First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
Sunday Worship, January 4, 2025

      • Psalm 119ESV

  • Devotion

    The Princess Bride
    A farm boy - as you wish
    Pleads for his life - I must live . . . true love
    For the sake of true love, he changes, he grows, he becomes what he must
    For the sake of true love he risks everything - he even faces death
    He confronts the villain - death cannot stop true love, all it can do is delay it for awhile.
    The story is filled with ups and downs but the love of Wesley for Buttercup makes the moment they ride off into the sunset feel inevitable.
    Unfortunately, we tend to be more like buttercup. when bad things come we give up, we even tie ourselves to other things. then when we are saved we throw it away in order to avoid suffering.
    Yet true love is inevitable.
    His devotion shapes everything.
    Our lives as Christians are shaped by our devotion.
    Devotion is another word for our worship.
    What is the central focus of your life?
    What occupies that central space?
    Why do you get out of bed?
    Why do you work?
    Why do you build friendships?
    Why do you love?
    Why . . .
    What you are devoted to answers these questions.
    Paul may say it best in Galatians 2:20
    Galatians 2:20 ESV
    20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
    This is the picture of devotion. If Christ is the central focus of my life, how will it chape me?

    What does a life of devotion look like?

    Living a life on mission with God

    If we are on mission with God, who calls the shots?

    The one who can guarantee His plans will work out.

    Ephesians 1:11 ESV
    11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

    The one who know infinitely more than we do.

    Isaiah 55:8–9 ESV
    8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

    If we are on mission with God, what has he called us to?

    Go and make disciples

    Matthew 28:18–20 ESV
    18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

    Where do we go?

    To all the nations:
    Acts 1:8 ESV
    8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
    What is our Jerusalem? - Are we reaching Hoquiam and Aberdeen?
    What is our Judea and Samaria? - Are we reaching the state of Washington?
    What is our ends of the earth? - Are we reaching around the globe?

    What is our strategy?

    Be a growing disciple yourself.
    Be in fellowship - Intentional growth groups
    Be in the Word - Sunday, Wednesday, Personal
    Be in prayer - Always
    Be in service - Love others and use your gifts
    Pray for and seek out 1-3 people that you can disciple.
    This can be a younger believer who needs help growing
    This can be an pre-believer that needs constant exposure to the light
    Send out disciples to disciple
    Help build a culture of spiritual growth
    Encourage and train those you send

      • Galatians 2:20ESV

      • Ephesians 1:11ESV

      • Isaiah 55:8–9ESV

      • Matthew 28:18–20ESV

      • Acts 1:8ESV

First Baptist Church of Hoquiam
fbchoquiam@outlook.com
3605324887
http://fbchoquiam.com
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