Transformative Faith: Surrendering to Jesus' Love

Devotional

Day 1: Shift Focus from Self to Jesus

Our faith journey should not be centered on our actions and achievements but on Jesus and His work in our lives. This shift in focus allows us to experience God's love and transformation more deeply. Often, we fall into the trap of thinking that our religious practices are about us—our feelings, our efforts, our achievements. However, the essence of our faith is about what Jesus has done for us, especially through His sacrifice on the cross.

By shifting our focus from ourselves to Jesus, we open ourselves to a deeper experience of God's love and transformation. This perspective helps us to offer our hearts to Jesus and recognize His work in our lives, rather than focusing on our own efforts. [22:12]

Bible Passage: "For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2, ESV)

Reflection: Think about a recent situation where you focused more on your own efforts rather than on Jesus. How can you shift your focus to Jesus in similar situations in the future?

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Day 2: Surrender Control to Jesus

True faith involves surrendering control and allowing Jesus to work within us. This surrender can lead to profound experiences of God's love and presence, transforming our lives in ways we cannot achieve on our own. We often try to control every aspect of our lives, thinking that our efforts will lead to success and fulfillment. However, true faith requires us to let go of this control and trust in Jesus' plan for us.

When we surrender control to Jesus, we allow Him to work within us and guide us through our trials. This surrender can lead to profound experiences of God's love and presence, transforming our lives in ways we cannot achieve on our own. [25:18]

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?

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Day 3: Faith is About Jesus' Sacrifice

Our religious practices should be centered on what Jesus has done for us, especially His sacrifice on the cross. This perspective helps us to offer our hearts to Jesus and recognize His work in our lives, rather than focusing on our own efforts. Many times, we get caught up in the rituals and routines of our faith, thinking that our actions are what matter most.

However, the essence of our faith is about what Jesus has done for us, especially through His sacrifice on the cross. By focusing on Jesus' sacrifice, we can offer our hearts to Him and recognize His work in our lives. [27:26]

Bible Passage: "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your religious practices. Are there any areas where you are more focused on your own efforts rather than on Jesus' sacrifice? How can you shift your focus to Jesus in these areas?

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Day 4: Suffering is a Path to Resurrection

Our suffering is not our destination but a vehicle that leads us to the resurrection. By uniting our crosses with Jesus' cross, we find true life and transformation, knowing that we do not suffer alone. Suffering is a part of life, but it is not the end. Jesus is with us in our suffering, and our suffering can lead us to the resurrection.

By uniting our crosses with Jesus' cross, we find true life and transformation. This perspective helps us to see our suffering as a path to resurrection, rather than as an end in itself. [34:04]

Bible Passage: "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Romans 8:18, ESV)

Reflection: Think about a recent time of suffering in your life. How can you unite your suffering with Jesus' cross and see it as a path to resurrection?

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Day 5: Invite Jesus into Our Lives

We must give Jesus permission to enter our lives in a new way, surrendering our control and allowing His Spirit to lead us through our trials. This invitation opens us to the transformative power of God's love and the joy of the resurrection. Often, we try to handle our trials on our own, thinking that we can overcome them through our own efforts.

However, by inviting Jesus into our lives and surrendering our control, we open ourselves to the transformative power of God's love. This invitation allows His Spirit to lead us through our trials to the joy of the resurrection. [35:39]

Bible Passage: "Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me." (Revelation 3:20, ESV)

Reflection: How can you invite Jesus into your life in a new way today? What specific steps can you take to surrender your control and allow His Spirit to lead you through your trials?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, we began our time together by acknowledging our sins and seeking God's mercy. Reflecting on a personal experience from my seminary days, I shared a profound lesson learned during a silent retreat. My spiritual director, Monsignor Esif, challenged me to shift my focus from myself to Jesus. This pivotal moment revealed that my faith had been centered on my actions and achievements rather than on Jesus' work in my life.

Through a series of encounters with Jesus during the retreat, I realized that true faith is about surrendering control and allowing Jesus to work within us. This surrender led to a transformative experience of God's love, teaching me that faith is not about checking boxes but about letting Jesus take the lead.

We often fall into the trap of thinking that our religious practices are about us—our feelings, our efforts, our achievements. However, the essence of our faith is about what Jesus has done for us, especially through His sacrifice on the cross. Our participation in Mass and other religious activities should be an offering of our hearts to Jesus, acknowledging His work in our lives and allowing Him to guide us through our sufferings to the glory of the resurrection.

In our suffering, we are not alone. Jesus is with us, and our suffering is a vehicle that leads us to the resurrection. By uniting our crosses with His, we find true life and transformation. Let us give Jesus permission to enter our lives in a new way, surrendering our control and allowing His Spirit to lead us through our trials to the joy of the resurrection.

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Key Takeaways

1. Shift Focus from Self to Jesus: Our faith journey should not be centered on our actions and achievements but on Jesus and His work in our lives. This shift in focus allows us to experience God's love and transformation more deeply. [22:12]
2. Surrender Control to Jesus: True faith involves surrendering control and allowing Jesus to work within us. This surrender can lead to profound experiences of God's love and presence, transforming our lives in ways we cannot achieve on our own. [25:18]
3. Faith is About Jesus' Sacrifice: Our religious practices should be centered on what Jesus has done for us, especially His sacrifice on the cross. This perspective helps us to offer our hearts to Jesus and recognize His work in our lives, rather than focusing on our own efforts. [27:26]
4. Suffering is a Path to Resurrection: Our suffering is not our destination but a vehicle that leads us to the resurrection. By uniting our crosses with Jesus' cross, we find true life and transformation, knowing that we do not suffer alone. [34:04]
5. Invite Jesus into Our Lives: We must give Jesus permission to enter our lives in a new way, surrendering our control and allowing His Spirit to lead us through our trials. This invitation opens us to the transformative power of God's love and the joy of the resurrection. [35:39]
### [35:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[09:59] - Acknowledging Our Sins
[21:12] - Silent Retreat Experience
[21:43] - Meeting Monsignor Esif
[22:12] - It's About Jesus, Not Us
[23:13] - Letting Jesus In
[24:47] - The Still Small Voice
[25:52] - Experiencing God's Love
[26:55] - Faith Beyond Checklists
[27:26] - Jesus' Sacrifice for Us
[29:30] - Misconceptions About Religion
[30:00] - Suffering and the Cross
[31:00] - God's Love in Our Suffering
[32:32] - We Do Not Suffer Alone
[34:04] - Suffering as a Vehicle to Resurrection
[35:39] - Inviting Jesus In
[37:56] - Prayers of Petition
[42:20] - Offering and Consecration
[50:09] - The Lord's Prayer
[52:27] - Communion
[64:45] - Announcements and Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What did Monsignor Esif challenge the pastor to shift his focus from and to? ([22:12])
How did the pastor describe his initial reaction to Monsignor Esif's advice? ([23:13])
What was the pastor's experience when he finally surrendered control to Jesus during the silent retreat? ([25:52])
According to the sermon, what is the true purpose of our religious practices and participation in Mass? ([27:26])

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean to "deny yourself and take up your cross" in the context of your daily life? How does this align with the pastor's experience during the silent retreat? ([22:12])
How can the concept of being "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20) change one's perspective on personal achievements and religious practices? ([26:55])
In what ways can suffering be seen as a path to resurrection, as mentioned in Romans 5:3-5 and the sermon? ([34:04])
How does inviting Jesus into our lives in a new way, as suggested in the sermon, transform our approach to trials and suffering? ([35:39])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you focused more on your actions and achievements rather than on Jesus' work in your life. How did that affect your faith journey? ([22:12])
What are some practical steps you can take to surrender control to Jesus in your daily life? How might this change your experience of God's love and presence? ([25:18])
How can you shift your perspective during Mass or other religious activities to focus more on Jesus' sacrifice rather than your own efforts? ([27:26])
Think of a current struggle or suffering you are facing. How can you unite this with Jesus' cross and find hope in the resurrection? ([34:04])
What specific areas of your life do you need to invite Jesus into more fully? How can you give Him permission to lead you through your trials? ([35:39])
How can you remind yourself that your suffering is not your destination but a vehicle to the resurrection? What practical steps can you take to keep this perspective? ([34:04])
Identify one way you can offer your heart to Jesus this week, acknowledging His work in your life. How will you intentionally make this offering during your prayer or worship time? ([28:26])

Sermon Clips

1. "It's not about you. It's about Jesus. I was like, yeah, of course it's about Jesus. That's why I'm here. It's about you. Did you listen to your journal? How many eyes did you say? I was like, yeah, there was a lot. He's like, that's because you think it's about you. You don't know that it's about Jesus." [22:42] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "I thought my faith depended on what I did rather than on what He had already done for me. Amen? Jesus has already done something for us, and He did it on the cross. He didn't do, He didn't come to this earth just to be like, you know what, you guys are doing really great. You're amazing." [27:26] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "If I come to church and I think like, oh, I didn't get anything out of the Mass. I didn't get anything out. It's like, well, A, what did I put into it? Because coming to Mass isn't about me getting something, although you can freely get the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus. Woohoo! Yeah, alright! You get his life inside of you, so that's one thing." [27:56] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "But did I give him my heart in the Mass? Did I come with an intentionality in the Mass, and say, you can have my week. You can have my sorrow. You can have my hurt that I experienced this past week. Did I come to the Mass, and did I bring the cross that Jesus has given me this past week, and I look up at this crucifix, and I say, Jesus, whew, this is hard! The cross is hard!" [28:26] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Your suffering is not your destination. Amen? I think we need to hear that. Your suffering is not your destination. It is the means by which, the vehicle of transportation to the resurrection. Amen? So say this with me. Say, in the name of Jesus, my suffering is a vehicle of transportation to the glory of resurrection. In Jesus' name." [34:04] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Because when I look at that cross, what do I see? I see a man who's dead, except I know that he doesn't remain dead too long. And so no matter the cross that he says, we must pick up our cross and carry it. I carry my cross with him and I don't stay there. I go through the suffering with him and I come out with the glory of the resurrection. Amen?" [34:35] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "I don't have to do something to get God's approval. And it's not like I'm going to do the things so that I feel better about myself. It's that when I unite my cross to his cross, the suffering to his suffering, I realize I don't suffer alone. Amen? Can you just say this with me? Say, in the name of Jesus, I do not suffer alone. He suffers with me. Therefore, I'm never alone." [32:03] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Because it is a false notion of Christianity to say that if I'm good, God won't let bad things happen to me. No matter who I am, good or bad, God allows suffering because we are living in a broken world and I am part of this broken world. But he has come into my suffering to raise me up. Amen? He's come to save me from my suffering." [34:04] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "And so I go into the Father's room, I sit down, and he's like, now all you have to do is ask the Lord forgiveness. I'm like, for what? I went to confession two days ago. And he's like, ask the Lord forgiveness for not letting him in sooner. For not letting him in sooner. Now we may say I go to Mass every Sunday, I go to Mass during the week, I go to Mass or I go to confession, all amazing things." [33:03] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "And bad things happen to bad people and good people, amen? It just happens. It's like the rain falls on the good and the bad. That's what Scripture says. So when we get caught up into saying, like, if I'm good, then God won't let bad things happen to me, whoo! Have you looked at the cross, brothers and sisters? Have we looked at that? He is sinless. Whoo! There is no more goodness that we could get than when we look at the cross, because he is sinless." [31:00] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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