Ministry and the Risk of Carnal Ambition

It’s beautiful to want good things and to build a great life in our time on earth.

But here’s where it all gets twisted: When the dream stops being about God and the blessings He’s given us, and quietly becomes all about me—my security, my reputation, my legacy.

I’ve seen it in family life. I’ve seen it in ministry. I’ve seen it in my own heart.

This is where John the Baptist becomes a perfect model for us as an "anti-influencer."

He had a massive following and huge crowds hanging on his words. But his life wasn't built on what his personal legacy could be. He pointed to Jesus. He knew that he was simply a voice...and Jesus was the Word incarnate.

In this reflection, I discuss:

• What it really means to say, “He must increase, I must decrease”
• How to keep “first things first” and let everything else fall into place
• John the Baptist as a pattern of Christian living
• C.S. Lewis’ line: “Put first things first and you get second things thrown in…”
• How to examine your dreams and “drain your legacy” so it’s truly about Jesus

Oh, and watch til the end to see me try to walk on water.

I encourage you to take 10 minutes and pray about this question: What am I actually trying to build with my life? Am I pointing to Christ?

Know that I’m praying for you as you lean into these last days of Advent with joyful repentance and a heart that says: “He must increase. I must decrease.”

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. When you imagine your “dream life,” what’s at the center of it—comfort, success, security, or Jesus? Be honest.

2. Where have good desires (for family, work, or ministry) started to shift into building “your own kingdom”? What are some signs of that in your life?

3. John the Baptist calls himself “a voice” pointing to the “Word.” If someone looked at your life from the outside, what would they say your life is “a voice” for?

4. C.S. Lewis said that if we put first things first, we get second things thrown in; if we put second things first, we lose both. What are some “second things” you’ve been tempted to put first lately?

5. Where do you get distracted by the things of God instead of God Himself (debates, preferences, liturgical details, online arguments, etc.)?

6. As Advent comes to a close, what is one concrete way you can “decrease” so that Christ can “increase” in your family, your work, or your ministry this week?

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