living the dream
Water cooler conversation:
What was your biggest win this week? What was your biggest challenge?
What’s your dream job? Your dream vacation?
Unpack the Message:
Abraham was obedient to God even when God tested his faith by asking him to sacrifice his son Isaac (Genesis 22:1-13). Abraham didn't ask for a sign or question God's instructions; he knew God would provide. God provides a sheep as a substitution for Isaac foreshadowing Jesus dying in our place 600 years later.
Contrast Abraham's willingness to sacrifice the most precious thing in the world to him with our unwillingness to sacrifice our time for God. Mark 10:45 reminds us, "Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." If we are going to become Christlike, serving and giving have to become part of our nature. Wanting to be served is natural, but serving others is supernatural.
Serving God requires sacrifice - it will cost you something. However, some of the most significant opportunities in life don't come with a dollar sign attached. Hebrews 13:16 reminds us, "And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased."
Serving God requires putting the needs of others before yourself. We encounter people every day with needs we can meet—MEETING NEEDS—but we have to be willing to get out of our comfort zone—PASSION OVER COMFORT. But, if we shift our mindset to one that recognizes that we lose nothing by serving, we'll see that serving God yields a vast reward. God wants to partner with you so that you can do far more than we could ever do alone.
You+God=Lives Changed.
Consider that if something is God's, it is "returning," not "giving." If this is true, how does this shift your approach?
The Apostle Paul didn't command the believers in Corinth to give. He invites them to look at the cross and Christ's giving of himself (2 Corinthians 8:8-9). Theologian John Stott refers to earthly riches as 'meager in comparison' with what Christ gave. Why do we lose sight of this so often? How can we encourage ourselves and one another to a more spiritual perspective?
Are there stories of generosity you have heard which have spurred you to greater giving?
Are there ways that we make serving only about ourselves? How do we avoid that trap?
Read John 13:1-17. What are practical ways you can serve in your everyday life?
Talk about a time when someone thought of you and served you instead of themselves. How did that blessing affect you?
Read Philippians 2:3-8. What did the Apostle Paul tell the church in Philippi to do in regards to others? Is this something that comes naturally to most people? What is the natural tendency of most people when it comes to thinking of themselves and others?
What happens in the life of a Christian when they think of others instead of themselves? How does this principle of putting others first develop character?
How is what Paul says to the Philippians in this passage similar to what Jesus told his disciples the night before He was crucified? John 13:34-35 & John 15:12-13.
Make a Move:
Reach out to us at info@expectation.church for information on how you can get connected and start serving. Or, go to ecnow.info for information about ongoing service projects like Red Cross Blood Drives, Operation Christmas Child, and Meal Trains.
Prayer Prompt:
Pray for a humble heart that seeks to serve rather than be served.