April 16, 2023
I’m excited we’re in a new sermon series called “What’s Next?” Because, in life, we all want good things to happen, and Jesus said he came to give us abundant life! By that he didn’t mean he came to give us champagne wishes and caviar dreams. He meant a life where you feel like, I see God working in amazing ways. I feel fulfilled. I feel like I’m living a significant life, making a real difference in people’s lives.
Because if we aren’t seeking the abundant life God offers, we might make goals and reach them in life, but still feel a little empty; we might not be as happy as we thought we would be.
So, the “What’s Next” message series is meant to be a spiritual guide for you. When I was a kid, I was a Girl Scout. We had next steps. You start as a Daisy, then in 2nd & 3rd grade you become a Brownie. You move up. You become a junior in 4th and 5th grade. Then a cadet. And you earn badges along the way, have fun, and go camping. You always have a next step to work on. When I was in about 7th grade we lost our leader—she moved away. And me and the girls my age dropped out.
One of my kids was in karate. You start with a white belt, then you learn skills and when you pass the test, you get a yellow belt, then an orange belt. You can keep going till you get a black belt. You always know the next step.
As Christians, we can get fuzzy on what our next steps are. If I ask you what’s next for you spiritually? I don’t want you to say, “I dunno.” There are next steps for all of us! I don’t want you to give up because you think you’ve done it all. Your walk with God is much more important than Girl Scouts or Karate, which are great. But God offers us the opportunity to live a meaningful life, a life that matters and find true peace.
Next week we’ll talk about the next step of freedom in relationships and letting the Holy Spirit work in you. The following week is about your purpose including spiritual gifts and growth. The final week we’ll talk about making a difference.
Today we’ll talk about Knowing God. In order to get really close to someone, you spend time with them, and you’re devoted to them. If you fall in love with someone, you get interested in them and your hormones help you get really devoted to them. You want to be with the person you love a lot. If you decide you want to get fit you become devoted to exercise and devoted to practice.
Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “Seek first the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you as well.” To know God and find abundant life, we have to get devoted! We seek God first; we make God a priority. We get devoted to His kingdom and His will. When we put God first, the things we search for in life, the things that REALLY matter, that bring fulfillment and make a difference, they happen. We become close to God. So, to know God, we get devoted to Him and make Him a priority.
There’s a Scripture in Acts of the Apostles that talks about how Jesus’ followers behaved after he went to heaven. At first, they wondered, what do we do now? But luckily Jesus had given them a next step: he said, “Stay in Jerusalem and you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” They received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, and because of that and Peter’s preaching, 3000 people were saved and became followers. Next Acts 2:42 says, the followers of Jesus “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship and to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” What they did was they got together, they listened to teaching, worshipped God, celebrated communion and prayed. The result of their devotion is in verse 43: Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. And verse 47 says “they enjoyed the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Those who weren’t believers in Jesus Christ said, “Wow, these followers of Jesus, are so full of love, and doing miracles in His name, I want to be part of that too!” They devoted themselves to God, and then they saw lives changed!
If we are looking for that something more in life, it starts with devotion to God; seeking God and His righteousness. And then all the things that REALLY matter will happen.
The good news is God is not hiding! God wants you to know Him, he calls to you! He is your Father, your dad. Jesus said in John 15:15, “I don’t call you servants, I call you friends.” Jesus wants to be your friend. God wants to be close to you. If you get devoted to God and draw near to Him, God will draw near to you.
The Next Steps for Knowing God are first, to take Christ as your Lord and Savior. Tell God, I want you to lead my life. I thank you for loving and forgiving me.
Another next step is to be baptized. Do you remember when you were baptized? I don’t! Maybe you remember your confirmation. Today we are going to renew our baptismal vows! We’ll make those affirmations and promises we make in baptism or in confirmation. We’ll recommit our lives to God!
Another next step for knowing God is to read the Bible. The Bible can be overwhelming! A good place to start is with the stories of Jesus, which are in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. We read the Bible in church, that’s true. But being devoted to God means making God a priority every day. Can you give God time to speak to you each day? Can you read a passage or story from the Bible, and read not just for information? You could read the Bible for information, for what God said or did, or what God’s people did or said. For example, I may read Philippians 4:6-7, “Donot be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I then ask myself; how will I be different? “Ok, when I’m worried or upset, I’ll pray. I won’t replay stuff over and over in my head, with a dark cloud hanging over me. I’ll pray, and then let the peace of God guard my heart and mind!” So read the Bible to be TRANSFORMED. Ask yourself, how will I be different because of what I just read?
Another next step for knowing God is to pray! All it takes to pray is a heart willing to talk to God, listen to him and hear his voice. Prayer isn’t using fancy words like thou and thine. God wants to be close to you and for you to have a conversation with Him.
To become consistent in praying to God, you need to decide on a time, a place and a plan! First, a time: when will you pray: first thing in the morning, or do you need coffee first? Will you pray at noon at night? You devote a certain time of day to God. And decide on a place. I like the bedroom. You can pray anywhere. You can pray while you walk. You devote a place to God. Then, what’s your plan? Will you read your Bible, or a devotional, or the Bible app., and then pray. Will you write who and what you’re praying for? I love looking back to see so many prayers answered! You decide on a plan for your time with God.
We see the example of Daniel in the Scriptures. Praying to God was banned. But still he prayed to God three times a day. Daniel was thrown into a lion’s den because he prayed. But God saved Daniel from harm! You and I aren’t going to be killed if we pray. But still we can let so many things get in the way of a conversation with God. Daniel teaches us to be devoted to God, to make prayer a priority. Daniel sought God first. He made God a priority. Then God saved Daniel’s life and gave him an abundant life!
You won’t accidentally have a life devoted to God; it takes a decision. But when you devote time to regularly read the Bible and pray to God, it becomes a blessing. For me, time with God is a peace and a comfort. God lets me know things will be ok. God speaks to me in the Bible and prayer, and I feel a nudge to do what I’m supposed to. You feel close to God! You know Him. God becomes your Father, your Daddy, Jesus becomes your friend, and the Holy Spirit becomes that little voice that sets you on the right path.
My homework for you is to decide on a time, place and plan for praying and reading the Bible, if you don’t have one.
When you seek God first and make him a priority in your day, the things you need in life and the significant things you want to do will be given to you! Because you come to know God and live your life with Him. Amen.
Maureen Duffy-Guy's blog 