First Baptist Church Litchfield
chapel 10/23

      • 1 Chronicles 29:11ESV

  • Walk in His Ways (Psalm 128:1)
  • They will see God (Matthew 5:8)
  • Grace (La-De-Da) (Ephesians 2:8)

      • Hebrews 1:3ESV

  • Sovereign One

  • Half-way Up the Mountain

    The term "mediocre" is defined as average or ordinary in quality, often used in a derogatory sense. It originates from the 16th century, derived from Latin via French, with the literal meaning "halfway up the mountain". The word can be used as an adjective to describe something of only average quality. Mediocrity, the related noun, refers to the state or quality of being mediocre, or can describe a mediocre person or thing.
    The problem with being mediocre is that it’s a mindset that seeks comfort, avoids striving too high, and lacks a desire to achieve more. That is, you never reach the top of the mountain.
    It is my opinion that too many young people are infected with accepting mediocre as normal. When you give your parents a hard time in the morning about going to school, you are being mediocre. When you are capable of doing your work, like cleaning your room or finishing an assignment, but you only do half of it, you are being mediocre. When you constantly take and never give back, you are bing mediocre. When you are committed to playing video games or watching YouTube, but give lame excesses why your homework is not finished, or why you are sleeping in class, not only are you being soft serve, but you are being mediocre.
    Mediocre is not the way God designed or desires for you to live. God has set a higher standard for your life because he knows the view at the top of the summit of the mountain of life you are climbing is absolutely breathe-taking. To see it, however, you must set your mind, your heart, and your will on God’s glory. In 1 Cor 10:31, Paul emphasizes that all of life, including eating and drinking, should be done for the glory of God.
    In the context of 1 Corinthians 8-10, Paul says, as a Christian, you must prioritize God's glory over personal liberties, especially in matters that could effect how someone feels about God. Paul advocates that we live lifestyle that promotes God's glory as the central motive for everything we do, even the mundane things like eating and drinking. He encourages us to avoid causing others to stumble in their faith, like such things as settling for going half-way up the mountain. Paul is calling you and I to reflect on how our daily actions can honor God, reinforcing the idea that living for His glory should be a conscious choice in all aspects of you life, both in the mundane and the magnificent.
    Therefore, the main idea I want you to see this morning is,

    Do everything, the mundane and the magnificent, with excellence for the glory of God

    ​

    Do the mundane for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31).

    The word mundane comes from Latin root mundus. Mundus means world. In regards to the word mundane, it can mean the practical, transitory, and ordinary things or ways of the world. Ordinary is the meaning we most often use in modern English.
    Eating food and drinking liquid are ordinary acts in our life. Paul says, whether you are eating or drinking, do it for the glory of God.
    Int he context of Paul’s letter, he was addressing people who were eating foods offered to idols. Some Christians were offended by this, while others were not bothered by it. Paul says that we must love one another by having a sacrificial attitude toward one another with our liberty. In the midst of that teaching, we find our principle for this morning. What eat, how you eat, what you drink, and how you drink, can bring glory to God.
    How do you eat or drink to the glory of God?
    John Piper meditated on glorifying God by drinking orange juice. Using some of his insight, I think it is a worthy mediation for us as well.

    Glorify God in the mundane with Gratitude

    Think about your mouth for a minute. You mouth is made up of thousands of taste buds. Taste buds are little receptors that tell the brain the different taste sensations going on in your mouth such as sweet, salty, spicy, tangy, bitter, bland, and so on.
    God could have made you mouth only taste one thing, or he could’ve made everything taste like cardboard. Instead, he made your mouth to celebrate the moment ice cold non-pulp orange juice touches your tongue. An explosion of sweet and tangy glide across you palate instantly giving you vitamin C and something delicious to drink.
    Taste is God’s grace. You should give thanks to God that you can taste good food.

    Glorify God in the Mundane with Faith

    Faith is believing that God created the oranges for your good, and that he gives you the strength to enjoy it. Paul teaches us that God gives us everything.
    1 Corinthians 4:7 ESV
    7 For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?
    Peter says God strengthens us to serve and even enjoy orange juice for the glory of God through Jesus.
    1 Peter 4:11 ESV
    11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

    Glorify God in the Mundane with Love

    Just a few verses later in our context, Paul says
    1 Corinthians 10:33–11:1 ESV
    33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
    We should love others by not seeking our own interest, but the interest of others. John Piper applies this by suggesting that you love you glorify God with love in drinking orange juice by not insisting on the biggest helping.
    Now pretend you have put on your bible glasses. You know God has called you to glorify him in every aspect o f your life, even the mundane things like eating and drinking. You glorify God in the mundane with a grateful heart full of faith and love. How do you apply this to cleaning your room? Doing the dishes? Mowing the grass? Helping with the laundry? How do you apply this to your school work? Your classroom participation? Your friendships? How do you apply this at church?
    Jesus says if you are faithful with the small things, you will be given the big things as well. That is, if you will glorify God in the mundane things of life, God will entrust you with magnificent things.

    Do the magnificent for the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31)

    The term "magnificent" is an adjective that describes something splendid, impressive, or grand in appearance. It can refer to objects or ideas that are superb, very fine, or noble. The word is often used to describe things that are strikingly beautiful, sumptuous in structure, or marked by stately grandeur and lavishness. Originating from Latin, via Old French, in the 15th century, "magnificent" is based on the root "magnus," meaning "great".
    When you glorify God with the small things, he entrust you to glorify him with the great things. When the Lord blesses you with work, good work, and the world takes notice, it is no small thing to say to the world, “I give God all the glory for giving me the ability and the grace to accomplish this great thing.
    I love the game of football. I love seeing grown men who play football bow their knees to Jesus. C.J. Stroud is one of those men. He an elite NFL quarterback for the Houston Texans. God has put him on a magnificent platform. CJ Stroud doesn’t shy away from sharing his faith with the media.
    After a win over the Cincinnati Bengals the Texans were now 5-4, a winning record the team had not enjoyed for a long time. Following the game, Stroud reflected on how God sustains him on and off the field.
    “For me it’s a lot of prayer and knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me that I can’t handle,” he began. “I don’t deserve His grace and His mercy, but He still gives it to me, and I love Him for that. It’s not about me. It’s about Him and His glory. I think that’s where it comes from, I think God made me like that. Not only in football but also in things that make me kind of chill when everything is going crazy. And I thank God for putting that on me.”
    C.J. Stroud lives to magnify God the same way the Psalmist did in Psalm 115:1
    Psalm 115:1 ESV
    1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
    Whether you are climbing a small mountain of or a grand mountain, the mountain of the mundane or the mountain of magnificent, set your mind, your heart, and your will to never settle for going up half-the mountain. Do everything with excellence, the mundane or the magnificent, for the glory of God. Always arrive at the top and enjoy the view that God has set for you.

      • 1 Corinthians 4:7ESV

      • 1 Peter 4:11ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:33–11:1ESV

      • Psalm 115:1ESV

  • Empowered by the Spirit, Guided by the Word
First Baptist Church Litchfield
pastorjason.fbcl@gmail.com
217-324-4232
http://www.firstbaptistlitchfield.org/
38 members • 6 followers