More than Sunday: A Call to Greatness
Back to School Sunday 2025 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction: It feels like we are more and more obsessed with determined what is the greatest.
The discussion is obvious in sports. Lebron/Jordan; Montana/Brady
But have you ever talked to people who really love books about what’s the best book ever? That can get heated.
Best movie? Best trilogy? Well actually that’s not really debated. Everyone agrees it’s the LOTR.
Star Wars/Star Trek.
Then the musicians chime in with the best composer or album or song.
We are in desperate search for what we think about as the GOAT!
In the Bible the disciples had a similar debate.
It’s in all 3 synoptic Gospels so you know it’s important, but Luke is concise:
Luke tells us it happens twice!
46 An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.
47 But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side
48 and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
24 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.
25 And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.
26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.
Jesus changes are concept of greatness.
As we begin this Back to School Sunday, praying for one another and starting the school year right, it’s my privledge to introduce this year’s theme for the Church, the K-12 School, and preschool.
This year’s theme is More than Sunday.
The idea is that we want a faith that is more than just a church service, more than just a building, more than just our immediate family.
Our faith needs to carry over into our every day lives. Something that many might not be aware of is that the school and the preschool are largely our more than Sunday. Because, as much as we magnify the importance of gathering on Sunday to worship and fellowship with our fellow brothers and sisters, There are over 400 students who walk these grounds each and every week.
The vision for North Hills has always been to make an impact in the next generation by presenting the Gospel to them in a clear way that sheds light on sin, calls for repentance and points them to the cross.
And while we we know that we aren’t promised that our lives will be perfect and filled with joy, peace, and devoid of trials, the Bible repeatedly talks about the life following Jesus as greater than the life following the ways of the world.
And each year we choose a word to meditate on throughout the year. And this year’s word is a word that’s all over scripture. Our word for 2025/26 is “Greater.”
Greater is all over scripture in a way I have never noticed before.
11 Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
41 The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.
42 The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Transition to the Text: There are more passages, but the text I want to spend time in today is our theme verse for the year.
Read: John 14:12
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.
Big Idea: God has CALLED us to GREATER things.
Big Idea: God has CALLED us to GREATER things.
Now we’ve already let Jesus define greater for us. It’s not about living your best life, achieving your dreams, winning at life and being.
It’s a life of devotion and service to God and others.
It’s a life of sacrifice and surrender.
It’s often a life of suffering and tribulation.
Yet still it’s a life that is greater than anything the world has to offer.
1. GREATER begins with BELIEF in Jesus.
1. GREATER begins with BELIEF in Jesus.
Explanation: Belief is more than just thinking that something is true. It’s more than just a commitment to an idea.
You can passionately believe something that is wrong.
You can also believe something even though you don’t allow that belief to affect your life.
James makes the jarring statement:
19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!
Belief that doesn’t change you doesn’t save you.
When we talk about believing in Jesus, we mean a belief that changes you.
You believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of the Living God.
You believe that His life is example to us.
You believe that HIs death burial and resurrection are the only means by which we are saved from our sin and eternal punishment that is due our sin.
I’m amazed sometimes when people tell me their testimony of how they came to faith, but they never once mention Jesus. And often they never mention their sin.
The greater life begins when you acknowledge how far you fall short and your need of a savior.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—
22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.
Application: So step one believe in Jesus, not just as a good teacher, but as your savior.
2. GREATER leads to good WORKS.
2. GREATER leads to good WORKS.
Explanation: This is where many people might balk. Because one of the foundations of our faith is in
Illustration:
Application:
3. GREATER depends on the HOLY SPIRIT.
3. GREATER depends on the HOLY SPIRIT.
Explanation: John 14:12 is part of the larger chapter of John 14 which is all about the Holy Spirit. Let’s read a little more.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,
17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
And then in John 16:
7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;
10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer;
11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.
13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.
14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
The source of the greater life is not you working harder is doing better under your own strength.
The source of greater is the one in you who is greater.
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
The Holy Spirit is greater.
Illustration:
Application: So how do you know if you have the Holy Spirit?
Do you desire God more? Do you desire communion with Him in prayer? Do you desire to spend more time in the Bible?
Do you long for fellowship with other believers?
Are you convicted of your sin and are you drawn back to God in repentance and faith?
Does the world around you seem more and more off? And do you find yourself to be more and more of an outsider?
Do you have a greater concern for the lost and a burden to tell them the truth of Jesus?
And are you growing in your faith each and every day?
My prayer today is that if you have not yet embraced Jesus as your Lord and Savior that today would be the day that the Holy Spirit would stir in your heart a desire for Jesus. A hatred of your sin which leads to repentance. Repentance that leads to forgiveness and justification. Justification that leads to life, now and into eternity.
The call to be greater is issued to all people. But only those who answer will have the greater life.
Response: Have you ANSWERED God’s CALL?
Response: Have you ANSWERED God’s CALL?
Summation:
Closing Illustration: Greater is a adjective of comparison which means that in our call to be greater, it’s compared to something.
Often in the Bible, the answer to the question what is greater? The answer is “nothing.”
What is greater than God? Nothing.
What is more evil than the devil? Nothing.
But often the question of greater comes down to comparison to something lesser.
In our passage today, Jesus said that our works would be greater in comparison to His which is astounding! And that is true we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us each and everyday.
But notice that greater has no definite degree. Our works won’t be the greatest of all time. We are always approaching greatness, never achieving it. At least not this side of eternity.
Our works should be getting greater and greater as we grow more in faith and dependence.
Every day we should have a greater degree of good works.
A greater degree of love and devotion to God as we meet Him in prayer and His Word.
A greater acknowledgment that you need the church as you join in fellowship and relationahip with the people of God on more than just Sunday.
We should become greater friends.
Greater husbands and greater wives.
Greater parents and greater sons and daughters.
We should have a greater degree of humility as we acknowledge daily our sin and come to God for forgiveness.
A greater degree of patience with others who are on their own journey growing greater each day.
A greater degree of concern for the lost people of the world who don’t know Jesus. And that concern should lead to greater works of evangelism.
A greater degree of meeting the needs of those around us as we have the ability.
But more and more we should bare a greater resemblance to Jesus.
But none of this matters if you don’t yet know Jesus.
If you haven’t admitted your sin, repented of your sin and look to the cross for the payment of that sin.
If you haven’t believed in Jesus as God in the flesh who came as baby born in Bethlehem who grew up to live a perfect life and though He was without sin became sin on our behalf that we might gain His righteousness.
If you haven’t confessed with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and followed that confession with baptism.
I’d like to invite you to join in the greater life of following Jesus.
To those who are already following Jesus, may I challenge you by asking, are you works, attitudes, habits, greater than when you first believed?
Are they greater than yesterday?
And finally, how will they be greater tomorrow?
Together, let’s make this year greater than the last as we follow Jesus together.
Let’s pray.
