Selflessness vs. Self
In our new series, “Kingdom vs. Culture,” we will spend four weeks exploring the deep tension between the way of Jesus and the often insidious pull of our culture. In week 1, Pastor Jake examined the call to selflessness vs. the worship of self.
Our world is saturated with messages that tell us to prioritize our own comfort, happiness and fulfillment above all else. We see it in the endless pursuit of self-care, self-optimization and self-promotion. Even as followers of Jesus, we can easily fall into the trap of making our lives revolve around ourselves – our schedules, our boundaries, our preferences – often at the expense of the very things God has called us to: serving others, building community and sacrificially following Christ.
But Jesus offers a radically different path. He tells us that abundant life is not found in feeding the self, but in denying it. In Luke 9:23-25, Jesus calls us to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow Him. This is not a one-time heroic act, but a daily, sometimes mundane, surrender of our will, our ambitions and our comforts. It’s a call to put Christ at the center, to let Him set the agenda, and to trust that true life is found not in self-fulfillment, but in self-dethronement.
Jake also identified some of the ways we can misapply this teaching – becoming dutiful servants who never rest, apathetic observers who always have an excuse, easy riders who expect only comfort, or performing martyrs who sacrifice for the sake of recognition. Instead, Jesus invites us to a rhythm of being with Him before doing for Him, hearing from the Father, and then taking up the specific cross He assigns to us.
This is not about earning God’s love or proving our worth, but about responding to the love and sacrifice Jesus has already shown us. As we remember Christ’s own surrender, we are reminded that He never asks us to do what He hasn’t already done. Our sacrifice is a reflection of His, and in losing our lives for His sake, we find the abundant life we’ve been searching for.
Reflection Questions
- Pastor Jake talked about the “button of self” that we keep pressing, hoping it will bring peace, but it never does. Is there an area in your life where you keep seeking fulfillment or comfort, but it leaves you empty? What would it look like to surrender that area to Jesus?
- Of the four misapplications (dutiful servant, apathetic observer, easy rider, performing martyr), which one do you most relate to? How has this shown up in your life recently?
- Jesus calls us to take up our cross daily, not just in big, dramatic moments. What is one ordinary, everyday way you sense God might be asking you to deny yourself or serve others this week?
- Before we can truly sacrifice for others, we need to spend time with Jesus. What is one practical way you can make space to “be with Jesus” this week before jumping into serving or doing?
- Jake encouraged us to ask, “Is my schedule, my spending, or my ambition shaped more by ease than by mission?” How would you answer that for yourself? What is one change you could make to align more with Jesus’ mission?
Watch the Message
Worship Songs from May 4
- “Who You Say I Am”
- “Spirit Lead Me”
- “Lord I Need You (Passion Band Version)”
- “Abandoned” (after the message)
- “The Stand” (after the message)