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The Everlasting Advocate

  • Pastor Josh Smith
Do you ever struggle with making life about yourself instead of making it about God? It’s easy to do the right things on the outside while our hearts are disconnected from Jesus. This message will challenge you to examine whether you’re truly living marked by Christ—not just in your actions, but in the hidden thoughts and attitudes of your heart.

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The Everlasting Advocate

Message Summary
Do you ever struggle with making life about yourself instead of making it about God? It’s easy to do the right things on the outside while our hearts are disconnected from Jesus. This message will challenge you to examine whether you’re truly living marked by Christ—not just in your actions, but in the hidden thoughts and attitudes of your heart.
Key Scripture
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
Ephesians 1:3-14
Additional Scriptures

5 Day Devotional

Day 1

Day 1: Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing

Ephesians 1:3-6

Scripture

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

Devotional

Before you drew your first breath, before the world was even created, God loved you and chose you. Let that sink in for a moment. You weren’t an afterthought or a Plan B. God decided in advance to adopt you into His family, and it gave Him great pleasure to do so.

But notice the purpose behind His choosing: to be holy and without fault in His eyes. This isn’t about perfection through your own efforts—it’s about being united with Christ. When we focus only on the material blessings we want in this life, we miss the magnitude of what God has already given us: every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms.

The question isn’t whether God has blessed you. He has—with every spiritual blessing. The question is whether you’re looking in the right place to see those blessings. Are you fixated on what’s happening in this temporary world, or are you living as a citizen of heaven, aware of the spiritual realities all around you right now?

Your inheritance isn’t just something waiting for you in eternity. Heaven is now. The spiritual blessings are accessible now. But only when you’re united with Christ.

Response Questions

  1. What material blessings or circumstances have you been fixating on that have kept you from seeing the spiritual blessings God has already given you?
  2. How does knowing that God chose you before the foundation of the world—and that it gave Him great pleasure—change the way you see yourself today?
  3. What would change in your daily life if you truly lived as a citizen of heaven rather than being consumed with the affairs of this temporary world?

Prayer Points

  • Thank God for choosing you and lavishing His grace upon you before you ever did anything to deserve it.
  • Ask God to open your eyes to see the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms that you’ve been missing because your focus has been in the wrong place.

Day 2

Day 2: Gentle and Lowly—An Approachable King

Matthew 11:28-30

Scripture

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Devotional

Jesus describes Himself with two powerful words: humble and gentle. This is the operating system of our King. He is approachable. He is not waiting for you to get your act together before you come to Him. He’s not keeping score, waiting until you’ve suffered enough consequences before He’ll welcome you back.

Yet how often do we wait? We mess up, and instead of immediately running to Jesus, we stay away. We think we need to clean ourselves up first, prove we’re serious this time, show that we’ve changed. But Jesus says, “Come to me.” Not “come to me when you’re ready” or “come to me when you deserve it.” Just come.

Our tendency when we hit obstacles, experience setbacks, or struggle through trials is to distance ourselves from God. We think our mess disqualifies us from His presence. But Jesus invites us to bring our weariness, our heavy burdens, our failures—all of it—to Him. Why? Because He is gentle and lowly. He is humble and approachable.

The question you must answer today is this: Will you take Him at His word? When you mess up today (and you will), will you immediately turn to Him, or will you wait until you think you’ve earned the right to approach?

Response Questions

  1. What keeps you from immediately approaching Jesus when you mess up? What lies are you believing about His character?
  2. Think about the last time you failed or struggled. Did you run to Jesus or away from Him? What does your response reveal about what you truly believe about His gentleness?
  3. What would it look like today to take Jesus at His word and come to Him with whatever burden you’re carrying—without waiting, without cleaning up first?

Prayer Points

  • Confess the ways you’ve stayed away from God because you didn’t feel worthy enough to approach Him, and thank Him that He is gentle and lowly at heart.
  • Ask Jesus to help you believe that He is truly approachable in every circumstance—especially when you’ve messed up.

Day 3

Day 3: The Gap Between Internal and External

Matthew 5:21-22, 27-28

Scripture

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Devotional

We are exceptional at doing the right things while thinking the wrong things. We can smile at someone while harboring resentment in our hearts. We can serve others while grumbling internally about the inconvenience. We can say “I’d be happy to help” while our internal monologue screams something very different.

Jesus cuts through our performance with surgical precision. He says that the anger in your heart makes you no different than a murderer. The lust in your mind is the same as adultery. Why? Because God doesn’t just see your outward actions—He sees your heart. And He knows the gap between what you do and what you think.

This isn’t about condemnation. It’s about invitation. Jesus is inviting you into a deeper level of transformation—one that goes beyond behavior modification to heart renovation. Being united with Christ isn’t just about acting right in front of people. It’s about allowing the Holy Spirit to transform the internal monologue, the hidden thoughts, the attitudes that no one else sees.

You know whether you are united with Jesus based on what happens in your heart when no one is watching. The question is: are you willing to let Him into those hidden places?

Response Questions

  1. Where is the biggest gap in your life between your external actions and your internal attitudes? What do you do right on the outside while thinking wrong on the inside?
  2. Who in your life triggers negative internal monologues—anger, resentment, judgment, or contempt—even while you act kindly toward them on the outside?
  3. What would need to change for your heart to match your actions? What would it look like to invite the Holy Spirit into your thought life this week?

Prayer Points

  • Confess the specific areas where your internal life doesn’t match your external behavior, and ask God to forgive you for the deception.
  • Invite the Holy Spirit to transform not just your actions but your thoughts, attitudes, and internal monologue—to make you authentic from the inside out.

Day 4

Day 4: Restoring Dignity to Humanity

Ephesians 1:7-10

Scripture

He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding. God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth.

Devotional

God’s definition of freedom is powerful: to restore dignity to humanity. He didn’t just free you from sin so you could live however you want. He freed you so you could partner with Him in restoring dignity to others.

Think about what Goddid for you: He purchased your freedom with the blood of His Son. He forgave your sins. He showered His kindness on you. He revealed His mysterious plan to you. All of this restores your dignity—it reminds you that you are the image of God, loved and chosen, marked as His own.

Now, here’s the litmus test for whether your heart is truly united with Jesus: To what extent does your life restore dignity to others?

People who are consumed with their own importance, their own ego, their own need to be heard—they care very little about restoring dignity to others. They push their opinions, protect their image, and make everything about themselves. But those who are united with Christ? They live differently. They make life about not making it about themselves.

Restoring dignity means helping others see how God sees them. It means treating people as image-bearers of God, not obstacles or inconveniences. It means being mindful of how your words, your tone, your presence either builds someone up or tears them down.

Today, you will interact with people—family members, coworkers, strangers. Will you restore their dignity or diminish it? Will you make them feel seen and valued, or will you use them to serve your own purposes?

Response Questions

  1. Think about your interactions yesterday. Did you restore dignity to the people around you, or were you more focused on your own ego and importance?
  2. Who in your life have you been treating as an inconvenience rather than as an image-bearer of God? How can you restore dignity to them this week?
  3. What consuming thought patterns about yourself (your importance, your image, your needs) keep you from being present to restore dignity to others?

Prayer Points

  • Thank God for the specific ways He has restored your dignity through Jesus Christ—forgiveness, freedom, adoption, inheritance.
  • Ask God to make you mindful today of opportunities to restore dignity to others, and to give you the humility to make life about not making it about you.

Day 5

Day 5: Marked and Sealed by the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:11-14

Scripture

Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan. God’s purpose was that we Jews who were the first to trust in Christ would bring praise and glory to God. And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.

Devotional

When you believed in Christ, something profound happened: God marked you as His own. He gave you the Holy Spirit as a seal, a guarantee, a deposit on the inheritance that is coming. You have been identified. You belong to Him.

But here’s the convicting question: Are you living like you’ve been marked?

It’s easy to live in generalities—”Yeah, I believe Jesus is my Savior and I want to live for Him.” But do you ever sit still long enough to invite Him to define what that actually looks like in your daily life? What does it mean to live marked by the Holy Spirit on a Tuesday afternoon when you’re stuck in traffic? What does it look like when your coworker gets the promotion you wanted? What does it mean when you’re alone with your thoughts and no one else is watching?

The Holy Spirit isn’t just a theological concept—He is God’s presence within you, transforming you from the inside out. He’s there in the wrestling match between what you want to do for yourself and what God is calling you to do. He’s there when accusations come: “You’re not committed enough. You’re worthless. You’re not worthy.”

Here’s the practice for moving forward: When those accusations come, when you’re not acting like someone who belongs to Jesus, write down the accusation. Then read Ephesians 1:13 again. Remember who you really are. Pray a simple prayer: “Jesus, I release these accusations.” Then tear up the paper. Let it be a physical reminder that you are united with Christ, marked by His Spirit, and nothing can change that.

Your inheritance is God Himself. Not just the perks of heaven—Him. And if you’re not learning to be fulfilled with His presence now, you won’t be fulfilled with His presence in eternity. So live marked. Live like you belong to Him. Make your life about praising and glorifying God.

Response Questions

  1. If someone followed you around this past week, would they be able to tell you’ve been marked by the Holy Spirit? What evidence would they see (or not see)?
  2. What accusations have been circling in your mind lately—lies about your worth, your commitment, your identity? How does Ephesians 1:13 speak truth against those lies?
  3. How does knowing that your inheritance is God Himself (not just heaven’s benefits) change what you’re living for today?

Prayer Points

  • Thank God for marking you with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of your inheritance, and praise Him that you belong to Him no matter what.
  • Ask God to help you live marked this week—not just in your actions, but in your thoughts, attitudes, and heart—so that your life would bring praise and glory to Him.

GrowGroup Guide

A weekly guide to carry the conversation beyond Sunday morning.

Opening Prayer & Icebreaker (5-10 minutes)

Icebreaker Question: When you were growing up, what was something that marked you as belonging to your family—a tradition, a saying, a value, or even a physical trait?

Review the Message (5 minutes)

This week’s sermon challenged us to examine whether we’re truly living marked by Christ—not just in our outward actions, but in the hidden thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. The key passage from Ephesians 1:3-14 reminds us that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing, chose us before the foundation of the world, and marked us with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance.

Discussion Questions

1. The Character of Our King

Context from the sermon: The pastor began by reminding us that Jesus describes himself as “gentle and lowly at heart” (Matthew 11:29). This means he is humble and approachable. Our tendency when we mess up is to wait before approaching God, but Jesus invites us to come to him immediately—in our struggles, setbacks, and even the good times.

Discussion Questions:

  • How does knowing that Jesus is “gentle and lowly” change the way you approach him when you’ve messed up?
  • What makes it hard for you to believe that Jesus is truly approachable in every circumstance?
  • Share a time when you waited to approach God because you didn’t feel “worthy enough.” What happened?

2. Every Spiritual Blessing in the Heavenly Realms

Context from the sermon: The pastor emphasized that God has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:3). We often want material blessings in this life, but God is saying the blessings he’s given us are spiritual and in the heavenly realms. If we’re not looking in the heavenly realms, we’ll never see the spiritual blessings. Our citizenship is in heaven, and heaven is happening right now—which means we can live in the reality of those spiritual blessings now and in the age to come.

Discussion Questions:

  • What does it look like practically to focus on “heavenly realms” instead of just the material circumstances of this life?
  • What spiritual blessings have you experienced that you might have overlooked because you were focused on material things?
  • How does remembering that “heaven is now” change your perspective on what you’re going through this week?

3. The Internal vs. External Life

Context from the sermon: The pastor shared a vulnerable story about getting out of bed to check the house when his wife heard a noise. On the outside, he said “I’d be happy to go check that out,” but inside he was grumbling the whole time. He said, “We are exceptional at doing the right things, but not harding the right way.” Jesus referenced this in Matthew 5 when he said that being angry at someone makes you no different than a murderer—because God sees the heart, not just the outward actions.

Discussion Questions:

  • Can you relate to the pastor’s story about doing the right thing while grumbling inside? Share an example from your own life.
  • Why do you think we’re so good at outward obedience but struggle with our internal attitudes?
  • What’s one area where your internal monologue doesn’t match your external actions? How can being “united with Christ” change that?

4. Restoring Dignity to Humanity

Context from the sermon: The pastor defined freedom as “restoring dignity to humanity.” He said, “I believe that another litmus test that reveals whether your heart is united with Jesus is the extent to which your life restores dignity to others.” People who live to push their opinions and make themselves important often care very little about restoring dignity to others. God frees us not so we can live however we want, but so we can be partners in restoring dignity to humanity.

Discussion Questions:

  • What does it mean to “restore dignity” to another person? Can you give a practical example?
  • Think about your interactions this past week. Were you more concerned with preserving your own image or restoring dignity to others?
  • Who in your life needs to have their dignity restored? What’s one specific way you could do that this week?

5. Marked by the Holy Spirit

Context from the sermon: Ephesians 1:13 tells us that when we believed in Christ, he marked us as his own by giving us the Holy Spirit. The pastor said, “The Holy Spirit is God’s deposit within us that he’s good on the inheritance that he’s going to drop on us.” He challenged us to ask: Are you living these days like you have been marked? It’s not just about believing Jesus is your Savior in general terms—it’s about inviting him to define what belonging to him looks like in your daily life.

Discussion Questions:

  • What does it mean to be “marked” by the Holy Spirit? How is that different from just believing the right things?
  • If someone followed you around this past week, would they be able to tell you’ve been marked by Christ? Why or why not?
  • What’s one specific way you can live “marked” this coming week—not just in actions, but in your heart and thoughts?

6. Our Inheritance is God Himself

Context from the sermon: The pastor challenged a common misconception about our inheritance in heaven. He said many people think the inheritance will be like a perfect golf course or a life with no problems. But he said, “The inheritance that we step into is God.” Then he asked this convicting question: “If we’re not fulfilled with the presence of God here, what makes you think that you are going to be fulfilled with the presence of God in eternity?”

Discussion Questions:

  • How does it change things to realize that your inheritance isn’t just heaven’s perks, but God himself?
  • Be honest: Are you more excited about heaven because of what you’ll escape (pain, tears, suffering) or because you’ll be with God?
  • What would it look like for you to cultivate a deeper satisfaction in God’s presence right now, in your daily life?

Weekly Practice Challenge (5 minutes)

Context from the sermon: The pastor introduced a practice for the week: When you’re not acting in a way that matches Christ’s character, identify the accusation that comes (“You’re not committed,” “You’re worthless,” “You’re not worthy”). Write it down. Then read Ephesians 1:13 to remind yourself that you are united with Christ and marked by him. Pray a simple prayer: “Jesus, I release these accusations.” Then tear up the paper as a physical act of releasing those lies.

Group Challenge:

  • Commit to doing this practice at least once this week
  • Share with one other person in the group who can check in with you mid-week
  • Come back next week ready to share what God revealed through this practice

Closing Prayer (5 minutes)

Invite group members to pray the same prayer the pastor led at the end of the sermon:

“Dear Heavenly Father, I invite Jesus into my heart. From this point forward, I want to live these days marked by your presence. Be with me this week in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

Then allow space for anyone who wants to pray additional prayers for specific needs in the group.

Family Table Talk

A weekly practice you can do beyond Sunday morning.

📖 Scripture

1 John 2:1 – “We have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.”

❓Family Question

What is Jesus doing for us right now?

💬 Parent Prompt:

Explain advocacy (someone speaking for you). Ask: “How does knowing Jesus speaks for us give us peace today?”

Weekly Practice

A weekly practice you can do beyond Sunday morning.

Practice: Release the Case

Stop defending yourself and let Jesus be your advocate.

Write down one accusation you believe about yourself

Read: 1 John 2:1

Pray: “Jesus, I release this to You.”
Tear up the paper or delete the note

“You don’t have to argue your case—Jesus already has.”