Sunday Sermon Keynotes Sunday, September 28, 2025

The Choice Between Pilgrim and Consumer

Your Quick Spiritual Refresh for the Week Ahead

Main Theme

"The importance of choosing to approach life as a pilgrim seeking understanding or as a consumer seeking only personal gain."

Service Summary

The sermon emphasizes the significance of choosing to approach life with a mindset of humility, seeking to understand the vastness of the world and our small place in it, rather than as a consumer focused solely on personal desires. It explores the parable of the rich man and Lazarus as a reflection of this choice, highlighting the importance of seeing beyond oneself to truly discover one's own identity and purpose.

This Week's Actionable Tips

1. Take time this week to step outside of your own world and truly see the people around you. Look for those who may be marginalized or overlooked, and make an effort to connect with them in a meaningful way.
2. Reflect on your own consumption habits and consider how you can shift your focus from consuming for personal gain to giving back to those in need. This could be through volunteering, donating to a charity, or simply being more intentional with your purchases.
3. Practice gratitude for the blessings in your life by taking a moment each day to acknowledge and appreciate what you have. This can help shift your perspective from a consumer mindset to one of abundance and generosity.

Need a Simple Explanation?

Imagine standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon, feeling small and amazed by its vastness. In today's sermon, we talked about how we have a choice when faced with something so big and awe-inspiring. We can either approach it with humility and openness, like a pilgrim on a journey of discovery, or we can just take a quick selfie and move on, not really letting it change us. The story in the Bible today was about a rich man who only cared about himself and ignored the needs of others. He saw the world as a stage for his own enjoyment, without really seeing the people around him. If he had looked beyond himself, he would have seen someone in need, waiting for his help. The lesson is that we should be open to seeing the bigger picture and caring for others, instead of just focusing on ourselves. So, next time you see something amazing or meet someone in need, think about how you can make a difference and connect with the world around you.

Read Full Sunday Sermon

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Philip Yancey sums it up powerfully with Hebrews 12:15:
"See to it that no one misses out on God's grace."

May you go from here carrying God's grace wherever you tread—so that in every corner of your world, grace is seen, heard, and felt.

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