Last weekend, several of us went to the Promise Keeper's conference in Jacksonville, FL. Outstanding conference, better than most in recent years. Once again, PK deviated from their former traditional format, instead focusing on shorter segments and more audio-visual stimulation, definitely geared for the younger generations.
On Friday night, instead of the normal second speaker who calls Christians to rededicate their lives to Christ, PK showed a video clip from Rob Bell's Nooma series, called "Dust." In this video, Bell made a point about being a disciple of Christ as related to Jesus' command to "take up my yoke." He explained in the film that a rabbi's interpretations and teachings were called their "yoke" and that when a rabbi asked you to "take up his yoke," he was actually asking you to come and follow him and his teachings. The goal, as a disciple of the rabbi, was to become like the rabbi, learning and then spreading his yoke to others.
This was an amazing teaching and certainly could cause you to see several passages in the Bible in a different light, especially the time Peter walked on water. However, when I went back and tried to find the source for using the word "yoke" in this manner, I struck out. Every message and interpretation that used "yoke" in this manner was based on the teaching of Bell. When I went to Strong's, it did not define yoke in this manner, either. I even did some searching on some Jewish sites, and could not find this definition of yoke in there at all. However, the Jewish sites did talk about taking up the "yoke" of the Torah.
This leads me to some concern. What are we supposed to do with such a teaching? It has obviously been picked up and taught by many others who took Bell's "yoke" upon themselves, but is it true? Why is Bell the only one who came up with this unique interpretation of Jesus' words, relating them not to the yoke of oxen but to the yoke of a rabbi's interpretation and teaching?
I am not saying that Bell is wrong. And I certainly am no scholar of the rabbinic traditions. [I would very much like to know if this teaching is true or not. If anyone knows or can point me to a source other than Bell, please let me know.] But, I am concerned that the Christian community would accept these teachings without verification from some other source. I am concerned that some in the Christian community would go out and teach this as truth without first verifying the interpretation. In the book of Acts, we read of the Bereans, who did not accept the Apostle Paul's teachings at face value but tested them against the Holy Scriptures. Should we be doing less than they?
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
A SHINY NEW FUTURE
Well, yesterday I hit a milestone. I turned 40. I didn't think it would be a big deal, but, surprisingly, it was. Bigger than I imagined. It's a birthday that causes you to look at the past and contemplate what you have done and what you haven't done. The mistakes you've made and the things you wish you could do over. And, it's a birthday that causes you to look forward. What can I do now? What is God calling me to do now?Over the last several days the Tim McGraw song, "In my next 30 years," kept playing through my head. In this song he talks about passing the age of 30 and what he's going to do different in the future. I am viewing this as a turning point in my life. A time to move forward without fear into the great adventure that Christ has for me. Who knows where it will take me? Who knows what God's plans are for me?
One thing I do know -- it will be a bright, shiny future because I know that I am in God's hands. I just pray that I can have the courage to do what He calls me to do, to go where He calls me to go, to be who He calls me to be in these next 40 years.
My coworkers evidently picked up on my plans for a bright shiny future. As you can see from the pictures, when I got to my office yesterday, I found it covered in bright, shiny tinfoil. Everything from the chair to the phone to individual paperclips, all covered in tinfoil. If they picture a future this bright, then what can God be picturing for me?
Sunday, July 23, 2006
SERMON: A NEW COMMANDMENT
Preached by Gregory W. Lee
23 July 2006
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 13
34. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
-- When Missy started her new job in the factory, she was determined to let her light shine for the Lord -- but as soon as she met her work partner, Louise -- she knew it wasn't going to be easy
-- Louise was rude, crude, defensive and hateful in every way possible -- she ridiculed everything that Missy did -- when Missy tried to befriend her and tell her about Jesus, she was rejected -- Louise said, "I tried that -- it didn't work"
-- but Missy kept trying -- she kept asking God for help -- but all she was met with was hardness
-- after a really bad day with Louise, Missy opened her Bible and cried out to God -- her eyes fell on the passage that we opened with -- Missy complained, "But I don't even like her!"
-- one day, Louise came up while Missy was on a break and sat down next to her and said, "You're the only person who cares" -- then she poured out her story of heartache and trouble -- Missy put her arms around her and they became friends
-- Louise attended church with Missy -- and eventually opened her heart to Jesus and became a Christian -- all because someone cared -- all because someone loved her first
-- this morning we are looking at a passage that is the basis for Maundy Thursday -- the Thursday of Holy Week that we celebrate in our churches -- as I'm sure you remember, this was the last night that Jesus was with His disciples -- He had ridden into Jersusalem on Palm Sunday to the praise of the crowd -- and now He had gathered with His disciples in the upper room to share in the Passover Meal and to be with them one last time
-- it was on this night that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples -- it was on this night that Jesus was betrayed and turned over to the High Priest -- and it was on this night that Jesus poured out His heart to the disciples, sharing with them His last words of instruction before He was carried to the cross
-- in this passage, Jesus tells His disciples that He is giving them a new command -- and that is where we get the term "Maundy Thursday" -- it comes from the Latin "Dies Mandati" -- "The Day of the Commandment" -- referring to Jesus' commandment for us to love one another as He loved us
-- let's spend a few moments in these verses this morning and see what Jesus is telling us today through His word
II. What about the change?
-- look back at verse 34a -- "A new command I give you" -- stop right there and let's think about that for a moment
-- Jesus says that this is a "new" command -- but, if you think about it, this was not really a new command -- Jesus had said these words before -- when the teacher of the law asked Him what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied in Matthew 22:37-40: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
-- so this wasn't really a new commandment -- in fact, it goes back all the way to Lev 19:18 -- it tells us in there to "Love your neighbor as yourself" -- that's the Golden Rule -- and every single one of His disciples had grown up knowing the Torah -- knowing the teachings in these first five books of the Bible -- and they had already heard this coming from the lips of Jesus -- so how can this be a "new" commandment?
-- the word "new" has several definitions, all that apply here -- it can mean something that has never existed before and is now being made or introduced -- it can mean something that is just now being discovered for the first time or something that was not previously used or owned
-- another definition for "new" says that the word means something that is seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time -- and I think this is the definition that Jesus had in mind when He used this word in this passage
-- this was a "new" commandment -- not because they had never heard it -- but because they had never applied it -- they had never put it into practice in their life -- they knew the words of the commandment -- but they had never fulfilled it in their lives
-- Jesus was telling them that now they were to go out and actually do what it said -- to see it in their lives -- to experience it in their relationships with others -- to make it a part of themselves and to let others see it through their lives and their words and their actions
-- in other words, when Jesus used the word "new" here, He meant that it was time for a change -- now to give the disciples a little credit here, it wasn't their fault that they couldn't apply this commandment in their life up till now -- they just couldn't -- there is no way they could love another person as themselves using only the flesh
-- but, Jesus was about to make it possible -- He was about to send the Holy Spirit to fill them and through His power, the disciples would be able to acquire and experience and make this commandment new in their lives -- for the first time, they would be able to love as Jesus had loved -- to truly love their neighbor as themselves
-- Jesus says this is a command -- but it really is more than that -- it is a change -- a change of heart -- a change in life -- when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit comes in, then we are a new creation -- there should be a change in who we are and what we do -- Paul tells us that our "old man" -- our flesh -- our old ways and our old lives -- are replaced with a "new" man -- a spiritual man -- a man indwelt with the Holy Spirit who is capable of loving as Jesus loved
-- as Christians, we are called to fulfill this commandment -- we are expected to fulfill this commandment -- because we are more than just men and women -- we are the sons and daughters of the King -- filled with His very presence and His power -- and, as a result, the love should just flow out of the change in our lives
-- in one of his songs called, "The Change," Steven Curtis Chapman sings that he has all the outward signs of being a Christian -- he's got the t-shirt -- he's got the WWJD bracelet -- he's got a cross necklace and keychain -- he's got Bible magnets on his refrigerator -- he's got a welcome mat to bless you as you enter his home -- he's got a Jesus bumper sticker and the outline of a fish on his car -- but, he said that none of that matters unless there is a change -- unless there is grace and forgiveness and a life that is showing the change that Jesus makes -- the love that Jesus gives
-- Jesus is telling us in this passage that we have to do more than just know the right words or wear the right clothes or go to the right church -- we have to be changed through the power of His word -- we have to be changed through the power of the blood -- we have to be changed through the power of His grace and mercy -- and we prove this change when we live out this commandment in our lives
III. What about the love?
-- look back at verse 34 again
34. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
-- so Jesus is telling us to love one another as He love us -- what does this mean? -- I think we all realize that the word "love" doesn't always mean "love" -- we use that term for a lot of different things -- I can say I love the Georgia Bulldogs or I can say I love my wife -- but they don't mean the same thing -- or at least, they better not -- I can say I love steak -- or I love my job -- but that doesn't mean the same thing as telling our children that we love them
-- there are different meanings for the word "love" in English based on the context of how the word is used -- that's one reason why our language is so difficult for others to pick up -- it can be confusing -- but in other languages, they have more than one word for love to express the different kinds of love
-- in the Greek language that the New Testament was written in, there are actually four different words that we translate as "love" in our Bibles -- and it's important to know which word the passage is using in order to fully understand what the passage is saying
-- these four words are:
1) Philia -- like Philadelphia -- this means friendship -- brotherly love -- if you were Greek, you might tell your best friend, "I philia you" meaning "I love you as a brother"
2) Storge -- this means natural affection -- love that you are just born with -- like that felt by parents for their children -- mothers naturally feel love and affection for their children -- this is storge love
3) Eros -- this is passionate love -- romantic love -- this is the love of a husband for his wife and a wife for her husband
4) Agape -- this is the highest form of love -- this is unconditional love -- this is the sacrificial love that Christ had for us -- that God has for us -- regardless of what you do -- regardless of who you are -- I love you and I will give my life for you -- agape
-- and that is the term that Jesus uses in this passage -- when He says, "Love one another," He isn't saying, "Love one another as a brother or sister" -- He isn't saying, "Have a natural affection for another person" -- He isn't saying "Love each other in a romantic way" -- no, He's saying "Agape one another -- love one another sacrificially -- unconditionally -- just as I loved you" -- and that's a pretty tall order -- in fact, that's impossible, unless you have the love of God in your own heart -- but that's what He's commanding us to do in this passage
-- now, notice that He doesn't tell us that we have to like the other person -- we simply have to love them -- there's a vast difference between the two -- love and like are not the same -- it's kind of like happiness and joy
-- happiness is based on external things -- on whether your environment -- your relationships -- are good -- joy comes from the heart and is based on the promises of God
-- love and like are just like that -- like is based on external things -- whether I like you or not depends on how I am feeling that day and what kind of mood I am in and what kind of mood you are in and what you have done -- but love comes from within -- love comes from a heart touched by the grace of God -- love flows out of you so that you can love someone you don't like
-- adoption classes -- "can you parent a child you don't love?" -- no -- you can parent a child you don't like -- there are times we don't like our family or our friends or our coworkers or our bosses -- parents of prodigals -- may not like them or like what they are doing at the time, but we are supposed to still love them
-- even if you don't have a prodigal child or live with someone who you don't really like at the moment because they are rebelling against your love, you might appreciate this little saying about true love
-- "if you love something, set it free -- if it comes back, it was and always will be yours -- it if never returns, it was never yours to begin with -- if it just sits in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your telephone, takes your money, and never behaves as if you actually set it free in the first place, you either married it or gave birth to it" -- how many of you can say "Amen" to that?
-- regardless of whether we like them or not, they're still our family and we are called to love them -- and Jesus tells us the same holds true for everyone that we meet -- Christian or not Christian -- likeable or not likeable -- we are to love them as He loved us
-- you know, God doesn't always like us, but He does always love us -- when we sin against God -- when we go out and do things our way that aren't good for us and turn from God -- I'm sure He doesn't like us or what we are doing -- but the Bible tells us that He always loves us -- He will never leave us or forsake us -- His love never ends -- it never fails
-- what is Christ telling us here in this passage? -- He is saying that every thought, every response, every act of good will, must be filtered through love or it means nothing -- we don't have to like them -- but we must agape them
-- look at what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
-- without love -- without letting that agape, unconditional love direct our thoughts and our actions and our lives -- without letting that agape, unconditional love guide us through our relationships here on earth -- then we are nothing and we do nothing
-- and, when people see this agape love flowing through us -- then, they will know that there is something different about us -- our world today is not characterized by love
-- true agape love is a rare treasure in our land, capable only through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit working within you -- and when someone sees this agape love in action, they know they are seeing something different -- when someone sees this agape love in action, they are drawn to it -- and when someone sees this agape love in action, they are drawn to Christ -- who is love -- and that is the whole point
-- the only things we do that have eternal significance are those things done through agape love
IV. What about you?
-- I read a story from Jimmy Brown about the time he played "I Spy" with his son, Jacob
-- they were in a store and waiting for his wife to finish shopping so they started playing -- when it was Jacob's turn, he said, "I Spy something that is red" -- "that is over there" [point] -- "that is on the door" -- "that has white around it" -- "that has the word 'Exit' on it"
-- His father said, "Is it that 'Exit' sign?" -- Jacob exclaimed, "Yes, that's it" like his father had craced some difficult code with his brilliant deductive skills
-- He told him, "Son, you shared and shared and shared until it was obvious what it was -- I didn't have to guess hard to figure it out"
-- isn't that just what God expects from you and me? -- isn't that what Jesus is calling us to do in this passage?
-- not to play childhood games, but to share and share and love and love until it's obvious to everyone around us that we are the disciples of Christ
-- wouldn't it be great for those around us to be able to say of you and me, "I Spy...someone who cares. I Spy....someone who loves"
-- I'm going to close now with this great quote from Anne Meskey -- "Love is the bumper sticker of our faith"
-- as you leave here today, may others know you as a disciple of Christ -- not because you have the Jesus bumper sticker on your car -- not because you have the outline of a fish -- but because you have love
-- let us pray
23 July 2006
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to John 13
34. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
-- When Missy started her new job in the factory, she was determined to let her light shine for the Lord -- but as soon as she met her work partner, Louise -- she knew it wasn't going to be easy
-- Louise was rude, crude, defensive and hateful in every way possible -- she ridiculed everything that Missy did -- when Missy tried to befriend her and tell her about Jesus, she was rejected -- Louise said, "I tried that -- it didn't work"
-- but Missy kept trying -- she kept asking God for help -- but all she was met with was hardness
-- after a really bad day with Louise, Missy opened her Bible and cried out to God -- her eyes fell on the passage that we opened with -- Missy complained, "But I don't even like her!"
-- one day, Louise came up while Missy was on a break and sat down next to her and said, "You're the only person who cares" -- then she poured out her story of heartache and trouble -- Missy put her arms around her and they became friends
-- Louise attended church with Missy -- and eventually opened her heart to Jesus and became a Christian -- all because someone cared -- all because someone loved her first
-- this morning we are looking at a passage that is the basis for Maundy Thursday -- the Thursday of Holy Week that we celebrate in our churches -- as I'm sure you remember, this was the last night that Jesus was with His disciples -- He had ridden into Jersusalem on Palm Sunday to the praise of the crowd -- and now He had gathered with His disciples in the upper room to share in the Passover Meal and to be with them one last time
-- it was on this night that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples -- it was on this night that Jesus was betrayed and turned over to the High Priest -- and it was on this night that Jesus poured out His heart to the disciples, sharing with them His last words of instruction before He was carried to the cross
-- in this passage, Jesus tells His disciples that He is giving them a new command -- and that is where we get the term "Maundy Thursday" -- it comes from the Latin "Dies Mandati" -- "The Day of the Commandment" -- referring to Jesus' commandment for us to love one another as He loved us
-- let's spend a few moments in these verses this morning and see what Jesus is telling us today through His word
II. What about the change?
-- look back at verse 34a -- "A new command I give you" -- stop right there and let's think about that for a moment
-- Jesus says that this is a "new" command -- but, if you think about it, this was not really a new command -- Jesus had said these words before -- when the teacher of the law asked Him what the greatest commandment was, Jesus replied in Matthew 22:37-40: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."
-- so this wasn't really a new commandment -- in fact, it goes back all the way to Lev 19:18 -- it tells us in there to "Love your neighbor as yourself" -- that's the Golden Rule -- and every single one of His disciples had grown up knowing the Torah -- knowing the teachings in these first five books of the Bible -- and they had already heard this coming from the lips of Jesus -- so how can this be a "new" commandment?
-- the word "new" has several definitions, all that apply here -- it can mean something that has never existed before and is now being made or introduced -- it can mean something that is just now being discovered for the first time or something that was not previously used or owned
-- another definition for "new" says that the word means something that is seen, experienced, or acquired recently or now for the first time -- and I think this is the definition that Jesus had in mind when He used this word in this passage
-- this was a "new" commandment -- not because they had never heard it -- but because they had never applied it -- they had never put it into practice in their life -- they knew the words of the commandment -- but they had never fulfilled it in their lives
-- Jesus was telling them that now they were to go out and actually do what it said -- to see it in their lives -- to experience it in their relationships with others -- to make it a part of themselves and to let others see it through their lives and their words and their actions
-- in other words, when Jesus used the word "new" here, He meant that it was time for a change -- now to give the disciples a little credit here, it wasn't their fault that they couldn't apply this commandment in their life up till now -- they just couldn't -- there is no way they could love another person as themselves using only the flesh
-- but, Jesus was about to make it possible -- He was about to send the Holy Spirit to fill them and through His power, the disciples would be able to acquire and experience and make this commandment new in their lives -- for the first time, they would be able to love as Jesus had loved -- to truly love their neighbor as themselves
-- Jesus says this is a command -- but it really is more than that -- it is a change -- a change of heart -- a change in life -- when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and the Holy Spirit comes in, then we are a new creation -- there should be a change in who we are and what we do -- Paul tells us that our "old man" -- our flesh -- our old ways and our old lives -- are replaced with a "new" man -- a spiritual man -- a man indwelt with the Holy Spirit who is capable of loving as Jesus loved
-- as Christians, we are called to fulfill this commandment -- we are expected to fulfill this commandment -- because we are more than just men and women -- we are the sons and daughters of the King -- filled with His very presence and His power -- and, as a result, the love should just flow out of the change in our lives
-- in one of his songs called, "The Change," Steven Curtis Chapman sings that he has all the outward signs of being a Christian -- he's got the t-shirt -- he's got the WWJD bracelet -- he's got a cross necklace and keychain -- he's got Bible magnets on his refrigerator -- he's got a welcome mat to bless you as you enter his home -- he's got a Jesus bumper sticker and the outline of a fish on his car -- but, he said that none of that matters unless there is a change -- unless there is grace and forgiveness and a life that is showing the change that Jesus makes -- the love that Jesus gives
-- Jesus is telling us in this passage that we have to do more than just know the right words or wear the right clothes or go to the right church -- we have to be changed through the power of His word -- we have to be changed through the power of the blood -- we have to be changed through the power of His grace and mercy -- and we prove this change when we live out this commandment in our lives
III. What about the love?
-- look back at verse 34 again
34. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
35. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
-- so Jesus is telling us to love one another as He love us -- what does this mean? -- I think we all realize that the word "love" doesn't always mean "love" -- we use that term for a lot of different things -- I can say I love the Georgia Bulldogs or I can say I love my wife -- but they don't mean the same thing -- or at least, they better not -- I can say I love steak -- or I love my job -- but that doesn't mean the same thing as telling our children that we love them
-- there are different meanings for the word "love" in English based on the context of how the word is used -- that's one reason why our language is so difficult for others to pick up -- it can be confusing -- but in other languages, they have more than one word for love to express the different kinds of love
-- in the Greek language that the New Testament was written in, there are actually four different words that we translate as "love" in our Bibles -- and it's important to know which word the passage is using in order to fully understand what the passage is saying
-- these four words are:
1) Philia -- like Philadelphia -- this means friendship -- brotherly love -- if you were Greek, you might tell your best friend, "I philia you" meaning "I love you as a brother"
2) Storge -- this means natural affection -- love that you are just born with -- like that felt by parents for their children -- mothers naturally feel love and affection for their children -- this is storge love
3) Eros -- this is passionate love -- romantic love -- this is the love of a husband for his wife and a wife for her husband
4) Agape -- this is the highest form of love -- this is unconditional love -- this is the sacrificial love that Christ had for us -- that God has for us -- regardless of what you do -- regardless of who you are -- I love you and I will give my life for you -- agape
-- and that is the term that Jesus uses in this passage -- when He says, "Love one another," He isn't saying, "Love one another as a brother or sister" -- He isn't saying, "Have a natural affection for another person" -- He isn't saying "Love each other in a romantic way" -- no, He's saying "Agape one another -- love one another sacrificially -- unconditionally -- just as I loved you" -- and that's a pretty tall order -- in fact, that's impossible, unless you have the love of God in your own heart -- but that's what He's commanding us to do in this passage
-- now, notice that He doesn't tell us that we have to like the other person -- we simply have to love them -- there's a vast difference between the two -- love and like are not the same -- it's kind of like happiness and joy
-- happiness is based on external things -- on whether your environment -- your relationships -- are good -- joy comes from the heart and is based on the promises of God
-- love and like are just like that -- like is based on external things -- whether I like you or not depends on how I am feeling that day and what kind of mood I am in and what kind of mood you are in and what you have done -- but love comes from within -- love comes from a heart touched by the grace of God -- love flows out of you so that you can love someone you don't like
-- adoption classes -- "can you parent a child you don't love?" -- no -- you can parent a child you don't like -- there are times we don't like our family or our friends or our coworkers or our bosses -- parents of prodigals -- may not like them or like what they are doing at the time, but we are supposed to still love them
-- even if you don't have a prodigal child or live with someone who you don't really like at the moment because they are rebelling against your love, you might appreciate this little saying about true love
-- "if you love something, set it free -- if it comes back, it was and always will be yours -- it if never returns, it was never yours to begin with -- if it just sits in your living room, messes up your stuff, eats your food, uses your telephone, takes your money, and never behaves as if you actually set it free in the first place, you either married it or gave birth to it" -- how many of you can say "Amen" to that?
-- regardless of whether we like them or not, they're still our family and we are called to love them -- and Jesus tells us the same holds true for everyone that we meet -- Christian or not Christian -- likeable or not likeable -- we are to love them as He loved us
-- you know, God doesn't always like us, but He does always love us -- when we sin against God -- when we go out and do things our way that aren't good for us and turn from God -- I'm sure He doesn't like us or what we are doing -- but the Bible tells us that He always loves us -- He will never leave us or forsake us -- His love never ends -- it never fails
-- what is Christ telling us here in this passage? -- He is saying that every thought, every response, every act of good will, must be filtered through love or it means nothing -- we don't have to like them -- but we must agape them
-- look at what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
2. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
-- without love -- without letting that agape, unconditional love direct our thoughts and our actions and our lives -- without letting that agape, unconditional love guide us through our relationships here on earth -- then we are nothing and we do nothing
-- and, when people see this agape love flowing through us -- then, they will know that there is something different about us -- our world today is not characterized by love
-- true agape love is a rare treasure in our land, capable only through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit working within you -- and when someone sees this agape love in action, they know they are seeing something different -- when someone sees this agape love in action, they are drawn to it -- and when someone sees this agape love in action, they are drawn to Christ -- who is love -- and that is the whole point
-- the only things we do that have eternal significance are those things done through agape love
IV. What about you?
-- I read a story from Jimmy Brown about the time he played "I Spy" with his son, Jacob
-- they were in a store and waiting for his wife to finish shopping so they started playing -- when it was Jacob's turn, he said, "I Spy something that is red" -- "that is over there" [point] -- "that is on the door" -- "that has white around it" -- "that has the word 'Exit' on it"
-- His father said, "Is it that 'Exit' sign?" -- Jacob exclaimed, "Yes, that's it" like his father had craced some difficult code with his brilliant deductive skills
-- He told him, "Son, you shared and shared and shared until it was obvious what it was -- I didn't have to guess hard to figure it out"
-- isn't that just what God expects from you and me? -- isn't that what Jesus is calling us to do in this passage?
-- not to play childhood games, but to share and share and love and love until it's obvious to everyone around us that we are the disciples of Christ
-- wouldn't it be great for those around us to be able to say of you and me, "I Spy...someone who cares. I Spy....someone who loves"
-- I'm going to close now with this great quote from Anne Meskey -- "Love is the bumper sticker of our faith"
-- as you leave here today, may others know you as a disciple of Christ -- not because you have the Jesus bumper sticker on your car -- not because you have the outline of a fish -- but because you have love
-- let us pray
SERMON: THE CHURCH WITH A VISION
Preached by Gregory W. Lee
16 July 2006
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 9
51. As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
52. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;
53. but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.
54. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?"
55. But Jesus turned and rebuked them,
56. and they went to another village.
57. As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
58. Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59. He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60. Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61. Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62. Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
-- the key verse in this passage and the one I want you to keep in mind is verse 51 -- "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. "
-- Bruce -- just retired -- came back to see me this week -- asked about his life -- he has a vision for the future -- he has plans, goals, dreams that he is working towards -- getting involved in life in Nebraska -- working on his house -- plans to become a realtor
-- known others who retired -- they didn't seem to have any plans -- just hung around house all day -- for the first few months, they enjoyed life -- like a six-month vacation -- but even vacations can get old -- they had no plans for the future other than to just enjoy themselves -- they had no vision -- no goals -- no dreams -- and without that, their life just dried up -- some of them ended up dying shortly after retirement -- I think one reason was that life had no meaning for them any longer -- they had been so wrapped up in life at work that they had no real vision of the future
-- in Prov 29:18 in the KJV says, "when there is no vision, the people perish" --there is a profound truth in that in two ways -- without a vision of the future to lead them and guide them, people may just quit living, such as the case with people who have just retired or who lose their job -- and without a vision of the future to lead them and guide them, people may get wrapped up in themselves and fail to live up to their potential -- spending so much time and money and effort to please themselves while not moving forward into the plans that God has for them and their life
-- the night before he was assassinated, President John Kennedy gave a speech and used this proverb in that speech -- it was an impassioned appeal for the people of the United States to dream big -- to be big -- to do things that were greater than themselves -- all throughout his short presidency, Kennedy cast a vision for America that propelled us to do great things -- remember his famous words in his inauguration address? -- "Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country" -- Kennedy was a visionary leader -- a person who recognized the value in having dreams and plans and goals for our individual lives and for our nation -- and his vision of a brighter and more productive future invigorated our country in a time when a vision of the future was sorely needed
-- to have a vision is to have a future -- it is to be part of something bigger than yourself -- it is to make a difference in the lives of others as you seek to fulfill God's plans for your life
-- last week we talked about heaven as being our vision for the future -- our ultimate goal -- the promise that should drive our lives with passion -- but unchanneled passion cannot guide or direct your path in the here and now -- we need a vision for the future -- both as individuals and as a church -- that will guide us into fulfilling God's plans for our lives and that will lead us to impact this world for His kingdom
II. Scripture Lesson and Application
-- the passage that we read from Luke is a passage of vision -- a passage of calling -- a passage written to direct us and guide us in our life here on earth -- in this passage, we see the steps to catching and fulfilling a vision for our lives and our church:
1. Commitment -- God wants us to have a vision for ministry, but it takes more than just envisioning the future -- we have to be committed to actually move forward to make that vision come true -- we have to be committed to the vision and have faith in God to provide all that is needed
-- look at verse 51
51. As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
-- Jesus had come to earth for a purpose -- He had a vision -- a mission -- a calling from God -- to go to Jerusalem and offer Himself as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world -- and when the time came for that vision to be fulfilled, Luke tells us that Jesus "resolutely" set out for Jerusalem
-- that word, "resolutely" means "determined" -- "unwavering" -- in other words, when the time came for Jesus to fulfill His purpose -- to fulfill His calling -- to live out God's vision for Him -- He set His face towards Jerusalem with determination -- unwilling to detour or to waver from His path -- He knew where He was going -- He knew what He was supposed to do when He got there -- and nothing was going to keep Him from fulfilling that vision -- He was committed to the vision
-- just like Christ, we are called to be committed to the visions that God has for our lives -- we are called to set out resolutely along the path to fulfillment -- when God gives us a vision, we are called to set our face towards it and to move forward with unwavering determination to fulfill what He has called us to do
2. Revelation -- Identify the needs in the community -- see where God wants us to be -- see who God wants us to be working with -- pray for our eyes to be opened to the needs in the community -- go out and ask those around the church what they consider the community's greatest need -- open our eyes to see the suffering and the needs around us
-- Jesus knew what God's vision was for Him -- when it was revealed to Him He turned His eyes towards Jerusalem and set off to fulfill that vision
-- we already know what God's vision for us involves -- in the Garden of Gethsemene, Christ didn't pray for us to be taken up to heaven with Him when He returned to the Father -- instead, He prayed for our protection because He was giving us a mission -- a vision -- in the world -- Jesus was sending us to share the good news of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life
-- God intends for us to walk through this world with a vision for bringing others to Christ -- with a vision for ministering and serving others so that others will be led to the cross -- our ultimate goal may be Heaven, but Christ didn't intend for us to enter heaven alone -- He intended for the vision of heaven to propel us and drive us and guide us in our ministry here in this place
-- George Barna offers us a compelling definition of vision for Christians -- Barna says that vision is a comprehensive sense of personal ministry -- it means knowing where you are with the Lord, where your ministry is going, and how you are going to get there -- vision is the "big picture" of the opportunities open to you -- a divinely inspired insight into what we are called to do and how we can effectively minister in our world today
-- vision should be the driving force behind our actions as servants of God -- vision becomes the energy and assurance that guides us through unforeseen difficulties or that propels us to move when we are threatened with fatigue or discouragement or ambivalence
3. Faith -- once we have confirmed God's vision for our lives, we have to trust in God to empower us to meet this vision -- this may mean strength to step forward and do something that we've never tried before -- or it may mean trusting in God to provide what we are lacking -- we can't let worldly limitations stop us from moving forward into meeting God's vision in our lives
-- anytime we try to fulfill a God-given vision in our lives or in our church, we need to know that we will face opposition -- our flesh and the things of this world will try to distract us from our mission
-- immediately after Jesus set out towards Jerusalem, He was confronted with a group of people who didn't want anything to do with His vision -- look at verse 52
52. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;
53. but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.
54. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?"
55. But Jesus turned and rebuked them,
56. and they went to another village.
-- not everyone wants to be part of the vision that God gives -- there are many churches and many individuals who are living small lives because they refuse to be part of God's vision for their lives -- and, if we let them, they can distract us from our path -- James and John were more concerned with taking revenge on the villagers than they were in helping get Jesus to Jerusalem
-- when God gives us a vision, we need to focus on accomplishing the task at hand and not be distracted by the things of the world
-- seen churches refuse to act because they felt like they didn't have enough money -- I've seen churches with a lot of money refuse to act because they didn't trust that God would provide in the future -- a friend of mine was appointed to the finance committee in a church that sweated in the summertime -- and I literally mean sweated -- they had an air conditioner for the church that was put in in the mid 1950's and they wouldn't replace it -- when he joined the finance committee, he wanted to raise enough money to help them replace the air conditioner -- come to find out, the church had been given stock in Coca-Cola years before and actually had a net worth of several million dollars -- they just refused to cash it in to buy an air conditioner because they were worried about major expenses in the future -- now, how much ministry do you think that church did? -- that air conditioner was just a monument to that church's lack of faith in God's ability to provide
-- I've seen churches that refused to act because they didn't have enough time -- they were so busy with their own plans and projects and fellowship activities that they didn't think they could do anything else -- I've seen churches that refused to act because they didn't think they were talented enough or skilled enough to do what God was calling them to do -- the list goes on and on -- the excuses go on and on
-- "we don't have enough money" -- "we don't have enough talent" --" we don't have enough members" -- we need to remember that when we say, "don't have enough" that that is the point where God steps in and says, "I do" -- but first, you must step forward in faith that God will provide where you fail -- as the Apostle Paul said, it is in our weakness that we are made strong -- this is especially true in setting and meeting visions in our individual spiritual lives and in our churches
-- more than anything else, churches are limited by their vision -- if they think they can't do something, then they are right -- the churches that you read about that are doing great things for God are doing so because they caught a vision of what God wanted them to do and they trusted that He would make it happen through them
4. Action -- finally, when we have a vision -- when God has called us to do something for Him, no matter the size -- then we have to do more than just acknowledge it -- we have to do something about it -- we have to act -- we have to move forward from where we are and start to fulfill the vision that He has given us
-- verse 57
57. As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
58. Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59. He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60. Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61. Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62. Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
-- as Jesus headed towards Jerusalem, many people recognized this vision from God -- they were called to be part of it, but they refused to act -- just like those with a lack of faith, these people came up with excuse after excuse as to why they just couldn't participate -- it wasn't that they lacked knowledge of what God wanted them to do -- it wasn't that they lacked faith that God would work through them to fulfill the vision -- it was failure to act that caused them to miss out of God's vision
-- when God gives us a vision -- when God gives us an assignment -- He expects us to fulfill it
-- if we are to live lives as Christ intended, then we have to apply these four disciplines for vision-casting in our daily spiritual lives: Commitment -- Revelation -- Faith -- and Action
III. Closing
-- one day Jesus and His disciples were walking through a field and Jesus used this as a teaching opportunity -- you know, when you walk in a field, your progress depends on where you put your eyes -- a lot of us walk through a field with our eyes on the ground, watching our feet to make sure we don't stumble or step on a snake -- we worry about the things in life that have the potential to trip us up -- others walk through a field with their gaze focused on the sky, watching the clouds take on different shapes or watching the birds soar overhead or enjoying a beautiful sunset -- we can't worry about the here and now because all we're seeing is the distant horizon -- have you ever heard the saying, "they're so focused on heaven that they're no earthly good?" -- but that's not how Jesus wanted us to walk through life -- He told His disciples to open their eyes and see the field -- to see the harvest all around them -- and to follow Him as He led them through the field
-- you see, if you walk through a field with your eyes focused only on the ground or only focused on heaven, you won't make any progress -- you won't know where you are going -- it's O.K. to glance in these directions, but our focus needs to be on Christ as He leads us through the field -- our focus needs to be on the harvest that Jesus pointed out to His disciples -- our focus needs to be on meeting the vision of Christ as we follow Him to our ultimate goal -- arriving in Heaven with a large entourage of people we have picked up along the way
-- I don't know how many of you saw the Tom Hanks movie, "Forrest Gump" -- but at one point in the movie, Forrest starts running with a goal of running to the ocean -- he starts out alone, but as he goes, people start to follow -- soon, he's got a whole group of people following him, and when he makes it to the pier on the Pacific Ocean, he doesn't arrive alone -- he comes with all those he has gathered along the way
-- Forrest had a vision -- and because he followed his vision, others were led to the finish line as well
-- we are called to have a vision -- to be more than we are -- to do more than we can do -- we are called to serve God by sharing His love and His message to a field full of lost souls -- to open our eyes and see what God wants us to do and then to go out and do it
-- the difference between someone on fire for God and a pew warmer on Sunday morning is vision -- the difference between a thriving church and a dying church is vision -- without a vision, we perish -- without a vision, this church perishes
-- as I close this message this morning, I have an assignment for you -- this week, I want you to get a sheet of paper and a pen -- and I want you to get your Bible -- and I want you to sit before God in a time of prayer and study
-- I want you to ask Him to open your eyes and to give you a vision for what you can do for Him this week -- this month -- this year -- and then I want you to do the same for this church -- what can we do for Him this week -- this month -- this year
-- and I want you to write down what God tells you and I want you to share it with us next Sunday -- vision is the key to ministry -- and we must have a vision if we are to do what God wants us to do -- if we are to be who God wants us to be
-- let us pray
16 July 2006
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Luke 9
51. As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
52. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;
53. but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.
54. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?"
55. But Jesus turned and rebuked them,
56. and they went to another village.
57. As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
58. Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59. He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60. Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61. Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62. Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
-- the key verse in this passage and the one I want you to keep in mind is verse 51 -- "As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. "
-- Bruce -- just retired -- came back to see me this week -- asked about his life -- he has a vision for the future -- he has plans, goals, dreams that he is working towards -- getting involved in life in Nebraska -- working on his house -- plans to become a realtor
-- known others who retired -- they didn't seem to have any plans -- just hung around house all day -- for the first few months, they enjoyed life -- like a six-month vacation -- but even vacations can get old -- they had no plans for the future other than to just enjoy themselves -- they had no vision -- no goals -- no dreams -- and without that, their life just dried up -- some of them ended up dying shortly after retirement -- I think one reason was that life had no meaning for them any longer -- they had been so wrapped up in life at work that they had no real vision of the future
-- in Prov 29:18 in the KJV says, "when there is no vision, the people perish" --there is a profound truth in that in two ways -- without a vision of the future to lead them and guide them, people may just quit living, such as the case with people who have just retired or who lose their job -- and without a vision of the future to lead them and guide them, people may get wrapped up in themselves and fail to live up to their potential -- spending so much time and money and effort to please themselves while not moving forward into the plans that God has for them and their life
-- the night before he was assassinated, President John Kennedy gave a speech and used this proverb in that speech -- it was an impassioned appeal for the people of the United States to dream big -- to be big -- to do things that were greater than themselves -- all throughout his short presidency, Kennedy cast a vision for America that propelled us to do great things -- remember his famous words in his inauguration address? -- "Ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country" -- Kennedy was a visionary leader -- a person who recognized the value in having dreams and plans and goals for our individual lives and for our nation -- and his vision of a brighter and more productive future invigorated our country in a time when a vision of the future was sorely needed
-- to have a vision is to have a future -- it is to be part of something bigger than yourself -- it is to make a difference in the lives of others as you seek to fulfill God's plans for your life
-- last week we talked about heaven as being our vision for the future -- our ultimate goal -- the promise that should drive our lives with passion -- but unchanneled passion cannot guide or direct your path in the here and now -- we need a vision for the future -- both as individuals and as a church -- that will guide us into fulfilling God's plans for our lives and that will lead us to impact this world for His kingdom
II. Scripture Lesson and Application
-- the passage that we read from Luke is a passage of vision -- a passage of calling -- a passage written to direct us and guide us in our life here on earth -- in this passage, we see the steps to catching and fulfilling a vision for our lives and our church:
1. Commitment -- God wants us to have a vision for ministry, but it takes more than just envisioning the future -- we have to be committed to actually move forward to make that vision come true -- we have to be committed to the vision and have faith in God to provide all that is needed
-- look at verse 51
51. As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.
-- Jesus had come to earth for a purpose -- He had a vision -- a mission -- a calling from God -- to go to Jerusalem and offer Himself as an atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world -- and when the time came for that vision to be fulfilled, Luke tells us that Jesus "resolutely" set out for Jerusalem
-- that word, "resolutely" means "determined" -- "unwavering" -- in other words, when the time came for Jesus to fulfill His purpose -- to fulfill His calling -- to live out God's vision for Him -- He set His face towards Jerusalem with determination -- unwilling to detour or to waver from His path -- He knew where He was going -- He knew what He was supposed to do when He got there -- and nothing was going to keep Him from fulfilling that vision -- He was committed to the vision
-- just like Christ, we are called to be committed to the visions that God has for our lives -- we are called to set out resolutely along the path to fulfillment -- when God gives us a vision, we are called to set our face towards it and to move forward with unwavering determination to fulfill what He has called us to do
2. Revelation -- Identify the needs in the community -- see where God wants us to be -- see who God wants us to be working with -- pray for our eyes to be opened to the needs in the community -- go out and ask those around the church what they consider the community's greatest need -- open our eyes to see the suffering and the needs around us
-- Jesus knew what God's vision was for Him -- when it was revealed to Him He turned His eyes towards Jerusalem and set off to fulfill that vision
-- we already know what God's vision for us involves -- in the Garden of Gethsemene, Christ didn't pray for us to be taken up to heaven with Him when He returned to the Father -- instead, He prayed for our protection because He was giving us a mission -- a vision -- in the world -- Jesus was sending us to share the good news of the forgiveness of sins and eternal life
-- God intends for us to walk through this world with a vision for bringing others to Christ -- with a vision for ministering and serving others so that others will be led to the cross -- our ultimate goal may be Heaven, but Christ didn't intend for us to enter heaven alone -- He intended for the vision of heaven to propel us and drive us and guide us in our ministry here in this place
-- George Barna offers us a compelling definition of vision for Christians -- Barna says that vision is a comprehensive sense of personal ministry -- it means knowing where you are with the Lord, where your ministry is going, and how you are going to get there -- vision is the "big picture" of the opportunities open to you -- a divinely inspired insight into what we are called to do and how we can effectively minister in our world today
-- vision should be the driving force behind our actions as servants of God -- vision becomes the energy and assurance that guides us through unforeseen difficulties or that propels us to move when we are threatened with fatigue or discouragement or ambivalence
3. Faith -- once we have confirmed God's vision for our lives, we have to trust in God to empower us to meet this vision -- this may mean strength to step forward and do something that we've never tried before -- or it may mean trusting in God to provide what we are lacking -- we can't let worldly limitations stop us from moving forward into meeting God's vision in our lives
-- anytime we try to fulfill a God-given vision in our lives or in our church, we need to know that we will face opposition -- our flesh and the things of this world will try to distract us from our mission
-- immediately after Jesus set out towards Jerusalem, He was confronted with a group of people who didn't want anything to do with His vision -- look at verse 52
52. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;
53. but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.
54. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?"
55. But Jesus turned and rebuked them,
56. and they went to another village.
-- not everyone wants to be part of the vision that God gives -- there are many churches and many individuals who are living small lives because they refuse to be part of God's vision for their lives -- and, if we let them, they can distract us from our path -- James and John were more concerned with taking revenge on the villagers than they were in helping get Jesus to Jerusalem
-- when God gives us a vision, we need to focus on accomplishing the task at hand and not be distracted by the things of the world
-- seen churches refuse to act because they felt like they didn't have enough money -- I've seen churches with a lot of money refuse to act because they didn't trust that God would provide in the future -- a friend of mine was appointed to the finance committee in a church that sweated in the summertime -- and I literally mean sweated -- they had an air conditioner for the church that was put in in the mid 1950's and they wouldn't replace it -- when he joined the finance committee, he wanted to raise enough money to help them replace the air conditioner -- come to find out, the church had been given stock in Coca-Cola years before and actually had a net worth of several million dollars -- they just refused to cash it in to buy an air conditioner because they were worried about major expenses in the future -- now, how much ministry do you think that church did? -- that air conditioner was just a monument to that church's lack of faith in God's ability to provide
-- I've seen churches that refused to act because they didn't have enough time -- they were so busy with their own plans and projects and fellowship activities that they didn't think they could do anything else -- I've seen churches that refused to act because they didn't think they were talented enough or skilled enough to do what God was calling them to do -- the list goes on and on -- the excuses go on and on
-- "we don't have enough money" -- "we don't have enough talent" --" we don't have enough members" -- we need to remember that when we say, "don't have enough" that that is the point where God steps in and says, "I do" -- but first, you must step forward in faith that God will provide where you fail -- as the Apostle Paul said, it is in our weakness that we are made strong -- this is especially true in setting and meeting visions in our individual spiritual lives and in our churches
-- more than anything else, churches are limited by their vision -- if they think they can't do something, then they are right -- the churches that you read about that are doing great things for God are doing so because they caught a vision of what God wanted them to do and they trusted that He would make it happen through them
4. Action -- finally, when we have a vision -- when God has called us to do something for Him, no matter the size -- then we have to do more than just acknowledge it -- we have to do something about it -- we have to act -- we have to move forward from where we are and start to fulfill the vision that He has given us
-- verse 57
57. As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."
58. Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
59. He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60. Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61. Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."
62. Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
-- as Jesus headed towards Jerusalem, many people recognized this vision from God -- they were called to be part of it, but they refused to act -- just like those with a lack of faith, these people came up with excuse after excuse as to why they just couldn't participate -- it wasn't that they lacked knowledge of what God wanted them to do -- it wasn't that they lacked faith that God would work through them to fulfill the vision -- it was failure to act that caused them to miss out of God's vision
-- when God gives us a vision -- when God gives us an assignment -- He expects us to fulfill it
-- if we are to live lives as Christ intended, then we have to apply these four disciplines for vision-casting in our daily spiritual lives: Commitment -- Revelation -- Faith -- and Action
III. Closing
-- one day Jesus and His disciples were walking through a field and Jesus used this as a teaching opportunity -- you know, when you walk in a field, your progress depends on where you put your eyes -- a lot of us walk through a field with our eyes on the ground, watching our feet to make sure we don't stumble or step on a snake -- we worry about the things in life that have the potential to trip us up -- others walk through a field with their gaze focused on the sky, watching the clouds take on different shapes or watching the birds soar overhead or enjoying a beautiful sunset -- we can't worry about the here and now because all we're seeing is the distant horizon -- have you ever heard the saying, "they're so focused on heaven that they're no earthly good?" -- but that's not how Jesus wanted us to walk through life -- He told His disciples to open their eyes and see the field -- to see the harvest all around them -- and to follow Him as He led them through the field
-- you see, if you walk through a field with your eyes focused only on the ground or only focused on heaven, you won't make any progress -- you won't know where you are going -- it's O.K. to glance in these directions, but our focus needs to be on Christ as He leads us through the field -- our focus needs to be on the harvest that Jesus pointed out to His disciples -- our focus needs to be on meeting the vision of Christ as we follow Him to our ultimate goal -- arriving in Heaven with a large entourage of people we have picked up along the way
-- I don't know how many of you saw the Tom Hanks movie, "Forrest Gump" -- but at one point in the movie, Forrest starts running with a goal of running to the ocean -- he starts out alone, but as he goes, people start to follow -- soon, he's got a whole group of people following him, and when he makes it to the pier on the Pacific Ocean, he doesn't arrive alone -- he comes with all those he has gathered along the way
-- Forrest had a vision -- and because he followed his vision, others were led to the finish line as well
-- we are called to have a vision -- to be more than we are -- to do more than we can do -- we are called to serve God by sharing His love and His message to a field full of lost souls -- to open our eyes and see what God wants us to do and then to go out and do it
-- the difference between someone on fire for God and a pew warmer on Sunday morning is vision -- the difference between a thriving church and a dying church is vision -- without a vision, we perish -- without a vision, this church perishes
-- as I close this message this morning, I have an assignment for you -- this week, I want you to get a sheet of paper and a pen -- and I want you to get your Bible -- and I want you to sit before God in a time of prayer and study
-- I want you to ask Him to open your eyes and to give you a vision for what you can do for Him this week -- this month -- this year -- and then I want you to do the same for this church -- what can we do for Him this week -- this month -- this year
-- and I want you to write down what God tells you and I want you to share it with us next Sunday -- vision is the key to ministry -- and we must have a vision if we are to do what God wants us to do -- if we are to be who God wants us to be
-- let us pray
Saturday, July 15, 2006
THE JOYS OF HYPOCRISY
At a Bible study being conducted at our church by a former D.S., he shared a funny true story with us. One of his members was struggling with alcoholism and had joined Alcoholics Anonymous. This pastor would go to the AA meetings with his member from time to time. One day, the leader of the AA meeting came up to the pastor and said, "You know, AA works a lot better than church. We've both got hypocrites, but we can smell ours when they show up!"
Well, last week I took a deep breath and smelled a hypocrite -- myself. You see, it's summer. The time for vacations and fun with the family while the kids are out of school. Our daughter ended up having to go to summer school, so her summer vacation was drastically shortened. As a result, we hadn't done much "fun" stuff as a family until just a couple of weeks ago. But then we got started...
We ate out, went on picnics, went to many, many movies, rented DVDs and ate take-out Chinese, went to the local waterpark, etc. I guess it was too much, too quick. After an extremely full day of fun, we were going back to the house and my daughter started complaining, "Why can't we ever do anything fun?" My mouth dropped. I was flabbergasted. How could she complain that we don't do anything fun as we're coming back from watching a movie and eating out?
Just how much had we spoiled her over this summer? To think, we had given her more fun and entertainment than most kids got in an entire summer, and here she was leaving one fun event and complaining because at this moment, she wasn't having fun. "Spoiled," I thought. "Ungrateful and spoiled." She was totally unthankful for all that we had done for her.
I began to berate her for her attitude, and all of a sudden, God spoke to me and said, "Thou art the man." And it hit me. Yes, she might have been spoiled and ungrateful, but so was I. How many times during the day did I stop and thank God for all that He had provided me that day? Just three times before meals? When was the last time that I thanked God for His salvation that He gave me, for the death of His Son on the cross, for eternal life with Him?
I was just like the 9 lepers who didn't return to Jesus with thankfulness in their hearts after being healed. Spoiled rotten and totally ungrateful. How many times had I complained to God that day because traffic was heavy, work was going bad, and I just had too much to do? Here I was, blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, seated in the very heavenlies with Him, promised eternal life and an inheritance in the kingdom, and I was ungrateful.
I was, in a word, being a major hypocrite. Berating my daughter for a speck in her eye while I had a plank in my own. This realization broke through to me and I cried out to God in forgiveness and praise and thankfulness for what He had provided. I have found joy in hypocrisy because through my sin, God opened my eyes to the blessings in my life and led me into a closer place with Him. I pray that this week, you too, will have the eyes of your heart opened so you can see the many blessings that God has given you in your life and so that you may rejoice in thankfulness for His grace and mercy and loving kindness.
Well, last week I took a deep breath and smelled a hypocrite -- myself. You see, it's summer. The time for vacations and fun with the family while the kids are out of school. Our daughter ended up having to go to summer school, so her summer vacation was drastically shortened. As a result, we hadn't done much "fun" stuff as a family until just a couple of weeks ago. But then we got started...
We ate out, went on picnics, went to many, many movies, rented DVDs and ate take-out Chinese, went to the local waterpark, etc. I guess it was too much, too quick. After an extremely full day of fun, we were going back to the house and my daughter started complaining, "Why can't we ever do anything fun?" My mouth dropped. I was flabbergasted. How could she complain that we don't do anything fun as we're coming back from watching a movie and eating out?
Just how much had we spoiled her over this summer? To think, we had given her more fun and entertainment than most kids got in an entire summer, and here she was leaving one fun event and complaining because at this moment, she wasn't having fun. "Spoiled," I thought. "Ungrateful and spoiled." She was totally unthankful for all that we had done for her.
I began to berate her for her attitude, and all of a sudden, God spoke to me and said, "Thou art the man." And it hit me. Yes, she might have been spoiled and ungrateful, but so was I. How many times during the day did I stop and thank God for all that He had provided me that day? Just three times before meals? When was the last time that I thanked God for His salvation that He gave me, for the death of His Son on the cross, for eternal life with Him?
I was just like the 9 lepers who didn't return to Jesus with thankfulness in their hearts after being healed. Spoiled rotten and totally ungrateful. How many times had I complained to God that day because traffic was heavy, work was going bad, and I just had too much to do? Here I was, blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ, seated in the very heavenlies with Him, promised eternal life and an inheritance in the kingdom, and I was ungrateful.
I was, in a word, being a major hypocrite. Berating my daughter for a speck in her eye while I had a plank in my own. This realization broke through to me and I cried out to God in forgiveness and praise and thankfulness for what He had provided. I have found joy in hypocrisy because through my sin, God opened my eyes to the blessings in my life and led me into a closer place with Him. I pray that this week, you too, will have the eyes of your heart opened so you can see the many blessings that God has given you in your life and so that you may rejoice in thankfulness for His grace and mercy and loving kindness.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
SERMON: HEAVEN IN THE REAL WORLD
Preached by Gregory W. Lee
9 July 2006
I. Introduction-- turn in Bibles to Philippians 3
10. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11. and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
16. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
18. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
20. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21. who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
-- as we begin our time together this morning, I want you to stretch your mind and use your imagination -- I want you to imagine that you are a little bird who lives in a tiny cage made of rusty metal -- inside of this cage are the things that you need to be alive -- you've got a food bowl -- a water dish -- a little mirror -- and a tiny perch to swing on
-- day in and day out you live in this little cage -- this is your world -- and you're relatively happy there -- you have food -- you have water -- you can sit in your swing all day and have fun -- you have company because there are lots of other cages just like yours next to you with lots of other little birds in them -- and some days you just sing with joy because of your life and all the things you have
-- but one day, your owner takes your cage outside and hangs you from a hook on the porch -- and all of a sudden, your world is expanded -- you look out and see trees covering the hills and valleys as far as you can see -- there are bushes drooping with purple berries -- fruit trees covered with fruit of all kind -- carpets of wild flowers -- and a wide blue sky to fly in -- and besides all these things, there are millions of other little birds hopping from one green limb to another and eating their fill -- raising their little families and singing their hearts out all day long
-- after just a few hours, your owner comes back and brings your cage back inside and puts you back in your spot -- as he puts you back he whispers to you, "one day, I will come back and take you outside and set you free -- you will be free to go outside on your own forever -- you will be part of the world that you just saw" -- your owner walks off and you look around and see all your familiar things in their familiar settings -- your food bowl -- your water dish -- your mirror and your little perch -- surrounded by the other cages with the other little birds -- everything is just the same as it was
-- now I want you to imagine what would be going on in your mind as you sit there in your rusty little cage, surrounded by your neighbors in their own little rusy cages -- after having seen the great big outdoors with all of its many pleasures, what would you be thinking? -- what would you be doing? -- what would you be telling your neighbors? -- would it change the way you live? -- can you imagine going through the rest of your life wanting to stay in your cage? -- can you imagine saying, "I don't want to go outside -- I would miss my cage -- I would miss my little food bowl with seeds in it -- I would miss my plastic mirror and my tiny little perch -- I might get bored outside"
-- no, of course not, you wouldn't think that -- you would start spending all your time thinking about the day you would be free in the world -- you would start spending all your time thinking about what you will do when you get there -- the things you will see and the places you will go -- you would start telling others of the world to come -- of the joy that awaits in just a little while -- your focus would shift from your own little world to the wonders of the world to come
-- well, I know we're not really birds, but this little illustration that I adapted from a Larry Libby book makes a great point -- a lot of Christians today spend all their time worrying about their rusty little cage and all the things inside of it and spend little or no time thinking about their life to come in the future as they enter eternity in Heaven with the Lord -- somehow, we've forgotten what is important and we've shifted our focus from heaven to earth and started living for today rather than for the life to come
-- as Ted Dekker writes, in order to live our lives here on earth as God intended, we need to awaken our passion for heaven and for God -- it is something that we once had, and it's something that we have lost -- most Christians today are just like the church at Ephesus as described in the book of Revelation -- we're going through the motions of life without our driving passion -- without our first love -- that we need to focus our time here on earth
-- this morning, I want us to focus on what it means to be passionate for heaven -- to be passionate for God and His presence -- to consider how we should live as strangers and aliens in this land who are just passing through on the way to our real home in heaven
II. Scripture Lesson
-- the Apostle Paul was just like the bird in our illustration -- he had been given an actual glimpse of heaven and it changed his life forever -- that is why he wrote in Phil 1, "to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far"
-- Paul knew, better than most, of the joys and pleasures that awaited in heaven -- it became his driving passion -- it became the thing that led him forward -- that kept him going through the pain and suffering and the pleasures in his life -- it became the prize and the goal for which he strove with every ounce of his being -- it was his hope -- his reason for living
-- and so, he encourages the Christians in Philippi -- and us -- in this passage -- to approach our lives here with that same passion -- with that same hope -- as he had
-- look back at verse 10
10. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11. and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.
-- what do you think of when you think of heaven? -- is it a place that excites your mind -- that quickens your heart? -- is it a place that you really look forward to?
-- probably not -- most Christians don't have a realistic vision of heaven -- we think of floating around on clouds all day -- playing harps and singing music that we really don't like to sing outside of church on Sunday morning -- if you're like most of us, you think of heaven as one big church service, 24/7, with no end -- not really the sort of place that you want to spend eternity -- Mark Twain once remarked that he'd much rather go to hell than to a place like that, because at least it would be exciting
-- but is that what heaven is really like? -- Paul had been there -- Paul had seen it and experienced it with his own eyes and with all his senses -- and, more than anything else, he wanted to get back to it as soon as possible -- that is why he wrote that "to die is gain" and that he desired to depart and be with Christ in heaven -- Paul thought of heaven as a prize -- as something that he longed for and strained for with all of his being -- as something that he hoped to win in the end
-- in Psalm 126 and in Isaiah 55, we are given a picture of what it will be like when we enter heaven -- when we step from our world and into the next -- Psalm 126:1-2 says, "When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed -- our mouths were filled with laughter -- our tongues with songs of joy" -- Isaiah 55:12 says, "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
-- hardly sounds like a place of boredom -- it sounds like a place that we should be excited to think about -- like a place that we should be longing to go to -- I remember when I was a kid -- we didn't have all the things and all instant entertainment like the kids today have -- and I remember one summer, my parents told me that we would be going to Disney World later that year -- I remember the excitement -- I remember the anticipation -- it was all I thought about -- it was all I talked about -- I spent my days imagining what it would be like -- picturing it in my head -- and then, when the day arrived and we climbed on that monorail and soared over the park and into that magical world, I was just so overwhelmed with how wonderful it really was -- it was so much better than I ever imagined
-- that feeling of anticipation -- that feeling of excitement and longing is exactly what Paul is trying to transmit to the Philippians in this passage -- he knew what heaven was going to be like and he wanted them to be as excited about going to heaven as he was
-- you know, the Bible doesn't give us a clear description of heaven, because I think heaven will be a little different for all of us -- Jesus said that heaven would be paradise -- and I imagine that it will be a place that is created just for us -- a place of unending joy and pleasure and happiness -- filled with all the things that you enjoy and that you find pleasure in -- everything that you experience here -- all the fun and all the joy and all the pleasure you experience here on earth is only a foretaste of what you will experience there -- they are like appetizers for the meal to come
-- think about what makes you happy -- think about the things in life -- the things you do -- that bring you joy -- you will experience all of these in heaven, only more so -- down here on earth, you might have your little food bowl and your water bowl and your perch to swing on -- but in heaven, you will have an endless banquet from which to feast at -- endless opportunities for pleasure and excitement and joy -- endless moments with family and friends -- and, more importantly, endless time with someone who loves you deeper and greater and more extravagently than anyone else -- Christ Himself
-- Paul says, "This is what you should be looking towards -- this is our goal -- this is our hope -- this is what we were created for and what we are longing for -- this is where we are headed -- and this should be what drives you -- you should be living your life with this as your destination -- forgetting what is behind and straining forward against all the things of this earth until you finally win the prize that God has prepared for you -- life in heaven with Christ!"
-- in verse 15 he says, "this is the way the mature Christian looks at life"
-- but, unfortunately, most of us don't go through life with our eyes towards heaven -- we don't have our eyes on the prize at the end of the race -- at the goal that we are supposed to be running towards -- look at verse 16
16. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
18. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
-- I'm afraid that most of us are just like those Paul described here in verse 19 -- our minds are on earthly things and not on the things of God -- we focus our attention on what we can get out of this life instead of preparing for the life to come
-- this weekend, we took off and went to Atlanta for a couple days to just get away -- to go to the aquarium and to spend some time shopping and just enjoying ourselves -- over the weekend, we went to several Christian bookstores -- and as I wandered through the aisles, I noticed something -- I didn't see a single book on heaven -- every book I saw dealt with the subject of living life in the here and now
-- there were books on how to have better marriages -- on how to get better relationships -- on how to have more money and how to be good stewards of what God has given us -- there were books on recognizing the joys of life and how to find pleasure in the things God has provided -- there were books on how to get out of debt -- and books on how to get out of sin -- books on how to be freed from addiction and books on a variety of subjects -- but there wasn't a single book on heaven and about how to live life here on earth with our eyes focused on our goal
-- Paul says that that is not the way to live -- we should be going through life with our attention focused on what is to come -- we should be approaching life like a kid waiting to go to Disney World or like a bird longing to be set free into the wide blue yonder
-- instead, we spend all our time focused on the things of earth -- things that are fleeting and transient and that will pass away -- as I was wandering through that book store, it struck me that most Christians approach life like little kids approach baseball
-- have you ever watched a group of little kids -- I'm talking 4 and 5 year olds -- play baseball? -- they are doing everything in the world but actually focusing on the game -- the right fielder is standing out there watching birds and other players are on their bellies in the grass watching ants crawl up a blade of grass -- some are facing the wrong way -- very few of them are even aware of what's going on -- how can they even think of catching a ball when one is hit to them? -- there's just too much other stuff distracting them
-- that is what is going on with a lot of Christians -- we find ourselves distracted by the things of this world and we don't focus on what the Bible tells us is important -- Paul tells us here that our mind should be on the prize -- on our future life with God in heaven -- because that is what is truly important -- look at verse 20
20. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21. who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
-- Paul says that we are not citizens here, so we shouldn't get too comfortable on earth -- we need to spend our time and our effort and all our being preparing for the time when we are called home -- for the time when we will be ushered into the paradise of heaven with our Lord and Savior -- for the time when we will be transformed from earthbound creatures living in rusty little cages to glorious creations feasting at a heavenly banquet and enjoying all the pleasures of God
III. Closing
-- let me ask you this morning, "what is your passion? -- what drives you and propels you on through life? -- is it the things of this world? -- are you sitting in your little rusty cage, happy with your little food bowl and water bowl and little mirror -- or are you longing for something better -- for something more -- for something greater?"
-- Paul tells us that the secret to life on earth is to focus on life in heaven -- to forget the things behind us -- to not be distracted by the temporary pleasures and pain of earth -- but to focus our attention and our life on getting to heaven and on the joys that await us there
-- he tells us to picture our earthly pleasures for what they are -- foretastes -- appetizers -- of what is to come -- he tells us to look past our earthly pain and suffering to the joy that is set before us -- he tells us that our goal should be heaven and not anything on earth
-- I think this is an important concept that is missing in our lives today -- even as Christians we have gotten too wrapped up in living life in the here and now that we have forgotten why we were created -- I want to encourage you this morning to spend some time this week focusing on heaven and about what it will be like -- spend some time looking up passages on heaven in your Bible -- meditate on what the pleasures of heaven might be like -- and let your vision of heaven guide you and drive you as you seek the day when your faith will be sight and when all that you imagined of heaven will be unfolded around you
-- let us pray
9 July 2006
I. Introduction-- turn in Bibles to Philippians 3
10. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11. and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.
16. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
18. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
20. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21. who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
-- as we begin our time together this morning, I want you to stretch your mind and use your imagination -- I want you to imagine that you are a little bird who lives in a tiny cage made of rusty metal -- inside of this cage are the things that you need to be alive -- you've got a food bowl -- a water dish -- a little mirror -- and a tiny perch to swing on
-- day in and day out you live in this little cage -- this is your world -- and you're relatively happy there -- you have food -- you have water -- you can sit in your swing all day and have fun -- you have company because there are lots of other cages just like yours next to you with lots of other little birds in them -- and some days you just sing with joy because of your life and all the things you have
-- but one day, your owner takes your cage outside and hangs you from a hook on the porch -- and all of a sudden, your world is expanded -- you look out and see trees covering the hills and valleys as far as you can see -- there are bushes drooping with purple berries -- fruit trees covered with fruit of all kind -- carpets of wild flowers -- and a wide blue sky to fly in -- and besides all these things, there are millions of other little birds hopping from one green limb to another and eating their fill -- raising their little families and singing their hearts out all day long
-- after just a few hours, your owner comes back and brings your cage back inside and puts you back in your spot -- as he puts you back he whispers to you, "one day, I will come back and take you outside and set you free -- you will be free to go outside on your own forever -- you will be part of the world that you just saw" -- your owner walks off and you look around and see all your familiar things in their familiar settings -- your food bowl -- your water dish -- your mirror and your little perch -- surrounded by the other cages with the other little birds -- everything is just the same as it was
-- now I want you to imagine what would be going on in your mind as you sit there in your rusty little cage, surrounded by your neighbors in their own little rusy cages -- after having seen the great big outdoors with all of its many pleasures, what would you be thinking? -- what would you be doing? -- what would you be telling your neighbors? -- would it change the way you live? -- can you imagine going through the rest of your life wanting to stay in your cage? -- can you imagine saying, "I don't want to go outside -- I would miss my cage -- I would miss my little food bowl with seeds in it -- I would miss my plastic mirror and my tiny little perch -- I might get bored outside"
-- no, of course not, you wouldn't think that -- you would start spending all your time thinking about the day you would be free in the world -- you would start spending all your time thinking about what you will do when you get there -- the things you will see and the places you will go -- you would start telling others of the world to come -- of the joy that awaits in just a little while -- your focus would shift from your own little world to the wonders of the world to come
-- well, I know we're not really birds, but this little illustration that I adapted from a Larry Libby book makes a great point -- a lot of Christians today spend all their time worrying about their rusty little cage and all the things inside of it and spend little or no time thinking about their life to come in the future as they enter eternity in Heaven with the Lord -- somehow, we've forgotten what is important and we've shifted our focus from heaven to earth and started living for today rather than for the life to come
-- as Ted Dekker writes, in order to live our lives here on earth as God intended, we need to awaken our passion for heaven and for God -- it is something that we once had, and it's something that we have lost -- most Christians today are just like the church at Ephesus as described in the book of Revelation -- we're going through the motions of life without our driving passion -- without our first love -- that we need to focus our time here on earth
-- this morning, I want us to focus on what it means to be passionate for heaven -- to be passionate for God and His presence -- to consider how we should live as strangers and aliens in this land who are just passing through on the way to our real home in heaven
II. Scripture Lesson
-- the Apostle Paul was just like the bird in our illustration -- he had been given an actual glimpse of heaven and it changed his life forever -- that is why he wrote in Phil 1, "to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far"
-- Paul knew, better than most, of the joys and pleasures that awaited in heaven -- it became his driving passion -- it became the thing that led him forward -- that kept him going through the pain and suffering and the pleasures in his life -- it became the prize and the goal for which he strove with every ounce of his being -- it was his hope -- his reason for living
-- and so, he encourages the Christians in Philippi -- and us -- in this passage -- to approach our lives here with that same passion -- with that same hope -- as he had
-- look back at verse 10
10. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11. and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.
-- what do you think of when you think of heaven? -- is it a place that excites your mind -- that quickens your heart? -- is it a place that you really look forward to?
-- probably not -- most Christians don't have a realistic vision of heaven -- we think of floating around on clouds all day -- playing harps and singing music that we really don't like to sing outside of church on Sunday morning -- if you're like most of us, you think of heaven as one big church service, 24/7, with no end -- not really the sort of place that you want to spend eternity -- Mark Twain once remarked that he'd much rather go to hell than to a place like that, because at least it would be exciting
-- but is that what heaven is really like? -- Paul had been there -- Paul had seen it and experienced it with his own eyes and with all his senses -- and, more than anything else, he wanted to get back to it as soon as possible -- that is why he wrote that "to die is gain" and that he desired to depart and be with Christ in heaven -- Paul thought of heaven as a prize -- as something that he longed for and strained for with all of his being -- as something that he hoped to win in the end
-- in Psalm 126 and in Isaiah 55, we are given a picture of what it will be like when we enter heaven -- when we step from our world and into the next -- Psalm 126:1-2 says, "When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed -- our mouths were filled with laughter -- our tongues with songs of joy" -- Isaiah 55:12 says, "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands."
-- hardly sounds like a place of boredom -- it sounds like a place that we should be excited to think about -- like a place that we should be longing to go to -- I remember when I was a kid -- we didn't have all the things and all instant entertainment like the kids today have -- and I remember one summer, my parents told me that we would be going to Disney World later that year -- I remember the excitement -- I remember the anticipation -- it was all I thought about -- it was all I talked about -- I spent my days imagining what it would be like -- picturing it in my head -- and then, when the day arrived and we climbed on that monorail and soared over the park and into that magical world, I was just so overwhelmed with how wonderful it really was -- it was so much better than I ever imagined
-- that feeling of anticipation -- that feeling of excitement and longing is exactly what Paul is trying to transmit to the Philippians in this passage -- he knew what heaven was going to be like and he wanted them to be as excited about going to heaven as he was
-- you know, the Bible doesn't give us a clear description of heaven, because I think heaven will be a little different for all of us -- Jesus said that heaven would be paradise -- and I imagine that it will be a place that is created just for us -- a place of unending joy and pleasure and happiness -- filled with all the things that you enjoy and that you find pleasure in -- everything that you experience here -- all the fun and all the joy and all the pleasure you experience here on earth is only a foretaste of what you will experience there -- they are like appetizers for the meal to come
-- think about what makes you happy -- think about the things in life -- the things you do -- that bring you joy -- you will experience all of these in heaven, only more so -- down here on earth, you might have your little food bowl and your water bowl and your perch to swing on -- but in heaven, you will have an endless banquet from which to feast at -- endless opportunities for pleasure and excitement and joy -- endless moments with family and friends -- and, more importantly, endless time with someone who loves you deeper and greater and more extravagently than anyone else -- Christ Himself
-- Paul says, "This is what you should be looking towards -- this is our goal -- this is our hope -- this is what we were created for and what we are longing for -- this is where we are headed -- and this should be what drives you -- you should be living your life with this as your destination -- forgetting what is behind and straining forward against all the things of this earth until you finally win the prize that God has prepared for you -- life in heaven with Christ!"
-- in verse 15 he says, "this is the way the mature Christian looks at life"
-- but, unfortunately, most of us don't go through life with our eyes towards heaven -- we don't have our eyes on the prize at the end of the race -- at the goal that we are supposed to be running towards -- look at verse 16
16. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
17. Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.
18. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
19. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things.
-- I'm afraid that most of us are just like those Paul described here in verse 19 -- our minds are on earthly things and not on the things of God -- we focus our attention on what we can get out of this life instead of preparing for the life to come
-- this weekend, we took off and went to Atlanta for a couple days to just get away -- to go to the aquarium and to spend some time shopping and just enjoying ourselves -- over the weekend, we went to several Christian bookstores -- and as I wandered through the aisles, I noticed something -- I didn't see a single book on heaven -- every book I saw dealt with the subject of living life in the here and now
-- there were books on how to have better marriages -- on how to get better relationships -- on how to have more money and how to be good stewards of what God has given us -- there were books on recognizing the joys of life and how to find pleasure in the things God has provided -- there were books on how to get out of debt -- and books on how to get out of sin -- books on how to be freed from addiction and books on a variety of subjects -- but there wasn't a single book on heaven and about how to live life here on earth with our eyes focused on our goal
-- Paul says that that is not the way to live -- we should be going through life with our attention focused on what is to come -- we should be approaching life like a kid waiting to go to Disney World or like a bird longing to be set free into the wide blue yonder
-- instead, we spend all our time focused on the things of earth -- things that are fleeting and transient and that will pass away -- as I was wandering through that book store, it struck me that most Christians approach life like little kids approach baseball
-- have you ever watched a group of little kids -- I'm talking 4 and 5 year olds -- play baseball? -- they are doing everything in the world but actually focusing on the game -- the right fielder is standing out there watching birds and other players are on their bellies in the grass watching ants crawl up a blade of grass -- some are facing the wrong way -- very few of them are even aware of what's going on -- how can they even think of catching a ball when one is hit to them? -- there's just too much other stuff distracting them
-- that is what is going on with a lot of Christians -- we find ourselves distracted by the things of this world and we don't focus on what the Bible tells us is important -- Paul tells us here that our mind should be on the prize -- on our future life with God in heaven -- because that is what is truly important -- look at verse 20
20. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,
21. who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
-- Paul says that we are not citizens here, so we shouldn't get too comfortable on earth -- we need to spend our time and our effort and all our being preparing for the time when we are called home -- for the time when we will be ushered into the paradise of heaven with our Lord and Savior -- for the time when we will be transformed from earthbound creatures living in rusty little cages to glorious creations feasting at a heavenly banquet and enjoying all the pleasures of God
III. Closing
-- let me ask you this morning, "what is your passion? -- what drives you and propels you on through life? -- is it the things of this world? -- are you sitting in your little rusty cage, happy with your little food bowl and water bowl and little mirror -- or are you longing for something better -- for something more -- for something greater?"
-- Paul tells us that the secret to life on earth is to focus on life in heaven -- to forget the things behind us -- to not be distracted by the temporary pleasures and pain of earth -- but to focus our attention and our life on getting to heaven and on the joys that await us there
-- he tells us to picture our earthly pleasures for what they are -- foretastes -- appetizers -- of what is to come -- he tells us to look past our earthly pain and suffering to the joy that is set before us -- he tells us that our goal should be heaven and not anything on earth
-- I think this is an important concept that is missing in our lives today -- even as Christians we have gotten too wrapped up in living life in the here and now that we have forgotten why we were created -- I want to encourage you this morning to spend some time this week focusing on heaven and about what it will be like -- spend some time looking up passages on heaven in your Bible -- meditate on what the pleasures of heaven might be like -- and let your vision of heaven guide you and drive you as you seek the day when your faith will be sight and when all that you imagined of heaven will be unfolded around you
-- let us pray
SERMON: CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST
Preached by Gregory W. Lee
2 July 2006
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Galatians 2
15. "We who are Jews by birth and not `Gentile sinners'
16. know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
17. "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!
18. If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.
19. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.
20. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
21. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
-- for the past several weeks we have been focusing our attention on the blood of man and the blood of Christ -- we talked about the great infection that we have in our blood as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden -- of the sin nature that has infected all of us and caused us to be born sinners -- estranged from God -- separated from Him, not because of what we have done but because of who we were
-- then we focused on the blood of Christ and its value -- its value to God as an atonement for our sins -- and its value to us as a means of forgiveness and a release from guilt
-- this morning, I want us to shift our focus from the blood and to the cross itself
-- as Steve Hollaway points out, when you read the letters of Paul -- when you invest time in studying Paul's words and understanding of the cross, you begin to realize that the cross is not just something that happened to Jesus -- it was something that happened to Paul -- and to us -- too
II. "In" Christ
-- in other words, when Jesus died on the cross, we were there with Him in a very real sense -- to use biblical terminology, we were "in" Him while He was on the cross -- and that's an important concept for us to grasp
-- in the Book of Hebrews, the writer is trying to make the point that Jesus is our high priest and that His priesthood is different and altogether better than the Jewish temple priesthood -- Jesus belongs to the priesthood of Melchizedek and not to the priesthood which came from the line of Levi -- the writer in Hebrews makes this point in a very dramatic fashion
-- he pointed out that tithes and offerings are given from the lesser to the greater -- in this case, Abraham, the father of the Jews, gave a tithe to the priest Melchizedek, demonstrating that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham -- and, the writer goes on to say, this shows that the whole Jewish priesthood is subservient to the priests of Melchizedek because Levi, a descendant of Abraham, was actually "in" Abraham when the tithe was paid -- as it says in Hebrews 7:10, Levi was with Abraham because he was still in the body of the ancestor
-- in the same way, we were with Christ and in Christ on the cross when Jesus suffered and died -- we were in His body when He bore our sins and died on the cross and we are made alive when we accept Him as Lord and Savior
-- Watchman Nee put it this way -- "When the Lord Jesus was on the Cross all of us died -- not individually, for we had not yet been born -- but, being in Him, we died in Him.
-- as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:14, “One died for all, therefore all died” -- When Jesus was crucified all of us were crucified because we were "in" Him
-- knowing this and understanding this is the reason why Paul talks about the cross as something that happened, not only to Jesus, but to us as well
III. The Meaning of the Cross
-- so what happened to us when we were on the cross with Christ? -- What did the cross do for us? -- two things: first, the cross was the Means of Justification -- Freedom from the Law and its impossible demands
-- and, secondly, the cross was the Means of Sanctification -- Freedom from Myself and from my sin nature which originally separated me from God
-- In this passage in Galatians, Paul addresses both of these functions of the cross as he relates the story of the incident at Antioch when he confronted the Apostle Peter over Peter's hypocrisy
A. Context
-- let me give you the context of this passage -- in this letter to the Galatians, Paul has been rebuking them for falling away from the gospel message that they had first heard and believed -- some people had come into the church at Galatia and were teaching them that they had to do more than just accept Christ in order to be saved -- they had to also follow the Jewish law, including its requirements to be circumcized and to abstain from eating certain types of food
-- Paul addresses this false teaching throughout this epistle and relates the story about the time he rebuked Peter for hypocrisy in Antioch -- Antioch was the heart of Christianity for the Gentiles, just like Jerusalem was the heart of Christianity for the Jews
-- following his revelation in Acts 10 that God was offering salvation to the Gentiles through Christ, Peter has come to Antioch to witness to the work going on with Paul and Barnabus -- Peter associates with the Gentile Christians, eats what they put before him, and worships with them just as they are -- in other words, Peter had lived with Gentiles in the freedom of grace
-- but when some Jewish Christians came from Jerusalem to Antioch, Peter began to separate himself from the Gentiles and fall back into bondage to the law -- he stopped associating with the Gentiles because they were uncircumsized and he started abstaining from certain kinds of food -- rather than living on grace, Peter went back to trying to live life based on the law of God
-- this change in Peter's behavior confused the Gentile Christians by making them think they had to do something else -- to be something else -- in order to be saved -- it also confused the Jewish Christians, including Barnabus, who had been working with the Gentiles -- so Paul took it upon himself to confront Peter
-- this passage in Galatians is the end of his quoted conversation with Peter
-- let's look at it in a little more detail, keeping in mind the two aspects of the cross -- the means of justification -- freedom from the law -- and the means of sanctification -- freedom from ourselves
B. Means of Justification
-- look back at verse 15
15. "We who are Jews by birth and not `Gentile sinners'
16. know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
-- in these verses, Paul begins to confront Peter about his hypocrisy and what it is teaching about the meaning of the cross
-- Paul starts off by reminding Peter of the gospel message -- namely, that we are justified -- we are saved -- by trusting that Jesus paid for our sins through His own death -- we are saved through faith in Jesus' sacrificial death for us on the cross
-- Paul points out to Peter that because he was a Jewish believer -- because he grew up knowing and trying to follow the law -- that he should know, better than anyone else, that the law cannot justify you
-- Paul makes it perfectly clear here -- the law cannot save you -- no one, except Christ, has been able to fulfill the law and its perfect demands -- and the Bible tells us that if we fall at any point of the law -- if we fail to keep just one commandment -- then we are condemned to death and eternal separation from God
-- here is where the concept of being "in" Christ is so important to us -- for if we are "in" Christ, then that means that through Him, the law was fulfilled for us -- His death on the cross paid the penalty for our failure to keep the law because we were "in" Him and with Him on the cross when He died
-- verse 17
17. "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!
18. If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.
-- Paul continues on with his confrontation with Peter -- Paul tells Peter that his actions in Antioch -- the way he turned away from the grace given to the Gentiles and turned back to following the letter of the law when the Jews showed up -- told the Gentiles -- "I sought justification through Christ by putting aside the law and living by faith but that was not enough -- I did not receive justification and I am still a sinner -- a lawbreaker -- because I lived outside the law -- Christ, then, is the minister of sin because following Him led me into breaking the law, which is required for justification"
-- Paul points out that if Peter starts trying to follow the law again -- after having previously destroyed it through faith in Christ -- that he proves that he is still a sinner because it means he does not consider the death of Christ sufficient to wash away our sins -- it means that you have to add works to grace in order to be saved
-- to sum these verses up, Paul is making the case here that we are justified -- we are saved -- simply by believing and trusting in Christ's death on the cross -- and that if we try to add anything else to it -- we are being legalistic and are corrupting the gospel message
-- this is something that we all still struggle with today in our churches and in our individual lives -- we want to have something concrete in our lives to follow -- we like rules -- we like to know what the rules are and what we have to do to follow them -- we don't like just trusting in faith on Christ's death on the cross
-- we may say we believe it and that we trust in it -- but our actions say otherwise -- for instance, when we put forth the idea that "real" Christians act in a certain way or dress in a certain way or have a certain type of friends -- then we are being legalistic -- adding something extra to the gospel
-- when we think that you have to pray in a certain way or worship in a certain way or do certain things, such as fasting or good works, in order to gain God's favor, then we are being legalistic and adding something extra to the gospel
-- what makes something legalism? -- it all comes down to motive -- if you are doing it to gain favor with God or get a blessing from Him, then it is legalism
-- the rules of legalism -- this way of life -- can keep us from enjoying the grace of God just like it kept Peter from enjoying the freedom he had with the Gentile Christians before the Jews showed up
-- let me give you an example -- we've got a friend who used to work at a local restaurant -- she told us that they were very strict there -- if she had to be out because she was sick or had a doctor's appointment, she had to bring a note from a doctor or she had her pay docked and was reprimanded -- some time later, she took another job -- and when she got sick, she brought her boss a doctor's note -- the boss said, "You don't have to do that here -- we trust you" -- but it didn't matter -- she was so bound up in the rules from her last job that she couldn't enjoy the freedom that the new job offered
-- that is exactly what happens to us when we try to add something to the grace of God -- when we try to add something else to the cross
-- Paul rebuked Peter for this and his rebuke remains a warning for us
C. Means of Sanctification
-- verse 19
19. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.
20. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
-- now that Paul has confronted the hypocrisy of legalism that Peter had slipped back into, he addresses the second function of the cross as the means of sanctification -- freedom from ourselves -- freedom from our sin nature that once had separated us from God
-- Paul says here that he died to the law through Christ -- that because he was crucified with Christ -- that the law no longer holds any power over him -- we are released from the law through death
-- in fact, Paul says, because he was crucified with Christ, his old man -- his sin nature -- that great infection that was passed down from Adam and Eve to us -- no longer exists -- it died on the cross with Christ -- it was nailed to the cross and we bear it no more
-- because we were "in" Christ and with Christ on the cross, we died with Christ and we no longer live -- all that we were died with Christ -- and when Christ rose from the dead, we rose too -- when Christ took on new life, we took on new life -- we became a new creation, freed of our sin nature -- freed of our sins and our guilt -- freed from bondage to the law of sin and death -- freed for life in Christ
-- these verses indicate that sanctification -- the process of becoming like Christ -- is a choice of faith just as salvation is a choice of faith -- we have to trust and believe that we have been crucified with Christ and that we no longer live so that we can begin to live a new life with Him
-- we may still live in the flesh -- in our mortal body -- but now we live for God -- previously, our life was directed by our sin nature -- but now, because our sin nature died on the cross, we are directed by Christ who is in us as we are in Him
-- when confronted with temptation and sin, we don't have to give into them like we used to -- we can look them square in the eye and say, "I am dead to you -- I don't have to give in to you any longer -- I am not that person any longer -- I am alive in Christ and He is alive in me"
-- verse 21
21. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
-- Paul sums up his argument against Peter -- Paul has not given up the grace of God and exchanged it for bondage to the law like Peter -- Paul has chosen to live on grace -- through faith -- and not by adding anything else to the gospel message
-- he ends by telling Peter that if righteousness -- if salvation and justification -- could come by the law -- that Jesus died for nothing -- "that, Peter, is what you are teaching the Gentile Christians in Antioch -- and that is nothing more than thinly veiled legalism that leads to death."
IV. Closing
-- the cross is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith -- it holds for us a sacred place in our faith -- because it was on the cross that Christ died
-- it was on the cross that the blood of Christ was shed for the forgiveness of sins
-- it was on the cross that the law was satisfied and crucified
-- it was on the cross that we were "in" Christ and with Christ
-- and so, through faith in Christ's death and resurrection, we no longer live -- we are new creations -- created by grace through faith for eternal abundant life with Him
-- this morning as I close this message, I want to invite you to reflect on the cross with new eyes -- to see it through the eyes of faith -- on the cross our justification was made possible -- on the cross our sanctification was made possible
-- however, it is up to you whether you accept it or not -- some of you may never have accepted the saving grace of Christ -- you have never been justified and received forgiveness of your sins -- if that is the case, then I invite you to receive Him this morning -- to repent of your sins and to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart and be your Lord and Savior
-- some of you may be saved, but you haven't stepped into the sanctified life of grace -- you are still bound up in sin or bondage to self-imposed rules and regulations -- perhaps you feel like you have to do something or be something in order to be seen with favor by God -- the cross says otherwise -- the death of Christ on the cross says otherwise -- I would invite you today to start the process of sanctification in your life by recognizing that you died with Christ on the cross and that you no longer live -- ask Jesus to live in you -- to guide you and direct you and help you to become more like Him
-- whatever you need to do this morning, I would invite you to respond to God's word as you feel led
-- let us pray
2 July 2006
I. Introduction
-- turn in Bibles to Galatians 2
15. "We who are Jews by birth and not `Gentile sinners'
16. know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
17. "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!
18. If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.
19. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.
20. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
21. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
-- for the past several weeks we have been focusing our attention on the blood of man and the blood of Christ -- we talked about the great infection that we have in our blood as a result of the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden -- of the sin nature that has infected all of us and caused us to be born sinners -- estranged from God -- separated from Him, not because of what we have done but because of who we were
-- then we focused on the blood of Christ and its value -- its value to God as an atonement for our sins -- and its value to us as a means of forgiveness and a release from guilt
-- this morning, I want us to shift our focus from the blood and to the cross itself
-- as Steve Hollaway points out, when you read the letters of Paul -- when you invest time in studying Paul's words and understanding of the cross, you begin to realize that the cross is not just something that happened to Jesus -- it was something that happened to Paul -- and to us -- too
II. "In" Christ
-- in other words, when Jesus died on the cross, we were there with Him in a very real sense -- to use biblical terminology, we were "in" Him while He was on the cross -- and that's an important concept for us to grasp
-- in the Book of Hebrews, the writer is trying to make the point that Jesus is our high priest and that His priesthood is different and altogether better than the Jewish temple priesthood -- Jesus belongs to the priesthood of Melchizedek and not to the priesthood which came from the line of Levi -- the writer in Hebrews makes this point in a very dramatic fashion
-- he pointed out that tithes and offerings are given from the lesser to the greater -- in this case, Abraham, the father of the Jews, gave a tithe to the priest Melchizedek, demonstrating that Melchizedek was greater than Abraham -- and, the writer goes on to say, this shows that the whole Jewish priesthood is subservient to the priests of Melchizedek because Levi, a descendant of Abraham, was actually "in" Abraham when the tithe was paid -- as it says in Hebrews 7:10, Levi was with Abraham because he was still in the body of the ancestor
-- in the same way, we were with Christ and in Christ on the cross when Jesus suffered and died -- we were in His body when He bore our sins and died on the cross and we are made alive when we accept Him as Lord and Savior
-- Watchman Nee put it this way -- "When the Lord Jesus was on the Cross all of us died -- not individually, for we had not yet been born -- but, being in Him, we died in Him.
-- as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:14, “One died for all, therefore all died” -- When Jesus was crucified all of us were crucified because we were "in" Him
-- knowing this and understanding this is the reason why Paul talks about the cross as something that happened, not only to Jesus, but to us as well
III. The Meaning of the Cross
-- so what happened to us when we were on the cross with Christ? -- What did the cross do for us? -- two things: first, the cross was the Means of Justification -- Freedom from the Law and its impossible demands
-- and, secondly, the cross was the Means of Sanctification -- Freedom from Myself and from my sin nature which originally separated me from God
-- In this passage in Galatians, Paul addresses both of these functions of the cross as he relates the story of the incident at Antioch when he confronted the Apostle Peter over Peter's hypocrisy
A. Context
-- let me give you the context of this passage -- in this letter to the Galatians, Paul has been rebuking them for falling away from the gospel message that they had first heard and believed -- some people had come into the church at Galatia and were teaching them that they had to do more than just accept Christ in order to be saved -- they had to also follow the Jewish law, including its requirements to be circumcized and to abstain from eating certain types of food
-- Paul addresses this false teaching throughout this epistle and relates the story about the time he rebuked Peter for hypocrisy in Antioch -- Antioch was the heart of Christianity for the Gentiles, just like Jerusalem was the heart of Christianity for the Jews
-- following his revelation in Acts 10 that God was offering salvation to the Gentiles through Christ, Peter has come to Antioch to witness to the work going on with Paul and Barnabus -- Peter associates with the Gentile Christians, eats what they put before him, and worships with them just as they are -- in other words, Peter had lived with Gentiles in the freedom of grace
-- but when some Jewish Christians came from Jerusalem to Antioch, Peter began to separate himself from the Gentiles and fall back into bondage to the law -- he stopped associating with the Gentiles because they were uncircumsized and he started abstaining from certain kinds of food -- rather than living on grace, Peter went back to trying to live life based on the law of God
-- this change in Peter's behavior confused the Gentile Christians by making them think they had to do something else -- to be something else -- in order to be saved -- it also confused the Jewish Christians, including Barnabus, who had been working with the Gentiles -- so Paul took it upon himself to confront Peter
-- this passage in Galatians is the end of his quoted conversation with Peter
-- let's look at it in a little more detail, keeping in mind the two aspects of the cross -- the means of justification -- freedom from the law -- and the means of sanctification -- freedom from ourselves
B. Means of Justification
-- look back at verse 15
15. "We who are Jews by birth and not `Gentile sinners'
16. know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
-- in these verses, Paul begins to confront Peter about his hypocrisy and what it is teaching about the meaning of the cross
-- Paul starts off by reminding Peter of the gospel message -- namely, that we are justified -- we are saved -- by trusting that Jesus paid for our sins through His own death -- we are saved through faith in Jesus' sacrificial death for us on the cross
-- Paul points out to Peter that because he was a Jewish believer -- because he grew up knowing and trying to follow the law -- that he should know, better than anyone else, that the law cannot justify you
-- Paul makes it perfectly clear here -- the law cannot save you -- no one, except Christ, has been able to fulfill the law and its perfect demands -- and the Bible tells us that if we fall at any point of the law -- if we fail to keep just one commandment -- then we are condemned to death and eternal separation from God
-- here is where the concept of being "in" Christ is so important to us -- for if we are "in" Christ, then that means that through Him, the law was fulfilled for us -- His death on the cross paid the penalty for our failure to keep the law because we were "in" Him and with Him on the cross when He died
-- verse 17
17. "If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!
18. If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.
-- Paul continues on with his confrontation with Peter -- Paul tells Peter that his actions in Antioch -- the way he turned away from the grace given to the Gentiles and turned back to following the letter of the law when the Jews showed up -- told the Gentiles -- "I sought justification through Christ by putting aside the law and living by faith but that was not enough -- I did not receive justification and I am still a sinner -- a lawbreaker -- because I lived outside the law -- Christ, then, is the minister of sin because following Him led me into breaking the law, which is required for justification"
-- Paul points out that if Peter starts trying to follow the law again -- after having previously destroyed it through faith in Christ -- that he proves that he is still a sinner because it means he does not consider the death of Christ sufficient to wash away our sins -- it means that you have to add works to grace in order to be saved
-- to sum these verses up, Paul is making the case here that we are justified -- we are saved -- simply by believing and trusting in Christ's death on the cross -- and that if we try to add anything else to it -- we are being legalistic and are corrupting the gospel message
-- this is something that we all still struggle with today in our churches and in our individual lives -- we want to have something concrete in our lives to follow -- we like rules -- we like to know what the rules are and what we have to do to follow them -- we don't like just trusting in faith on Christ's death on the cross
-- we may say we believe it and that we trust in it -- but our actions say otherwise -- for instance, when we put forth the idea that "real" Christians act in a certain way or dress in a certain way or have a certain type of friends -- then we are being legalistic -- adding something extra to the gospel
-- when we think that you have to pray in a certain way or worship in a certain way or do certain things, such as fasting or good works, in order to gain God's favor, then we are being legalistic and adding something extra to the gospel
-- what makes something legalism? -- it all comes down to motive -- if you are doing it to gain favor with God or get a blessing from Him, then it is legalism
-- the rules of legalism -- this way of life -- can keep us from enjoying the grace of God just like it kept Peter from enjoying the freedom he had with the Gentile Christians before the Jews showed up
-- let me give you an example -- we've got a friend who used to work at a local restaurant -- she told us that they were very strict there -- if she had to be out because she was sick or had a doctor's appointment, she had to bring a note from a doctor or she had her pay docked and was reprimanded -- some time later, she took another job -- and when she got sick, she brought her boss a doctor's note -- the boss said, "You don't have to do that here -- we trust you" -- but it didn't matter -- she was so bound up in the rules from her last job that she couldn't enjoy the freedom that the new job offered
-- that is exactly what happens to us when we try to add something to the grace of God -- when we try to add something else to the cross
-- Paul rebuked Peter for this and his rebuke remains a warning for us
C. Means of Sanctification
-- verse 19
19. For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.
20. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
-- now that Paul has confronted the hypocrisy of legalism that Peter had slipped back into, he addresses the second function of the cross as the means of sanctification -- freedom from ourselves -- freedom from our sin nature that once had separated us from God
-- Paul says here that he died to the law through Christ -- that because he was crucified with Christ -- that the law no longer holds any power over him -- we are released from the law through death
-- in fact, Paul says, because he was crucified with Christ, his old man -- his sin nature -- that great infection that was passed down from Adam and Eve to us -- no longer exists -- it died on the cross with Christ -- it was nailed to the cross and we bear it no more
-- because we were "in" Christ and with Christ on the cross, we died with Christ and we no longer live -- all that we were died with Christ -- and when Christ rose from the dead, we rose too -- when Christ took on new life, we took on new life -- we became a new creation, freed of our sin nature -- freed of our sins and our guilt -- freed from bondage to the law of sin and death -- freed for life in Christ
-- these verses indicate that sanctification -- the process of becoming like Christ -- is a choice of faith just as salvation is a choice of faith -- we have to trust and believe that we have been crucified with Christ and that we no longer live so that we can begin to live a new life with Him
-- we may still live in the flesh -- in our mortal body -- but now we live for God -- previously, our life was directed by our sin nature -- but now, because our sin nature died on the cross, we are directed by Christ who is in us as we are in Him
-- when confronted with temptation and sin, we don't have to give into them like we used to -- we can look them square in the eye and say, "I am dead to you -- I don't have to give in to you any longer -- I am not that person any longer -- I am alive in Christ and He is alive in me"
-- verse 21
21. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"
-- Paul sums up his argument against Peter -- Paul has not given up the grace of God and exchanged it for bondage to the law like Peter -- Paul has chosen to live on grace -- through faith -- and not by adding anything else to the gospel message
-- he ends by telling Peter that if righteousness -- if salvation and justification -- could come by the law -- that Jesus died for nothing -- "that, Peter, is what you are teaching the Gentile Christians in Antioch -- and that is nothing more than thinly veiled legalism that leads to death."
IV. Closing
-- the cross is one of the great mysteries of the Christian faith -- it holds for us a sacred place in our faith -- because it was on the cross that Christ died
-- it was on the cross that the blood of Christ was shed for the forgiveness of sins
-- it was on the cross that the law was satisfied and crucified
-- it was on the cross that we were "in" Christ and with Christ
-- and so, through faith in Christ's death and resurrection, we no longer live -- we are new creations -- created by grace through faith for eternal abundant life with Him
-- this morning as I close this message, I want to invite you to reflect on the cross with new eyes -- to see it through the eyes of faith -- on the cross our justification was made possible -- on the cross our sanctification was made possible
-- however, it is up to you whether you accept it or not -- some of you may never have accepted the saving grace of Christ -- you have never been justified and received forgiveness of your sins -- if that is the case, then I invite you to receive Him this morning -- to repent of your sins and to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to come into your heart and be your Lord and Savior
-- some of you may be saved, but you haven't stepped into the sanctified life of grace -- you are still bound up in sin or bondage to self-imposed rules and regulations -- perhaps you feel like you have to do something or be something in order to be seen with favor by God -- the cross says otherwise -- the death of Christ on the cross says otherwise -- I would invite you today to start the process of sanctification in your life by recognizing that you died with Christ on the cross and that you no longer live -- ask Jesus to live in you -- to guide you and direct you and help you to become more like Him
-- whatever you need to do this morning, I would invite you to respond to God's word as you feel led
-- let us pray
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