Transformative Love: Trusting God in Our Journey
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor reflecting on the transformative power of God's love and the process of spiritual growth. The pastor emphasizes that God often reveals the next step for us to take in our spiritual journey, even when we may not fully understand it. This growth brings freedom, healing, and new life to our minds, hearts, and souls. The pastor also highlights the Gospel encounter of Jesus calling Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him, demonstrating the inclusive and transformative nature of God's love.
The pastor then reflects on the radical love and discipleship that Jesus asks of his followers. The pastor acknowledges that living out the Beatitudes, which include loving enemies and showing mercy, may seem impossible. However, the pastor emphasizes that we were made to receive and live out this unconditional love. The pastor highlights the powerful testimony of individuals like Maximilian Kolbe, who demonstrated selfless love even in the midst of extreme suffering.
The pastor focuses on the importance of trust in receiving God's unconditional love. Trust becomes the vessel through which we can receive the love that we desire. The pastor then visualizes the heart as having two openings - one to receive God's love and another to pour out our love. However, due to the brokenness of the world and the fear of rejection, we often choose to shut the doors of our hearts. This leads to frustration and a desire to find love and happiness on our own terms.
The pastor reflects on the concept of boldness in poverty, inspired by the teachings of Saint Therese. This realization leads to excitement and confidence in surrendering to God's plan. The pastor emphasizes that when faced with an impasse, we are invited to acknowledge our own limitations and trust in God's faithfulness. They encourage the congregation to identify the areas in their lives where trust is most needed, such as fear, shame, struggles, or relationships.
The sermon concludes with the pastor emphasizing the importance of surrendering to God and trusting in His love and presence. The pastor acknowledges various obstacles that can hinder this trust, such as anxiety about the future, resentment towards the past, and restless self-seeking in the present moment. However, the pastor encourages the congregation to let go of these fears and doubts, and instead place their trust in Jesus.
Key Takeaways:
- God often reveals the next step for us to take in our spiritual journey, even when we may not fully understand it. This growth brings freedom, healing, and new life to our minds, hearts, and souls. [12:45]
- Living out the Beatitudes, which include loving enemies and showing mercy, may seem impossible. However, we were made to receive and live out this unconditional love. This is evident in the powerful testimony of individuals like Maximilian Kolbe, who demonstrated selfless love even in the midst of extreme suffering. [24:30]
- Trust becomes the vessel through which we can receive the love that we desire. However, due to the brokenness of the world and the fear of rejection, we often choose to shut the doors of our hearts. This leads to frustration and a desire to find love and happiness on our own terms. [36:15]
- When faced with an impasse, we are invited to acknowledge our own limitations and trust in God's faithfulness. Identifying the areas in our lives where trust is most needed, such as fear, shame, struggles, or relationships, can lead to growth and healing. [48:50]
- Surrendering to God and trusting in His love and presence is crucial. Despite obstacles such as anxiety about the future, resentment towards the past, and restless self-seeking in the present moment, we are encouraged to let go of these fears and doubts, and instead place our trust in Jesus. [59:30]
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 5:44: "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
2. Luke 6:35: "But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked."
3. Genesis 1:27: "So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them."
Observation Questions:
1. In Matthew 5:44, what does Jesus command his followers to do towards their enemies?
2. What does Luke 6:35 suggest about the nature of God's love and how we should emulate it?
3. According to Genesis 1:27, how does God view mankind?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the command to love our enemies in Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:35 challenge our natural inclinations?
2. What does being created in God's image (Genesis 1:27) imply about our capacity to love unconditionally?
3. How might the concept of being created in God's image influence our understanding of the call to love our enemies?
Application Questions:
1. Can you think of a specific person who you consider an enemy? How can you show love to this person in the coming week?
2. What is one practical way you can demonstrate God's unconditional love to someone who has been unkind or ungrateful to you?
3. Reflect on a time when you closed your heart due to fear or rejection. How can you open your heart to receive and give love in that situation?
4. Identify an area in your life where trust is most needed. What is one step you can take this week to surrender this area to God?
5. Think about a recent situation where you felt anxious about the future, resentful about the past, or restless in the present. How can you apply the principle of trusting in God's love and presence in this situation?
Devotional
Day 1: Embracing the Unseen Steps of Spiritual Growth
God often reveals the next step in our spiritual journey, even when it may not be fully understood. This growth brings freedom, healing, and new life to our minds, hearts, and souls. [12:45] This process of spiritual growth is a transformative journey, guided by God's love and wisdom. It is a journey that requires faith, patience, and a willingness to embrace the unseen steps that God has laid out for us.
Bible Passage: Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Reflection: What is one area in your spiritual journey where you feel God is leading you, but you do not fully understand it? How can you embrace this unseen step with faith and trust?
Day 2: Living Out the Beatitudes in Our Lives
Living out the Beatitudes, which include loving enemies and showing mercy, may seem impossible. However, we were made to receive and live out this unconditional love. [24:30] This is evident in the powerful testimony of individuals like Maximilian Kolbe, who demonstrated selfless love even in the midst of extreme suffering.
Bible Passage: Matthew 5:44 - "But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."
Reflection: Who is one person in your life that you find difficult to love? How can you show them mercy and kindness this week?
Day 3: Trust as the Vessel of Love
Trust becomes the vessel through which we can receive the love that we desire. [36:15] However, due to the brokenness of the world and the fear of rejection, we often choose to shut the doors of our hearts. This leads to frustration and a desire to find love and happiness on our own terms.
Bible Passage: Psalm 37:5 - "Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this."
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you struggle to trust God? How can you open your heart to receive His love in this area?
Day 4: Acknowledging Our Limitations and Trusting in God's Faithfulness
When faced with an impasse, we are invited to acknowledge our own limitations and trust in God's faithfulness. [48:50] Identifying the areas in our lives where trust is most needed, such as fear, shame, struggles, or relationships, can lead to growth and healing.
Bible Passage: 2 Corinthians 12:9 - "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."
Reflection: What is one limitation or struggle you are currently facing? How can you trust in God's faithfulness in this situation?
Day 5: Surrendering to God and Trusting in His Love
Surrendering to God and trusting in His love and presence is crucial. [59:30] Despite obstacles such as anxiety about the future, resentment towards the past, and restless self-seeking in the present moment, we are encouraged to let go of these fears and doubts, and instead place our trust in Jesus.
Bible Passage: Psalm 55:22 - "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken."
Reflection: What is one fear or doubt that you need to surrender to God today? How can you actively trust in His love and presence in your life?
Quotes
"When we encounter God's mercy, something is awakened within us. We start to recognize how He sees us, and the way He sees us is the truth of our identity and our beautiful capacity to love. It is a transformative experience that helps us grasp the sacred dignity of the human person."
"The more freely someone receives love, this unconditional love of God, the more freely we can give it...this is the call to the spiritual life and to be a disciple of Christ."
"When Saint Therese hit her own sense of poverty and inability to pull it together, she got excited because she knew it was part of the right trajectory. She surrendered to God in that place and believed that He would gift her with something even better than she hoped for or dreamed."
"God is restoring this world and this culture by asking many hearts to trust Him in little ways and big ways. He invites us to be living miracles that witness His unconditional love, a love that everyone craves and is made for."
"Jesus sees him in the midst of his day, some say in the midst of his sin, and Jesus all he does is he says, 'Follow me.' Matthew follows him, which is awesome."
"How in the world are we able to live the Beatitudes, this radical love, this love that's unconditional? Because we are made to receive this unconditional love. It's not only possible, we were made for this, this is what we were made for."
"God wants to reveal himself to each of us as that person that we can trust and through learning to open our hearts to God and Trust, he can help us to navigate the relationships in our lives and give us freedom in loving others."
"Trust is the foundation for any relationship... our faith is growing in intimacy with Jesus Christ and becoming United with him, and to have any ability to go deep with this relationship, we need to trust God."
"God gives us a desire when he wants to lead us... God when he leads us each of us he's leading particularly and personally he first puts a desire in our hearts."
"Jesus changes everything. Is there anything more important than receiving and sharing this unconditional love of God?"
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