22/03_W1_Live_Jesus

03/22 - W1 - Live Jesus Culture of God's Devotion

March 22 - Pastor Israel Perdonsin

We are starting a 7-week series called "Live Jesus."

Over the next two months, we aren't just going to talk about Him; we are going to learn how to live like Him in our daily routines, our habits, and our hearts.

🔵 Moment of Tithing and Offerings

Verse: 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NLT): "You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. 'For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.'"

Matthew 6:1–5 NLT

The Story: There was a young boy who only had a small sandwich—five loaves and two fish. It wasn't much. But he gave it to Jesus. He didn't give it because he had to; he gave it because he trusted. Jesus took that small act of devotion and fed thousands. Your offering today is an act of devotion that feeds the ministry of this church and reaches our city.

🔵 Welcome, New Visitors

If you are visiting us for the first time, welcome home! We are so glad you are here. We don't want this to be just a Sunday thing. We want to connect with you during the week! We have Conversation Clubs where you can practice English and make friends and small groups meeting all over the city.

Check out our Instagram @thewaypib to find a group near you. We want to walk with you.

A verse for you: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you." (Numbers 6:24-25)

Pray for Lorena Goind to Londrina 11am

Culture of God's Devotion

We are starting a 7-week series called "Live Jesus."

Over the next two months, we aren't just going to talk about Him; we are going to learn how to live like Him in our daily routines, our habits, and our hearts.

what is Culture?

Culture is a broad term defining the shared beliefs, customs, practices, values, and behaviors of a group of people. It encompasses both material objects (art, techn

Elements of Culture

Values: Shared standards of what is good, bad, desirable, or unacceptable (e.g., individualism vs. collectivism).

Norms: Social rules that guide behavior, divided into formal rules (laws) and informal customs (manners, etiquette).

Language: The primary method for communicating and transmitting cultural knowledge.

Symbols: Objects, gestures, or images that carry specific meanings recognized by the group (e.g., flags, religious symbols).

Artifacts: Physical, tangible items created by a society, such as tools, art, and architecture.

🔵 What is Devotion?

Before we dive into the life of Jesus, we need to understand what this word means. Devotion is a wholehearted commitment to God, to another person, or to a task. It isn't just a feeling; it is a decision to be "all in."

The Bible shows us that God’s people are called to be wholehearted in their devotion to Him:

Deuteronomy 6:5: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."

Romans 12:1: "Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship."

When we seek Him this way, we find Him. As Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." This is the promise for those who keep His statutes and seek Him wholeheartedly (Psalm 119:2). Even when we wander, God promises that if we return and obey Him with all our heart, He will restore us (Deuteronomy 30:1-3). It starts when the people "willingly offer themselves" to the Lord (Judges 5:2).

🔵 The Star Moment

Imagine you are at a hotel. You’ve had a long, exhausting day of travel. All you want is peace. You hang that little plastic sign on the door handle: "Do Not Disturb."

For the next few hours, the world stays outside. You are safe. You are quiet.

In our world today, our souls are "disturbed" 24/7.

Notifications, emails, and noise follow us into our lives - bedrooms.

But Jesus invites us to a life where we hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign on our hearts so we can talk to the Father. No distractions, no Noise...

Devotion is not a chore; it is your "Do Not Disturb" moment with God.

🔵 Main Bible Verse

Matthew 6:6 (NLT): "But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you."

🔵 Context

Matthew wrote his Gospel primarily for a Jewish audience. At that time, many religious leaders loved to pray loudly on street corners just to be seen.

They wanted the "Like" button of their day.

Jesus comes in and flips the script. He tells them that the purpose of the book of Matthew—and the purpose of our lives—is not outward show, but inward growth.

He wants us to move from a "Culture of Performance" to a "Culture of Devotion."

🔵 Point 1: The Secret Place

Matthew 6:6 (NLT): "But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you..."

In Greek, the word for "private room" or "closet" is tameion. In ancient times, this was the only room in a house with a lock.

It was where people kept their treasures. Jesus is saying that your prayer life is where you keep your most valuable treasure: your relationship with God.

Biblical Example:

Look at Jesus in Luke 4. Before He started His public ministry, He went into the wilderness.

Matthew Henry - Jesus didn't go there to be alone just for the sake of it; He went to be equipped.

Warren Wiersbe - if the Son of God needed "secret time" to face temptation, how much more do we?

Quote: "I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer." — Martin Luther

Illustration (Warmth):

I remember when I first tried to have a "secret place" for prayer.…

I realized that the "secret place" isn't about finding a soundproof bunker; it’s about the decision to shut out the world, even if the kids come in!

Reflective Question:

Where is your tameion? secret place

Where is that one spot where you can honestly shut the door on your distractions?

Practical Application:

This week, find a physical "secret place."

I remember Pr. Paschal said that he had a tree at Barigüi park, where he would park under it and pray

It could be your car before work, a chair in the corner, or a walk in the park.

Spend 10 minutes there every day this week.

🔵 Point 2: The Pattern of Prayer

Luke 11:1 (NLT): "Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, 'Lord, teach us to pray...'"

The Greek word for prayer here is proseuchomai.

It doesn't just mean asking for things; it means "to come close to exchange."

We give God our worries; He gives us His peace.

Biblical Example:

Think of Daniel. He had a high-pressure job in a foreign government. He was busy! But he had a pattern.

3 times a day, he opened his windows toward Jerusalem and prayed.

He didn't pray because he was in trouble; he prayed so that when trouble came, he was already standing on a solid foundation.

Think of King Josiah (2 Kings 23:1-3). He called the people together and renewed the covenant to follow the Lord with all his heart and all his soul.

Wiersbe points out that Josiah didn't just fix the building; he fixed the heart of the nation.

When we seek God eagerly, He is found by us, and He gives us rest on every side (2 Chronicles 15:12-15).

Quote: "Prayer is not a spare tire that you pull out when you are in trouble; it is a steering wheel that directs the right path throughout the journey." — Billy Graham

Illustration (Competence):

Did you know that according to a study by University College London, it takes an average of 66 days to form a new habit?

Many people give up on devotion after three days because it feels "dry."

But science shows us that consistency re-wires our brains.

When we create a pattern of prayer, we are literally training our minds to default to peace instead of anxiety.

Reflective Question:

Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?

Practical Application:

Start our 40-day Bible reading plan in the Gospels tomorrow. Don't worry about reading chapters at a time; just focus on one story of Jesus a day.

🔵 Point 3: The Power of the Word

Luke 4:4 (NLT): "But Jesus told him, 'No! The Scriptures say, "People do not live by bread alone."'"

When Jesus was tempted, He didn't argue with His own logic. He used the term gegraptai, which means "It stands written." It is a legal term. It means the matter is settled.

Biblical Example:

David is a great example here. In the Psalms, he constantly talks about "meditating" on the Word.

Look at Nehemiah. He was so devoted to the task of rebuilding the wall that he wouldn't come down, even when enemies threatened him.

Matthew Henry says that a devoted heart is a protected heart.

Like David in Psalm 27, we should have "one thing" we seek: to dwell in the house of the Lord and gaze on His beauty.

Matthew Henry explains that meditation is like "chewing the cud"—taking the Word and thinking about it over and over until it becomes part of your soul.

Chewing the cud"

is an idiom that means to think slowly and carefully about something, often reflecting, pondering, or mulling over an idea or a past event.

It originates from the literal behavior of ruminant animals—such as cows, sheep, and goats—which bring up partially digested food (cud) from their stomachs to chew it again for better digestion.

Quote: "A Bible that is falling apart usually belongs to someone who isn't." — Charles H. Spurgeon

Illustration (Awe):

There is a testimony of a man who was stuck in a deep depression for years. He started a simple habit: he wrote one verse on a sticky note and put it on his bathroom mirror every morning.

He decided to "live" that one verse all day. Within months, his entire perspective shifted.

The "awe" isn't in the paper or the ink; it’s in the power of the Word of God to literally change the chemistry of our hearts.

Reflective Question:

When the "enemy" or "stress" whispers to you this week, what will you say?

Do you have a "gegraptai" (It is written) ready to go?

Practical Application:

Join our Collective Fasting.

We are challenging the whole church to fast for 1 to 7 days during this series. Pick a day this week to fast from one meal or social media, and use that time to read the Gospels instead.

🔵 Conclusion

Today we learned that a Culture of Devotion starts in the Secret Place, continues through a Pattern, and is sustained by the Power of God's Word.

Jesus lived a life of devotion so that He could live a life of impact.

If we want to "Live Jesus," we must start where He started—alone with the Father.

🔵 Appeal

I want to challenge you today.

Maybe your "Secret Place" has been dusty.

Maybe your "Do Not Disturb" sign has been lost under a pile of stress.

I invite you to stand if you want to commit this week to building a Culture of Devotion.

Let’s pray together.

“Lord, we decide today to shut the door. We choose the 40-day reading plan. We choose to fast. We choose You. Help us to Live Jesus every single day. Amen.”

Summary

The Secret Place: Devotion starts by shutting out distractions (tameion).

The Pattern: Consistency in prayer transforms it from a "spare tire" to a "steering wheel."

The Power: Using the Word (gegraptai) is our best defense and strength.