Focused Like Jesus | 8 March 2015 | Francois van Niekerk
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Focusing on God’s presence reveals the purpose He has for your life. Many things can distract us from keeping our focus on Jesus, but He is the perfect example and teacher of unwavering focus.
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Focused Like Jesus | 8 March 2015 | Francois van Niekerk
- 1. Pastor Francois van Niekerk
- 7. LUKE 9:51 NKJV Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,
- 8. Where you focus, your life will follow.
- 12. James 1:2-8 NIV
- 13. A FOLLOWER OF JESUS SHOULD: Focus on Jesus Focus on His Kingdom purpose
- 14. MATTHEW 6:33 NIV
- 17. FRUIT OF FOCUS
- 18. Focus directed by God produces fruit!
Editor's Notes
- Date: 8 March 2015 – first morning service Preacher: Pastor Francois van Niekerk
- Theme: Walking with Jesus – 40 days of building friendship
- Sermon: Focused like Jesus Introduction On what or whom are you focusing at the moment? Follow One Course Until Success, is a good explanation of the word focus. Let us compare focus to a flight plan for a commercial aeroplane: The company executives (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) set the course and destination, which speaks of the focus. The pilot (you and me) should follow that plan in order to reach the destination. Without a flight plan (focus) thousands of flights around the world will be in total chaos! Pilots are required to stick to the flight plan and destination – they may not deviate from that. If a pilot decides to change the flight plan whenever they wish, many lives will be at stake. Your focus matters. Are you focused on what is important to God? The main scripture clearly shows how Jesus modelled this commitment of focus. His destiny and flight plan was set by His Father and He unwaveringly focused on it. As we walk with Jesus, we should make it our aim to learn how to focus like He did. Where you focus, your life will follow.
- Let us compare focus to a flight plan for a commercial aeroplane: The company executives (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) set the course and destination, which speaks of the focus. The pilot (you and me) should follow that plan in order to reach the destination. Without a flight plan (focus) thousands of flights around the world will be in total chaos! Pilots are required to stick to the flight plan and destination – they may not deviate from that. If a pilot decides to change the flight plan whenever they wish, many lives will be at stake. Your focus matters. Are you focused on what is important to God?
- Text: Luke 9:51 (NKJV) Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem … (emphasis added)
- Main points 1. His steadfast focus Jesus was exceptionally focused. He never wavered or allowed anything to distract Him from His Father and His mission. The word steadfast can be defined as loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dependable, steady, true, constant, or solid. Jesus lived out all of these! Jesus rebuked the apostle Peter when he tried to interfere with this focus, even though Peter had good intentions.
- ‘From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”’ – Matthew 16:21-23 (NIV) The message was clear: “Don’t interfere with my focus, Peter!” Jesus’ main focus was on the will of His Father, which meant completing His mission on the cross in order to defeat the devil and death, and pay for our sins. This mission was also completed so that Jesus could victoriously sit down at the right hand of God and intercede for us. We cannot focus on an unlimited number of things. Receiving a specific focus from God simplifies life and gives us confidence. It enables us to say no when a flood of demands pour into our lives which can easily distract us.
- 2. The challenge of focus There are many things in our lives that compete against our focus and attention, and it takes effort to remain focused and single-minded. The opposite of single-mindedness is double-mindedness (don’t confuse the latter with multitasking). Double-mindedness leads to instability and a lack of receiving from God (4 James 1:2-8). Scattered or divided focus leads to an ineffective life.
- ‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. Those who doubt should not think they will receive anything from the Lord; they are double-minded and unstable in all they do.’ James 1:2-8 (NIV)
- I suggest that a follower of Jesus should focus on: Jesus and your relationship with Him. His Kingdom, and your assignment from the King.
- Kingdom focus is a matter of prioritising. When we allow Jesus to set our life priorities, we will know which should become our main focuses. Knowing God’s timing is another important principle regarding focus. The main scripture (Luke 9:51) refers to “when the time had come”. Jesus knew God’s timing and responded to it in order to keep focus and progress to His destiny. It is vital that we not only know what it is that He wants us to focus on, but also to have a sense of His timing within that focus.
- 3. Demons of distraction The devil is the master of distraction – he wants to steal the precious focus that we have on God. He distracts by creating illusions; presenting alternative suggestions to God’s will and Word; and causing chaos, crisis and fear. In the parable of the sower (Mark 4) Jesus names a few distractions we need to look out for and avoid: Worries and cares Attractions of the world Search for success Delight of wealth Lure of nice things We must deal decisively with distractions that attempt to steal our focus from God’s presence and His purposes for us. Don’t allow them any space! Let’s measure everything that demands our focus and attention against what Jesus has called us to focus on.
- 4. The fruit of focus Focus can be difficult, but when it is directed by God it produces fruit and joy! The scripture below is very inspiring and we should acknowledge that God calls us to have the same focus. Distraction from Jesus and His purpose produces confusion and sorrow. Remain focused. Fixing your eyes on Jesus will result in fulfilment, accomplishment and the joy of completion!
- ‘And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’ (emphases added) Hebrews 12:1b-2 (NIV)
- Application Don’t forget that where you focus, your life will follow. Set your focus on Him as well as the purpose and assignment He has for your life. Don’t be discouraged if you haven’t yet realised the long-term purpose for your life. If you focus on your daily walk with Jesus and obey what He says, you will end up exactly where He wanted you to be. Deal with distractions. Keep your focus on Jesus and the flight path He has set out for you. Walking with Him on a daily basis will constantly strengthen and reset your focus.
- Prayer Lord, thank you for your steadfast focus on the cross that has given me life! Please teach me to focus like You did. I ask for discernment so that I can identify and deal with distractions that want to steal my focus away from You and Your assignment for my life. I fix my eyes on You, Lord. Remind me to remember you in everything I do. Amen.