Transforming Knowledge into Christlike Living
Summary
The sermon begins with the pastor emphasizing the importance of becoming more like Jesus, acknowledging the challenges of trusting God's guidance, especially when we feel fragile and broken. He encourages the congregation to commit to becoming what God wants them to be, believing that a flourishing life comes from emulating Jesus. The pastor then addresses the issue of spiritual knowledge and its relationship to spiritual maturity. He expresses concern about people who possess a wealth of spiritual knowledge but fail to be transformed by it. He emphasizes that the goal of being a follower of Jesus is not simply to know what the Bible says, but to live a lifestyle that reflects the character of Jesus.
The pastor also discusses the importance of not only hearing the teachings of Jesus but also putting them into practice. He explains that Jesus wants his teachings to impact people's lifestyles so that they can experience a flourishing life, rather than just gaining intellectual knowledge. He uses the geographical context of the Sea of Galilee and its unique weather patterns to illustrate the danger of building on shifting sand, emphasizing the importance of a solid foundation in one's faith.
The pastor then emphasizes the importance of allowing the teachings of Jesus to transform who we are. He believes that the pathway to a flourishing life is found in becoming more like Jesus and living the lifestyle that he lived. He values the struggle, the stumbling forward, and the mistakes made along the way, as he believes that on the other side of that is the flourishing life. He expresses his desire for everyone, whether a follower of Jesus or not, to experience this transformation and step into the room of a flourishing life.
The sermon concludes with the pastor focusing on the last and loudest thing that Jesus wants for his closest friends and followers. He refers to Matthew 28:18-20, where Jesus commands his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The pastor emphasizes that the goal should be to teach people to obey everything Jesus has commanded, allowing that knowledge to lead to life change and a flourishing life.
Key Takeaways:
- Becoming more like Jesus is a process that requires commitment and trust in God's guidance. A flourishing life comes from emulating Jesus, not just knowing about Him. ([12:45])
- Possessing a wealth of spiritual knowledge is futile if it does not lead to transformation. The goal of being a follower of Jesus is to live a lifestyle that reflects His character, not just to know what the Bible says. ([24:30])
- Not only hearing Jesus' teachings but also putting them into practice is crucial. The geographical context of the Sea of Galilee illustrates the danger of building on shifting sand, emphasizing the importance of a solid foundation in one's faith. ([36:15])
- The pathway to a flourishing life is found in becoming more like Jesus and living the lifestyle that he lived. The struggle and the mistakes made along the way are valuable, as on the other side of that is the flourishing life. ([48:50])
- Jesus commands his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The goal should be to teach people to obey everything Jesus has commanded, allowing that knowledge to lead to life change and a flourishing life. ([59:30])
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Matthew 7:24-28: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash. When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law."
2. Matthew 28:18-20: "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.'"
Observation Questions:
1. What are the two types of people Jesus describes in Matthew 7:24-28, and what distinguishes them from each other?
2. In Matthew 28:18-20, what command does Jesus give to his followers, and what promise does he make to them?
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to build your house on the rock, as described in Matthew 7:24-28? How does this relate to hearing and putting into practice Jesus' teachings?
2. In Matthew 28:18-20, what does it mean to make disciples of all nations? How does this command relate to the idea of living a lifestyle that reflects Jesus' character?
Application Questions:
1. Can you identify a recent situation where you heard Jesus' words but struggled to put them into practice? What was the challenge and how can you overcome it next time?
2. What is one specific way you can demonstrate obedience to Jesus' command in Matthew 28:18-20 this week? Who is one person you can share Jesus' teachings with?
3. Reflect on your spiritual knowledge. Is there a gap between what you know and how you live? What is one step you can take to close this gap?
4. Think of a time when you felt like you were building on shifting sand. How can you ensure you are building on a solid foundation in your faith moving forward?
5. What is one area in your life where you can become more like Jesus? What is one action you can take this week to move in that direction?
Devotional
Day 1: Emulating Jesus: The Path to a Flourishing Life
The journey to becoming more like Jesus is a process that requires unwavering commitment and trust in God's guidance. It is not merely about knowing Jesus, but about emulating Him in our daily lives. This is the pathway to a flourishing life, a life that is abundant and fulfilling. ([12:45](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJR8YNojuR4&t=750s))
Ephesians 4:15 - "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."
Reflection: What specific actions can you take today to emulate Jesus in your daily life?
Day 2: Transformation: The True Measure of Spiritual Knowledge
Possessing a wealth of spiritual knowledge is futile if it does not lead to transformation. The true measure of being a follower of Jesus is not just knowing what the Bible says, but living a lifestyle that reflects His character. ([24:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJR8YNojuR4&t=1455s))
James 1:22 - "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."
Reflection: How can you apply the spiritual knowledge you have gained to transform your lifestyle to reflect Jesus' character?
Day 3: Building on Solid Foundation: The Importance of Practicing Jesus' Teachings
Hearing Jesus' teachings is crucial, but putting them into practice is even more important. This is the solid foundation upon which a flourishing life is built. ([36:15](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJR8YNojuR4&t=2160s))
Luke 6:47-48 - "Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock."
Reflection: What specific teachings of Jesus can you put into practice today to build a solid foundation for your faith?
Day 4: The Struggle Towards Transformation: Embracing the Journey
The pathway to a flourishing life is found in becoming more like Jesus and living the lifestyle that he lived. The struggle and the mistakes made along the way are valuable, as on the other side of that is the flourishing life. ([48:50](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJR8YNojuR4&t=2915s))
Romans 5:3-4 - "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."
Reflection: How can you embrace the struggles and mistakes you encounter in your journey towards becoming more like Jesus?
Day 5: Making Disciples: The Ultimate Commandment
Jesus commands his followers to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The goal should be to teach people to obey everything Jesus has commanded, allowing that knowledge to lead to life change and a flourishing life. ([59:30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJR8YNojuR4&t=3555s))
Matthew 28:19-20 - "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."
Reflection: How can you actively participate in making disciples and teaching them to obey Jesus' commandments?
Quotes
1. "We honestly believe that the pathway to the flourishing life is becoming more like Jesus. We believe that's what's best for you, what's best for me, what's best for our city. If we can get closer and closer to living the lifestyle that Jesus lived, it will lead us and our city into the flourishing life." [34:18]
2. "We value the struggle, the stumbling forward, making mistakes, and tripping and falling. We value showing weakness and just getting up and saying, 'I just want to slowly chip away at looking more and more like Jesus because I want to slowly chip away at stepping into the flourishing life.' For the rest of my life, I want this for me and I want this for us." [35:37]
3. "He wants to give everybody the opportunity to step into the flourishing life he's not downplaying what he said he just said that's not the goal...the goal is for you to allow what I have to say to transform and change the life you're living because that's best for you." [28:29]
4. "Your goal should be to teach people to live a lifestyle that's consistent with the things that I've said, like don't make the point the knowledge transfer, make the point obeying the knowledge transfer." [31:51]
5. "The point is not getting more knowledge, the point is allowing that knowledge to draw you into the flourishing life." [32:26]
6. "In other words, there is great wisdom in being somebody who hears the teaching of Jesus but doesn't just allow that to pad their intellect but become somebody whose lifestyle is adjusted, changed, and transformed because of Jesus's teaching. He calls that wisdom." [24:55]
7. "I'm more concerned about us living a lifestyle that's like Jesus lived in treating people like Jesus treated people and even loving what God is doing in my life and understanding my circumstances like Jesus did and being led into joy and peace like Jesus did." [39:57]
8. "It doesn't come with just knowing what Jesus has to say, it's not neutral, that's actually negative if you leave it there. But if you allow it to change and transform who you are, you step forward more and more into the flourishing life." [36:18]
9. "Jesus is unconcerned with a knowledge transfer. He wants people to hear what he has to say so that it impacts their lifestyle in a way that they can step into the flourishing life, not become intellectually more knowledgeable about what Jesus has to say." #!!26:43!!#
10. "We don't just want to talk about what the Bible has to say. We want to actually be led into the places where we are running from sin and resting in joy and peace because we're valuing becoming, not just knowing."
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