Seizing Opportunities: Living Boldly for Christ
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we began with a fable about a young man who missed his opportunity because he waited for the perfect one. This story serves as a reminder that waiting for the perfect moment can lead to missed opportunities, especially when it comes to being used by God. We explored Colossians 4 and Ephesians 5:15, which emphasize making the most of every opportunity to influence others for Christ.
We then delved into 2 Corinthians 5, where the Apostle Paul outlines four key actions to help us make the most of our opportunities to lead others to Christ. First, we must cultivate a longing for heaven. Paul likens our earthly bodies to temporary tents, emphasizing that our true home is in heaven. This perspective helps us focus less on earthly comforts and more on eternal matters.
Second, we should aim to please Jesus in all aspects of our lives. Paul stresses that our ultimate goal should be to live in a way that pleases the Lord, knowing that we will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment is not about salvation but about evaluating how we used the opportunities and resources God gave us.
Third, we need to see people differently. Paul encourages us to look beyond worldly labels and see people as either lost or found. This perspective changes our motivation and helps us focus on sharing the gospel with those who need it.
Finally, we must be bold with the gospel. Paul describes us as ambassadors for Christ, entrusted with the message of reconciliation. This means we have a responsibility to share the good news of Jesus with others, regardless of the circumstances.
As we prepare for the fall season and the opportunities it brings, let's commit to making the most of every chance to point people to Jesus. Let's cultivate a longing for heaven, aim to please Jesus, see people differently, and be bold with the gospel.
### Key Takeaways
1. Cultivate a Longing for Heaven: Our earthly bodies are temporary, like tents, and our true home is in heaven. This perspective helps us focus less on earthly comforts and more on eternal matters. By longing for heaven, we can better prioritize our lives and make the most of our opportunities to influence others for Christ. [23:37]
2. Aim to Please Jesus: Our ultimate goal should be to live in a way that pleases the Lord. This involves evaluating our actions, attitudes, and priorities daily. By aiming to please Jesus, we align our lives with His will and prepare ourselves for the day we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. [33:09]
3. See People Differently: We should look beyond worldly labels and see people as either lost or found. This perspective changes our motivation and helps us focus on sharing the gospel with those who need it. By seeing people through the lens of eternity, we can better fulfill our mission as ambassadors for Christ. [41:41]
4. Be Bold with the Gospel: As ambassadors for Christ, we are entrusted with the message of reconciliation. This means we have a responsibility to share the good news of Jesus with others, regardless of the circumstances. Boldness in sharing the gospel can lead to life-changing encounters for those who hear it. [47:09]
5. Make the Most of Every Opportunity: Waiting for the perfect moment can lead to missed opportunities, especially when it comes to being used by God. We should seize every chance to influence others for Christ, knowing that our time on earth is short and our true home is in heaven. [50:16]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[18:00] - Communion Preparation
[18:35] - The Fable of Missed Opportunities
[19:38] - Missing Opportunities in Life
[20:10] - Importance of Being Used by God
[20:44] - Colossians 4 and Ephesians 5:15
[21:23] - Leveraging Influence for Christ
[22:27] - Introduction to 2 Corinthians 5
[23:37] - Cultivate a Longing for Heaven
[26:09] - Temporary Nature of Our Bodies
[28:31] - Confidence in Heaven
[30:27] - Fixation on Earthly Comforts
[33:09] - Aim to Please Jesus
[36:01] - Judgment Seat of Christ
[41:41] - See People Differently
[45:42] - The Gospel is for Anyone
[47:09] - Be Bold with the Gospel
[50:16] - Making the Most of Every Opportunity
[53:37] - Communion
[55:34] - Closing Prayer and Benediction
[01:00:22] - Baptism Invitation
[01:01:38] - Final Announcements and Blessing
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 - Cultivate a Longing for Heaven and Aim to Please Jesus
2. Colossians 4:5-6 - Make the Most of Every Opportunity
3. Ephesians 5:15-16 - Be Wise and Make the Most of Every Opportunity
### Observation Questions
1. What analogy does Paul use in 2 Corinthians 5 to describe our earthly bodies, and what does this analogy signify? ([23:37])
2. According to Colossians 4:5-6, how should our conversations be when interacting with outsiders? ([20:44])
3. In Ephesians 5:15-16, what reason does Paul give for living wisely and making the most of every opportunity? ([20:44])
4. What are the four key actions Paul outlines in 2 Corinthians 5 to help us make the most of our opportunities to lead others to Christ? ([23:05])
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does cultivating a longing for heaven change our perspective on earthly comforts and priorities? ([30:27])
2. What does it mean to aim to please Jesus in all aspects of our lives, and how does this affect our daily decisions? ([33:09])
3. How can seeing people as either lost or found change our motivation and approach to sharing the gospel? ([41:41])
4. What does it mean to be bold with the gospel, and why is it important to share the message of reconciliation regardless of circumstances? ([47:09])
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on your current priorities. Are there areas in your life where you are more focused on earthly comforts than on eternal matters? How can you shift your focus to cultivate a longing for heaven? ([30:27])
2. Think about your daily actions and decisions. Are they aimed at pleasing Jesus? What specific changes can you make to align your life more closely with this goal? ([33:09])
3. Consider the people you interact with regularly. Do you see them through worldly labels or as either lost or found? How can you change your perspective to see them as God does? ([41:41])
4. Identify a recent opportunity you had to share the gospel but missed. What held you back, and how can you be bolder in sharing the message of reconciliation in the future? ([47:09])
5. As you prepare for the fall season, what specific steps can you take to make the most of every opportunity to influence others for Christ? ([21:49])
6. How can you incorporate the practice of evaluating your actions, attitudes, and priorities daily to ensure they are pleasing to Jesus? ([33:09])
7. Think of someone in your life who is either lost or found. How can you intentionally build a relationship with them to share the gospel or encourage their faith journey? ([44:23])
Devotional
Day 1: Longing for Our Eternal Home
Our earthly bodies are temporary, like tents, and our true home is in heaven. This perspective helps us focus less on earthly comforts and more on eternal matters. By longing for heaven, we can better prioritize our lives and make the most of our opportunities to influence others for Christ. Paul likens our earthly bodies to temporary tents, emphasizing that our true home is in heaven. This perspective helps us focus less on earthly comforts and more on eternal matters. By longing for heaven, we can better prioritize our lives and make the most of our opportunities to influence others for Christ. [23:37]
"For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." (2 Corinthians 5:1, ESV)
Reflection: What are some earthly comforts or distractions that are keeping you from focusing on your eternal home? How can you shift your perspective today to prioritize heavenly matters?
Day 2: Living to Please Jesus
Our ultimate goal should be to live in a way that pleases the Lord. This involves evaluating our actions, attitudes, and priorities daily. By aiming to please Jesus, we align our lives with His will and prepare ourselves for the day we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Paul stresses that our ultimate goal should be to live in a way that pleases the Lord, knowing that we will one day stand before the judgment seat of Christ. This judgment is not about salvation but about evaluating how we used the opportunities and resources God gave us. [33:09]
"So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 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 5:9-10, ESV)
Reflection: What specific actions or attitudes in your life need to change to align more closely with Jesus' will? How can you start making those changes today?
Day 3: Seeing People Through God's Eyes
We should look beyond worldly labels and see people as either lost or found. This perspective changes our motivation and helps us focus on sharing the gospel with those who need it. By seeing people through the lens of eternity, we can better fulfill our mission as ambassadors for Christ. Paul encourages us to look beyond worldly labels and see people as either lost or found. This perspective changes our motivation and helps us focus on sharing the gospel with those who need it. [41:41]
"From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:16-17, ESV)
Reflection: Think of someone you encounter regularly. How can you start seeing them through God's eyes and what steps can you take to share the gospel with them?
Day 4: Boldness in Sharing the Gospel
As ambassadors for Christ, we are entrusted with the message of reconciliation. This means we have a responsibility to share the good news of Jesus with others, regardless of the circumstances. Boldness in sharing the gospel can lead to life-changing encounters for those who hear it. Paul describes us as ambassadors for Christ, entrusted with the message of reconciliation. This means we have a responsibility to share the good news of Jesus with others, regardless of the circumstances. [47:09]
"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20, ESV)
Reflection: Who is one person you feel called to share the gospel with? What steps can you take today to boldly share the message of reconciliation with them?
Day 5: Seizing Every Opportunity
Waiting for the perfect moment can lead to missed opportunities, especially when it comes to being used by God. We should seize every chance to influence others for Christ, knowing that our time on earth is short and our true home is in heaven. We explored Colossians 4 and Ephesians 5:15, which emphasize making the most of every opportunity to influence others for Christ. [50:16]
"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)
Reflection: What is one opportunity you have today to influence someone for Christ? How can you make the most of that opportunity without waiting for the "perfect" moment?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "If you wait for the perfect opportunity, you may miss your opportunity, right? Now think about that in your own life. You probably had some opportunities that you missed, right, along the way. Maybe an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of that business. And then you missed it and it made a lot of money. And you'd be like, man, I missed that chance. Or the opportunity to go to that grad school or go out on that date or whatever the case may be. And you have some regret because, man, I missed that opportunity. I'm kicking myself because I missed it. It's sad when you miss opportunities like that. But let me tell you what, it is tragic. Listen to me. It's tragic to miss your opportunity to be used by God, right?" [19:38] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "You are an ambassador for Christ. You live in a world that does not fit you. You're not of this world. You're headed to heaven. Your home is heaven. You live among a culture that is consistently going against the grain of what you know to be true. Do you not sense that even now? More and more and more, we're pushing against the grain of a culture. That is antagonistic toward the gospel. But he said, you are, listen to me, God's chosen representative. You represent Christ in every encounter that you have because you're a follower of Jesus. You represent him and how you respond is how they see Jesus. How you react is how they see Christ. You are the representative of Christ in every relationship that you have." [48:41] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Listen, if you wait for the perfect opportunity, you may miss it altogether. But take your opportunities while you can to glorify God and to share the hope of the world." [51:40] (12 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he's a new creation. The old has passed away, and see, the new has come. What's Paul saying? He's saying, you know what? Because heaven is real, and I realize I'm here only for a short amount of time, and I've only got a little bit of time left, man. I've got to make it. I've got to make the most of it, and because I really want to please God, I'm going to give him a count for my life, man. He said, I don't look at people the same way." [42:56] (25 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "Cultivate a longing for heaven. You've got to cultivate a longing for heaven. 2 Corinthians 5, verse 1. And this is the word of God, amen? He said, We know that if our earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal dwelling in the heavens, not made with hands. Indeed, we groan in this tent, desiring to put on our heavenly dwelling, since when we have taken it off, we will not be found naked. Indeed, we groan while we are in this tent, burdened as we are, because we do not want to be unclothed but clothed, so that mortality may be swallowed up by life." [23:37] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Paul is talking here about our life in this physical world and eternity and what life is going to be like in eternity. And he likens our bodies to tents, okay? Now, remember, Paul was a tent maker. Paul, his side gig was making and repairing tents, right? So he was very familiar with this analogy here. And he said, our bodies are a lot like a tent. Think about a tent. A tent is a temporary, you don't really want to stay in a tent very long, you know? It's just meant to be temporary. A tent is very flimsy. The wind will whip it around and blow it around. If you've ever been in a tent in a storm, you know how flimsy this thing can be. A tent can tear and leak, right? All those kinds of things. A tent is a lot like that. A tent can stink, you know, if you roll it up and then you get it out and then it's kind of that musty smell. He said, our bodies, our bodies can be a lot like that, all right? Think about it. Your body is temporary. Your body's got a shelf life, right? You're not gonna live beyond a certain amount of time. Your body just has a shelf, it's not meant to be lived in forever. And it's very flimsy." [24:15] (80 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "We need to aim to please Jesus, aim to please Jesus. Look at verse nine. Therefore, whether we at home or away, that is in our body, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Underline that phrase, our aim to be pleasing to the Lord. He said, therefore, because we know heaven is coming, because we know eternity is real, man, right now, I'm going to make it my aim to please the Lord." [33:09] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You represent Christ in every encounter that you have because you're a follower of Jesus. You represent him and how you respond is how they see Jesus. How you react is how they see Christ. You are the representative of Christ in every relationship that you have. And what has been placed in your hands as his representative is what he calls in verse 19, the message of reconciliation. He has given it to you. And what is this message of reconciliation? We find it in verse 21. Look at verse 21. God made him who knew no sin, that is Christ, to become sin for us on the cross so that whoever would turn and place their faith and trust in him would receive the righteousness of Christ. That's the message. It's simple. God has put in your hands this message. He's put in your mouth this message that, man, you can be new. You can have your sins not counted against you. You can place your faith in Christ and become a new creation just like I have been changed. You can be changed. That is your message, but you have to say it. You have to speak it." [48:41] (75 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "So what really needs to start in us is a lot of longing for heaven. Lord, open up my mind to see the temporality of this life, how short it really is. Listen, if you can remember anything that happened 40 years ago, you know that life is short, right? If anytime you say, well, you know, that was about 30 years ago, you're getting on up there. Are you with me? And so my point is that it goes by fast, does it not? And then there's heaven. So let's not get so fixated with being comfortable here and accepted. Here, we've got all the heaven for that. So we got to cultivate a longing for heaven. That's what Paul said. That's the first step to not missing your opportunity." [31:37] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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