Trusting God's Leadership Through Life's Challenges
Summary
In our current sermon series, we've been exploring the various journeys that individuals undertake in the biblical narrative, particularly as we move through Lent towards the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. We've seen how God meets people in their unique life situations, and today, I want to delve into the concept of Christian leadership and spiritual maturity as it relates to these journeys.
Drawing from Henry Nouwen's book "In the Name of Jesus," we discussed the contrast between the world's view of leadership, which often prioritizes power, control, and self-governance, and the vision of maturity that Jesus presents. True maturity, according to Jesus, is not about exerting power or control but about the willingness to be led to places we would rather not go. It's about surrendering our desire to lead and instead allowing ourselves to be led by God.
This brings us to the journey of Abraham, a story that exemplifies the transition from leading to being led. Abraham, who had waited so long for a son, was asked by God to sacrifice Isaac, the very embodiment of God's promise to him. This request seems to defy understanding and challenges us to consider the nature of faith and obedience.
We also touched on the inevitability of loss and grief in life, as illustrated by Katherine Weber's quote from "The Music Lesson." Life is a series of losses, and how we respond to these losses shapes our journey. Even in the midst of pain and loss, we are invited to trust in God's goodness and provision.
Reflecting on my own experience of unemployment, I shared how God used that time to strip away my reliance on money and prestige, teaching me what true surrender and trust look like. This process, though painful, is part of the journey of faith.
We discussed the difficulty of life and the hard truth that every journey, including our walk with God, is fraught with challenges. Yet, in the midst of these challenges, we are called to surrender even the good things in our lives, trusting that God's plans are greater than our own.
The story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac, despite the ethical and moral dilemmas it presents, ultimately points to a faith that believes God can bring life from death. This faith is echoed in the New Testament, where the author of Hebrews interprets Abraham's actions as a belief in God's ability to raise the dead.
Finally, we looked at the ultimate provision of God's love through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Jesus, the Lamb of God, is the guarantee of God's goodness and love for us. In every moment of despair or confusion, we are invited to trust in a God who has demonstrated His love by giving His life for us.
Key Takeaways:
- True Christian leadership is not about exerting power or control but about the willingness to be led by God, even to places we would rather not go. This requires a surrender of our own desires and plans, trusting that God's ways are higher than our own. [01:39]
- Life is inherently filled with loss and grief, but as Christians, we are called to respond to these losses with faith and trust in God's provision. Our journey through life is not about avoiding pain but about learning to see God's hand at work, even in the midst of our suffering. [17:43]
- The journey of faith often involves surrendering not just the bad things in our lives but also the good things we hold dear. This act of relinquishment is a profound expression of trust in God's goodness and His greater purposes for our lives. [12:50]
- Abraham's story challenges us to consider the depth of our faith. Are we willing to trust God's promises, even when His requests seem incomprehensible? True faith believes that God can bring life from death and that His provision is always sufficient. [24:42]
- The ultimate expression of God's love and provision is found in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As we journey through life's hardships, we can cling to the assurance that God is for us and that His love is demonstrated through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. [28:17]
Study Guide
### Bible Study Discussion Guide
#### Bible Reading
1. Genesis 22:1-3 - "Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, 'Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied. Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.' Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about."
2. Hebrews 11:17-19 - "By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, 'It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.' Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death."
3. Philippians 2:12-13 - "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose."
#### Observation Questions
1. What was Abraham's immediate response when God asked him to sacrifice Isaac? (Genesis 22:1-3)
2. According to Hebrews 11:17-19, what was Abraham's reasoning for being willing to sacrifice Isaac?
3. In Philippians 2:12-13, what does Paul instruct believers to do with their salvation?
4. How does the sermon describe the world's view of leadership compared to Jesus' vision of maturity? [01:39]
#### Interpretation Questions
1. What does Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac reveal about his faith and trust in God? (Genesis 22:1-3)
2. How does the concept of "fear and trembling" in Philippians 2:12-13 relate to the journey of faith described in the sermon? [19:26]
3. Why is the willingness to be led by God, even to places we would rather not go, considered true Christian leadership according to the sermon? [01:39]
4. How does the story of Abraham and Isaac challenge our understanding of God's promises and provision? [24:42]
#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God was leading you to a place you did not want to go. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [01:39]
2. The sermon mentions that life is inherently filled with loss and grief. How have you seen God's provision in your own times of loss? [17:43]
3. Abraham's story involves surrendering even the good things in life. Is there something good in your life that you feel God is asking you to surrender? How can you take steps to trust Him in this area? [12:50]
4. How can you cultivate a faith that believes God can bring life from death, as Abraham did? What practical steps can you take to strengthen this kind of faith? [24:42]
5. The ultimate expression of God's love is found in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. How does this truth impact your daily life and decisions? [28:17]
6. In what ways can you practice being led by God in your current life situation, rather than trying to exert control? [01:39]
7. How can you support others in your small group who are going through difficult journeys of faith, loss, or surrender? What specific actions can you take to be a source of encouragement and support? [12:13]
Devotional
Day 1: Surrendering to Divine Leadership
True Christian leadership is characterized by a willingness to follow God's guidance, even when it leads to unexpected or challenging places. This form of leadership is not about asserting one's own power or control but about humbly accepting that God's wisdom surpasses our own. It requires a deep trust in God's plan and a readiness to let go of personal ambitions and desires. This surrender is not a sign of weakness but a testament to spiritual maturity, acknowledging that true strength comes from reliance on God's direction rather than self-sufficiency.
"Then Jesus told his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.'" - Matthew 16:24-25 (ESV)
Reflection: In what areas of your life are you struggling to relinquish control to God? How can you practice letting go and trusting in His leadership today? [07:40]
Day 2: Embracing Life's Losses with Faith
Life's journey is inevitably marked by loss and grief, yet these experiences are not void of purpose. As Christians, one is called to face these moments with a steadfast faith in God's provision. This perspective does not diminish the pain of loss but offers a way to navigate through it with hope. By trusting in God's goodness, one can find solace and strength, recognizing that God is present and at work even in the darkest times. This trust is not passive; it is an active engagement with God's promises, looking for His hand in every situation.
"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)
Reflection: How can you cultivate a heart of trust in God's provision during times of loss or grief? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of His presence and promises? [17:43]
Day 3: The Act of Relinquishing the Good
The faith journey often calls for the surrender of not only the burdens and challenges but also the blessings and joys one holds dear. This act of relinquishment is a profound demonstration of trust in God's greater purposes. It is an acknowledgment that everything one has is a gift from God and that He may call for these gifts to be laid down for His plans. This surrender is not about losing what is valued but about gaining a deeper understanding and intimacy with God, who is the source of all good things.
"Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her." - Proverbs 8:10-11 (ESV)
Reflection: What good thing in your life might God be asking you to surrender for His purposes? How can you begin to loosen your grip on this and trust God's intentions? [12:50]
Day 4: Faith Beyond Understanding
The story of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice Isaac confronts believers with the question of how deep their faith truly goes. Are they prepared to trust in God's promises, even when His requests seem beyond comprehension? This level of faith is not about blind obedience but about a conviction that God can bring life from death and that His provision is always enough. It is a faith that looks beyond the present circumstances to the eternal and unchanging character of God.
"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, 'Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.'" - Hebrews 11:17-18 (ESV)
Reflection: When has your faith been tested by circumstances that seemed to contradict God's promises? How did you respond, and what did you learn about trusting God's character? [24:42]
Day 5: Assurance in God's Sacrificial Love
The ultimate demonstration of God's love and provision is found in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. In the midst of life's trials and uncertainties, believers can hold fast to the assurance that God is for them, and His love is proven through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. This assurance is not just a comfort; it is a call to live confidently in the reality of God's love, allowing it to shape every aspect of one's life and interactions with others.
"In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him." - 1 John 4:9 (ESV)
Reflection: How does the sacrifice of Jesus Christ influence your understanding of God's love in times of despair or confusion? What are some ways you can remind yourself of this truth daily? [28:17]
Quotes
"Life is hard and in some ways one of the gifts that we can give to each other and to ourselves is just to accept that reality instead of the illusion that somehow you know what if I get that thing if I get into that school if I get that job... life is hard and the journey of life is difficult." [11:03]
"What makes this particular story especially difficult and one of the most incisive difficulties of what it means to follow God is that sometimes God even asks us to surrender even the good things in life... I want you to sacrifice Isaac the very good thing your son your only son whom you love I want you to surrender even the good things." [12:50]
"Through that whole season of unemployment for myself I realized that what God had to do in me... God needed to strip from me the the whole like Prestige that I was so after to somehow be a pastor be a known person at this church in Queens God needed to strip and refine and Purge me of all these things." [14:33]
"For it is God who works in you to Will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose... what does it look like for us to be a people of fear and trembling and this story of Abraham is so emblematic of this invitation fear and trembling this is often what faith feels like feels difficult and hard." [20:11]
"Abraham reasoned that even though he had been asked to sacrifice the very sign of God's promise Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead... he did receive Isaac back from Death... a faith that believed that even if he were to sacrifice the good thing that even if he was to surrender that that God was still good." [24:42]
"Abraham looked up and there in a Thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns he went over took the RAM and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son... the God who sees to the end the God who actually will follow through and will provide." [26:02]
"This is how God showed his love Among Us he sent his one and only son into the world that we might live through him this is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son as a ram as a lamb as a provision as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." [28:17]
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