What does God really want? We like knowing the bottom line. When I buy a car, I want to see the final “out the door” price before I agree to anything. No one likes fine print, those hidden details requiring a magnifying glass to read. The same goes for God and the church. What is the bottom line for Jesus? How much time, how many prayers, how much money do I “have to” give to know I’ve arrived? In the end, what does it really take to make God satisfied?
Throughout the summer at Christ United Methodist Church in Gastonia, NC, we’re asking some BIG questions! Here is our Sunday Rewind for August 7, 2016. We ask the big question, “What Does God Really Want From Me?”
Churches appear pretty demanding. We wake up early every Sunday morning to attend worship and serve. We volunteer for various mission or service projects. We join in a weekly LifeGroup. We may lead a church committee or teaching team. We give a sizable chunk of our income. The list can get pretty lengthy. There is always something more to do, some other way we can serve, or another expectation we must meet. Weekly sermons remind us that Jesus said “We must pick up my cross and follow him.” That sure seems to be a pretty demanding to-do list if we hope to be a good Christian or a good church member.
I think I’m a pretty good husband. I tell my wife “I love you” at least once a day. I provide a decent living, home, and reasonable security for our family. I spend time with the kids. I take my wife on dates. I even do the dishes. I could make a lengthy list of all the stuff I do. Yet, we know completed to-do lists don’t make a great marriage. Actions are important, but great marriages require something more…something intangible we call love. If I accomplish every task my wife lays before me but haven’t given her my heart…she will be unsatisfied in our marriage. Honestly, I expect the same from her. Deep down what I really want is her heart.
What does God really want from me? The Bible gives us guidance on the kind of person we are to be: forgiving, generous, compassionate, sacrificial, etc. We fill in the blank with to-do lists designed to help us become what God desires. Yet in the end, our to-do lists are meaningless apart from a heart that belongs to God. In the end, God really wants our heart. As we continue our summer message series, I Have a Question, we dig into the big question, “What Does God Really Want From Me?”
Click below to listen to this past Sunday’s Message
For Further Discussion:
Share some examples of really great marriages. What are some elements that make a really great marriage relationship? Why can’t great relationships be faked?
Read Matthew 18:21-35. Why do you think Peter asked this question? How do you think he responded to Jesus’ story? Why do you think Jesus responded with this story?
Read Matthew 22:34-39 Why do you think the order of the greatest commandment is heart, soul, and then mind? What is the difference between duty or obligation and love?
How do we know God love’s us? How do we know we love God? How would you describe the difference between the Almost & the Altogether Christian (Living for vs. Alive in)? What do you think it means for God to have all your heart?
What is your NEXT STEP with Jesus? How can Christ Church help you take that step?
