Part 05: Hierarchy of Loyalties
Sermon Summary
Pastor Jimmy Seibert shared powerful stories from his son Caleb and their church plant in Washington, DC, demonstrating how young believers navigated intense cultural and political tensions from 2018-2023. These disciples served in government positions through COVID-19, social unrest, and the events of January 6th, all while maintaining their primary identity as kingdom citizens. Their secret was living according to a "hierarchy of loyalties" that kept God at the center while they served faithfully in their workplaces. This framework enabled them to minister with compassion to protestors and police alike, to serve under multiple administrations with integrity, and ultimately to obey God's call to leave prestigious careers to plant a church in Miami.
Pastor Jimmy emphasized that this hierarchy isn't just for those in high-profile positions. Every believer needs a clear ordering of loyalties: God Himself first, then God's Word, God's family (church and nuclear), disciple-making, and finally our place of service. When we get these priorities out of order, especially when we elevate our workplace, political preferences, or cultural identity above our relationship with God, we lose the spiritual power and clarity needed to truly serve well. The message roots this framework in both the Apostles' Creed and the pattern of Jesus's ministry in Capernaum, a small town of only 1,500 people where He invested deeply before His disciples changed the world.
The call for Antioch Waco is to be a Jeremiah 29:7 people who seek the welfare of their city while maintaining proper kingdom priorities. Just as Jesus stayed rooted in His small-town neighborhood to work out principles that could be reproduced anywhere, believers in Waco are called to love their city, pray for its leaders, and engage every sphere of society. The sermon concluded with a rallying cry for "Waco 3.0" and an invitation to a three-day prayer and fast, emphasizing that citywide impact requires living under God's rule with properly ordered affections and loyalties.
Key Scriptures
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 - "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." (NASB1995)
Matthew 22:37-38 - "And He said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the great and foremost commandment." (NASB1995)
2 Corinthians 13:14 - "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all." (NASB1995)
Jeremiah 29:7 - "Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare." (NASB1995)
1 Corinthians 10:31 - "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (NASB1995)
Instructions for Groups
Choose a few of these questions from the various categories to go deeper in the sermon and put the truths of Scripture into practice.
Discussion Questions
Scripture Study & Deeper Understanding
Read Deuteronomy 6:4-5 in its full context (Deuteronomy 6:1-9). What commands precede the Shema (verses 4-5), and what instructions follow it (verses 6-9)? How does this broader context show what it means for God's commands to be "on your heart" and integrated into daily family life?
Jeremiah 29:4-14 contains God's message to the Jewish exiles in Babylon. Read verses 4-7 carefully. What specific instructions does God give the exiles about how to live in Babylon? How do these instructions contrast with what the exiles might have naturally wanted to do? What does verse 7 reveal about God's purposes for His people even when they're in difficult circumstances?
Encouragement, Challenge & Personal Testimony
Pastor Jimmy shared how his son, daughter-in-law, and their friends ministered to both protestors and police during the 2020 unrest in Washington, DC. They would pray and fast, asking God for words of knowledge before going out. What encourages you most about this story? What does it reveal about God's heart for people on all sides of division?
The message challenges us to examine where we look first each morning: "My first affections when I wake up do not go to the news of the day. My first affections go to God himself." This is convicting because many of us check our phones immediately upon waking. What does this reveal about where we're truly anchored? How might reordering our morning habits change the trajectory of our entire day?
Pastor Jimmy said, "They were not going into Capitol Hill to be somebody. They already were somebody. They went into Capitol Hill every day to serve somebody, and his name was Jesus." Think about a time when you felt the pressure to prove yourself in your workplace, ministry, or relationships. How did that pressure affect your peace and effectiveness? When have you experienced the freedom of already knowing your identity in Christ?
Putting it into Practice
Look at the Hierarchy of Loyalties again: (1) God Himself, (2) God's Word, (3) God's Family, (4) Disciple-Making, (5) Place of Service. Honestly assess your current life: which of these have you elevated above the others? What specific, practical step can you take this week to reorder your priorities? (For example: changing your morning routine, setting boundaries with work, scheduling intentional time with spiritual family, etc.)
Pastor Jimmy called the church to be "Jeremiah 29:7 people" who seek the welfare of Waco while maintaining kingdom priorities. What is one practical way you can seek the welfare of your neighborhood, workplace, or sphere of influence this week? Who specifically might God be asking you to pray for, serve, or show compassion toward, regardless of their background or beliefs?
Prayer
Listening to the Holy Spirit - We're going to take focused time to listen to the Holy Spirit and what He wants to speak to us personally based on our time in Scripture and discussion tonight. Let's sit in silence for 60 seconds and ask the Spirit to speak to each one of us.
[After the minute of silence] What do you sense the Holy Spirit highlighting or speaking to you as we prayed?
Prayer Requests from Tonight's Study - What prayer requests come up for you based on our Scripture study and discussion tonight? How can we pray for you as you seek to apply what God has shown you?