Jeremy Utley - Do I Really Want To Be A Blessing?

Jeremy UtleyMarch 9, 202215mWatch on YouTube

In this collectionJeremy Utley130 messages

Speaker: Jeremy Utley Title: Do I Really Want To Be A Blessing? Date: 3/8/22 Our Goal as Christians is this: To be an exact reflection of Jesus, the Son of God (Romans 8:29) We do this individually by growing in purity in our personal lives (1 John 3:2-3) We do this corporately by becoming fully functioning members of a local Church (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Summary

The speaker reflects on six reasons God allows affliction, ultimately arguing that the most undervalued reason is the opportunity to grow in sympathy for others. He draws parallels to Jesus's teaching that loving God requires loving one's neighbor, suggesting that indifference to others proves a lack of love for God. The message concludes by emphasizing that Jesus deeply valued sympathy, even humbling himself to experience human weakness, which should challenge the listener's own valuation of compassion.

Outline

The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.

Six reasons God allows afflictionAffliction is allowed by God to make us like Jesus, draw us near to Him, humble us, glorify Him, give us His perspective, and build sympathy for others.

De-emphasizing the sixth reasonThe speaker confesses personal conviction that he has largely de-emphasized growing in sympathy for those who suffer compared to the other spiritual benefits.

Love for God and love for neighbor as two sides of the same coinJust as Jesus linked loving God with loving one's neighbor, true love for God is proven by caring for one's brother rather than being indifferent.1 John 4:20

Is encouraging others just a consolation prize?After receiving appreciation for sharing through a difficult time, the speaker is convicted by the question of whether helping others is just a fallback when he doesn't get what he wants.

How much did Jesus value sympathy?Jesus cherished sympathy so much that He willingly left heaven, humbled Himself, and even experienced sickness and weakness to truly understand and help us.

Death working in us so life works in othersPaul embraced suffering and the way of the cross so that divine life and comfort could be channeled to others.2 Corinthians 4:10–12

A toss-up between being with Christ and being useful to othersPaul viewed remaining in the flesh as fruitful labor for the sake of others, prioritizing their spiritual progress over his own departure.

Being a blessing even to the unknownThe speaker is challenged by the Lord to care about blessing even those outside his immediate circle, following Christ's example of dying for enemies.

The warning of Matthew 25 regarding the least of theseJesus highlights the critical importance of caring for the least of these, making sympathy a must-have rather than a nice-to-have.

Sympathy as the culmination of God's work in afflictionConformity to Christ, closeness to God, humility, and glorifying God are all incomplete and hollow without a genuine heart for those who suffer.

Cooperating with God's breakingThe speaker expresses a desire to repent of carelessness and indifference, cooperating with the Lord's breaking to cultivate a greater capacity for sympathy.

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