Series: Having a Heart for Nineveh
INTRO
Excuse me, sir, do you have the time?" asked the jogger. "8:25!" the man replied. The jogger said thanks and left. Now the man could see other joggers passing by and he knew it was only a matter of time before another one disturbed him. To avoid that, he got out a pen and paper and put a sign on his window saying, "I do not know the time!" Once again he settled back to sleep. He was just dozing off when there was another knock on the window. "Sir, sir?" said a jogger, seeking to be helpful' "it’s 8:45!"
When I saw the recent news that Ted Haggard, Todd Bentley had a hidden life—a life of drugs and sexual immorality
-I found myself asking questions you may have asked—WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN?
-can one become so important in his eyes that he believes he is above the rules?
-beyond the consequences?
-start thinking--I’ve done so much for others—it’s time someone does something for me
-I’ve so much good performance stored up it will reduce any bad effects?
But I find myself asking a bigger question—HOW?
-how is it possible to live such a life of deception?
-how can one compartmentalize sin in such a way that ministry flourishes publicly while a life of sin goes on at the same time privately?
But then, we all know of people who we have admired so much as Christians have made real mistakes, some have repented and been restored others not so much.
I find myself wondering—how many Christians, even now, are bottling up, hiding significant sins
-thinking they can get away with it
-while creating around them an impression that everything is okay?
That’s what makes the book of Jonah so relevant and important—and necessary
-it brings us back to reality—destroys certain myths
-that we can run and hide
-that we can choose both our sin and its consequences
Jonah’s hiding wasn’t some private affair with sex and drugs
-in some respects—it was worse
-Jonah turned his back on God’s call for his life—took charge of his destiny
-resigned from the prophethood
-ran from the center to the edge
-going in the exact opposite direction of God’s will
-using his resources—he bought passage on a ship to Tarshish—what represented the furthest place imaginable from the will of God
-and joined a long list of other hiders—Saul, Cain, Adam
Whose worlds fell apart—as Jonah’s was about to do
-this Carnival cruise soon turned into a voyage from hell
-for running from God, hiding from God, sets a man on a stormy trajectory
-the sooner we get off this ship the better
-but Jonah was not interested in getting off the ship—not interested in setting aside his self centeredness
-and so—as is so often necessary--God sent a storm (read vs 4)
-“sent” misses the force of the verb
-God “hurled”, heaved this storm at Jonah
-affirming the truth of Hosea 8:7—
-sow the wind, and you will reap the whirlwind
Sounds a bit vindictive
-I’ll get back at you Jonah for thumbing your nose at Me, this is not what God is about, he loves you cause he loves you cause he loves you.
-but it is something far more radical
-this is God tenacious--determined to bring Jonah—you, me—into the purpose for why He created us
-He will not give up on us--and if He has to use storms to bring us back—
He will
For storms do a couple of things—
1. STORMS HAVE A WAY OF REARRANGING PRIORITIES (read verse 5a)
A. Seeing that the ship would soon be shattered
-the crew had no choice but to jettison everything that might threaten their well being—strip down to the essentials
-reduce life to the elementals—every man cried to his god
B. That’s what storms do
-whether they be the loss of a job, loss of income, loss of health, the moment the bottom falls out, life has thrown an unexpected
-the moment that leads to a sudden loss of fortunes, loss of security, loss of well being
-the moment we become broken world people
-storms have a way of changing everything--have a way of forcing us to release the things we hang on to, the things we heretofore have trusted in
-bring us to a point where nothing else matters-everything else is insignificant
-reduce us to baseline—bring us to our knees
It’s unfortunate that we need storms for that—but often we do
-sometimes only the sifting work of a storm can bring us back to the call of
God
Maybe you are in the midst of a self-inflicted storm—and God is rearranging your priorities
-unfortunately—Jonah had not yet rearranged priorities
-while Jonah’s sin was effecting others
-for sin has its side effects—reducing the worlds of those we live with, work with
-Jonah assumed he could avoid it all-read vs 5b
-amidst the creaking of the timbers, the popping of the hull, the roar of the storm
-Jonah lay hidden-deep in the recesses (lit “extreme parts”), the far reaches of the ship
-language suggesting that even on board the ship—he was running to the farthest point –where he could renounce all responsibility
-and where he fell into a deep sleep
-how could this be?
-tired from the journey to Joppa? Drowsy from the motion sickness pills?
-most likely it was same tiredness you and I sometimes experience when we are in self-doubt, fear, denial
-when we are hiding from God—and the particular depression this can bring on
-when we are living with a secret—and expending lots of energy to cover it up
-WE SLEEP
-but it was probably more —we surmised PTCOG-post traumatic call of God
-sleep served to dull the pain
-but he would not sleep for long—for there is something else about storms
2. STORMS HAVE A WAY OF BRINGING THINGS TO THE SURFACE (read verse 6)
A. Layer by layer-Jonah’s world began to be exposed
-this storm, like most storms, began to bring things to the surface
-for God will not be brushed aside—ignored
-He will not allow things to remain hidden
B. Jonah was awakened, ironically, by the same word that awakened him to the call of God in verse 2—arise
-Jonah must have thought he was having a reoccurring nightmare
-only this time it was the voice of a pagan
-a captain tapping into every divine possibility
-and in all of this—Jonah was being exposed
3. STORMS EXPOSE OUR SPIRITUAL CONDITION
-a sudden loss, an unexpected setback—and the depth of our relationship with God is often exposed
-Jonah’s walk with God was revealed for what it was--thin
A. He was unable or unwilling to seize an incredible opportunity to give witness to God
-JONAH HAD NO WITNESS
B. Unable, unwilling even to pray—JONAH HAD NO PRAYER
C. Unable, unwilling to discern—JONAH HAD NO PROPHETIC INSIGHT
-even pagan sailors saw that this was more than a natural phenomenon
-this storm was something supernatural
Here was a prophet whose condition was exposed for what it was—
-functional godlessness
-as dead to the world as he was dead to God
-like Samson-devoid of power
-an empty suit
Sometimes it takes a storm to realize how shallow we are
-what happens when we have gotten away from the spiritual disciplines of
word and prayer—that bring depth
-more than spiritual dullness—
4. STORMS LAY BARE OUR PERSONAL DISOBEDIENCE-read vss 7-10
-things continued to come to the surface—next up was Jonah’s sin
-they realized this was no adventurer on the move
-this was a man on the run—from God
-painfully we learn this reality-truth always rises to the surface
5. STORMS REVEAL OUR HEART CONDITION-read vss 11-15
-as the storm increased in intensity--Jonah’s character, Jonah’s course,
Jonah’s faith—Jonah’s heart--everything about Jonah was coming out into the open, exposed
-even the deepest interior parts
-just as storms do in our lives
-Jonah’s offer to be tossed-heroic as it seemed—revealed yet something darker
-a heart rebellious —a heart stubborn--incapable of simple repentance
-the sailors were willing to do whatever God wanted
-Jonah knew what God wanted—but chose to defy it
-he could have simply said—God, I will go
-instead he in effect said to God—I’m not going
-I’d rather go to the grave than go to Nineveh!
APPLICATION
Perhaps you are facing a storm—and not all storms are the same
1. Some storms are not the result of disobedience
-honesty sometimes leads to bankruptcy—taking a stand at school sometimes meets with mocking
-sometimes, storms are the RESULT of obedience
-in another Mediterranean storm, faced by another pagan ship, in Acts 27,
Paul faced the real danger of shipwreck
-off went the cargo, the tackle—but through it all, God was not rerouting Paul
-instead—out of the storm came God’s powerful voice—“Do not be afraid Paul; you must stand before Caesar”
-to paraphrase—you’re on the right course—don’t let the winds push you off-stay fixed
2. But some storms are the result of disobedience
-sometimes storms are of our making—sinful choices, running from God
-that expose us to the severity of God’s mercy
-He will not allow us to live in peace with disobedience
Dear God—depending on the storm—strengthen our resolve—or break us-Amen
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Learning to Hear God's Voice
HOW TO HEAR GOD SPEAK
- Part 1 of 4
Luke 8:4-15
One of the most basic claims of Christianity is that God speaks to people. All through the Bible you see the phrase, "And God said..." Pretty soon you get the idea that God really does speak to people. God wants to have a relationship with you. He wants to have a personal relationship with you. There is no relationship without communication. God has chosen to speak to us.
The problem is communication is often misunderstood. When my wife speaks to me I often, a)don't hear it, and b) misunderstand it. I'm sure I'm the only man that ever felt that way! Men, there are two things you need to understand about women.... and nobody knows what they are!
If I have that much difficulty with my wife who I spend my entire life with and love and know and still we don't always communicate clearly, how much should you expect there to be communication problems with God? There are communication problems with God.
Frankly, I am very skeptical of people who always have a clear word from God. A lot of stupid things have been done by people who claim that God has spoken to them. I've very skeptical when people tell me, "God told me this ..." They always have a clear word. Some people think that ministers always understand exactly what God wants us to do. That's not true. I am often as confused as everybody else about what is God saying, what is God trying to say. Some of you
think I have a little red telephone in my study and I pick up the God-phone. God tells me what to say to you and I talk with him that way. God does not send me e- mail. He doesn't send me telegrams. I don't have a fax of God. Sometimes I'm just as much in the dark about hearing God as you are.
On the other hand, there are times in my life when God speaks when I have no doubt at all that God is speaking to me. Just like when my wife calls me on the phone, I don't have to ask who it is -- I know her voice. There are times when God speaks to me when I know exactly who it is, who's putting that idea in my mind. I know where that impression is coming from.
What makes the difference? The difference is attitude.
This morning we're beginning a new series I'm calling, "Learning to Hear God's Voice". Nothing is more important to you than understanding that God wants to talk to you and that you can actually hear Him if you just tune in. Jesus once said in Luke 8:8, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Get your ears on! You've got to be tuned in order to hear God speak.
Many times, God has spoken to you, but it hasn't come through crystal clear because you're not on the right channel. Right now the room is filled with radio waves, but you don't hear them because you're not tuned in. They're even going through your body. There are television waves going through the air right now. You don't even see them. If you had a receiver and you tuned it in right, you'd get the picture. Right now, God is speaking to many of you. You don't see it, but He really is. But your reception is a little fuzzy.
HOW TO HEAR GOD SPEAK
Jesus told the story in Luke 8, a parable, in which He says, Let me explain to you that it's all about mental attitude. There are four kinds of attitudes that will depend whether you get the message clearly from God or whether you don't. This is so important. Obviously, if you can tune into God He can direct you, He can save you a lot of time from making wrong mistakes, He can comfort you when you need comfort, He can guide you, and so on.
So He says, Let me tell you a story. There was a farmer who goes out to sow seed and as he went out to sow seed, his seed scattered all over in different types of soil. Back in the Middle East in the old days they didn't plant one seed per spot and cover it up with dirt. They did what was called broadcasting. A farmer would have a pouch on his side filled with seed and, as he'd walk through the field that he had already tilled, he would toss it out, scattering it. That's where we get the term broadcasting. Obviously some of the seed falls on good soil and some of it doesn't. He says these four soils represent four mental attitudes. They're not four kinds of people, but actually all of us have been all four of these types. We vary from them from time to time. Sometimes we're very open to God to what He wants to say to us. Sometimes we're very closed.
How do I hear God speak to me?
1. I MUST CULTIVATE AN OPEN MIND.
I've got to want to hear from God, be eager, be receptive. I've got to be ready and willing to hear God. Some of you today are not believers. You're seekers. You're checking out us and Christ. We welcome you here. We're glad you're here. Others of you are new believers. Others have been believers for many years. But if I were to ask you, have you ever heard God speak to you? There are many of you who would say, "I can't think of a time in my life where I ever actually heard God speak to me." I'm not talking about an audible voice, but an impression in your mind that you knew that is from God.
Why is that? One of the possible reasons is that you've never been open to the possibility of it.
Maybe you didn't even know it was possible that God does want to speak to you directly. You've thought maybe God doesn't speak to you and maybe you don't even believe in that. When you've got a closed mind, obviously, God is not going to get through.
This is the first type of soil. v. 5 "Some seed fell on the path and it was trampled on and the birds of the air came and ate it up....[v. 12] Those along the path are like people who hear and then the devil comes along and takes away the word from their hearts so they cannot believe and be saved."
On every farm, in every field there's a footpath that the farmer would walk down. As he went he would sow the seed out onto the land that was tilled. There are two characteristics of a footpath.
One, they're hardened because of the constant traffic of people walking. The soil is compact and it's not fertile and tilled like the field. It's hard. The other thing about a path is it's narrow.
Do you know anybody like that? They're closed minded, narrow minded, hard hearted. They're not even open to the possibility that God might speak to them. As a result, Jesus says the farmer sows seed but it can't penetrate because it's hard and compacted. It can't take root, it can't sprout, it just lays on the surface of the ground and the birds come along and eat it. It never even gets a chance.
This is true with us many of the times. God wants to speak to us, but He doesn't even get a chance because our minds are closed, our hearts are hardened, we've made up our mind, we're unwilling to listen, we've already decided what we're going to do so we don't want to hear from God. We've already decided what we're going to do in the situation.
What causes us to have a closed mind?
1. Pride. Pride causes us to have a closed mind. When I think, "I don't need God. I don't need to hear from God. I can make this business decision on my own. I don't need God. I know what to say to my children.... I don't need God. I know how to handle this relationship.... I don't need God. I can pass this test without praying." Anytime you fail to pray about something, you're basically saying, "I don't need God in this. I can handle it on my own. I can resolve it. I can solve it. I can handle this mess. I can correct this error. I can resolve this conflict. I don't need God."
That's called pride. When I'm full of pride, I close my mind to God and He can't get in and say anything to me because I think I've got it all figured out. So I don't pray.
2. Fear. Sometimes we're just afraid of what God might say to us. What if I pray or open my mind to God and God tells me to do something I don't want to do? He might tell me something hard. He might tell me to do something unpopular. He might tell me to do something I think I can't do or I don't want to do. So I'm afraid. If I let God speak to me, I might become a religious fanatic. I'll become like one of those nuts on TV and have to wear my hair huge! Or wear a shiny shell suit. And say all kinds of weird stuff. Maybe God will make me some kind of loony religious nut. So I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'll loose my freedom. I'm afraid I'll lose my fun. I'm afraid I'll loose my fulfillment in life. No thanks, God. So I close my mind. Some people close their mind to God simply out of fear.
3. Bitterness. Whenever we've been hurt and we hold on to those hurtful memories, it causes us to close our minds to God. We start saying things like "God, why did You allow this? Why is this happening to me? If You're such a great loving and powerful God, why did this happen?"
You're going to be hurt in life. You will have pain in life. This is not heaven, this is earth. God has given us a free choice and so people are free to do wrong things and the result is innocent people suffer. Not everything that happens in this world is God's will. He's given us the freedom to choose. So people get hurt. You're going to be hurt in life. What you do with that hurt will determine whether you become a better person or a bitter person. A bitter life is a wasted life.
When we become bitter and when we hold on to our hurts, it only prolongs the pain. What we tend to do is ... "They hurt me so I'm going to close myself off, build up walls, hide in my shell, and I'm not going to let anybody get close to me. Not even God, because God let it happen." We start blaming God for things other people did to us. As a result, we close our mind. People who have been deeply hurt often have a hard time opening up their minds and their hearts to God.
They've held in so much and they hurt.
Obviously in a crowd this size, some of you have been deeply hurt in the past. Some of you maybe have lost a loved one, maybe recently, maybe a child, a young child. You still feel that pain. Some of you were abused; some of you were verbally abused, physically abused, emotionally abused. Some of you have known the betrayal of a spouse who was unfaithful to you and that still hurts. Other people who claim to be Christians have even hurt some of you. Or you were in a church situation and supposedly Christian people didn't act very Christian, very Christlike. They hurt you and you got burned in a church experience. The tendency is to say, if that's what Christianity is all about, no thanks, God! We blame God for what other people have done to us.
If you have been deeply hurt, let me say two things to you: One, I'm sorry you hurt. I really mean that. I'm sorry you hurt. God hurts with you. He weeps with you. He understands the pain you've gone through. At a funeral one time, a woman said, "Where was God when my son died?"
I thought, "The same place He was when His son died. On the cross." God has not promised to exempt us from pain. I'm sorry you hurt. God hurts with you.
Two, I want to say to you, when you are in pain and when you are hurt, don't run from God. Run to God. He's the one who can help. He's the one who can comfort. He's the one who can care.
He's the one who can make a difference. He's the one who can bring healing to your emotions and your body and your past. Nobody else can do that. When you run from God out of pain, you're running from the only person who can heal it. Don't do it. Don't turn from Him. Turn to Him in your moment of crisis. Turn to Him with your hurt instead of holding it in. Give it to Him.
Never allow any other human being or experience to block your relationship to God. That's crazy. Even if they claim to be a Christian and you've been hurt by that. You can be hurt by them. Give that hurt to God. You don't turn off to God because somebody else did something to you. Give it to God. Don't close your heart and don't close your mind. The tragedy of that hard beaten path is that it is barren. Nothing can grow there. It's unfruitful. A bitter life is a wasted life. It only prolongs the pain. Jesus says the birds come along and eat the seed. That kind of life is for the birds!
Instead, look at James 1:21 "Get rid of all the moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept [circle "accept"] the word planted in you which can save you." Let God love you, drop your defenses and open up your mind.
The first step in hearing God speak is you and I must cultivate an open mind.
2. I MUST ALLOCATE TIME TO LISTEN
I've got to make time to hear Him. I've got to slow down, be quiet, plan it in my schedule. We schedule everything else in life -- vacations, dentist appointments, movies, homework, everything else. Do you schedule time for God in your schedule? Or does God just get the leftovers. The second reason a lot of people never hear God speak is we're in too much in a hurry. Even overnight mail isn't fast enough any more that is snail mail because it goes so slow. You can set down at a keyboard and type it out and it goes in a nano second to wherever you want it to go. We're always in a hurry. When we live in a hurried lifestyle, God gets shortchanged, shuffled to the back of the deck. He gets the leftovers of our time. We want to hear God speak, yes, but what we say is, "God, I'm in
a hurry, so do it quick! I only have a minute!" As I'm running out the door to my next project or assignment or job I'm saying "OK God, speak to me, but do it right now!" As a result, we miss what God wants to say to us.
v. 6 "Other seed fell on shallow soil with rock beneath. This seed began to grow but soon withered and died for lack of moisture." v. 13 "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe it for a while, but in the time of testing, they fall away."
Just as the hardened path represents the closed mind, the shallow soil represents a superficial mind. It's shallow. When He talks about rocky soil here He's not talking about soil with a bunch of rocks in it. In much of the middle east and particularly in Israel, much of Israel is built on a bedrock of limestone with about 3-4 inches of topsoil on top of it. That means plants can grow down 2-3 inches but that's about it. So when summer comes and the heat is on, the plants wither.
They die because they don't have any roots because there's a bedrock underneath that does not allow them to develop deep roots.
He's saying this represents the superficial type of hearer who hears the word of God. It sprouts up and they're all excited about it but it doesn't last. When the heat is on and when the problems come they will wither and fall away.
Likewise we do this. Sometimes we hear God and we get all excited about it and we're superficially moved and we react emotionally and we're moved impulsively. But we never give it the time to sink in to our bodies, to sink in to our minds. I can't tell you how many people have told me, "I was so moved by that message! I was really touched. I was moved to tears!" But a month later there is still no perceivable life change or behavioural difference in their life. They're still living the same way. They got excited about the message but they didn't do anything about it. As a result they are just shallow, superficial. They have no roots. When the heat is on, they're not going to last.
Why is it that we don't have change? The United States Air Force did a study and found that we forget 90-95% of everything we hear within 72 hours. If you want a statistic that will depress a minister, that's it! We labour to produce these magnificent masterpieces of sermons, realizing that by Wednesday, you've already forgotten everything we've said on Sunday except maybe 5%. I don't remember what I preached on last week! That is why we have the sermon outlines. Write it down and later on review it. The shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory. If you don't write it down, you're going to forget it all. If you forget it, you can't work on it.
This is a problem that all of us have, even ministers. I went to a conference and heard a message. God spoke to me, "You need to work on this area of your life." I thought, "You are right. I really need to work on this area in my life." I was motivated and charged up. But somehow
those notes I had taken got misplaced and I found them this week in another pile. When I pulled them out, I realized that in the two months I had done nothing. I had already forgotten what I was so excited and motivated about recently.
"How many of you would say I accept and believe in the Ten
Commandments?" "Which of you would like to come up and quote them?" My guess is most of you could not even name all ten. How can you say you base your life on the Ten Commandments if you can't even name all ten? Unless you are retaining and reviewing what God says to you, you're just kidding yourselves. How is it that people can come to church year after year and never really be changed? Because it goes in one ear and out the other.
The verse says the second kind of person -- v. 13 -- "They received the word with joy [circle that] but when they hear it they don't have any root." In other words, they don't retain it. He's saying you can be thrilled without being transformed. You need to write it down in a journal, or a binder of sermon notes, when you're in a Bible study, you take notes. Then you regularly review those things so you don't have to learn the same lesson over and over.
Some of you say, "I've been a Christian for 27 years..." you've been a believer for 27 years but you haven't had 27 years of experience. You've had one year of experience, 27 times. You have to keep relearning because you're not retaining it. You've got to take time to let it sink in.
You need to schedule time every day where you set down with your Bible and read, think about your life, maybe review some of the lessons you've learned, write things down and keep growing by reviewing.
Having been in this church for 7 years I've seen many people who have started off great.
When they first became believers they were excited and enthusiastic and full of joy. Today you can't find them anywhere. They had enthusiasm but that is not enough to make it in the Christian life. It takes commitment. It takes the commitment to say, "I'm going to set down and regularly review what I'm being taught." Why should God teach me new things if I haven't put into practice what He taught me last week? or yesterday? or last night? Why do people have no roots?
Because they don't take the time. How do you get roots? Allocate time to listen. Say, God, I'm going to spend 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes every day. It's not the amount of time. Just get started so that everyday you get alone with God and say, "OK God, what's next? What's the next step in my career? What's the next step in my marriage? What's the next step in my family?
..." God can't talk to you unless you slow down.
Cultivate an open mind and allocate time to listen.
3. I MUST ELIMINATE THE DISTRACTIONS
A lot of times we miss hearing God because our minds are crowded with other thoughts. Our minds are filled with concerns of daily living, worries, plans, goals, ambitions, bills, all these different kinds of things. When our mind is full and always thinking and never give God a chance in silence to talk to us, He can't get through.
Many of you did what I did this last Mother's Day. You pick up the phone and dial your mum to
say "Happy Mother's Day" and as you were doing it you get the same little message, "Sorry, but
all the circuits are busy." Everybody else in America was calling their mother.
Many times God has wanted to talk to you and He's got a busy signal. Many times God has wanted to talk to you in your life but the line was off the hook and you don't want to do 1471 with God. You've got to make time. When you're too busy -- and there are many things that are good but they can distract you -- you're too busy to listen to God.
v. 7 He says, "Other seen fell among the thorns [weeds] which grew up with it and choked the plants. v. 14 This seed that fell among the thorns stands or represents those who hear the word but as they go on their way they're choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures."
The soil with weeds, this third kind of soil that the farmer is throwing seed on, it represents a preoccupied mind. We're distracted. The seed sprouts and grows but the weeds choke it before it can bear fruit.
Why is it that so many people live unproductive lives? I talk to people in their 30's, 40's, 50's and even 60's who say, "I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing with my life." That tells me one thing: You're not spending much time with God. God had no intention for you wasting your life. If you'd spend as much time with God talking about your life as you do worrying about it, you'd have a whole lot less to worry about. God is not playing games with you. He has a plan and purpose for every life. But you're not going to get it watching soap operas or listening to the radio. You've got to get time with God. We get distracted and we allow everything and anything to push God out of our lives.
sign that said, "Beware of the barrenness of a busy life." Don't ever confuse activity with productivity.
There are a lot of you who are on the go all the time. But you're going in circles is what you're doing. There's no focus to your life. There's no rhyme or reason or general purpose. You haven't discovered why God put you here. Why? Because you're not talking to Him and you're not letting him talk to you. You've got to eliminate the distractions.
Jesus says that distractions are kind of like weeds. He gives us three examples. First, worries can distract you from hearing God speak. You can't pray and worry at the same time. Worries are the problems and the pressures of daily life. The Greek word is the word that means to be pulled in different directions. Have you ever felt that? Pulled in different directions. That's the Bible definition of worry. When you're worrying you can't hear what God wants to say to you. You're preoccupied, distracted.
Riches can be a weed in your life. We can be so busy making money we don't have time for God.
So busy making a living, we don't really live. We don't really enjoy life. We just get up in the morning and go to work. We work hard to pay the bills and catch up and get even and keep up with the Jones' and we flop into bed at night, get up the next morning and do the same thing. God gets crowded out. God gets the leftovers in your life. In the desire to make money you can forget God.
Another weed can be pleasures. There's nothing wrong with pleasures. Who do you think gave you the ability to enjoy pleasure? God did. God thought up the fun in the world. God gave you the senses and the abilities and the tactile senses you have in order to enjoy pleasure. God wants you to enjoy pleasure. But He's saying you can be so busy having fun that you forget God. When recreation replaces worship -- "It's summertime! I don't think I'll go to church this week end.. . .
I'll cut that Bible study.... We're on holiday so I won't have a quiet time." Who are you having a holiday from? God? You can be so busy having fun (and God wants you to have fun) but when it becomes number one in your life, guess who's getting crowded out?
There are a lot of different kinds of weeds. You can make your own list of the things that tend to crowd out God. It could be a relationship, a responsibility, anything. A weed is anything that distracts me from making time to be with God. To set down, be quiet and pray and say, "God, is there anything you want to say to me today?" Some days He will and some days He won't. But you've got to have the line ready, so He can talk to you.
A very theological question: How much effort does it take to grow weeds? No effort at all. In my garden where I'm growing stuff, I'm starting a weed farm and seeing how many known weeds I can grow. The difference between a plant and a weed -- a flower is something you cultivate, you fertilize, you trim, you water it and it doesn't grow. A weed you do nothing to and it explodes.
That's the difference. You don't have to water weeds. They grow! Weeds are a sign of neglect.
When I start neglecting time with God on a daily basis, when I start neglecting a small group, when I start neglecting getting together with other Christians in worship, going to a Bible study -- any of those things -- the weeds are going to grow up in my life and the Bible said they're going to choke the spiritual life out of me. I'm going to loose my joy, my peace, my purpose, my sense of calmness, my ability to handle stress, etc. The weeds will choke the life out of you. And they all come just by neglecting spending time with God.
4. I MUST COOPERATE WITH WHAT HE SAYS
God talks to people who decide in advance that they are going to do whatever He tells them to do when He tells them. Most of us want God to talk to us and then we'll decide if we're going to do it or not and God says, "No, no. We don't play that game." God talks to people who are going to do what He tells them to do once He tells them.
I know of a church who had a choir special "Yes, Lord, Yes!" That was basically the whole song. When they finished it, the choir director turned around and said, "OK, God, You've already heard our attitude. Now tell us what to do."
That's what God wants you to do. If you want God to speak to you, you need to say, "OK God, I'm going to do what You tell me to do whether I understand it or not, whether it makes sense or not, whether I'd think I'd like to do it or not, because I know it's the right thing and I know You know what would make me happy more than I do." It's a matter of trust.
The fourth soil represents a willing heart. Willing to do whatever God tells you to do, before He even tells you. v. 15 "The seed on the good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart who hear the word of God and retain it and by persevering produce a good crop." Circle "retain". They not only hear God's word but they retain it. They write it down, they listen to it, they think about it and go over it. The result is a productive life.
Would you like to make your life count? Would like to have a productive, fulfilling, satisfying life? Then do what James 1:22 tells us, "Don't merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourself.
You kid yourself if you think you're growing just by going to church. Do what it says."
Here's the question I want to close with: What are you going to do as a result of today's message? The Bible says "be doers of the word, not hearers only." Do something. The moment you walk out the door, there's a little bird that's going to try to steel the seed of what we talked about today -- the devil. He's going to get you distracted, get you to think about where you're going for lunch, about the jerk who pulled in front of you in the tesco car park, or any number of other distractions.
If you want to make this count, otherwise this morning was a waste, I want to give you a homework project. Do one thing as a result of today's message. It may be join a house group, start memorizing a Bible verse a week, start having a quiet time every day -- 5, 10, 15 minutes.
Do something! Don't waste it.
Prayer:
Lord, You've told us what to do. You've said that you want to speak to us. Help us to have open minds, not closed minds. Help us to not be shallow minded but to really review and think about and study and to go over the things we've learned and you've taught us through many different ways. When you speak to us help us to care enough to write it down, otherwise we'll forget it. Forgive us for having to learn the same lesson over and over. Help us not to be distracted by good but secondary things that would keep us from spending time in your Word and spending time listening to You and talking to You in prayer. Help us to have an open and willing heart to do what you want us to do. In Jesus' name we pray.Amen.
- Part 1 of 4
Luke 8:4-15
One of the most basic claims of Christianity is that God speaks to people. All through the Bible you see the phrase, "And God said..." Pretty soon you get the idea that God really does speak to people. God wants to have a relationship with you. He wants to have a personal relationship with you. There is no relationship without communication. God has chosen to speak to us.
The problem is communication is often misunderstood. When my wife speaks to me I often, a)don't hear it, and b) misunderstand it. I'm sure I'm the only man that ever felt that way! Men, there are two things you need to understand about women.... and nobody knows what they are!
If I have that much difficulty with my wife who I spend my entire life with and love and know and still we don't always communicate clearly, how much should you expect there to be communication problems with God? There are communication problems with God.
Frankly, I am very skeptical of people who always have a clear word from God. A lot of stupid things have been done by people who claim that God has spoken to them. I've very skeptical when people tell me, "God told me this ..." They always have a clear word. Some people think that ministers always understand exactly what God wants us to do. That's not true. I am often as confused as everybody else about what is God saying, what is God trying to say. Some of you
think I have a little red telephone in my study and I pick up the God-phone. God tells me what to say to you and I talk with him that way. God does not send me e- mail. He doesn't send me telegrams. I don't have a fax of God. Sometimes I'm just as much in the dark about hearing God as you are.
On the other hand, there are times in my life when God speaks when I have no doubt at all that God is speaking to me. Just like when my wife calls me on the phone, I don't have to ask who it is -- I know her voice. There are times when God speaks to me when I know exactly who it is, who's putting that idea in my mind. I know where that impression is coming from.
What makes the difference? The difference is attitude.
This morning we're beginning a new series I'm calling, "Learning to Hear God's Voice". Nothing is more important to you than understanding that God wants to talk to you and that you can actually hear Him if you just tune in. Jesus once said in Luke 8:8, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!" Get your ears on! You've got to be tuned in order to hear God speak.
Many times, God has spoken to you, but it hasn't come through crystal clear because you're not on the right channel. Right now the room is filled with radio waves, but you don't hear them because you're not tuned in. They're even going through your body. There are television waves going through the air right now. You don't even see them. If you had a receiver and you tuned it in right, you'd get the picture. Right now, God is speaking to many of you. You don't see it, but He really is. But your reception is a little fuzzy.
HOW TO HEAR GOD SPEAK
Jesus told the story in Luke 8, a parable, in which He says, Let me explain to you that it's all about mental attitude. There are four kinds of attitudes that will depend whether you get the message clearly from God or whether you don't. This is so important. Obviously, if you can tune into God He can direct you, He can save you a lot of time from making wrong mistakes, He can comfort you when you need comfort, He can guide you, and so on.
So He says, Let me tell you a story. There was a farmer who goes out to sow seed and as he went out to sow seed, his seed scattered all over in different types of soil. Back in the Middle East in the old days they didn't plant one seed per spot and cover it up with dirt. They did what was called broadcasting. A farmer would have a pouch on his side filled with seed and, as he'd walk through the field that he had already tilled, he would toss it out, scattering it. That's where we get the term broadcasting. Obviously some of the seed falls on good soil and some of it doesn't. He says these four soils represent four mental attitudes. They're not four kinds of people, but actually all of us have been all four of these types. We vary from them from time to time. Sometimes we're very open to God to what He wants to say to us. Sometimes we're very closed.
How do I hear God speak to me?
1. I MUST CULTIVATE AN OPEN MIND.
I've got to want to hear from God, be eager, be receptive. I've got to be ready and willing to hear God. Some of you today are not believers. You're seekers. You're checking out us and Christ. We welcome you here. We're glad you're here. Others of you are new believers. Others have been believers for many years. But if I were to ask you, have you ever heard God speak to you? There are many of you who would say, "I can't think of a time in my life where I ever actually heard God speak to me." I'm not talking about an audible voice, but an impression in your mind that you knew that is from God.
Why is that? One of the possible reasons is that you've never been open to the possibility of it.
Maybe you didn't even know it was possible that God does want to speak to you directly. You've thought maybe God doesn't speak to you and maybe you don't even believe in that. When you've got a closed mind, obviously, God is not going to get through.
This is the first type of soil. v. 5 "Some seed fell on the path and it was trampled on and the birds of the air came and ate it up....[v. 12] Those along the path are like people who hear and then the devil comes along and takes away the word from their hearts so they cannot believe and be saved."
On every farm, in every field there's a footpath that the farmer would walk down. As he went he would sow the seed out onto the land that was tilled. There are two characteristics of a footpath.
One, they're hardened because of the constant traffic of people walking. The soil is compact and it's not fertile and tilled like the field. It's hard. The other thing about a path is it's narrow.
Do you know anybody like that? They're closed minded, narrow minded, hard hearted. They're not even open to the possibility that God might speak to them. As a result, Jesus says the farmer sows seed but it can't penetrate because it's hard and compacted. It can't take root, it can't sprout, it just lays on the surface of the ground and the birds come along and eat it. It never even gets a chance.
This is true with us many of the times. God wants to speak to us, but He doesn't even get a chance because our minds are closed, our hearts are hardened, we've made up our mind, we're unwilling to listen, we've already decided what we're going to do so we don't want to hear from God. We've already decided what we're going to do in the situation.
What causes us to have a closed mind?
1. Pride. Pride causes us to have a closed mind. When I think, "I don't need God. I don't need to hear from God. I can make this business decision on my own. I don't need God. I know what to say to my children.... I don't need God. I know how to handle this relationship.... I don't need God. I can pass this test without praying." Anytime you fail to pray about something, you're basically saying, "I don't need God in this. I can handle it on my own. I can resolve it. I can solve it. I can handle this mess. I can correct this error. I can resolve this conflict. I don't need God."
That's called pride. When I'm full of pride, I close my mind to God and He can't get in and say anything to me because I think I've got it all figured out. So I don't pray.
2. Fear. Sometimes we're just afraid of what God might say to us. What if I pray or open my mind to God and God tells me to do something I don't want to do? He might tell me something hard. He might tell me to do something unpopular. He might tell me to do something I think I can't do or I don't want to do. So I'm afraid. If I let God speak to me, I might become a religious fanatic. I'll become like one of those nuts on TV and have to wear my hair huge! Or wear a shiny shell suit. And say all kinds of weird stuff. Maybe God will make me some kind of loony religious nut. So I'm afraid. I'm afraid I'll loose my freedom. I'm afraid I'll lose my fun. I'm afraid I'll loose my fulfillment in life. No thanks, God. So I close my mind. Some people close their mind to God simply out of fear.
3. Bitterness. Whenever we've been hurt and we hold on to those hurtful memories, it causes us to close our minds to God. We start saying things like "God, why did You allow this? Why is this happening to me? If You're such a great loving and powerful God, why did this happen?"
You're going to be hurt in life. You will have pain in life. This is not heaven, this is earth. God has given us a free choice and so people are free to do wrong things and the result is innocent people suffer. Not everything that happens in this world is God's will. He's given us the freedom to choose. So people get hurt. You're going to be hurt in life. What you do with that hurt will determine whether you become a better person or a bitter person. A bitter life is a wasted life.
When we become bitter and when we hold on to our hurts, it only prolongs the pain. What we tend to do is ... "They hurt me so I'm going to close myself off, build up walls, hide in my shell, and I'm not going to let anybody get close to me. Not even God, because God let it happen." We start blaming God for things other people did to us. As a result, we close our mind. People who have been deeply hurt often have a hard time opening up their minds and their hearts to God.
They've held in so much and they hurt.
Obviously in a crowd this size, some of you have been deeply hurt in the past. Some of you maybe have lost a loved one, maybe recently, maybe a child, a young child. You still feel that pain. Some of you were abused; some of you were verbally abused, physically abused, emotionally abused. Some of you have known the betrayal of a spouse who was unfaithful to you and that still hurts. Other people who claim to be Christians have even hurt some of you. Or you were in a church situation and supposedly Christian people didn't act very Christian, very Christlike. They hurt you and you got burned in a church experience. The tendency is to say, if that's what Christianity is all about, no thanks, God! We blame God for what other people have done to us.
If you have been deeply hurt, let me say two things to you: One, I'm sorry you hurt. I really mean that. I'm sorry you hurt. God hurts with you. He weeps with you. He understands the pain you've gone through. At a funeral one time, a woman said, "Where was God when my son died?"
I thought, "The same place He was when His son died. On the cross." God has not promised to exempt us from pain. I'm sorry you hurt. God hurts with you.
Two, I want to say to you, when you are in pain and when you are hurt, don't run from God. Run to God. He's the one who can help. He's the one who can comfort. He's the one who can care.
He's the one who can make a difference. He's the one who can bring healing to your emotions and your body and your past. Nobody else can do that. When you run from God out of pain, you're running from the only person who can heal it. Don't do it. Don't turn from Him. Turn to Him in your moment of crisis. Turn to Him with your hurt instead of holding it in. Give it to Him.
Never allow any other human being or experience to block your relationship to God. That's crazy. Even if they claim to be a Christian and you've been hurt by that. You can be hurt by them. Give that hurt to God. You don't turn off to God because somebody else did something to you. Give it to God. Don't close your heart and don't close your mind. The tragedy of that hard beaten path is that it is barren. Nothing can grow there. It's unfruitful. A bitter life is a wasted life. It only prolongs the pain. Jesus says the birds come along and eat the seed. That kind of life is for the birds!
Instead, look at James 1:21 "Get rid of all the moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept [circle "accept"] the word planted in you which can save you." Let God love you, drop your defenses and open up your mind.
The first step in hearing God speak is you and I must cultivate an open mind.
2. I MUST ALLOCATE TIME TO LISTEN
I've got to make time to hear Him. I've got to slow down, be quiet, plan it in my schedule. We schedule everything else in life -- vacations, dentist appointments, movies, homework, everything else. Do you schedule time for God in your schedule? Or does God just get the leftovers. The second reason a lot of people never hear God speak is we're in too much in a hurry. Even overnight mail isn't fast enough any more that is snail mail because it goes so slow. You can set down at a keyboard and type it out and it goes in a nano second to wherever you want it to go. We're always in a hurry. When we live in a hurried lifestyle, God gets shortchanged, shuffled to the back of the deck. He gets the leftovers of our time. We want to hear God speak, yes, but what we say is, "God, I'm in
a hurry, so do it quick! I only have a minute!" As I'm running out the door to my next project or assignment or job I'm saying "OK God, speak to me, but do it right now!" As a result, we miss what God wants to say to us.
v. 6 "Other seed fell on shallow soil with rock beneath. This seed began to grow but soon withered and died for lack of moisture." v. 13 "Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe it for a while, but in the time of testing, they fall away."
Just as the hardened path represents the closed mind, the shallow soil represents a superficial mind. It's shallow. When He talks about rocky soil here He's not talking about soil with a bunch of rocks in it. In much of the middle east and particularly in Israel, much of Israel is built on a bedrock of limestone with about 3-4 inches of topsoil on top of it. That means plants can grow down 2-3 inches but that's about it. So when summer comes and the heat is on, the plants wither.
They die because they don't have any roots because there's a bedrock underneath that does not allow them to develop deep roots.
He's saying this represents the superficial type of hearer who hears the word of God. It sprouts up and they're all excited about it but it doesn't last. When the heat is on and when the problems come they will wither and fall away.
Likewise we do this. Sometimes we hear God and we get all excited about it and we're superficially moved and we react emotionally and we're moved impulsively. But we never give it the time to sink in to our bodies, to sink in to our minds. I can't tell you how many people have told me, "I was so moved by that message! I was really touched. I was moved to tears!" But a month later there is still no perceivable life change or behavioural difference in their life. They're still living the same way. They got excited about the message but they didn't do anything about it. As a result they are just shallow, superficial. They have no roots. When the heat is on, they're not going to last.
Why is it that we don't have change? The United States Air Force did a study and found that we forget 90-95% of everything we hear within 72 hours. If you want a statistic that will depress a minister, that's it! We labour to produce these magnificent masterpieces of sermons, realizing that by Wednesday, you've already forgotten everything we've said on Sunday except maybe 5%. I don't remember what I preached on last week! That is why we have the sermon outlines. Write it down and later on review it. The shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory. If you don't write it down, you're going to forget it all. If you forget it, you can't work on it.
This is a problem that all of us have, even ministers. I went to a conference and heard a message. God spoke to me, "You need to work on this area of your life." I thought, "You are right. I really need to work on this area in my life." I was motivated and charged up. But somehow
those notes I had taken got misplaced and I found them this week in another pile. When I pulled them out, I realized that in the two months I had done nothing. I had already forgotten what I was so excited and motivated about recently.
"How many of you would say I accept and believe in the Ten
Commandments?" "Which of you would like to come up and quote them?" My guess is most of you could not even name all ten. How can you say you base your life on the Ten Commandments if you can't even name all ten? Unless you are retaining and reviewing what God says to you, you're just kidding yourselves. How is it that people can come to church year after year and never really be changed? Because it goes in one ear and out the other.
The verse says the second kind of person -- v. 13 -- "They received the word with joy [circle that] but when they hear it they don't have any root." In other words, they don't retain it. He's saying you can be thrilled without being transformed. You need to write it down in a journal, or a binder of sermon notes, when you're in a Bible study, you take notes. Then you regularly review those things so you don't have to learn the same lesson over and over.
Some of you say, "I've been a Christian for 27 years..." you've been a believer for 27 years but you haven't had 27 years of experience. You've had one year of experience, 27 times. You have to keep relearning because you're not retaining it. You've got to take time to let it sink in.
You need to schedule time every day where you set down with your Bible and read, think about your life, maybe review some of the lessons you've learned, write things down and keep growing by reviewing.
Having been in this church for 7 years I've seen many people who have started off great.
When they first became believers they were excited and enthusiastic and full of joy. Today you can't find them anywhere. They had enthusiasm but that is not enough to make it in the Christian life. It takes commitment. It takes the commitment to say, "I'm going to set down and regularly review what I'm being taught." Why should God teach me new things if I haven't put into practice what He taught me last week? or yesterday? or last night? Why do people have no roots?
Because they don't take the time. How do you get roots? Allocate time to listen. Say, God, I'm going to spend 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes every day. It's not the amount of time. Just get started so that everyday you get alone with God and say, "OK God, what's next? What's the next step in my career? What's the next step in my marriage? What's the next step in my family?
..." God can't talk to you unless you slow down.
Cultivate an open mind and allocate time to listen.
3. I MUST ELIMINATE THE DISTRACTIONS
A lot of times we miss hearing God because our minds are crowded with other thoughts. Our minds are filled with concerns of daily living, worries, plans, goals, ambitions, bills, all these different kinds of things. When our mind is full and always thinking and never give God a chance in silence to talk to us, He can't get through.
Many of you did what I did this last Mother's Day. You pick up the phone and dial your mum to
say "Happy Mother's Day" and as you were doing it you get the same little message, "Sorry, but
all the circuits are busy." Everybody else in America was calling their mother.
Many times God has wanted to talk to you and He's got a busy signal. Many times God has wanted to talk to you in your life but the line was off the hook and you don't want to do 1471 with God. You've got to make time. When you're too busy -- and there are many things that are good but they can distract you -- you're too busy to listen to God.
v. 7 He says, "Other seen fell among the thorns [weeds] which grew up with it and choked the plants. v. 14 This seed that fell among the thorns stands or represents those who hear the word but as they go on their way they're choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures."
The soil with weeds, this third kind of soil that the farmer is throwing seed on, it represents a preoccupied mind. We're distracted. The seed sprouts and grows but the weeds choke it before it can bear fruit.
Why is it that so many people live unproductive lives? I talk to people in their 30's, 40's, 50's and even 60's who say, "I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing with my life." That tells me one thing: You're not spending much time with God. God had no intention for you wasting your life. If you'd spend as much time with God talking about your life as you do worrying about it, you'd have a whole lot less to worry about. God is not playing games with you. He has a plan and purpose for every life. But you're not going to get it watching soap operas or listening to the radio. You've got to get time with God. We get distracted and we allow everything and anything to push God out of our lives.
sign that said, "Beware of the barrenness of a busy life." Don't ever confuse activity with productivity.
There are a lot of you who are on the go all the time. But you're going in circles is what you're doing. There's no focus to your life. There's no rhyme or reason or general purpose. You haven't discovered why God put you here. Why? Because you're not talking to Him and you're not letting him talk to you. You've got to eliminate the distractions.
Jesus says that distractions are kind of like weeds. He gives us three examples. First, worries can distract you from hearing God speak. You can't pray and worry at the same time. Worries are the problems and the pressures of daily life. The Greek word is the word that means to be pulled in different directions. Have you ever felt that? Pulled in different directions. That's the Bible definition of worry. When you're worrying you can't hear what God wants to say to you. You're preoccupied, distracted.
Riches can be a weed in your life. We can be so busy making money we don't have time for God.
So busy making a living, we don't really live. We don't really enjoy life. We just get up in the morning and go to work. We work hard to pay the bills and catch up and get even and keep up with the Jones' and we flop into bed at night, get up the next morning and do the same thing. God gets crowded out. God gets the leftovers in your life. In the desire to make money you can forget God.
Another weed can be pleasures. There's nothing wrong with pleasures. Who do you think gave you the ability to enjoy pleasure? God did. God thought up the fun in the world. God gave you the senses and the abilities and the tactile senses you have in order to enjoy pleasure. God wants you to enjoy pleasure. But He's saying you can be so busy having fun that you forget God. When recreation replaces worship -- "It's summertime! I don't think I'll go to church this week end.. . .
I'll cut that Bible study.... We're on holiday so I won't have a quiet time." Who are you having a holiday from? God? You can be so busy having fun (and God wants you to have fun) but when it becomes number one in your life, guess who's getting crowded out?
There are a lot of different kinds of weeds. You can make your own list of the things that tend to crowd out God. It could be a relationship, a responsibility, anything. A weed is anything that distracts me from making time to be with God. To set down, be quiet and pray and say, "God, is there anything you want to say to me today?" Some days He will and some days He won't. But you've got to have the line ready, so He can talk to you.
A very theological question: How much effort does it take to grow weeds? No effort at all. In my garden where I'm growing stuff, I'm starting a weed farm and seeing how many known weeds I can grow. The difference between a plant and a weed -- a flower is something you cultivate, you fertilize, you trim, you water it and it doesn't grow. A weed you do nothing to and it explodes.
That's the difference. You don't have to water weeds. They grow! Weeds are a sign of neglect.
When I start neglecting time with God on a daily basis, when I start neglecting a small group, when I start neglecting getting together with other Christians in worship, going to a Bible study -- any of those things -- the weeds are going to grow up in my life and the Bible said they're going to choke the spiritual life out of me. I'm going to loose my joy, my peace, my purpose, my sense of calmness, my ability to handle stress, etc. The weeds will choke the life out of you. And they all come just by neglecting spending time with God.
4. I MUST COOPERATE WITH WHAT HE SAYS
God talks to people who decide in advance that they are going to do whatever He tells them to do when He tells them. Most of us want God to talk to us and then we'll decide if we're going to do it or not and God says, "No, no. We don't play that game." God talks to people who are going to do what He tells them to do once He tells them.
I know of a church who had a choir special "Yes, Lord, Yes!" That was basically the whole song. When they finished it, the choir director turned around and said, "OK, God, You've already heard our attitude. Now tell us what to do."
That's what God wants you to do. If you want God to speak to you, you need to say, "OK God, I'm going to do what You tell me to do whether I understand it or not, whether it makes sense or not, whether I'd think I'd like to do it or not, because I know it's the right thing and I know You know what would make me happy more than I do." It's a matter of trust.
The fourth soil represents a willing heart. Willing to do whatever God tells you to do, before He even tells you. v. 15 "The seed on the good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart who hear the word of God and retain it and by persevering produce a good crop." Circle "retain". They not only hear God's word but they retain it. They write it down, they listen to it, they think about it and go over it. The result is a productive life.
Would you like to make your life count? Would like to have a productive, fulfilling, satisfying life? Then do what James 1:22 tells us, "Don't merely listen to the Word and so deceive yourself.
You kid yourself if you think you're growing just by going to church. Do what it says."
Here's the question I want to close with: What are you going to do as a result of today's message? The Bible says "be doers of the word, not hearers only." Do something. The moment you walk out the door, there's a little bird that's going to try to steel the seed of what we talked about today -- the devil. He's going to get you distracted, get you to think about where you're going for lunch, about the jerk who pulled in front of you in the tesco car park, or any number of other distractions.
If you want to make this count, otherwise this morning was a waste, I want to give you a homework project. Do one thing as a result of today's message. It may be join a house group, start memorizing a Bible verse a week, start having a quiet time every day -- 5, 10, 15 minutes.
Do something! Don't waste it.
Prayer:
Lord, You've told us what to do. You've said that you want to speak to us. Help us to have open minds, not closed minds. Help us to not be shallow minded but to really review and think about and study and to go over the things we've learned and you've taught us through many different ways. When you speak to us help us to care enough to write it down, otherwise we'll forget it. Forgive us for having to learn the same lesson over and over. Help us not to be distracted by good but secondary things that would keep us from spending time in your Word and spending time listening to You and talking to You in prayer. Help us to have an open and willing heart to do what you want us to do. In Jesus' name we pray.Amen.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
“The Mission We Must Not Waver From”
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 18:33-38
INTRO
The story is told of a young man who entered a very strict monastic order. It was so strict that members were permitted to speak only two words per year to the abbot. At the end of year one the young man appeared before the abbot and spoke his two words, "bad food." At the end of the second year the young man appeared before the abbot and spoke two more words, "hard bed". At the end of year three he came to the abbot and spoke his last two words, "I quit." The abbot responded, "Well it is about time. Complain, complain, complain - that’s all you’ve done since you came here.
John, as we have seen, is a book of conversations as well
-reading Matt, Mk, Luke is like kayaking on a swift flowing river
-but John is more like a canoe on a quite lake
-we meander from one conversation to the next
-beginning with Nathanael, with His mother, with Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the paralytic, the crowd, the blind man, the woman caught in adultery
-the disciples
-and Jesus’ conversation with God
-you can outline the book by these conversations
And now we come to one of the last conversations—Jesus’ conversation with Pilate
-and like all the others—it is a conversation Jesus is ultimately having with us
SETTING
-it takes place outside of the Upper Room, where we have been
-prompted by a religious establishment thoroughly threatened by Jesus
-they want nothing less than His blood—and they are determined to make
Rome, and its governor—Pilate—see just how dangerous He is
-for only Rome had the authority to put men to death
-but they know this—that their religious concerns will cut no ice with Pilate
-so they make Jesus a political issue—they refashion their case in political terms
-this is one more terrorist leader with messianic notions inciting rebellion against Rome
-a Person claiming to be a king
Pilate is less than convinced with their charges
-but he must probe—because Pilate knows what kings and kingdoms are
-and he knows that it is his job to allow none on his patch
And so a conversation takes place recorded in vss 33-38a—in Gibson’s powerful
film, Passion of the Christ—he captures it
Here is Pilate in all of his impressive might
-confronting—challenging some “Backwater” wannabe
-vs 37a-You are a king?
But it is Pilate who is really the one on trial
-the one confronted—challenged with the reality of truth
-and this pre-modern man voices what our post-modern age expresses—
-a suspicion—a skepticism regarding truth-vs. 38a
Like Pilate—most of our age questions the existence, the knowability of truth
-a “deep, pervasive relativism grips our society”
-there is a growing suspicion of anyone making truth claims
-and the church has surrendered to this as well
-in recent research, only 45% of evangelical
Christians believe in absolute truths—only 10% more than Britons as a whole
-less than 1 out of 10 teens (9%) hold to moral absolutes
-here’s what this means—
We have reduced truth--
1. from something OBJECTIVE to something SUBJECTIVE
-there are no objective values—only personal preferences
2. from something SINGULAR to something PLURAL
-your truth, my truth
-we live in a smorgasbord of realities
-believe what you like, if it works for you who else matters?
-Jesus might be your truth—or Buddha, or…a hundred other truths
3. from something UNIVERSAL to something PERSONAL
-to what works for you
-to what makes you happy
4. from something DISCOVERED to something WE MAKE
What explains this aversion to truth?
1.some blame it on an emerging postmodern culture—that has been disillusioned by false promises and lies and hypocrisy
2. but it is much deeper Something that goes back to the very nature of sin
-we are indifferent, even hostile to truth—in large measure— because it is in our sinful nature to do so
-it is in our nature to be self centered—to be the god of our own universe—where truth is truth only if it supports, confirms our actions
All of which leads to deadly consequences—
A. LIFE IS EMPTIED OF MEANING
-for if truth is ultimately about us—does not go beyond us—to something, Someone outside of us-
-then truth, and life is pretty thin
B. LIFE BECOMES CONFUSED
-for if there is no reference point by which everyone can go to judge something—then we end up with chaos
-there is no basis for anything
-you know it is a confused age when you find books like this one out on the market— “That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Like Buddhist—On Being a
Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist”
C. LIFE BECOMES A CONTRADICTION
-we say there is no absolute truth—but such a statement is its own truth claim
1.we can’t get away from some form of objective truth
-even postmodern architecture relies upon engineers who rely upon absolute truth—otherwise-the building collapses
2. we can’t get away from moral absolutes
-torturing the innocent for pleasure cannot sometimes be right
-pedophile behavior is not sometimes okay
-worst of all
D. LIFE SELF-DESTRUCTS
scatterbrained lady called in a repairman to fix her electric clock. The repairman fiddled with it for a while and then said, "There's nothing wrong with the clock; you didn't have it plugged in.", "I don't want to waste electricity, so I only plug it in when I want to know what time it is." truth is truth, you can trust the truth of physics, of the natural laws of the world, the truth of the word of God, the person of God, the Son of God, you see,
-if there is no ultimate truth acting as a moral compass
-IF THERE IS NO CENTRE
-if pornography is not a moral evil—it just may not work for you
-if homosexuality is not a moral wrong—it is just an alternative lifestyle
-if divorce is not necessarily sin—for it can allow you to expand your life, enhance personal growth
-if assisted suicide is right if it is right for you
-THEN SOCIETY BEGINS TO IMPLODE
-the surest way to hurt people is to abandon moral absolutes
In this one statement in John 18:37
-Jesus contradicted all of these contemporary assumptions of truth—
“For this I was born—for this I came—
-to witness—testify, affirm, give evidence to this—there is truth
-truth that can be known—must be known—and I am that truth
One can hear in these words Jesus declaring—
-test me Pilate—look at My life, My words
1. I ALONE CORRESPOND TO REALITY
-to what is there
-I alone give an accurate account of what is out there
-every person wrestles with four basic truth questions-
A. who am I?
-a mistake, an accident?
-some empty molecule on a meaningless sea?
B. why am I here?
-to simply consume, live for today
C. what is wrong?
-lack of governance, insufficient education?
D. how can things be made right?
-more governance—more education?
Only Jesus gives credible answers—
-we are a divine creation made in the image of God
-we are here to glorify God and enjoy Him forever
-here’s what’s wrong—we fail to acknowledge God
-here’s how to get right—get right with God
-embrace the work I have to this world to do on the cross
-test Me Pilate—
2. I ALONE AM AUTHENTIC
-for this is the nature of truth—truth is whatever has integrity, wholeness, reliability
-Jesus was, is who He claimed to be
-believing and being—talking and doing were all joined in a seamless whole
As we stand before the Pilate’s of our world—cynical and skeptical of truth—we will have to do no less—
1. Declare there is truth—no matter the cost
-for this we too were born—to bear witness to truth
2. Live truth—no matter the price
-in fact—whatever we declare must arise within a context of authenticity
-if we believe Jesus is the truth—but do not live it out
-if we don’t disentangle ourselves from habits which contradict our statements—and embody truth
-we will only increase skepticism
-the same seamless whole has to be in us
3. pray for God’s grace to open hearts
-for only a heart inclined to truth can hear-vs 37
CONCLUSION
There’s one more scene that captures this—
If you will not hear the truth—no one can tell you
Can you hear the truth—is your heart open to truth?
And if you have opened your heart to truth—are you embracing—saturating your
life with truth?
The name Hans Lippershey is not a famous one, but he made a tremendous contribution to the world of vision. In l600, he created the first telescope. He was a Dutch spectacle maker. One day two children came into his shop and were playing with some of the lenses scattered around. They put two together which greatly magnified a weathervane across the street. Lippershey capitalized on the discovery and made a profit selling his new lenses to the military. it took two small children at play to make it all happen. An unexplainable event shaped the beliefs of society and enabled them to see. The bible is our technology to see how God sees the world and us, let us saturate ourselves in the truth so that we can be all that God calls us to be
As Muhammad ali once said “Cause if God can make penicillin out of moldy bread, He can make something out of you."
John 18:33-38
INTRO
The story is told of a young man who entered a very strict monastic order. It was so strict that members were permitted to speak only two words per year to the abbot. At the end of year one the young man appeared before the abbot and spoke his two words, "bad food." At the end of the second year the young man appeared before the abbot and spoke two more words, "hard bed". At the end of year three he came to the abbot and spoke his last two words, "I quit." The abbot responded, "Well it is about time. Complain, complain, complain - that’s all you’ve done since you came here.
John, as we have seen, is a book of conversations as well
-reading Matt, Mk, Luke is like kayaking on a swift flowing river
-but John is more like a canoe on a quite lake
-we meander from one conversation to the next
-beginning with Nathanael, with His mother, with Nicodemus, the woman at the well, the paralytic, the crowd, the blind man, the woman caught in adultery
-the disciples
-and Jesus’ conversation with God
-you can outline the book by these conversations
And now we come to one of the last conversations—Jesus’ conversation with Pilate
-and like all the others—it is a conversation Jesus is ultimately having with us
SETTING
-it takes place outside of the Upper Room, where we have been
-prompted by a religious establishment thoroughly threatened by Jesus
-they want nothing less than His blood—and they are determined to make
Rome, and its governor—Pilate—see just how dangerous He is
-for only Rome had the authority to put men to death
-but they know this—that their religious concerns will cut no ice with Pilate
-so they make Jesus a political issue—they refashion their case in political terms
-this is one more terrorist leader with messianic notions inciting rebellion against Rome
-a Person claiming to be a king
Pilate is less than convinced with their charges
-but he must probe—because Pilate knows what kings and kingdoms are
-and he knows that it is his job to allow none on his patch
And so a conversation takes place recorded in vss 33-38a—in Gibson’s powerful
film, Passion of the Christ—he captures it
Here is Pilate in all of his impressive might
-confronting—challenging some “Backwater” wannabe
-vs 37a-You are a king?
But it is Pilate who is really the one on trial
-the one confronted—challenged with the reality of truth
-and this pre-modern man voices what our post-modern age expresses—
-a suspicion—a skepticism regarding truth-vs. 38a
Like Pilate—most of our age questions the existence, the knowability of truth
-a “deep, pervasive relativism grips our society”
-there is a growing suspicion of anyone making truth claims
-and the church has surrendered to this as well
-in recent research, only 45% of evangelical
Christians believe in absolute truths—only 10% more than Britons as a whole
-less than 1 out of 10 teens (9%) hold to moral absolutes
-here’s what this means—
We have reduced truth--
1. from something OBJECTIVE to something SUBJECTIVE
-there are no objective values—only personal preferences
2. from something SINGULAR to something PLURAL
-your truth, my truth
-we live in a smorgasbord of realities
-believe what you like, if it works for you who else matters?
-Jesus might be your truth—or Buddha, or…a hundred other truths
3. from something UNIVERSAL to something PERSONAL
-to what works for you
-to what makes you happy
4. from something DISCOVERED to something WE MAKE
What explains this aversion to truth?
1.some blame it on an emerging postmodern culture—that has been disillusioned by false promises and lies and hypocrisy
2. but it is much deeper Something that goes back to the very nature of sin
-we are indifferent, even hostile to truth—in large measure— because it is in our sinful nature to do so
-it is in our nature to be self centered—to be the god of our own universe—where truth is truth only if it supports, confirms our actions
All of which leads to deadly consequences—
A. LIFE IS EMPTIED OF MEANING
-for if truth is ultimately about us—does not go beyond us—to something, Someone outside of us-
-then truth, and life is pretty thin
B. LIFE BECOMES CONFUSED
-for if there is no reference point by which everyone can go to judge something—then we end up with chaos
-there is no basis for anything
-you know it is a confused age when you find books like this one out on the market— “That’s Funny, You Don’t Look Like Buddhist—On Being a
Faithful Jew and a Passionate Buddhist”
C. LIFE BECOMES A CONTRADICTION
-we say there is no absolute truth—but such a statement is its own truth claim
1.we can’t get away from some form of objective truth
-even postmodern architecture relies upon engineers who rely upon absolute truth—otherwise-the building collapses
2. we can’t get away from moral absolutes
-torturing the innocent for pleasure cannot sometimes be right
-pedophile behavior is not sometimes okay
-worst of all
D. LIFE SELF-DESTRUCTS
scatterbrained lady called in a repairman to fix her electric clock. The repairman fiddled with it for a while and then said, "There's nothing wrong with the clock; you didn't have it plugged in.", "I don't want to waste electricity, so I only plug it in when I want to know what time it is." truth is truth, you can trust the truth of physics, of the natural laws of the world, the truth of the word of God, the person of God, the Son of God, you see,
-if there is no ultimate truth acting as a moral compass
-IF THERE IS NO CENTRE
-if pornography is not a moral evil—it just may not work for you
-if homosexuality is not a moral wrong—it is just an alternative lifestyle
-if divorce is not necessarily sin—for it can allow you to expand your life, enhance personal growth
-if assisted suicide is right if it is right for you
-THEN SOCIETY BEGINS TO IMPLODE
-the surest way to hurt people is to abandon moral absolutes
In this one statement in John 18:37
-Jesus contradicted all of these contemporary assumptions of truth—
“For this I was born—for this I came—
-to witness—testify, affirm, give evidence to this—there is truth
-truth that can be known—must be known—and I am that truth
One can hear in these words Jesus declaring—
-test me Pilate—look at My life, My words
1. I ALONE CORRESPOND TO REALITY
-to what is there
-I alone give an accurate account of what is out there
-every person wrestles with four basic truth questions-
A. who am I?
-a mistake, an accident?
-some empty molecule on a meaningless sea?
B. why am I here?
-to simply consume, live for today
C. what is wrong?
-lack of governance, insufficient education?
D. how can things be made right?
-more governance—more education?
Only Jesus gives credible answers—
-we are a divine creation made in the image of God
-we are here to glorify God and enjoy Him forever
-here’s what’s wrong—we fail to acknowledge God
-here’s how to get right—get right with God
-embrace the work I have to this world to do on the cross
-test Me Pilate—
2. I ALONE AM AUTHENTIC
-for this is the nature of truth—truth is whatever has integrity, wholeness, reliability
-Jesus was, is who He claimed to be
-believing and being—talking and doing were all joined in a seamless whole
As we stand before the Pilate’s of our world—cynical and skeptical of truth—we will have to do no less—
1. Declare there is truth—no matter the cost
-for this we too were born—to bear witness to truth
2. Live truth—no matter the price
-in fact—whatever we declare must arise within a context of authenticity
-if we believe Jesus is the truth—but do not live it out
-if we don’t disentangle ourselves from habits which contradict our statements—and embody truth
-we will only increase skepticism
-the same seamless whole has to be in us
3. pray for God’s grace to open hearts
-for only a heart inclined to truth can hear-vs 37
CONCLUSION
There’s one more scene that captures this—
If you will not hear the truth—no one can tell you
Can you hear the truth—is your heart open to truth?
And if you have opened your heart to truth—are you embracing—saturating your
life with truth?
The name Hans Lippershey is not a famous one, but he made a tremendous contribution to the world of vision. In l600, he created the first telescope. He was a Dutch spectacle maker. One day two children came into his shop and were playing with some of the lenses scattered around. They put two together which greatly magnified a weathervane across the street. Lippershey capitalized on the discovery and made a profit selling his new lenses to the military. it took two small children at play to make it all happen. An unexplainable event shaped the beliefs of society and enabled them to see. The bible is our technology to see how God sees the world and us, let us saturate ourselves in the truth so that we can be all that God calls us to be
As Muhammad ali once said “Cause if God can make penicillin out of moldy bread, He can make something out of you."
Friday, April 10, 2009
“all called to a mission”
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 17:6-19
INTRO, special day, 9 new members, people committing to our community at St Johns, getting involved and call this place home and ensure it’s health and growth, to see beyond their own navels and see that God did not just die for them, but for the Church he loves as well, do we need the Church? Do we need to be members of the Church? Well the bible says we should, throughout the NT, the Church is a family, or a body made up of many parts, all serving according to their gifts, it is that simple, when we are in fellowship, we flourish, we grasp the vision and we are released in our mission.
One of things I really like about my IPOD—is that it is simple
-there is only one button—and it is big
-and when I want to recharge—it’s just plug and play
Other successful enterprises have seemed to grab hold of this
-Easy jet, cheap–in part—it is simple--no assigned seats-no food- just direct city to city travel
-ryanair the same, though if the oxygen masks fell I think they would charge you for the air you breathe!
Simple is in—according to some writers
-complexity is out—people are done with so many options
-technology that demands just way too much thinking
Jesus was rather simple as well-
-He took the 613 laws of the religion of His day and simplified into one statement—“Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind—and love your neighbor as yourself”’
And when Jesus prayed in John 17
-it was a very simple prayer—
-for Himself—MAY MY LIFE GLORIFY THE FATHER
-for His disciples—MAY THEY BE MISSIONAL, be missionaries
-everything could be summed up this way
But what does this mean?
-in its simplest form—
1. MISSIONAL BELIEVERS IDENTIFY WITH THIS WORLD
A. They enter into it with a missional intent
-notice that Jesus did not pray for rescue planes to evacuate
His people (read 15a)
-Jesus clearly wants us in the world as He was in the world
-why? Because we have a mission
B. Which implies—
-no Christian ghettos allowed—no building of islands w/o
bridges—spiritual bomb shelters
-nowhere are we encouraged to become isolated, insulated
-Jesus did not call His disciples to become a subculture
- Not a city on a hill, or a wee nice social club, incidentally, 5 years after a person has become a Christian they no longer have any non Christian friends………
-Jesus calls us to be a missional community--out there—in the world
C. This was/is Jesus— the incarnation- God came to live in the neighbourhood
-going out of His way to the woman at the well, the paralytic at Siloam
-hanging with the wrong people, going to their parties (Mk 2:13-17)
D. But entering can be perilous, dangerous, risky
-for we enter a world alienated towards God
-and consequently—alienated toward us
-so He prays that the Father will keep us (read 15b)
Illustration – Just about every week I am reminded of this alienation
-God delusion Dawkins- Christians are guilty of child abuse, they are idiots, they are dangerous and evil!
This is our post-Christian world today
-and it while it would be easy for believers to hide
-this is not what Jesus prays for—but rather—we would step into the fray
-knowing this—God is in charge of everything!
But entering is not enough—
2. MISSIONAL BELIEVERS GUARD THEMSELVES FROM THIS
WORLD
-being in the world is not a call to be of the world--there is a
difference (read vs 16)
Entering—we must guard against being pulled back into its values and ways
-for we can become so engaged in culture we neglect the gospel
-we can uncritically embrace the priorities and presumptions of our age—
and then become easily seduced
-we can desire to be relevant at the expense of being faithful
-the chameleon Christian versus the chrysalis Christian
So missional means—neither isolation nor accommodation
3. MISSIONAL BELIEVERS IMPACT AND CHANGE THIS WORLD
-they enter—without accommodating—TO REFORM
-influence, reshape
Hence Jesus prays—
A. WE BECOME SATURATED WITH TRUTH-17
-Jesus uses priestly language
-because we are in fact priests
-priests called into God’s service and set apart BY TRUTH
so that as it takes hold
-we are no longer indifferent towards culture
-word has become flesh
B. WE FOLLOW CHRIST IN MISSION-18
-who came and lived in culture
-being in mission—as Jesus was in mission
-loving what He loved-hating what He hated
-weeping over cities as He did
-engaging in culture as He engaged—what does that mean?
1. CONDEMN CULTURE?
-boycotting movies
-burning books
-this misses the pt of vs 15—where Jesus calls us to
build bridges—not throw stones
2. COPY CULTURE?
-write music that sounds just like culture (Luther and
others did that pretty well)
-becoming so synonymous with culture it’s hard to tell
the difference?
3. CO-OPT CULTURE?
-take it over—get the right government in place to carry out our agenda to make Britain a Christian nation
-this was not Jesus’ agenda then—nor now
4. CHALLENGE CULTURE?
-subvert culture?
-this is certainly closer to what Jesus did
-the metaphors of salt and light could suggest this—
we subtly enter our worlds and in a stealth like way
change culture
-entering into tensions
It’s more
5. CREATE CULTURE
-more than anything else--Jesus came to a desperate
world and created culture
-a culture of grace—a culture of justice
-a culture of life—so wherever He went—He healed
-and offered a different kind of life--life abundant
-not a spirit of depression or derision—that reflects so
many religious today—but life
Could it be that at the heart of being missional—it means this—
-that we enter this world—rather than abandoning it
-enter—without condemning it—copying it
Enter neither to co-opt—or even primarily to challenge
-BUT TO CREATE CULTURE
-creating the same kinds of culture
-a culture of grace—in a culture of disgrace
-a culture of respect—in a culture of coarseness
-a culture of justice—in a culture of oppression
-a culture of trust—in a culture of cynicism
-not book burning—but book writing
-not boycotting movies—but making movies
-not copying music—but making music—music that transcends what is
heard—that creates culture
-Illustration - when Apple created IPOD-it created culture
-I walk down the high st, everyone has the white earphones in their lugs! Bono of U2 said he no longer mixes his albums to pump out of the big speakers, but out of tiny earphones! Apple has changed the culture!
It used to be this way—
-the church created the architecture
-musicians wrote the kind of music that transcended all the other music
-there are some current examples
-Bono—who goes to Africa, into a culture that is forgotten—or ignored
-and creates a culture of hope and healing
CONCLUSION
All of us in Christ are called to mission
-called to create culture—that might begin with a culture of grace in our own homes
In the high st on a Saturday, it is hard to miss Mormon missionaries
-dressed in rather sharp suits—they looked more like corporate executives, handsome young men
- I heard one in passing ask another—so where is your mission?
-Dalkeith, Galashiels, Edinburgh?
-for this is how they see life—do we?
Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
I have lived roughly 13, 000 days, I used 7 last week I have 7 to use this week, everyone of us has today, and after that we will be a day closer to eternity, Donna reminded me happily that life is a terminable disease! I like to think that we have our allotted amount of days, God knows how many we have, and He places great value in a day, in our day and what we do with it, and you know it is not the big days that count it is the small days that shape your life
Zec 4:10 despise not the day of small things, your approach to the small days shapes your life, Jesus calls us, Jesus sends us into the world, to share the news that God loves them, that he wants the Kingdom of God to make a difference in their lives, to discover Jesus, to receive forgiveness of sin, to receive life and life in all its fullness in abundance, let Jesus’ mission to you shape your everyday and you see what he has in store for you, he will not let you down, try it and see, Jesus saves! The one who was proclaimed King as he entered the city, died as a criminal, and has saved us all, let us give him all the glory, not simply here in the church on a Sunday morning but with everyday of our lives!
John 17:6-19
INTRO, special day, 9 new members, people committing to our community at St Johns, getting involved and call this place home and ensure it’s health and growth, to see beyond their own navels and see that God did not just die for them, but for the Church he loves as well, do we need the Church? Do we need to be members of the Church? Well the bible says we should, throughout the NT, the Church is a family, or a body made up of many parts, all serving according to their gifts, it is that simple, when we are in fellowship, we flourish, we grasp the vision and we are released in our mission.
One of things I really like about my IPOD—is that it is simple
-there is only one button—and it is big
-and when I want to recharge—it’s just plug and play
Other successful enterprises have seemed to grab hold of this
-Easy jet, cheap–in part—it is simple--no assigned seats-no food- just direct city to city travel
-ryanair the same, though if the oxygen masks fell I think they would charge you for the air you breathe!
Simple is in—according to some writers
-complexity is out—people are done with so many options
-technology that demands just way too much thinking
Jesus was rather simple as well-
-He took the 613 laws of the religion of His day and simplified into one statement—“Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind—and love your neighbor as yourself”’
And when Jesus prayed in John 17
-it was a very simple prayer—
-for Himself—MAY MY LIFE GLORIFY THE FATHER
-for His disciples—MAY THEY BE MISSIONAL, be missionaries
-everything could be summed up this way
But what does this mean?
-in its simplest form—
1. MISSIONAL BELIEVERS IDENTIFY WITH THIS WORLD
A. They enter into it with a missional intent
-notice that Jesus did not pray for rescue planes to evacuate
His people (read 15a)
-Jesus clearly wants us in the world as He was in the world
-why? Because we have a mission
B. Which implies—
-no Christian ghettos allowed—no building of islands w/o
bridges—spiritual bomb shelters
-nowhere are we encouraged to become isolated, insulated
-Jesus did not call His disciples to become a subculture
- Not a city on a hill, or a wee nice social club, incidentally, 5 years after a person has become a Christian they no longer have any non Christian friends………
-Jesus calls us to be a missional community--out there—in the world
C. This was/is Jesus— the incarnation- God came to live in the neighbourhood
-going out of His way to the woman at the well, the paralytic at Siloam
-hanging with the wrong people, going to their parties (Mk 2:13-17)
D. But entering can be perilous, dangerous, risky
-for we enter a world alienated towards God
-and consequently—alienated toward us
-so He prays that the Father will keep us (read 15b)
Illustration – Just about every week I am reminded of this alienation
-God delusion Dawkins- Christians are guilty of child abuse, they are idiots, they are dangerous and evil!
This is our post-Christian world today
-and it while it would be easy for believers to hide
-this is not what Jesus prays for—but rather—we would step into the fray
-knowing this—God is in charge of everything!
But entering is not enough—
2. MISSIONAL BELIEVERS GUARD THEMSELVES FROM THIS
WORLD
-being in the world is not a call to be of the world--there is a
difference (read vs 16)
Entering—we must guard against being pulled back into its values and ways
-for we can become so engaged in culture we neglect the gospel
-we can uncritically embrace the priorities and presumptions of our age—
and then become easily seduced
-we can desire to be relevant at the expense of being faithful
-the chameleon Christian versus the chrysalis Christian
So missional means—neither isolation nor accommodation
3. MISSIONAL BELIEVERS IMPACT AND CHANGE THIS WORLD
-they enter—without accommodating—TO REFORM
-influence, reshape
Hence Jesus prays—
A. WE BECOME SATURATED WITH TRUTH-17
-Jesus uses priestly language
-because we are in fact priests
-priests called into God’s service and set apart BY TRUTH
so that as it takes hold
-we are no longer indifferent towards culture
-word has become flesh
B. WE FOLLOW CHRIST IN MISSION-18
-who came and lived in culture
-being in mission—as Jesus was in mission
-loving what He loved-hating what He hated
-weeping over cities as He did
-engaging in culture as He engaged—what does that mean?
1. CONDEMN CULTURE?
-boycotting movies
-burning books
-this misses the pt of vs 15—where Jesus calls us to
build bridges—not throw stones
2. COPY CULTURE?
-write music that sounds just like culture (Luther and
others did that pretty well)
-becoming so synonymous with culture it’s hard to tell
the difference?
3. CO-OPT CULTURE?
-take it over—get the right government in place to carry out our agenda to make Britain a Christian nation
-this was not Jesus’ agenda then—nor now
4. CHALLENGE CULTURE?
-subvert culture?
-this is certainly closer to what Jesus did
-the metaphors of salt and light could suggest this—
we subtly enter our worlds and in a stealth like way
change culture
-entering into tensions
It’s more
5. CREATE CULTURE
-more than anything else--Jesus came to a desperate
world and created culture
-a culture of grace—a culture of justice
-a culture of life—so wherever He went—He healed
-and offered a different kind of life--life abundant
-not a spirit of depression or derision—that reflects so
many religious today—but life
Could it be that at the heart of being missional—it means this—
-that we enter this world—rather than abandoning it
-enter—without condemning it—copying it
Enter neither to co-opt—or even primarily to challenge
-BUT TO CREATE CULTURE
-creating the same kinds of culture
-a culture of grace—in a culture of disgrace
-a culture of respect—in a culture of coarseness
-a culture of justice—in a culture of oppression
-a culture of trust—in a culture of cynicism
-not book burning—but book writing
-not boycotting movies—but making movies
-not copying music—but making music—music that transcends what is
heard—that creates culture
-Illustration - when Apple created IPOD-it created culture
-I walk down the high st, everyone has the white earphones in their lugs! Bono of U2 said he no longer mixes his albums to pump out of the big speakers, but out of tiny earphones! Apple has changed the culture!
It used to be this way—
-the church created the architecture
-musicians wrote the kind of music that transcended all the other music
-there are some current examples
-Bono—who goes to Africa, into a culture that is forgotten—or ignored
-and creates a culture of hope and healing
CONCLUSION
All of us in Christ are called to mission
-called to create culture—that might begin with a culture of grace in our own homes
In the high st on a Saturday, it is hard to miss Mormon missionaries
-dressed in rather sharp suits—they looked more like corporate executives, handsome young men
- I heard one in passing ask another—so where is your mission?
-Dalkeith, Galashiels, Edinburgh?
-for this is how they see life—do we?
Psa 90:12 So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
I have lived roughly 13, 000 days, I used 7 last week I have 7 to use this week, everyone of us has today, and after that we will be a day closer to eternity, Donna reminded me happily that life is a terminable disease! I like to think that we have our allotted amount of days, God knows how many we have, and He places great value in a day, in our day and what we do with it, and you know it is not the big days that count it is the small days that shape your life
Zec 4:10 despise not the day of small things, your approach to the small days shapes your life, Jesus calls us, Jesus sends us into the world, to share the news that God loves them, that he wants the Kingdom of God to make a difference in their lives, to discover Jesus, to receive forgiveness of sin, to receive life and life in all its fullness in abundance, let Jesus’ mission to you shape your everyday and you see what he has in store for you, he will not let you down, try it and see, Jesus saves! The one who was proclaimed King as he entered the city, died as a criminal, and has saved us all, let us give him all the glory, not simply here in the church on a Sunday morning but with everyday of our lives!
Friday, April 03, 2009
"What Does God Pray to God?"
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 17
INTRO
Last week we looked at this dilemma of unanswered prayer
-sometimes prayer goes unanswered because they are so frivolous
-help me to get an A—even though I haven’t studied
-help my team to win today (okay-some of these aren’t frivolous prayers)
- sportsmen who pray for victory over the other team
Part of the problem is that prayer is often about us
-our self absorption takes on religious expression
-and we move downstream
-informing God of our plans
-pleading with God to see things our way
-cutting deals—fruitless whining over our wants
-seeking for God’s blessings on our own endeavors
-when what we need to do is start upstream—where the flow begins
-authentic prayer begins with God—for it’s all about Him—not us
-this is what Jesus shows us in His prayer in John 17
It’s in this chapter Jesus’ prayer brings to closure this long discourse—that began back in chapter 13
-the hour now has come
-from here-everything will move in quick succession-arrest, trial, execution
So Jesus prayed— (read 17:1-5)
1. the first thing that is striking is that Jesus invites us into His prayer life
-where we gain a rare glimpse
-up till now—we have only caught snippets of His prayers
-now we hear the whole of what He prayed
-He invites us into His prayer closet—wherein we hear the deepest parts of the
soul
-for this is what prayer reflects
It’s as if wants us to hear, write it down, ponder it
-because in fact—He does!
2. the second thing is this—this prayer defies easy analysis
-for us concrete sequential types—linear in our approach
-prone to outline, systematize
-this prayer will not allow it
-there is a certain flow—and yet a certain randomness to it
But then-most prayers are like this
-most of mine have all of the skeletal structure of an amoeba
-like His discourse-it is rambling and unsystematic
-there is no outline-no smooth transitions
-for after all—He is not teaching how to pray as in Matt 6
-He doesn’t begin with—“When you pray, say…”
-He is simply letting us listen in as He pours His heart out to God
-and yet—and here’s the third thing we can’t avoid
3. this prayer was intentionally given for our teaching
-for it was recorded and entered as part of Scripture—which Paul told Timothy is
given for our instruction—that we might be competent for every good work
-that we might be competent for every good prayer
-all of which leads to a fourth observation
4. the driving force of Jesus’ prayer is the GLORY OF GOD
-this is how He begins—glorify Your Son
-but this must have as its ultimate goal—that He might glorify You We should not be surprised
-from the beginning of His earthly ministry—this has been Jesus’ single aim—
His obsession
-that whatever He does—it will bring glory to God
-His hesitancy to respond immediately to Lazarus was so that the Father’s reputation would be enhanced-11:4
-His encounter with the blind man of John 9 was so that the work of God “might
be displayed”
-His determination to go to the Cross was based ultimately on this one aim—to
glorify the Father’s name-12:28
-even here in 17:1-the glory that comes to Christ is all for this—it might glorify the
Father
For God’s chief end is to glorify God
-it is an unmistakable theme that dominates every other theme—running from
Genesis to Revelation—GOD’S GLORY
-the essential mission of God—the essential pursuit of everything that exists—is
to bring glory to God
-in everything God does—His purpose is to preserve and display His
inexpressible majesty
A. THIS IS WHY ALL CREATION EXISTS—
-Ps 19:1-God made the heavens and earth to recount, declare God’s glory—
God’s immensity
-everything is created to point to Him
B. THIS IS WHY WE EXIST
-Isa 43:7-those called by My name I have created for My glory
-Rom 9:23-He has prepared us for His glory
-the Westminster Confession declares-“The chief duty of man is to glorify God
and enjoy Him forever”
-we were made to showcase God—not ourselves
-made to magnify Him—make Him famous—not ourselves
C. THIS IS WHAT SCRIPTURE CALLS US TO LIVE FOR—
-I Cor 10:31-whatever you do—in word or deed—do all to the glory of God
-whatever says there is nothing too big—nothing too small that cannot—should
not-have God’s glory stamped on it
-I Pet 4:10-11-whoever speaks or serves-in all things-glorify God
-Matt 5:16-let your light shine so that they may see your good works and glorify
God
-I Cor 6:20-you have been with a price-glorify God in your body
-Col 3:17-and whatever you do-whether in word or deed—do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus
D. THIS IS WHAT SHOULD CHARACTERIZE OUR PRAYERS
-that our passion in life would be for God’s reputation
1. that our defining prayer request—under which every other request is secondary is that God be glorified in our lives
2. no-better—that everything we pray would be “framed” in the context of His glory
-God-take take this relationship I am praying for and magnify Your name through it
-God-take this illness and come out of it famous
-God-take this job, this career, this education, this day, this body, these gifts—
and exalt, elevate, increase Your status, Your standing
-take my parenting and elevate Your stature through it
-take St John’s vision an fulfill it—for your name
-take whatever glory that comes to me for anything I have done well—and magnify Yourself instead of me
We need to frame things this way
-for the world, flesh, and devil collude to suppress—not exalt the glory of God
-there’s nothing they hate more—than the glory of God
-every sin’s ultimate aim is to deny God the glory due His name
-hence Paul writes--for all have sinned and continue to fall short of the glory of
God-fail to live according to His purpose-Rom 3:23
-so we are tempted to live for our glory
-to be enamored with ourselves—pray mainly for ourselves and our interests
-live to make a name for us—make much of us—live to be noticed
-live to be god
-Madonna ends her Confessions Tour by symbolically being crucified on stage
-she wraps her singing in religious symbols—but it all about her
But this is to waste life—get things out of focus
-more—it is to take on more than God ever intended
-to live to glorify God invites us to take a break
-to play truant
-we can stop doing all of these important things we have to do in our capacity as
god—and leave it up to Him to be God
-we can uncreate our world that we have carefully fashioned for our glory
-and get in step with the one God for whom it is all about His glory!
Beginning our prayer this way not only frames our requests
-it frames the direction of our lives (read vss 2-4)
Because Jesus was passionate for God’s glory—everything He did was all about
fulfilling the will of God
-work the adversary tried to get Him off page from completing
-but Jesus would not be deterred from His work
-nothing gets in the way of bringing glory to God
And so He completed the call of God on His life—and this is what brings God glory
It is the same with us
-bringing God glory is about completing the work He has called us to do
-for all of us have been extended two calls
-a call to receive His saving forgiveness
-a call to follow His will to personally penetrate this world and live for Him
-a call of God that says—this is the work I formed you for—saved you for
-a call so decisive that everything we are, everything we do, everything we have
is invested with a special devotion in response to this summons (Guinness)
-that is not so much a journey of self discovery (it may not have anything to do
with this)
-but more—simply living life in faithfulness to God, responding to what He brings my way
This is the work we are called to complete
-loving the relationships He gives me
-reaching lost people
-raising the children God gives us
-offering grace to those who have failed, fullness to those who are empty
-exercising what spiritual gifts He has given me
-living out the uniqueness for which we were created for
In essence-living large on the stage we find ourselves (White)
-so that at the end of it all—we can like Jesus declare—
I have brought you glory by completing the work you called me to do
CONCLUSION
Let me ask you this morning—
-who are you living for
-whose glory are you passionate for
-how it you are framing your prayers?
-this is what will revolutionize our world—but far more—this is what will bring
glory to God
In such a life—such a prayer—we climb above timberline and look down at the speck
that is ourselves
-we dwell on His glory—not our own
-and life again gets centered
-and prayers get answered
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO DO THIS?
-Jesus prayer tells us
1. HIS PROTECTION-vss 11-15
-for the evil one’s primary mission is to do whatever it takes to rob God of His
glory
-that is-everything to distract us from our calling
-and so He prays—
-protect them-keep, watch over, guard-vs 11
-keep them in tact from the evil one-vs 15
-not in an insulating way—but keep us from distraction
-from his subtleties—that lead us to live for ourselves—pursue our own glory
-that only will lead to dysfunction
What is ultimately behind the mess of this world
-representatives exchanges despicable stuff on e-mails, people killing little girls,
people taken to garbage dumps and executed (just a typical random week of
news)
-people living lives ambivalent to the call to live for God’s glory
-point us to the spiritual weapons they we will need to successfully fight this
spiritual battle
2. OUR HOLINESS-vs 17
-Jesus prayed that we would be set apart, saturated in the context of truth
-may we be grounded in Word—distinguished by His word
-which will enable us to pursue His call—live for His glory
3. OUR ONENESS-vs 21
-this implies we are to live as community
-as we should—must
-the church is first and foremost a community—a collection of people who belong
to each other because they belong to God
-God’s mission for us is to be a people
-people who are undivided—determined to live out the love of God
-for division not only nullifies the witness of our union in Christ
-will keep us from the work
-will keep us from glorifying God
-it’s hard for us to grasp this sense of corporate identity today
-we have been so soaked in individualism that our image of church is a collection
of isolated individuals all doing their own thing
-but this misses the work God has called us to do
-if we are to preach grace, reconciliation, love—than we have to model it
-or we will not glorify God
One’s prayer life tells us a lot about what is important to a
-we live in a morally disordered universe
- murders, rape, children suffering horrible painful deaths
- fritzl and his daughter
-what all have in common—beyond unspeakable evil
-a failure to live out our ultimate purpose-to glorify God
In the process of doing it—Jesus Himself took on a certain glory
-a glory that comes from living in union with God—in complete harmony with His purpose
-this is why John writes—and we beheld His glory-1:14
-but not of the dazzling, splendorous kind
-the sort that God shielded Moses from lest he be consumed-Ex 33
-the glory of God is more than the show of greatness and magnificence
-it is also a show of humiliation and lowliness
-Jesus’ glory was not conspicuous, glamorous—glory noticed by fashion
designers
-glory that flatters our lusts and egos
-Jesus redefined glory—but not many saw it
-this was a glory that moved into the neighborhood
-that occasionally revealed itself in the spectacular-Jn 2:11-in this first of His
miraculous signs, He revealed His glory
-but it was more often a glory that included obscurity and humiliation
-a glory that was not, in the eyes of the world, necessarily impressive
-as part of His glory-Jesus was dismissed, derided, marginalized, rejected, put to
death
4. THIS IS WHAT WE DO!
This is Jesus’ longest recorded prayer. Jesus has allowed this prayer into John’s gospel not as a model prayer but as an expression of how much he loved the Father, the disciples, and those who would believe in the centuries to follow. He reveals to us a special something that is the key to our life, his singular passion to glorify the Father in all he has done, is doing, and will do. With the glory of God as central, control is released and we can rest.
The Glory of God:
• is why all creation exists
• is why we exist
• is why scripture calls us to this continual action
• is why we must share the same passion as Jesus when we pray
So, how do we make sure we bring God glory? In the same way Jesus spoke of:
• by completing the purpose for which he was sent
• by not allowing anything to get in the way of that completion
John 17
INTRO
Last week we looked at this dilemma of unanswered prayer
-sometimes prayer goes unanswered because they are so frivolous
-help me to get an A—even though I haven’t studied
-help my team to win today (okay-some of these aren’t frivolous prayers)
- sportsmen who pray for victory over the other team
Part of the problem is that prayer is often about us
-our self absorption takes on religious expression
-and we move downstream
-informing God of our plans
-pleading with God to see things our way
-cutting deals—fruitless whining over our wants
-seeking for God’s blessings on our own endeavors
-when what we need to do is start upstream—where the flow begins
-authentic prayer begins with God—for it’s all about Him—not us
-this is what Jesus shows us in His prayer in John 17
It’s in this chapter Jesus’ prayer brings to closure this long discourse—that began back in chapter 13
-the hour now has come
-from here-everything will move in quick succession-arrest, trial, execution
So Jesus prayed— (read 17:1-5)
1. the first thing that is striking is that Jesus invites us into His prayer life
-where we gain a rare glimpse
-up till now—we have only caught snippets of His prayers
-now we hear the whole of what He prayed
-He invites us into His prayer closet—wherein we hear the deepest parts of the
soul
-for this is what prayer reflects
It’s as if wants us to hear, write it down, ponder it
-because in fact—He does!
2. the second thing is this—this prayer defies easy analysis
-for us concrete sequential types—linear in our approach
-prone to outline, systematize
-this prayer will not allow it
-there is a certain flow—and yet a certain randomness to it
But then-most prayers are like this
-most of mine have all of the skeletal structure of an amoeba
-like His discourse-it is rambling and unsystematic
-there is no outline-no smooth transitions
-for after all—He is not teaching how to pray as in Matt 6
-He doesn’t begin with—“When you pray, say…”
-He is simply letting us listen in as He pours His heart out to God
-and yet—and here’s the third thing we can’t avoid
3. this prayer was intentionally given for our teaching
-for it was recorded and entered as part of Scripture—which Paul told Timothy is
given for our instruction—that we might be competent for every good work
-that we might be competent for every good prayer
-all of which leads to a fourth observation
4. the driving force of Jesus’ prayer is the GLORY OF GOD
-this is how He begins—glorify Your Son
-but this must have as its ultimate goal—that He might glorify You We should not be surprised
-from the beginning of His earthly ministry—this has been Jesus’ single aim—
His obsession
-that whatever He does—it will bring glory to God
-His hesitancy to respond immediately to Lazarus was so that the Father’s reputation would be enhanced-11:4
-His encounter with the blind man of John 9 was so that the work of God “might
be displayed”
-His determination to go to the Cross was based ultimately on this one aim—to
glorify the Father’s name-12:28
-even here in 17:1-the glory that comes to Christ is all for this—it might glorify the
Father
For God’s chief end is to glorify God
-it is an unmistakable theme that dominates every other theme—running from
Genesis to Revelation—GOD’S GLORY
-the essential mission of God—the essential pursuit of everything that exists—is
to bring glory to God
-in everything God does—His purpose is to preserve and display His
inexpressible majesty
A. THIS IS WHY ALL CREATION EXISTS—
-Ps 19:1-God made the heavens and earth to recount, declare God’s glory—
God’s immensity
-everything is created to point to Him
B. THIS IS WHY WE EXIST
-Isa 43:7-those called by My name I have created for My glory
-Rom 9:23-He has prepared us for His glory
-the Westminster Confession declares-“The chief duty of man is to glorify God
and enjoy Him forever”
-we were made to showcase God—not ourselves
-made to magnify Him—make Him famous—not ourselves
C. THIS IS WHAT SCRIPTURE CALLS US TO LIVE FOR—
-I Cor 10:31-whatever you do—in word or deed—do all to the glory of God
-whatever says there is nothing too big—nothing too small that cannot—should
not-have God’s glory stamped on it
-I Pet 4:10-11-whoever speaks or serves-in all things-glorify God
-Matt 5:16-let your light shine so that they may see your good works and glorify
God
-I Cor 6:20-you have been with a price-glorify God in your body
-Col 3:17-and whatever you do-whether in word or deed—do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus
D. THIS IS WHAT SHOULD CHARACTERIZE OUR PRAYERS
-that our passion in life would be for God’s reputation
1. that our defining prayer request—under which every other request is secondary is that God be glorified in our lives
2. no-better—that everything we pray would be “framed” in the context of His glory
-God-take take this relationship I am praying for and magnify Your name through it
-God-take this illness and come out of it famous
-God-take this job, this career, this education, this day, this body, these gifts—
and exalt, elevate, increase Your status, Your standing
-take my parenting and elevate Your stature through it
-take St John’s vision an fulfill it—for your name
-take whatever glory that comes to me for anything I have done well—and magnify Yourself instead of me
We need to frame things this way
-for the world, flesh, and devil collude to suppress—not exalt the glory of God
-there’s nothing they hate more—than the glory of God
-every sin’s ultimate aim is to deny God the glory due His name
-hence Paul writes--for all have sinned and continue to fall short of the glory of
God-fail to live according to His purpose-Rom 3:23
-so we are tempted to live for our glory
-to be enamored with ourselves—pray mainly for ourselves and our interests
-live to make a name for us—make much of us—live to be noticed
-live to be god
-Madonna ends her Confessions Tour by symbolically being crucified on stage
-she wraps her singing in religious symbols—but it all about her
But this is to waste life—get things out of focus
-more—it is to take on more than God ever intended
-to live to glorify God invites us to take a break
-to play truant
-we can stop doing all of these important things we have to do in our capacity as
god—and leave it up to Him to be God
-we can uncreate our world that we have carefully fashioned for our glory
-and get in step with the one God for whom it is all about His glory!
Beginning our prayer this way not only frames our requests
-it frames the direction of our lives (read vss 2-4)
Because Jesus was passionate for God’s glory—everything He did was all about
fulfilling the will of God
-work the adversary tried to get Him off page from completing
-but Jesus would not be deterred from His work
-nothing gets in the way of bringing glory to God
And so He completed the call of God on His life—and this is what brings God glory
It is the same with us
-bringing God glory is about completing the work He has called us to do
-for all of us have been extended two calls
-a call to receive His saving forgiveness
-a call to follow His will to personally penetrate this world and live for Him
-a call of God that says—this is the work I formed you for—saved you for
-a call so decisive that everything we are, everything we do, everything we have
is invested with a special devotion in response to this summons (Guinness)
-that is not so much a journey of self discovery (it may not have anything to do
with this)
-but more—simply living life in faithfulness to God, responding to what He brings my way
This is the work we are called to complete
-loving the relationships He gives me
-reaching lost people
-raising the children God gives us
-offering grace to those who have failed, fullness to those who are empty
-exercising what spiritual gifts He has given me
-living out the uniqueness for which we were created for
In essence-living large on the stage we find ourselves (White)
-so that at the end of it all—we can like Jesus declare—
I have brought you glory by completing the work you called me to do
CONCLUSION
Let me ask you this morning—
-who are you living for
-whose glory are you passionate for
-how it you are framing your prayers?
-this is what will revolutionize our world—but far more—this is what will bring
glory to God
In such a life—such a prayer—we climb above timberline and look down at the speck
that is ourselves
-we dwell on His glory—not our own
-and life again gets centered
-and prayers get answered
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO DO THIS?
-Jesus prayer tells us
1. HIS PROTECTION-vss 11-15
-for the evil one’s primary mission is to do whatever it takes to rob God of His
glory
-that is-everything to distract us from our calling
-and so He prays—
-protect them-keep, watch over, guard-vs 11
-keep them in tact from the evil one-vs 15
-not in an insulating way—but keep us from distraction
-from his subtleties—that lead us to live for ourselves—pursue our own glory
-that only will lead to dysfunction
What is ultimately behind the mess of this world
-representatives exchanges despicable stuff on e-mails, people killing little girls,
people taken to garbage dumps and executed (just a typical random week of
news)
-people living lives ambivalent to the call to live for God’s glory
-point us to the spiritual weapons they we will need to successfully fight this
spiritual battle
2. OUR HOLINESS-vs 17
-Jesus prayed that we would be set apart, saturated in the context of truth
-may we be grounded in Word—distinguished by His word
-which will enable us to pursue His call—live for His glory
3. OUR ONENESS-vs 21
-this implies we are to live as community
-as we should—must
-the church is first and foremost a community—a collection of people who belong
to each other because they belong to God
-God’s mission for us is to be a people
-people who are undivided—determined to live out the love of God
-for division not only nullifies the witness of our union in Christ
-will keep us from the work
-will keep us from glorifying God
-it’s hard for us to grasp this sense of corporate identity today
-we have been so soaked in individualism that our image of church is a collection
of isolated individuals all doing their own thing
-but this misses the work God has called us to do
-if we are to preach grace, reconciliation, love—than we have to model it
-or we will not glorify God
One’s prayer life tells us a lot about what is important to a
-we live in a morally disordered universe
- murders, rape, children suffering horrible painful deaths
- fritzl and his daughter
-what all have in common—beyond unspeakable evil
-a failure to live out our ultimate purpose-to glorify God
In the process of doing it—Jesus Himself took on a certain glory
-a glory that comes from living in union with God—in complete harmony with His purpose
-this is why John writes—and we beheld His glory-1:14
-but not of the dazzling, splendorous kind
-the sort that God shielded Moses from lest he be consumed-Ex 33
-the glory of God is more than the show of greatness and magnificence
-it is also a show of humiliation and lowliness
-Jesus’ glory was not conspicuous, glamorous—glory noticed by fashion
designers
-glory that flatters our lusts and egos
-Jesus redefined glory—but not many saw it
-this was a glory that moved into the neighborhood
-that occasionally revealed itself in the spectacular-Jn 2:11-in this first of His
miraculous signs, He revealed His glory
-but it was more often a glory that included obscurity and humiliation
-a glory that was not, in the eyes of the world, necessarily impressive
-as part of His glory-Jesus was dismissed, derided, marginalized, rejected, put to
death
4. THIS IS WHAT WE DO!
This is Jesus’ longest recorded prayer. Jesus has allowed this prayer into John’s gospel not as a model prayer but as an expression of how much he loved the Father, the disciples, and those who would believe in the centuries to follow. He reveals to us a special something that is the key to our life, his singular passion to glorify the Father in all he has done, is doing, and will do. With the glory of God as central, control is released and we can rest.
The Glory of God:
• is why all creation exists
• is why we exist
• is why scripture calls us to this continual action
• is why we must share the same passion as Jesus when we pray
So, how do we make sure we bring God glory? In the same way Jesus spoke of:
• by completing the purpose for which he was sent
• by not allowing anything to get in the way of that completion
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Prayer – Does it make a Difference?”
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 16:23-24
“A tale is told about a small town that had historically been "dry," but then a local businessman decided to build a pub. A group of Christians from a local church were concerned and planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask God to intervene. It just so happened that shortly thereafter lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground. The owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers of the congregation were responsible, but the church hired a lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible. The presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, stated "no matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear. The pub owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not."
INTRO-video, half of prayer is an encounter
I’m guessing all of us find ourselves in this video
-we find ourselves asking—
-is God listening?
-is He influenceable?
-if He is, why doesn’t He respond?
-why am I still facing this addiction?
-despite my prayers—this relationship still fell apart
-I still lost my job, she stilled died
-I’m still not healed—I’m still in this depression
-I’ve prayed—yet she’s as hardened towards Jesus as ever—God—why?
What intensifies our emotions—perplexes our brains—confuses our souls
-are the promises Jesus has given in the upper room—
a. 14:13-14-whatever you ask in My name—this I will do-in order that the
Father is glorified in the Son
-you may ask Me whatever in My name—I Myself will do
b. 15:7-if you remain in Me and My word remains in you—whatever you want-ask and it will become for you
c. in this today’s text—Jesus again makes this sweeping promise (read 16:17-24)
In each passage—Jesus raises our expectations regarding prayer
-and so it’s reasonable to ask—what’s going on?
-what are we to do with these verses?
-everything inside of me wants to embrace them
-everything in my theology says I should, I must believe them
-but experiences sometimes seem to contradict them
-there is the temptation—as CS Lewis put it—
-to see them as old fashioned sayings which have to be outgrown
Illustration- selection school……………………
-and it all felt like opened doors that suddenly slammed shut
-a bad dream, a cruel joke
-it’s tempting to dismiss these verses
- 23In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
But I can’t—and you can’t
Because they were uttered by the One who is nothing but reliable in everything He says and does
-so what are these texts saying?
-and more importantly—what are they doing?
Here’s what they are clearly saying—
1. PRAYER HAS TO BE A LIFE PRIORITY
-as with the rest of Scripture—they underscore that prayer is not an option
-prayer is the place where man and God meet
-the means God uses to advance His kingdom
-prayer was the routine of the EARLY CHURCH-Acts 2:42
-Jesus valued prayer enough to spend many hours at the task
-the more intense the demands upon His life—the more He prayed (Mk 1:35)
-the greater the darkness—the greater were His prayers
-such that He closed this conversation with the longest recorded prayer in the Gospels- John 17.
-and it is prayer that largely defines Jesus’ present ministry-Heb 7:25
As Philip Yancey writes in his book on Prayer—
“When doubts creep in, and I wonder if prayer is a sanctified form of talking to myself, I remind myself that Jesus, who spoke the worlds into existence—and holds all things together—felt a compelling need to pray”
2. PRAYER WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
-in each promise, something happens as a result of prayer
-His actions depend upon our asking-14:13
-what will be done depends upon our requests-15:7
-receiving hinges on asking-16:24
-Jesus underscored this often-both in how He lived and what He taught
-when the disciples seemed to be absolutely helpless in their attempts to help an afflicted boy
-Jesus’ response was simply—these are matters that require prayer
-other texts underscore this—
-Js 4:2—you have not—because you ask not
-Moses prayed—and God withheld His judgment-Ex 32:10-14
-Jabez prayed—and God expanded his boundaries-I Chron 4:10
-James writes—the prayers of righteous saints can accomplish much-5:16
I think prayer is the means of releasing God’s willingness and ability to act in the world that otherwise would not happen
-pray—and something of the marks of God’s rule become present in the present
-pray—and God fills our sails with His Spirit
-pray-and God awakens the church-the revivals of Edwards, Wesley the Lewis revivals were first revivals of prayer, when even 2 gather together to pray God s moved
-who of us have not witnessed this—that when a decision is covered with prayer—a day is begun with prayer--it is generally different?
-Karl Barth came to this settled conclusion--“He does not act in the same way whether we pray or not” God hears and moves when we pray
-in fact—He does not act (what do you think?), wow the God of the universe relies upon your prayers
-as Bonhoeffer wrote-“A day without prayer is a day without meaning”
I suspect up this point—we pretty much agree
-prayer is important
-prayer changes things—maybe not the things I want to change
-but this still hasn’t addressed the issue
-if these are promises from God—why isn’t God coming through?
-let’s start with a safe answer—a third lesson from these texts--
3. ANSWERED PRAYER DOES DEPEND UPON CONDITIONS
-for these verses do seem to establish some conditions—ones that should not be easily dismissed—or taken lightly
THE CONDITION OF BELIEVING-14:12-14
- 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
-the promise of vs 13 is linked with the condition of vs 12—“the one believing”
-there are no answered prayers for those who lack faith
-but there are answered prayers to those who take God at His word
-believing in His promises—His power—His faithfulness
-that answered prayer springs from trust is underscored throughout the NT
-Matt 21:22-if you believe-you will receive whatever you ask
-Mk 11:24-whatever you ask—believe that you have received it, and it is yours
-Js 1:6-but when he asks, he must believe and not doubt
-Js 5:15-the prayer offered in faith will make the person well
B. THE CONDITION OF ABIDING-15:7
-Jesus begins with a conditional clause in the second promise statement-if you remain in Me and My words remain in you
-if we are intimately connected to God—allowing His word to pour into us
-and us into Him—such that there is this undivided whole-this intimate union
-than ask—and you will receive
-which makes sense
-for in abiding—things get sifted out
-prayer ceases to be a selfish activity
-we will have His heartbeat, understand His priorities—pursue His will
-and hence—pray according to His will
-and as I John 5:14 puts it—if we ask anything according to His will—He hears us
C. THE CONDITION OF IN MY NAME-16:23-24
-in each of these, Jesus seems to also link His promises to praying in His name
-not as some magical incantation—some formula, some technique used to give power to our prayers
-but prayer that understands that we can come boldly to the throne of God because we come in His name—not our own
-under His authority—as one in alignment with the heart of Jesus
-one can add others that Scripture mentions—
-praying earnestly
-praying over time
-praying with fasting
Each of these conditions challenge us to do some assessing
-but what if—in all of this—God is still not answering my prayers—He does not seem to be hearing
-I am trusting
-I am abiding
-I am coming in His name
-I am praying legitimate requests
-I am not asking God to restore amputated legs
-bring my dog back from the dead
-let the Don’s win the league
-and yet my prayers remain unanswered
-illus-someone is my old church her sister used her lack of healing as failing to meet the conditions
-as a sort of club to beat her for not having faith
-the fact is--she had huge faith
-and she loved Jesus—and she still died of cancer
4. UNANSWERED PRAYERS MAY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THESE CONDITIONS
A. THEY MAY HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH A FLAWED WORLD
-there are some things we cannot escape
-a sinful world means there will be sickness--there will be death—there will be accidents—there will be wars
B. THEY MAY HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH GOD’S BETTER WAYS
1. WAYS THAT BECOME CLEAR OVER TIME
-though Paul pleaded to be healed-God healed in ways that transcended the physical-2 Cor 12-though Moses begged to enter the promised land-it was better for Israel—for its next leader-that he was out of the picture
-though David prayed God would heal his son—God had another man to rule the kingdom
-though Elijah prayed for his death—God kept him alive for something far better
-Heb 11:39-40-none of them received what was promised—for God planned something better
point-lots of unanswered prayers stand as wonderful acts of grace—where God protected us from ourselves—prayers that would have kept us from growing
-prayers that would have led to us settling for second best
Illus-Bruce Almighty-what happens if God answered every prayer
-if God answered every prayer—He would in effect turn the world over to us to run
2. WAYS THAT REMAIN A MYSTERY
-for we look through a glass dimly, we never see the whole picture
-we live with God’s indiscernible will
-that points us to a God who cannot be conformed to our small box, where we often like to put God
SO WHAT IS THIS TEXT DOING?
-Back to my first point—calling us to this mysterious—yet most significant act
-as FB Meyer once put it—
“The greatest tragedy in life is not unanswered prayer—but unoffered prayer”
Texts that illustrate and example prayer are all throughout the Bible. Also, there are places where God gives us some understanding on the realities of prayer and that is where we are today.
So in summing up- There is a tension between the promises of prayer in Scripture and the reality of answered and so called unanswered prayer. How do we live with that tension? What can we glean from the words of Christ that help us be okay with the constancy of the tension? Using three texts: John 14:13-14; 15:7; and 16:23 four suggestions:
1. Prayer has to be a life priority. It is where God and man meet. It was exampled as a priority in Jesus’ life.
2. Prayer will make a difference. Receiving in prayer depends on us asking.
3. Answered prayer does depend upon conditions.
Ø The condition of believing 14:12-13
Ø The condition of abiding 15:7
Ø The condition of being “in Jesus name” 16:23
4. Unanswered prayers may have nothing to do with these stated conditions but may have to do with:
Ø The fact that we live in a flawed world
Ø The fact that God may have a better way and that prayer itself is a mystery
But even with all of this, prayer must be our priority, it is the lifeblood of faith, prayer may go unanswered and that may hurt us, but the greater tragedy is a prayer that is not answered but a prayer never offered. Not matter what, get on your knees, seek God in all things and pray! God’s been speaking to me this week, roman 8v 28, Jer 29 v 11
When we pray, remember:
1. The love of God that wants the best for us.2. The wisdom of God that knows what is best for us.3. The power of God that can accomplish it.
finish with 2nd half of video, prayer is an encounter
Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the grass grows on your path."
Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the supreme call for all Christians today, I pleadingly urge our people everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest contribution that our people can make in this critical hour, I humbly urge that we take time to pray--to really pray. Let there be prayer at sunup, at noonday, at sundown, at midnight--all through the day. Let us all pray for our children, our youth, our aged, our pastors, our homes. Let us pray for our churches. Let us pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word 'concern' out of our Christian vocabulary. Let us pray for our nation. Let us pray for those who have never known Jesus Christ and redeeming love, for moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders. Let prayer be our passion. Let prayer be our practice.
Prayer is surrender--surrender to the will of God and cooperation with that will. If I throw out a boathook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God.
A woman went to Andrew Murray with the problem of feeling she couldn't pray. He said, "Why then, do you not try this? As you go to your inner chamber, however cold and dark your heart may be, do not try in your own might to force yourself into the right attitude. Bow before Him, and tell Him that He sees in what a sad state you are, and that your only hope is in Him. Trust Him, with a childlike trust, to have mercy upon you, and wait upon Him. In such a trust you are in a right relationship to Him. You have nothing -- He has everything."
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Theme:
In Jesus, we receive the right to become children of God. 2nd Sunday after Christmas
Object:
A gift you received for Christmas
Scripture:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12-13 (NIV)
This tie I am wearing was one of my Christmas gifts. I really do like it. Did you receive a lot of gifts for Christmas? I'm sure that you did. Of all of the gifts that you received for Christmas, what was the very best one? What was your favorite? (Give the children an opportunity to tell you about their favorite gift.)
You know, there is one thing that I have learned about Christmas gifts. No matter how much you enjoy receiving them, they just don't last. Some of you may have received new clothes. They look nice and you enjoy wearing them, but sooner or later, they wear out, go out of style, or you outgrow them. I am sure that many of you received toys. You really enjoy the toys, but eventually, they either get broken or you get tired of playing with them. Perhaps you got some candy. Well, when you eat it, it is gone. Except for what you wind up wearing around your waist.
There is one Christmas gift that is different. It never wears out. It never goes out of style. You will never become tired of it. It is like the Energizer Bunny -- it is a gift that keeps on giving year, after year, after year. Do you know what that gift is? It is the true gift that Christmas is all about. It is God's gift to us. His Son, Jesus.
The Bible tells us that all who receive Jesus and believe in his name become the children of God! When we become the children of God, we have all of the rights and privileges of being His child. He will love us, protect us, and provide everything that we need. The best part is that it never ends. The Bible says that "kindness and love will be with us every day of our life, and we will live forever in the house of the LORD." (Psalm 23:6 paraphrased)
I enjoy giving and receiving gifts at Christmas, but I think it is important for us to remember that the greatest gift of all was God's gift to us. It is the gift that keeps on giving!
Dear Father, we thank you for loving us so much that you gave your Son so that we too could become your children. Amen.
John 16:23-24
“A tale is told about a small town that had historically been "dry," but then a local businessman decided to build a pub. A group of Christians from a local church were concerned and planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask God to intervene. It just so happened that shortly thereafter lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground. The owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers of the congregation were responsible, but the church hired a lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible. The presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, stated "no matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear. The pub owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not."
INTRO-video, half of prayer is an encounter
I’m guessing all of us find ourselves in this video
-we find ourselves asking—
-is God listening?
-is He influenceable?
-if He is, why doesn’t He respond?
-why am I still facing this addiction?
-despite my prayers—this relationship still fell apart
-I still lost my job, she stilled died
-I’m still not healed—I’m still in this depression
-I’ve prayed—yet she’s as hardened towards Jesus as ever—God—why?
What intensifies our emotions—perplexes our brains—confuses our souls
-are the promises Jesus has given in the upper room—
a. 14:13-14-whatever you ask in My name—this I will do-in order that the
Father is glorified in the Son
-you may ask Me whatever in My name—I Myself will do
b. 15:7-if you remain in Me and My word remains in you—whatever you want-ask and it will become for you
c. in this today’s text—Jesus again makes this sweeping promise (read 16:17-24)
In each passage—Jesus raises our expectations regarding prayer
-and so it’s reasonable to ask—what’s going on?
-what are we to do with these verses?
-everything inside of me wants to embrace them
-everything in my theology says I should, I must believe them
-but experiences sometimes seem to contradict them
-there is the temptation—as CS Lewis put it—
-to see them as old fashioned sayings which have to be outgrown
Illustration- selection school……………………
-and it all felt like opened doors that suddenly slammed shut
-a bad dream, a cruel joke
-it’s tempting to dismiss these verses
- 23In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.
But I can’t—and you can’t
Because they were uttered by the One who is nothing but reliable in everything He says and does
-so what are these texts saying?
-and more importantly—what are they doing?
Here’s what they are clearly saying—
1. PRAYER HAS TO BE A LIFE PRIORITY
-as with the rest of Scripture—they underscore that prayer is not an option
-prayer is the place where man and God meet
-the means God uses to advance His kingdom
-prayer was the routine of the EARLY CHURCH-Acts 2:42
-Jesus valued prayer enough to spend many hours at the task
-the more intense the demands upon His life—the more He prayed (Mk 1:35)
-the greater the darkness—the greater were His prayers
-such that He closed this conversation with the longest recorded prayer in the Gospels- John 17.
-and it is prayer that largely defines Jesus’ present ministry-Heb 7:25
As Philip Yancey writes in his book on Prayer—
“When doubts creep in, and I wonder if prayer is a sanctified form of talking to myself, I remind myself that Jesus, who spoke the worlds into existence—and holds all things together—felt a compelling need to pray”
2. PRAYER WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE
-in each promise, something happens as a result of prayer
-His actions depend upon our asking-14:13
-what will be done depends upon our requests-15:7
-receiving hinges on asking-16:24
-Jesus underscored this often-both in how He lived and what He taught
-when the disciples seemed to be absolutely helpless in their attempts to help an afflicted boy
-Jesus’ response was simply—these are matters that require prayer
-other texts underscore this—
-Js 4:2—you have not—because you ask not
-Moses prayed—and God withheld His judgment-Ex 32:10-14
-Jabez prayed—and God expanded his boundaries-I Chron 4:10
-James writes—the prayers of righteous saints can accomplish much-5:16
I think prayer is the means of releasing God’s willingness and ability to act in the world that otherwise would not happen
-pray—and something of the marks of God’s rule become present in the present
-pray—and God fills our sails with His Spirit
-pray-and God awakens the church-the revivals of Edwards, Wesley the Lewis revivals were first revivals of prayer, when even 2 gather together to pray God s moved
-who of us have not witnessed this—that when a decision is covered with prayer—a day is begun with prayer--it is generally different?
-Karl Barth came to this settled conclusion--“He does not act in the same way whether we pray or not” God hears and moves when we pray
-in fact—He does not act (what do you think?), wow the God of the universe relies upon your prayers
-as Bonhoeffer wrote-“A day without prayer is a day without meaning”
I suspect up this point—we pretty much agree
-prayer is important
-prayer changes things—maybe not the things I want to change
-but this still hasn’t addressed the issue
-if these are promises from God—why isn’t God coming through?
-let’s start with a safe answer—a third lesson from these texts--
3. ANSWERED PRAYER DOES DEPEND UPON CONDITIONS
-for these verses do seem to establish some conditions—ones that should not be easily dismissed—or taken lightly
THE CONDITION OF BELIEVING-14:12-14
- 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
-the promise of vs 13 is linked with the condition of vs 12—“the one believing”
-there are no answered prayers for those who lack faith
-but there are answered prayers to those who take God at His word
-believing in His promises—His power—His faithfulness
-that answered prayer springs from trust is underscored throughout the NT
-Matt 21:22-if you believe-you will receive whatever you ask
-Mk 11:24-whatever you ask—believe that you have received it, and it is yours
-Js 1:6-but when he asks, he must believe and not doubt
-Js 5:15-the prayer offered in faith will make the person well
B. THE CONDITION OF ABIDING-15:7
-Jesus begins with a conditional clause in the second promise statement-if you remain in Me and My words remain in you
-if we are intimately connected to God—allowing His word to pour into us
-and us into Him—such that there is this undivided whole-this intimate union
-than ask—and you will receive
-which makes sense
-for in abiding—things get sifted out
-prayer ceases to be a selfish activity
-we will have His heartbeat, understand His priorities—pursue His will
-and hence—pray according to His will
-and as I John 5:14 puts it—if we ask anything according to His will—He hears us
C. THE CONDITION OF IN MY NAME-16:23-24
-in each of these, Jesus seems to also link His promises to praying in His name
-not as some magical incantation—some formula, some technique used to give power to our prayers
-but prayer that understands that we can come boldly to the throne of God because we come in His name—not our own
-under His authority—as one in alignment with the heart of Jesus
-one can add others that Scripture mentions—
-praying earnestly
-praying over time
-praying with fasting
Each of these conditions challenge us to do some assessing
-but what if—in all of this—God is still not answering my prayers—He does not seem to be hearing
-I am trusting
-I am abiding
-I am coming in His name
-I am praying legitimate requests
-I am not asking God to restore amputated legs
-bring my dog back from the dead
-let the Don’s win the league
-and yet my prayers remain unanswered
-illus-someone is my old church her sister used her lack of healing as failing to meet the conditions
-as a sort of club to beat her for not having faith
-the fact is--she had huge faith
-and she loved Jesus—and she still died of cancer
4. UNANSWERED PRAYERS MAY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THESE CONDITIONS
A. THEY MAY HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH A FLAWED WORLD
-there are some things we cannot escape
-a sinful world means there will be sickness--there will be death—there will be accidents—there will be wars
B. THEY MAY HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH GOD’S BETTER WAYS
1. WAYS THAT BECOME CLEAR OVER TIME
-though Paul pleaded to be healed-God healed in ways that transcended the physical-2 Cor 12-though Moses begged to enter the promised land-it was better for Israel—for its next leader-that he was out of the picture
-though David prayed God would heal his son—God had another man to rule the kingdom
-though Elijah prayed for his death—God kept him alive for something far better
-Heb 11:39-40-none of them received what was promised—for God planned something better
point-lots of unanswered prayers stand as wonderful acts of grace—where God protected us from ourselves—prayers that would have kept us from growing
-prayers that would have led to us settling for second best
Illus-Bruce Almighty-what happens if God answered every prayer
-if God answered every prayer—He would in effect turn the world over to us to run
2. WAYS THAT REMAIN A MYSTERY
-for we look through a glass dimly, we never see the whole picture
-we live with God’s indiscernible will
-that points us to a God who cannot be conformed to our small box, where we often like to put God
SO WHAT IS THIS TEXT DOING?
-Back to my first point—calling us to this mysterious—yet most significant act
-as FB Meyer once put it—
“The greatest tragedy in life is not unanswered prayer—but unoffered prayer”
Texts that illustrate and example prayer are all throughout the Bible. Also, there are places where God gives us some understanding on the realities of prayer and that is where we are today.
So in summing up- There is a tension between the promises of prayer in Scripture and the reality of answered and so called unanswered prayer. How do we live with that tension? What can we glean from the words of Christ that help us be okay with the constancy of the tension? Using three texts: John 14:13-14; 15:7; and 16:23 four suggestions:
1. Prayer has to be a life priority. It is where God and man meet. It was exampled as a priority in Jesus’ life.
2. Prayer will make a difference. Receiving in prayer depends on us asking.
3. Answered prayer does depend upon conditions.
Ø The condition of believing 14:12-13
Ø The condition of abiding 15:7
Ø The condition of being “in Jesus name” 16:23
4. Unanswered prayers may have nothing to do with these stated conditions but may have to do with:
Ø The fact that we live in a flawed world
Ø The fact that God may have a better way and that prayer itself is a mystery
But even with all of this, prayer must be our priority, it is the lifeblood of faith, prayer may go unanswered and that may hurt us, but the greater tragedy is a prayer that is not answered but a prayer never offered. Not matter what, get on your knees, seek God in all things and pray! God’s been speaking to me this week, roman 8v 28, Jer 29 v 11
When we pray, remember:
1. The love of God that wants the best for us.2. The wisdom of God that knows what is best for us.3. The power of God that can accomplish it.
finish with 2nd half of video, prayer is an encounter
Early African converts to Christianity were earnest and regular in private devotions. Each one reportedly had a separate spot in the thicket where he would pour out his heart to God. Over time the paths to these places became well worn. As a result, if one of these believers began to neglect prayer, it was soon apparent to the others. They would kindly remind the negligent one, "Brother, the grass grows on your path."
Knowing that intercessory prayer is our mightiest weapon and the supreme call for all Christians today, I pleadingly urge our people everywhere to pray. Believing that prayer is the greatest contribution that our people can make in this critical hour, I humbly urge that we take time to pray--to really pray. Let there be prayer at sunup, at noonday, at sundown, at midnight--all through the day. Let us all pray for our children, our youth, our aged, our pastors, our homes. Let us pray for our churches. Let us pray for ourselves, that we may not lose the word 'concern' out of our Christian vocabulary. Let us pray for our nation. Let us pray for those who have never known Jesus Christ and redeeming love, for moral forces everywhere, for our national leaders. Let prayer be our passion. Let prayer be our practice.
Prayer is surrender--surrender to the will of God and cooperation with that will. If I throw out a boathook from the boat and catch hold of the shore and pull, do I pull the shore to me, or do I pull myself to the shore? Prayer is not pulling God to my will, but the aligning of my will to the will of God.
A woman went to Andrew Murray with the problem of feeling she couldn't pray. He said, "Why then, do you not try this? As you go to your inner chamber, however cold and dark your heart may be, do not try in your own might to force yourself into the right attitude. Bow before Him, and tell Him that He sees in what a sad state you are, and that your only hope is in Him. Trust Him, with a childlike trust, to have mercy upon you, and wait upon Him. In such a trust you are in a right relationship to Him. You have nothing -- He has everything."
The Gift That Keeps On Giving
Theme:
In Jesus, we receive the right to become children of God. 2nd Sunday after Christmas
Object:
A gift you received for Christmas
Scripture:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God– children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12-13 (NIV)
This tie I am wearing was one of my Christmas gifts. I really do like it. Did you receive a lot of gifts for Christmas? I'm sure that you did. Of all of the gifts that you received for Christmas, what was the very best one? What was your favorite? (Give the children an opportunity to tell you about their favorite gift.)
You know, there is one thing that I have learned about Christmas gifts. No matter how much you enjoy receiving them, they just don't last. Some of you may have received new clothes. They look nice and you enjoy wearing them, but sooner or later, they wear out, go out of style, or you outgrow them. I am sure that many of you received toys. You really enjoy the toys, but eventually, they either get broken or you get tired of playing with them. Perhaps you got some candy. Well, when you eat it, it is gone. Except for what you wind up wearing around your waist.
There is one Christmas gift that is different. It never wears out. It never goes out of style. You will never become tired of it. It is like the Energizer Bunny -- it is a gift that keeps on giving year, after year, after year. Do you know what that gift is? It is the true gift that Christmas is all about. It is God's gift to us. His Son, Jesus.
The Bible tells us that all who receive Jesus and believe in his name become the children of God! When we become the children of God, we have all of the rights and privileges of being His child. He will love us, protect us, and provide everything that we need. The best part is that it never ends. The Bible says that "kindness and love will be with us every day of our life, and we will live forever in the house of the LORD." (Psalm 23:6 paraphrased)
I enjoy giving and receiving gifts at Christmas, but I think it is important for us to remember that the greatest gift of all was God's gift to us. It is the gift that keeps on giving!
Dear Father, we thank you for loving us so much that you gave your Son so that we too could become your children. Amen.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
“The Dangerous Work of being Jesus to the World”
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 16:8-11
INTRO
You ever have a night you just want to write off—a sort of bad dream?
Maybe it was something like that for the disciples only much darker.
Jesus gathered them in this upper room and announced He was leaving and they may have thought—let’s just write this off
But Jesus wanted them to get perspective
-His leaving wasn’t such bad news
-His leaving made it possible to send the Spirit (read 16:7)
-something He announced earlier-chap 14
-they were about to enter the age of the Spirit
-Who would come to continue what Jesus did—A REVOLUTION!
-only He is coming to enter our lives as a permanent Resident-14:17
-to penetrate our evasions, defensive ploys, and indifference in order to make His home in us
-and once He does—teach us-14:26
-for truth is what He uses to transform us
-and conform us to the image of the resurrected Jesus
-for change is impossible on our own
-ONLY THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAN DO THE CHANGING
What we can do—must do—is yield, GET IN STEP with Him–submit to His filling
-position ourselves for this wind of God—which blows where it pleases–Jn 3:8
Illustration – sailing–in irons against the wind–positioning ourselves correctly for where He blows.
But Jesus expanded their understanding of the Spirit’s work
-Jesus declared that something bigger is at work in the Spirit’s coming—and they would need to understand this as well (read John 16:8-11)
A. The first thing we notice is that the Spirit is not about to be poured out for our
personal benefit alone
-this Agent of change is also coming to penetrate the self-deceptions, evasions,
defensive ploys, indifference-and REJECTION of the world
-in order to engage and draw it to Himself
-for again—we cannot do this—we cannot bring others to faith
-HE ALONE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD
B. The second thing we notice is the tenor of the language
-with us—it is residential, educational language-indwell, teach you
-with the world--it is courtroom language
-prosecution language
-He is coming as a legal counsel, a prosecuting attorney, an advocate in a
lawsuit
-to “convict”, confront, expose, cross-examine, prosecute, bring to account—all of
these acts are wrapped up in this term
-the Spirit is coming as a “troublesome voice” to “serve papers”, put the world on
notice
-and in the process--open the world to things it does not want to see
Three things in particular—
A. THE SPIRIT CONFRONTS THE WORLD REGARDING ITS UNBELIEF
-this is the Spirit’s intended work in every age
-to confront the world regarding its rejection of Jesus
-which if nothing changes is the unpardonable sin—there is no remedy for it
-Jn 3:18-whoever does not believe stands condemned
-God’s wrath is upon him-vs 36
3
-the only hope out of this blindness is the convicting work of the Spirit—who
comes to press home the world’s propensity to sin—reject God
-the awareness of one’s lost condition
-convicting men of their guilt, of their tendencies to fill the hole with something
other than God-material things, addictive behaviors
-trapped in patterns of behavior that dishonor Him
There is something else—
B. THE SPIRIT EXPOSES THE WORLD TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
-more particularly—to its unrighteousness
-of its misguided assumptions of justice, ethics, morality
-for in the act of going to the Father
-living a life of holiness on this earth—going to the Cross
-Jesus redefined righteousness
-and exposed the feebleness of our assumed morality
-righteousness that might seem impressive to men—amounts to filthy rags, to
menstruous cloths in the eyes of God-Isa 64:5
-it is utterly unclean, unrighteous
-Paul came to grips with this convicting work of the Spirit
-and when he realized the true nature of righteousness—not of the hand—but
the heart
-He assessed his own acts of external righteousness as so much rubbish
(crap)-Phil 3:11
But the Spirit is not finished—
C. THE SPIRIT CONVICTS THE WORLD OF ITS JUDGMENT
-that if it refuses to receive the love and grace of God
-if it relies on its own standard of righteousness—there will be a day of
reckoning
-all of our good works will not get us there
-and there will be no help from the evil one
-who stands condemned—his works destroyed-I Jn 3:8
-who was judged and disarmed on the cross-Col 2:15
-who has no hold-no future-John 14:30
Ultimately—all of this is a grace work designed to open peoples’ eyes and see the hope
and love that is in Jesus
4
-for this prosecutor’s work is rooted in LOVE—aimed at bringing people out of the
mire and mud of sin, personal failure
-because we are of immeasurable value to Him
APPLICATION
So what does all of this mean for us?
-it would seem the task of the Spirit-filled church is clear
-Jesus is calling us, the church, to something—
-to position itself where the Spirit is blowing—
1. MOVE OUT INTO THE PUBLIC SQUARE
-to not insulate itself
-stay within the walls
-but engage in the courtroom of public opinion
-this is what Jesus commanded
-what the early apostles did
-Peter-Acts 2:14f
-Stephen-Acts 7:2f
-proclaim truth-out where the Spirit is at work
-out where there are arguments and opinions and conflict
-and we must—for the Spirit’s clear aim is to do it through us
-for just as the Son became flesh and blood—the Spirit wants to bring change
through flesh and blood
-through us
-for it is out of us God intends to pour life His giving power to others-7:38-39—
what Jesus referred to as the Spirit
2. BE A PROPHETIC VOICE
-a prosecuting voice
-a “troublesome” voice—after all—the Spirit came to unleash a prophetic
community-Acts 2:17
-as we must be--for the scale and scope of evil has never been so blatant,
powerful, destructive (Guiness, Unspeakable)
-as Peggy Noonan puts it—“we are barreling down a dark corridor”
-so we must not be afraid to follow the Spirit’s agenda
A. Speak about SIN
5
-declare what is not popular—that there is truth and falsehood—good and
evil
-that alternative religions are ultimately deceitful
-that our great sin is rejecting Jesus
-letting people know we love Jesus and are not ashamed of the fact
B. Speak about RIGHTEOUSNESS
-that we are not all good at heart
-it is rather the opposite-we all have a propensity to go our own way
-there is a depth of evil that lurks in all of us-the greatest of which is to reject
God
-and relying on human good works is an empty thing
C. Speak about JUDGMENT
-in a manner that does not relish, desire punishment for anyone
-but like the Spirit—words of severity are matched by a soul that grieves-
Eph 4:30
-that like Paul—I wish I could be accursed for the sake of you
This then is not a call to be a haranguing, angry, abusive voice
-but a careful, compassionate voice-backed by a life of love and grace
And in all of this—we just may find ourselves in step with the Spirit
If you need a model-go to Acts 17—where Paul before Felix—“discoursed on faith in
Jesus, righteousness, and the judgment to come”
3. PREPARE FOR ONE OF THREE RESPONSES
A. REPENTENCE—which too is the work of the Spirit
-Acts 2:22, 37-they were cut to the heart
-I Cor 14:24-speaks of the powerful convicting work of the Spirit in the
context of worship—drawing one toward the mercy of God—an unbeliever to see his sin
But conviction does not inevitably lead to repentance—for the Spirit does not coerce conviction
-hence there are other responses—
B. EVASION—denial-which is to ignore or postpone the Spirit
-Felix and Paul—enough for now—but the convenient time never came-
Acts 24:25
C. RESISTANCE
-for sin develops elaborate resistances to anyone or anything that exposes its work
-though in these moments one might sense the intense work of conviction most powerfully
so in summing up this short passage is packed with Jesus’ explanation of the
Holy Spirit’s role as he comes to earth and Jesus departs to heaven. Three important actions that will transpire in his role are:
1. The Spirit will confront the world regarding its unbelief. No one will come to salvation in
Christ apart from this work.
2. The Spirit will expose the world to its unrighteousness. Although the world believes itself to be righteous, the Spirit will reveal that only Jesus was righteous and that all our righteousness is as filthy rags.
3. The Spirit will convict the world of its coming judgment. Consequences will happen if it does not focus its trust on Jesus Christ.
By promising this to the disciples and John recording it for us to read, what is Jesus saying to us?
The task of the Spirit-filled person or church is clear:
• We must not insulate ourselves rather move out into the square of the world.
• We must not take a defensive posture rather be willing to be a prophetic voice for God.
• We must prepare ourselves for whatever the response: conviction to repentance; passive evasion; or active resistance.
One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?" The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. "I can't, Dear," she said, "I have to sleep with your daddy." A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: "The big sissy."
John 16:8-11
INTRO
You ever have a night you just want to write off—a sort of bad dream?
Maybe it was something like that for the disciples only much darker.
Jesus gathered them in this upper room and announced He was leaving and they may have thought—let’s just write this off
But Jesus wanted them to get perspective
-His leaving wasn’t such bad news
-His leaving made it possible to send the Spirit (read 16:7)
-something He announced earlier-chap 14
-they were about to enter the age of the Spirit
-Who would come to continue what Jesus did—A REVOLUTION!
-only He is coming to enter our lives as a permanent Resident-14:17
-to penetrate our evasions, defensive ploys, and indifference in order to make His home in us
-and once He does—teach us-14:26
-for truth is what He uses to transform us
-and conform us to the image of the resurrected Jesus
-for change is impossible on our own
-ONLY THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAN DO THE CHANGING
What we can do—must do—is yield, GET IN STEP with Him–submit to His filling
-position ourselves for this wind of God—which blows where it pleases–Jn 3:8
Illustration – sailing–in irons against the wind–positioning ourselves correctly for where He blows.
But Jesus expanded their understanding of the Spirit’s work
-Jesus declared that something bigger is at work in the Spirit’s coming—and they would need to understand this as well (read John 16:8-11)
A. The first thing we notice is that the Spirit is not about to be poured out for our
personal benefit alone
-this Agent of change is also coming to penetrate the self-deceptions, evasions,
defensive ploys, indifference-and REJECTION of the world
-in order to engage and draw it to Himself
-for again—we cannot do this—we cannot bring others to faith
-HE ALONE WILL CHANGE THE WORLD
B. The second thing we notice is the tenor of the language
-with us—it is residential, educational language-indwell, teach you
-with the world--it is courtroom language
-prosecution language
-He is coming as a legal counsel, a prosecuting attorney, an advocate in a
lawsuit
-to “convict”, confront, expose, cross-examine, prosecute, bring to account—all of
these acts are wrapped up in this term
-the Spirit is coming as a “troublesome voice” to “serve papers”, put the world on
notice
-and in the process--open the world to things it does not want to see
Three things in particular—
A. THE SPIRIT CONFRONTS THE WORLD REGARDING ITS UNBELIEF
-this is the Spirit’s intended work in every age
-to confront the world regarding its rejection of Jesus
-which if nothing changes is the unpardonable sin—there is no remedy for it
-Jn 3:18-whoever does not believe stands condemned
-God’s wrath is upon him-vs 36
3
-the only hope out of this blindness is the convicting work of the Spirit—who
comes to press home the world’s propensity to sin—reject God
-the awareness of one’s lost condition
-convicting men of their guilt, of their tendencies to fill the hole with something
other than God-material things, addictive behaviors
-trapped in patterns of behavior that dishonor Him
There is something else—
B. THE SPIRIT EXPOSES THE WORLD TO RIGHTEOUSNESS
-more particularly—to its unrighteousness
-of its misguided assumptions of justice, ethics, morality
-for in the act of going to the Father
-living a life of holiness on this earth—going to the Cross
-Jesus redefined righteousness
-and exposed the feebleness of our assumed morality
-righteousness that might seem impressive to men—amounts to filthy rags, to
menstruous cloths in the eyes of God-Isa 64:5
-it is utterly unclean, unrighteous
-Paul came to grips with this convicting work of the Spirit
-and when he realized the true nature of righteousness—not of the hand—but
the heart
-He assessed his own acts of external righteousness as so much rubbish
(crap)-Phil 3:11
But the Spirit is not finished—
C. THE SPIRIT CONVICTS THE WORLD OF ITS JUDGMENT
-that if it refuses to receive the love and grace of God
-if it relies on its own standard of righteousness—there will be a day of
reckoning
-all of our good works will not get us there
-and there will be no help from the evil one
-who stands condemned—his works destroyed-I Jn 3:8
-who was judged and disarmed on the cross-Col 2:15
-who has no hold-no future-John 14:30
Ultimately—all of this is a grace work designed to open peoples’ eyes and see the hope
and love that is in Jesus
4
-for this prosecutor’s work is rooted in LOVE—aimed at bringing people out of the
mire and mud of sin, personal failure
-because we are of immeasurable value to Him
APPLICATION
So what does all of this mean for us?
-it would seem the task of the Spirit-filled church is clear
-Jesus is calling us, the church, to something—
-to position itself where the Spirit is blowing—
1. MOVE OUT INTO THE PUBLIC SQUARE
-to not insulate itself
-stay within the walls
-but engage in the courtroom of public opinion
-this is what Jesus commanded
-what the early apostles did
-Peter-Acts 2:14f
-Stephen-Acts 7:2f
-proclaim truth-out where the Spirit is at work
-out where there are arguments and opinions and conflict
-and we must—for the Spirit’s clear aim is to do it through us
-for just as the Son became flesh and blood—the Spirit wants to bring change
through flesh and blood
-through us
-for it is out of us God intends to pour life His giving power to others-7:38-39—
what Jesus referred to as the Spirit
2. BE A PROPHETIC VOICE
-a prosecuting voice
-a “troublesome” voice—after all—the Spirit came to unleash a prophetic
community-Acts 2:17
-as we must be--for the scale and scope of evil has never been so blatant,
powerful, destructive (Guiness, Unspeakable)
-as Peggy Noonan puts it—“we are barreling down a dark corridor”
-so we must not be afraid to follow the Spirit’s agenda
A. Speak about SIN
5
-declare what is not popular—that there is truth and falsehood—good and
evil
-that alternative religions are ultimately deceitful
-that our great sin is rejecting Jesus
-letting people know we love Jesus and are not ashamed of the fact
B. Speak about RIGHTEOUSNESS
-that we are not all good at heart
-it is rather the opposite-we all have a propensity to go our own way
-there is a depth of evil that lurks in all of us-the greatest of which is to reject
God
-and relying on human good works is an empty thing
C. Speak about JUDGMENT
-in a manner that does not relish, desire punishment for anyone
-but like the Spirit—words of severity are matched by a soul that grieves-
Eph 4:30
-that like Paul—I wish I could be accursed for the sake of you
This then is not a call to be a haranguing, angry, abusive voice
-but a careful, compassionate voice-backed by a life of love and grace
And in all of this—we just may find ourselves in step with the Spirit
If you need a model-go to Acts 17—where Paul before Felix—“discoursed on faith in
Jesus, righteousness, and the judgment to come”
3. PREPARE FOR ONE OF THREE RESPONSES
A. REPENTENCE—which too is the work of the Spirit
-Acts 2:22, 37-they were cut to the heart
-I Cor 14:24-speaks of the powerful convicting work of the Spirit in the
context of worship—drawing one toward the mercy of God—an unbeliever to see his sin
But conviction does not inevitably lead to repentance—for the Spirit does not coerce conviction
-hence there are other responses—
B. EVASION—denial-which is to ignore or postpone the Spirit
-Felix and Paul—enough for now—but the convenient time never came-
Acts 24:25
C. RESISTANCE
-for sin develops elaborate resistances to anyone or anything that exposes its work
-though in these moments one might sense the intense work of conviction most powerfully
so in summing up this short passage is packed with Jesus’ explanation of the
Holy Spirit’s role as he comes to earth and Jesus departs to heaven. Three important actions that will transpire in his role are:
1. The Spirit will confront the world regarding its unbelief. No one will come to salvation in
Christ apart from this work.
2. The Spirit will expose the world to its unrighteousness. Although the world believes itself to be righteous, the Spirit will reveal that only Jesus was righteous and that all our righteousness is as filthy rags.
3. The Spirit will convict the world of its coming judgment. Consequences will happen if it does not focus its trust on Jesus Christ.
By promising this to the disciples and John recording it for us to read, what is Jesus saying to us?
The task of the Spirit-filled person or church is clear:
• We must not insulate ourselves rather move out into the square of the world.
• We must not take a defensive posture rather be willing to be a prophetic voice for God.
• We must prepare ourselves for whatever the response: conviction to repentance; passive evasion; or active resistance.
One summer evening during a violent thunderstorm a mother was tucking her small boy into bed. She was about to turn off the light when he asked with a tremor in his voice, "Mommy, will you sleep with me tonight?" The mother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. "I can't, Dear," she said, "I have to sleep with your daddy." A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: "The big sissy."
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Series: Conversations with Jesus
John 15:1-8
September 16-17, 2006
“Living a Life that Counts”
INTRO
PLUM TREE! Ruff
-taping, bonding, sealing—for some it worked—a fusion of sorts took place
-and they went on to bear fruit and become useful
-but for other branches—the sealing did not take—leaving no other course but the burn pile
In John 15-Jesus borrowed from similar imagery to make a point with His disciples
-it was here Jesus gave His final briefing
-a setting where He was calling His disciples to be missional, incarnational
-Go out as world changers—impacting lives—advancing the kingdom
But for this to happen—
1. You will need to IMITATE ME (chapter 13)
-serve as I have served you (John 13:1ff)
-loving one another as I have loved you (John 13:34-35)
-such that people know you are Mine
2. You will need to TRUST ME (chapter 14)
-that My present ministry of ruling and interceding will more than make up My absence
-that the Spirit’s indwelling presence will give you all the power you need
3. You will need to GO DEEP WITH ME (chapter 15)
-if you’re going to abound in this world—you’re going to have to abide in Me
-go beyond viewing me as merely a cause or a religion
-but as a relationship of intimate connection, total incorporation (read 15:1-8)
What is He saying?
1. YOU MUST SEE JESUS AS THE LIFE GIVING VINE (verse 1a)
-Jesus moves from the abstract language of union with Him (chap 14) to the concrete image of vine and branches
-I am the “true Vine”
-not the imitation vines out there—that promise life—and give nothing
-I am the One who gives life
-who permeates and meets the emptiest recesses in your souls
Change of Perception—Jesus is not just our help in time of need
-the reality-we cannot exist for a nanosecond without Him
2. YOU MUST SEE THE FATHER AS THE ALL CARING GARDENER (verse 1b)
-as Owner
-it’s His vineyard—His to plant, protect, care for
-and His aim is to maximize production by tending, pruning (read verse 2)
A Redneck buys a ticket and wins the lottery. He goes to Austin to claim it where the man verifies his ticket number.
The Redneck says, "I want my $20 million."
To which the man replied, "No sir. It doesn't work that way. We give you a million today, and then you'll get the rest spread out for the next 19 years.
The Redneck said, "I want all my money RIGHT now! I won it, and I want it."
Again the man patiently explains that he would only get a million that day and the rest during the next 19 years.
The Redneck, furious with the man, screams out, "Look, I WANT MY MONEY!! If you're not going to give me my $20 million right now, THEN I WANT MY DOLLAR BACK!''
A. THOSE NOT PRODUCING—those diseased, dead, or barren
-He lit “lifts up”, a word that can also mean to “take out”
-in order to give room for the branches that do produce
-as well as keep them from getting diseased
B.THOSE PRODUCING—those branches that are bearing fruit—are also under the knife
-these He prunes—the word means to also cleanse, purge, purify
-for left to themselves—growth can become straggly and tangled
-can become superfluous—growing in all the wrong directions
-sucking strength from where it is best deployed
-blocking light and air that could go to better places
-all leading to fruit that is less than what it could be
-in the context of the garden—there are several kinds of cuts—each increasing in severity—but all aimed to maximize growth
1. pinching-nipping off the tip of new growth-aimed to make a plant thicker,
encourage more flowering
2. heading-removes part of the shoot-stimulates lateral buds, increases bloom
production
3. thinning-most severe—cutting back to the trunk-designed to redirect growth
This is the work of the gardener
-his chief interest is in the fruit—so he cuts—and it is generally severe
-for unless it is severe cut back—fruit will be sparse, poor
App-this is the work of God in our lives
-sometimes God REMOVES shoots of the self life
-when they fail to serve the purpose they were designed for
-when they become decayed or dying—and possibly infect others
-or when they interfere with other branches that are producing
-sometimes God’s pruning comes in different forms as well-each painful—some more severe than others
-it might involve the occasional loss of a material possession—a job—one’s
health--even a relationship- that has too great a hold on us
-occasional setbacks, disappointments—that bring us back to reality—that we
need God
-a demotion—that God uses to prune back our pride—and create the fruit of humility
-a break in a marriage—that God may sometimes use to prune back our self centeredness— and create the fruit of other-centeredness
Not always—but many of our losses in life are nothing less than the divine pruner at work
-using His pruning shears—which often begins with the Word of God—an instrument sharper than a two edged sword-Jesus makes mention of this in verse
-Jesus points to them and says—you’re the evidence of My work
Calvin Miller-studying those saints of old who bore great fruit, St Augustine, Brother
Lawrence, Thomas a Kempis, concluded--“All real saints are fashioned in the crucible of God. To be all they became, they were broken, crushed between mortar and pestle.
Gradually, their soft nothingness was changed to that granite from which God fashions monuments to His own glory”
Here’s what Jesus is showing us of the Father
-He is most interested in our success
Here’s what he is teaching us about loss, in most cases they are about future opportunities.
3. YOU MUST SEE YOURSELVES AS THE EVER CONNECTED BRANCHES (verses 4-8)
-verse 4 clarifies who we are in the metaphor
-we are the branches
-and branches do one of two things—
A. Live Unattached, DISCONNECTED—independent of God—contingent upon yourselves--and here’s what happens—
life will have a BARREN QUALITY to it (verse 4)
No Place for That Sort of Thing
Real life is unpredictable and full of interruptions. The church is not immune to real life. We organize our worship, print an "Order of Worship," and hope that everything goes as planned. But real life doesn't follow a bulletin. In a large and very formal church a particular woman visited one Sunday who just wasn't with the program. She kept shouting out "Amen," during the sermon. One of the ushers hushed her, but she kept shouting "Amen" until finally the usher approached her and, in a loud whisper asked, "Madam, what are you doing?" "I'm praising the Lord," she said. To which he responded, "Well, church is no place for that sort of thing."
-there is an absoluteness in the language
-Jesus does not say “very little”
-rather—disconnected branches are unable to bear any fruit “out of themselves”- (verse 4)
-fruit is impossible when contact is broken—for there is no life in and of ourselves
2. worse--life will have a certain FUTILITY (verse 5)
-Jesus moves to stronger language
-when God is not our chief pursuit, the relationship we want to connect with more than anything else
-not only is there any fruit—
-WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO A THING
- the utter futility of the attempt of going it alone
App-we know this for—
-most likely—even this past week—we consciously or unconsciously lived life apart from abiding
-at times--we jumped into our day—work and all—without stopping to connect
-we made a purchase, entered into a deal—without praying
-began a task, entered into a relationship, forged ahead—without stopping to talk to our Creator, our Redeemer, our Master
-and found that living self sufficiently is to live dysfunctionally
App-if there is a phrase to memorize in Scripture, it’s this one (If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.)
-if there’s a statement that should be on our desk, the mirror, wrapped around our wrist, in our office, on the fridge door, over the doorpost of our hearts—it’s this, “apart from me, you can do nothing”.
3. Worst of all—life will be so much NOTHING
-Jesus’ warning—though seemingly redundant—is moving each time in a more severe direction (verse 6)
-branches that decide to go it alone—become self contained units— eventually discover that they are on a course destined to wither and die
-for there’s nothing of value to redeem-the wood is not like pine or oak
-cuttings from a vineyard are good for nothing but burning
-so are works apart from Christ
-on the other hand—here’s the other choice—the better choice—
B. Abide, stay connected, ATTACHED—
Loneliness
In his autobiography, Robert Brooke told of a trip he made from England to the United States, aboard the ship C. C. Cedric. When he arrived at the dock, he noticed that everyone had relatives standing there to send them off. In the midst of the embraces he felt terribly lonely. He thus called a young boy over and paid him a schilling to wave at him as the boat pulled out of the dock. And sure enough, the young boy stood there waving with all his might, and Brooke waved back. Everyone needs a community to love them and recognize them.
-the overarching imperative of the passage
-which can take a variety of forms--enter into the solitude, the silence, the deep
-live each day in an intimate relationship with Jesus
-absorb His Word, His power, His energy, His love
-and here’s what happens—
1. life will be FRUITFUL (verse 5)
-for when we’re connected—Christ can pour Himself into us
-the vine bursting forth through the branch—grace busting out as Jesus pours Himself out through us
-the fruit of the Spirit coming to the surface-the aroma of Christ through the fragrance of the fruit
2. praying will be POWERFUL (verse 7)
-for in the absorption of Word—and the conforming to godliness
-prayer will be effective—for it will tend to lay hold of God’s will
-and hence God’s willingness and ability to act
3. God will be GLORIFIED (verse 8)
CONCLUSION
SO ABIDE-that’s the daring challenge—and bear fruit
AVOID THE CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING INDEPENDENT OF GOD-that’s the scary warning because experience futility, imitate, trust, abide in him, go deep with him, study, pray, get in a hous group, get to the prayer meetings, take a risk, for goodness sake, if you don’t step out more, more and more you know what happens, you simply exist, you get by you do your thing and nothing happens, what a waste. God calls us to do more amazing things that Jesus, will we let him do it?
Repentance is a daily task………………
the challenge of Jesus to his disciples in the beginning of this
fifteenth chapter to go deep with him. In John 13, Jesus challenged them to imitate him.
In John 14, he challenged them to trust him. Now, in order to abound these men would have to abide in Christ.
Three ideas are evident in the first eight verses:
1. We must see Jesus as the life giving vine, the one and only true vine.
2. We must see the Father as the all caring gardener.
3. We must see our selves as the ever connected branches contingent upon him.
The vine, the gardener and the branches all connected together in the ongoing task of producing as much fruit as is possible.
John 15:1-8
September 16-17, 2006
“Living a Life that Counts”
INTRO
PLUM TREE! Ruff
-taping, bonding, sealing—for some it worked—a fusion of sorts took place
-and they went on to bear fruit and become useful
-but for other branches—the sealing did not take—leaving no other course but the burn pile
In John 15-Jesus borrowed from similar imagery to make a point with His disciples
-it was here Jesus gave His final briefing
-a setting where He was calling His disciples to be missional, incarnational
-Go out as world changers—impacting lives—advancing the kingdom
But for this to happen—
1. You will need to IMITATE ME (chapter 13)
-serve as I have served you (John 13:1ff)
-loving one another as I have loved you (John 13:34-35)
-such that people know you are Mine
2. You will need to TRUST ME (chapter 14)
-that My present ministry of ruling and interceding will more than make up My absence
-that the Spirit’s indwelling presence will give you all the power you need
3. You will need to GO DEEP WITH ME (chapter 15)
-if you’re going to abound in this world—you’re going to have to abide in Me
-go beyond viewing me as merely a cause or a religion
-but as a relationship of intimate connection, total incorporation (read 15:1-8)
What is He saying?
1. YOU MUST SEE JESUS AS THE LIFE GIVING VINE (verse 1a)
-Jesus moves from the abstract language of union with Him (chap 14) to the concrete image of vine and branches
-I am the “true Vine”
-not the imitation vines out there—that promise life—and give nothing
-I am the One who gives life
-who permeates and meets the emptiest recesses in your souls
Change of Perception—Jesus is not just our help in time of need
-the reality-we cannot exist for a nanosecond without Him
2. YOU MUST SEE THE FATHER AS THE ALL CARING GARDENER (verse 1b)
-as Owner
-it’s His vineyard—His to plant, protect, care for
-and His aim is to maximize production by tending, pruning (read verse 2)
A Redneck buys a ticket and wins the lottery. He goes to Austin to claim it where the man verifies his ticket number.
The Redneck says, "I want my $20 million."
To which the man replied, "No sir. It doesn't work that way. We give you a million today, and then you'll get the rest spread out for the next 19 years.
The Redneck said, "I want all my money RIGHT now! I won it, and I want it."
Again the man patiently explains that he would only get a million that day and the rest during the next 19 years.
The Redneck, furious with the man, screams out, "Look, I WANT MY MONEY!! If you're not going to give me my $20 million right now, THEN I WANT MY DOLLAR BACK!''
A. THOSE NOT PRODUCING—those diseased, dead, or barren
-He lit “lifts up”, a word that can also mean to “take out”
-in order to give room for the branches that do produce
-as well as keep them from getting diseased
B.THOSE PRODUCING—those branches that are bearing fruit—are also under the knife
-these He prunes—the word means to also cleanse, purge, purify
-for left to themselves—growth can become straggly and tangled
-can become superfluous—growing in all the wrong directions
-sucking strength from where it is best deployed
-blocking light and air that could go to better places
-all leading to fruit that is less than what it could be
-in the context of the garden—there are several kinds of cuts—each increasing in severity—but all aimed to maximize growth
1. pinching-nipping off the tip of new growth-aimed to make a plant thicker,
encourage more flowering
2. heading-removes part of the shoot-stimulates lateral buds, increases bloom
production
3. thinning-most severe—cutting back to the trunk-designed to redirect growth
This is the work of the gardener
-his chief interest is in the fruit—so he cuts—and it is generally severe
-for unless it is severe cut back—fruit will be sparse, poor
App-this is the work of God in our lives
-sometimes God REMOVES shoots of the self life
-when they fail to serve the purpose they were designed for
-when they become decayed or dying—and possibly infect others
-or when they interfere with other branches that are producing
-sometimes God’s pruning comes in different forms as well-each painful—some more severe than others
-it might involve the occasional loss of a material possession—a job—one’s
health--even a relationship- that has too great a hold on us
-occasional setbacks, disappointments—that bring us back to reality—that we
need God
-a demotion—that God uses to prune back our pride—and create the fruit of humility
-a break in a marriage—that God may sometimes use to prune back our self centeredness— and create the fruit of other-centeredness
Not always—but many of our losses in life are nothing less than the divine pruner at work
-using His pruning shears—which often begins with the Word of God—an instrument sharper than a two edged sword-Jesus makes mention of this in verse
-Jesus points to them and says—you’re the evidence of My work
Calvin Miller-studying those saints of old who bore great fruit, St Augustine, Brother
Lawrence, Thomas a Kempis, concluded--“All real saints are fashioned in the crucible of God. To be all they became, they were broken, crushed between mortar and pestle.
Gradually, their soft nothingness was changed to that granite from which God fashions monuments to His own glory”
Here’s what Jesus is showing us of the Father
-He is most interested in our success
Here’s what he is teaching us about loss, in most cases they are about future opportunities.
3. YOU MUST SEE YOURSELVES AS THE EVER CONNECTED BRANCHES (verses 4-8)
-verse 4 clarifies who we are in the metaphor
-we are the branches
-and branches do one of two things—
A. Live Unattached, DISCONNECTED—independent of God—contingent upon yourselves--and here’s what happens—
life will have a BARREN QUALITY to it (verse 4)
No Place for That Sort of Thing
Real life is unpredictable and full of interruptions. The church is not immune to real life. We organize our worship, print an "Order of Worship," and hope that everything goes as planned. But real life doesn't follow a bulletin. In a large and very formal church a particular woman visited one Sunday who just wasn't with the program. She kept shouting out "Amen," during the sermon. One of the ushers hushed her, but she kept shouting "Amen" until finally the usher approached her and, in a loud whisper asked, "Madam, what are you doing?" "I'm praising the Lord," she said. To which he responded, "Well, church is no place for that sort of thing."
-there is an absoluteness in the language
-Jesus does not say “very little”
-rather—disconnected branches are unable to bear any fruit “out of themselves”- (verse 4)
-fruit is impossible when contact is broken—for there is no life in and of ourselves
2. worse--life will have a certain FUTILITY (verse 5)
-Jesus moves to stronger language
-when God is not our chief pursuit, the relationship we want to connect with more than anything else
-not only is there any fruit—
-WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO A THING
- the utter futility of the attempt of going it alone
App-we know this for—
-most likely—even this past week—we consciously or unconsciously lived life apart from abiding
-at times--we jumped into our day—work and all—without stopping to connect
-we made a purchase, entered into a deal—without praying
-began a task, entered into a relationship, forged ahead—without stopping to talk to our Creator, our Redeemer, our Master
-and found that living self sufficiently is to live dysfunctionally
App-if there is a phrase to memorize in Scripture, it’s this one (If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.)
-if there’s a statement that should be on our desk, the mirror, wrapped around our wrist, in our office, on the fridge door, over the doorpost of our hearts—it’s this, “apart from me, you can do nothing”.
3. Worst of all—life will be so much NOTHING
-Jesus’ warning—though seemingly redundant—is moving each time in a more severe direction (verse 6)
-branches that decide to go it alone—become self contained units— eventually discover that they are on a course destined to wither and die
-for there’s nothing of value to redeem-the wood is not like pine or oak
-cuttings from a vineyard are good for nothing but burning
-so are works apart from Christ
-on the other hand—here’s the other choice—the better choice—
B. Abide, stay connected, ATTACHED—
Loneliness
In his autobiography, Robert Brooke told of a trip he made from England to the United States, aboard the ship C. C. Cedric. When he arrived at the dock, he noticed that everyone had relatives standing there to send them off. In the midst of the embraces he felt terribly lonely. He thus called a young boy over and paid him a schilling to wave at him as the boat pulled out of the dock. And sure enough, the young boy stood there waving with all his might, and Brooke waved back. Everyone needs a community to love them and recognize them.
-the overarching imperative of the passage
-which can take a variety of forms--enter into the solitude, the silence, the deep
-live each day in an intimate relationship with Jesus
-absorb His Word, His power, His energy, His love
-and here’s what happens—
1. life will be FRUITFUL (verse 5)
-for when we’re connected—Christ can pour Himself into us
-the vine bursting forth through the branch—grace busting out as Jesus pours Himself out through us
-the fruit of the Spirit coming to the surface-the aroma of Christ through the fragrance of the fruit
2. praying will be POWERFUL (verse 7)
-for in the absorption of Word—and the conforming to godliness
-prayer will be effective—for it will tend to lay hold of God’s will
-and hence God’s willingness and ability to act
3. God will be GLORIFIED (verse 8)
CONCLUSION
SO ABIDE-that’s the daring challenge—and bear fruit
AVOID THE CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING INDEPENDENT OF GOD-that’s the scary warning because experience futility, imitate, trust, abide in him, go deep with him, study, pray, get in a hous group, get to the prayer meetings, take a risk, for goodness sake, if you don’t step out more, more and more you know what happens, you simply exist, you get by you do your thing and nothing happens, what a waste. God calls us to do more amazing things that Jesus, will we let him do it?
Repentance is a daily task………………
the challenge of Jesus to his disciples in the beginning of this
fifteenth chapter to go deep with him. In John 13, Jesus challenged them to imitate him.
In John 14, he challenged them to trust him. Now, in order to abound these men would have to abide in Christ.
Three ideas are evident in the first eight verses:
1. We must see Jesus as the life giving vine, the one and only true vine.
2. We must see the Father as the all caring gardener.
3. We must see our selves as the ever connected branches contingent upon him.
The vine, the gardener and the branches all connected together in the ongoing task of producing as much fruit as is possible.
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