In today's sermon, we explored the concept of misdirection and how it applies to our spiritual lives. Just as illusionists use misdirection to divert our attention, we too can be easily distracted by things that seem important but ultimately lead us away from our true purpose. This misdirection can happen in various aspects of life, including sports, business, and even within the church. We examined the story of Intel's shift from memory chips to microprocessors as an example of how focusing on the wrong thing can lead to failure, and how a change in focus can save an organization.
We then turned our attention to the church and how it can fall into the trap of self-centeredness. Churches often start with a mission to impact the world but can gradually shift their focus to internal needs and preferences. This shift can lead to a loss of the original mission, which is to seek and save the lost, as Jesus did. Jesus' mission was to seek out those who were spiritually lost and bring them into a relationship with God. We are called to do the same, but it requires us to take our eyes off ourselves and focus on others.
We delved into Philippians 2:3-4, where Paul instructs us to avoid selfishness and vain glory, and instead, to be humble and consider others better than ourselves. This humility is not about thinking less of ourselves but about valuing others more. We discussed how this principle applies to various relationships, including marriage, where mutual submission leads to a healthy and fulfilling relationship.
Finally, we outlined three imperative steps to combat our natural bent towards selfishness: admitting our selfish tendencies, humbling ourselves before God, and intentionally esteeming others. By following these steps, we can align our lives more closely with Jesus' example and mission, thereby killing the "despicable me" within us.
