As we have continued through 1 Peter, we’re seeing how many Christians live today as if the world were our final destination. We pour our life resources and energy into things that will barely last 50 years, let alone eternity. We frequently cave in to the old sinful desires. We struggle to remain faithful in the midst of great suffering. We’ve lost sight of the glorious inheritance waiting for us.
God calls us to live as “strangers” in this world, spiritual sojourners that are just passing through. As children of the living God, our focus should be on eternity as we point people to the living Christ who paid it all for us. Our priorities and lifestyle should undergo a radical transformation.
In 1 Peter, Peter unpacks what this transformed life looks like and how it should interact with this world. In 1 Peter 4:1-6, we see that when we put our faith in Jesus, we bury our old lives, and choose to pursue a radical new lifestyle. It’s a lifestyle that is characterized as all or nothing and is marked by the magnificent obsession to live all for Jesus.
Service flow: (Song links go to AmazonMp3 where songs are $0.99 and DRM free)
Welcome/Announcements/Greeting
Missions Spotlight with Grace Halland of Wycliffe
Call to Worship (Corporate reading from Philippians 2:6-11)
O Worship the King (Grant, Gardiner, arr. Tomlin)
How Great Is Our God (G) (Tomlin, Reeves, Cash)
Prayer/Praise
In the Secret (Park) – done in a more ballad-y type style
Offering w/video “I Surrender”
Message
Response
One Pure and Holy Passion (Altrogge)
Dismissal (Eph. 3:16-19)
It was a great week with a challenging theme. We focused on what it meant to live fully for Jesus in all ways and all things. We focused on living fully for God and began our time together by focusing on God and His greatness. After the first couple of songs, we took a moment to think and meditate on the greatness of God and then had people call out characteristics and qualities about God that reinforced His greatness in our lives.
After “How Great Is Our God” I had the people take a moment and reflect on the greatness of God.I then encouraged the people to shout out what it was about God that impressed them about His greatness. It was great to hear people expressing verbally so many qualities and characteristics of God.
Living fully for Jesus is largely dependent on fully surrendering to Him, which is also a great expression and definition of a lifestyle of worship – one of surrender. We played a video from Floodgate Productions that connected worship and surrender in a great way. Check it our below. If you haven’t used this one yet, it’s good stuff.
At the conclusion of the message, every one was given a Quit Claim Deed (download [download id="4"]). In life signing a deed is a pretty significant thing that indicates the true owner of something. In our spiritual lives, this was an opportunity to either commit for the firs time or reaffirm a desire to live fully for Christ. People were asked to think about it, and then sign the paper if they were willing to pursue the life that we are called to live as Christ-followers.
Folks then put the paper in an envelope, addressed it, and brought it to the front in an active expression. Later in the year, we will mail the forms back to people as a reminder of what they committed to as part of this service.
It was a challenging theme, but one that was well received. There is a growing hunger to live fully for Christ and to pursue spiritual passion. Even as we sang, there was a great energy and participation.
For more service orders from churches all over, check out Sunday Setlists at fredmckinnon.com.
Thanks!
