Whispers - Envy

If you have your bibles, turn with me to Numbers chapter 12…. Have you ever walked into a room and two people you know have their heads very close together and they’re whispering. But when you get close, their eyes drop. Maybe their voices get really loud and high pitched all of a sudden, and you just know they were talking about you. All throughout history we find that every person, of every age, and in every generation at some point whispers to another person.

I read a study this week that out of the 467 conversations, only 34 individuals did not gossip at all. That means 7% of those studied did not gossip in their conversations. In this study, the gossip was coded either, positive, negative or neutral. And out of the 467 conversations, 75% we’re found to be neutral. Neutral gossip is defined as talking about others solely to share information. It is generally harmless.

It’s a social skill in many societies. For example, Neutral gossip is like this… Pastor Matthew went to Starbucks on Friday to write the sermon for Sunday. And while he was there, he met and talked with multiple people and shared conversations with people from all different walks of life. Neutral gossip is information that is shared between people. Then there’s Positive Gossip. Positive gossip is when information that could benefit a person or that results in people developing a positive view of a person.

For instance, Positive gossip would be like, "Oh I know Tony’s car garage… Tony is a really nice guy and he’s always there to help and he’s fair on prices and takes really good care of you. If you go, let him know I said hi. That’s positive gossip. It’s conveying information that would help or benefit someone. Then there’s what we all know as Negative Gossip. Now, the truth is when we hear the word gossip, I believe we all instantly think that any gossip is bad.

And that may be true too… because all gossip, whether positive, neutral or negative, is, subjective. Gossip is based purely on our own experiences and thoughts, and how we have in our own opinion and preference taken the information about the situation. But, it is important to differentiate between negative gossip, because it aims to harm or bring others down. Ultimately, We’ve got to learn to become mindful of the impact our words may have on others.

We can use our words to speak life, or we can use our words to speak death. If we claim Jesus is in us, wouldn't our words also speak Jesus from us? But Negative gossip is where we spread rumors about someone else private life, in an attempt to lift ourselves up or even our own perspective, or our own preferences of what we believe, above theirs. It’s a way to elevate oneself in the eyes of others by bringing down someone else.

Negative whispers creates a false sense of popularity and unity among those who participate in it. And what is dangerous, is that when half false or negative gossip is shared between one or more people, they can bond over their shared negativity towards another person. Thats what we’re going to realize in our story today. Whispers sometimes may seem small, but it’s echo can shatter relationships and harm the hearts of others, even those we love.

In numbers chapter 12, verse 1 it says, “Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married, for he had married a Cushite woman.” In my Bible, the CSB, it uses the word criticized. Miriam and Aaron were together on this and it began as a brother and sister speaking about a family matter that they didn’t agree with. I’m sure we all have family members we don’t agree with and there are plenty of stories through-out time about how someone didn’t like someone else’s new wife, or new husband.

But the negative criticism didn’t stop there… the whispering went deeper. Look with me in verse 2: “Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?” they asked. “Hasn’t he also spoken through us?” Now, the root of the criticism is exposed in this moment. Aaron was the high priest. Miriam was a prophetess, and worship leader. They both had prominent roles that God had granted to them to lead the people of God.

Their first beef with Moses was that he married the wrong woman. It’s honestly, in my opinion a petty family squabble. But as they continue to whisper, we begin to see the second beef they had with their brother. Their second beef is that Moses seems to be getting all the credit for what God is doing among His people. This is a hard truth to preach about, because let’s be honest.

We’ve all done this. It’s embarrassing, but true. I’m not proud to admit it, but I’ve felt this way before, and I have said these same words. Basically, it’s saying…. Why… Why did this… fill in the blank. Or why do they always___ fill in the blank. Or why does God always____ blank for others, and not me. It’s an endless list. Miriam and Aaron were criticizing about Moses and what were witnessing is a little bit of envy coming out of their heart.

Thats where whispers truly begin. In the heart. Jesus tells us, the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. (Matthew 15:18) The heart is what holding slander and evil, and jealously and insecurity but more importantly, Miriam and Aaron was forgetting three things. The first is that all people, including their brother is made in the image of God. That person that’s hard to be around…

yup, made in the image of God. That co worker you’re gossiping about… yup, made in the image of God. That atheist that rejects God and makes fun of you, made in the image of God. And not only that… The second is that all people are deeply loved by God. You will not find a person on earth that God isn’t deeply in love with. And listen, no one can love God and not love others.

It just doesn’t work like that. But the third thing, is that when it comes to those of us who are in Christ, we’re together in this journey of faith. There’s no second team. Every person in Christ, has skin in the game. There’s no try outs. You’re in, when one places their faith in Christ. In Christ, they’re being call up to the big leagues of walking by faith, just like you and me.

I believe that is a part of wy Jesus says: “Love each other as I have loved you.” Love the person who’s 50 years of faith and love the person who’s 1 day old in the faith. And Miriam and Aaron forgot this. They forgot that God loves Moses, but I also believe they also forgot that Moses probably loved them too. It’s easy to forget that we whisper about others and forget they might love us.

It’s easy to love those that love us back, and it’s easy to whisper to those who agree with us, but I think one of the truest tests of Jesus in us, is loving and encouraging those we may not agree with, even in our private life, and of course, even in our private conversations. So Miriam and Aaron have this moment when they are gossiping together about their brother, but then something happens….

I left this out on purpose because here is where the thunder comes in… look with me back in verse 2… And they said, "Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?" And the Lord heard it. There is not a single syllable that comes out of our mouths, no matter how quietly we say it, that the Lord does not hear. In our most private conversations about anyone and everyone, the Lord hears every conversation.

And you want to know something that should rattle your soul? This is an example of why I fear the Lord… Psalm 139:4 says, “Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether.” God knows my heart. And that whisper that is locked and loaded on my tongue… it’s created within my heart. Before we even share it, before we even whisper it, before it’s even locked and loaded on our tongues, it’s manufactured in our heart.

Because it’s origin is sin. And God is going to deal with it… Just like a parent would. Look with me back in our Scripture and find verse 4: At once the Lord said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, “Come out to the tent of meeting, all three of you.” Now, I dunno about you. But raising three kids I understand this kind of tone. Do feel that parental tone from God?

From Father God…. I bet it was really deep and low… kids… come here… all of you. There were times when our three kids we’re playing together, and let’s just be honest. Anytime you have three siblings playing together, at least two of them are gonna go against one. It’s enviable. Just like Miriam and Aaron verses Moses, at some point in time, two siblings are gonna team up.. There have been times when our kids were little and they would be playing.

And at some point, one of them, would begin to cry. Mostly because one of them didn’t get thier way. And in that moment, as a parent, what do you do? You raise your voice, and you go, ( Kids! Get over here. ) And instantly, they come because they heard your voice… and they know… they know something is up. Watch what happens… look with me in verses 5 - 9 5 Then the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam.

When the two of them stepped forward, 6 he said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. 7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house. 8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the Lord.

Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?” 9 The anger of the Lord burned against them, and he left them. Oh man… God put down the hammer didn’t he? Can you picture it? They’re all standing there before Him, and He is as a cloud, so they can’t see the full fury of His face. He says, “Aaron and Miriam, step forward!!!!!” I dunno about you, but my palms would have been sweaty and my knees shaking, if this was me…

Think about it.. one moment you’re just chewing the fat. Whispering to someone else.., and it turns from just a simple… innocent… “I can’t believe Moses married that woman, and then the conversation turns into, doesn’t God speak to us as well?” We, speak our mind to someone else and let’s be honest, It’s a moment where we’re being raw and honest about how we feel. We’re finally speaking to what’s been bothering us, and the next moment we’re face to face with a holy and Just God..

how scary would that be? If that happened you… What would you do? Actually, it happens to us everyday but we don’t realize it because we have no fear of God. It’s true. And what’s even scarier about whispering and God calling us to confront him in what we’ve been saying…… is that, it happens daily and we’ve conditioned our hearts to never realize that we are actively rejecting God’s call to come before him, and to listen to him.

As Christians, we may not be experiencing the fullness of the Holy Spirit because we have pushed Him away. Don’t get me wrong, God loves us always, and the Holy Spirit is always present with us, and he’s for us, and in us. Just like God was present with Moses, Aaron and Miriam. BUt many times, because of sin, we ignore the voice that says, Matthew, Come here. Paul tells the Thessalonians church, “Do not quench the Spirit.” (5:19) Quenching the Spirit is what happens when we don’t listen to the Spirit, when we do what we know is wrong following our own worldly desires.

But it’s also doing what is wrong, and hardening our heart to any correction, and before long, we begin to believe what we’re doing isn’t that bad. Even whispering to others, about others. . Imagine the Holy Spirit as a fire. Right, he’s not a fire, he’s a person… but we use imagery like wind, water, and fire to help us understand Him. But When we quench the Holy Spirit, we are dampening God’s flame instead of fanning it, pushing it down instead of helping it grow stronger and more beautiful.

But the sin is evident in our lives, and yes, I'm talking about the sin of wrongfully whispering about others. When we aim to negatively whisper about others, and we might not be committing an act of physical murder, but we are murdering them. We’re murdering their character, and we’re doing it with others… How many times can you imagine have you been an accomplice in the murdering of someone else’s character, just by listening to someone else whispering about them?

Paul tells the church, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.” Whispering about others isn’t Christ like. When we listen to our sin, and we don’t grieve the Spirit.

We live the way we did before we knew God. Quenching and grieving the Spirit both come from choosing our own selfish desires over love, faith, and intimacy with God. It’s choosing our sin over God. And I dunno about you, but When we are facing God who is holy, holy, holy (like we learn in Revelation), there is no justifying our sin. Miriam and Aaron isn’t whispering now. Not a single word is recorded from them in this moment.

But do you know what… we don’t hear anything from Moses either. How many times after we hear someone whispering untruths about us, we want to get even? And so, we begin whispering our own truths about them? Moses doesn’t do that… You see, if you remember in verse three, I skipped it on purpose because I wanted to bring it into the conversation at this moment…. Verse three tells us, (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.) Do you wanna know what humility does?

Humility always surrenders the right for any kind of retaliation… Humility, although it looks like weakness to some. And you may not find it often in many leaders. But to a Christian, humility is one of our greatest weapons because it involves recognizing our own limitations, and weaknesses, and flaws, and humility chooses to put the needs of others before our own. Humility involves surrendering control to God and acknowledging that He is the one who ultimately has the power and authority to judge and punish.

James tells us, "But he gives more grace. 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. I dunno about you, but I know, I need more grace. God is always listening… God is always testing our words and more importantly, he’s always looking and searching our hearts…. We can use our words to speak life, or we can use our words to speak death. I think one of the most important parts of this story, it’s learning how humility applies grace to our daily life.

You see, the Holy Spirit in our life today, is in our life today because of Jesus. Without the cross, without the resurrection, there would be no grace available to us. And we’ve got to learn, “It’s always a grace when God exposes our sin and gives us a chance to run from it.” Do you know the rest of the story, let’s read it together… Find verse 10 with me…

10 When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous—it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, 11 and he said to Moses, “Please, my Lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.” 13 So Moses cried out to the Lord, “Please, God, heal her!” Did you hear the love in Moses’s voice…

with humility, he pleads… Please, Father, Heal her… Sounds like Christ to me… when in his nakedness, stretched on the cross, he cries out with great humility and love, “Oh Father, forgive them.” Heal them Father… they do not know what they are doing… just like Miriam may not of truly known the full extent of her whispering heart. It’s true, sometimes when we are in our sin, we dont see it, but others do.

And we know God sees it… How different would churches be if today, we would do the same with each other…If we would pray for one another, Please, Jesus, Heal them… and heal me too. There so much humility in that prayer, that it is just drenched in grace. Verse 14 goes on to say: 14 The Lord replied to Moses, “If her father had spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days?

Confine her outside the camp for seven days; after that she can be brought back.” 15 So Miriam was confined outside the camp for seven days, and the people did not move on till she was brought back. 16 After that, the people left Hazeroth and encamped in the Desert of Paran. There’s a lot I can say about this, but for the sake of time. I just want to mention this…

Do you know what has to happen before a leperous person can be brought back into the camp…. You’ll find it in Leviticus 14:5-7… it says, And the priest shall command them to kill one of the birds in an earthenware vessel over fresh water. 6 He shall take the live bird with the cedarwood and the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the live bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water.

7 And he shall sprinkle it seven times on him who is to be cleansed of the leprous disease. Then he shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird go into the open field. They would send a team of priest out to the person who’s outside of the camp. The priest is to take one of the clean birds and kill it in an earthenware vessel over living water, which means running water.

It can’t be from a pool or a lake, but it’s got to be moving. Then the second bird… is alive, and bound to a piece of cedar wood by scarlet yarn, and a hyssop branch. And then dipped in the blood of its fellow bird mixed with the water. Finally, the blood and water mixture was sprinkled on the cleansed leper by means of the live bird before the live bird then would be set free to fly out into the open field.

It’s the blood… that washed away sin. Jesus is the fulfillment of those two birds. Jesus, prayed, Father, heal them, forgive them… and then he emptied himself in his earthly vessel, tied to a cedar cross and the scarlet blood poured out of his body. David would say, “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” The guards took hyssop upon a sponge and wiped it upon the lips of Jesus…

and he died. It’s blood… The blood through the cross of Christ is what cleanses us from sin. Not our good intentions. Not our pleasant words of encouragement and grace and oh how do you do, oh you’re loved! No! If you have sin in your heart, you need the blood applied. Only the blood can wash away my sin… nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again…

nothing but the blood of Jesus… Oh! Precious is the flow. That makes me white as snow. Oh no other fount I know; nothing but the blood of Jesus. Only the blood can heal a persons heart that fulls of sin…, and Miriam’s sin. Was no different than ours. You see church, when the blood is applied, only then can we be brought back into the family of God. And wouldn’t you know…

Miriam was still used by God.*

Bread of Life

Let’s open our bibles together to John chapter 6. I’ve got a large portion of Scripture to read this morning. And I need to introduce our series. Over the last few months I’ve been thinking and praying about what to do for thanksgiving and Advent. And traditionally, we speak of gratefulness and being thankful, and for Advent we focus on Love, Joy, peace and hope. But the truth is. Many times that’s a lie in our lives.

There will be thousands of people gathering for the holidays this year that will not be experiencing Thankfulness. There will be people that you will be around that aren’t going to be experiencing Love, Joy, peace and Hope. You’re going to find people feeling broken, lost, hungry, Ashamed, and just feeling disconnect from other. That was true for me many times during the holidays. I’ll never forget my most depressing holiday.

I was in college living with my best friend and his mother. And they left and surprising to me they didn’t invite me to their families festivities like they always have done before. And of course, my mother and step father didn’t do anything for the holidays. We didn’t have any family traditions either. So I sat, alone on Christmas Eve, watching all of my fiends AOL Instant Messenger away messages talk of spending time with family, Gorging themselves with Christmas cookies, and having a very merry Christmas.

While I sat in darkness, alone, hungry for food but also for connection with friends and family. And for us, this holiday season my prayer is that we would be people of love, Joy, peace and Hope. Because we would be carrying Jesus together for others, and into those family moments. So, over the next 7 weeks let’s seek to be people filled with His presence as we look at Jesus’s 7, “I Am” statements, and we’re going to begin at looking at the first one found in John 6, Where Jesus says, I am the bread of life.

Let's read the Bible together. Read John 6: 22-40 Pray God wants to be the center of your greatest desire. In the very beginning of this chapter, Jesus takes five loaves and two fish and feeds over 5,000 people. Naturally, He is drawing crowds with this free food. People are following Him because of the free food. So, He gets away from the crowds. He sends His disciples and puts them in a boat and says, “Go out in the middle of the sea,” and He goes off on a mountainside by Himself to pray, and it comes evening time.

His disciples are in the middle of the boat. He’s on the shore, and He wants to get to His disciples, and so He decides He’s going to take a stroll, and He walks on the waves. He gets to the disciples. And They’re a bit freaked out by that, but He gets into the boat with them, and they go to the other side. When they get to the other side, the crowds catch up to them, and this conversation ensues.

It’s kind of a long conversation. You all think my sermons are long, Jesus had some long conversation with people and in a sense, this is also a bit of a difficult conversation. It’s was difficult because he was talking a lot about some weird things. For instance if you keep reading, at one point Jesus begins talking about eating flesh and drinking blood and you’re probably thinking, “What does this mean?” What does it mean I am the bread of life.

Well, lets find out, Look with me in verse 26, 26 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled. 27 Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.” 28 “What can we do to perform the works of God?” they asked.

29 Jesus replied, “This is the work of God—that you believe in the one he has sent.” The first thing that we learned is that we’re all on a journey to find something to fulfill us. Life is a journey. But also, life is filled with many desires that we experience on this journey. These people that were seeking Jesus were seeking him because he met one of our most basic desires.

Do you know what our three basis needs are, ( Shelter, clothing and food.) And so these people are just following Jesus to meet a basic need, which is a basic desire that is within each one of us. If you didn’t know, God created us that way. He created us with desires, and needs, and cravings in our lives. Think of it since the beginning of creation. Adam was alone.

Sometimes we almost think to ourselves, “In the Garden of Eden when everything was perfect, man had no needs.” Thats not true. Man definitely had needs. Man had a need for air and for food. We find out later in Genesis 2, he had a need for companionship. It was not good for man to be alone, and so God created and wired man with cravings, with needs, and with an empty stomach to fulfill.

Here’s two key truthful thoughts: One… desires are not bad But two, In the Garden, it wasn’t that man didn’t have needs. The picture in the Garden of Eden was that man had needs that were intended to be met only by God, in a way that was designed by God. But what happens is when sin becomes our greatest desire rather than God? If you want to, turn with me to Genesis chapter 3, and find verse 6 with me.

Let’s read this, “[So] when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make ones wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate.” This passage is just dripping with desire. Do you seen the language? She saw.

The desires of her eyes. She’s seeing that it was good for food, which meets one of our basic, created needs, and it was delightful to the eyes. It was a desired and so she took, ate and gave to her husband. And so, for the first time in humanity, in creation. we witness the cravings of man driving him to meet his needs outside of His Creator. And so, here is what I want to say…

don’t miss the trigger of sin in this story. The trigger of sin is looking to things of this world to satisfy us apart from our Creator; it is thinking that something is good, or better than God. Now, think about it, every sin I’ve ever committed. Every sin you commit. We sin because we think it would be good. We think that it would be delightful, and we desire comfort, and to be filled.

No one wants to be empty. Did you know to be filled means to be in it’s grip. That’s what it means to be filled. Even when we feel empty, we’re not. Because you can be filled with loneliness. That means you are in the grip of being lonely. You can be filled with hate, that means hate has a grip on you. You can be filled with feeling empty. It means you are being controlled, it’s incflueincing your mood, your decisions and your actions.

And so, we desire things, whether it be material things, or adultery, or lust or greed. We desire these things because we believe that these things will in turn fill us, and fulfill the desire that we have longing within us. But it’s not the truth. What we end up doing, when we fill our lives with desires that are not of God, and we look to this world to satisfy us apart from our creator, We end up running from the one our souls long for and need most.

I don’t know about you, but I am tired of running. I’m tired of being tired. Im tired of running away. Find being controlled by things that do not satisfy me. Now, come back with me to John chapter 6. Because watch what happens with these people following hard after Jesus. We read, that. These people were running in the right direction. They had a desire, they needed it to be filled, and they were running after Jesus.

But yet even in their running and following and seeking Jesus, they missed what Jesus was trying to teach them. So many of us do that in our faith walk every week. We follow Jesus, we do the things of Jesus. We come to church, we pray, we read our bibles, sometimes. Sometimes we show up, sometimes we dont. In verse 26 and 27 Jesus does the same thing to these people seeking him that he did a few chapters earlier with the woman at the well.

He’s confronts thier real internal desires and he’s brutally honest with them. He tells the, You didn’t seek me because you saw a miracle and I fed the 5,000, but because you ate and was filled. And then he gives them the first phrase that will completely go over their head. Look with me in verse 27” Don’t work for the food that perishes but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set his seal of approval on him.” Did you catch it?

The key word here is eternal life. Over 12 times in this chapter Jesus says, eternal life and these people still think it’s about sustaining thier bio, thier life when Jesus is saying I’m speaking to you in Spiritual terms. It’s like being a parent and telling your teenager to shower 100 times. Just shower. Just go shower. You need to shower. It completely goes over their heads that they stink, and need a shower.

They just don’t understand it at times. In the greek there are two words for life. The first one is bio which is where we get the word biology from. The study of life. Its the study of living and breathing things on this earth. And the second word is Zoe. Which means the absolute fulness of life. Real and genuine life, Active life, and devoted to God. If you would go in your Bible and in chapter 6 alone, you would find that Jesus never says, bio, but he says Zoe over 12 times.

Jesus keeps reminding them, I am eternal life. I am the bread of life. I am the active life that is always devoted to the Father. I am the fullness of life. And You’re seeking things that does not fill your life. And the people keep pressing in with how do we get it? And look in verse 28, they ask Jesus, what can I do to get it. Can you imagine Jesus telling you I am the bread that gives real life, not just life to sustain you in this life, or your basic necessities, but eternal life, and then arguing with him about bread your ancestors had?

That’s like Alicia saying she knows how to cook something that I love to eat and me telling her about how mom used to make it. And we all know that’s a no no in marriage. You dont tell your wife mom made it better. They weren’t getting it! They were so focused on what they desired and asking what they can do to get it, that Jesus had to of been there like, people.

Are you not listening to anything I’m saying. Look, they even throw in Moses into the conversation in verse 31.. well Moses fed us in the wilderness. Jeuss is like, uhhh, no… Moses didn’t feed you. The father fed you. And then Jesus does what? He says, just as manna came down from heaven, the father sends the son down from heaven to be the bread for eternal life. Jesus tells them, I am that bread.

I am the bread of life. I am the one God the father has sent down like the manna, and is now here with you. And whoever comes to me will never go hungry or thirty again. The problem in our sinfulness, we are prone to desire the world more than we desire God. It’s true. Everyday, and even every week we can get excited over our favorite football team wining, or depressed when our team loses and our emotions can swing easily on things that do not matter in this lie.

But there is one, who does matter. and He deserves, not just our intellectual belief, but our emotional affection as well. Our desire, and our joy, and our satisfaction is found in Him. The danger is, if we’re not careful, we will fill our stomachs and gorge ourselves on stuff, and entertainment, and things in this world that don’t matter. And just like these people who were seeking and following Jesus.

We can get so caught up in our busyness and doing that we miss the point of Jesus’s teaching here, that we’re to be desiring and seeking him above all other things in this life. Jesus is trying to teach us that we need to get the taste of this world out of our mouths and begin to have a thirst and a taste for the things of God, and for Christ himself.

You see, in this story we read. They never get it. They’re willing to follow Jesus around, and get free meals and perhaps even feel connected with a large group of people. But they never realize that thier faith needs to go deeper in trusting and believing in Jesus. Isn’t that what we experience in this life and in the churches we attend today? Churches are filled with people following hard after Jesus but never truly going deeper in their faith.

Even Paul talks about this in Corinthians when he calls them, Carnal christians. They are divided, and arguing and smearing others names about each other, without realizing that they are pursing thier old life, and not after the holy life Jesus offers them. We live in a world where we get caught up in just being like these people…. Do you wanna know what they are really doing? Their just existing……….

To them, bread is just to sustain them to exist, but there is no living life within them. And many times in our world today, we find christians just coming in to churches living lives all week long trying to just exist. Don’t you want to live? To feel alive! To have purpose and meaning? Because in this life, if our greatest desire is to just exist. Our life will always be indifferent to what Jesus desires fo ryou.

IN our constant chase after being content, our eyes come set on recourses that we do not have rather than what God already is willing to give us. Are you empty this morning? Because what I want to ask is two things before we take the elements and close this service. First, What are you already filled with that leaves no room for Jesus? There’s an infinite fountain of satisfaction to be found in Christ, but often we do not come to His table or fountain because we’re already being fed by other things in this life.

Today, many of you are going to leave here and you may not be changed. You may not have room for Jesus in your life. Ya know, sometime during this Christmas season you may come across the Scripture in Luke where it says, “And laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them In the Inn.” You may not even be willing to give up what you want for what you need for real life.

Not to jut exist, but to truly live. John chapter 6 is there to urge every person to Make Christ the Center of Our Satisfaction. But to do that you must be willing to let go of all the other things that you pursue… and that might be hard for you because it’s all you’ve ever known in life. When our kids were younger we would go to Mcdonsalds and they won; ld get the same thing to eat every time.

I remember trying to get Gabriel all the time to try the hamburger, but all he ever wanted was the nuggets. And I never understood that because when I was 8, I remember when I was visiting my biological father and our Nanna took all of us great grandkids out to McDonald’s, and for the first time I ordered a big mac, and I eventually got home and got into trouble because I didn’t get a happy meal.

But I ate that entire thing and I was like wow! I was thinking about Gabe when he had his first burger he was like, why didn’t I get this before. And every time we would go, he would now get this burger and he would just dive into that thing as if it was the best thing he’s ever eaten. And then there’s me… sitting there and I take a bite out of my burger and I begin to think..

what is this? This is processed meat. This is not real meat.” And I look to my son and he thinks it’s great, he’s chowing down. And I sit there and think to myself, Why does he think this is great? Here’s why: Because at this point he has never tasted a nice, juicy filet. He’s never tasted untying different. And, he’s never tasted what a real piece of meat should taste like.

All he’s ever known as a burger has been this imitation stuff. Which leads me to my second question, When we are empty with what we imitate and put within us that is not of God, what then do we fill ourselves with? This is the reality in so many of our lives. Let me be honest here. There’s been times in my life as a pastor where I do not want to read the word of God.

And there was a time when I would just read the word just t write sermons. I’ve got this task, or I’ve got this responsibility and so I read the word of God, and I pray and I flesh out what it says, just to, on Sundays give you the people a lesson. I’m so glad God gave me grace during those moments because I know my desires could have gone down so many roads, but here was what I wasn’t doing..

I was not reading my Bible to meet with God. I was focused on doing rather than being. I was focused on the busyness of my faith, and forgetting that God just wants me to see him as the treasure and sustainer of my faith. When we taste of something better, we don’t go back to the imitation. You don’t settle for anything but the real thing, and this is how we overcome and conquer the pleasures of sin in this life.

We Believe that Christ is better. I think I said this before, or maybe this is the first time your hearing it. But Jesus is trying to teach us that we need to get the taste of this world out of our mouths and begin to have a thirst and a taste for the things of God, and for Christ himself. I want the taste Christ. Not imitation Christ. When Jesus Christ is your satisfaction, and when you believe He is all-satisfying, He will transform the way you live.

Don’t settle for processed faith. Who else knows how better to satisfy you than the Creator? Do you know how to satisfy yourself? Do I know better? No. The One who created and crafted me alone knows how to satisfy me, and He draws me. He allures me. This is astounding grace. Though I have run after all kinds of stuff and things in this world and given my love and affection to them, the Father on high in His grace and sovereign initiative has sought me and you.

And he simply offers to us something better and greater… he offers to us, His son who is the bread of life. I’m going to stop our service here… because after this we’re heading to jeans to pray for here and to anoint her. And it’s there where I would like for us to gather, for anointing, prayer and communion. So let me pray… *

Vintage Jesus - Week 2 - Jesus as Our Redeemer

If you have a Bible, and I hope you do, I invite you to open with me to Ruth chapter 2. This is the second week of our four-week journey through what I believe is the ultimate Old Testament love story - one that puts every romance novel and movie in our culture to absolute shame. Because this is real. This is authentic. And more than that, it's showing us something about God's heart for redemption, right in the old testament and before Jesus as the Word in the flesh shows up in John's gospel.

So, before we read chapter 2, let me set the stage by recapping chapter 1 for us. The story starts with a woman named Naomi, and it opens in Bethlehem - which, ironically, means "house of bread." But there's no bread in the house of bread. Right? There's a famine. And Naomi's husband, Elimelech, gets this idea and makes this decision that will change everything - he leads his family to Moab.

So know this… the relationship between Israel and Moab wasn't good. The Moabites' story began when Lot had an incestual relationship with his daughter, so, not a very proud past. There's this one story, generations later after the story off Lot, with Moses and the Israelites in the book of Numbers where the Moabite women had seduced Israelite men into sexual immorality and idolatry, then God brought judgment upon the people of Israel. And so, 24,000 people were killed as a result of what Moabite women and the Israelite men had done. So, these people had a really rough history. And yet, again, generations later here in the book of ruth, here's Elimelech, leading his family to, of all places, Moab. Now when they get there, unexpectedly, all of a sudden, Elimelech dies and Naomi is left with her two sons who end up marrying two Moabite daughters-in-law. And I can imagine Naomi sitting there, and thinking, this is not working out the way I had planned for my life to work out. And to top that off... as if it can't get any worse, after around 10 childless years where neither of her sons and their wives have children, her sons unexpectedly die as well and she is now left alone, a widow, childless with two Moabite daughters-in-law, who are also now widows, and childless as well. But then what happens? Well, she hears news that the famine is over, the house of bread now has bread - and there's now food back in Judah. So she begins a journey back to Bethlehem with these two daughters-in-law in tow. By the time we get to verse 7, Naomi tries to discourage Orpah and Ruth from going with her. And you know what? I understand this. In my years of ministry, some of the most heart-felt and heart-breaking moments I've experienced have been shepherding widows. Because I've seen this pattern play out over and over with people who have deep hurt in their hearts. You see, Naomi does what every one of us do when we hurt - we push others away. It's one of the great paradoxes of human pain, isn't it? In the moments when we most need connection, when we most need people to sit with us in our grief, something in us wants to retreat. To isolate. To push away the very people who want to help. And It’s hard for us to witness pain and separation, and still expect others to sit in our pain with us. Maybe you've been there. Maybe you're there right now. Maybe you understand exactly what Naomi is feeling when she says to these young women, "Go back. Leave me alone in my bitterness.” But here's where the story takes a remarkable turn. Because while Orpah does what Naomi asks - she turns back - Ruth refuses to leave. Ruth, in my opinion does the most Jesus thing ever… she refuses to leave Naomi alone. She stays present with her mother in-law. We see a picture of someone willing to sit in the pain with another person, even when that person is trying to push them away. And I cant help, right from the very first chapter… I think to myself while reading this story… Isn’t this exactly what Jesus does with us? How many times have we tried to push Jesus away in our pain? How many times have we said, "Leave me alone in my bitterness"? And yet, like Ruth with Naomi, Jesus refuses to abandon us. He pursues us. He stays with us in our pain. Do you know what blows me away about moments like this in the Old Testament? We know Jesus is both fully God and fully human. And what's amazing is that Ruth was related to Jesus - she was the great-grandmother of King David on his father's side. To which we know, that Jesus comes from the line of David. It's like... you know how you look at your kids sometimes and you see yourself in them? You see your same reactions, your same tendencies, your same ways of thinking just passed down to them? Well, when I read this story, I see this incredible DNA of redemption and commitment and care for others weaving through Ruth's life, and then watching how it reveals itself in the tapestry of the life of Jesus... it just amazes me. I mean do you grasp what I’m saying? Have you ever noticed the characteristics in the people of the Old testament revealed in the life of Jesus. Like David Being a man after God’s own heart.. thats Jesus… Jesus’s life was to please the father. Right here in the OT… we’re already witnessing the character and the image of God within his people. I would say, that means theres hope. If that means there’s hope for them, then there must be hope for us when we too are, like Naomi feeling bitter and disconnected. Because of the Holy Spirit that is within us, We too carry the same Christlikeness to the next generation. And then, we see some of the most beautiful words in all of Scripture: it comes from chapter 1, and verse 16 and 17.. listen to what Ruth says to Naomi… This is so christlike…. "Don’t plead with me to abandon you or to return and not follow you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me, and do so severely, if anything but death separates you and me. Doesn't that sound familiar? Can you imagine Jesus in your pain, in your hurt saying this to you? Because I belive, this is exactly what Jesus does say to us? He leaves His home. He comes to where we are. He makes our people His people - remember John 1:14? "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us." He commits Himself to the Fathers plan to make a way for salvation, all the way to death, and burial. This isn't just a coincidence. This is part of God's amazing story of redemption being worked out through generations. Ruth's DNA of sacrificial love, of refusing to abandon those who are hurting, of crossing cultural boundaries to find redemption - it finds its ultimate expression in, in the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So when we see Ruth refusing to leave Naomi in her bitterness, we're seeing a glimpse of what Jesus would later do on an even grander scale.

Now, I say all of this because we pick up the story as they arrive in Bethlehem. Lets read together Ruth, chapter 2 verses 1-20 together… (Read Ruth 2:1-20) Now, there are three truth I want us to recognize this morning as we see Jesus as our redeemer. And the first part begins in.. verse 3.. it says, 3 So Ruth went out to gather grain behind the harvesters. And as it happened, she found herself working in a field that belonged to Boaz, the relative of her father-in-law, Elimelech. 4 While she was there, Boaz arrived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters. Let's talk about this phrase: "As it happened." When we look at this in the Hebrew Language, it means “by chance." The author is almost winking at us. "Oh, Ruth just happened to end up in this field. She just happened to choose the field belonging to Boaz. And Boaz just happened to show up right then. But watch what happens next. Boaz asked the overseer of his harvesters, “Who does that young woman belong to?”" Notice - Ruth isn't looking for Boaz. She's just looking for food. She's just trying to survive. But Boaz? Boaz sees her first. He seeks her out. He initiates the relationship. This is exactly what Jesus does with us. We think we're just going about our lives, making our own choices, when actually, our Redeemer is seeking us. Remember what Jesus said in Luke 19:10? "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Think about it: Ruth wasn't looking for a redeemer - but her redeemer saw her. Ruth wasn't trying to find family - but family found her. Ruth wasn't seeking blessing - but blessing found her. And that's your story too. Whatever brought you here today, whatever choices you think led you to this moment - Good or bad… just like Ruth's "as it happened" - it's actually Jesus, our Redeemer seeking you, where you are.. perhaps gleaning yourself in a field of life choices. Paul reminds us in Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Before we were looking for Him, He was looking for us. Before we knew we needed redemption, He was already our Redeemer. Before we ever thought of salvation, and needing a savior, God sent his Son, Jesus. Just look at how Boaz approaches Ruth. He doesn't wait for her to come to him. He: Notices her (v.5) Learns about her (v.7) Goes to her (v.8) Provides for her (v.9) Protects her (v.9) Welcomes her (v.14) Sound familiar? This is exactly what the characteristics of what a redeemer is. He notices us in our need. He knows everything about us. He comes to us. He provides for us. He protects us. He welcomes us to His table. And then one day…. You’re eyes are open and you see Jesus, not just a s ticket to heaven, but as your beloved redeemer. And when that happens… when we notice Jesus in that way.. everything changes. Here's what this means for us today: You didn't find God - He found you. Your salvation story didn't start with your seeking - it started with His. Just like Ruth's "coincidence" was actually God's providence, your presence here today isn't an accident. The point is this.. Our Redeemer notices and Seeks Us First.

So, right after Boaz seeks Ruth out, watch what he does next. Look at verses 8-9: "So Boaz said to Ruth, 'My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here. Stay here with the women who work for me. Watch the field where the men are harvesting, and follow along after the women. I have told the men not to lay a hand on you. And whenever you are thirsty, go and get a drink from the water jars the men have filled.’" Did you catch that? In one breath, Boaz offers both protection and provision. "Stay in my field" - that's provision. "I have told the men not to touch you" - that's protection. So, not only does a redeemer seek first, but Our Redeemer Provides Protection and Provision And he doesn't stop there. Look at verse 14: "At mealtime Boaz said to her, 'Come over here. Have some bread and dip it in the wine vinegar.' When she sat down with the harvesters, he offered her some roasted grain. She ate all she wanted and had some left over.” He's not just throwing a few scraps her way. He's inviting her to his table. He's serving her himself. And the text specifically says "she ate all she wanted and had some left over." This is abundance, not just survival. Then in verses 15-16, Boaz goes even further. He tells his men, Even pull out some stalks for her from the bundles and leave them for her to pick up, and don’t rebuke her.” This is exactly what Jesus does for us. Remember His words in John 10:10? "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” He doesn't just save us - He sustains us. He doesn't just protect us - He provides for us. He doesn't just give us enough - He gives us abundance. Think about it: Ruth asked for permission to glean leftovers - she got invited to the table She hoped for a few scraps - she got more than just scraps. She looked for bare survival - she found generous provision And the beauty of this story is that this isn't just about physical provision. Look back at verse 12, Boaz says something that helps us recognize that its not just about provision.: "May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.” "Under whose wings" - do you know what it means to be under the wings of something… its a picture of both protection and provision. You know, my imagination runs wild when I read the Bible... it really does. When I read the Bible, I sometimes like to imagine the story in all kinds of different ways... and in this moment, this is what I'm imagining… Can you picture it with me? Little shepherd David, perhaps 5 or 6 years old, sitting on Obed's lap - his grandfather. And remember, Obed is Ruth and Boaz's son. So this is a grandfather telling his grandson about God's faithfulness to their family. I can almost hear Obed saying, “now, David, do you see that eagle up there? See how it flies high, watching over everything below? That's like God's presence watching over us. Protecting us. You know, your great-grandmother Ruth came here as a foreigner, but God took her under His wings though your great grandfather Boaz. He protected her. Provided for her. Just like that eagle protects its young. And then years later, perhaps after Obed has passed on, when David has faced all kinds of troubles and hardships and had sinned, maybe that image comes back to him of sitting on grandpa beds lap. . And he writes these beautiful words in Psalm 36:7: "How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Now, I don't know if any of this is true - that's just how my imagination works when I read the Bible. But here's what I do know: This is who our Redeemer is. Jesus doesn't just seek us out - He takes us under His wing. He doesn't just save us - He shelters us. He doesn't just provide the minimum - He pours out abundance. The same God who covered Ruth with His wings through the life of Boaz, who could have inspired David to write about taking refuge under those wings, is the same Jesus who looks at Jerusalem and says, "How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings" (Matthew 23:37). This is our Redeemer - always seeking, always protecting, always providing. Our Redeemer Provides Protection and Provision

This brings us to our third truth. And to see this, I want you to notice something fascinating in our text - watch how Ruth is described throughout this chapter. In verse 6, when the foreman first identifies her to Boaz, what does he say? "She is the Moabite who came back from Moab with Naomi." That's her identity - the foreigner, the outsider, the Moabite. Now, naturally that should have drawn a heart of indifference towards her. In that culture, calling someone "the Moabite" wasn't just describing where they were from - it was loading them down with generations of prejudice and assumptions. Right? Theres history there. And you know what? We do the same thing today. Have you ever noticed sometimes, in our words and speech, we put others down without even knowing it? Think about it: ”Oh, that's the divorced person” "You know, the person from that part of town” “That person has a troubled past” Or even when we say things like… ”Those people” We might not mean to, but our labels can become little boxes we put people in. We take one aspect of their story and make it their whole identity. One mistake becomes their defining characteristic. One circumstance becomes their whole story. But look at what Boaz does. When he hears "the Moabite," he doesn't see her as a label - he sees a person. He doesn't see her past - he sees her present faithfulness. He doesn't see where she's from - he sees her for who she's can become. And look at what he says to her… “My daughter, listen to me” He calls her daughter… In one word, he completely transforms her identity. This foreign woman, this Moabite, this outsider - he calls her "daughter." It's the first time in the entire story that anyone has given Ruth a title of belonging rather than a label of exclusion. You see, redemption isn't just about changing our circumstances - it's about transforming our identity. When Jesus redeems us, He doesn't just give us a new label - He gives us a new relationship. He doesn't just change our status - He changes our family name. Isn't this exactly what Jesus does for us? When others might say "the sinner," "the failure," "the outcast, the nobody,” Jesus says, “thats my child." When the world wants to define us by our worst moments, Jesus stops and defines us by His love for us.

But watch what happens. Look at verse 10. Watch how Ruth responds to Boaz, "At this, she bowed down with her face to the ground. She asked him, “Why have I found such favor in your eyes that you notice me—a foreigner?" She still sees herself as the outsider. You know, I think of all the people who have had a salvation moment... who still struggle in faith because they're defining their life by their past. I know thats true because that is what I did for so many years. I struggled for years seeing myself as redeemed. A lot of that was because I didn’t want to give up my life. The way I lived was what I loved. I didn’t want to change. I didn’t think it was possible for so many years. But like I said a few weeks ago, have you not noticed that every time someone comes into contact with Jesus, they never leave the same. Listen, church… holiness takes time. Its a transformation. And that transformation is depended upon whether or not we repent, and surrender our lives. Maybe you're here today, and that's you. Can I just say, theres hope. You've received Christ, but you still see yourself as "the addict” You've been forgiven, but you still define yourself as "the failure” You've been made new, but you still think of yourself as "the outsider” 'It's like you're living in two worlds - you know Jesus has redeemed you, but part of you is still living with that old identity. You're like Ruth - experiencing grace but still introducing yourself as "the foreigner.” But watch how Boaz responds in verse 11. He doesn't reinforce her identity as a foreigner. Instead, he says, "I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband—how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before. He's not looking at where she came from - he's looking at where she's going. Not at what she was - but at who she's becoming. This is what Jesus does. When we say: "I'm just a sinner" - He says, “but yet, You’re my beloved” "I'm broken" - He says, "I've made you whole” "I'm an outsider" - He says, "You're my family” 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" The question isn't whether this is true - it's whether we'll believe it and live from the truth that we are his redeemed people. You see, church, Our Redeemer Transforms Our Identity Through Relationship. You’re loved. More than you know right now.. theres more love that you have yet to witness… and God wants to lavish his love on you. In first John, the Bible tells us, See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Your idienty isn’t in your past.. it’s in a redeemer. Who saved you….from your past.

As Peter comes up… I want to conclude by asking, So what does this mean to us… Well, it all comes down to this simple truth: Our lives are not our own. We have been bought with a price. We’re indebted… To be redeemed means we’re indebted to the redeemer. You see, at the end of Ruth chapter 2, we see Ruth return home to Naomi with an abundance of grain. And Naomi asks her, "Where did you glean today?" She wants to know who's responsible for this incredible provision. And when Ruth says "Boaz," Naomi immediately recognizes something Ruth doesn't yet understand. She says, "That man is one of our kingsman-redeemers." In other words, this isn't just about food - this is about family. This isn't just about provision - this is about belonging. The same is true for us. Each of us will give our lives to something or someone. There's always going to be something that has authority over you: Maybe it's success Maybe it's approval Maybe it's comfort Maybe it's control But true freedom - real life - comes when we realize that Jesus Christ has already purchased us with His blood. He paid a price we couldn't pay to give us an identity that we didn't deserve. Look at verse 12 one more time. Boaz says to Ruth, "May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge. That's the invitation before us today. Will you come under His wings? Will you let your Redeemer be your refuge? Because here's what I know: Just like Ruth's "as it happened" moment wasn't really an accident, you being here today isn't an accident either. Your Redeemer has been seeking you. He's offering you protection and provision. He wants to transform your identity. The question is: Will you let Jesus be your redeemer?

May you go forth knowing that "you are not your own, for you were bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20). And "may you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge" (Ruth 2:12). For "if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17). May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. *

DTR - Week 1 - Jesus as the Son of God

I want to invite you to open your Bibles with me to Matthew Chapter 16. And church, I've got some good news for you - we've just completed our first month of our Just Jesus series, where we explored Vintage Jesus. You know, our heart for 2025 is pretty simple - we want to See Him, Hear Him, Love Him, and Live Him together. That's what this whole year is about. And today, we're stepping into the second of our twelve MINI series for 2025. Now, it's no accident that we're starting this new series on the first Sunday of February. You know February, right? It's that month when suddenly everything turns red and pink, and everyone's thinking about relationships.

This reminds me of being a kid around Valentine's Day. There was always this... question hanging over everybody: 'Who's going to be my Valentine?’ And if you weren't already dating someone - which, let's be honest, in elementary school just meant telling your friends you were 'going out,' even though none of us were allowed to go anywhere - you had to come up with what felt like a master plan. Here's how it went: First, you'd look around your classroom, trying to act like you weren't looking. Then, you'd pick out that special someone. And then came the big moment - writing that note. You know the one: 'Would you be my Valentine? Check yes or no.’ But the worst part wasn't writing the note - it was waiting after you gave it to your friend to deliver it. Do you remember? How Those minutes felt like forever as you waited for them to bring back that folded piece of paper… And you know what's funny? Years later, we're still trying to figure out relationships - just with bigger consequences than a checked box on a note. And that brings us to what we're talking about today. In fact, for this whole month, we're going to be talking about a relationship that matters more than any other. A relationship that changes everything else in our lives. You see, in Matthew 16, Jesus has this conversation with His disciples. But it's not just any conversation - it's basically the biggest 'define the relationship' moment in history. And where it happens matters. Jesus takes His disciples to this place called Caesarea Philippi. Now, if you were there back then, you'd see temples everywhere. Every God you could think of had a spot there. It'd be like walking through a city where every building was a different kind of church or temple. And right there, in this place where everyone's trying to figure out which God is real, Jesus looks at His disciples and asks them two questions that will determine how then define the relationship. Look with me in Matthew 16, find with me verse 13 13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” SO first, Jesus asks, 'Who do people say I am?' Pretty straightforward, right? He’s just asking for the word on the street. Who do people say that I am…. And The disciples probably looked around at all those temples as they answered in verse 14: 14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” But then Jesus asks the question that really matters - the one that each of us still has to answer today, he turns if from who they thing.. to who do you think… Look in verse 15… 15 “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” You see, Jesus wasn't interested in public opinion polls. He wasn't looking for what people were saying on the ancient equivalent of social media. He wanted to know what they - personally - believed about Him… He wanted to know if their minds had agreed with their hearts. Think about that for a minute. These guys had been walking with Jesus, eating with Jesus, seeing miracles, watching Him change lives. But now it was time to put it into words - to really define who Jesus was to them. And Peter - you know Peter, right? The one who always seems to speak first and think later - the guy had a tendency to put his foot in his mouth… but this time he gets it exactly right.

16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Now, this wasn't just Peter throwing out a good answer like we sometimes do in church. right? You know what I mean - when the pastor asks a question and we all know to say 'Jesus' because that's usually the right answer? I’ve done that… We all have… But, No, this was different. Jesus tells Peter something incredible. Look with me in verse 17, 17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. (NIV) Now, to understand this before we turn the next page to look at chapter 17, look at what Jesus said,… he said who revealed this to you? The father right. He wasn’t defining the relationship through anything else… Jesus was telling Peter, 'You didn't get this from others, and who they thought I was… You didn't figure this out by being smart, or better than anyone else.. You didn't learn this from another person.' No - this kind of understanding, this revelation of who Jesus really is, it came directly from the Father. This was a moment where God the Father, opened Peter's eyes to see Jesus for who He really was. The Father defined a moment in Peter's heart and mind through a conversation with Jesus.

And this brings us to a critical question: Where does defining the relationship begin? Think about any deep relationship in your life. Did it start with studying facts about the person? No - it started with a real encounter. When I met Alicia for the first time, I probably could have learned a lot about her from other people. I could have asked her friends about her. But our relationship didn't really begin until we met. Face to face. Personally. Until there was that moment of real connection, everything else was just information. That's what God wants with us. Not secondhand information, but firsthand revelation. Not just knowledge about Him, but a real, personal encounter with Him. He doesn't want you to just know facts about Jesus - He wants you to know Jesus. That's why Paul says in Philippians 3:10, 'I want to know Christ.' Not just know about Him - but know Him. Experience Him. Have a real relationship with Him.” And when that happens - when we truly know Him - everything changes. Just like it did for Peter.

Now, watch what happens when we flip the page to chapter 17. Because something incredible is about to unfold. Peter has just had this moment where he realizes Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus tells him, 'This wasn't your idea - my Father revealed this to you.’ But God isn't done yet. Because sometimes the Father doesn't just tell us who Jesus is - He shows us. Look at it with me. Verse 1: 'Six days later...' - Just six days. The words from the last conversation are probably still ringing in Peter's ears - 'This was revealed to you by my Father.' And now Jesus takes Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and leads them up a high mountain to be alone. Look at verse 2 with me. The Scripture says, 'As the men watched, Jesus' appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light.’ Now, try to picture this. You're Peter. Six days ago, you had this revelation that Jesus is the Son of God. And now, you're standing there watching as Jesus starts... glowing. His face is shining like the sun. His clothes are literally radiating light. But it gets better. Verse 3 tells us that suddenly, Moses and Elijah appear and begin talking with Jesus.

Now, pause… Moses and Elijah! These aren't just any ordinary people - these are two of the biggest names in Israel's history. And Peter, James and John are there watching all of this, and all of sudden three people are before them. And Peter - you know Peter, right? - he does what many of us would probably do. He starts talking. It's like... it just pours out. You ever been in one of those moments that's so incredible, so overwhelming, that your mouth starts moving before your brain can catch up? That's Peter. Here he is, standing on a mountain, watching Jesus glow like the sun, seeing Moses and Elijah - two of the biggest names in Israel's history - and what does he do? He starts making construction plans!

Look at what he says in verse 4: 'Lord, it's wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I'll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.’ Peter's trying to capture the moment, trying to build something permanent, trying to... just do something. Anything. Because sometimes when we don't know what to do with a holy moment, what do we do… we try to manage it. We try to take ownership of it… We try to take the lead in it. But before Peter can even finish his construction proposal…he gets interrupted… Verse 5: 'But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.”’

Have you ever had God interrupt your plans? Your ideas? Your well-meaning but misguided attempts to figure things out There are so many times I would go... 'Ya know God... you would be a lot cooler if you did...' and then fill in the blank. Like that time I thought I had the perfect plan for my life, and God was probably up there thinking, 'Oh, really? You think so?’ That's what's happening here. Peter's getting ahead of God - just like I have done so many times, just like we all do. We try to build our own shelters, create our own solutions, manage our own spirituality. We say things like: 'God, I've got a great plan for how this should work...' 'Lord, I think I know what would be best here...' 'Jesus, what if we just…' But God stops Peter mid-sentence - doesn't even let him finish his grand construction plans - and essentially says, 'No, Peter. You don't understand... you don't need three shelters. You don't need multiple options. This is my Son... Listen to him.’

This brings us to a crucial question: When it comes to defining your relationship with Jesus, where are you?

Let me ask you something - when it comes to defining our relationship with Jesus, I believe we can trace every person's journey through these three stages we see in Peter's life. And today, I want us to be honest about where we are.

First, there's what I call 'The Spectator.’ Let's talk about The Spectator for a minute. You know what a spectator is, right? It's someone who watches but never gets in the game. In sports terms, it's like someone who knows every stat, can name every player, has every jersey - but has never actually played the game. They've got all the knowledge, but none of the experience. We see this all through the gospels… Jesus had what? People that just followed and watched. "You know, I’ve watch some home renovation shows. I can tell you all about load-bearing walls, backsplashes, and proper crown molding. I can quote Chip and Joanna Gaines. But put me in front of a wall with a hammer? Well, let's just say knowing about renovation and actually doing it are two very different things. And that's exactly what happens with Jesus sometimes. We can be experts about Jesus without ever really knowing Jesus. Look at John 5:39-40 with me. Jesus is talking to some religious leaders, and He says something fascinating: 'You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.’ Did you catch that? These people knew their Bibles inside and out. They could quote Scripture all day long. But they missed the whole point - they knew about Jesus, but they didn't know Jesus. Think about social media today. You might follow someone's every post, know their favorite coffee shop, what they do on weekends, where they vacation - but does that make you their friend? No - you just know about them. You're a spectator in their life. And here's what's dangerous about being a spectator - you can feel really good about yourself because you've got all the right information. You're in church. You know the songs. You know the stories. But at the end of the day, you're still just watching from the sidelines. You’re still hinging your faith on your initial salvation moment, but yet many times you have never moved closer to him. BUt understand this: Information without transformation is just religion.

And let me ask you something - are you just coming to church and bibles studies collecting information about Jesus, or are you really being transformed by Jesus?

Now, let's talk about the Casual Follower. This is different from the spectator because they've actually gotten in the game - sort of. They're playing, but they've got one foot on the field and one foot off. You know what I mean? These are the people who follow Jesus... when it makes sense. When it fits their schedule. When it doesn't cost too much. The Casual Follower has moved beyond just watching. They're involved. They're participating. But - and this is key - they're following Jesus on their terms. It's like what Jesus describes in Luke 9. Three different people come to Jesus, and each one says something like, 'I'll follow you, but...' 'But first let me go bury my father’ 'But first let me say goodbye to my family’ 'But first let me get my life together’ It's like having a gym membership. One time I bought a planter fitness membership but Hardly ever went. I was committed enough to pay the monthly fee. I bought all the gear. I showed up sometimes. But when life got busy, when it's inconvenient, when something better comes along - well, the gym can wait, right? That's how some of us treat our relationship with Jesus. We're in... sort of. We follow... sometimes. We surrender... partially. But here's what Jesus says- 'No one can serve two masters.' He doesn't say no one should serve two masters. He says no one can. It's impossible. Matthew 6:24 The problem with being a Casual Follower isn't that you're not trying - it's that you're trying to define the relationship on your own terms. And that never works with Jesus." Listen, church, Part-time devotion is still full-time indecision. Because when it comes to Jesus, there's no such thing as casual commitment. He's either Lord of all, or He's not Lord at all."

And that brings us to the third response - The Surrendered. The Surrendered life - this is what happens when you stop trying to negotiate your relationship with Jesus and simply say, 'Whatever you want, Lord.’ I want what you want. Look at what happens to Peter and the others in verse 8 again - 'When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.' That would have been embarrassing to make three shelters to only look up and only see Jesus there. That's what surrender looks like. Everything else fades away. All the other voices quiet down. All the other priorities shift. You know, it's like what happens in a marriage. There's a difference between dating and 'I do.' Amen? When you're dating, you're still keeping your options open. When you get engaged, those options close very quickly… But once you say say 'I do,' you're saying 'I don't' to every other possibility. That's what surrender to Jesus looks like. It's not just adding Jesus to your life - it's making Jesus your life. "Look at what Paul says in Philippians 3:7-8: 'But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.’ Listen - the Surrendered person isn't perfect. They still struggle. They still fail. Peter did - even after his mountain-top experience, he denied Jesus three times. But here's the difference: surrendered hearts have settled the question of who Jesus is and who's in charge. They're not trying to build three shelters anymore. They're not trying to keep their options open anymore. They're not trying to negotiate with God anymore. They're focused on Jesus alone. When Jesus becomes your everything, suddenly you see exactly where everything else belongs."

We've got the same choice he had. As our Peter comes up… You see, Simon Peter had a 'Define The Relationship' moment with Jesus. He moved from watching to following, and from following to surrendering. And when he and the others looked up, they saw no one except Jesus. Today, it's your turn for a DTR moment with Jesus. No more 'it's complicated' status with Him. No more trying to build three shelters. Just Jesus. Because here's the truth we've seen today: How you define your relationship with Jesus defines everything else. Everything. And God's invitation is the same as it was on that mountain: 'This is my Son... listen to Him.’”

"You know, when you walked in today, you got something. It might have reminded you of those old school Valentine's notes. Pull that out for a minute. But this isn't just any 'check yes or no' note. This is your DTR moment with Jesus. And unlike those grade school valentines, this one really matters. Look at what it says: Spectator: I know about Jesus ☐ Casual Follower: I follow Jesus when it's convenient ☐ Surrendered: Jesus is my everything ☐ Now, here's what I want you to do. First, and you don’t need other duo it now… you can pray over it and then fill it out… but first, I want you to check where you are right now. Be honest - this is between you and God. But don't stop there. On the back, there's a space for you to write where you want to be. Because here's the truth - you can move from spectator to surrendered. You can go from casual to committed. All it takes is for you to be honest for where you are, and where God wants you to be…. I wan tot challenge you to take this home. Put it on your fridge for at least this month. Let it remind you every day of the choice you're making about your relationship with Jesus. Because remember - how you define your relationship with Jesus defines everything else. Let's pray…"

Let's pray together... Father, thank You for that mountain moment when You revealed who Jesus really was. And thank You that You're still revealing Jesus to us today. Right now, some of us are spectators, some are casual followers, and some are surrendered. But all of us need to see Jesus more clearly. Lord, for those who checked 'spectator' - move them from just knowing about You to actually knowing You. For those who checked 'casual follower' - show them that partial commitment is still indecision. And for those who checked 'surrendered' - strengthen their resolve to keep their eyes on Jesus alone. Because when we look up, like those disciples on the mountain, we want to see no one except Jesus. And now may you leave here today knowing this truth: How you define your relationship with Jesus defines everything else in your life. May you have the courage to move from watching to following, from following to surrendering, until Jesus becomes your everything. In Jesus' name, Amen. And now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit reveal to you who Jesus really is, transform how you see Him, and empower you to surrender everything to Him. Go in peace, knowing that when Jesus becomes your everything, everything else finds its proper place. God bless you, church. See you next week." *

I Am - Peace

I want to invite you to open your bibles with me to John Chapter 10. We're in the 5th week of a 7 week teaching called "I Am." WE’VE been looking at the "I am" statements of Jesus, and then coupling them with the thanksgiving and advent season. Last Sunday, we discovered how Jesus is the light of the world - how His presence illuminates our darkness. And today, as we continue our journey through Advent, focusing on peace, Jesus gives us another powerful 'I AM' statement.

Lets read together, beginning in John chapter 10, and beginning in verse 11. 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, since he is not the shepherd and doesn’t own the sheep, leaves them and runs away when he sees a wolf coming. The wolf then snatches and scatters them. 13 This happens because he is a hired hand and doesn’t care about the sheep.

Now, lets keep going into verse 14, he says it again.. But this time, theres a difference to how he describes how the good shepherd treats the flock… verse 14.. 14 “I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 But I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen; I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.

Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. You know, as I was preparing for this message about peace, I couldn't help but laugh at this video. You may have already seen it, But every time I think of sheep, I think of this video. Now, if we're really honest with ourselves, we've all been that sheep, haven't we? I mean, think about it. How many times have we finally found some peace in our lives, only to jump right back into the very thing that was stressing us out in the first place?

For me.. That's exactly why Jesus uses this imagery of being a shepherd. He knows us. He gets us. And when He says 'I am the Good Shepherd,' He's speaking to something deep inside all of us - this need for someone who won't give up on us, even when we keep jumping back into our own holes. Now, what's fascinating about sheep - and stick with me here because this gets really interesting - is that they have four distinct characteristics that might hit a little close to home.

And when I learned about these, I started understanding why Jesus chose this metaphor, and what it means for our peace. The first thing about sheep is they're prone to wander. And if that doesn't hit close to home, I don't know what does. I am reminded of this old hymn that was written back in 1757, some of you probably know it… - 'Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.' The guy who wrote it, Robert Robinson, was just 22 years old.

And there's this line in it that gets me every time: 'Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.’ Can I be really honest with you for a moment? I feel that way sometimes. There are days when I find myself completely distracted, drifting away from the very peace I'm preaching about right now. I mean, I'm your pastor, and yet there are times when instead of having my heart and mind focused on Jesus - the One who literally gave His life for me - I'm...

wandering. Anyone else ever feel that way? Like you don't even mean to drift, but somehow you find yourself far from where you want to be? Do you know what's amazing though? Robinson wrote those words over 250 years ago, and they still ring true today. Why? Because this tendency to wander is part of who we are as sheep, its a part of our nature. Even King David, who wrote Psalm 119, prayed, 'With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!’ But Here is the beautiful thing though - and this is where it comes back to Jesus as our Good Shepherd.

Jesus knows this about us. He knows we're prone to wander. That's exactly why He says, 'I am the Good Shepherd. I know my own.' He doesn't just know our names - He knows our nature. He knows that like that sheep in the video, we might need rescuing from the same hole multiple times. But it's not just our wandering that makes us need a shepherd…” The second thing about sheep - and this one is kind of humbling - is that they're completely defenseless.

I mean, think about it. Most animals have some kind of natural defense mechanism, right? Bears have claws, porcupines have quills, skunks have... well, you know. But sheep? What do they got? Their only defense is being a big fluffy pillow. They’ve got nothing. Their not fast. They can't outrun predators, they can't fight back, they can't even blend into their surroundings very well. And in the face of danger, you know what their primary defense strategy is?

They panic. Anyone else feeling a little called out right now? Because if we're honest, isn't this exactly how we often feel when our peace is threatened? When life throws something unexpected our way, or when we're facing problems bigger than ourselves, we realize just how defenseless we really are. There are so many things in this life that we just cant battle alone. And we shouldn’t have to battle them alone.

When we learn that there’s peace in presence, I believe that should enable all of us that where the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we should never let people battle anything alone. Remember a couple weeks ago when Jeuss encountered and healed the blind man, and the gatekeepers, the pharisees kicked him out, what did Jesus do? He went after him. Last week, I reminded all of us, that we are the light of Christ.

We are living and moving sanctuaries brining the very presence of Jesus to others who live in darkness. And you know what's beautiful about this? When we understand that we're defenseless on our own, but we carry the very presence of Christ within us, it changes everything. It changes how we face our own battles, and it changes how we show up for others in their battles. Do you know what it means to show up?

What it means to show up into other peoples lives? Let me read this to you… (Read book) Did you hear that… The most single objective of being presence filled, and relational evangelism all comes down to one objective… to care. To care - it's that simple, and yet that extreme. When we're defenseless, Jesus, our Good Shepherd, doesn't just protect us - He cares for us. And now, filled with His presence, we get to do the same for others.

We get to be the physical representation of the Shepherd's care in someone else's moment of defenselessness. I call that… being compassionate. That’s what it means to care. There's a third thing about sheep that really helps us understand why we need the Good Shepherd's peace so much. You see, sheep are incredibly stubborn. Now, don’t look at your spouse right now. Play it cool. My wife is starting right at me.

(Hahah) There are actually documented cases of sheep getting themselves stuck between rocks and refusing to back up. Instead of just backing up to get out, They’d just keep pushing forward, getting more and more stuck. Let me tell you something fascinating about sheep and stubbornness - and this is where it gets really interesting. When sheep get stuck, it's not just that they don't know how to back up. It's that their stubbornness is actually a defense mechanism.

They're trying to protect themselves, even though they're making things worse. listen to this, being stubborn is having or showing persistent determination not to change one’s attitude or position on something, esp. in spite of good arguments or reasons to do so. Difficult to move, remove, or cure. You know, there's this quote by Neil Gaiman in his book, American Gods that says, 'There's none so blind as those who will not listen.' And isn't that true of us?

Sometimes our biggest obstacle to peace isn't our circumstances - it's our own stubbornness. In my years of ministry, I've seen this play out in so many ways. And I'll be honest - I've seen it in myself too. We build these walls, thinking we're protecting ourselves, but really, we're just getting more stuck. Think about it - stubbornness shows up as: Acting like we've got it all figured out Refusing to ask for help Staying silent when we should speak up Or maybe just refusing to change, even when we know we should But here's what's amazing - remember, God knows this about us.

In Ezekiel 11:19, He makes this incredible promise. He says, 'I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart.’ And isn't this exactly what Jesus, our Good Shepherd, does? When we're stuck in our stubbornness, when we've built all these walls thinking they'll protect us, He doesn't just leave us there. He comes after us. He offers us something better than our defensive walls - He offers us His peace…

Because, what does a shepherd do? First, he guides. Psalm 23:3 tells us, 'He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake.' But what's fascinating is how He does this. When we look at John 10, and go back to the begging of the chapter to verses 3-4, we get this beautiful picture: 'The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him.

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.’ Voices are interesting. I can walk into a room of 50 woman blindfolded, and I promise you, if my wife is talking, I can recognize her voice. Its true… I had learned her voice. . Its the same with our kids…

Alicia and I both know the voice and laughter and cries of our kids. But after 19 years of marriage and a 17, 16 and 12 year old, if I couldn’t can't recognize their voice, it's usually for one of two reasons: either I don't know them, or I haven't spent enough time with them. And it's the same with Jesus. If we're having trouble hearing His voice, if we're struggling to find His peace, maybe it's because we don't know Him well enough yet, or we haven't been spending enough time with Him.

There's this powerful moment in John 6 where Jesus turns to His disciples and asks them, 'You do not want to leave too, do you?' It's such a simple question, but it hits right at the heart of what it means to follow the Shepherd. Because true peace isn't just about believing in Jesus - it's about walking with Him. Its about following him… It's about that bold, reckless commitment to follow wherever He leads.

Maybe you're sitting here today, and you're wondering what it looks like to trust His guidance like that. Maybe you're at a crossroads, facing decisions that seem overwhelming. Just remember, Peace comes when we follow His lead, not our own logic" He also provides for us. I was reading something this week that really hit home. It said, 'Where God guides, He provides. Where He leads, He supplies all needs.' And it got me thinking about all the times in my life when I've sat at the dining room table, staring at bills, trying to figure out which one could be late so the lights would stay on.

Anyone ever been there? Maybe you're there right now - checking your account at the gas pump, trying to calculate exactly how much you can put in? Life happens, doesn't it? And sometimes it happens fast. But here's what's amazing about our Good Shepherd - He always provides. Now, here's the catch - and this is important - He doesn't always provide in the way we think He should. Sometimes we're praying for someone to give us money, but instead, we discover there was an error on our last bill payment, and suddenly we have a credit.

Or we're worried about how far we can stretch that quarter tank of gas, and unexpectedly, half our errands for the week get cancelled. Or, why not say this… How many of you ever prayed to win the lottery? I know I have. But instead, I’d wake up the next morning just to find someone else had won… You know who really understood this? Abraham. There's this incredible story in Genesis 22 where God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac.

Can you imagine? But Abraham trusted that God would provide - and at the last possible moment, God did. He provided a ram caught in the thicket. The Hebrew name for God in this story is Jehovah-Jireh - 'The Lord Will Provide.' And you know what I'm learning? He's still Jehovah-Jireh today. He provides. Not always in the way we expect, and rarely in the way we demand, but always in the way we need.

That’s why Jesus is called good. Peace isn't in having everything we want, but in trusting the One who knows what we need. The third thing our Good Shepherd does - HE CORRECTS. Now, if I'm being honest, this isn't usually our favorite part of having a Good Shepherd. I mean, who sits around thinking, 'Oh, I hope God corrects me today!’ I had a friend last night send me these photos, and I told her, I can relate and I know she can too.

There's this fascinating passage in Job that completely changed how I view God's correction. In Job 5:17-18, it says 'Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he also binds up; he injures, but his hands also heal.’ Now, in Hebrew, this word for 'correct' - yasar' - it's such rich in meaning. It's not just about punishment or discipline.

It literally means 'to instruct while forming.' Like a potter shaping clay, or a shepherd guiding his sheep. It's correction with purpose, it’s correction that transforms. How many times in your life as you’ve grown in your faith, that God has used correction, or hardship to transform your faith? You know, I used to think correction was just about punishment - about God pointing out what I did wrong. But there's this verse in Hebrews that changed everything for me.

It says, 'No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.’ Did you catch that? The purpose of correction isn't punishment - it's peace. It's righteousness. It's transformation. Maybe you're in one of those seasons right now. Maybe you're facing something difficult and wondering, 'God, what are you doing?' How does this help?

Let me tell you something - The Good Shepherd never corrects without purpose. He never allows pain without planning for peace. It's like what happens with my own kids. Nobody celebrates when I say 'You're grounded!' Nobody jumps for joy and says, 'Oh praise the Lord, I'm getting disciplined!' But as a parent, I know that temporary discomfort is worth it if it keeps them from greater harm. And if we, as imperfect parents, know how to correct our children for their good, how much more does our perfect good Shepherd know exactly what we need to be transformed into who He's calling us to be?

When it comes to peace, Peace is found in surrendering to His shaping, not resisting His direction. Our final point is this - HE PROTECTS. Everybody say it with me - 'He protects.’ You know what David writes in Psalm 23? He says, 'Even though I walk through the darkest valley - I mean the valley of the shadow of death - I will fear no evil.' Now why would he say that?

Because his Good Shepherd was with him! When He is with you, what do you have to fear? When He is with you, your soul can be at rest. When He is with you, you know He's working everything - even the hard stuff - for your good. You know, Alicia tells me all the time... 'I can't sleep at night knowing you're not near.' When I was traveling state to state with my oil and gas job, or whenever I'd go somewhere away from her...

she'd tell me how she struggles to sleep knowing I'm not there. There's this feeling of protection she knows when I'm near. She knows that if there was an intruder I would throw down. And if we, as humans, can feel that kind of peace just knowing someone we love is near, how much more peace should we have knowing that Jesus is always with us? He never takes a business trip.

He never steps away. He's always right there. Look at what else David writes - 'Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ Now, let me tell you something interesting about these tools. The rod wasn't just some walking stick - it was a weapon! The shepherd would use it to fight off anything that tried to harm his sheep. And that staff with the hook on the end? That was for rescuing sheep when they fell into ravines or got tangled up in trouble.

You know what I love about this? The very things that bring comfort to the sheep are the shepherd's tools for protection. Think about that - when the sheep sees the rod and staff in the shepherd's hands, they don't think 'Oh no, what's he going to do with those?' They think 'Oh good, he's equipped to take care of me.’ And whew I know I’m protected, I know I can be at peace.

As I close… and ask Peter to come up. You know what amazes me most about our Good Shepherd? All these things we've talked about - His guidance, His provision, His correction, His protection - He never meant for us to keep them to ourselves. Jesus says something fascinating in John 10:16. Its one of my pastoral life verses. He says, 'I have other sheep that are not of this pen.

I must bring them also.' Did you catch that? He didn't say 'I might bring them' or 'I'll think about bringing them.' He said 'I MUST bring them.’ It reminds me of that sheep we saw in the video at the beginning - you remember? The one that kept jumping back into the hole? Sometimes I look around and see people doing the same thing in their lives. Maybe you know someone like that.

Maybe you are that someone. I know I was that sheep that just keeps jumping back into holes God has rescued me from. Lets’s be really honest for a moment? We've all been that sheep at some point. We've all been stuck in holes we couldn't get out of on our own. But here's the beautiful thing - the Good Shepherd, Jesus didn't just rescue us and move on. He's still out there, still looking, still seeking.

And get this - He wants to use us in that seeking. Think about it - you know what it's like to be lost. You know what it's like to need guidance, to need provision, to need correction, to need protection. And now that you've experienced His peace? You're perfectly positioned to help someone else find it too. So let me ask you something - where are you in this story today?

Are you that sheep who needs to let the Shepherd find you? No shame in that - we've all been there. Or maybe you're already in the fold, and He's nudging your heart about someone else who needs to know about His peace? Because here's what I know - there's always room in the fold for one more sheep. We were once lost sheep We’ve been found Now, we're called to help find others And bring them and show them, the good Shepherd.

*

I Am the Resurrection

Let’s open our bibles together to John chapter 11. We’re five weeks into our series called, I am. And our aim is to look at the 7 I am statements that Jesus had said, through the book of John. Through these I am statements, we coupled them with opposite feelings and emotions that we deal with as human beings. Over the past four week we looked at, desires in our life, There are so many things in this world that competes with our desires, but Jesus wants to be our only and greatest desire.

Our discovery in week two was that there is no darkness that we can witness in this world that the love of Jesus cannot penetrate. We moved into week three and talked about shame. Shame wants to shackle us. And if left untreated, Buried shame grows roots in us until we don’t recognize ourselves anymore. But Jesus says, I am the gate. I believe our greatest realization thou Jesus as the door, or Jesus as the gate, is the fact that he calls for us to knock, and the door will be open for you.

Seek and you will find. Often, we knock but shame tends to make us believe that were unworthy, so we run from Jesus.. And that leads us into week four, last week we read Jesus say, I am the good Shepherd. We made a huge emphasis on what? What did we say together? We affirmed that, God is a restorer. The good shepherd, goes after the sheep. The good shepherd loves and protects the sheep.

David writes in Psalm 23, the good shepherd “restores my soul.” There is never a moment in our life that Jesus isn’t running after us. And we concluded that, Knowing, recognizing and walking in God’s presence by faith, is our greatest victory in this life. My goal as your pastor, is to help you grow in Christ. But you as God’s sheep need to be willing to grow. Today, I want to look at John chapter 11.

And Let me just warn you. Studying for this sermon got really deep for me, and it might be hard for us as a chruch. It’s been hard to pray and study all week long because we just witnessed another funeral this week for a dear teacher of our community. And of course, we’ve lost a real dear friend just a few weeks ago… So, if you dont mind.. before I read our Scripture, can we just bow our heads and prepare our hearts this morning?

Can we do that? And then, I’ll pray and we can begin. Heavenly Father, Our hearts are heavy this morning. Because for many of us, we’re still mourning the loss of those we love and those we miss. I want to pray, Father, lead our hearts this morning to find in Jesus… rest. Guide us, as a church to grieve, but to grieve trusting you. In the name of Jesus I pray…

amen Let’s read together, John chapter 11, and find with me verse 17. 17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles[a] from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.

Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.” Now, find with me verse 32… A little context.. Jesus has just met Martha, and now Mary comes with the crowd following her. She is going to where Jesus is. Here is the conversation that Mary has with Jesus. 32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled.

34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. 35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” I want to begin this morning, not with a statement like last week where we affirmed together, that God is a restorer, but today, I want to ask a question..

Are you trusting Jesus Christ as your life? The story of Martha, Mary and Lazarus is a fascinating one. I want skip Martha’s interaction with Jesus for jsut right nwo… and lets take a moment to look at Mary and Jesus. Mary comes running up to Jesus and she’s weeping. Listen to Mary’s words, in John 11:32: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” And what’s fascinating is this…

do you notice how Jesus dealt with her in her grief? Like we know what happens.. and if you dont know the story, spoiler alert, Jesus in a few verses ahead will eventually go to the tomb of Lazarus and he would call out his name, and Lazarus would come alive again and walk out of the tomb. Jesus literally brings him back to life. But here in this moment, we find something fascinating in Jesus’s interaction with Mary…

although Jesus knows what he’s about to do… it never gets in the way of being present with people. If we look in Verse 33 says, “When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled.” Then, our Bible tells us… Jesus wept. And Im fascinated by it because here’s the question I’m wanting to ask..

Why does Jesus weep when He knows He’s about to remove the whole reason for weeping? He knows. If you ever wanted to see what perfected love looks like…. This is it. This Christmas, and every Christmas we get to celebrate the fact that Christ came to earth. And while he was here, on earth, Emmanuel, was love embodied in flesh. When we think of love, Christmas is a reminder that love came down.

Love could be touched, Love could be felt and hugged, and held. And in this moment, in Marys grief, we read that Love wept. Because Love was present. Grief is a really interesting emotion. I’ve learned this week that each persons grief is as unique as thier fingerprint. And I’ve witnessed as a pastor, that people grieve differently. Some weep loudly, and some grieve silently. I’ll never forget the cries of my mother the night my step father passed away just a few short years ago.

They were tears and groans of deep anguish as she mourned in her bedroom. And when you study grief, there’s two things you’ll learn that are common in anyone that grieves. First, no matter how anyone would grieve, they share a need for their grief to be witnessed. And second, we all grieve because love was evident and love was real in their life. You can not have grief without love.

They are intertwined together. And if your plan is to go through life avoiding grief, you can most certainly do so, but the cost to a Grief-less life is to run from love. I don’t know about you, but a life without love is like a river without water. There is not one person, that I know of in this world, that doesn’t want to love and also feel loved by others.

The issue is… for most of us when we experience rejection in our life we become afraid to love and to let others love us. But look to where Mary and Martha runs… they run to Jesus and Jesus does what… he weeps with them. They Run to Jesus. How often in this world, when we go through hard times we run to eventing else to find peace. We run to alcohol just to have it numb the pain, but then it comes back.

We seek out drugs, we look at unhealthy intimacy to subside the pain we have in our hearts. Think of how amazing it is, that in this verse we find Jesus, who is God in the flesh, Who knows everything is about to change for them, but still he takes the time to weep with them. Did you notice what Mary and Martha did? They shared their need to grieve and for it to be witnessed, and if their grieve is but an echo of a love now gone, they go to the source of love.

Jesus has the Power to Take Our Tears Away. We know this.. we have hope of this from the resurrection to come. John would write that in the book of revelation.. think about what he writes, He (Speaking of Jesus) will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” What we see in this moment is that God makes it crystal clear to us, that when we weep, he undeniably weeps with us.

When we hurt, he hurts with us. And he will one day wipe the tears form our eyes… but to do so… we must first run to him in our grief. And so, this morning, I dont know the depth of your grief, or the hurt you’ve ezplreinced. Whether it be the loss of a loved one, or maybe you felt alone and abandoned, betrayed and discouraged. With whatever it is you’re dealing with, Jesus is witnessing your pain, and he loves you perfectly where you are, and he weeps with you.

Jesus weeps, but then he brings truth. You see, it’s not just being there witnessing our pain, but it’s also bringing truth in our pain. It’s Inviting God Into Our Pain and hearing what he says about our pain.. That’s always the first step to healing. And when I say heal, I am not saying we forget our grief, or we forget those we have once loved, what I am saying is this…

Healing can never begin unless were real and honest about why we grieve. One of the resources and books I’ve been looking into has been David Kessler’s book called, “Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief.” And in this book, Kessler writes, “Healing doesn’t mean the loss didn’t happen. It means that it no longer controls us.” When we grieve, we need truth. Martha comes up to Jesus and says “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” If Jesus would have been there…

this story would have been different, but not, Lazarus has died. But yet, in this moment, hear the truth that Jesus says to her… “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” Do you realize what Jesus just said? Jesus just said He has the power to make it all untrue.

He has the power to turn all of it around. Now, I thought about this truth this week and the only way I can explain it is like this.. You know that feeling when you’re asleep and you have a nightmare? You have a whole bunch of feelings and emotions that race through your mind and body. I remember one as a kid where wolves were chasing me. I can to this day recall how scared I was.

I remember the sounds, and my fears, and I vividly remember how I felt. But then, I also know how I felt when I woke up. How safe I felt once my mind realized that it was all a dream. I remember feeling different once truth was realized. Now, what about those moments where you weren’t asleep. Those moments where something really bad did happen to you. It’s not a dream and you just sit there in your grief, and you pinch yourself to make sure you’re not sleeping.

How many times in our grief and we just say things like, I wish this was a dream. This, can’t be true, and you just wish what had happened would be undone. This is the truth of what Jesus is saying to Martha. He goes, I have the power to undo what grieves you. I have the power to undo it all… where it would be just like waking from a dream.

And listen Church, if that is true…. If Jesus has the power to undo what has been broken. then that means death is not the end of the story—and that changes everything. Jesus was sharing truth into their conversation… and then… listen to that Jesus says next… Do you believe this? Martha responds, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Her word for Christ here is actually her saying, I believe you are the Messiah.

You are the promised one. The one we’ve been waiting for… the one we celebrate today, in this season of advent. You’re our long awaited Hope! Why? Why do we need hope? Why is Jesus our hope? DO you understand the implications of what it means that the long awaited Messiah has come? Man and woman were made by God, but they sinned against Him. They did what all of us have done—they turned from God and His ways to ourselves and our own ways.

As a result of sin, they were separated from God. The penalty for sin is death, both physical death in this world and everlasting judgment in eternity beyond this world. But we call the Bible and the gospel good news because death doesn’t have the last word, when we turn to Jesus Christ. The Bible is that God loves us and has not left us alone in a world of sin, separation, suffering and death.

God promised to send His Son, Jesus, to do what none of us could ever do. This is what Martha is saying when she says, You are the Christ.. you are the messiah… Jesus lived the life we have not and could not live, a life of no sin. Then He died the death we deserved to die. We deserve our death. Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for the sins of anyone who puts their trust in Him.

Then, three days later Jesus did what no one else has ever done or could ever do. He conquered death itself, the enemy we cannot conquer. Jesus rose from the grave. He is the resurrection and the life. And he looks to Martha and says to her…I am the resurrection and the life… Do you believe it? The greatest invitation we could ever receive is the invitation to enteral life in Jesus and he simply hands it to you in words of love and says, do you believe it?

Martha, says yes, but she doesn’t understand. Just like so many people who hear this gospel today and refuse it because they don’t understand. So many times our truth prevents us from hearing His truth. Our minds are limited.. they are.. the smartest person in this world can’t run and hide from death, but they can run into death and find life in Jesus. They Can.. and you can too… but you’ve got to hear the invitation this morning..

do you believe this. Are you trusting Jesus with your life? I know grief is hard.. I know life is hard. I now grief is hard because Jesus wept. I believe he wept over Mary and Martha’s pain, but I also beleive he wept because he truly loved Lazarus. He loved his dipcplsiples who would one day, in the Holy Spirit take this message of resurrection and life to the ends of the earth.

I believed he loved the crowd that was here watching. And I believe he loves you.. right now. And he stand at the door of your heart asking you.. do you believe in this truth…. But how do we deal with the pain right now? I’ve thought long and hard on how I would end our service today, because I know this topic hits home for all of us. But, for those of you who are in Christ…

Can I give you some encouragement for our ending? I feel like I should encourage you before we end. Can I do that? I want to share with you what I’ve learned about grief in light of the gospel of Jesus. First, Don’t add to your burden by thinking grief is foreign to the heart of God’s children. It’s not foreign. Listen, suffering proves that we are real. Suffering proves we are alive and breathing.

Suffering is promised in the Bible. I Thessalonians in the Bible says, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep” — He’s speaking on death — “that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.” The Bible doesn’t teach us that we will never taste death, but it does tell us that we would grieve differently than those who have no hope.

It’s being alive when we grieve. So what do we do when suffering comes? Well, secondly, learn to eat fruit of sorrow even if it’s bitter. I know this sounds hard. It’s like watching abby swallow night quill before bed. But as her parents we know it’s going to help her cough, and help her sleep at night. It’s sort of the same with affliction. Think of when David says, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word,” And when he says, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.” In seasons of affliction there are nutrients we draw from that strengthen our hope.

When I look back into seasons of my life, and I see all the moments where I cried out to God in my affliction. Moments where I wept sitting at my bedside asking GOd, why, moments where I’ve been deeply hurt by others, or situations. Those moments drew me closer to Him. They strengthened my soul and hardened the bones of my faith. And so, I say this with love… eat it.

Eat your suffering. Eat it for as long as God keeps you in that season, and don’t waste it by wishing. Eat it, and grow your faith in Christ. Begin to see suffering not as a burden but as a path that leads you ever so deeply to Jesus. Thirdly, Understand that God is always near the broken hearted. There’s a promise most of us have heard from David… He writes, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” I dunno about you, but every time I read something in the Bible that says, Cast your anxieties on Him, because he cares, and the Lord is near those who are brokenhearted.

There’s a special promised nearness we experience. I’ve come to yearn for it and sadly, often it comes in affliction and suffering. What if your suffering could mean you’ll witness God’s presence even greater than ever? I think of Mary and Martha running to Jesus in thier grief. I’ve learned this week that grief comes when our love for another is broken. It’s why I’ve shed many tears over people that have left my life.

Whether it be by death or by choice. But Jesus never says, I will leave you when you cry… he says, I am nearer to you. When you love Jesus, and I mean really love him… his nearness means everything to you. Often times, our suffering does lead us to Christ. Fourthly, our nearness brings us into this reality, God heals all wounds. Hear that agina… God Heals all wounds. Every one of them…

there is no wound that un unhealable in Christ. There is no sickness that is terminal… when we are in Christ we are promised life. You’ve heard, by his stripes we are healed. What I love about this truth is this… it may not happen quick, but healing does happen in God’s timing. IN our gospels, Jesus had healed a lot of people when he was here on earth, but some of them didn’t get instant healing.

The blind man two chapters before John 11 was only healed when he obeyed, and washed his face. Perhaps the Lord is waiting for you to come and trust in him, because its by faith you are healed. And speaking of God’s timing… this is the fifth and final truth. Wait………. Wait for God. Wait for his timing and restoration. David writes something very interesting about waiting in our affliction, in our grief, and depression.

Do you know this verse, “His anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” Do you know what it means that joy will come in the morning? How many times have you gone to bed in your grief, and woke up the next morning and it was still there. Where’s the joy you promised, Lord…

where’s the joy that’s supposed to come in the morning? Joy will come in the morning, doesn’t mean morning, like in our 24 hour day, but yet, God does not leave his children indefinitely in the depths of sorrow. What it means is that Joy comes when dawn comes, and it comes in God’s timing. God will lift you in His timing. But that doesn’t mean God doesn’t hear your cries for help.

There’s another Psalm, Psalm 40 that’s been very close to my heart during my seasons of affliction. And I wait. David writes in Psalm 40, I waited patiently for the Lord, he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. Here’s a question I have for you. How long did David wait in the pit? It doesn’t say. But what I do know, is that he waited. Church.. What are you waiting for? Here the invitation… do you believe in this? Don’t grief along, Be like Mary and Martha this morning… and run to love himself. Trust in Him, Trust in Jesus…

and celebrate communion today knowing you have a living hope. *

Fake Faith

I started thinking about this for, Palm Sunday. As you turn to I John chapter two, I want to give some context to where my heart has been. It’s palm Sunday and we find in all four gospels the triumphal entry. . In Matthews Gospel, Jesus descends from the Mount of Olives towards Jerusalem, and the people lay their clothes on the ground, and along with tree branches and they begin to have this procession with shouts of Jubilee, Hosanna!

Hosanna, is a word of adoration, praise and joy. Verse 10 in Matthew chapter 21 has people singing and praising and the people of Jerusalem are like, who’s this guy? And they reply, it’s the prophet, Jesus of Nazareth! From Galilee! Now, Jesus comes in, Cleanses the temple, the blind and the lame come to the temple, and Jesus heals them. In Matthew account, Jesus has many run ins with the chief priests, he talks a good bit about the end times, and the signs of the end of the age.

Judas makes a deal to to betray Jesus, and Jesus is taken, and then goes on trial. This whole week of passion week, I suggest reading this account, it leads us into why Easter is so important to us. But here’s what caught my attention: In Matthew 27, the crowd went from singing hosanna to then yelling, Crucify Him! And I wondered why? Why would people go from, Hosanna to crucify Him?

Why would anyone, after all Jesus has done, lose to another guy named barbabbas? I think, one thing we can pull from this moment, that there was no authenticity in the hearts of those there. I’ve learned on this grace filled journey with Jesus, that: “Authentic Love is the Fruit of Authentic Faith!” Authentic and real saving faith in Jesus helps us to love those we deem unloveable, and even those who are invisible.

It’s like a radical love that we learned a couple weeks ago. Radical love isn’t forced upon others, and it’s perseveres, it endures. Yes, we want to see people come into this church but not at the expense that they are lured in here by eloquent words and no substance to faith. Jesus tells us in johns Gospel, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” I dunno about you, but I wanna be a friend to everyone, Perhaps it’s my extrovertness..

I dunno Just this week, I made two new friends at Starbucks on two different days. CS Lewis once said, ”Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art, like the universe itself... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival." Here’s what he means… Friendships add meaning, joy, and richness to our lives, and they make our experiences more valuable and fulfilling. Do you remember the hymn, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus?” What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry; everything to God in prayer! O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear; all because we do not carry; everything to God in prayer! It’s a tender song in my heart because the writer, Joseph Scriven wrote the hymn to assure his mother that; though he couldn’t be there with her, Jesus is with her and he is a friend like no other.

And I know, my mom can testify to that. She understands that my calling calls me to be here. Because Authentic love is a love that stands true even when there is distance between two people. You see, I’m a firm believer that intimacy isn’t just spacial, but intentional and relational. Intimacy doesn’t depend on how close or small something is; it depends on being genuine in love for the other person and being a friend no matter the circumstance.

Even when two people are worlds apart, relationship can keep deepening with intnetial love for the other. Even when sin creeps in and you find that you or the other person are faltering in your friendship, Authentic love still covers all sins. Grace is still sufficient. My prayer, for the last few months has been, “Jesus.. help me to not forget that there’s enough grace for anything, and for anyone. Even myself.” Authentic love, always produces the fruit of authentic faith.

How? Well., first “by avoiding being a fake by having authentic faith” I’m working on a paper right now that talks about how my generation and the next generation is deconstructing faith to find authenticity. It dangerous because some are deconstructing doctrine, and they are walking away from faith all together. But one thing I can testify about the Millennial generation, is that this generation can sense when something is fake.

They can enter a place that feels forced or sleek, and it feels weird. It feels unauthentic and forced love. That’s why I hate going to car lots. That’s why I feel more comfortable just searching online, finding a car, and just driving around the lot in the comfort of my car, because many times I feel the salesman's job is to either get me into anything, or to up-sell me, or to get me in a car like the one I wanted, but it’s not the one I came for.

The Millennial generation just wants to find the truth. We want the truth; just tell me as it is. Love me for me, not for any other surface reason. So to have authentic love, there must be authentic faith in God who is love. When we love God, and Love others with a god given, authentic love, it’s usually found when we’re transparent and we have honest motives. We’re losing the younger generation because churches haven’t always been that way.

The church has made it about numbers more than being relational. Let me show you… Watch this: Play Crocker Video. Dr. Crocker is our General Superintendent, and he’s our presiding superintendent right now for our district. Did you catch what he said about the younger generation? Right now, 80% of those coming to Christ are in the age range of 4-18. But churches spend 80% of its budget on those 41 and over.

My question is this: How can we as a church make sure that we hear the call to serve the least of these and still be authentic in our faith? Well, it begins by relationship. A relationship with Jesus. Anything that presents itself as better than Christ is Anti-Christ. Look with me in I John, and I’m gonna read in chapter 2, and verse 18. [18] Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come.

Therefore, we know that it is the last hour. Here is some context, “John emphasizes the importance of having a relationship with God, loving one another, and avoiding loving the world. And he is warning against those who try to do the opposite.” He is also telling them, that there will be anti Christ’s, in this world. People who are counterfeits. Their knock offs… For instance, this microphone I have on.

I bought this microphone back in 2015. I searched different websites to buy a microphone and there were many sites proclaiming they had this microphone, and not only that, it was cheaper. Now, cheaper sounded like my kind of language, right?. I can get a $400 dollar microphone for $300? But then, I happened to go to the website of Rode, who makes this microphone. And right there, on their front-page of their website was a disclaimer.

It said, “If you do not buy our microphones from an approved retailer, we will not honor any warranty.” But, Rode! Don’t you understand I can get it cheaper on Amazon? I can get it easier, and faster. But in the end, if it was broken or defective. I couldn’t get it fixed or replaced. Think about that in the terms of our faith… Would you want a faith that had no warranty, or guarantee of eternal life at the end of life?

Would you want a faith that had an imitated love, and it produced some sort of imitated, or false comfort in life, you lived a good life…but then in the end to find out, it wasn’t real? Of course not… You see, the enemy wants to deceive us from that. Anything that presents itself as better than Christ, is anti-Christ. It’s against Christ. The message John is telling us, is that if you want to true, authentic faith—avoid being a fake—you must be aware that there are going to be people in this life, and there are going to be things in this life that are “Counterfeits.” Get this, anything that God says is good, Satan will find a way to counterfeit it.

If it’s something valuable, someone will seek to recreate it. If you ever watch shark tank, that is one of the reasons why they ask the entrepreneur, do you own the patented. Because if this product or service becomes good and begins to sell, someone will find a way to counterfeit it. But how do we know what is real and what is counterfeit in a world flooded with counterfeits? Well, first it comes from realizing that we have God’s presence.

Find verse 20: “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth..” To Be anointed by the holy one, is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Verse 27 confirms this… look with me… “But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.” When we read this, in a world full of counterfeits, it could be read like this: “you have been given the Holy Spirit by the Father and the Son, ( that’s verse 20, ) Now couple verse 20 with verse 27…

and when you receive this anointing it’s because you abide in him and he abides in you. John is echoing what Jesus said in the gospel of John: “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” When a person becomes a Christ-follower, by faith alone in Jesus, he or she is given the Holy Spirit.

He is our seal that God’s presence is with us; and in us. He is the only avenue for help, comfort and peace; Right? The Holy Spirit instructs us and the Holy Spirit guides us. Because there is something of value when it comes to being anointed.. this is why we see so many counterfeit anointings… because anointing has value, especially eternal value. The anointing directs our lives to the truth, which is Jesus.

Right, this anointing directs our lives to Jesus. Anything that presents itself as better than Jesus, is anti-Christ. In this chapter, chapter 2 of 1 John, he says, Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. This is so important to the life of the Christian because without the anointing, without presence in our life, everything we try in our own effort to accomplish becomes about us…

that’s sin. One of the greatest warning signs that we have sin in our life… is that what we do is aimed to lift me, and not Jesus. Remember one of Peters great embarrassing moments was when Jesus asked, who do you say I am, and Peter goes, you’re the messiah… he gets kind of a pat on the back, but then just after this, Jesus tells the group, I’ve got to go to Jerusalem.

I will suffer, be ridiculed, and criticized, and then Jesus gives them a glimpse of the cross… He goes, I will be killed and lifted in three days… Peter, full of confidence speaks up again… and goes. “Oh No.. this will never happen to you.” And Jesus goes, get behind me Satan. It’s one of those moments, where Peter was being influenced by Satan’s, attempt to get Jesus to avoid the cross.

Right after this moment.. what does Jesus say in Matthew chapter 16? He says, if anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. Without the cross, without the anointing, without the Holy Spirit and God’s presence…without seeing sin for what it is in our life, and abiding in Christ, everything else we do in our walk is powerless. We must constantly seek God's presence and guidance to truly live a life authenticity.

But it isn’t just presence, there’s another part to what John is saying in verse 20… “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth..” John says, we have the anointing, and we know knowledge, which is truth. Truth is important because without it, we would live a life falsehood and deception. “Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” John 8:31b-32 (NIV) When I was 16, I woke up one morning to my mom asking me to come in and sit down. My older brother had showed up to our house, and kind of unexpectedly. He began to tell me that two of my best friends was in a major car accident. My friend who was driving had his seat belt on, and my other friend in the passenger seat did not.

As they were coming home after a late night at work in the early morning, the driver fell asleep and they went over an embankment, hit a tree right which saved them from being thrown into the river and the passenger was ejected face first from the car as he was sleeping. My brother was there to take me to the hospital to see the passenger who was ejected because he had some major injuries to his face from going through the windshield.

The truth is… seat belts save lives. That night, I had one friend practicing that truth, and one friend who wasn’t. C.S. Lewis wrote, “You never know how much you really believe anything until it's truth or falsehood becomes a matter of life and death to you.” In that moment, both of my friends experienced truth. And Regardless of any personal opinion… my passenger friend never knew how important the truth, “that seatbelts save lives” was, until it became a matter of life and death for him.

The truth is, the gospel should be so precious to us. Because we know it’s a matter of eternal life and death for every living soul. David writes, “If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your words, for by them you have preserved my life.” Psalm 119:92-93 (NIV) The ultimate delight…. In other words, David is saying, if it weren’t for your truth, I would perish in my affliction in my troubles.

I dunno about you, but that’s a matter of life and death for me. I’ve made many mistakes in my life, and I’m humble to know I have Jesus as my savior… but My one burning delight, which I spent years running from but could not run away from anymore, is to ultimately weave the saving gospel message into the tapestry of every heart I come into contact with for the glory of Christ Jesus.

Jesus is my greatest joy! When Jesus becomes our greatest joy, When we know that our identity is in Christ, then… we will ultimately long for purity…. morally, ethically and theologically. IN layman’s terms..We would crave holiness. So we have the anointing, and we have truth… and finally, we need one more thing… look with me in verse 28: “[28] And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.

[29] If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” We have the power of God in us when we abide in Him. Abide in him helps us to avoid shrinking shame and to increase our confidence. (28). When we are in Him, we become like Him—not counterfeit, not a fake, but authentic in love and faith. Verse 29 says that the righteousness in our life is the fruit of Christ in our lives.

Do you know wha tit means to have the righteousness in our life, and the fruit of Christ? It means there’s authentic faith showing in your life. It is one thing to testify that we know Christ and are in Him; it is quite another to have a life that reveals that He is our righteousness. We recognize other believers by their lives, not their lips. Because Righteousness is a family characteristic, in the Father and His children.

I had no clue how I wanted to finish this sermon today and even this morning I prayed for clarity… All I could think about last night as I laid in bed praying this message, was this letter I read one time form a an article written by a young college lady. She wrote a letter to the church members, not to the pastor. Is said, “Last Sunday I attended your church and I heard your preacher.

When he spoke he said everyone and sinned and turned away from God. Because we rejected God we all face eternal separation from God. But then he said that God love us so much that he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to reconnect us with God and forgive us of our sins. All we have to do is believe in Him and we will go to Heaven and live with God forever.

My parents recently died. I know they did not believe in Jesus Christ. So if what your preacher said was true, they are damned to hell. After being with you, I am convinced that either you yourself don’t believe this message, or that you don’t care. We have live only three blocks from your church my whole life, and no one ever told us about your Jesus.” Authentic faith will always produce authentic love.

We hold within our hands and our hearts the gospel. We hold within us the anointing of the Spirit. Just like my friends knowing the truth about seatbelts, we daily make choice on whether we will act on that truth or not. If we have authentic faith, wouldn’t that also produce authentic outreach? Be light, and Go shine. *

Invitation to Life

He is not here! He has Risen! He has Risen Indeed! Say it with me… He is not here! He has Risen! He has Risen Indeed! This is our reality today! He has risen! Have you ever received an invitation? How did it make you feel? Perhaps an invitation to a wedding? The possible enjoyment of watching two people come before God and pledge their love to one another. Or at least, the invitation to come to a wedding for the food.

I might not know them couple, but knowing that free food is involved, that excites me. Right.. everyone likes free food. Maybe an invitation to go to a birthday party? This week Abby had two birthday invitations. One, I went with her and it was a Mario Brothers theme for a girl in her class and we had an amazing time at the movie theatre watching the new Mario movie, playing games and eating snacks.

And the other was a girl in her class that had her party at a sports complex. We had a great time… and we also had plenty of snacks to eat. I truly believe that invitations are amazing gateways into meaningful relationships. Think about it.… How did it make you feel when someone else invited you to something? Maybe it was an invitation for job interview?

The feeling of newness or new possibilities. The feeling that your experience and skills are being recognized. or an invitation into a relationship or a friendship, The feeling of being included and that you don’t need to walk this adventure alone. Invitations are generally moments where others are requesting for us to go somewhere or for us to do something, but often these invitation doesn’t call for us to experience it alone.

When we receive an invitation, we're being recognized and chosen by someone who sees value in us, even if the invitation is to help them move. Their valuing our strong biceps and back. Many times, I believe, somewhere in all of us, we all want to be part of something bigger than ourselves, but we don’t know how or we don’t feel included, or maybe sometimes we just don’t feel appreciated or wanted.

I can’t tell you how many times, I wished someone would have just invited me to something… but they never did. And How, those moments often felt lonely and I felt left out. But one thing I do know, that’s not Christianity. All throughout the gospels, we see this main thread of invitation to come and see, is constantly being extended to those being invited. And we see that in every moment this invitation is extended, it brings with it an opportunity for not only faith, but also opportunity for growth and relationship with those God brings into our life.

Today grab your Bible or Bible app and turn with me to Matthew chapter 28:1 Today we celebrate the day in which Death was Arrested. Today we celebrate the morning that the stone was rolled away and the morning that a vacancy sign was placed on the borrowed tomb. Just three days earlier the body of Jesus Christ had been placed in this tomb. The tomb had been sealed with an incredibly large stone, sealed by the Roman authorities and guarded.

Three days have passed since the burial and everything has changed. Everything has changed! And at the ore of this change, this, something different we find ourselves in the midst of yet, another invitation. At the core of every invitation we learn that… , “The most fulfilling journey begins with a simple invitation to come and see.”. After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.

6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” This is Matthew’s account of the resurrection. Mary and Mary, which sounds like some sort psychedelic 1970’s record album cover.

These two women were on their way to anoint the body of Jesus and found themselves before an angel on the morning of the resurrection. And, to their surprise, the angel extends a simple invitation to Mary and Mary… he says, Jesus is not here…come and see…. That’s the phrase I want to zero in on because it’s the phrase that sets in motion so many amazing moments of faith when we hear the invitation into this journey.

First, notice what the angel said, He simply said, come. To come means to move towards something. It’s like when my hunting dog Chester is out in the field, and I motion with my hand, palm open with the command to come, he knows that means to move towards me. But it’s more than just a command, he knows it means relationship and he comes with trust. It also means reward.

Often I reward this behavior with some sort of treat, or pet, or verbal reward, like good boy. "The truth is, without Chester making the decision to accept the invitation to approach, there would be no action.” And in our story, Mary and Mary could have ran away at that moment. But in this moment, Mary and Mary had courage. They heard the invitation and they took a chance to witness something amazing.

We find this truth to come and see all throughout the gospel when it comes to having faith. Faith is simply hearing the invitation to trust in Jesus, and then walking in His Presence. I wanna show you that this morning… First, turn with me to Matthew 4:19. Every one who would say they are followers of Jesus, begins faith like Peter and Andrew. Many times, we’re just living life. We’re working, taking care of our families, and going through real world problems.

Let’s just be reminded of that… just because this was back 2,000 years ago doesn’t mean the early disciples didn’t deal with hurt, or disappointment , or sin, or lack of love towards one another, or fear, or any other kind of emotion… And in this moment, Jesus calls out the early disciples to drop their everyday life and to come, follow him. Look, Jesus says,“Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” Here we find that word “come”.

It’s the same Greek word as with Mary and Mary.. it means Deu’te. To come, or to come now. It’s a word that invites the hearer to come near. Every person in faith is met with that same kind of invitation, to simply come near.. and to follow. Have you ever noticed that to follow doesn’t mean to be dragged? Right? Jesus isn’t chaining us to faith and dragging us. Why not instead of luring people, we allured them with authentic radical love and conversation.

Think about it, the early disciples, chose to drop their old life behind and follow Jesus freely. But What if they didn’t? What if, Peter in his arrogance said no, I have work to do? I don’t have time for you teacher.… I dunno what could of happened. I’m glad he decided to be in conversation, because otherwise there could have been no relationship, and there would be no 1st and 2nd Peter letters.

Before any great relationship can ever begin, it begins with being invited to and being willing to be in conversation. In Matthew 4:19, it represents a fresh start, a new beginning in life as a disciple of Jesus. For all of us, our faith began when we we’re willing to be in conversation. Through the Holy Spirit, and grace and by doing life with one another. Just being here today, in this congregation and listening online, you’re saying, I’m willing to be in the conversation.

Now, whether or not you respond that’s up to you. You see, "Invitations are more than just an offer, Invitations are a recognition of value and a call into intimacy. Can you imagine if you’ve never invited someone into your life? When Alicia and I began by calling one another, We both were looking for relationship. Then I invited her into marriage, I wanted to take this conversation into a relationship, and then 18 years we keep inviting each other every day in this amazing relationship we call life.

I can’t imagine doing life without her in it, and it has only deepened because we both desire to stay in the conversation with one another. Everyrtng we have experience in our 18 years of marriage, all began with the first invitation to come. What about you? Have you made that commitment yet? Have you looked at the brothers and sisters in this room right now, and made a commitment to invite them into a conversation?

No real relationship grows without a meaningful invitation to be in the conversation with one another. It’s the same with our faith. Have you ever felt a tug on your heart, calling you to something more, or even deeper? What’s holding you back? For us, we say that’s prevenient grace tugging on your heart to know Jesus. And You’ll never know Jesus if you’ve never responded to the initial invitation for conversation.

Now, maybe you’ve already accepted that invitation. You see, invitation not only leads us into conversation, but also into active participation. The second moment of "come" is found in Matthew 14:29. This was the moment Peter had decided to follow Jesus, and now his faith was being tested. The storm was raging all around him, and he sees a silloiute coming towards them, and he simply asked, “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” So Jesus says, Come,”.

There is that word again, Deu’te Jesus invites Peter to come out of the boat and to walk on water with him, and Peter responds in faith, stepping out of his comfort zone and onto the waves. This is where faith meets trust. This is a moment of testing and courage. This is a moment where, the ongoing conversation calls us beyond what we can understand. Think for moment, all the moments you know of in the Bible where it didn’t make sense, but by faith someone stepped out.

Moses leading people into the wilderness. What do we eat, what do we drink? Noah building a boat in the dessert… Being mocked and ridiculed by others. and now, Peter walking on water. Just as our initial decision to come and follow Jesus requires a commitment to growth and obedience, so too does our ongoing journey of faith present us with opportunities to step out of our comfort zones and deepen our trust in him.

The truth we learn is, “You cannot expect to walk on water if you're not willing to get out of the boat.” It takes risk.. Just like staying in the conversation when someone hurts you. You see, forgiveness is risky.. it’s risky because real Christ like forgiveness takes real Christ like love. it takes trust but it also leads us to see that it takes encouragement. and we should actively see that being lived out in our fellowship and community.

One thing, I think we forget about the story of Peter walking on water, is that teaches us that our faith is not a solitary journey, but rather one that is lived out in community with other believers. Because you see, th other disciples were there… Jesus was there… Yes Peter was the only one who stepped out, and many times that’s what you see in a Christian community…. We marvel at the one person stepping out…

It’s very rare to have a christian community in todays church, where every person is a step out to walk on water kind of faith. Max Lucado said, "We are not called to walk on water alone, but to walk with Jesus and with one another.” I want to remind you this easter season, that just like weddings, the invitation is to come celebrate with the groom and bride, but it’s also with those who were invited as well.

But the issue is, many times, we dont know the other guest. And many times, we’re int he same room where we’re hurt by others… How many times have you gone to a place where you’re invited and there’s someone who you don’t like is there?. You see, when we are invited into conversation, and into participation, were gonna get hurt by others sometimes. Ideas aren’t always going to be welcomed.

Words aren’t always going to be soothing and encouraging. We need to remember that Sometimes, not every person in church has sanctified thier our old life, and it rears it’s face sometimes and we say or do something that has the potential to hurt someone else. How do we handle those moments in community? Look with me in John chapter 21 at the next moment we see Jesus say, come. Peter, going through the heart ache of the crucifixion and death of Jesus while also knowing that he had denied Jesus.

He said he wouldn’t let Jesus die. But Jeuss died. he said he would go to death to protect Jesus… but instead, when the moment came, he denied Jesus and ran away. Once, confident Peter, in front of all of his friends was a fraud. He didn’t do what he said he was going to do. In that moment, to Peter, he failed, and I believe he felt that the relationship was broken…

not because of Jesus… but because he had failed to live up the kind of faith he was boasting about in front of the other disciples. Many times we do that in church. We try to dress Christian We speak the lingo, using words like blessed and holy. We act holy and loving. I wonder at times.. can there be Christians in churches today that boast a holy Christ driven life, but when others find out they aren’t living that life, can they become embarrassed?

What do we do in those moments? Do we, make fun of them? Do we, drive them away and cast them away? Do we, point our fingers and call them names, like your unchrist like, or your worthless.. NO! We invite them back into the conversation to seek out reconciliation. We bring them back into community with Jesus. James tells us that when a brother or sister begins to wonder from the truth, we’re to help turn them from thier error.

Peter leaves and He goes back fishing… he goes back into his old life. Now, watch what happens in John 21.. verse 7.. “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.” Peter doesn’t take any chances.

Two reminders here… First, The disciples that Jesus loved, which was John.. Peter wasn’t going to let John beat him to Jesus this time… And two, because Peter knew from times before that if it was Jesus on the shore… Jesus always invites others into restoration. And when Peter gets to shore, here’s Jesus’s invitation to all the disciples in verse 12…“Come and have breakfast.” In jewish culture, eating around a table was a significant part of their relationship with one another.

It is a sacred act of hospitality and it was seen as an opportunity for people to come together and build relationships. But it’s also an opportunity where everyone is equal and sharing a meal leads to those at the table to receive reconciliation. Peter needed it the most in that moment, but I am sure all of the disciples needed to be there. I love that thought.. think about it…

Not only did Peter need forgives and reconciliation But Jesus also brought all the disciples around that fire and offered them to come, and eat. From the first chapter, to the final chapter, we constantly see Jesus inviting guest, sinners and saints to the table of grace, and he shares a meal with them. It’s a simple invitation to come, and everyone who’s willing to come and sit, has received the same invitation to be near Jesus.

Just as Jesus restored fellowship with his disciples, we are called to seek reconciliation and forgiveness with others as well. The Apostle Paul wrote, "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” You see church: the reason , “The most fulfilling journey begins with a simple invitation to come and see.” Is because this simple invitation, to come, is what opens the door that leads us to Jesus.

It leads us from a simple conversation, into faithful participation, which involves daily reconciliation and it’s made available to you and me all because of the Resurrection. When Mary and Mary came to the tomb to hear the angel say, Come and See, he was inviting those two hurting hearts, into the conversation of seeing Jesus Glorified. He is not here! He, has risen…. He has risen indeed.

I want you to listen to your heart right now, and hear the words of Jesus saying to you, Come. Jesus says, time has come,” “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” He says: Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Every one of us, has a physical invitation in our hand, and every one of us is somewhere on this spectrum of faith.

We’re either, 1) Just first hearing Jesus saying come Follow, for the first time. To walk away from our old life, to leave it behind and to come, follow Jesus on this journey called, Faith. He’s calling you into a conversation… 2) or we’re hearing Jesus say, come, test your faith, Step out by faith. Step out of the comfort of the boat.. and let the circumstance your in, build character and endurance.

So that you can do even greater things. ”God is always more interested in our character than our comfort, and he will use the storms of life to shape us into the people he wants us to be." 3) or perhaps.. you need to hear Jesus say, Come, and eat and be reconciled. Many times, what we need to do is let go of our bitterness, our hate, or our pride, so that we can truly embrace Jesus….

Just remember, God’s grace is on display to His people through Jesus Christ. Jesus’s Grace always allows for a full embrace. When Christians truly embrace the Gospel – they begin to be Jesus to everyone everywhere! All these moments are readily made a reality because of the blood shed on the cross for you and me… The communion Supper, this table is a means of grace in which Christ is present by the Spirit.

It is to be received in reverent appreciation and gratefulness for the work of Christ. Church, All those who are truly repentant, forsaking their sins, and believing in Christ for salvation are invited to participate in the death and resurrection of Christ. We COME to the table that we may be renewed in life and salvation and be made one by the Spirit. The bread, is the reminder of the body broken for you and for me, The juice, is the reminder of the blood shed for the forgiveness of sins, for you and for me It’s all offered here by invitation, waiting for participation, asking if there needs to be reconciliation.

What will you do, with your invitation? It’s up to you…. Would you consider, like Mary and Mary, to COME AND SEE for yourself, what a life of resurrected faith is like? *

Formed by His Love

Let’s open our bibles to I John and find with me chapter 2. Last week I mentioned that we would be entering into a new chapter together and we began with a sermon called, How people change. The emphasis was on maturing as a Christian. A big part of maturing is getting more clarity on who you are and who you’re not. I would assume if anyone here is like me…

I have spent little time watching, and measuring and defining who I am. Most of my active life, is made through automatic life choices and many of those choices are ingrained into my life through habits. And, so I began asking myself this question… what makes me, me? What makes me do things even without knowing why I do them. Why, every time I eat dinner, that although I am right handed, I move my cup from the right side to the left as one of the first things I do when we begin to dig into the meal.

Just one aspect of a disciple of Jesus, that I believe is highly important for us, is that we learn to examine our lifestyles, and our habits and ask ourselves, why do I do the things I do? Is there anyone here that doesn’t want to be formed into the image of Christ? If it’s safe to say, we all want to be formed into the image of Christ, then how does that happen?

Last week we learned that God puts the Spirit of His son into our hearts, and the Spirit changes us from one degree of glory to another through faith. We also learned that Jesus used Rabbi methods to form the 12 disciples. That they were formed by His love, by His life and by his leadership. So this morning, we look at being formed by is his love. Next week is his life.

And the week after that, we’re gonna learn how to be formed by his leadership. Let’s read our Scripture in 1 John chapter 4. 16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. —1 John 4:16 CSB I want to focus on two words from this Scripture…

and it’s to know and to believe. Think about what that means when it comes to understanding those two words when it comes to intimacy and relationship. Knowing is the accumulation of knowledge about someone over time. It involves understanding their likes, dislikes, quirks, dreams, and fears. It means a state of being aware and informed. Believing, on the other hand, goes beyond knowing and accumulating knowledge about someone or something.

It involves trust and faith. Believing is accepting what you know. And there is one truth about both of these words… I can know something but yet, not believe it. Think of it like this… the enemy of our souls, Satan. He knows Jesus is king, but chooses not to believe it. He rejects that truth. And so, even in our lives we can know a lot about Jesus and still reject him because we don’t believe in HIm.

What we see is that there is a huge gap between what you know and what you believe. One of the greatest deceptions of the modern age is this belief that the only problem we have is a lack of knowledge. In today’s society we just assume that If we just get educated, we will change. And, I’m not sure if I believe that. I don’t believe we change through educational informational transfer.

I’m not against education. I’m not against obtaining a higher degree of knowledge, but I just don’t believe it’s the greatest avenue of change. And I don’t believe that because I know How I learn. I don’t learn in classrooms, I learn by touching, and doing and practicing and making mistakes and trying again. My personal learning isn’t about giving me things to know, and that knowledge changes my mind. A lot of people would say well, “change your mind and you will change your life.” I think that’s hogwash.

When was the last time you knew you shouldn’t do something but you did it anyway? Did you ask yourself why? Think about telling someone who’s homeless… if you would just change you mind you would change your life. So I want to ask… if changing your mind isn’t changing our life, then How many of us are still stuck with sinful habits? How many people are still stuck in shame and condemnation, even though we know all the right things, we still don’t do all the right things.

I think of Paul in Romans Paul says, I don’t realize what I’m doing. I don’t do what I want to do. Instead, I do what I hate. 16 I don’t do what I want to do, but I agree that God’s standards are good. 17 So I am no longer the one who is doing the things I hate, but sin that lives in me is doing them. DO you get what Paul is saying?

He’s saying, I know and realize this is bad, but I keep doing it? It’s the same with us, We know what is right. But perpetually we fail to do what is right. So what do we do? The answer is, meaningful discipleship with Jesus. I mentioned this last week, our desire is to change because that’s our life long purpose as disciples. Our framework for discipleship, our vision is that you and I would be changed more and more into the image of Christ, and as a church as the body of Christ together.

Paul says to the Corinthians, you’re living in the flesh, but The Spirit wants to Transform you, Change you into the likeness of Jesus. That’s the whole goal at our church. We don’t wanna just gather a bunch of people here in this sanctuary and be no more different than the paint on the walls of this church. So, why is this series important to us? My heart is that you and I will become loving disciples of Jesus that pursue life together so that we can be an impactful life saving force in our community, to lead people to Jesus and for them to become disciples themselves that lead others to Jesus.

And so the question is, how do we do that? Well first, we need to understand: That by default, “Our life is shaped by our love for the world.” Turn with me a couple chapters back to I John Chapter 2, can I get someone to read for us, verses 15-17. 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. 17 And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever. I’m reading book called, “you are what you love” by James KA Smith. It’s a great book and in this book he asked this really horrifying, but really helpful question, What if, instead of starting from the assumption that human beings are thinking.

We started from the conviction that human beings are first and foremost lovers? What if you were defined not by what you knew, but by what you desired? He goes on to say you are what you love, but here’s the scary part. You may not love what you desire. And so, There can be deep hidden desires within our heart that, at some time creep out and we go, I don’t love that, that’s not me, that’s not who I want to be.

How do we change that? How does one recalibrate and shorten this chasm between what I know and what I desire. Well the author suggest us to make careful but thoughtful examinations our hearts. Think of all the times the Bible speaks about our hearts. You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart. I have placed the Spirit of Christ in your heart who cries out, Abba Father.

David writes, Search my heart oh God. Thankfully we have the Bible, which is God’s word and we have prayer to guide us through this heart change. But even as important we have Spiritual formation, practical applications we can do together to recalibrate and shorten the chasm between our hearts and our minds. And that’s discipleship. By default, our life is shaped by our love for the world. It’s by default we love the world.

Remember in romans where Paul says I do the things I not want to do? IN the message version it says, “I know that all God’s commands are spiritual, but I’m not. Isn’t this also your experience?” Yes. I’m full of myself—after all, I’ve spent a long time in sin’s prison. Paul was admitting that his default was to be worldly, not spiritual. There’s this war between the flesh and the Spirit.

And he concludes with saying, Im so full of self, and why not? After all, I’ve spent a long time in sins prison. It’s this idea, just like prisoners who’s spent their entire life in prison, and has only known prison life, and then gets thrusted into the world that was far different than when they went into prison… and many times you hear these people talk about feelings of great isolation or depression because they’ve only come to know their old prison life.

And being free is more of a prison than prison. But John here, in first John is saying, By default, my life is shaped by our love for the world. And did you see John give three implications, or truths about this.. he said, Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and pride in ones possessions. What do these three things mean? Well first, lust of the flesh means this..

it’s our cravings in this world. This means it’s something that you just desire more than anything. Think of food. For example, as a human we have hunger. We all feel hunger. We all need that feeling of hunger to subside, because it’s uncomfortable to be hungry. Instead of eating something to care for our hunger, and finding satisfaction, like… I was hungry I ate this apple. It’s taking food and saying, no, it needs to meet all of my needs.

This is why we see gluttony and over eating… We see this in emotional eaters like myself. Eating has become a way of dealing with emotional pain. I mean, isn’t there anyone else who runs to food when their depressed? You see this in movies where they give the girl ice cream because she just had a huge breakup.. that kind of stuff. Does that make sense? So lust of the flesh is your body over desiring.

The second thing that he talks about is lust of the eyes. One way I would describe this is coveting. This is especially hard for us in the digital world, because it is so easy for us just to open the phone and immediately start coveting other people’s lives. And of course, on social media… no one shows the behind the scenes life. No one shows the unfiltered life. Lust of the eyes is coveting over things in the wrong way.

The last one is this, Pride in one’s possessions is comparing. We live our life just to compare. I see this in my life. Like, I want a different car. I have a nice car. I love our car, but man when I see someone with a car I really like, I want that car. Or a house. I see our house and it is not made for our family. We are a family of 5 with two dogs and a pigeon living in a house that is designed only for a family of 3 at the most.

And I see so many other peoples houses and how new or nice they are, or they have more room and I covet. I just think, oh, this would be amazing, but then you have to think, wow, Lord, I need to be grateful just where I’m at because this pride in one’s possession, it really sucks the life out of you. And everything becomes about this game. You crave, you crave things more than you need.

This truth is fleshed out in Genesis three with eve, Satan and the tree. “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food , and that it was pleasant to the eyes , and a tree to be desired to make one wise , she took of the fruit.” —Genesis 3:6 And so like we saw in the garden, John is saying, when we love the world, it leads to death.

When Adam and Eve sinned, it led to what? It led to death. What we see, when it comes to this world… it may look like a paradise, but because of sin it’s actually a parasite. It may seem like, Man If I get this, or I become this, or I have this, everything will be better. But just like how Eve was tricked into thinking that eating the fruit would be better, it led her and Adam into death.

That’s what parasites do. It’s lives in another, using up the nutrition of that species till it dies. Your heart is naturally bent towards love for the world that leads to destruction, and the world disguises itself as a paradise, but it’s ultimately, it’s a parasite. And so what do we do to reorient our life? We look to Jesus. We look to our savior. We need to be born of the Spirit.

First John, chapter four verse seven says, Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Right off the bat this language we read here is being born again language. When we are born again, we are born of the Spirit. Right? This is when you put your faith and trust in Jesus. Lets keep reading..

8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. What is atonement?

Simply, it’s being at one with Christ. Verse 11: 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is made complete in us. That’s a huge litmus test of your love… did you know that… think about it… This is the true test to see if the love of God has taken root in your heart.

No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us. And his love is made complete in us. What he is saying is that we present God by how we love. This is how we know that we remain. Or in other words or translations, how we abide. We remain in him and he in us. That’s verse 13… Verse 13, 13 This is how we know that we remain in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit.

Notice this mutual relationship he has given us of his spirit. Do we remain in our own power, as if our works count.. no! We remain only because the Spirit is in us… and we know from last week, it was the Spirit that forms us into the likeness of Jesus… Now lets read on… 14 And we have seen and we testify that the Father has sent his Son as the world’s Savior.

15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God—God remains in him and he in God. 16 And we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and the one who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him. This has been one of my deepest struggles I have always known as a Christian… My deepest struggle.. I am being way to open with you right now..

but I need you to witness the messiness of my struggles so you can realize that you are not alone in your struggles. Listen, God loves me, but my actions sometimes show that I’m still looking for love in all of the wrong places. That sounded like a country song. And I dunno about you, but sometimes I feel this falseness when I hear someone say, God loves you… God loves you…

and I’m like, I hear that all the time, but do you truly believe it… and sometimes it just feels like a cheap hallmark card, cuz sometimes, I’ve heard this a thousand times. Do you really mean what you just said? Or is it like the phrase we say all the time, I’ll pray for you but do we ever take the time to try pray for them. But the key word, is remain and that is where I want to end..

How does one remain? Well, R.C. Ryle explains it like this, “To abide in Christ means to keep up a habit of constant close communion with Him–to be always leaning on Him, resting on Him, pouring out our hearts to Him, and using Him as our Fountain of life and strength, as our chief Companion and best Friend. John 15:4 tells us: Remain in me, as I also remain in you.

No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. But an important part comes in verse 5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. “Apart from me,” Jesus says, “you have no power to do anything.” You cannot even rightly love each other as I command you to love, if you do not abide in me as I abide in my Father.

He’s reminding us, that You and I cannot be formed by His love, if the source of love is not in us. So how do we remain… We remain by abiding in Christ through daily and meaningful discipleship together. Right.. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God remains in us and his love is made complete in us. And one way we do that is through communion.

When we take communion, it symbolizes the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf. The wine and the bread in communion represent the blood and body of Jesus that was poured out and broken as a sacrifice for our gift of salvation. If you find yourself struggling to love someone… remember the sacrifice that Christ did upon calvary so that His love can be in us. Communion reminds us of where we were when we met Jesus.

We were living in the world and we were living as the world. We were living bound to our sins. We were living with the lust of the flesh, and the lust of our eyes and the pride of our life. But because we have been born again, Christ now lives in us. And his love is in us. When we take communion, it’s a time when we collectively reflect on the covenant that binds us together.

It’s also a time to individually reflect on the price Jesus paid for us to be in a relationship with Him. So as we pass the elements out, take a moment to ask God to search your heart. And what is one thing, you know you need to give up… and give it to Jesus. *

Approval

I want to invite you to open you bibles with me to Galatians chapter 1 We’re in a series called, “Pursuing Carrots.” The endless chase for more. And We’re examining, things in our life that we chase that do not bring us closer to God. Carrots are the things in our life that we chase and just when we think we’re gong to get it, its just out of our reach again, and we just keep pursuing these carrots that brings us no satisfaction.

And What we recognize is this: Life is full of endless lures. All around us are lures the world puts in our way or in front of us to say, come get this, go get that. And these lures lead us in these meaningless attempts to waste our time, money, resources, and even happiness. These things that we pursue never satisfy us, but we tend to fall for the carrot on a stick and chase after them, and sometimes we never realize how fruitless or vain our attempts are at trying to get that next thing.

Thus far we’ve heard about he carrot of Fame, Money and possessions and seeking the carrot of perfection. Today, I want to examine the carrot of seeking approval. Let’s begin by reading our Scripture. Galatians chapter 1. Galatians chapter 1… and look with me to verse 10. "10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Heavenly Father, guide our hearts to find our uttermost satisfaction in you, and in you alone.

How many of you might care too much about what others think? I know I do.. and I dunno about you, but even being honest in this moment I can sense even in my own heart, that I am worrying about what you thought about me caring to much about what you think. And what I’ve been learning about the approval carrot, is that it can very easily become an addiction.

Think about this, We all have a deep need to be liked, respected, admired and approved of. Everyone of us. And in our quest for this recognition, we often behave in a certain way to impress others and to win their appreciation, we even go as far as telling lies to gain the approval from others. Because when it comes to the feeling of rejection, I think we’re all willing to stretch the truth about our life so that we can make sure that we fit in.

We’ve seen this pattern emerge since birth. For instance, when it comes to pleasing others, and seeking acceptance, Many people-pleasers have grown up in environments where love and acceptance were conditional upon their ability to conform to other peoples expectations of them. I can remember when I was younger, around 10-12 years old, I used to go to work with my mom at the Jackson mill restaurant, and while she was waitressing there, I would walk across the street to the 4-H grounds and go over to the cattle barns in the fall and watch all the cows at the local cattle shows, and I recognized, that if I was kind, and hard working, and gave others respect, they would say kind things about me to my mother when they came over for a meal at the restaurant.

Ultimately, there was a desire for this external approval that I craved. It goes a lot deeper but there was this desperation for approval, and I became addicted to finding ways to find external approval from others. Author Harriet Braiker writes in her book “The disease to please,” that people-pleasing is a form of addiction. She writes, Just like a drug addict seeks drugs, people pleasers seek approval. So, theres a problem…

when this addiction of seeking approval settles into our life, and it becomes an ingrained habit, it opens up this avenue to live our life in fear and anxiety. And what we do is that we try to validate our lives through the approval we get from others. And heres three problem areas of those who seek approval from others… First, theres the obsession about what others think. Think of all the ways we obsess about what others think about us….

Do they like this outfit? Would they like my choice of music. What about how I live? Do they like my car and my home? What about social status? Do I fit in with them? Do I dress like them. Do I like what they like, and if I like something different, would they still accept me for me? Or willing to need to hide my true feelings about this kind of music.

What about our bodies? Would they like my hair if I did something different? Do I look fat in this outfit? I always cringe over this one because I struggle with that one. Now think about this. How much does the opinion of others influence what you do and what you say? And if something says something against or different what you believe, are you willing to hide or conceal it to fit in?

This moves us into the second issue with seeking approval and people pleasing. Another problem area for people pleasers is that People pleasers are often overly sensitive to criticism. Maybe you get some negative feedback from your boss, and now you want to quit. I’ve been there. I’ll never forget one of my reviews in the lab when we lived in Colorado and my boss brought me in for my yearly review and I know I worked more hours than anyone, I volunteered more than anyone to come into work, and made myself available to be a team player.

And in my review I felt I was going to get exceeded expectation. With that, you get a better raise. I had a family to support, Gabe was just a year old, Alicia was pregnant with Chloe, and I’m called into my managers office and she tells me all the things she loves about may work ethic and being a team player, and she’s so glad I was there and have made such great advances in growing as an employee, and the only negative remark she gave me was this…

that I was an over zealous worker. I was too gun ho about my job. I was too positive. And for that, instead of exceeding expectations, I got met expectations. That one negative remark made me feel like that all of my work, and sacrifice was worthless. Its amazing to me how we can get 100 positive encouragements from others, and compliments, but just one negative remark is the one that we tend to focus on.

This one criticism stems from a fear of being rejected. Thats the trap of this carrot of approval… thats the snare. That is how the carrot works… if 100% of people do not agree, like, love, approve… then I am a failure. I must have complete 100% approval from every one or else I’m a failure and I feel rejected. And Because we are overly sensitive to criticism… we tend avoid it.

We run from it or shut down or hide. And heres the thing.. Because we don’t want to listen to feedback from others, I believe we miss opportunities to grow and improve. The third problem area is this. Do you have an issue with saying no? This goes back to what other think of me… what would they say if I just said no. I don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings…

so I end up buying whatever someone is selling. We do this why, because we want people to like us. I think we have a hard time saying no because we seek affirmation, and acceptance. There are time where I dread saying yes, but at the same time I feel powerless when it comes to saying no. Everyday, in life, there are these endless errands, and demands from everything that demands from me to make a decision of either yes or no.

No one likes maybe. Ask any kid… can we go get ice cream.. maybe… that’s not an answer…. We want to know, is it a yes or no. Can you relate? I mean, think about seeking to be loved by others. Will they love me if I say no. If you really think about it, God says no to us all the time… does that mean God doesn’t love us? We know thats not true…

God is love, and sometimes, love is saying no to things that might not be good for us. Or even things that leads us into exhaustion. If this is you… having an issue saying no, being over sensitive to criticism, and obsessing what other people think… you might have the disease to please. Gods words says this in Proverbs 29, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” It’s a snare.

Fearing what other people think is a snare… do you know what a snare does? It traps. THat’s it purpose. Theres one commentary that says, that this verse means that it not only traps, but it’s like a ring in the nose and it leads. That its why you see rings in the noses of bulls. It’s a way to control the bull. This trap of fearing men… seeking the approval of others…

is like a hook through your nose leading you around. And although it may seem like a carrot.. its not, its actually a trap designed to lead you. But not just a Physical trap or an emotional trap.. but it’s also a Spiritual trap as well. Let’s look at what Paul said too us in our Scripture, "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God?

Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Paul here is addressing the people of Galatia who were deserting the gospel message of grace by faith alone, and not looking to our works to save us. They were leaving the truth about the gospel that Paul had left for them, and while he was gone, these false preachers were teaching doctrine contrary to what Paul had taught them.

Its a theme that we see repeated all throughout the book of Galatians. But here, this verse presents a choice. And the two choices you have comes from this one question, “who do you serve?” Theres a distinction between, living for the approval of others and living for the approval of God. Paul says here in the ending of verse 10, If I was trying to please others then I would not be a servant of Jesus.

Paul was showing you and me, that in this life of faith we have a choice. The choice is either pleasing others, or God. And in my opinion, we can choose to live as either servants or slaves. We either desire to serve God, or become slaves to the opinions of others. And I know, its a hard choice. Lets just be honest about it. Our whole life, even before Christ busted into the hardness of our heart and began to warm it with His grace, we lived for the approval of others.

Its totally easy to live today, tomorrow, and the next day and the next day constantly thinking about what others think of us, how others perceive us, try to gain a good standing with others. Following this carrot thinking that one day, we’ll get it.. like a hampseter on a wheel, thinking we’re going somewhere, and yet, never really getting anywhere. And heres the thing… Do we want to please people…

serve people, or do we want to serve God? That’s a hard question.. Are we not called to serve God and others????? we are!! It’s not that when we please God and we serve Jesus that we don’t care about others. We love others as ourselves. And we serve others. We lay down our lives for others. The Bible is very clear about calling us to do things in relationship to others, but its never for their approval.

Our love and service for others shouldn’t be so that they would like us, or approve us. We should never serve others so that they will think well of us. We serve others, because our approval and love is because we want to please God. But heres the truth of the choice we make that I mentioned earlier… When we seek the approval of others, over the approval of God, its a form of idolatry.

People pleasing is a form of idolatry… Idolatry is the worship, love, adoration of something other than the true God. When you love what others think about you more than what God thinks about you, it is Idolatry. Its self seeking. And think about this, why do Christians put more weight on the words of others and not on the words of God? I’ve been hurt by others and their words.

But I’ve also noticed that often times, I put more emphasis and stock into the words of what others say about me and think about me, than I do what Gods word says about me… We need two understand that BECOMING OBSESSED WITH WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT YOUISTHE FASTEST WAY TO FORGET ABOUT WHAT GOD THINKS ABOUT YOU. It’s true.. It’s like we take our eyes off of God, and we seek approval from others around us..

and often times.. they are not always very nice in what they say to us. God word says, Gods words says, I am Beloved. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:4-5). I’ve been told that I was messy, and dysfunctional, but Gods word says, I am a masterpiece.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). I’ve been told that I wasn’t a part of peoples life but God’s word says, I am chosen, and holy “For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight” (Ephesians 1:4). I’ve been told that people wold never forgive, me, but gods words says, I am forgiven.

“In him, Meaning Christ Jesus, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7). God’s words tells us that we are a new Creation. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). A find his word says, I am redeemed ”For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

There are times when I begin to feel down about myself.. or I begin to listen to what others say about me, and I’ll pull out my phone and open the Bible app and begin reading what God says about me.. I posted it on Facebook but a friend of mine taught me this… when I get overwhelmed by life… I like to do this.. I will take a deep breath and say, I am ok.

I am strong I am worthy I am loved And I love Jesus and he loves me. I am replacing lies with truth. Remember I said, that people pleasing and seeking approval isn’t just about an emotional issue, but a spiritual issue. The enemy of your soul wants nothing more than to ruin your identity in Christ. And the enemy will pull the same tactics the world pulls.. he will try to get your to believe things that are untrue about who you are in Christ.

Jesus went through the same issue. Did you know, the enemy did the same thing to Jesus that he does to us. Think about the baptism of Jesus. Turn with me to Luke chapter 3… and watch this.. Luke says in verse 22, And a voice came from heaven saying, You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased. Jesus is affirmed by the Father and given an identity.

You are my son, and I am please with you. Now, is Jesus going to seek to please there Father or the people? We see all throughout the scriptures that Jesus’s aim was to please the father. But think about how this is a Spiritual battle. Right after this happens in Luke chapter 3, Luke does what? Luke then gives the lineage of Jesus pointing to David, and Abraham and all the way to the first man, Adam.

Then the Holy Spirit leads him where? To the wilderness for the temptations. As soon as God affirms him, he goes out into the wilderness to be tested. And we know the three temptations of Jesus, but have you ever noticed that twice, the enemy tested Jesus identity in the father and belief of what the Father said to Jesus at his baptism? Look in chapter 4, and at verse 3…

The devil said to him, if you are the son of God. The enemy goes after his identity in the father. And he does it again in verse 9… if you are the son of GOd. Jesus was tempted to take his eyes off of what His father says about him, and believe the one who lies and aims to steel kill and Destry him. And if the Spiritual battle wasn’t bad enough, Jesus then goes home to Nazareth and is rejected.

Ask d what we learn is this, When you love what others think about you more than what God thinks and says about you, it’s Idolatry.b You’re making it about you. But when you learn and know what God says about you, it sets you free from the disease to please. And so, the choice is yours.. You have to decide what is more important today. God’s approval or man’s approval?

I want to challenge you to open your heart and talk with God. I challenge you to come and talk with God at the altar today… you know they say, the alter is where you get altered.. but its more than just that, its also a place where our hearts can surrender. I want to challenge you to leave behind the fear of what others think, and come embrace God’s approval.

Think about all the things that seeking the approval of others has done to you… Most often, wondering what other people think about us, keeps us from coming too the altar in fear of what they might think of us. In the past, how many times have you felt Gods presence tugging on your heart to go pray, but you were afraid of what others may think. What about raising your hands in Worhsip…

have you ever been in a moment of Worhsip and felt if you raised your hand, that others might think weird things of you??? Some of you have been worrying about what others think of you in Worhsip and you’ve struggled with surrender. Let’s stand, together. When you come to the altar, You are coming to talk to a God who loves you. He accepts you. He approves of you. Your worth isn’t based on what people think about you.

Your worth is based on what God thinks about you. Embrace it… receive it… believe it. And then walk in it.. Trust me,.. you cant please everyone, but you can please God. And because of Christ and what He did on the cross, you are approved of God. *

Comfort

I want to invite you to open your bibles with me to Philippians chapter 1. We’re in a series called, “Pursuing Carrots.” The endless chase for more. And We’re examining, things in our life that we chase that do not bring us closer to God. Carrots are the things in life that we chase and just when we think we’re gong to get it, its just out of our reach again, and we just keep pursuing these carrots that brings us no satisfaction.

Life is full of endless lures. Everyday we are being lured in by something with he notion that if we get it, if we can possess what it is that we are chasing, our life will be different. And most often, we think that if we get this one thing, my life will be better… and sometimes, sometimes, we do get it. But it never stops there, whatever it is that were chasing, often times when we get it, we want more.

And so, it becomes this trap.. or endless pursuit of trying to get more. Today, I want to explore a carrot called, “the carrot of comfort.” And let’s begin by reading our Scripture in Philippians chapter 1, and if you would, find verse 12 with me. I want you to know, brothers,1 that what has happened to me has really xserved to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard2 and yto all the rest that zmy imprisonment is for Christ.

14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold ato speak the word3 without fear. 15 bSome indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, cknowing that I am put here for dthe defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ eout of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.

18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that fthrough your prayers and gthe help of hthe Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope ithat I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full jcourage now as always Christ kwill be honored in my body, lwhether by life or by death.

21 For to me mto live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 nI am hard pressed between the two. My desire is oto depart and pbe with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

25 qConvinced of this, rI know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your sprogress and tjoy in the faith, 26 so that in me uyou may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again. 27 Only vlet your manner of life be wworthy4 of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you xthat you are standing firm in one spirit, with yone mind zstriving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents.

This is aa clear sign to them of their destruction, but bof your salvation, and that from God. 29 For cit has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also bsuffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same dconflict that eyou saw I had and now hear that I still have. Let me begin with this thought.. “We live in a culture that is deeply committed to finding, pursuing and yearning for comfort.” That’s what our culture says.

Get better things. Pursue the latest and newest possession. Build bigger homes. Find and work for the next vacation. Save and prepare for retirement, maximize safety but minimize the risk. Your life, and my life is constantly bombarded by this dream, and desire to pursue personal comfort in this life. So here is my first question. Does living and pursuing a Christ filled life lead to our ultimate comfort in this life?

That’s what I’m asking. Does being a Christian lead to an easy life? Paul, here, is telling the Philippians, that for every true christian, Jesus is your life. He’s your life. I wrote in my journal this week, I found a flaw in my own personal evangelism of the gospel. How many times have I said to someone, you’ve got to believe in Jesus. And I’ve received an answer, I do believe in Jesus.

It happened to me this week. I was speaking and sharing with someone the gospel, and asking this person about their faith in Christ, and they said they had a faith in a higher power. And I said, who’ve got to believe in Jesus. And they said, I do believe in him. And that was it.. I was satisfied. I walked away from that conversation believing that I had been successful in my witness..

but then I began to think of something…. There is a difference between believing, and surrendering. Believing is the first step. Acknowledging that Jesus is real. That’s one thing. It's not enough to just believe; your belief needs to take the next step of faithful surrender. Placing faith in Christ, isn’t just believing, but surrendering. For me, it began by surrendering my mind. Who is the way.. who is the truth, who is life…

Jesus. Jesus. Jesus. But then, what I thought of Christ began to permeate into the depths of my heart. Now, theres affection. My faith has gone from just believing in Christ, to living for Christ. To me thats seeing Christ as life. To go from believing to surrendering. Is to recognize and to receivcen life. That’s exactly what Paul is saying here. He says it in verse 21, “For me to live is Christ.” Think of all the things we find in our Scripture that supports this.

In verse 13 he says his imprisonment is for whom? It’s for Christ. In verses 15-18 he starts talking about people who are preaching Christ with different motives. But when we get to verse 18, Paul goes, what I focus on is the fact that Christ is being proclaimed. And I think thats so amazing. That although there can be people proclaiming a gospel with different motives, Paul sees through their motives and he finds Christ within it.

And he’s says, Christ is being proclaimed. That makes me happy. That makes me joyful. I rejoice in this because my hope is not to be ashamed about anything, but that Christ be honored in my life. In my body whether it be life or death. And he comes to this conclusion I think it’s in verse 21… where he goes, For me, TO LIVE IS CHRIST and to die is gain.

He’s Christ centered. In the suffering of his life. He’s Christ centered. In the Good times and the bad times. He's Christ centered. And this is so important for us to understand… This life of faith that we see in Pauls life to be able to see through the veil of just religious activity is a radically different Christianity than the one that is so often practiced in our culture—even in churches like ours.

Because comfort is such a highly treasured commodity of faith, it becomes hard for anyone to grasp the truth that faith might be uncomfortable at times. Faith often times requires us to see past the cloud of confusion and misrepresentation and see Christ above it all. Think of the dangers we have in this life when we pursue a carrot of comfort. What could prevent me from centering my life on Christ?

Perhaps… A good family life, good social status, nice house, nice car, nice job, nice vacations. And a good Retirment fund. All of these things are comforts that we pursue. One can have biblical knowledge and belief in Jesus. A person can show up to church on Sundays, as long as its convenient for them and they experience some sort of religious activities and maybe some hairs raise on their neck, or they get some melodious emotional experience during Worhsip, and partake in sacraments and worship and service.

All the good things of our faith. And yet still not have their life centered on Christ. Their mind can know, but there heart has yet to recognize the goodness of living a life of faith. Because what happens when suffering comes or one loses the comfort of any of those things mentioned earlier.. How would you respond if that was your story? You see, when we look at this Scripture of Pauls life…

and recognize that he has centered his life on Christ. What we notice is this… Suffering is the same gift as his faith. It’s like a coin. Faith and suffering are two sides of the same coin that has the same value. Whether a quarter lands on heads or tales it’s still a quarter. Whether we believe or suffer it’s still a part of our life of faith. Let me show you..

Look with me in verse 29. For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him,… Did you hear that first part, to believe in Him. I get that. I understand that. It’s a gift to believe in Christ. Think of what Paul tells the Ephesians. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

(Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV) Faith isn’t on our own works. Its a gift. To live for Christ, is a gift from God the Father. Paul, tells young Timothy, to fan this gift into flames. but Paul doesn’t just stop there.. he flips the coin. And he goes, but also to suffer for him. Like…What kind of gift is that? Have you ever received a gift that you didn’t want? Something you didn’t ask for?

Like a gift that was more exciting before opening it. You get the gift bag, you’re excited, you know theres a surprise in this bag, or this box.. you don’t know what is hidden behind the wrapping paper.. and you’re exited the wait of anticipation is giving you anxiety… and then you open it and its and its…. underwear. Or something you really didn’t want. And often, you’re kind of disheartened at first..

And then you act like its good. Oh gee.. thanks.. Imagine for a moment in your faith where you explain to someone the gospel. And you make an invitation and you go, believe in Christ. He loves you. He wants nothing but the best for you. He pursues you. He’s always there for you. And and saves you from all of your sin. if you come by faith right now… he comes into your heart and he lives in you..

He gives you the comforter to help you and guide you.. how does that sound? Will you put your faith in him.. Of course I would. I want the joy and peace and love that he offers. I want that gift. Even the gift of the church… I hear all the time, unity, and family and togetherness.. I need that.. I want that. But we have an issue. What happens when things go wrong?

What happens to belief when loss happens? When hardships come? What happens when the good things are taken away and left with nothing but pain? When we lose family. Or friends. Or possessions. We see our health going south and we’re praying for healing or a miracle? I’ll never forget when I loss my job in Colorado and I walked into our front door with a box of my office stuff and my wife breaking down and falling to the floor and crying.

Or the time when my step fathered passed and I made the trip back home to lay on the couch to hear listen my mother’s cries of deep anguish in her bedroom as she cried throughout the night. Often.. hurt happens and loss occurs and its not your fault. You didn’t do anything to cause it.. if anything you actually tried to prevent it. So heres a question for you and me..

Do you love Christ so much that to lose everything in order to be with Him would be gain for you? Wouldn’t that be a different way to live? Wouldn’t that be so totally different than what the world says how to live by faith? Because here is what happens… when hardships come, we have a tenancy to be impatient and run from our troubles. Seeking comfort tends to tell us to go the other way.

What if I said, theres a side to our faith where our troubles are where we find the strength that we pray for? In Colossians 1:11 Paul tells us this. He says “God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient.” How many of you would agree that you would struggle when it comes to taking risk?

I know I do.. I know as I get older the less risk I take. Because theres too much at stake. My life. My wife’s life and our kids life. Our friends. The relationships we have now. The comfort of our home and way of life. All of these things could change if I step out across this boundary of the unknown and make myself uncomfortable. But the truth is, God doesn’t call us to live the safest life possible’s, he calls us too push our boundaries.

He calls you and me, everyday to examine our boundaries that we have made to keep ourselves safe and he calls us to push through them with the strength that he gives to us through our faith. My favorite verse about this is Jesus in the garden. Where there was this boundary of should I go or not to the cross. Its really a boundary of comfort vs faith in his father and the calling of the Fathers will.

A boundary of will I pursue what I want vs what my father has called for me to do. And while in the garden he goes, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; No one chooses death. No one chooses to be in pain. But what if crossing that boundary means stepping into the opportunity to glorifying Christ even more? Or what if crossing that boundary means being closer to Christ?

Jesus is looking at this boundary and he’s got a choice. He’s not being forced to the cross. He’s looking at this boundary and going.. what is my Fathers will?. And I dunno… but I want to believe this is a moment where Paul gets his words, 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. The boundary that he is facing could lead to death.. but in the end, even in death, he’s pursuing God’s will.

He’s following Christ. He’s not defining what boundaries he chooses to live. He’s; choosing to face comfort and going, Yet, Not my will be done, but yours. Faith requires all of us to examine our boundaries. I want to end our time together by giving you three truths. First, Faith pushes against the boundary of fear by putting faith into action. Do you know the story of when Peter walks on water?

When Jesus walks on water and Peter sees him. Peter yells from the boat and he tests the other side of the boundary. He yells out, if it is you Lord, tell me to come. The waters were raging around him, they were in this small boat. And I believe in this moment Peter had a conflict of both fear and faith rising up within him, ultimate, faith caused him to step out of the boat and over the boundary of fear.

Now we know the story that he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink. But in the tight moment, Jesus grabs him and takes him to safety. Theres a swim test the navy seals perform. And its a test to see how long they can swim without getting air. And so, they know the average time for a person to swim without air..m there’s swimmers and divers in the water to help in cases of emergencies.

But these recruits for the navy seals are asked to swim and theres a certain distance they need to get to. If they pop the heads out of the water for air, they fail. This navy seal I spoke with said they look for the guys willing to go beyond their boundary of comfort and as they begin to reach the final wall to complete the task, usually many of them begin to drown and its there where they divers grab them and pull them up out of the water.

This navy seal said, they want to see how dedicated these men are. Are they truly willing to give up their life their team? He says, usually its fear of death that makes these recruits fail the test. So, One main boundary faith always comes up against is fear and we have to push through fear in order to follow Jesus. Secondly, Any faith step you take will be challenged. That’s a promise.

Faith is always challenged. When Peter steps out, it says in verse 30, “But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid.” Sometimes we can see through the boundary that were being called to cross and we can see every obstacle in our way. The key for us as it was for Peter, is to not allow outside challenges to diminish our faith or bring into doubt that God is able to do what He is calling us to do.

We need to remember that Faith begins with a promise. Think of the promise in the great commission that Jesus says, I will be with you. In every step we take towards Jesus, we are simply walking towards His fulfillment of a promise and a faith that says, God is with me. Lastly, doubts that come when we’re called to cross the boundaries of comfort must give way to worship.

Ultimately, Peter failed. But when Christ came, and the waves were calmed, and the wind died down, it says, they worshipped Him. We have to be at awe in the one who says, I will be withy you, and the one that calms the storms. If we are to follow Jesus and navigate the ups and downs of the faith journey, we have to become worshippers. Otherwise when it comes to hard seasons, we will have the tendency to step into the unknown in our own power.

Faith doesn’t grow under our own power. Its not just something we practice and get better at. Faith grows through the moments when we are put to the test and we cling to our Savior in worship and complete abandonment to all else. This morning I’m asking you to think about what boundaries have you placed in your life that prevents you from stepping out by faith? What challenges your peace?

What boundaries are in your way that prevents you from trusting in the prince of peace? *

Leadership

Let’s open our bibles together to John’s gospel and find chapter 8 with me. John Chapter 8, and we will be in verses 30-32. When you find John, Chapter 8, let’s have someone read it to us. Just let the group know what version you’re reading from, and let’s get a couple different versions read for these two verse. (Read John 8:30-32) Over the past few weeks there’s this main idea that I’ve been trying to nail down during our time together.

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? What does it mean to be formed into the image of Jesus as we carry the presence of Jesus? We’ve talked about habits. I mentioned that everyday there are hidden habits in our life that go unnoticed. We learned that, “By default, our life is shaped by our love for the world. And that our habits drive our everyday life, and everyday we have hidden habits that are not Christ like.

If you recall, I mentioned a few weeks before we began this new series, that typically we never notice the selfishness in our lives. It takes others in our life, through love, to notice and say to us, hey, what you’re doing is not Christlike. We examined how God calls us to be together in community and how our love for Jesus and love for one another gives us the grace we need to love one another in our faults.

Jesus does tell us that others will know that we are His disciples by the love we have for one another. Last week, we examined how in Galatians, we practice works of the flesh. And the difference between practicing the works of the flesh and abiding in Christ. Is that, Abiding is believing, and trusting, and delighting in, and resting, and receiving. Jesus is very clear, “If we are not united to the vine, nothing of any lasting value will ever come from us.

This week, I want to look at another angle of being formed into the likeness of Jesus in his leadership. And it’s through this word call narratives. “Narratives are the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of life.” Do you know what narratives are? Narratives in our life, are the driving story that gives us purpose direction and energy, especially in the face of opposition, pain and suffering. It’s human to say, “okay, suffering has come into my life.

What is the story behind this, why is this happening to me?” So, Narratives are our way to understand how this story of our life is understood. Our brains are hardwired for narrative. I read an article this week that showed how, at the most primal stages of human history, since we didn’t have fangs, or claws, or blinding speed, our advantage has always been our problem-solving ability and in particular, our ability to solve problems as a group.

Jut let me throw this in here as a rabbit trail… being together, and united together isn’t just some new age idea. People are designed to be together. I believe gathering together is Gods plan. And this article went on to talk about how, by us coming together, learning to communicate, and learning to tell stories, and learning to create these stories that we pass down from one generation to another, this ability to make a story stick in our minds, and the more it sticks the more durable it becomes.

So, essentially what it means is, our narrative, and the story we play out in our mind helps us make sense of life. And this is why someone who has a poor identity of themselves can be so easily be discouraged, while someone who’s more sure and confident can be encouraged to do things others wish they could. I think of my mom. For years, she told herself she couldn’t drive.

And over a course a 3- 5 years she went from driving longer distances, to driving shorter distances, to not driving at all. And all the time she would say, I can’t drive, I can’t drive… until my dad passed away. When he passed away, my mother was forced to drive. And now she drives because she changed her mind, she changed the story in her mind that went form I can’t, to, I can do this.

I often wonder how many of us live that way everyday in our faith? Trapped by the wrong truths in our minds, that we can’t do something? I wonder, How many times in our life, has our narrative been… I can’t. Or I don’t have this or that, so I can’t. Or I’ve never done it before, why change and do it differently now? Or how about this one, that’s not my gift.

How many of us miss out on God truly working in our lives, and God doing amazing things through us, because we have trained our narrative to say, I can’t do it that way. I’ve learned a lot of the time, we say I can’t, but actually what’s keeping us from experiencing God in other ways is simply because we say internally, I wont. Think about our Scripture today.. Jesus says to those who was believing in him, 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.

32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Here’s the thing about this Scripture….. these believers, believed. But they weren’t disciples. Do you know what the word, “truly” means? It means “really”. In other words, there are real and unreal disciples. It’s absolutely possible to be classified as a disciples of Jesus but yet not be a real disciple. How does that happen? How is that possible.

It’s having the outward appearance rather than in internal change. Remember last week, I said, the danger we find in many churches is the fact that the people who attend church are no different than the paint on the wall. That’s harsh thing to say, but true. We come too church, we love the worship, we love the building and how it looks, we love the message, we can even leave encouraged but not changed into the image of Christ.

We can live lives following Jesus, and then at the end of our life find that, that’s all we’ve done. Was follow him without surrendering to him. Right.. There are authentic and inauthentic disciples. There is discipleship that is merely outward, and discipleship that goes down to the root. The Bible tells us there is coming a great delusion in the world. Did you know that in the end times, there will be a great delusion in the world?

We're told in the word, that in the end of days, and in that age, there will be a system called the lie and a great delusion will sweep over the people of that generation. They will believe a lie and they will reject the truth. Many people believe we are living in that generation right now. Paul says, that as a part of sin in Romans 1, that the people of that day had changed the truth of God into a lie.

Paul also said in Romans, the first chapter, in the eighteenth verse, "who hold the truth in unrighteousness” In other words, you can know the truth and not live it. And the most scary part of that, is this… the bibles says, the wrath of God is against such people. Have you ever read this and asked, “Why did Jesus bring up this distinction?” He brought it up because of what we read in verse 30…

“As he was saying these things, many believed in him.” Think about it. As Jesus was teaching and healing, and debating with the pharisees, There had been a large response to what he was teaching. There was even a time where people go, He’s teaching like no other.. and with such power. Remember in Mark, Jesus comes into a synagogue, and casted out an unclean spirit, out of another person, and the people were astonished and said, he teaches with such authority.

The bibles says, At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee. Any time, you see a large response to anything, you know that there are some who’s being carried by the crowd. If your friends are going, it’s easy for you to go, even if you wouldn’t go on your own. You are along for the ride. Peer pressure isn’t just for drugs or booze… it can also happen in the christian world as a follower of Jesus.

What these verses, is showing is that not all belief is real. There narratives were skewed. You can say one thing and not totally believe it in your heart… you can think one thing, but it not be totally true in your life… And I can only guess.. here’s a danger… lean in… If that is true, the longer we let the wrong narrative, or the bad story stew, that we are followers and disciples of Jesus, but yet it brings about no change in our heart and our minds…

the harder it will to repent and walk in the Spirit. Hardness of heart comes by the way believing your story more than the gospel story. And I believe it's Because we’ve been deceived. People can go years!!!! Believing, attending, serving, giving to faith, and at the end find out they’ve been no different than the paint on the wall. I remember this week I watched a video of a preacher telling this story.

He painted the mental picture… he goes, , “Imagine you’re standing in a great crowd and by chance, somehow, Paul is standing beside you. And He’s there, and he goes, I’ve been beaten for my faith. I’ve been shipwrecked and had nothing but Christ to sustain me. I’ve been ridiculed, and made fun of. I’ve been imprisoned and hated. And then at the end of it all, I had the blessing of being martyred for my faith to bring much praise and glory to my Lord, Jesus Christ.

At the end of my life, I can say I have suffered for the glory of God. I’ve waited for this day for centuries… And then Paul looks to you and says, “tell me about your christian life…… What would you say? How would you answer that. One of the greatest blunders in todays Christianity is that we believe we’re only called to do something if I have the gifts. Look at me…

I can’t speak very well, I’m not some handsome George Clooney, that while I get older I get handsomer. I’m not rich. I don’t have a great mind like so many of my other pastor friends. I ask everyday, God why me? And his answer for the last 5 years has been… because you’re willing. Even when you’re ridiculed and criticized… your willing. Even when all the odds are against you, you’re willing.

Even when others desert you and you’re alone, you’re willing to trust and obey because you love me. The truth is, we live at the mercy of our narratives. Warren weirsbe says this. The worst bondage is the kind that the prisoner himself does not recognize. He thinks he is free, yet he is really a slave. The Pharisees and other religious leaders thought that they were free, but they were actually enslaved in terrible spiritual bondage to sin and Satan.

They would not face the truth, and yet it was the truth alone that could set them free. When it comes to our narratives, the danger is we never question what we believe. Maybe it’s because we get addicted to our comforts. Perhaps we get into a routine of tradition and we believe that it’s only to be this way, or that way. I remember a dear friend of mine once said to be in the front seat of his old pickup…

he goes, Matthew, If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. There’s more of Christ I want o have all that he’s willing to give to me.… and if you haven’t notices, God gives everything…… Maybe I need to let go of somethings so I can fully embrace all that he is. I tell you the truth, we can not be disciples of Jesus if we don’t examine the narratives in our lives with the truth of God’s word.

I spoke with a dear friend this week and here’s what they said to me… Matthew, Im afraid to study the word at times because I’m afraid I might learn something that goes against what I already believe. I said to them.. isn’t that what were called to do as a disciples? Read the Bible, read God’s truth, and perhaps see that we’re believing one thing, but actually the word says something different?

I can’t tell you how many times, I’ve read something in God's word and I actually closed my Bible because I was convicted. I’m learning in those times of when I’m convicted, to repent. Instead of closing the Bible, and closing myself off to the Spirit, I’m learning to open up my self and say, God examine me. And its rough at times. I’m scared. Do you know what I’m scared of…

Seeing the reflection of my life and it being not of Christ as I thought it was. I’m afraid that I don’t reflect the glory Christ. So here’s a question we have to ask ourself. What’s a false narrative we believe because of the enemy and what is the corresponding truth? How would you fight that false narrative? In my life I’ve learned that there is three narratives that we believe by default.

The first one is this… My hope is in what I can do. We actually, as people with sin masquerade this as freedom. We think true freedom is just doing what you want to do. Doesn’t matter if you claim that it’s truth or not. What we say is man, true freedom and true hope is doing what I want when I want to. The issue to this.. if you remember last week by default we indulge and practice in the works of the flesh.

And many times these practices go unchecked in our life. This is why I believe Jesus makes so much emphasis on this word abiding. We see it here in John, but we also see it when it comes to the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians. We make our faith about what we do, and not about why we do it, for who we do it for. Im sure you’ve heard me say, our faith should be more about being than doing.

I say being is greater because think about this.. doing relies on what I can accomplish. My own power, my own strength and provisions. Of course I can live an easy, faithful life if I’m never challenged in my faith. But being is interior. It’s abiding, it’s intimacy, and rest, and real life. Being relates to our character, how we make a life. Doing is more tangible. Being is more intangible – the kind of people we become on the inside, things that can’t be measured by awards and accolades.

Our hope needs to be in Jesus. His word. Where truth is found. The second default narrative that we believe is this: My hope is in what I can have. The world says, I can have whatever if I work hard for it. I can have anything if I sacrifice enough for it. Jesus say, what do you profit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? I’m not condemning working through hardships and working to make your life better.

What I’m saying is this… it’s easy, and often times natural for us to let go of Spiritual things for material things in our life. It was hard for Alicia and I to give up a 6 figure job for ministry. After praying together, God was callings into ministry, and in 2016 it was time to take this call serious. I can’t tell you how many times in my life, I had to let go of things that pulls me away from Jesus.

If I’m not aware, its easy to get caught up scrolling on my phone. It’s easy to pursue things I want rather than to save. But it’s not just material things.. it can also be other things we pursue. Like I said earlier, our comfort. Or prestige, or influence. The world constantly pulls us into this status game where we’re fighting people for status. But in the spiritual realm its not status we seek, but humility.

To be humble as servants, like Christ is humble. Our competition as chrsiitnas is to lower ourselves to serve others. Thirdly, My hope is in what others think of me. By far this is my hardest struggle in life. I’m a people pleaser and I deal with the pain of trying to please others. For those of us that struggle with what others think of us… we put our hope in performing for others because we think we need their approval and that narrative can lead to all sorts of destruction and hear me, we cannot be fully formed by Jesus if we believe any of these default narratives.

So right this down if you want.. The teachings of Jesus call us to redream our vision of reality. Being a disciple of Jesus calls for us to examine all of our natives and truths….. Look back in verse 31.. Jesus says, if you are really my disciples… you’ll do what…??? you will know the truth and it will set you free. Freedom comes not through the hope of what I can do, or have, or what others think of me…

its by abiding in Christ and knowing his word, and truth. And, so I ask this question again… who or what is forming you. Is your daily life forming you? Is the fact you can have the freedom to do what you want forming you? Think back to what Paul said to the Galatians… 3 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

What if a part of our formation as followers of Christ, was meant to be disciples of Christ together, as a church? learning together, and walking together? That’s the beauty of grace. In Christ, we no longer live at the mercy of the world’s narratives. We live in the grace of God’s truth. I want to live in God’s grace and I want to do it with those God has brought into my life and that’s all of you.

So, as we do every Sunday, as we get ready and prepare our hearts for communion… Let’s together ask ourselves this one underlining question… is there any hidden narratives in your life that prevents you from growing in Christ, and growing in grace? Think of it for a moment. Are you trapped by something that you’ve believed you’re whole life but is it truth? Does it exalt Christ, does it being you closer to Christ?

Pick out that one thing…. Now, ask yourself… What’s the lie beneath the thought, feeling, and/or sensation that reveals my false narrative? (If God has revealed something to you, are you brave enough to share it with the group so that we can pray for you together) - Mine is being a people pleaser, and basing my idinety on what others think of me. And then, ask, What’s the truth? The truth is, “The kind of people-pleasing that pleases God is not a self-serving need for love or approval.” I get that in Christ.

*

A Heart That is Clean

Let’s open up our bibles back to Joshua chapter 7. As you find Joshua Chapter 7, I’m gonna head over to Hosea to read our anchor point, and then I’ll join you in Joshua here in a moment. Today, is the final Sunday to our series called, Freed to Love. We’ve spent the last 5 weeks looking into the freely given and faithful love of God through the book of Hosea…

Last week we learned a little bit about the way God’s love is a radical love. Radical Love never forces itself on other, and it’s perseveres. He calls us into the wilderness not primary so that we will face hardships, but so the through the hardships and trials we go deeper in our relationship and intimacy. Today, I want finish our series by looking into the Joy of Radical Love. Let’s refresh ourselves with our Scripture in Hosea chapter 2, Let’s reread verse 14 but our message verse will come from verse 15 this morning.

“Therefore, I am going to persuade her, lead her to the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her. 15 There I will give her vineyards back to her and make the Valley of Achor into a gateway of hope. There she will respond as she did in the days of her youth, as in the day she came out of the land of Egypt.” Now, I’ll come over to you in Joshua because I want to talk a little bit about the valley of Achor and the gateway of Hope.

So, if your not familiar with what is being said here, “the valley of Achor will turn into a gateway of hope,” the story comes from Joshua chapter 7. The Israelites have just miraculously conquered Jericho. The walls have fallen down, and rehab, who had helped the spies, has been rewarded. The final verse in Chapter 6 says this: “And the Lord was with Joshua, and his fame spread throughout the land.” But there’s an issue.

Look with me in verse one of Chapter 7, “the Israelites, however, were unfaithful in regarding the things set apart for destruction.” Here’s this unfaithful thread that we’ve learned all throughout the book of Hosea, and we see it many many years before the time of Hosea, it’s weaved into Hosea’s generation and this thread even weaves itself all the way into our generation as well. Ecclesiastes teaches us: ”What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9, NIV) Unfaithfulness is not something new…

And it will do us well as Christ followers to understand that this thread is already weaved into our lives. It’s not an old world problem, it’s in the heart of every person and in every generation. So, If we read on in this verse one, we find out that this person named Achan from the tribe of Judah, took some of what was set apart, and the Lords anger burned against Israel.

But Joshua didn’t know this… In Joshua chapter 7, the story turns to the next battle on the scene which was against a town called AI, and when Joshua sends spies out to scout this town, they return and give the report that Joshua should only send a few warriors, because the town had only a few men. So Joshua, sends out about 3,000 men and they are humiliated as they are attacked and they turn to run and as they turn to run, the army of AI, cuts many of them down and chases them away.

Word gets back to the people and they immediately lose heart. In verse 6, Joshua tears his clothes, falls face down on the ground and says in verse 7, Oh Lord God, Why did you ever bring these people across the Jordan to hand us over to the Amorites for our destruction? If only we had been content to remain on the other side of the Jordan. Two truths about how attitudes are passed down through generations, First, Joshua is second guessing his leadership here.

He’s second guessing whether or not he’s followed the Lords command to cross the Jordan. It’s a part of this thread that’s weaved into our lives of unfaithfulness. The second truth, is this. You see this thread of unfaithfulness weaved down through the generation of those who died in the wilderness to the new generation who is now coming into the promise Land. The thread of unfaithfulness can be weaved into the next generation…It’s equivalent to when the Israelites in the wilderness would say, “Oh God, wouldn’t it be better to of died in Egypt, as slaves, around pots of meat, instead of starving and dehydrated in the wilderness.

So, God tells Joshua to get up, and instructs him to bring forward all the clans, and one by one, person by person, and they come to this guy named Achan. Joshua Asks Achan in verse 19, My Son, give glory to God, the God of Israel, and make a confession to him. Achan confesses, It’s true, I stole forbidden silver, and gold and a Babylonian cloak. Things that were to be destroyed and I stole them, and I have them in a hole in my tent.

So, the story ends with Achan, all of his family and all of thier belonging were brought up to this place called, the Vally of Achor, and they were stoned and burned. And this place called the valley of Achor is called the valley of Judgment. Now here’s the key, what we need to understand about this story, is that it was one person in the entire people of God, one person!

One person who had sinned! One person who was walking away from God… One person who was called out who disobeyed, and because of that one sin, Achan caused a whole nation to suffer because of it. So, Get the implication here… Because of this one person who had sinned, men died in battle, and a whole nation lost heart and suffered. What the Bible is teaching us here, very clearly, do not underestimate the effect, the impact of just one sin in our lives.

I believe this is why Solomon writes, "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Guard your heart…. Guard it… filter it… sieve it everyday… bring your heart before the judgment of God’s word. Don’t take sin lightly. Guard your heart. That’s faithful love… Faithful love is that radical love that desires to be clean. I thought about this question week…. Why would a Consecrated heart be so important to a Christ follower?

It’s important…Because… “A heart that isn’t clean, isn’t worth guarding. The heart that isn’t clean, isn’t a heart worth guarding. Think about it… what’s so special to a Christ follower that they live, everyday with an unfaithful, and unclean heart? Nothing, an unclean heart yields an unclean life. Can I ask you something that I have been personally praying? Is faith in Jesus strong enough to save even if someone goes about their life not loving others?

Is someone’s faith strong enough to allow their heart to stay unclean, towards loving others? At this moment, I don’t believe so. Because faith is only faith if it produces love in us and for others around us. Jesus tells us: What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, comes evil… An unclean heart creates negative emotions. An unclean heart yields broken relationships.

An unclean heart leads to sinful behavior. And to answer my question further… The greatest damage that an unclean heart does… and the Bible confirms it… is that it leads to Spiritual Separation. Isaiah writes: "But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear" When Jesus becomes most precious to us, we become more intentional about protecting our heart from anything that could hinder our relationship with Him, and we prioritize spending time in His presence.

And so, all through the Bible we see so many people, consecrating their hearts. Search my Heart Lord, Renew my heart Clean my heart. Give me a new heart… And what we find at the heart of all of this, is that the heart is the core centerpiece of our relationship. A clean heart also the key to holy living. Jesus tells us to love him with all of our heart…

that’s the seat of our affection and desire. And trust me, many times it needs to be consecrated and set apart for the Lord. Where can we find more about consecrating in the New Tenement? We find consecration in Romans 12:1-2. Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will." That’s a consecrated relationship. And in this relationship we find that consecration is the key to the gateway of hope that Hosea talks about. And this hope, leads us to joy. … Now, Joy is our topic here this morning.

How does Radial love produce joy? First, The gateway of Hope leads us to the rivers of Joy. That’s right… Joy is found when we cling to hope. Paul tells us, to “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Are you going through affliction? Then Paul tells us to book end our affliction with Joyful hope, and Faithful prayer. That means we book end our affliction with Jesus and relationship.

Think about it, when we’re in hard moments and we go into this moments with Jesus and prayer surrounding your affliction, the wilderness moment in your life becomes more about intimacy rather than hardships. Psalm 139:5 tells us that’s true… “You hem me in, behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.” When God says he has us hemmed in, it means he has us totally surrounded. And it’s not a hemming where you are trapped, and confined, but protected and directed by his hand.

What it means is that his anointing and presence is with us and protects us, when we are in hardships and in the wilderness. The message version, says, “take your everyday life, your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.” Take all of the affliction in your everyday life… and give it to God as an offering. Now here’s the issue.. its hard to do that..

Because sinful hearts desire and crave nothing but pig slop. Paul says: put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Hearts that are unguarded are covered in filth and selfishness and John tells us… THAT WE LOVE our pig slop of a heart!!! Isn’t that a parallel story to the prodigal son? He was literally in pig slop! And in a moment, the prodigal sons says, isn’t my fathers servants cared better than this…

I’ll return… I’ll humble myself… I’ll come back and present my lifestyle before my father in hope for something better than this pig slop that I am living in. And what does the father do! He celebrates! Ol’ big brother didn’t like it, but the father celebrates! the once wayward son, with the pig slop of a heart, now has a new and renewed heart… and the father runs and throws his precious cloak over the young son’s messy pig sloppiness, that indicates he’s been redeemed, and then the Father embraces his son……

And here is my favorite part from our Romans 12 Scripture..… Paul says in the message version, “Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” “Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.” The prodigal son made a decision….. he got tired of embracing his old life, and he remembered the days of his youth with his father, and chose to humble himself….and now, even though he’s still covered in pig slop he can embrace his father.

IN all honesty, I think there’s a lot of people still trying to embrace their way of life rather than embracing the giver of life. Listen, church,.. you can’t get a new heart and desire to go back to the pig slop kind of life. You see, when we embrace hope, we can endure any affliction…. Paul is saying… don’t be so caught up in what you think and want , or what your culture thinks you need, or what your generation thinks on how things should be…

Do you wanna know who I think the greatest generations is… the one who seeks Jesus and desires holiness. Listen to what Paul says, “You’ll be changed from the inside out. (Right… that’s transformation. Through consecration.… like Jesus said, What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, comes evil) The message version goes on and says: “Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it.

Unlike the culture around you, that is always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, and he develops deep wells of maturity in you.” DO you know what being joyful in hope means ? It means choosing to live by faith in every situation and in every moment, and trusting God because we’re confident that our hope in him is real, and it’s a living hope.

Joy is undeniably anchored in hope.. Joy has a name, and it’s Jesus. Secondly, how does joy continue? How do we see longevity in a hope filled joy? Well, Joy is sustained in our relationship to God’s word. Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." - John 15:11 (ESV) What’s “These things” he’s talking about?

The "things" that Jesus has spoken are the words of truth and wisdom that He has shared with His disciples. His words… right? John says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He’s talking about Jesus… the light that comes to earth, is Jesus. Joy sustains itself by being in the word because the word of God is a source of all truth, encouragement, and hope.

Being in our bibles, praying seeking, asking, loving, walking with Christ, walking with those around us… this, lifestyle sustains the joy we receive from our hope in him. And if something happens that test my anchor… stop testing it against preference, stop testing it against the worlds standards… test it against God’s word. Test it against the Love of Jesus. Trust me, when a christian loves like Jesus… they’ll stop trying to have it their way.

Joy it’s meant to be lived out in relationship. If people do not have God given joy, If there is no joy in a life of one who says they follow Christ… , my first question is to ask this… do they have Jesus in the first place? Does Jesus have their hearts, and then my second question… do they seek to do life with other Jesus believers who seek Jesus as well?

Remember, last week.. I said, holiness is about relationships. Holiness isn’t about enduring hardship as much as it’s about deepening relationships. It’s not hard to become holy. It’s easy… because it just requires one thing… humility. Remember in Chronicles.. 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

We think holiness is about longevity in doing something… it’s not. Holiness is the deepness of our relationship to Jesus. You can tell a whole lot about a persons deepness in Christ by whether or not, they are abiding in his word, or if they are… living in sin. In all honesty… “If sin is no longer sin, and we as a body no longer call out sin for what it is…

then we no longer need a Savior.” And that’s the third and final truth… Joy, that we have in Jesus… is never meant for us to keep to ourselves, but Joy is meant to be shared within the community. Paul says, "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep." - Romans 12:15 (ESV) Do you know the foundation of this Scripture… It simply means……… to be joyfully present. To be joyfully present.

You see, Joy is being selfless… Paul tells us just right before this, Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another… Ya know, this week, as I was praying the verse from Romans 12:12, I spent over two hours praying and sending out over 100 text messages to encourage people…

those I love and those that are hard to love. And you’d be surprised by how many did not text me back, and there were some that I was surprised who did text back, and I didn’t expect them to. But I didn’t do it for me.. I sent out those texts because I wanted people to know that there’s Joy in our hope in Jesus. And we’re to "Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.!

When we share joy with one another, we’re sharing Jesus with one another, and I promise you, this is always evident in our life….. A person who is a joyful sharer, is always a person who is generous carer. Every time… Christ anchored Joy will always produce generosity. Even to those who are never generous in return…. That’s a faithful love. A love that’s unconditional….And it’s a love that’s joy is anchored only in Jesus.

Abba Father, You’ve been so generous to me. You’ve sent the most generous gift to us in the way of your Son, Jesus. And by his blood we can be saved and set free from our sin. I thank you father, for this beautul message series on being freed in love. Over the course of the last 5 weeks, I’ve learned about your faithful love, I’ve learned that repentance is needed, or else you will take away the lamp stand of your light.

I’ve learned the forgiveness is key to relationships, and that your love is a radical love that draws me into intimacy…. And today, I am thankful to know that because of your generosity, I can be a man of joy. I pray Jesus, that you would teach these people what it’s like to live in your love. I pray that you will take their bitterness, and hurt, and their sin, and that you replace it with your radical love.

Create within all of us here Jesus, a body of joyful believers. Because joy is contagious, and we live in a World where joy is far and few in between. I know, I love you, Jesus. And I pray, that you May find a people, who will truly love you as well. Be our light, so that we can shine for you. In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

*

Treasuring Christ Together

I want to invite you to open you bibles with me to the book of Philippians. There is something I’d like to say this morning about this moment. Every Sunday, this will be our weekly invitation, to open our bibles together. Whether you bring a physical Bible, or you use an electronic device with a Bible app… every Sunday I will invite you to open the word with me. I believe there is something special, and unifying about coming to church, gathering with the body and opening up God’s word together.

And to do so with joy. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been praying over these three words…. Father, Lead us by your Spirit, to Treasure Christ Together. That’s my prayer for us. To be a body that treasures Christ together… and theres a reason why I pray that… I pray that because I believe in three words… Jesus… together.. for others. Those are three words that sum up my ministry.

Jesus… means holiness. We pursue it… we dig for it.. we strive for it… we desire it. Everyone of us.. seeks to surrender our lives to Christ. Together means we pursue discipleship. We learn together… Strive together, struggle together. For others…. Means mission. We’re missional people. Thats the Nazarene way. Holiness and discipleship always leads the believer into being missional. And so, when we focus on these three things, Jesus, together for others…

we become a body that treasures Christ together. Let’s read, Philippians chapter 3, starting in verse 10. “I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection.

But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things.

If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.” Philippians 3:10-16 NLT When it comes to treasuring Christ it begins with Pauls words in verse 10, “I want know Christ.” That's where treasuring Christ truly begins… but begins by knowing Jesus. That’s the pin that holds everything of our faith together…It’s an intimate pursuit to know Jesus, more and more each day.

I am telling you now… No one is going to grow in their knowledge of Christ if there is no change in them. To know Christ is to be changed. Or in other words, to be transformed. Paul had a change in his life. We also know that his heart had to change as well. And now, we are seeing him write to the Philippines encouraging them to put their faith in Christ.

And he tells them, I want to know Christ. I want to know HIm. Paul doesn’t say, “That I might know about Him,” but, “That I may know him” intimately. I day dream sometimes about meeting Jesus personally, face to face for the first time. And I often wonder, how sad will it be to meet and recognize Jesus but I do not know Him personally. How awkward it would be to speak Jesus, to read about Jesus, to tell others about Jesus…

but yet I dont know him personally myself. Have you ever had one of those moments when someone else called out your name and you were like… you look familiar, you sound familiar, but you begin to squint and yore like…. Do I know you? And many times if your as awkward as I am.. you kind of agree with them…. Ph hey… it’s.. you… Oh man, wow. It’s been so long I almost forgot about you…..

how’s… life? I have a feeling there’s going to be a lot of people disappointed when they meet Jesus for the first time face to face and go…. You seem familiar, but I just can’t put my finger on who you are. When I get to heaven, I want to meet someone face to face that I know heart to heart. Paul desired nothing else but to know Jesus personally. There’s a story about a pastor and a broadway actor.

They were at a place and both of them were asked to perform something. So after discussion between the pastor and the actor, it was decided that they wold both recite Psalm 23. The actor went first, and boy did he give them a great show. His voice raised and lowered at each opportune moment. He paused for effect and intensity at each jot and tiddle and comma and period. He brought the crowd into every word.

After he was done, the crowed cheered and waved and went crazy with excitement. Until…. The pastor, came up to the stage and recited the same Pslam. Pslam 23. At the end, the crowd was silent and in tears. You could hear a pin drop. Everyone who was cheering now, was sobbing. The rousing happy mood had be sucked out of the room as fast as if someone had popped a balloon and the air escaped immediately.

Some time had passed and A person came to the actor and asked, How come when you performed, the crowd cheered, but when the pastor received the Psalm, the people wept? The actor replied, I know Psalm 23 by memory, but the pastor knows the Shepard by heart. You see, Paul wanted to know Christ intimately. And He wasn’t just satisfied with knowing about Christ, he wanted Christ as his life.

Jesus changed Pauls perspective, Jesus changed Pauls thinking,… Jesus changed Paul from a persecutor with a past, to a instrument of salvation for others in the present and future. And not only that… He changed Pauls’s life so much that he no longer looked in the past for the answers, but he began to look forward to Christ. You see, church…. All Paul wanted, was to be satisfied in Jesus.… He tells us in verse 8, Surpassing value of knowing Christ…..

He goes on to say, I want to know Him, and be found “In Him.” He’s reminding those reading this letter, that he wants to treasure Jesus as the ultimate treasure of life. That is what I want… I want to know Jesus like that.. and I want to imitate and be like Paul, and to know Christ and to experience the mighty power that saved Him from the dead. I want to see that in those around me too.

Because as a Christian my whole faith falls apart if there is no salvation from death, and no eternity with God. There will be people who will know a whole lot about Jesus… but who also do not know him…. And this sets the tone for treasuring Christ together. Everything we are, and everything we do as a church all depends upon our decision on whether or not, we’re all going all in to know Christ.

But what does going all in look like? It looks like this this… Look with me in verse 12: 12: “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.” Philippians 3:12 NLT Did you hear what he just said… I’m not perfect… but I press on…

I can guarantee you I make mistakes… Just this morning… I made a mistake… I poured milk into my coffee and not creamer… When we arrived here the day before we moved things in… I made the mistake of turning the wrong way making our drive even longer to get to the parsonage to put the animals to bed. I make mistakes. We all do. The key to overcoming mistakes is this…

to not give up, find forgiveness thats offered thorough Christ, and to keep pressing on, in Him. My bibles in the CSB says, to make every effort…. Did you know that there are no permanent victories in life? There will never be a point in this life where you have totally arrived to total completion OF PERFECTION. And not only that, but One of the most disturbing lessons of life is to discover the illusion of arriving.

What does that mean when I say, the illusion of arriving. Arriving means you have set your goal and you accomplish it, you have achieved it, you have arrived at the intended goal and end. But that’s never the end? Because every time we arrive to the end of something, we find out that it’s never the end but the beginning to something new. Paul is saying, I have yet to achieve perfection, I haven’t even reached perfection..

but guess what. I still press on towards it. I make every effort to keep going. I wrote in my journal notes, “that to press on means that there is life. Because if you are pressing on, that means you are moving forward. life always moves forwards. Life never moves backwards. Life never stays put, life must and always moves forward.” And if there is life to press on, then that means there the probability for the need to expect change and growth in our Christian lives.

I’ve come to learn in ministry and in life in general, that I am constantly coming to a cross sections where when I arrive to a certain point, and when I am at these intersections for life and decision. That they are moments where I am born into a new direction, that brings new challenges and opportunities. These cross sections may be challenging and require us to make difficult decisions, but they also offer us the opportunity for growth and transformation.

If we would embrace these moments, I assure you, they can lead us down a path of growing in Christ together. I think of a caterpillar. Remember, God’s reflection is in his creation. He gives us glimpses of himself each and every day that he is king and that he is good and faithful. But a caterpillar comes to the end of the intersection and then metamorphoses into a butterfly. If we go up to a chrysalis and you see a butterfly struggling to get out, and you slit it open so the butterfly doesn’t struggle to free itself, There is a good chance that you killed that butterfly.

Because in the process of pushing and struggling, and in this process of adversity and moving forward, A chemical is made that fills the wings of the butterfly. If it doesn't struggle, this chemical doesn’t get made. You see, it’s not the end for the caterpillar, but a new beginning. The caterpillar presses on, and as long as there is life in it, it will continue to move forward. Just keep in mind when you go through hard situations..

theres always an opportunity to begin again. As long as theres life, there’s always an opportunity for new beginnings. Like the caterpillar, we need to learn to press on through adversity. Just remember, change leads us into adversity, and adversity enables growth. And since we are ;uprising to know Christ intimately, we know that wherever we arrive, it’s not the end, but the beginning for something new. Our victory’s in life are never our end, but they become our badges of faith that we get to show others in our new beginnings.

Don't stop growing… don't become complacent in your walk. Press on… Make every effort to keep moving on… and keep encouraging others around you to keep going. Do not let the past keep you from where GOd is leading you… Look with me in verse 13: “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,” Philippians 3:13 NLT If life is always moving forward, then we need to understand that anytime that we look back, we slow down, and the danger of slowing down is that we can become stagnate, apathetic and even comfortable where we are in our life.

It’s the same with running. If we are running in a race, and we begin to get fixed on what is behind us. You’re body needs to adjust to the direction that you’re looking. Have you ever drove your car, and you fixed on what was on the billboard, or the side of the road.. what happened? Well you begin to drift where you’re eyes are turned and focused on. Paul is reminding us that by looking back in the past, that is not where the goal is.

The goal to know and treasure Christ, and we see how Christ has worked in our past, and that should fuel our faith for the future. That is why we have this word nostalgia. Nostalgia is a sentimental longing or longing affection for the past. Nostalgia is not faith, but longing for the things of our past can become the enemy to our faith if we fixate on what we used to have, and not where God is trying to change and lead us towards.

And hear me when I say this.. Forgetting our past doesn't mean we forget the good and bad times we’ve shared with others, and where we used to be… it means we don't dwell on them or let them hold us back from moving forward in our journey with Christ. I believe we all need to learn to acknowledge and appreciate our past experiences, but even in appreciation of our past, it should never define our life or limit us in our pursuit of Christ.

If anything, we should be like Paul and say, that Christ is lifted in my weakness, and Christ is exalted in my shortcomings. That I am going to let go of my past so that that I can have open arms for what new God is leading me into for the future. When we let go of the past, we free ourselves to fully embrace the present and anticipate the future that God has in store for us.

That’s the truth for all of us… even those listening online… If we’re fixated on the past, we’re not going to be focused on the future, Because treasuring Christ together is looking forward to our hope in Christ, together. So how can we leave today with some practical things for our life when it comes to treasuring Christ…. Well for one: 1: Face your faults. Be honest about who you are and your walk with Christ.

Paul in verse 12 does this… He’s honest about his faults. He said, I haven’t achieved it yet, I’m not there. I don't have it all together.… Maybe there are some of you who feel that somehow you have arrived, or that you’re done or finished. That’s an illusion. Retirment doesn't mean you retire from faith. No, a growing Christian pressing on is never satisfied with his or her spiritual attainment.

If you’re growing in your faith, you’re never going to be satisfied where you are. Just don’t fall into the trap of putting your satisfaction into your past, even your eternal security of what you have attained in the present. Because what is the point of having security in your possessions if you’re never challenged to grow in your faith that God will provide? The bottom line is this.. Growth starts where pretense stops.

that means, growth begins when we’re honest where we are, and our need for Jesus every day, in every moment of our lives. 2: Forget your failures. Face your faults and forget your failures. You and I cannot live life looking over our shoulder at our past mistakes and our regrets. It’s one thing to recognize our faults, but it is another thing to be chained by our failures. Take your failures; bury them in the grave of God’s forgetfulness; ask God to forgive you;, seek to forgive those around you, and ask God to unchain you from things in your life where the failure hurts.

That’s the hardest part.. is to let go. Because there is always going to be people in your life who want you to remember that you’re a failure .Failure does not need not be final. The Apostle Paul had failed, but he said, “I forget those things which are behind.” That doesn’t mean that he was satisfied, but it does mean that he refused to be haunted by the ghost of guilt and shame.

He put that past in the grave of God’s forgetfulness. Failure is never final. Just remember this… , You always have the ability to begin, again. You will be given the ability to never give up, and to restart again. The question is, How different would that look, if you were truly a part of a church that instead of reminding others of their failures, that those who treasure Christ with you would pick you up and encouraged you to begin again….

Wouldn’t you say That’s living a sanctified life, that loves GOd and loves others? The bottom line: Your failures are events, not your identity. And thirdly: Focus your faith. Look with me real quick in Philippaisns 3:13: 3No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: If you mark in your Bible, underline that phrase, I focus on this one thing. This is a beautiful reminder with a laser beam focus.

Paul took everything in his life, and dropped it so that he can have this one life burning desire…to say, I do only this one thing and Look forward towards it. It being laser beamed focused. He’s looking ahead and focusing his life on this one thing… and I believing it came from verse 10… so that I may know Christ, intimately. If you are going to focus your faith.. you need to have a desire to narrow all of your interest, Jesus tells us in Matthew, that there are two paths to choose from in life: the wide gate that leads to destruction, and the narrow gate that leads to life.

To focus your faith means to narrow the things in your life that pull you from living Christ, and those around you. There needs to be discipline in our life, and when we narrow and become discipline, then set a direction forwards while not being fixated on the past. The bottom line is this.. Theres One aim, One game, and One name - Jesus” Face your faults: you’re not what you ought to be.

Forget your failures: God will forgive those failures. And then, focus your faith with, a desire, and a discipline, and a direction, where you say, “This one thing I do, no matter what the cost, my one aim, the one game and the one name I desire, is Jesus.” Could you do that.. If you willing to do that.. then I believe that we will be a church that treasures Christ, together.

Amen? Let us pray… *

Not Grow Weary

We’re continuing our series called, I will. Our purpose for this series is to learn how we together can be outward christians. W’ve talked about attitude. How our attitude drives our directions. We learned agouti worship being a daily part of our lives. We can worship in any situation and in any circumstance. We learned about being together. That we’re not only created for worship, but also to be a community.

And to be honest, I believe we are more like Jesus when we are together than when we are apart. He calls us to be the body, and not just any body, but His body, his manifest presence in us reaching though usand serving the world. Then we learned last week that generosity. is more than what we give, it’s a reflection of where our heart is. This week sermon kind of hits home for me.

It hits home because it’s about not growing weary. I love telling this story of when I was a kid around the age of 13 or so. And a friend and I were wanting to go to the pool but my mom was working and his mom said she wouldn’t drive us there. So we did what any 12-13 year old would do in the 90’s… we rode our bikes.

And of course we did so just as any young, thoughtless teenager would do. We rode them in the heat of the summer, in the heat of the day, up and down the Appalachian mountains, without thinking… that we would need something to drink. And when we got into the pool, it should have been absolutely obvious to us, that while we were swimming in a huge hole in the ground filled with nothing but crystal clear water, that at some point we would need water to drink to make it home.

But we didn’t think of that did we… all we could think about was the hot summer bakini girls. On the way home, guess what happened… we got thirsty and I mean we were needing water. So we made that side trip to my moms boyfriends farm, snuck over to the cattle barn, picked up the black hose laying in some sort of farm sludge and we began drowning ourselves in fresh and cool farm water.

When I had gotten home I slept for the rest of today because I was utterly, and totally weary from the entire day. Have you ever had a moment in your life where you just wanted to give up… to just lay down and find a place to sleep? Sometimes that’s a good thing right? Think of Isaac newton who took a nap under a tree and discovered gravity. What about our mental health?

Has these words ever crossed your mind? I don't know if I have what it takes. It's Hard. Life feels like it's caving in on me. I'm losing ground, or im losing my footing. I'm not sure if I'm the one Jesus has chosen for this task. I've messed up or I’ve made mistakes. I don't want to wait. There’s too many obstacles in my way. I'm different than everyone else.

They have better provisions than I have. Everyone and everything seems to be against me. The Bible is filled with Scripture on weariness and how we can overcome. One of those Scripture is found in Galatians chapter 6. Turn with me to Galatians chapter 6, and when you find it, Could I have someone read for our group, Galatians 6, verses 9 and 10. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” This morning I simply want to talk about three things… First, what the doing good is that Paul speaks of. We will explore why one might grow weary in doing good and then we’ll look at looking up.. what happen when we get weary, where do we look for rest?

And lastly, the promise for those who don’t lose heart for us to live out our calling. The first thing we learn is this.. what is “doing good?” Paul write, Let us not grow weary of doing good? Obviously, Paul has never served in a position like VBS, because if doing good, he means to do good things like serving, then I dunno about anyone else, but by day two of VBS.

I’m already wishing it was over because I’m already exhausted. It’s easy to grow weary when we give and give and give. But Paul addresses this text to the churches at Galatia so I think it’s easy to see that the doing good that Paul speaks of is that which believers do. And this doing good is the work we have before us as a church. So what is this doing good as believers—as a church?

Well, if he means by the believers of the church I think in part, this doing is what? It’s preaching and teaching the word of God? Think of it like this.. in Jesus’s command to go and make disciples. How are disciples made? Well, I think it begins with sharing the gospel. Isn’t that what Paul and the early christians did when 3,000 people came to faith? Paul gave the word, he preached Jesus crucified, and resurrected.

People heard the word and responded. And then what did they do? They devoted themselves to the teaching. Why is that important? It’s important because what forms you is what conforms yours actions. And what conforms you, is what you teach. Whether by word or action. Think of what Paul said to young Timothy… Paul said, Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

2 Timothy 4:2 Teach it. Whether it’s welcomed or not. And do it with what? Paul says, with Great patience. Other translations say, with “great suffering.” When was the last time you had to suffer under the weight of the gospel? Let me just say, who have you taught the word this week? How many people have you shared Jesus with this week? One of the saddest phrases I’ve ever heard a pastor make a remark one time when he was asking for help, was that this pastor testified that they were in a board meeting and one of thier board members said, “We pay you to do the things we don’t want to do, and the things we don’t have time for.” When did the church become just one person?

When did the church become so comfortable that we would rely on other people, or paid people to love, and serve, and give, and be Christ to others? Isn’t it our task, as a christian body to carry and to give the gospel. At all cost? What does it mean at all cost? Could it mean that my way of life is interrupted to make sure my neighbors know Jesus? I believe that the highest form of doing good is to teach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And my heart, is to see the lost come know Jesus. There must also be evidence of our love for people in the way we live among them. Have you ever heard, there’s proof in the pudding. Do you know what that means? It’s an expression that means the value, quality, or truth of something must be judged based on direct experience with it—or on its results. And when it comes to the gospel and loving others, our proof is what?

The transformation of our lives from death to life, because of the gospel message that Jesus lives! What’s our proof in the pudding for us when it comes to loving people… well’ its Loving people where they are, as they are. In the fire company people will be different around me. And I tell them all the time, just be you. Because if you can be your real self around me and I can see where you are, because I know its more work to lead someone that is trying to be something they are not, than someone who’s being true to themselves.

And as Christians, with Jesus in us, We certainly don’t want them to stay the way they are but desire to see God’s work in the lives of those we minister to, is a changing work. Listen, The Spirit of God will do the changing. We are to teach and love and let God do His changing work. And that is certainly doing good. But lets ask this… how does that become wearisome?

If doing good is preaching and living out the gospel, how does that become wearisome? Well, think of Pauls words to Timothy… Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 He said correct, rebuke and encourage. I dunno about you, but it’s easy to correct those who are easy to correct. It’s easy to rebuke those willing to be repent full.

It’s simple to encourage those who love us in return. But have you tried correcting someone who full of themselves. Have you tried rebuking someone who hasn’t repetend since forever ago. I mean I know people that have never said sorry to me. And if I would rebuke them in some way… they would turn mean on me. Or, how about this… how hard is it to encourage someone hurting you?

To love on someone that doenst love you back. Paul is telling Timothy, there will be times of good and joy, and times of difficulty, but don’t lose heart… care for them with great patience. But it kills us doesn’t it. When someone is against us, it’s hard to make forward progress when there are people anchoring to tradition, or the past, or things that are no longer relevant. It’s hard ot move forward when there’s more people punching holes in the boat than grabbing an oar and helping move the ship forward.

Many times we find ourselves under criticism. A lot of times, may lack support from others in this doing good. And there’s a danger when those moments happen… We could fall into the trap of just going through the motions—it’s no longer a work of love—we no longer have a vision for the harvest that lies ahead. Think of what Paul says to the Phillipians… for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

(Philippians 2:13) It doesn’t say, For God works in me, for my strength to will and do… but His strength. We may be tempted to do the good work in our own strength, without complete reliance on God for strength and wisdom to do the work. And we may be doing good without the faith that God will do His changing work in others—so we’re prone to try to push people in the direction we think is best and we meet resistance.

Have you ever been impatient? A lot of the times we grow impatient because the fruit of our labors is usually not immediate. Thats how we grow weary, growing weary is us stepping outside of Gods will and God’s plan and trying to do the work he calls us into, through our own strength. And it’s so easy to get ahead or behind God. So what does God call us to do in this moments…

He calls us to not give up, but to look up. Paul tells the Galatians what? He said, don’t give up. He’s saying, Don’t lose heart. When things are challenging or trying, guess what is there.. the temptation is always there to give up. How many times have you’ve fund it easier to give up than tops through.. I can t be the only one that finds it easier to give in than t give up…

BUt here’s a even piercing question…. Is there anything in our life that we live in where we’ve given up and it’s take root and control over our lives? Unforgivenss… It’s easier to walk away and give up on others. What about sins in our life that we know are wrong but yet we still let them control our lives? Should we not plead the blood of Jesus upon those strongholds in our life?

What about the local church? Can there be anything in the church where we lose sight of being the church? When it comes to the good work of the church there is always a temptation to give up because the fruit—the harvest—is usually not immediate. But listen to Paul’s word in 1 Corinthians 15:58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

How many time have we felt quitting was the best answer? Better yet, are there any moments in any part of your life where you said, I’m glad I haven’t quit yet. I read an article the other day with the heading, I’m glad I haven’t hit my goals yet.” I was like, what’s that all about…. They wrote, “When you have a goal, you’ve got a flame refusing to be extinguished inside.” They go on to talk about how this flame fuels this one word…

anticipation. It’s to live with expectation. How many times we know God has called us, and we work, and we try, and we sweat, and we cry all to get to a point and go… I’, done. And we quit. And then what happens… in our weariness we get what… hard on ourselves. We lose our drive. We lose our passion that we once had. This is why I’m so passionate about this unity in community’s and togetherness …

think of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” What should we do when others aren’t encouraging us? Well we look up, we look to Jesus. Right? Hebrews 10 tell us: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Jesus is always faithful. When we look to Jesus, we know he is faithful.

And when we can live in his faithfulness, we learn we can live in his rest as well. Jesus does tell us to come to him those who are weary. He tells us that his heart is one of humility and tenderness. And when we find rest in Him, we can begin to live up to our calling. You see, when it comes to weariness… rest is our foundation. Think of the genesis account…

In Genesis, God created man during the sixth day of the creation story, and on the seventh day God rested. Have you ever noticed that mankind first day on earth began on God’s day of rest? And so what we learn in these moments of rest is this.. Rest becomes the foundation, not the reward. Rest was the place from which all work would start. God’s rhythm of living includes working from a place of rest.

It begins in communion with Him. And after spending time with Him, we leave empowered to do the work we are called to do. How may of us try to work without God time? How may of us try to love others without first letting God love us. So many people aren’t spending time with the Lord, and then wondering why they always feel like falling. Or their tired. Work is valuable, but rest is equally valuable.

It is by definition restorative What I’m trying to say is this… it’s from this place of rest that we live out our calling as Christians… but so many people forget to look up, before they try to live out and they find themselves overwhelmed. Listen, We may not be all we could be as a church but we must not give up, but look up to God and live up His calling.

The good work you do for the Lord right now may be tiresome and difficult but don’t give up—look up to God and live up to His calling. Live anticipating. Live with a fire in your soul. Live expecting God to be in control… Think about this, and then Im done… Long-distance swimming was not new to her; she had been the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions.

The challenge that day was not so much the distance, but the bone-chilling waters of the Pacific. Making things more difficult a dense fog had fallen over the entire area and was so thick she could hardly see the boats in front of and behind her. The boats were there to help keep her on course and to keep the sharks away. Her mother was in the front boat; her trainer was in the back boat with a few others.

She swam on and on never seeing further than the boat ahead. She began to complain about the water—she wanted to get out. Her mother cheered her on—she swam a little further and then she said she was done. Her trainer cheered her on but she insisted she was done. After about 15 chilling hours in the water Chadwick gave up only to discover a few minutes later that she had quit within a half mile of her goal.

Later she told a reporter, “If I could have seen land, I might have made it.” In 1952 she attempted the feat again. Once more a misty veil obscured the coastline and she couldn’t see the shore. But this time she made it because she kept reminding herself that land was there. With that confidence she bravely swam on and achieved her goal. In fact, she broke the men’s record by 2 hours!

(Bible.org) I promise you all… Land is just ahead. The harvest is just ahead. Don’t give up. Sow the seed, press on, keep doing the good work. You don’t serve men—you serve the King! And as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6 – I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. God has sent you and me out to plant the seeds. This year for us is the year of prepare.

And we have just four more months of it left. And I Just want to say some encouraging words to you that I will share with you for the first time… No one has heard it yet, I haven’t said anything yet… but just last month I bleive the word for us next year is produce. I dont know what means… but if we faithful to plant this year.. I beleive God will be faithful to grow and bring the harvest.

There will be a harvest in His time. God will give the increase. And so I finish with this… let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. F*

Together in Groups

Let’s open our bibles to Matthew chapter 4. We’re actually going to be moving around in the Bible as we look at a what together in groups means to us at momentum church. We’re called to be together. Do you remember what unity means? Unity is when we as a group make a conscience decision and a covenant to love and to live for one another in Jesus Christ. So what does it look like to be together in groups?

Let’s start with our Scripture. You should have your bibles open to Matthew 4. Here’s some context. Jesus was isolated in the wilderness for 40 days. If you remember last week I said there is good isolation. But we’re never meant to be complete isolated off from others. And if there’s one thing we learn from isolation and being alone, is that it can cause moments where we have our greatest spiritual battles against the enemy of our souls.

But after this isolation in the wilderness, what does Jesus do? He begins to build his community and he does that by calling the disciples. Let’s look at it in Matthew, 4 verse 18. 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.

Jesus, the teacher, the rabbi just gave them an offer of the lifetime. He’s saying, come follow me. That was every jewish boys dream. It was such a great honor to have a rabbi say, follow me. At 12 or 13, the boys transitioned into a new way of life. Either a rabbi would say, follow me, or they would be sent back home to learn the family trade. And I dunno about you, but if I put myself in the shoes of these young kids, I would feel discouraged.

What if I really wanted to be my rabbi’s disciple but I didn’t get picked so I had to mend fishing nets, and fish for stinky fish, and be smelly, cold, and wet all the time to make a living. Fishing is great when it’s leisure, but so much when it becomes your bread and butter. But here’s the encouragement that I get from this moment… when Jesus tells Peter and Andrew, and James and John, to, follow me.

Jesus is saying to them.. I have a new way of life for you. Drop everything you’re doing and follow me. I think about that.. and I go… wow.. isn’t that my life? I’ve given a lot up to follow Jesus and to pursue the calling he has on my life. And did you notice this.. he didn’t call the most choice of people. I would even go as far as to say they were ordinary men.

It’s almost like entrepreneurs hearing this call, start this new thing with me. We’re gonna change the world. And that’s what he’s telling these disciples. That’s what I wanna do with my life, whatever this is, I have Jesus and others and I want to do whatever it is you’re calling me into. Like, Jesus….. You’re calling me to be your disciple. I’m in.. I’ll do it. That’s what’s also pretty incredible about this passage, Jesus is picking his disciples.

And he picks the most random ordinary people. People just like you and me. Hoagie slingers. Cleaning people. Factory workers. High schoolers. House wife's. Retirees. Ordinary people.. Jesus is saying, come, follow me, be my disciple. If you’re a christian that’s why your here today. And of course, they do what? They followed him. They dropped everything and followed him. And I pray that we we would do the same. Become a disciple.

So what’s the first step in this process… well it’s proximity. These disciples got close. They gathered. They surrounded Jesus. And for me, just know, he didn’t pick the best crew. He didn’t pick all these people that fits his personality. He picked a bunch of rag tag group of disciples, and that’s what where we are as a church. Ordinary people hearing Jesus saying, come follow me. We’re all living different stages of life, but we just need to be in proximity with each other.

Let me prove this to you. All throughout the gospel of Matthew Peter would continually have rage issues. If you have watched the Chosen it’s very evident in season 1 and 2 that there is abrasion between Matthew and Peter. John poke fun at Peter as well… remember, John puts in his gospel that he beats Peter in a. Foot race, and not only that but emphasis that he is the disciples that Jesus loves.

Peter is over here mouthing off, chopping of other peoples ears. He’s worried about what other people think of him… he sounds like me. Andrew, is doubting. James and John are called the sons of thunder not because of farting… but Jesus is saying, guys.. you got rage issues. You should be like me, humble in heart, and gentle, but you’re thundering all the time. And so, they have problems. They fear.

They question. They fail. And so hear me… when it comes to community life.. Jesus isn’t looking for maturity. He was looking for availability. Do you want Jesus to use you in your life? Then get in proximity of Jesus and others and make yourself available. So many people say, man, I don’t have any friends. Do you even show up? I’ve heard it so many times.. I wish I had friends…

where were you when others gathered? I’m struggling with my faith. Where are you when the church gathers? Get in the proximity of others. I’m an introvert. I get it. It’s harder for you. But find a way. Find a way… I know it’s hard.. but trust me it’s important so that your faith can grow…. How do I know that.. Well that leads me to the next part of community.

Look with me in chapter 8 and find verse 23.. 23 Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. 24 Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26 He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.

27 The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” The disciples get in proximity of one another and Jesus and follow Jesus into a boat. What happens? A storm comes. Right? Think about it. As soon as they get together, and you find in chapter 8, a man is cleansed, they witness the faith of a Centurion, there’s healings at Capernaum, Jesus talks about the cost of following him, and then leads his disciples into a storm.

Can I Just ask… when we gather at church do you think we’ll never experience storms together? You and I know that’s not true. We have storms of misunderstanding. We will experience storms of being let down by someone. We will face the storm of hardships with money, and things breaking, and people leaving. And how many times, does it feel like we follow Jesus in a calling, or in anything…

and all of a sudden we get into a storm and we run to Jesus, just to feel like Jesus is just sleeping? Like, where are you Jesus in this storm? Are you not seeing this Jesus? How many times does it seem like when we go through storms, God is asleep? Where are you God? I’m here. You told me to be here. God, I’m here only because I followed you, I was led but he Spirit to be here.

And now I feel like you’re nowhere at all. This is what I’ve leaned about faith. There’s going to be many times, God doesn’t fix the problem I am in until I have deeply felt the depth of the problem and until I’ve really come know how much I need Jesus in the situation. God brings us into the storm to help us realize how much we need Jesus. And so here is what I believe God is doing among our storms and within a community of followers.

I believe the next step after proximity, is that he is calling his community to vulnerability. The issue we have many times is that.. we tend to privatize vulnerability in our lives. We’re afraid to cry in front of others. We’re afraid to show emotion, and we’re afraid to make mistakes or ask questions. And many times, we’re afraid because we’re worried about what others would say, or think about us being vulnerable.

When a community sweats together, and is scared together, and gets hurt together, that vulnerability creates a deeper intimacy of friendship. You find this true many times in war. Men who fight for thier life together, in the trenches together, trying to stay alive together,… it creates this bond between them. A flowing and growing Jesus community requires vulnerability… and that’s why I said earlier… if you’re an introvert. Make a way to be vulnerable, not distant and unapproachable.

Really it’s trusting Jesus, and for you introverts, what a beautiful opportunity to trust Jesus to guide you, while strengthening you. That’s two parts of community, the third part comes from Matthew chapter chapter nine, so turn with me there. So look at this progression in Matthew. Jesus calls some of the disciples, and they are following him, the get in proximity to Jesus. Jesus then takes his disciples onto a boat and they just go through a major hardship.

They face vulnerability together. But now, Jesus is about to rock the boat some more. What does Jesus do in Matthew chapter 9… he calls Matthew the tax collector. This is insane. A tax collector? Now to be disciple of Jesus? I can only imagine Peter… Jesus. Are you sure? That guy! Know one likes tax collectors. They not only betray thier own people, but also GOd. But yet Jesus still calls Matthew to follow him.

Let’s watch it together. What we learn about community through the calling of Matthew is this… A community of disciples learn to practice together. After Jesus’s isolation in the wilderness. What does Jesus do? He preaches the best sermon ever… the Beatitudes. Fast forward and what do we see, Jesus has assembled this pool of messy, messed up and broken disciples, and he brings them within proximity of one another, to where you can only imagine this is going to not only cause internal abrasion, but also external with the pharisees, and he begins to teach them to practice what he preaches.

Think about it. The beatitudes. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. And now, around a table. Where the jewish people believe is one of the most intimate things you can do, which is bring people around a table where forginvess is offered, and friendship and community. He says, not with words, but by his actions, you, as my disciples must live this way.

Like me. What he is teaching his disciples is this… They were learning to practice hospitality. They were learning to forgive, to listen, to serve. They were leaning to love on the least of these. The outcast, the forgotten, the invisible people. Even in front of of critics who say… I can’t believe you’re mingling with “Those” people. And I promise you, don’t think for a moment that these fishermen were not extremely stressed out that they were eating with and sharing a meal with tax collectors and sinners, and pharisees saw it.

I can promise you this.. it was uncomfortable for them. Although these were ordinary rough men.. they followed the torah. They loved God. They grew up memorizing the Torah and now they’re over here eating grapes, laughing and carrying on with sinners and a tax collector. I can only imagine how uncomfortable it must have been to be there. Have you ever been in a moment where you were embarrassed by who your around?

If someone sees me, what would they think. This person is known as this, or that. I hear this all the time… well the Bible says to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” What was Jesus teaching them? Jesus is teaching them rethink your way of community. You see, here’s a truth for you…I believe people can be vulnerable, and even in proximity, close to one another and not loving towards one another.

We can gather every Sunday, and every Wednesday and still not love one another around these tables. Because practicing is not so much as doing as much as it’s being loving towards others. I’m going to let you in on a secrete.. maybe you know, maybe you don’t. Have you noticed how we start off our time together on Wednesday nights. I ask questions like, what’s one prayer you hope GOD WILL ANSWER?

What is something you’re praying, that GOd will come through for you this week? Those are vulnerability questions. They are questions that do two things. One, they show me how vulnerable you’re becoming within the group. Im gauging our walk together. But just as important, I’m seeing how as a loving community respond to someones vulnerability. And I’ve got to say.. last week, no names, but one of us opened up and did you see how the group responded.

We got in closer proximity to that person, laid hands on them, and prayed. Now, that person could have left here still burdened, but they didnt leave here believing they were alone in this walk of faith. :ast Wednesday, we got in proximity, all of us God vulnerable and then we practiced the power of prayer. A healthy community practices together. Finally, the fourth characteristic to begin together Which comes from Matthew chapter 10, let's read it together…

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

And now, lets read verse 8.. 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. So, lets see… 12 disciples. This was Jesus’s together group. This was Jesus’s Sunday morning, Wednesday night together group that’s been in proximity of each other, vulnerable in ministry and have watched Jesus practice, and now they are given direction and an opportunity to practice all of these things, to heal, raise the dead, cleanse the church and drive out demons.

Fishermen.Tax collectors. Doubters. Betrayers. Zealots. And more All in one group. And I know, this is not the best together group, but yet they’re all together. We’ve got to understand something… Communities are messy, and when God brings others here, it just keeps getting messier. Jesus in verse 8 gathers his group and begins saying, ok, you’ve lived together, been vulnerable together, practiced together. But now Jesus says, okay, I brought you in, to send you out into this community.

What we have here, within our group… go do it out there. Listen, what you do in here and why we do it isn’t to get people in the seats. What we’re doing is to restore relationships. It’s to pray to God, to heal people of their sicknesses. It’s to renew people’s minds from depression and anxiety. It’s to adopt all kinds of messy people into our family and we expand the kingdom of God together, as we grow together.

And I honesty need to walk us through this because I believe that none of us will be formed like Jesus, if we refuse to be together. You see, Jesus sends out the 12 and the last part is this… a community that is living for Jesus will be a community on mission for Jesus. A disciple of Jesus who’s walking by the Spirit, led by the Spirit and living by the Spirit would be a disciple who’s on mission.

Are you living on mission? Are you living on mission with this community? What does mission look like. We serve together. Everyone is making a great effort to be at our service projects. It’s helping each other and encouraging each other as you’re witnessing to your coworkers, coming up with strategies to invite people to church, whatever it is, can you imagine. If we began to create this kind of community at Momentum church, and I believe we can do it, but if we lived on mission together, this church will grow.

But we have to do it together. There is no other way… than to be together. Thats the beauty of communion. Jesus takes the cup and the bread when he gets his disciples in proximity of one another. And then he gets vulnerable. He washed their feet. He gives them a practice… we call it the holy supper and then what did Jesus do? Does anyone know… he went out into the garden to pray but why?m What was about to happen.

(That’s right. He was to be crucified for our sins.) What was Jesus showing his disciples and to us???? Do ever think about it? He was showing us, how to live, and how to be on mission… for God’s will, and for God’s glory. And now, he places his Holy Spirit in us, so that’s proximity. He leads us into vulnerable moments together…. And he forms us into the image of Jesus though circumstances and practices.

And then leads us to be on mission. *

I Will, Together

Back in the 90’s I had graduated from Weeblos into Boy Scouts. And while in boy scouts every summer we would go to a place called Camp Kootaga for our summer camp. Camp Kootaga was a place where I would have many first. I ran a mini triathlon by running 10 miles, biking 10 miles and swimming 1 mile in a pool. I repelled a tower, rock climbed a mountain, Survived an overnight trip in the wilderness for wilderness survival training, and I conquered my fear of heights in the C.O.P.E Challenge.

Cope stands for, “challenging outdoor personal experience” and it was a course designed to take a group of individuals and put them in challenging moments to have them learn to trust and work with one another. And here’s the thing, no obstacle was ever accomplished by rejecting or having someone sit out, or sit one the sidelines. Your team had to figure out how to overcome the obstacle with every person succeeding.

And it was hard. Because we had kids that were bigger than us. So it made some obstacles hard to push or pull them up or through. We had kids that were uncoordinated. And at the end of the course was my greatest challenge. We had to finish the rope course by climbing a 100’ swinging ladder to a platform, and make your way through the tree top obstacle course that ended in an epic zip line.

And I remember, I couldn’t do it. My fellow scouts had to keep encouraging me and finally, at the end of the day, I faced my fear, climbed that ladder and zipped down to the ground in victory to give our team the completed status for this final challenge. If you were to ask me, what was the greatest determining factor of my success? I would say, MY scout family, the band of brothers that I had spent an entire week with never gave up on me, and they encouraged me the entire time to the end.

I ended up being presented the bravery award for overcoming a great fear mine. Henry ford once quoted Pastor Edward Everett Hale by saying, “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” If there is one thing that the Bible teaches us is that living a life of faith is never meant to do it alone. And It is not good for us to be alone for us to be isolated from other human beings.

Why? Because you and I have been created for community. We are created for community. I want to show us this morning how this is true in Genesis chapter 2, and I would like for someone to read for us Genesis 1:26-27 Now someone read Genesis 1:31 And one more, let’s read together Genesis 2:15-25 So in the Bible’s opening chapter, I want to show you the rhythm of God’s creation of this world: it was good, and it was good, and it was good, and it was good, and it was good...

And in verse 31 of chapter 1, we read, it was very good. When we get to next chapter, Genesis 2, the story of creation is repeated, but this time from more of a zoomed-in perspective. We’re actually seeing the creation of humanity and how God create us, man and woman in the image of God. Now, there’s a problem. In this zoomed in chapter of the creation of humanity, It’s here where we learn that the first man was actually created before the first woman.

Which means that there’s this period of time when Adam was alone in the Garden of Eden. Now, we can crack all the jokes in the world about this… like, this was probably the most peaceful moment before woman came into existence. Adam must of had it well because it as just God and Adam and all the animals to hunt and fish. But honestly, it’s not good. Right? In this chapter we’re faced with the very first problem in the Bible.

When we ask the question, what was the very first crisis recorded in the Bible? Our first instinct is to say, the fall. But that’s not the very first crisis. The first crisis can be found in Genesis chapter 2 verse 18, where God flutters the following words: It is not good for man to be alone. When it comes to human companionship, Adam was alone. Now, let me remind you to keep this in the front of your eyes this morning…

We are created for community. In this moment of God’s creation, and after God saying this is good, this is good, this is good, and this is very good, we find ourselves in a moment where God is looking at man and saying, this isn’t good. Man, who is created in our image, is alone. That’s when we read in Genesis 2:18-25, The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.

I will make a helper suitable for him.” So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.

Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Now, when we read this. We instantly think of marriage, right? One man, one woman together, and united as one. Alicia is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my fleshed and we are to leave our father and mother and to be united together in holy matrimony to become one flesh. But it goes deeper than just marriage.

This passage is meant for marriage but it’s also meant to teach us that we have been created and designed for community. Now, lets go back to Genesis chapter one, the Bible said, So God created human beings in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. What do we see? Well, we see in the zoomed perspective in chapter two that there was a moment where God created man and it wasn’t good, but we wouldn’t of seen that in the higher persecutive of chapter one.

What I want us to realize is this: Did you notice how God’s image is made complete once there is a them—once a human community has been formed. It’s only when Adam and Eve come together to form the very first human community that God upgrades the status of creation from good to very good. Because now there were two human beings, who together, could become one. Remember, the verse about the two becoming one flesh does have marriage in view.

But even more fundamentally, it speaks to God’s primary goal for all humanity. God’s primary goal for humanity is to become a loving community – for the many to be as one. Jesus kind of cements this into reality when he prays before he goes to the cross in John 17:21 by saying this, “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you.

And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.” And I’ve been chewing on this this verse for awhile now, and it’s interesting to me that… Before humanity could truly be said “bear God’s image,” there needed to be more than one person.” There needed to be at least two people to bear God’s imagine. Jesus says, what? “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” This verse is about presence, but in what context does Jesus say this?

He says this in Matthew chapter 18 as he talking about when there is sin in the church, when there is sin in the body. What does sin do? It separates the church, and it separates the body. Sin causes division. Now, Let’s go back to Genesis chapter 3, and find with me verses 7-8. The context is that the perfect community of Adam and Eve has just ate the apple.

And there eyes were opened… and genesis says, Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

What do we see between the perfect, very good plan of God between man and woman, the first community, the body of Christ. We see sin causing division! Not just vertical division and separation between the first community of Adam and Eve and God, but also horizontal division between Adam and Eve. Sin literally caused the image of God, that was in the union of Adam and Eve to become broken and marred.

Right here: we witness that the very first consequences of humanity’s fall into sin, and it was relational. As the couple’s eyes are opened, trust and authenticity dissolve, and for the first time ever, they feel their shame. They feel the need to protect, to defend themselves. They cover up. They hide from each other, and they hide from God. Don’t we do that too? Do you ever cover up your true self?

Do you ever hide from others and from God? Maybe sometimes, you even hide from yourself. There’s been times when I want to hide from community. I don’t want to be around community. Because I know sin hurts. It’s true when said, hurt people hurt people. I’ve been hurt by others and there are still others who have yet to come and say I’m sorry for what I’ve said to you, and/or about you.

Or what I’ve done to you. Whoever said words will never hurt you, is wrong. They hurt. And often times when coming from those we love, they hurt the most. Proverbs 10:12 says “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” Peter, knowing about broken relationships and broken community writes, “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (I Peter4:8) Scripture makes it clear that God’s most fundamental attribute, his most defining characteristic, is what?

It’s love. The Bible says in 1 John chapter 4 that, “God is love.” So it’s not just something God does, it’s who he is. And I believe because God is love, he treasures relationships. And because we are made in God’s image, and where more like his imagine when we are together as a church. I believe we are created and meant for, and made for loving relationships. Think about it.

Have you listened to the deep whispers of your heart. The yearning of your soul. Don’t they just cry out to have meaningful relationship? Wouldn’t you desire to be around others and not feel awkward, or shame, or fear. Very often, it’s our sin that keeps us from having that loving relationship. And so, an obvious question arises: Is community worth pursuing? And the answer is yes! A thousand times yes.

Why? Because God’s dream has not changed, and you and I are made for God’s dream. We’re created to be in a loving community. The challenge that we face, is getting where God is leading us. Getting there will have all kinds of challenges. And the truth is, at some point this perfect community of God’s plan will happen. Think about Revelation 21:3-4 “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them.

They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” That’s the original Eden, the original plan of God. But then sin came in and messed all of that up. Now, the perfect community that reflected the goodness and love of God, was now distorted.

Our sins, which separated us from God and each other, were bore on the cross by Jesus, and our sins got in between Jesus and God the Father, separating them from each other for a time, so that Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 1 John 3:16 reminds us that, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

Peter tells us, “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Paul reminds us, that, “We all fall short of the glory of God” and to the Galatians, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). Therefore eternal life is a free gift to all who will trust in Christ as Lord and Savior and supreme Treasure of their lives.

Peter preached, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31) Paul wrote: “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). So that when we put our faith and trust in Christ, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8). Jesus purchased for us on the cross the right, and the ability to be united as one, to the Father, and to one another. He purchased for us the ability to be a loving community. So where do we begin? Let’s put some application to this.

Well, let me just say this… it begins with Jesus. This our vertical. It’s in Christ we are recognized to the Father. But unity in community begins when? When we make the decision to pursue it with our whole heart. Unity only works when individuals have made a decision to pursue it with their whole heart. I’ve preached that for three weeks now. You and I have got to make a decision that we’re going to be the body.

Without each other, as we learned, until we become a them, that is when we will be a right and loving community just as God had intended. This is so wonderful, think about it. It’s not all about marriage that two shall become one, but the body, with many members, should be united and become one. That means those who are married, come here to be one, those without spouses, though many feel alone without a mate, still comes and becomes one as part of the loving community.

And that leads me into the second and final application. After we make the decision for unity, then there needs to be a “vow of stability.” What does that mean? The term comes from the wisdom of ancient Christian monasteries, where monks would make a vow to stick with the same faith community for the long haul. Why would such a commitment be important? Why would such a commitment be a good thing?

Well, when it comes to living in Christian community, Pastor Tim Keller hits the nail on the head when he says: People are messy; therefore, relationships will be messy. Expect messiness. We all know life was way tougher 1500 years ago than today. And 1500 years ago when community life got hard, which it inevitably would, it could be very tempting for a monk to pick up and leave his faith community.

The problem with that is, as St. Benedict put it some 1500 years ago: When we run from community, we run from ourself. When we run from community, we are running from the part within us that is contributing to the messiness. We want to get away from others because we don’t want to face what’s happening in us. And when that happens, we short-circuit your own growth in Christ. Of course, God can and has all the right to call anyone from one church to attend another.

It’s his kingdom, not mine, or yours. But our default posture needs to be one of stability—of sticking with the local congregation we’re a part of—through thick and thin. Through hell and high water. My wife reminded me of that when I was hurt by a church we attended one time and I wanted to leave. She wouldn’t let me leave because she knew running wasn’t the answer. My answer was, when life got messy, it was easier to run to the church down the road than to stay in the mess.

Especially nowadays when we live in an era where the phenomenon of “church shopping and hoping” has become a thing. I can’t imagine how my marriage to Alicia would be if every time things got hard, I left her and found a new wife. We all know, that’s not healthy. And it’s not God’s intended design for community. But just like with our marriages and families—it’s when we stay and work through the messiness that Jesus does his best work in and through us, shaping us in his humility and love in ways that could never happen otherwise.

It’s when we stay and work through the messiness that community—the kind of community we’re created for— becomes truer, deeper, and richer. And to be honest, I believe it’s a better representation of God’s amazing grace, and full plan of redemption when we can see a hurting community become a loving community. And that can always happen when, The body makes a commitment for unity in the community. And a vow of stability.

When we say, I will, have the right attitude. I will, worship, I will, pursue together. Let’s pray. *

A Clean Heart

Why do we want a clean heart? A clean heart is often associated with feelings of inner peace, joy, and contentment. When our hearts are pure and free from negative emotions such as anger, greed, or jealousy, we are more likely to feel a sense of well-being and fulfillment. A clean heart allows us to have more authentic and meaningful relationships with others. When our hearts are pure, we are more likely to be kind, compassionate, and understanding towards others, which can lead to deeper and more fulfilling connections with those around us.

A clean heart can help us to feel closer to God or a higher power. Many people believe that a pure heart is necessary in order to have a meaningful relationship with God or to feel a sense of spiritual connection. A clean heart can give us the courage and strength to live a life that is true to our values and beliefs. When our hearts are pure, we are more likely to be true to ourselves and to follow our own moral compass, even when it is difficult or unpopular to do so.

A clean heart can help us to feel more confident and self-assured. When we are free from the guilt and shame that can come from wrong actions or thoughts, we are more likely to feel a sense of self-worth and self-acceptance. Here are some scriptural references that relate to the five points above: Inner peace, joy, and contentment: Psalm 51:12 says, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." John 15:11 states, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." Authentic and meaningful relationships: Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others." Closer relationship with God: Psalm 24:4 says, "He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully." Psalm 66:18 states, "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." Living a life true to one's values and beliefs: Matthew 5:8 says, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." Self-confidence and self-acceptance: Psalm 51:10 says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." Romans 15:13 says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, As we reflect on the good news of Jesus Christ, it is easy to focus on the forgiveness of our sins and the removal of our shame.

And make no mistake, this is an essential aspect of the gospel. We all have offended an all-knowing and all-powerful God, and the relief of being forgiven is indeed powerful. But let us not forget that the good news of the gospel does not stop with forgiveness. God's grace is not simply a big eraser for our wrongdoings, but rather it is a means of replacing what was once broken, wicked, and dead with love, faithfulness, and life.

The gospel does not just rescue us from hell, but it also makes us new. Grace not only helps us shed the weight of past sins, it empowers us to live and feel differently. As we read in Psalm 51, even King David, a man after God's own heart, recognized the depth of his sin and the evil that infected his very being. But he also knew something greater than all his sin - the steadfast love and abundant mercy of God.

David came boldly before God, not based on anything he had done to make things right, but on the Lord's love and mercy. And he did not stop at asking for forgiveness, but he also prayed for a clean heart and a right spirit within him. This pattern of grace as both forgiveness and transformation is seen throughout the Bible. In Philippians, we see that Christ humbled himself to the point of death on a cross, not only to save us, but also to empower us to live more and more like him.

And in 1 Peter, we see that the glory of God in our salvation includes not only the forgiveness of our sins, but also the fact that we have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dear friends, let us not stop at simply being forgiven. Let us embrace the fullness of the gospel, which includes the transformative power of grace to make us new.

Let us pray for clean hearts and right spirits within us, that we may love what is right and good, and live differently, loving like God loves. And let us give thanks for this amazing grace, which is greater than all our sin. Amen. Today I want to talk to you about the importance of having a clean heart. What do I mean by a clean heart? I mean a heart that is pure, honest, and free from sin.

As we all know, the heart is the center of our being. It is where our emotions, thoughts, and desires reside. And just as a physical heart that is clogged with plaque or infected with disease can lead to physical problems, a heart that is clogged with sin or infected with evil can lead to spiritual problems. The Bible tells us that "out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34) This means that what is in our hearts will eventually come out in our words and actions.

If our hearts are full of hate, envy, and selfishness, that is what we will express to the world. But if our hearts are full of love, compassion, and selflessness, that is what we will share with others. So how do we keep our hearts clean? First and foremost, we must turn to God and ask for His help. As the Psalmist says, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10) God is the only one who can truly cleanse our hearts and make them pure.

We must also be willing to confess our sins and turn away from them. As it says in 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." When we admit our wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness, God is faithful to forgive us and make us new. But it's not just a one-time thing. We must also strive to keep our hearts clean on a daily basis.

This means being mindful of our thoughts and actions and making sure that they align with God's will. It means being willing to put others before ourselves and choosing love over hatred. It means being humble and recognizing our own flaws and weaknesses, and turning to God for help in overcoming them. In conclusion, friends, having a clean heart is essential for living a fulfilling and meaningful life. It's not always easy, but with God's help, it is possible.

Let us strive to keep our hearts pure and free from sin, and let us share the love and joy that comes from a clean heart with those around us. May God bless you and keep your hearts clean. Amen.*

Christmas 2022

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; in him the Gentiles will hope.” May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We light the candle of Peace. Let us remember our need for a Savior to save us from our sins, and give us peace with God.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

We light the candle of Joy.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

We light the candle of Hope.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

We light the candle of Love.

Jesus Christ is the true reason for hope, peace, joy, and love in this season and all to come. As we light the Christ candle, celebrating the end of Advent and the arrival of Christ and Christmas, let us remember how our savior came once as a lowly baby, that the world through him might be saved, and how he will return one day in glory.

The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive 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. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

As we celebrate… lets us be reminded tonight that Jesus, Emmanuel, The Son of GOd, He lives!

Sermon beginning Have you ever looked into a mirror and just stared at yourself, looking at your eyes, nose, and hair? When I do this, I often get caught up in how amazing life is, and I often look in the mirror and wonder, "Do I really have the image of God?" As a child, I recall my curiosity occasionally capturing my attention. I still remember asking my mother some deep theological questions—simple questions that I am sure every kid would have asked. Questions like, "Mom, why is the sky blue or why is the grass green?" "Because that's what God wanted," Mom frequently replied. It still amazes me how God fit into our conversations at the same time our family knew nothing of God. I didn't grow up in a church, or with church people. I did, however, have very basic knowledge from the vibrant storybooks many might remember from the 1970s and 1980s and the songs I would hear my mom sing often. I remember the story of Noah most of all, but as I grew older, I became interested in the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors. I believe that story became interesting because I grew up in the Appalachian mountains and Dolly Parton came out with a song called, "The Coat of Many Colors," and I remember my mom singing that song along with another song called "Fancy" by Reba Macintyre. I remember my mother would get emotional and loud when it would come to the part where Reba would sing, “You know I might have been born just plain white trash, But Fancy was my name” You couldn't tell it when I was younger, but as an adult, I was learning that she needed love and to feel safe and appreciated, just as I needed to be loved, safe, and appreciated. We were living in a world of darkness and we have no clue. I think it's the habits we create in our lives that trap us into believing that darkness is good. We can do something for so long and believe it to be true, honest and right. And when someone comes along and challenges our way of doing something. We can reject their attempt to show us something completely different. Honesty, I never knew I was living in darkness. I don’t think we really know until someone shows us. For me, it was a young lady who invited me into a place where they would leave the light on for you. No, I'm not talking about a motel room, as the commercial would say. I'm talking about a small Baptist church in a small town called Nutterfort that was a light house for the community. Unbeknownst to me, Jesus sent a young lady into a dark world to meet with me at the crossroads of grace at a local video store. She didn’t tell me I was sinful. She didn’t smack me on the head with her Bible. She didn’t even give me the gospel. All she did was invite me to church, and as many of you know, I met Jesus there. I learned over the course of a year that life comes only from God and that Jesus is the light of the world. Our Scripture said, Life was with him. Life originates with God. Nobody made him the way He is. He was not created by force or power. He has been what he is forever and ever and ever and ever. He just is. That's what it means to be God—a constant, always-flowing, and outpouring source of life. He is life, and "life was in him." This morning I awoke and looked out my kitchen window at the apple tree in my backyard. It stood naked through the darkness, waiting, watching, and enduring the hard, cold winter night. One could say the tree is dead. The once vibrant tree, filled with life and fruit, has lost all of its splendor and radiance while sitting naked in its shame. My focus began to be on the leaves and how they once clothed the tree in beauty but now lie on the ground as dried-up rags. My eyes looked up into the tree and gazed through every branch that stood bare and frosted by the harsh wind and snow. But then, I lifted my gaze up and through the clouds towards the hills to see the sun's light bursting through the clouds. Grace. That’s what I felt…. The solstice season of winter reminds me of the importance of proximity. The closer we are to the sun, the more life we see and experience. Have you ever wondered why Pharoah's heart was hardened by God? I've learned that his heart was hardened, but not because God hardened it in anger, overtaking Pharaoh's free will. But because Pharoah's heart wasn't connected to life. His life was focused on his god's, and he looked at himself as a god, so his life was focused on himself. He didn't have the same connection to the God of life as Moses did. The fall season gives an example of Pharaoh's life and what happens when our proximity to life decreases. What happens in fall is that the leaves have fallen and are no longer connected to their source. The same sun, with its constant, always-flowing, and outpouring source of life that gave life to the leaves still attached to the tree, will also dry up the leaves that have let go. The same sun, power, and chance at life exist—but one accepts and the other rejects. 1 John 5:11–12 reminds us: "God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. "Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. " There we see it again, "In him was life." So if you have Jesus, you have life. If you reject Jesus, you reject life. Again, Jesus gives examples to this life all through out Johns gospel… John 5:40: "You refuse to come to me that you may have life." John 10:10: "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:28: "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish." It's written all over the Bible: "In him was life, and this life brings light." That’s the way the new birth works. The Spirit imparts life because light was received. Proximity to the light brings warmth. Warmth brings new life, and before long, the world will be teeming with new buds of life as spring arrives. Our Scripture says… ”In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” This light I speak of is represented this morning in these candles. The candle of peace reminds us that peace has come. The angels have testified to the lowly Shepards, “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men” Luke 2:14 The next candle represents hope. It symbolizes the anticipation felt in awaiting the coming Messiah, and our faithful waiting in His return. The next candle we see is Joy! Joy is found not in consuming more. Joy is found in a transformed life. This new life is one of generosity, compassion, and care for those around us. It’s the calling of the church, this church, this church… we’re called to be joyful and to spread Joy! Joy can only be given if life is received. And it’s with the fourth candle that we are reminded that all of this is possible, hope, joy, and peace… the fourth candle is love. Love is at the core of all we do. It’s the core of the fruit of the spirit. With the love of God in our hearts, may we work to see the love of God at work in the world. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. There it is again in Scripture….Life. but lovelily coupled with this word…. eternal. If we are going to see anything, even to look into the mirror and see the reflection of ourselves, it takes light. I can look in the mirror and say that I am alive because I breathe, live, and I am aware. I see my imperfections. I see my crooked nose from when it was broken as a child. I see my graying hair, I see my sagging eyes from anxiety and sleepless nights… but, yet in all of these imperfections, I still think I’m alive. I look alive! But, if I asked myself, "Am I dead?" would I even believe it or would I have thought to myself, “Man I’ve lost my mind. Of course! I'm not dead I see my reflection looking back at me in all of its; imperfections. But then, I realize. This Scripture of life and light isn’t about physical things but it tells of Spiritual life and death. If you substitute spiritual blindness and darkness for deadness, then you start to see what John means. People aren’t dead because they can walk or talk or think or feel or even see with physical eyes see themselves in mirrors. People are dead because "seeing they do not see" Jesus tells of this blindness in Matthew 13:13.. “This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.” They don’t see! What do they not see? They don’t see… Their deadness. They don’t see! They are walking in darkness.. They don’t see… Jesus as valuable. His sacrifice as precious. Relationship and fellowship as a treasure. or the possibility of peace, joy, hope, and love that enters the darkness to bring light to the world. They are blind to these things because they choose to walk in darkness. Jesus tells us why those who are blind and numb to the light reject it… And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. They are dead, spiritually speaking. If they are going to see these things and receive them, they must have life. Life will make seeing possible. But without light revealing truth, then life isn’t shown. So John says in verse 4, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” What we see is that life brings light. When death is replaced with life and darkness replaced with light, new life is possible. So what is God’s answer to darkness, and deadness and blindness of the world? It’s a new birth. Without it the world will never understand. Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God”? John 3:3 You can’t see it. No one can. And if you can’t see it, then you can’t receive it. And because that is the case, you are not permitted to enter. Everything hangs on the truth and reality of being born again through life and light. Because without light and life, we are dead, blind, and living in darkness. God’s remedy? John tells us: The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. His remedy was new birth, and birth that began with his only son. God sends his son, Jesus into the world as the light of life to lay down his life for us and then causes people to be born again so they can see him and receive him. John writes: children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, It’s received. Just as all of creation received Christ into this world. Life stays with us…. That’s the beauty of Emmanual… God with us… He’s with us at his birth into this world, and he’s with us, in our birth into new eternal life with him. As I close, I would like to ask you to focus one question… Does the light of Christ reside in me? Or am I still walking in darkness? Jesus said: 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12 What he means is this.. Jesus’s being “the light of the world” means the world has no other light than him. If there is going to be a light for the world, it will be Jesus. It is Jesus or darkness. There is no third alternative. No other light. John piper writes: It means, therefore, that all the world, and everyone in it needs Jesus as their light. It means that the world was made for this light. This is not a foreign light. This is the light of the owner of the world. When this light comes, it not only makes sin plain as foreign and ugly, but it also makes everything good in the world shine with its full and true beauty. This world was made to be illumined by this light. This light of Christ is native to the world. And finally, Jesus being “the light of the world” means that that one day this world will be filled with this light as the waters cover the sea, and all darkness, and all the works of darkness, and all the sons of darkness will be cast out. That’s why Jesus called hell “outer darkness” (Matthew 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). In that day, all will be light. Jesus, the radiance of the Father, will fill the world, and everything will be beautiful with the light of Christ. That’s what makes my mothers and I story so uniquely ordinary. She and I were searching for love, we were searching to feel safe, we were searching to be accepted and appreciated. That’s what the light of Christ does to one who reject darkness, repents of their sin and finds Christ to be the most precious thing in life… because Christ is our light! And that light must come from the church. That light is so bright that when new people come in, they witness life, and love, hope and joy and peace. I believe with all of my heart, that when we together, surrender to the light of the world, to Jesus, and he brightly shines within us… this place will explode with faithful things. If you’ve not, taken that step of faith out of the darkness and into the light. Why not today? Why not while we celebrate the birth of Christ, why not let this day be a day where you can also celebrate the birth of Christ in you? Because only through him can our deadness be replaced with life and our blindness be replaced with light. He calls int he darkness… Come to him. Believe on him. Receive him. And grow with him… And trust me, he is faithful to be your life, and then you’ll find through true relationship.. he will also be your everlasting joy. *

Zechariah - Advent Courage

So today we begin a brand new series called, Christmas Courage. This Christmas, we will examine the people God used in the Christmas Story, who had cause to be afraid but chose courage instead. Each of one them experienced a different fear, and by looking at how they dealt with their fear, my hope during this season of hope is that we together, may learn to follow their example and choose courageous faith in the middle of the difficult moments in our life that urge us to dread and give up.

We know The Bible is not short of people who stepped out by faith and trusted in God with courageous faith. The first theme and person we will examine is Zechariah and his willingness to persevere. Zechariah’s story can be found in the beginning of Lukes gospel. Where the Christmas story actually begins. The Christmas story doesn’t begin in a small town of Bethlehem but in the home of Zachariah and Elizabeth, who are one of God’s most devout and faithful seekers.

However, there was one thing missing in their marriage. A baby. Luke tells us in chapter 1 verse 7 that they didn’t have a child because Elizabeth couldn’t conceive and they were both well along in years. Then in verse 8 the story continues with Zechariah serving as a priest, he was chosen by lot, which was like drawing straws, to enter into the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense.

Now, This was a huge honor. An honor that, once you were selected, and you performed your duty, you would never do this again. And What’s interesting is that once you performed this duty, you were considered to be rich. It was a huge honor to be selected and to perform this duty. As Zechariah heads into the holy place, this is where the story gets kind of interesting. The Bible doesn’t tell us specifically what Zachariah prayed, but there are some hints of what was on his heart…

As he would have prayed for the forgiveness of sins for Israel, I wonder if his heart was praying something else. If it was my… My heart would probably be praying like this…. God, I’ve been faithful and loyal to you for my whole life, I’m devout. My wife is faithful and loyal and she’s devout. We live our life to the golden standard of your law. We’re righteous in your sight and without blame according to all your commands.

And now, Lord, when I leave this place, I’m going to be considered rich among the people. What else could a priest ever ask for, Right? But Lord, how can I be truly rich if I have no children as a heritage and blessing. Again, we don’t know what Zechariah’s prayer was, but we do know this.. God sent the angel Gabriel to meet him in the holy temple to give Zechariah a message that God has heard his prayer.

Then, an angel appears and says, “Your prayer is heard, and here is How God is going to bless you and the people of Israel.” But look at Zechariah response in verse 18… “How can I know this? I'm old and my wife is well along in years.” Zechariah doesn’t believe it. One of the most devout men, a priest, kneeling in the holy temple. Righteous in God’s sight, living without blame.

Married to a woman with the same faith and righteousness but when he has an encounter with an angel, and when God intervenes in his life, his first reaction isn’t praise, but he reacts in fear and disbelief. How many times have we done the same? How many times have we been called upon by God, or we’ve come to church, and prayed and worshiped and did everything we believe is what we’re supposed to do as Christians in the eyes of what others would think..

but when he has spoken into our heart and we met his Spirit, we met the Lord with the same fear and disbelief as Zachariah did? We all struggle at times with seeing the godly purposes of our lives. But what I’ve learned was… “Even while I may not be aware of God's exact plans for my life, He has made it obvious what He desires for each and every one of us.” And what he desires is holiness!

It’s Sanctification! Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “this is the will of God, your sanctification.” Why is sanctification so important… well one reason is that it keeps us focused on Jesus where we are in life. Remember a few months ago Pastor bob preached this amazing message called, “Bloom where you are planted?” One of His main emphasis was that we’ve got to be deeply rooted people in the word and in following Christ.

One thing I want to emphasize about that message is this… we bloom because we’re walking with God, where God wants, how he wants it and where he wants to go. But to bloom there must be a death… As we all know seeds die. A seed must die so that the plant can bloom. For many, at our initial salvation we are given everything we need for us to die to ourselves and to live for Christ.

To bloom where we are planted will always take the courage to die to ourselves while accepting the fact that we’re growing into a person who’s called to be courageously different than we were yesterday. I think we miss the fact that sanctification isn’t a one and done moment… but it’s a life long commitment. Just like salvation isn’t a one time thing… salvation is initial and ongoing. Repentance is initial and ongoing.

What I mean about that, is this, Longevity doesn’t always mean staying the same or never changing,. Longevity is being consistently faithful in growing into who God calls us to be, at this moment… it’s living day by day by His grace because we Don’t know what tomorrow holds, most times we only have today. I read an interesting article the other day and I wish I would have saved it, but it said something like this: “Jesus is creating tomorrow, so we must learn to live in his provision for today.” What we have today is a gift…

Master Oogway says it better when he encourages po during a hardship and discouragement he’s facing while becoming the dragon warrior. watch this… Today is a gift, that is why it’s called a present. Our reward is staying on this path of faithfulness not by our strength, but by God’s, while being radically faithful to where God has planted us. The goal for our life as Christ followers isn’t to live with limitations in our faith, it’s pursuing the everyday sanctification of our faith.

If we get to a point in our lives where we’re not desiring to worship, are we really being faithful in our walk? Because when it comes to being rewarded in faithfulness, “the real reward in faithfulness is not being blessed or gifted something from God, but a deeper trust in the one who blesses. What if I told you that our faith isn’t to bring us lottery winnings, or a bigger house or a better car, or an easier life or a better job.

What if I told you that the reward of your faith was to have a deeper trust in Jesus. I mean, isn’t that the goal of our christian faith? Would you be satisfied in that? Would you be satisfied in knowing that Jesus is what you get as your reward, and you get him daily? We have two responses when we are confused on what to do in our lives, We either walk in obedience or disobedience.

Which is why we must be taught and trained to walk in faithfulness and sometimes this training isn’t easy. I had a friend that raised Arabian horses. And there was one thing she always said about Arabian horses, That teaching an Arabian horse was hard because they’re stubborn. Comes to find out, their not really stubborn as much as they are actually really intelligent and they easily develop bad habits. Have you ever read on how these horses are trained in Arabia to deal with the hardness of the dessert?

They are trained to tough the harsh dessert by learning to trust in its trainer. Arabian horses go through rigorous training in the deserts of the Middle East. The trainers require absolute obedience from the horses, and test them to see if they are completely trained. The final test is almost beyond the endurance of any living thing. The trainers force the horses to do without water for many days. Then he turns them loose and of course they start running toward the water, but just as they get to the edge, ready to plunge in and drink, the trainer blows his whistle.

The horses who have been completely trained and who have learned perfect obedience, stop. They turn around and come pacing back to the trainer. They stand there quivering, wanting water, but they wait in perfect obedience. When the trainer is sure that he has their obedience he gives them a signal to go back to drink. This is what God does with us many times. He wants to know if we, trust Him.

No, really ask that question, “do I really trust Jesus.” You see, longevity and perseverance prevail because we’ve learned to courageously trust. God provides difficulties to discipline, train, and build our spiritual muscles so that we can trust him more. The writer of Hebrews describes it this way in Hebrews 12:7, 11: “It is for discipline that you endure (To endure means to suffer, but to suffer patiently) ; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?” This is what is happening with Zacharias and the silent treatment.

Zechariah answered with unbelief, and God took his voice and hearing from him. God was giving Zacharias time to think on some things. This is the hardest part in our faith… It’s what I call, “the sideline treatment.” The sideline treatment is when we’re on the bench. We’re in a dry spot. Where in waiting. It’s like when the Isralites were circling the mountain. It’s where patience and perseverance is strengthened.

Think about it through the sports we play, What happens when we are sidelined in sports. It’s a time for us to rest. It’s a time for us to heal from our injuries. It’s a time to collect our thoughts. It’s a time to learn something. It’s a time to eat and drink, to strengthen and hydrate our bodies. The sideline treatment is where God puts us into a position to wait so that we can learn to trust.

It’s not a punishment, It’s actually a spiritual discipline to teach us trust. Why does God take us to the sideline? Because God wants to be the center of our passions, desires, and affection. He doesn’t want to share that chair with anyone. Because He is God, and nobody compares to Him. He desires and deserves worship. When we are being blessed, and when we are sidelined. Think of Moses… When God passed in front of him.

Exodus 34:6-8 (NLT) 6 He passed in front of Moses and said, "I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. 7 I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished, but I punish the children for the sins of their parents to the third and fourth generations.”8 Moses immediately fell to the ground and worshiped.

What we see in this Scripture is that Moses comes to grips of who God is, and it brought him to his knees and then he responded with a heart of worship. Obedience will always drive us into the heart of trusting. Trying isn’t sanctification… trying isn’t even God willed or power… Trying is always fueled by what we have… not by what God gives. God calls us to lay down our trying and faithful live by trusting, and when we trust, we worship.

Henry Blackaby said: “If you have an obedience problem, you have a love problem. Obedience is the outward expression of your love for God.” What we learn is that when God calls us, he provides for us. God always rewards faithfulness. This morning, as we begin to lean in to Christmas courage and look at all of these peoples lives. Let this be our first lesson from the life of Zachariah.

For many of you, This is where the Christmas story starts to be real in your life. Because like Zachariah, this is your life. Maybe you feel frustrated by the path your life has taken or it feels like you’ve been in the same position, and sidelined for a long time. Like Zechariah, he prays and he is praying righteously, he is even praying in his values, he is holy, righteous, good leader, but yet he didn’t believe that God would answer him.

He’s given the honor of burning the incense and before God he still doesn't believe God doesn’t hear him. Sometimes our own personal values can be clouded by personal disappointment. Sometimes our own personal values can be checked against God’s holiness. Think about it, he has becomes so familiar with holy things and the everyday life of his faith, that when before a holy angel, he’s numb to the intrusion of real in your face holiness in his life.

However, Zechariah finds the courage to rise through change. He learns to rise above. That’s good courage… good courage is fearlessly doing what God tells us to do without delay. Believe it or not, it takes courage to do something outside the will of God. For instance, if someone disrespected us, we have a decision to make regarding which courage to choose. Bad courage would lead us to curse them out, bash them on Twitter or Facebook or behind their back, or do physical or emotional harm to that person.

Good courage would lead us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and stand for righteousness (Matthew 5:44). When we have the good courage to walk by faith we will, every time gain the perseverance to endure all trials. Colossians 3: 15-17 Always be thankful. Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use His words to teach and counsel each other.

Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through Him to God the Father. And may the blessing of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the presence of the Holy Spirit strengthen and encourage you as you go out from here to live lives of gratitude and service.

Amen.*