Shining Light: Embracing Transition and Unity in Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing Bittersweet Transitions

In times of transition, we often experience a mix of emotions—excitement for new opportunities and sadness for what we leave behind. Chi and Tracy's move to Nashville is a poignant example of this bittersweet nature. Their journey underscores the importance of obedience to God's will, even when it involves leaving behind the familiar. As they step into new roles in ministry and music, they demonstrate the blessings that come from aligning with God's purpose. As a church, we are called to support them spiritually, financially, and emotionally, trusting that God will continue to use them mightily in this new season. [00:00]

"And he said to them, 'Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.' Immediately they left their nets and followed him." (Matthew 4:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where God is calling you to step out in faith, even if it means leaving something behind? How can you trust Him more in this transition?

Day 2: Adapting to Evolving Ministry Methods

While our vision to shine light in every dark corner remains unchanged, the methods we use to fulfill this vision are evolving. We are focusing on youth, community engagement, media, and reimagined small groups as "light posts" to carry the light of the kingdom into the community. This shift emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and open to new ways of serving God's purpose. By embracing these new methods, we can better reach those in need and elevate the influence of our light in the community. [09:54]

"Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." (Isaiah 43:19, ESV)

Reflection: How can you be more open to new methods of ministry in your own life? What is one practical step you can take to engage with your community in a fresh way?

Day 3: Unity as the Foundation of Our Mission

Unity is essential for God's work in and through us. Just as God formed and filled Adam, He desires to form, fill, and bless us as a unified body. Our unity enables us to fulfill the Great Commission, shining our light in the world and drawing others to glorify God. This requires us to be active in our faith, stepping out and allowing God to direct us as we serve in our unique roles within the body of Christ. [21:12]

"So we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." (Romans 12:5, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you contribute to the unity of your church community? How can you actively promote harmony and collaboration among your fellow believers?

Day 4: Identifying and Activating Our Unique Posts

Each of us has unique "posts"—places and roles where God has positioned us to shine His light. By identifying and activating these posts, we can elevate the light of Christ and push back the darkness in our communities. This requires us to be active in our faith and open to God's direction. Whether it's in our neighborhoods, workplaces, or hobbies, each of us has a unique opportunity to be a light post, fulfilling our calling to be salt and light in the world. [31:54]

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

Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you feel God has positioned you to be a light? How can you be more intentional in shining His light in that area today?

Day 5: Creating Strongholds of Light in Our City

By activating our posts, we create strongholds of God's kingdom throughout our city. These strongholds are places where the kingdom of God is established and the darkness is pushed back. This is our calling as the body of Christ, to be salt and light in the world, fulfilling the Great Commission. As we embrace this new season, we are called to identify our "posts" and actively engage in creating these strongholds, ensuring that the light of Christ shines brightly in every corner of our community. [50:05]

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light." (Ephesians 5:8, ESV)

Reflection: How can you contribute to creating strongholds of light in your community? What is one action you can take this week to establish God's kingdom in your area?

Sermon Summary

In this season of transition and new beginnings, we are reminded of the bittersweet nature of following God's will. As Chi and Tracy prepare to move to Nashville, we celebrate their faithfulness and the doors God is opening for them in ministry and music. Their journey is a testament to the importance of obedience and the blessings that follow when we align with God's purpose. As a church, we are committed to supporting them spiritually, financially, and emotionally, ensuring they remain a vital part of our community even from afar.

This transition also marks a new season for our ministry. While our vision remains unchanged—to shine light in every dark corner of our community—the methods we employ are evolving. We are focusing on four primary areas: youth, our building as a community center, media, and small groups, now reimagined as "light posts." These light posts are intentional community-building groups designed to carry the light of the kingdom into the community, elevating the influence of our light and reaching into dark areas.

Unity is the foundation of all that God wants to do through us. Just as God formed Adam from the dust and breathed life into him, He desires to form, fill, and bless us as a unified body. Our unity enables us to fulfill the Great Commission, shining our light in the world and drawing others to glorify God. This requires us to be active in our faith, stepping out and allowing God to direct us as we serve in our unique roles within the body of Christ.

As we embrace this new season, we are called to identify our "posts"—the places and roles God has positioned us in to shine His light. Whether it's in our neighborhoods, workplaces, or hobbies, each of us has a unique opportunity to be a light post, elevating the light of Christ and pushing back the darkness. By activating these posts, we create strongholds of God's kingdom throughout our city, fulfilling our calling to be salt and light in the world.

Key Takeaways

1. Obedience and Transition: Embracing God's will often involves bittersweet transitions, as seen in Chi and Tracy's move to Nashville. Their journey highlights the importance of obedience and the blessings that follow when we align with God's purpose. As a church, we support them in this new season, trusting that God will continue to use them mightily. [00:00]
2. Evolving Methods for Ministry: While our vision remains unchanged, our methods are evolving to better fulfill God's call. We are focusing on youth, community engagement, media, and reimagined small groups as "light posts" to carry the light of the kingdom into the community. This shift emphasizes the importance of being adaptable and open to new ways of serving God's purpose. [09:54]
3. Unity as a Foundation: Unity is essential for God's work in and through us. Just as God formed and filled Adam, He desires to form, fill, and bless us as a unified body. Our unity enables us to fulfill the Great Commission, shining our light in the world and drawing others to glorify God. [21:12]
4. Identifying Our Posts: Each of us has unique "posts"—places and roles where God has positioned us to shine His light. By identifying and activating these posts, we can elevate the light of Christ and push back the darkness in our communities. This requires us to be active in our faith and open to God's direction. [31:54]
5. Creating Strongholds of Light: By activating our posts, we create strongholds of God's kingdom throughout our city. These strongholds are places where the kingdom of God is established and the darkness is pushed back. This is our calling as the body of Christ, to be salt and light in the world, fulfilling the Great Commission. [50:05]
** [50:05]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:45] - Announcement of Chi and Tracy's Transition
[03:30] - Prayer for Chi and Tracy
[06:15] - Encouragement to Support Chi and Tracy
[09:54] - New Season for Ministry
[12:30] - Importance of Unity
[15:45] - God's Method of Operation
[21:12] - Unity and Formation in Christ
[25:00] - The Role of the Church
[31:54] - Identifying Your Post
[38:49] - Shining Light in the Community
[44:00] - Revelation of Light Posts
[50:05] - Activating Light Posts
[56:12] - Creating Strongholds of Light
[62:00] - Closing Prayer and Call to Action

Sermon Clips

"I also have an announcement that you already know of, but I want to do something special. It's what I like to call bittersweet because I know it's God's will, and so there's a sweetness with that, but there's also kind of an emotional side to it too, and that's with Chi and Tracy transitioning in this season to Nashville, Tennessee. They're going to be going there. Chi's going into country music, I guess, and country worship. Come on." [00:00:00]

"So, I also just want to challenge you to sow into them. There's a couple ways that we can do that, and you can, as you're giving today with your offering, there's a drop-down menu in the church app or on the church website, I think, church app maybe, or one of the offering cards in the seats in front of you, and if you give cash or a check, you can just write their name on that. This is for Chi-Chi and Tracy, or you can drop down on the menu, and it actually has their name listed as well, and if you want to just sow into them because I know they are good ground." [00:03:22] (33 seconds)

"And we're believing to sow into you spiritually, financially, come on, emotionally. Give them a big bear hug after service today. Let them know you love them. If you grew up in a Pentecostal church, they'd give handshakes and they had money in them. Come on. I shook everybody's hand on Sunday morning. I was like, how you doing? How you doing? How you doing? And I was waiting for that, you know, $5 bill or $100 bill, depending on who it was." [00:03:22] (18 seconds)

"Because sometimes you think God will do it this way, and God is just concerned with the end result of his will. And how he does it is only up to him, and he will reveal it to you when it's needed, when you need to know. So that means don't get your expectation on the how God's going to do it. Put your faith and your expectation on the what God has said he would do. That's the end result." [00:07:32] (26 seconds)

"Jesus, God in the flesh, chose 11 teenagers and Peter, who was in his early 20s, to change the world for 2,000 years, to take his kingdom to the ends of the earth. So I believe that God's going to begin, even in this great last revival of these, I believe, last days we're in, it's going to start just like it began with the young people. And so that's one of our areas." [00:09:07] (25 seconds)

"So the building, if it's just used on Sunday mornings for a couple hours, then it is underutilized or maybe on a Wednesday night. But our next building is going to be used as a tool, a community center, if you will, to reach the community that maybe some would not step foot into a church or on a Sunday morning, but they would come to a community center. And we have all kind of things. We're going to be planning community events." [00:09:54] (22 seconds)

"Unity is first. He had to bring Adam together. Now, you'll say, man, unity is a weird word when you're talking about taking dust or mud and putting it together. But I want you to see how the scripture in 1 Corinthians 15 calls Jesus the second Adam or the last Adam. And the reason Paul's saying this in 1 Corinthians 15, I'm not going to read all this for the sake of time, but he's showing a parallel here." [00:19:41] (22 seconds)

"Unity is not some you know great idea spiritual idea sounds good but we have to prioritize unity in the body why because the enemy if unity is the prerequisite then he's going to try to bring disunity and division any way he can he might try to do it through offense come on have you ever had an opportunity to be offended right the enemy knows what offends you and he'll give you every opportunity to be offended why because he's trying to bring separation." [00:25:43] (28 seconds)

"So if you think, Pastor Jason, shine your light and every Sunday we're going to cheer you on and encourage you to shine a little bit brighter, it's the backwards way that church should be done. The pastor's job is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. What are you called to do? I need to activate you so that your light can shine where you are. Another key way that lampstands and lightposts are similar is they promote light." [00:50:58] (25 seconds)

"Now our primary method of shining light is through a community presence in this season. We're calling light posts. And a light post, official definition if you want one here, if you haven't caught it yet, is an intentional community-building group that carries the light of the church into, or the light of the kingdom into the community. An intentional community-building group that carries the light of the kingdom into the community." [00:52:09] (25 seconds)

"So the Lord has said in this season, Light's church is going to begin to have strongholds that we develop throughout the city. Our community care team, our building as a community center, that's a stronghold in that location that we say the kingdom of God is set up here, and we are pushing back the kingdom of darkness in this area. Did you know another word for stronghold? Are you ready for this? Didn't know it. God told this to me, and then he showed this to me." [01:00:49] (22 seconds)

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