to work with every single week has a gift on the inside of them that God wants to unlock. That child that gets on your nerves that somebody else is not yours. They have a purpose. That spouse that you argue with all the time right now. They have a purpose. The cashier at the grocery store, the barista at the coffee shop, they have a purpose. It's time to get up, church. I'm just going to be honest with you. It's time to get up, pick up your mat, stop laying in the comfortability of the problem and start seeking the provider. It's time to trust God. It's time to look at God and say, I'll be one of the few. Let me be one of the few. [01:05:51] (63 seconds)

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