Welcome to Sunday Fuel! This series of questions is designed to assist your personal reflection and fellowship with others about the sermon from this past Sunday.
Go to This Sunday’s Sermon (start at 24:44)
Recap: We are called to live in unity through humble service. This is how Christ lived, with his death being the ultimate example of how far we are to go. But in this, He also demonstrates that this “going down is the way up” as God exalts Him, where He now sits in glory. Those of us who are HIs children are to live likewise.
But admittedly, this is hard work. It’s not natural, comfortable, or easy to live like Christ. Yet God uses our willingness to live following Christ’s example to transform and change us.
1. What is one difficult relationship or situation in your life where you struggle to live out your faith? What would faithful living look like in this relationship or situation? What makes it so hard?
2. How might it change your perspective if you consider that this might be the very opportunity God is inviting you into as the means to work out your own salvation? Explain how God might be able to use this difficult relationship or situation to help you grow in Christlikeness.
3. Meditate on Christ’s greatness after His own humiliation. Think on the great lengths He went to in order to demonstrate His kindness to you. If you still feel resistance to the hard work it takes to imitate Him, admit it before Him. Ask Him to supply you with His power to want to grow in humility and sacrificial service.
4. What next step of faith can you take to live in the reality of God’s grace? Focus on the questions most fitting for you:
- How can you live Coram Deo (before the face of God) in your difficult moments? How would remembering this change how you think or respond? How can you honor and proclaim His name when you’re struggling to love? How can His promise to exalt us help you battle to trust Him in these times?
- If you are a hard worker, how are you trusting your strength or ability to control to get the results you want? How can you work hard but not trust your work but trust God for the results? How can you work hard so that God gets the glory as we display God’s grace to others?
- Are you working hard but feel heavy and discouraged because you feel like you’re failing? Take time to remember that God not only loves you but sees your imperfect efforts to honor Him but receives them with great joy because you are His child through Christ. What would it look like for you to keep going on today, looking to Him in trust to find joy, even in your struggle?
