Growing in Christ: It's Worth the Sacrifice
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Big Idea:
Big Idea:
Growing in Christ requires sacrifice, but it’ll be worth it. Help them fall in love with Jesus (Be devotedly engaged!)
Intro:
Intro:
Hey Church Online -
Today’s our final sermon in the Growing in Christ series. Next week is Easter. And then it’s onto Phase 2 of our 2023 Vision: The Book of Jonah!
In our current series, we’ve talked about a lot of things that can help us grow:
Having a spirit like Caleb.
Love, biblical community, and a willingness to endure pain.
Living on mission and rightly thinking about our new identity.
And today, we’re gonna end by talking about SACRIFICE.
We live in a culture of entitlement and instant gratification...
We believe we are owed things and people should accommodate us.
We want things now and don’t want to wait.
Even still, there remains something deep within our souls that understands there’s something special about sacrifice. We may not choose sacrifice as the ideal, but we know it oftens plans an important role in the growth process. Voices from our history and culture confirm this...
Fredrick Douglass said, “If there is no struggle (sacrifice), there is no progress.”
The military says, “Embrace the suck [sacrifice].”
Hall of fame basketball legend, Kareem Abdul Jabbar said, “I think that the good and the great are only separated by the willingness to sacrifice.”
But the greatest example of how sacrifice comes from God. Actually, today is Palm Sunday - the day Jesus entered Jerusalem to began His journey towards the cross - the greatest sacrifice in history. Sacrifice is part of what God does.
And as Christians (Jesus followers), seeking to grow in Christ, I believe it needs to be part of what we do too. Christians should be the most sacrificial people on the earth. Jesus Himself said...
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
In other words, if you want to follow me, you must be willing to sacrifice. But the problem is, all too often we’re more selfish than sacrificial. Thankfully, God’s word can help us grow in this area. And I think Ephesians 4:1 is a perfect verse to teach us how to grow in sacrifice.
Exegesis:
Exegesis:
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Since verse 1 starts with a therefore, let’s be good Bible students and ask, “What’s the ‘therefore” there - for?”
Well, Paul’s has just written 3 chapters discussing our new identity in Christ. How Jesus sacrificed His life on a cross, and how that resulted in our forgiveness and us receiving new life. We could sum up Ephesians 1-3 by saying, “Because of Jesus, we’re fully alive!”
“Therefore... as a prisoner of the Lord...”
At this time, Paul is literally a prisoner. He’s in jail for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. And He’s writing letters to the church while chained to a Roman guard. But he’s not just describing his circumstances. He’s using the physical to teach a spiritual lesson.
Although Paul is probably the greatest Christian who ever lived, he was still a regular guy. And like most regular guys, he probably didn’t want to be in prison. I think part of him asked, “God, why am I still here? Wouldn’t I be more productive free?”
But then, the Holy Spirit gave him spiritual insight. Look at what he writes to the Philippians...
And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.
All of a sudden, Paul sees God’s given him incredible access to a place very few Christians could go… the Roman palace. And every few hours, he’d get to talk with a new palace guard. And with each rotation, another person hears the gospel, and people were getting saved! And Paul’s like... “I see You, God. You’re working! Even though I’m in chains, the gospel is NOT!”
Therefore, when he says, “I am a prisoner for the Lord,” what he’s really confessing is, “My entire life is chained to God and I confidently allow Him to do whatever He wants. He is the master. And He knows what He’s doing! And the more I surrender, the more I’m fully alive!!”
And Paul goes onto write, “… [I] urge you...” It’s the Greek phrase “parakaleo.” Kaleo - to call. Para - alongside. As a prisoner for the Lord, Paul invites us to join him! Join him in what?
“… to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called...”
“To walk” is the Greek word “peripateo.”
Pateo - to walk
Peri - in a circle.
The sense is, to live entirely focused on Jesus.
Paul is inviting his readers to JOIN HIM in seeking first the Kingdom of God!
And this is so much more than going to heaven...
While the gospel is definitely about finding both forgiveness and salvation, it’s also an invitation to experience life in a radically different way. To become fully alive! To live as God intended us to live!
God created us for incredible purpose. And the gospel invites us to live for that intended purpose. And part of that purpose includes being part of the family of God. And there is no higher calling in all of existence!
Have you ever stopped to consider that? Christianity isn’t just something you added to your life like a hobby. It’s the greatest, most beautiful, life-changing thing that has ever happened to you!
Which is why Paul says, you need to “live in a manner that’s worthy.” The word “worthy” means to “balance the scales.”
Paul’s like, “Do you REALLY understand what has happened? It’s literally THE.GREATEST.THING.EVER. We belong to Jesus - the Highest King of Heaven! And… And… He loves us! He WANTS to be in a relationship with us.
And we don’t deserve this… because we’re scrubs. You didn’t know the female R&B group from back in the day, TLC, were prophetically singing about us when they said, “I don’t want no scrubs. A scrub is a guy who can’t get no love from me.” That’s us! We’re spiritual scrubs!
But King Jesus said, “I’ll take them.” Actually, He says, “I want them. I love them so much I’ll die for them!” And when Paul calls us to live worthy (to balance the scales), it’s like he’s forcing us to consider the following comparison...
We’re here (low).
Jesus is here (high).
Yet, Jesus still loves us! And invites us to be with Him.
Do you get that? If so, then why do love Jesus with so little? Sacrifice so little for Him? When He sacrificed everything?
We love him here (low).
He loves us here (high).
Paul’s like, “Bro, fix it. Balance the scales! Do WHATEVER it takes… even if it costs you everything. Even if you have to join me in prison. It’ll be worth it.”
Paul personally knew what it was like to sacrifice for Jesus. Before Jesus, he had everything. He had the big house in the hills of South Glastonbury. He had power, influence, and all the resources he needed. He could walk up to Sayulita and get a table without waiting! But when he came to Christ, he lost it all. Yet, look at what he writes...
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
In other words, “Being fully alive in Jesus is infinitely better than anything I lost. It was worth the sacrifice. And it will be for you too…So… join me!”
I dont know about you, but I believe Paul. And I want what he experienced. I want to be fully alive. I want to grow in Christ. And I’m guessing you want that too. If so, let me share 3 types of biblical sacrifice spiritually mature people make. The types of sacrifice that when incorporated into our lives, we grow in Christ. And I’d like to use the idea of being a “prisoner for the Lord,” as a framework to process these sacrificial practices. And like we found in Ephesians 4:1 the framework goes like this:
Join Paul in being a prisoner for the Lord.
Change how you live by practicing sacrifice.
Experience God’s blessing that makes the sacrifice worth it.
3 Sacrifices of a Prisoner:
3 Sacrifices of a Prisoner:
The sacrifice of the flesh. In the Bible, the flesh refers to our sinful nature. The part of us that naturally desires to rebel against God. We inherited it from Adam and Even, the first humans who sinned against God. And this sinful flesh has been our master since birth.
But, when we came to Christ, we died to that old nature. And though it temporarily continues to try and influence our lives, it is no longer master. Jesus set us free. And now, we can say “no” to the flesh. And we need to say “no,” because the flesh is actually killing our spiritual growth. Paul wrote...
For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
If you want to grow in Christ - you need to sacrifice the flesh. You must learn to say no to your personal, sinful, selfish desires! You must live like a prisoner for the Lord.
I know what you’re thinking: That sounds like a whole lot of boring. Who would willingly choose to be a prisoner?
Well, in the Old Testament, Moses is giving God’s law to the Israelites, and he begins to give them instructions on how to treat slaves/servants/prisoners, including when is the right time to free them. But then something completely ridiculous happens. He says, “There may be a time when you’re freeing your slave...”
But the slave may declare, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children. I don’t want to go free.’
Wait… who in their right mind would ever say that? Why would you choose to be a prisoner? I think a parallel passage can gives us a little insight...
“But suppose your servant says, ‘I will not leave you,’ because he loves you and your family, and he has done well with you.
One reason a slave would choose to stay is because the master is good and loves him. The master richly cares for the livelihood of his servant, and he prospers as a prisoner!
In the same way, we have a good God who is ready to bless our sacrificial living. When we willingly choose to be prisoners of Jesus, He promises to care for us, and we will prosper! We will experience life to the fullest!
That’s why Jesus says...
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Basically, if you’ll be a prisoner for the Lord and sacrifice your flesh, I will richly bless you.
Do you need to grow in Christ? Then, sacrifice your selfish desires and seek first God’s Kingdom. And watch how He will bless your life. And watch how you’ll grow!
The sacrifice of holiness. The difference between this sacrifice and the last one is… instead of focusing on saying “no” to your flesh, you’re focusing on saying “yes” to the Master.
Most think of “holiness,” as moral purity. And holiness does involve purity. But in a greater sense, holiness is being set apart for God. It’s resolving to live in a way that people look at you and say, “They belong to Jesus.”
And that’s not easy. It requires sacrifice. Big and small sacrifices. It requires us to think through every detail of our lives, asking...
Does Jesus (the Master) want me to do this?
If I do this, will people know I belong to Jesus?
It requires us to take literally Scripture’s command of...
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
My son had to learn this lesson recently. He had to make a decision that required him to consider “holiness.”
Last week, my dad was in town. And he likes to spoil his grandkids. So he gave them money. And of course, Kade wanted to buy new shoes. Kid after my own heart.
And he’s been eyeing a pair of LaMelos, specifically the “Rick & Morty’s.” I’m not gonna lie. They are fresh. But… there’s a part of the shoe that has an inappropriate phrase on them. And so, I asked him, “Would wearing these shoes compromise your reputation as as a follower of Jesus?”
I told him to pray about it. See how God speaks to him through His Word. And then make a decision only after he had heard from God. He later came back to me and said, “Dad, I don’t think I should get those shoes. It wouldn’t represent Jesus well. I’ll pick a different pair.”
Now that might sound so silly to you. But to a 12-year-old, that was a huge, sacrificial decision that helped him grow in Christ. It was a sacrifice of holiness.
Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
Holiness gives us access to God’s presence. And Psalm 16 says...
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
You know what is in God’s presence? His blessings. I think God is going to bless Kade because of his sacrifice of holiness. And He will bless our sacrifice too, in addition to growing in Christ!
The sacrifice of generosity.
Jesus once said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35).
Jesus also promised...
give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Are you struggling to grow in Christ? Well, let me ask, “How’s your giving?”
That’s a tough question, but it’s something spiritually mature people talk about. Are you making the sacrifice of FINANCIALLY giving?
Whoa… whoa… whoa… why are you talking about MY MONEY pastor? Doesn’t my time (like serving) count as giving too? Yes it does. And for every person who serves, I think you for generously giving of your time!
But... because God is calling us to “grow up” this year; which means, we gotta have the uncomfortable conversation about money. Let me tell you why… Scripture often connects money with our heart. And anytime we are unwilling to financially give, there’s something unhealthy and spiritually immature going on in our heart. And it indicates we need to grow up in that area...
Let me pause here before some of yall start firing off ugly emails to me. The River Church is an extremely financially generous church. We don’t need more money. God, through your financial giving, is providing for all of our needs! I’m not bringing this up because the church needs money. I’m talking about this because it’s part of growing in spiritual maturity. Amen?
That being said, most of the time our reason for not giving is connected to our love of money. And yall have heard this before… “The LOVE of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Tim 6:10). My church family, an evil church is not a spiritually mature church. So, we got to talk about giving if we’re going to grow up.
One key way we can grow in Christ is to take a prisoner’s perspective on money; that is, let the Master tell you now to spend your money. And God says...
Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
God tells us to financially give. Therefore, the question is not whether we should give or not, but rather, “How much has God put on your heart to give? And will you be cheerful about it?”
I’m gonna be honest… giving requires sacrifice. It’ll require discipline.
You may need to change your budget.
You may need to go without some of the things you’ve regularly enjoyed.
But if you’re the Lord’s prisoner, you should expect that anyways, because you’ve given your financial spending over to the Master.
Here’s why this is important. Jesus said...
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Financially giving reveals who we love. Sacrificial giving reveals our spiritual maturity. Some of us in here don’t want to hear that. Don’t worry… personally… I don’t want to preach it. Nevertheless, it’s true.
But here’s the blessing that can help us push through the sacrifice...
God says, “All the silver and gold is mine.” (Haggai 2:8) All the money we have belongs to God in the first place, so let’s just get that straight. We’re just prisoners entrusted with managing it.
And yet God also says, “Yall can keep most of it. I don’t need it. Just give some back to me so I can make sure your heart stays healthy.” But here’s what’s crazy... God promises to bless our giving! Check it out… after Paul says you should give because God loves a cheerful giver, he goes onto say...
And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.
God’s like “When you give your money away, I bless you with more.” That seems so backwards, but that’s just how God gets down! Our church experienced this last year.
We believe God has asked us to tithe off our offerings - to give away 10% of what we collect as a church. That can be a sacrifice because we’re a growing church plant in a an expensive town. God always provides, but humanely speaking, keep that 10% could really help us!
Regardless, last December, our Treasurer noticed we were only at 8%, so I wanted to give the bare minimum to catch us back up. I suggested, “Let’s give $500 to each of these organizations.”
Thankfully, our leadership team embodies our core values better than I do. And Core Value 3 says, “We believe in GENEROUSLY GIVING to support our community and God’s work in the world.” The team was like, “Nah, let’s give a $1000 to each.” I was like, “That’s a sacrifice, but I like it.” So we did it.
And God blessed our sacrifice. He was like, “No one out-gives Me.” And literally… we experienced the promises of Malachi...
Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!
We tried it. And so much money started coming into the church that we still finished the year at 8%!!! More than that, our faith grew. I know our team is more confident to sacrificially give because we’ve grown spiritually.
I share that story to encourage you to join us. Be a financial prisoner. Let God control your finances. Be sacrificial in your giving. And watch how He will bless you… and how you will grow in Christ.
Response:
Response:
So, as we close, I want to urge you to live sacrificially as prisoners of the Lord. Realize just how much Jesus has sacrificed for you and balance the scales! Accept the invitation to grow in Christ - to live fully alive!
Today...
Is there a sacrifice of the flesh God wants you to make? Something you need to give up so you can grow in Christ. What is it?
Maybe today you do that in the ultimate way… today is the day you surrender your life to Jesus as Lord and Savior. If you feel the Holy Spirit urging you to make the decision, don’t wait. Turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus. It will be worth anything you sacrifice.
Is there a sacrifice of holiness you need to make? A decision that changes the way you live so people look at you and think, “They belong to Jesus.” What is it?
Is there a financial gift you need to make? Maybe God’s asking you to increase your sacrifice? Again, we already have a very generous church. Thank you. Keep it up. But at the same time, don’t grow content. Keep growing. God will bless your sacrifice!
[To prepare for Easter, we’re going to once again take communion together. Let this time prepare your heart as we enter Holy Week and remember what Jesus did for us on that first Easter, that we might be saved.]
Let’s pray...
Jesus, on this Palm Sunday, we remember Your sacrifice… and we thank you. It’s your sacrifice that changed everything in our life. And now, we hear Your Word inviting us to live differently… to live sacrificially. To seek first Your Kingdom over our own selfish desires. To be set apart for you… to be a prisoner for the Lord. And to sacrificially give, because you gave everything and are worth it. Help us to live this way. Help us to balance the scales. Help us to grow more like You everyday, even when it costs us. And help us to remember it will be worth it. In Your name we pray, amen.
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