Francis Chan at SEEK21

Sermon Summary

Main Message

This teaching emphasizes the importance of being fascinated by the gospel, even after 40 years of knowing it. The speaker shares their personal story of being drawn to God's truth and how it has radically changed their life. They encourage listeners to be like them - still blown away by the good news of what God has done for us.

Key Scripture References

• Ephesians 2:1-10 - This passage highlights our former state as "dead in trespasses and sins," but also shows how God's mercy and love have made us alive together with Christ. The speaker meditated on this passage, marveling at the fact that we were once deserving of God's wrath, but now we are recipients of His immeasurable riches of grace.
• Colossians 1:16 - This verse emphasizes that all things were created by and for God. The speaker notes how this truth is particularly relevant when considering the existence of creatures like jellyfish, which don't even have a brain or nervous system. Similarly, we were once unaware of our existence in relation to God.
• Ephesians 2:10 - This verse reminds us that we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. The speaker encourages listeners to remember this truth and live accordingly.
• Hebrews 11:6 - This passage shows how the patriarchs of old were able to please God through their faith, even in difficult circumstances. The speaker notes how they never stopped praising God, even in the midst of struggles and suffering.
• Revelation 4:8 - This verse describes the worship scene around the throne of God, where creatures are constantly praising Him for His holiness and power. The speaker encourages listeners to join in this eternal praise, recognizing that we are already part of the body of Christ.
• Psalm 100:4-5 - This passage reminds us to worship God with thanksgiving and acknowledge His sovereignty over all creation. The speaker encourages listeners to see themselves as messengers of this great message, sharing it with others so they can experience the same life-changing truth.

Key Takeaways

• We should still be fascinated by the gospel after 40 years of knowing it.
• God's mercy and love have made us alive together with Christ, despite our former state as "dead in trespasses and sins."
• We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which He prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.
• We should live accordingly to this truth, remembering that we are already part of the body of Christ.
• Our job now is to tell others about this life-changing message and share our fascination with the gospel.

Application

The speaker encourages listeners to be like them - still blown away by the good news of what God has done for us. We should strive to maintain our fascination with the gospel, even after many years of knowing it. This can be achieved by continuing to study His word and seek Him in prayer.

Challenge

The speaker challenges listeners to see themselves as messengers of this great message, sharing it with others so they can experience the same life-changing truth. We should strive to live accordingly to our new identity in Christ, remembering that we are already part of the body of Christ.

Reflection

The speaker's personal story and use of illustrations (such as the jellyfish) help to drive home the importance of being fascinated by the gospel. We should reflect on our own relationship with God and consider how we can continue to be drawn to His truth.