Transforming Ambitions: Pleasing God from Within

 

Summary

Living a life that pleases God is a profound journey that requires us to align our ambitions with the eternal purpose of glorifying Him. Reflecting on the life of Jesus, we see that He often sat down to teach, emphasizing the familial and intimate nature of His teachings. This approach underscores the importance of building a community that functions as a family, united in Christ despite differences. Our ambition, like Paul's, should be to please God, whether in heaven or on earth. This ambition should guide our lives so that if we were to transition from earth to heaven, there would be no change in our direction or purpose.

The essence of pleasing God is not found in external achievements or religious rituals but in an inner life transformed by the Holy Spirit. The Old Covenant, with its external laws, has been replaced by the New Covenant, where God's laws are written on our hearts. This inner transformation is crucial because it leads to a life that genuinely reflects God's character. Jesus exemplified this by living a life that pleased God without performing any public ministry for the first 30 years of His life. His life was marked by obedience and a heart aligned with God's will.

In contrast, many Christians today focus on external markers of faith, such as doctrinal correctness or public ministry, without cultivating an inner life that truly pleases God. The Pharisees, with their impeccable external righteousness, serve as a warning. True righteousness surpasses mere external compliance and is rooted in a heart transformed by God's Spirit. The Sermon on the Mount calls us to this deeper righteousness, one that goes beyond the letter of the law to the spirit of love and humility.

Ultimately, the measure of our lives is not in the miracles we perform or the ministries we lead but in the fruit of the Spirit evident in our lives. Jesus warned that many who perform great works in His name may not be known by Him if their lives lack genuine spiritual fruit. Therefore, our focus should be on cultivating an inner life that reflects Christ's character, marked by humility, love, and a sincere desire to please God.

Key Takeaways:

- Jesus' teaching style, often sitting down, highlights the importance of community and family within the church. This approach fosters a sense of belonging and unity among believers, emphasizing that we are one family in Christ despite our differences. [02:15]

- Our ambition should be to please God, both on earth and in heaven. This ambition aligns our lives with God's eternal purpose, ensuring that our direction remains unchanged whether we are on earth or in heaven. [05:17]

- The New Covenant, unlike the Old, writes God's laws on our hearts, leading to an inner transformation. This inner life, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is essential for living a life that pleases God. [18:58]

- True righteousness surpasses external compliance and is rooted in a heart transformed by God's Spirit. The Sermon on the Mount calls us to this deeper righteousness, emphasizing the importance of inner motives over outward actions. [31:52]

- The measure of our lives is not in the miracles we perform but in the fruit of the Spirit evident in our lives. Genuine spiritual fruit, marked by humility and love, is the true indicator of a life that pleases God. [42:44]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [01:08] - Jesus' Teaching Style
- [02:15] - Building a Family in Christ
- [03:33] - Living to Please God
- [05:17] - Paul's Ambition
- [06:34] - Aligning Earthly and Heavenly Ambitions
- [07:51] - Transitioning from Earth to Heaven
- [11:45] - Sacrifice and Self-Denial
- [12:55] - No Second Chance for Self-Denial
- [13:39] - Building a Church that Pleases God
- [16:55] - Understanding the New Covenant
- [18:58] - Inner Transformation by the Spirit
- [22:50] - The Sermon on the Mount's Call
- [31:52] - True Righteousness
- [42:44] - Fruit of the Spirit vs. Gifts of the Spirit

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Living a Life that Pleases God

Bible Reading:
1. 2 Corinthians 5:9-10
2. Hebrews 8:7-10
3. Matthew 5:20

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Observation Questions:

1. According to 2 Corinthians 5:9, what was Paul's ambition, and how does it relate to both his earthly and heavenly life? [05:17]

2. In Hebrews 8:7-10, what is the key difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, and how does this difference affect our relationship with God? [18:58]

3. How does Jesus' teaching in Matthew 5:20 challenge the righteousness of the Pharisees, and what does it imply about the nature of true righteousness? [31:52]

4. What examples from the sermon illustrate the difference between external religious practices and an inner life transformed by the Holy Spirit? [42:44]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does Paul's ambition to please God in 2 Corinthians 5:9-10 serve as a model for Christians today, and what might this look like in practical terms? [05:17]

2. In what ways does the New Covenant, as described in Hebrews 8:7-10, empower believers to live a life that pleases God, and how does this differ from the Old Covenant? [18:58]

3. How does the deeper righteousness that Jesus calls for in Matthew 5:20 differ from the righteousness of the Pharisees, and why is this important for believers? [31:52]

4. Reflecting on the sermon, what are some potential pitfalls of focusing on external markers of faith rather than cultivating an inner life that pleases God? [42:44]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your current ambitions. Are they aligned with the ambition to please God both on earth and in heaven? What changes might you need to make to align your ambitions with God's eternal purpose? [05:17]

2. Consider the New Covenant's promise of God's laws written on our hearts. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit to experience this inner transformation? [18:58]

3. Jesus calls for a righteousness that surpasses that of the Pharisees. In what areas of your life might you be focusing more on external compliance rather than inner transformation? How can you shift your focus? [31:52]

4. The sermon warns against relying on external religious practices. Identify one area in your spiritual life where you might be focusing too much on outward appearances. How can you redirect your efforts towards genuine spiritual growth? [42:44]

5. Think about the fruit of the Spirit in your life. Which aspect do you feel is lacking, and what specific steps can you take this week to cultivate it more fully? [42:44]

6. Reflect on the sense of community and family within your church. How can you contribute to building a stronger, more united community that reflects the familial nature of Jesus' teachings? [02:15]

7. Jesus lived a life that pleased God without public ministry for 30 years. How can you find contentment and purpose in your current stage of life, even if it doesn't involve public recognition or ministry? [39:58]

Devotional

Day 1: Community as Family
Reflecting on Jesus' teaching style, we see the importance of fostering a community that functions as a family within the church. Jesus often sat down to teach, creating an intimate and familial atmosphere that emphasized unity among believers. This approach encourages us to build a church community where everyone feels a sense of belonging, regardless of differences. By focusing on relationships and mutual support, we can create a family in Christ that mirrors the love and unity Jesus exemplified. [02:15]

"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God." (Romans 15:7, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your church community can you reach out to this week to foster a deeper sense of family and belonging?


Day 2: Ambition to Please God
Our ambition should be to please God, both on earth and in heaven. This ambition aligns our lives with God's eternal purpose, ensuring that our direction remains unchanged whether we are on earth or in heaven. By focusing on pleasing God, we align our earthly ambitions with heavenly ones, living a life that reflects His will and purpose. This alignment helps us maintain a consistent direction in our spiritual journey, regardless of our circumstances. [05:17]

"So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him." (2 Corinthians 5:9, ESV)

Reflection: What is one ambition or goal in your life that you can realign today to better reflect your desire to please God?


Day 3: Inner Transformation by the Spirit
The New Covenant, unlike the Old, writes God's laws on our hearts, leading to an inner transformation. This inner life, empowered by the Holy Spirit, is essential for living a life that pleases God. Instead of focusing on external achievements or religious rituals, we are called to cultivate an inner life that genuinely reflects God's character. This transformation is marked by a heart aligned with God's will, leading to a life of obedience and spiritual growth. [18:58]

"And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you invite the Holy Spirit to transform your heart today, moving beyond external compliance to genuine inner change?


Day 4: True Righteousness
True righteousness surpasses external compliance and is rooted in a heart transformed by God's Spirit. The Sermon on the Mount calls us to this deeper righteousness, emphasizing the importance of inner motives over outward actions. Jesus warns against the Pharisees' focus on external righteousness, urging us to cultivate a heart that reflects His love and humility. This deeper righteousness is characterized by a sincere desire to please God and live according to His Spirit. [31:52]

"For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you can shift your focus from external actions to cultivating a heart of true righteousness?


Day 5: Fruit of the Spirit
The measure of our lives is not in the miracles we perform but in the fruit of the Spirit evident in our lives. Genuine spiritual fruit, marked by humility and love, is the true indicator of a life that pleases God. Jesus cautions that many who perform great works in His name may not be known by Him if their lives lack genuine spiritual fruit. Our focus should be on cultivating an inner life that reflects Christ's character, allowing the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in all we do. [42:44]

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Galatians 5:22-23, ESV)

Reflection: Which fruit of the Spirit do you feel is lacking in your life, and how can you intentionally cultivate it this week?

Quotes


And here, I would presume that more than 90 % of you know Jesus as your Savior, or probably 95%. Or 98%. And so those, in some areas, we may have a few different convictions. We are one family in Christ. Don't ever forget that. And when we sit together, it's as a family. Like in our own home, our children are different. So in Christ's family also, there are differences. But we are one family. So our subject is living a life that pleases God. [00:03:33]

We have as our ambition, whether at home, and if you see the context of it, he's talking about heaven as our home, or on earth absent from home. So he's saying, whether I'm at home in heaven, which will happen one day. Or right now, absent from home, I have one ambition. I want to please God. And Paul once said, follow me as I follow Christ. He was following Jesus, who also had one ambition, to please his Father. [00:04:51]

In heaven, everybody's got one ambition. That's to please God. Christ is the center. And they want to please him. And we'll fall in line. So what Paul is saying is, that's going to be the direction I'm going to live all eternity. That's going to be the direction I'm going to be moving in all eternity to please God, to please Jesus Christ. And what he's saying is, I'm aligning myself with that now on earth. [00:07:00]

And you live with a regret about that for all eternity. We tell unbelievers, there's no second chance to be saved. It's here on earth or never. And I say to believers, there's no second chance to take up the cross and deny yourself and follow Jesus. It's either now or never. And I say to you. And as much as that unbeliever will regret that he didn't accept Christ here on earth, the believer is going to regret that he didn't take up the cross here on earth. [00:12:55]

And he finds fault with that first covenant and says, I'm going to make a new covenant now. And now, see this. It will not be laws written outside on tablets of stone or in a book. Verse 10. I will put my law into their mind. The middle of verse 10. I will write it in their hearts. That was not possible under the old covenant. So the first step was that God's laws will be written on tablets of stone. [00:18:58]

In the new covenant, you come to an inward good life. That is the essential difference. That is the absolute difference between the old covenant and new covenant. And in the old covenant, no one could please God fully. There was a limit. The external life was less than 10 % of man's life. What we could call it. they are conscious and are unconscious. And this is what Jesus tried to point out in the Sermon on the Mount when he said in Matthew 5. [00:22:07]

Matthew 5, he said in verse 20, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven. Do you believe that? Today when somebody says, how can I enter heaven? We tell him, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you'll enter heaven. Supposing I tell him, your righteousness must be more than the righteousness of the Pharisees if you want to enter heaven. [00:24:47]

And God is not pleased with just that external life. He's not pleased with just correctness of doctrine. There's so much of argument. There's so much of doctrine today. Are you a Calvinist? Are you an Armenian? Do you believe in the fundamental truths? Do you believe in the rapture before the tribulation or after the tribulation? I say, brother, whatever you may believe in, if you don't deny yourself and take up the cross, you can never follow Jesus. That's for sure. [00:29:26]

And you think these are the greatest men of God whom the Lord is going to commend. I mean, today, I'm going to say, I'm going to say, I'm going to say, when you see people preaching in Jesus' name, casting out demons in Jesus' name, doing miracles, or at least pretending to do miracles in Jesus' name, look at all the multitudes who sit and say, wow, what a man of God. And there'll be so many dumb people who will say that in that day also. But Jesus turns around and says to them, get away from me. I never knew you. Matthew 7, 23, you live in sin. [00:40:53]

But they did not please God. Is that possible? Today, when you hear of some man who's preaching to thousands and doing so -called miracles and casting out demons, you'd say, what a man of God. I don't. I don't. I've read the Bible. I say, I don't know. Whether he's genuine, I don't know. I'm not saying anything against ministry. I've preached thousands of sermons. I've cast out demons. I've prayed for the sick and they've been healed. [00:42:01]

Tell me honestly, all of you who are sitting here, please be honest and answer this to yourself before God. Do you admire? Do you look at a man for his gifts or for his fruit? When you look at a man and you hear his ministry and you're impressed, do you try to find out how he's living? Somebody asked me once, Brother Zach, who are the type of preachers you'll invite to preach in your church in CFC in Bangalore? [00:44:05]

I want to see if he's a humble person number one secondly I want to see what's his attitude to money is he interested in anybody's money will he come and preach if he gets zero as a gift third I want to know if he's married something about his children what his children like I'm not asking that they should be preachers no preaching is a gift by their fruits I want to see if they're godly children because your children know you much better than anybody else you know that you can fool everybody in your church but you can't fool your children they see how you talk to your wife how you talk to your husband how you talk to people who come to the house they see everything you they see you all the time they know what type of Christian you are and they'll follow that if you're a hypocrite this is what I should be so I want to know what type of children you're brought up I say that's the third thing and fourth I said I want to know what type of co -workers he has because a man's not distant co -workers with the closest co -workers of a person are a pretty good indication of what he himself is like when I look at Timothy and the way he lived I know what Paul is like because Paul trained Timothy and then fall tells about Timothy I have got nobody like him who doesn't seek his own who lives for Christ and seeks the good of others I say hey he got that from Paul he never saw Jesus but he saw Paul we learn a lot lot by observing the way people live, not just the way people preach. [00:45:06]

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Transcript
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