Sermon Guide
MARK SAYERS | FROM PLATFORMS INTO PILLARS
Teaching Text
Revelation 3:12
The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.
Sermon Recap
This Sunday, we had the opportunity to hear from guest teacher, Mark Sayers, with a teaching out of Revelation 3 on how to become a pillar for God despite living in a "platform society”, and our culture’s need for spiritual revival.
Our modern world encourages individuals to create platforms to elevate themselves. Platforms emphasize a false narrative of success wherein our individual desires must be met and validation is received through visibility. This mentality of intensified individualism and performance has misshaped humanity at a profound level. From business and politics, to the modern-day church, institutions around the world are buckling under the constraints of catering to individual desires. This idea ties back to the original temptation Adam and Eve faced in the Garden of Eden: that if they only ate the fruit, they could become like God, and be elevated like Him. However, with the rise of anxiety, mental health issues, and the polarization of ideologies, the negative effects of elevating ourselves are evident and pervasive.
Pastor Mark emphasized the importance of looking at the flaws of a platform society in the ancient world to gain a better understanding of what we are dealing with today. In the ancient world, the purpose of a platform was to lift an individual higher. In Greece, staged platforms were designed to elevate an individual's message through their performance; but the flaw of a society built on performance is a perpetual lack of authenticity and the erosion of genuine community. In Egypt, the pyramids were created to elevate Pharaoh’s social status to the level of a deity; but the flaw of a society built on royal treatment and an individual with absolute authority was human oppression and lack of meaning. Similar to the ancient world, we are living in times where the platform society promises a life of individual freedom and connection, but in reality exploits our individual desires, turning us into products rather than people. Social media, key performance indicators at work, and influence from peers create immense pressure to perform, leaving with us an intense fear of what might happen if we can’t measure up or if people were to find out who we “really are.”
Creation is groaning underneath the burden of a platform ideology. Revelation 3 provides insight into the call for Christians to leave the "platform" mentality behind and move towards "pillar" formation. As followers of Jesus, we have a specific freedom and calling to be formed into His image and be His physical dwelling place on earth. Within many communities around the world, elders are regarded as human pillars. Pillars are defined as individuals of strength and resiliency. In the Body of Christ pillars create space for others to flourish, working in unison to usher in the presence of God. In Revelation 3:12, Jesus reveals our destiny, to become pillars in the Kingdom that God is building. By changing our framework of understanding to envision a legacy outside of our individual desires, we can partner with God to become pillars. We can find rest in the will of God and step into a growing Church filled with the Holy Spirit.
If you missed this talk, you can watch it here today.
Discussion Questions
Connect
1. What is your favorite Fall tradition in New York? Or something new that you would like to try this year?
Character
Ask someone to read Revelation 3:12 aloud. Then, ask the following questions:
1. What words, phrases, or images stand out to you in this passage?
2. What do you learn about God’s intentions for His people?
Consider
1. How have you experienced the pressure to build platforms for yourself at work, in relationships, or in other areas where you spend time?
2. Pastor Mark shared some identifiers of human pillars, or elders. Is there someone in your life right now that embodies these qualities?
3. Revelation 3:12 makes it clear that our destiny in the New Creation is to be pillars for God’s temple. What are some practical ways you can begin living as a pillar this season?
Cover
Break out into pairs and ask the Holy Spirit to highlight any areas where you have built or are building a platform for yourself. Confess to one another, reconsecrate those spaces to the Lord, and Him for insight into how to live as a pillar for His presence there.