No Waste at the Altar

This message confronts us with an uncomfortable but liberating truth: we have access to everything we need through the Holy Spirit, yet we often live as spiritual teenagers making excuses rather than mature believers walking in obedience. Drawing from John 14, where Jesus promises the Helper who will teach us all things and bring His words to remembrance, we're reminded that Christ didn't leave us orphaned. The Spirit dwelling within us is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, yet we frequently act as though we're powerless, uninformed, or unable to change. The sermon challenges our tendency to approach God like rebellious adolescents who talk over their parents rather than listening, who make excuses rather than surrendering, who want comfort more than transformation. We're called to examine whether our lack of spiritual fire comes from God's absence or our own resistance. The passage in 2 Peter 3 anchors this urgency: since everything in this world will be destroyed by fire, what kind of people should we be? The answer demands holy conduct, godliness, and diligent pursuit of peace with God. This isn't about earning salvation through works, but about recognizing that our time is short—our entire earthly life is merely a lunch break in eternity's timeline—and we must stop wasting it on self-focused living. The call is clear: stop seeking popularity, stop making excuses, stop waiting for perfect conditions, and start following Jesus with the same Spirit-empowered devotion He's already made available to us.