This may seem random, but maybe it is for you
Does Christ seem to be asking you the same persistent question, even though you have already answered? Maybe there is more to the question than you think.
John 21 is an amazing interaction between Jesus and the disciples, especially Peter. It seems that John, an old man as he write his gospel, is finished at the end of chapter 20. But then he comes back with another story.
Mega-failure had happened for Peter. The night before Jesus died, Peter declared his confidence, “I won’t fail Lord, even if everyone else does” Then Luke records Jesus as saying that satan is going to sift Peter like wheat but that God was going to use this failure then to develop Peter. He tells Peter, I’m praying for you, that you won’t fail me, but after you do, strengthen the brothers.(Luke 22:32) He tells him that he will deny him 3 times before morning.
So then, Jesus died, he has been resurrected, he has appeared to his disciples multiple times but I think there is this lingering question in the back of their minds about the future. “Can God still use me?” So here in John 21, Peter says “I’m going fishing” and the guys follow (Thomas, Nathaniel, James, John, and two others, probably Andrew and Philip). Peter was heading back to where he was when Jesus found him. Hmmm, who will you take with you when you think about backtracking?
So they fish, get nothing, then early in the morning, someone is on the shore and calls out to them. They were only 100 yards out. I’ve stood in the place where they say this took place. He suggests they try the other side of the boat and when they do, sure enough they have more fish than they can manage. That’s when they realize that this is Jesus. Why? Because this same thing happened the day Jesus called them to follow him and that day they left all, dropped their nets, pulled the boats up on shore, and followed him. But now, they had taken it up again, in their failure they were contemplating turning back.
There are a lot of reasons we doubt but it is usually about our failures … “Maybe he doesn’t want me …”
So, after breakfast, the question comes from Jesus to Peter. Perhaps Peter had been wondering when this question would come up. Bold Peter, had been embarrassed in the courtyard. Now Jesus asks “Peter do you truly love me more than these?” .
THESE? What these? More than these nets, more than these boats, more this these fish, more than this lake, more than these men do? That latter one is what he had proclaimed, “if all else fails Lord, not me”. And Peter answers “Yes Lord, I love you, you know that”
Tough Question, you knew it would come, now we have it out there and we can move on. Have you been there? I failed, Jesus questions, now let’s move on and pretend it hasn’t happened.
Jesus says “Feed my lambs” – or graze my little sheep
Ok Sure Lord, I’ll do that
but then immediately, the persistent Savior says “Simon, do you love me truly?”
“Why is he asking me this again? Is he trying to embarrass me?”
“Yes Lord, you now I love you”
“Take care of my sheep” or Be a Shepherd to my sheep, rule, govern, protect, tend, guide, care for … my sheep
But it doesn’t stop
Then a 3rd Time
“Simon, then do you love me?”
WOW … Three Times Lord?
Now you may know and have heard of the language dynamics that are going on here in the Greek. The first two times when Jesus says “truly love” it is the word AGAPEO or the perfect God Kind of Love. But both times when Peter answers and the word “love” is translated it is the word PHILEO which is conditional, brotherly love more like our word “like”. The last time however Jesus comes back to the word PHILEO and says Peter do you PHILEO me then?
See for me the real important dynamic in the repetition is getting Peter to the point of honesty with himself and with Christ. “Peter … do you really PHILEO me? Do you know in honesty where your heart is? You left me in the courtyard, you picked up your fishing boat and nets here again, are you with me?”
Peter was hurt it says because Jesus asked him a 3rd Time.
Has Jesus lovingly wounded you? If Jesus has wounded you, he is trying to heal you, trying to get you to the real deal.
Persistent Questions from our Savior are about understanding what is real and what is just been boasting. Persistent questioning from our Savior is about getting us to surrender and submit to walk with him in truth and to go with him to ANY destination. Persistent questions reveal the deeper truth, the deeper reality of service.
With each question Jesus says “SERVE”
“Feed my lambs”
“Take care of my sheep”
“Feed my sheep”
Because …
Here we go …
We are all ready to sign up when we think it is easy, it is notable, but now Jesus says “Peter this isn’t going to be easy” … he says “I tell you the truth … if you say yes, if you love me, it is going to cost you your comfort, your ease, your very life.” v19 Jesus indicated the kind of death by which Peter would Glorify God
When our Savior presses us with persistent questions, he is trying to lead us into lives that Glorify God … no matter the path, his glory is always the destination and so he says to Peter
“Follow Me”
Peter looks around and sees John and says “what about him Lord?”
As we point to someone else, Jesus says, as in v22, “What is it to you? YOU MUST FOLLOW ME”
So, if the Savior has persistent questions for you right now …
… take your eyes off the ground where your head is down
… take your eyes off your friend where your head is looking around
… and look up to him, look to the road ahead and follow him
Surrender, Understand, Serve, that’s what persistent questions are about
“Yes Lord, You know what I am, Yes Lord, I will Follow”
Category: Scripture Devotion
-
-
Mother’s don’t change much, haven’t changed much in 2000 years. We don’t change much either. In Matthew 20 Jesus is teaching on servanthood and talking about his impending death unjustly administered albeit for the sins of the world. He begins by telling a story of out of work laborers hired throughout a day and some thinking that it wasn’t fair that they were all paid the same as those hired first. The first comers thought it unfair that the latecomers got the same reward.
v13 says “I am not being unfair … didn’t you agree … 15 don’t I have the right …”
The issue underlying is that none of us were anything till Jesus called us and any reward is more than we had or deserve.
So then, Jesus says in vv18-19 “we are going to Jerusalem … I will be betrayed … they will condemn me to death 19 turn me over … mocked, flogged, and crucified. On the 3rd day he will be raised to life.”
Are they LISTENING? Crucifixion, was a brutal public humiliation of an execution. This SHOULD have gotten their attention.
Then did they hear him say that he would be raised to life? Resurrection talk should have gotten their attention. This conversation could have gone in many directions. If they were listening … But James and John’s Mother, Zebedee’s wife comes and says “Jesus I have a favor to ask.” v20 says she had the boys, who weren’t little boys, but young men, kneel down at Jesus’ feet.
Then if i can paraphrase, she says “Jesus can my boys have the big chair in your kingdom?”
REALLY
Jesus replies “you don’t know what you are asking” he says “Can you drink the same cup as me?”
WE CAN
They weren’t listening earlier … this cup involved condemnation to death, mocking, flogging, and crucifixion
But they said “we can”. and Jesus says “You will, but the chair is not yours and it is at the Father’s discretion.”
v24 says that the other 10 were not very happy … I think probably because THEY wanted the big chair too. This wasn’t the first time this discussion had come up but it was the first time they had played the “mom card”Jesus replies, and here is where we need to pay attention, “we don’t serve to be rulers or just an authority for it’s own sake …”
He says “whoever wants the big chair (to be great) must be our servant, whoever wants to be first must be your slave, just as the son of Man didn’t come to BE served but to give his life”
That is to say to appoint your life for disposal. The word didomai means give, appoint, grant, allow
as a ransom for many … ransom is the word lytron atonement … give one for another
Oh can we live as if we were in someone’s stead?
Can we fix our eyes to the cross of Christ and look away from the Big Chair?
When we become servants, servants appointing ourselves for service, we find we HAVE the Big Chair, but that is for God to give not for us to seek.
Lord give me the towel and not the chair -
This past Sunday I preached a message in Philippians 4:1-9 as we continue through the book of Philippians. You can find the video online at the church link and media page if you are interested.
I received several emails and questions for going deeper regarding how we guard against worry/anxiety when we PRESENT our requests to God …
So, as I answered that with someone via email, I decided to copy you all on these thoughts today and as a BONUS, I’ve attached the entire sermon manuscript below about learning to Practice Joy
I believe this passage in Philippians 4 is very useful and practical in the battle for our mind and hearts and keeping us in peace.
So to the questions asked via email was … “you said I know I have some things that I have “presented” to God but then have taken back, and I’m ready to let them go. But, I don’t know how. I can pray about things and ask God to take them from me and what not. But does giving them to God mean not ever thinking about the problem anymore? In that case, is giving something over to God praying about it and making a conscious effort to not think about it anymore, just as we have to make a conscious effort to be joyful?”
It really is a constant struggle … Let me enlarge on the idea of “Presenting” these things to God
1) Presenting it does have to start with actually praying about it and seeking God’s answers regarding the issues.
Often we talk about, even complain about, our problems or struggles with everyone except God. We don’t actually get alone with God and lay them before him. One way to do this is to take a notepad with you and pray about your concern. Start by Praising him and recounting his deeds for others and for you. This will build your faith and understanding that God can and has in the past. Then present your request to God. Write down what you are asking from God … sometimes as you write it down you will realize that the request isn’t right and you will need to reword it or refocus it. After you are satisfied with what you have written then be quiet, sit in silence saying “Lord speak to me and I will listen” … If God impresses something on your heart write it down. Sometimes God says “what you are asking is something I am not going to do” perhaps it doesn’t fit his nature, other times it doesn’t fit his plans. If you clearly hear God say “no”. Write that down, thank him for answering you and give that desire to him and ask him to replace that desire with something that is in his will. If God says “I will do this, but not yet.” Then thank him again, and pray for patience to trust him in the intervening time. If God says “yes, I’m going to do this and will do this alone” then sit back and believe his word and watch for his answer. If he says “yes I’m going to do this, but I have action for you” write down your action, ask someone to hold you accountable and do what he said, then trust him for his part Remember God always answers … but He may say “no”, “yes” or “wait”. All of those are still answers from a loving God
2) Giving it to God does NOT mean it may not still be on our heart or mind. But it DOES mean I will continue to verbalize that it belongs to God and not to me and that I will trust him.
Giving it to God also means that unless he gives me a clear action that is my responsibility, then I will not CHASE AFTER these things. In Matthew 6:31-32 Jesus talks about some of our basic needs for necessities, concern for tomorrow etc and says that “pagans run after such things”. You know pagans had “gods” too, so why did they run after their concerns? It was because their gods weren’t real. God knows and God loves … so present your request to him and then unless he gives you a clear instruction, then commit to trust him with the outcome instead of chasing after it. Example: If I’m asking God to send me my mate … then I’m going to trust him to bring that person to me and not try and orchestrate this but trust God to bring them to me. However, when he brings that person to me and says “there she is …” now it is time for me to move and respond to what God is doing.
3) Is giving it to God consciously not thinking about any longer?
Not necessarily but it is certainly not being WORRIED / ANXIOUS about it anymore. It is natural to think about something that I want, or something I know God is doing, but not be worried about it. In 2009, the Lord made it clear to Mrs Lisa and I that we would be leaving our church at some point and going to another church. I didn’t start working hard trying to find a church to go to, I just trusted the Lord to bring about those circumstances. In the meantime, I had a job from the Lord to do, to be the Pastor to the church where I currently was called. I continued to work hard to preach, serve and care for the people, cast vision for the future to lead them where the Lord wanted them. Two years passed. Some churches would contact me or friends would recommend me to places, I would answer their requests, but had to trust the Lord, even when doors closed for inexplicable reasons. It was CONSTANTLY on my mind, but we committed to not be anxious. In August of 2011, I came in contact with the search committee of my current church. I knew they would be our church. But I couldn’t work their process I had to wait. In the meantime I was still preaching, caring, serving. I led our annual Leadership Conference at the other church. I helped think through important decisions for the future, knowing that at some point I wouldn’t be there. Finally in November the committee here said “we think you are our next pastor”. I shared this with my church where I was and then came here for review and a vote. I finished my ministry in St. Louis at the end of January 2012 and started ministry here in March of 2012 … that’s 2 ½ years of constant THOUGHT, but constantly GIVING it to the Lord and not letting anxiety take control.I hope this helps … It is important and valuable to have someone to help hold you accountable to what the Lord is saying. It helps keep you true to what the Lord says and what he expects from you
Present your requests, with Thanks Giving and the peace of God will guard your hearts and mind in Christ Jesus …
BONUS … here is my sermon manuscript from this message
Philippians 4:1-9
Practicing JoyPaul finishes chapter three with an admonition to follow his example as he seeks to follow Christ, to know him in the Power of the Resurrection, Fellowshipping in his suffering,, conformed to his death.
Knowing that we may be residents of this world but not citizens of this world, and that Christ will return and set everything out of order, in order, Paul says “Therefore”So, let’s read his next instruction. Notice in particular, the disciplines and instructions that allow Joy to reign in our lives …
READ 4:1-9
Yes, we have that glorious hope … that hope enables us to stand firm in the Lord …
The place you stand will determine your joy source. If you stand on your career accomplishments, then your joy will rise as you rise and fall when you fall. If you stand in your human relationships these too will eventually let you down … But Paul says, if our hope … our place to stand … is in the Lord, then we stand firm.
Christ in You … you in Christ that is our hope. Jesus prayed in John 17 to the Father saying “you are in me, I am in you, may they also be in us so that the world may believe …”
So as yokefellow with Paul … that is people committed with him to the advancement of the Gospel … how do we live out Joy?
Here it is in what I believe may be the most practical, yet under practiced passages in scripture.Whether distracted by depression or stalked by sorrows or simply living life … How do you battle these messengers of satan?
It begins with
1. Perpetual RejoicingRejoice in the Lord Always, I will say it again: Rejoice!”
This is not a suggestion, or even a proverb but this is
A. A Command
The word, chairo = rejoice, be glad, welcome – is in present active imperative 2nd person tense
So this sentence is “You Understood” … “You, right now, must, Rejoice, be glad, Welcome Joy”
The reason we are often not joyful is because we often don’t seek joy, we don’t foster joy, we don’t welcome joy.
Paul says, in every circumstance, on every day, welcome joy, Today, YES, but …B. Always
Rejoice in the Lord … when convenient? … no Always …
Rejoice in the LORD … the word used here is Kyrios = Master, LordI can welcome Joy, as I welcome the Sovereignty and Lordship of Christ over the Universe, but also over my life and circumstance
Joy is not welcome in my life as I argue with God over the direction and outcome of the road he lays out for me. I don’t like where I am, who I am, and so joy is not welcome
There is nothing wrong with bringing questions before the Lord, but if I do not welcome his lordship, I will not welcome joy when his will is different than mine.
Rejoice in the Lordship of Christ, Always – pantote = at all times … in good times and bad times, the first time and the last time. In successful times and in times of failure. In happy and sad times, Rejoice … welcome joy
Job, in facing the greatest challenge of his life, when it seemed God was not giving him a fair hand, said in chapter 27 “as long as I have life … my lips will not speak wickedness … I will maintain my righteousness … (of the wicked he says) will he find delight in the Almighty? Will he call upon you at all times?”
At all times …
David said
Psalm 34:1 (NIV84)
1 I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.
Psalm 62:8 (NIV84)
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah
Psalm 119:20 (NIV84)
20 My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.
If I Praise the Lord at all times
Trust the Lord at all times
And Love the Word of the Lord at all times …
Then I will Welcome Joy at All TimesAnd then Paul encourages
C. Repetition
Again I say – palin = again, on the other hand
Some of us want to rejoice when it feels right, but on the other hand … we will not rejoice …
But Paul says “rejoice and on the other hand, also continue to Welcome Joy in the Lord”If we are going to welcome joy, we have to look in the mirror sometimes when our face has fallen, when your heart is discouraged, when complaints arise, and
Welcome, make a place for, open the door for Joy
Rejoice …
Again, today, now, Rejoice!That’s the command and it often takes decisive though not desired action … but what are the disciplines that help me welcome joy?
2. Patient Petitioning
V5 says let your gentleness, or forbearance, or tolerance in the face of all things, at all times, your joy, show the nearness of God
Too many Christians face challenges like either a frightened child who doesn’t believe God will come through or like a spoiled child who believes what they want is more important that what the father decides best.
But the child of God who welcomes joy makes their request of their Sovereign and Master but does so in a patient manner …
A. Do Not Be Anxious
The word is merimnao –Jesus uses the word when he says in Matthew 6:31-32 Do not worry saying what shall we eat … drink … or what shall we wear for the pagans run after all these things … your Father knows that you need them
So then v33 says Seek First the KingdomWorry is evidence that we are not standing in, trusting in, the Lord and welcoming Joy.
Patience doesn’t “run after” things that God will provide for me …What is on your prayer list? Do you pray in fear or in faith?
A patient petition doesn’t ask for them and then chase after them … Jesus says not to chase after clothes, food, drink, tomorrow, but chase after, seek first, place in primary order, the Kingdom of Heaven and His Righteousness …
Does that mean that a joyful heart doesn’t ask for anything temporal? No, of course not, but I don’t set my heart on those things. So, then, our prayers that Welcome Joy are …B. Grateful Petitions
Prayer and petitions, with thanksgiving
Prayer – proseuche = approach God
Petition – deesis = entreaty, supplication, want, personal desire
Requests – speaks of the specific thingsWhen we approach God …
and we MUST approach God … we often, and by we, I mean me, often talk about things we want or need, but don’t actually come before God with those desires …
Come before God with our desires with the actual thing that we want but there is an overriding emotion that welcomes joy … it is Gratitude … Paul says Come Before with Thanksgiving
We used to sing “I will enter his gates with thanksgiving in my heart, I will enter his court with praise, I will say this is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice for he has made me glad.He has made me glad … If I need the thing I seek to “make me glad” I can’t rejoice at all times. Oh don’t get me wrong, I want what I am requesting, I might even be convinced I need it, but HE has made me GLAD … Apart from anything else … He is enough to make me and keep me glad
Practicing Joy comes with that perspective.
It is not worried for tomorrow, but grateful for today.
It is not worried about what I will eat or drink but grateful for what already fills my stomach.
I am not worried for what I will wear but grateful for the clothes that fill my closetSo I come before God with my desires in
C. Worshipful Prayer
Paul says do not be anxious … but in everything … Present to God
I am mindful of a couple of things with that word “Present” or “Present”
Prayer is an act of Worship … I give it to God and I leave it in his hands. Talking about it isn’t presenting it. Complaining isn’t presenting it. Pretending it doesn’t exist is also not presenting it. But, Joy comes as I present my request to God …
Giving it to Him is
Believing He Cares … that he wants to know what he wants what is for my good and
Believing in his ability to meet my needs,
While trusting his Sovereignty to transform me into his image and to work all things for that good thing.Then I can sing the 100th Psalm of David
Psalm 100 (NIV84)
A psalm. For giving thanks.
1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. 2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Shout for Joy
Worship the Lord
Come before Him
Enter with Thanksgiving and praise
For the Lord is Good … love endures … faithfulness continues …When I pray like that I find I am
D. Protected By Peace
V7 the peace of God … will guard your hearts and minds
Peace – Eirene = freedom from worry, peace, welfare
Peace OF GOD … knowing that I am free from being tied to this world, tied to a need for anything material or earthly guards me from my most dangerous and deceptive things, my heart and my mind.
Jeremiah 17:9 says the heart is deceitful above all things
2 Corinthians 11:3 says our minds can be lead astray …Without the guard of the Mind of Christ, without the Breastplate of Righteousness and the Belt of Truth, my passions, desires, and understandings can deceive me
But when I am free from the need for anything but God … that Peace with God guards my heart from wanting anything but the will and rule of God and guards my mind from bringing requests beyond his will and I am able to welcome joy
To Practice joy … and with a guarded heart and mind … I am free for3. Joyful Thinking
What IS joyful thinking? It is a decision … it isA. Disciplined Thinking v8
Finally – loipos = lastly; from now on
Living the practices of joy requires taking captive every thought and making it obedient to truth
2 Corinthians 10:3–5 (NIV84)
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.You and I are attacked every day … when we recognize that our battle is not a flesh and blood Ephesians 6:12 … and we do not fight like the world fights … then we have to join in the battle for our mind, our will, our emotions
satan would discourage and defeat you, he would have you keep your heart and mind set on things below
Colossians 3:1–3 (NIV84)
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.Paul tells us how we do that … how we take captive everything thought … He tells us what to think on …
As the battle rages … fight to dwell ONLY on
Whatever is …
True – alethis = sincere; real
Noble – semnos = worthy of respect, dignified
Right – dikaios = righteous, just
Pure – hagos = innocent
Lovely – prosphiles = pleasing
Admirable – euphemos = commendable
Excellent – arête = excellence of character
Praiseworthy – epainos = praiseOnly These things …
Logizomai = think about, credit, consider, dwell on
THESE Things …
For Joy to be Welcome, these things must rule … other thoughts must be taken captive and surrendered to the rule of ChristMake a list of These Things .. and put it on the margin of your computer screen, on your fridge, on your mirror, on your TV set … and Think on THESE things … put aside anything that doesn’t pass this test … and then Joy Can Reign …
Disciplined Thinking leads to
B. Disciplined Action v9
Whatever you have learned … received … heard … seen … PUT INTO PRACTICE
Not just today, but for 12 messages now we have lit the path for Joy … but you must commit to walk the path … to put it into practice …
The word prasso = do, accomplish, make your business; a practice of habitAnd when you make these things your practice …
When you pray in grateful worship
When you take captive thoughts and make them obedient to truth
You look and find you are not walking this path alone … but areC. Accompanied by Peace
And the God of all peace will be with youWhat was prophesied of Jesus, he will be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace
If you walk in his way, thinking his thoughts, if peace doesn’t accompany, comfort, and guide you then you are not walking his way, or he is not able … and Oh he IS able …
This is Jesus … I’m not telling you that this is the way to get Jesus INTO you … That is by Grace Through Faith …
But Paul is teaching us how to let the Christ IN You Get OUT of you …When I welcome Joy and Patiently petition him, and live according to the disciplines of Joyful thinking and living, then Christ in me, is reflected OUT of me and …
He walks with me and he talks with me
And he tells me I am his own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever knownWhen we dwell on Jesus, the Truth … Then we Know Peace
When we Know God … we Know Peace …
But if we have NO God, then we have NO Peace -
Ruth was married to an Israelite man, but she was from Moab. Elimelech and Naomi had two sons, Mahlon and Kilion. They had moved to Moab because of famine in Bethlehem. Elimelech died and Naomi was left with her two sons. They married women from Moab. Mahlon married Ruth and Kilion married Orpah.
Things got worse as both of Naomi’s sons died as well. 10 years they had lived in Moab before the young men died. Things got better in Judah and they prepared to return. But Naomi urged the young women to stay in Moab and find husbands. After urging, Orpah decided to go back home, but not Ruth. She said “don’t urge me to leave you, or turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me” (Ruth 1:16-17 NIV84)
WOW. And so Ruth goes to Bethlehem and it says “the whole city was stirred.” And eventually Ruth married a relative of theirs named Boaz. Together they had a son named Obed, and he had a son named Jesse, who bore a son named David, who tended sheep, wrote songs, killed lions, bears, and a Giant named Goliath. He became the King to whom all others were compared.
Why would Boaz take a chance on a convert from a pagan country? Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that his Grandmother was a pagan named Rahab, from Jericho who acted in faith and joined God’s people. So he knew this kind of commitment.
So, what is commitment as we see it here?
1. A Commitment to Follow requires a Commitment to Lead
when it comes to a relationship, there should be a lead. Ruth committed to follow Naomi, but ultimately to follow God. Your God will be My God. That led her to Boaz.
Certainly God is committed to lead us, he has given us his Word and has set the way for us. So, we must fix our eyes on Jesus the Author and Finisher and we commit to follow. When you bring this idea into a marriage there must be commitment to lead and a commitment to follow. God created us to work together to serve him. He created Adam first told him to care for his things and he brought him Eve as a helpomate to fulfill his purposes.
So then, Jesus said in John 6:38 I have come down from Heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. There is a SENDER and a FOLLOWER.
2. A Willingness to Act When Prompted and To Wait When Needed
Where you go I will go, where you stay, I will stay
People by nature tend to be Go-ers or Stay-ers. Trailblazers or Homesteaders. But we must be willing to be either. The military Community to which I minister has to be really good at both. Time to Go … Let’s go. Here we are … let’s make it home for as long as we are here. We learn to hold loosely to things that do not really matter. I can relate. I grew up that way. Go may be a word you love or one you loath. But commitment says “I will go”. Or perhaps “wait” is a word you dread. I get the image of an obedient dog told to “sit and wait”, while the treat is laying on the ground and he salivates, or the prey is across the yard and obediently she waits until the Master says “Ok!”
But whatever the command, stay or God, the Joy is in the Obedience not in the Command
3. The Commitment is A commitment To a Relationship Together
Your people will be my people
Following God, following a spouse, following a job, always leads us to new people. “but i don’t like these people” … but “these are my people”. “Lord, your people will be my people”
Your God will be my God
Embracing God, embracing Lordship, embracing his sovereignty, embracing his purposes“God, you are my God, and I will seek you earnestly” (Ps 63:1)
“We are your people the sheep of your pastor” (Ps 79:13)
It is a WE not just a ME in this pasture.
Finally, it is a Commitment to
4. A Shared Passion
Where you die, I will die
Jesus died on a hill surrounded by mockers, who were the ones he died to save
Where you die I will die
I will serve the undeserving
I will pray for the unloving
I will finish what I started
Where you go, I will go
Where you stay, I will stayYour God My God
Your People My People
Where you die
I will Die
That Is Commitment
-
Galatians 1:15-16 (NIV84) When God … was pleased to reveal his Son so that I might preach
Oh how mysterious, marvelous, merciful, manifest, and majestic is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we were going to create a religious, it would have been altogether different that the Gospel of Jesus. Look at all of the man made religous. They are either weird, lenient, or legalistic. But the gospel of Jesus is rigid, as is all truth, and yet it is free. If you can understand it, then you don’t understand it. So many theologians want to make the gospel cut and dry, but then it loses its marvelous nature. Two of the great mysteries of the gospel are seemingly contradictory. They Bible declares that God has known and called his own since before time began. God has predestined his people to be formed in the image of Christ. And yet we cannot get around the needed faith action of mankind individually called to respond to the wooing of God and say “yes Lord, I believe, I receive.” Jesus died for all mankind, and yet this is not experienced unless it is received. The gospel is a mystery. So, Paul is preaching to the Church in Galatia who is being assaulted by some who would take the gospel of Jesus and pervert it into something that man made up. This non-gospel they were preaching was not good news, it was full of legalism.
So here in Galatians 1:12 he says the gospel I preached is not something man made up” v13 says I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ
Wherever the gospel is preached faithfully, the revelation that comes is from Jesus Christ himself
v15 but when God, who set me apart from birth, and called me by his grace, was pleased
eudokeo = well pleased, consented, enjoy
Every time I preach, I do my best to be faithful to preach what God would have me, but I cannot move their soul. I cannot change their heart. So, I preach faithfully and I pray that God move on a heart, woo them, and they combine it with faith. It is not only that he decides to do it, but he knows the right time, the right place. But not only is it the time he is pleased with, but also it pleases him, it makes him smile. So Paul says when God smiled and revealed himself, v16 to reveal his son in me, so that I might preach him …
Paul understood that he was part of something bigger, something outside of himself. God revealed Christ TO him … SO THAT He could reveal Christ IN him.
Oh folks listen, we are here SO THAT Christ IN us may be revealed THROUGH us to a world in need. In every circumstance, in the simplest things … SO THAT
Planning an event, wiping a nose, sharing your faith SO THAT
Listening to a child quote a verse, struggling with an unruly 3rd grader, SO THAT
Extra work, patient with personalities, balancing an account, SO THAT
Misunderstood, smiling through it all, SO THAT
This was the life of the apostles, insulted, and persecuted, lied about, but still rejoicing, SO THAT
That was Paul, in prison, hungry, thirsty, shipwrecked, SO THAT
The martyrs of history, burned at the stake, drowned, in prison, boiled alive in oil, killed by villagers, rejected by governments, SO THAT
That was Jesus, despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, familiar with our sufferings, not esteemed, taking our infirmities, carrying our sorrows, smitten and afflicted, pierced, crushed, punished, SO THAT
So That we might be forgiven, at peace, righteous, pure, holy, blameless, without spot or wrinkle
Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest) of these verses says “If Jesus is to regenerate me, what is he up against? I have a heredity I had no say in; I am NOT holy nor likely to be; and if all Jesus Christ can do is tell me I must be holy, his teaching plants despair. But if Jesus is a regenerator, one who can put into me his own heredity of holiness, then I begin to see what he is driving at when he says that I have to be holy”
He puts it IN Me
Again Chambers says “The moral transaction on my part is agreement with God’s verdict on sin in the cross of Jesus Christ”
Oh The Mystery and Majesty of the Gospel
-
1 Corinthians 4:16 says Therefore we do not lose heart
Psalm 116 is a great song of the confidence that comes in the Lord. Verse 10 says I believed … therefore (or even when) I was greatly afflicted
Believed what? IN Psalm 116
v4 – O Lord Save me (I called on the name of the Lord)
v5 – The Lord is Gracious
v8 – you have delivered my soul from death
v9 – I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the Living
So then back to 1 Corinthians 4:14 Because we know that the one (The Holy Spirit) who raised the Lord Jesus … will also raise us. So v16 Therefore, we don’t lose heart
I lose heart when my heart is set on withering things. The grass withers, the flowers fade. The Carpet tatters, light fixtures burn out, paint peels, pianos go out of tune, and we lose heart if our heart is set on those things. Things like worship styles, service orders shouldn’t make us lose heart. When it comes to serving in the church, workers come and go, servants aren’t always there, but where is your heart? It is on the ONE who raise Jesus?
Oh but the God who said “Let there be …” he can recreate my circumstance.
I have a treasure in jars of clay … will I fret about the jar or joy in the treasure?
If my heart is set on things above … then if I am hard pressed (v9) … I’m fine … my jar may get cracked, but my treasure isn’t destroyed. I may be perplexed about today, but tomorrow is certain, so I am not in despair. I may be persecuted but I don’t care about their opinion if I am listening for Heaven’s “well done.” I am not abandoned though I walk through the Valley of the shadow of death, he is WITH me. I may be struck down, i might be killed for that matter, but I am not destroyed in this land of the dying, I am going to the Land of the Living.
Therefore, we do not lose heart though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day
v17 for light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all
v18 fix our eyes not on seen but unseen
I am not ignoring my problems, but I am also not focused on them either
I used to sing a song
Don’t lose heart, Don’t lose heart, God will take you to the other side, don’t lose heart
-
2 Corinthians 10:5 says “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ” (NIV84)
(KJV) “Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth against the knowledge of God …”“Lord, help me see the high places in my life, things that seek to exalt themselves in my life as worthy of my worship and obedience, save you alone.”
Every time I say “but Lord …” I have exalted myself above the Sovereign Lord of all Creation. No other part of God’s creation says “But Lord”, none say “no, Lord.” Every part of creation just obeys, except man.
The BLUF (bottom line up front) is take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ … but how does that play out in actuality?
We live in a world that is at war with the holiness of God, a world led by a prince who would usurp Christ if given a chance and he seeks to lead us to do the same. We have a false perception that we have “rights” to do as we please, to make our own way. We say things like “it’s MY body”, or “I deserve this”, or “God wants me to be happy”, really? Who defines these things? Who is Lord? Since the carnal part of my nature remains, I must take active part in not allowing it to rule in my life.I am no longer bound to carnality, but it will rule when I allow it. Paul says in verse 4 that “strongholds” rise up. The carnality gains footing in my life, a place to attack. So, we have to “cast down” or “demolish” those strongholds.
“demolish” = kathaireo = to take down, tear down, destroy, do away with.
That is action. I must not ignore these things. I must not say “well, that’s just the way I am.” or “We all have our faults.” No, I must see the strongholds being fortified, know that they are there and take action to tear them down.Then Paul tells us the root of these stronghold
#1 – KJV calls “Imaginations” NIV “Arguments”
the word is loismos = false reasoning, conclusions, plans, life not reckoned as life
One of the roots of the strongholds of carnality in our life is logismos, false conclusions, reasoning that causes us to believe things that are not trueHow do we come to “arguments” or “imaginations”?
1) not Knowing the Word of God
2) Not Believing the Word of God
3) Not believing it Applies to me#2 “Pretensions” KJV “High Things”
the word is hypsoma = world above, arrogance –
We pretend that we are above the Word, we are above the command, we are above the revealed will and plan of God. I can play, I can pretend, that I am superman, but I cannot fly. I am not faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, nor am I able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, because I Am NOT Superman. It is arrogant for me to assume that position. In like manner, I cannot take the place of Christ to Rule and Be Worshiped.
“High places” were placed throughout Canaan in ancient days where people worshiped false gods. It goes back to Babel, when they tried to “reach” God. Why did they try to reach God? It was to try and “bring him down” but you can’t
High Places in our lives are
1) anything that pretends to be equal with God
2) anything that we worship (objects of affection)
3) things that cause us to take our gaze away from ChristHe is the only one given a name above every name, to whom every knee bows and tongue confesses.
When we say “I would do this for God, but my kids need …” That is Pretense, it is a High Place
When we say “I would worship him with my resources, but I want … I need …” that is Pretense, a High Place
Instead I should take those things to the Lord and say “God, what do you want me to do, and how do I need to prioritize my resources, my family, my schedule?”
How can we easily tell if something is a “High Place”?
1) Does it set itself against the Word of God?
2) Does it cause a conflict of obedience to the revelation of God in Christ Jesus, in his living word or written word?
Those things have then “set themselves up against the knowledge of God”. They are pretend sovereigns in our lives, they are falsely exalted idols in our lives. I cannot ignore them, I cannot pretend they do not exist. They will not go away. They will not leave me alone if I pretend they are not there … No … I must DEMOLISH or CAST them DOWN
Whey they found high places of idol worship in the Old Testament, they destroyed them …So, How?
“Take Captive” … Lay your hands on offender. Speak to it, speak about it, admit it, that is what it means for a Christian to Confess our sins. YES, all of our sins are covered in the Cross of Christ, but in the daily living of our salvation, they are set up as strongholds. When we don’t admit the struggle and that it is sin we are missing the teaching of 1 John 1:9. 1 John 1:9 is John speaking to the CHURCH, to Christians. Count how many times he says “we”. Read 1 John 1:9 in context, “if WE confess our sins”. In other scripture he tells us to confess our sins to each other”? Why? It is so we don’t let them run loose, exalted in our lives.
We are not to let them be strongholds, no, we are to take hold of them. Them them to the word of God. Speak it. Does it sound contrary to the Word? Then make it obedient say “no” to pretenders. Say, “no” to false reasoning, and say “yes” to Christ.
Worship Him with Obedience
Worship the only wise God, our Sovereign Lord Jesus ChristTake Captive Every Thought and Make it Obedient to Christ
-
My title, “The Farmer Smiles” is about perspective and will make sense in a minute.
1 Corinthians 9:16 – “I am compelled to preach the gospel. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel”
KJV “necessity is laid upon me”
How serious was Paul about this necessity, this compulsion?
These words actually came as Paul defends himself against detractors who speak against the support he was receiving financially.
He says “don’t we have the right to food and drink, the right to take a wife along with us …” or are the rules different for Paul and Barnabas?
Soldiers are paid, he says, farmers eat of their crops. Even an Ox eats unmuzzled while he treads out the grain. But then he turns away from rights and says in v12 “we don’t use this right, on the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.”
v12 says “put up with anything
v15 says “I would rather die than
v16 “yet when I preach the gospel (good news)”
How do we fight off the attacks of the evil one through details? Tell the Good News. Oh satan sure attacks in the minutia doesn’t he? Sometimes the minutia isn’t so minute. Sometimes hunger pains and growling stomachs seek to drown out the sounds of praise and can soften the force of the gospel. But keep focusing on the “Gospel” – euangelizo = proclaim, preach, glad tidings
It is hard to give good news and complain at the same time isn’t it? Oh but it can happen
Several years ago, I had just finished accompanying our choir on the piano for their Christmas Musical. I play the piano, and am more than comfortable as a player and leader, but that style was outside my comfort zone. It was, for me, a hard piece of music that took a lot of extra practice. It was something i did because it was needed but I would rather not have done it. it even caused me more than a bit of panic and anxiety as I played. I got through it, and did well, and as we finished the last note on the big finale, a great sense of relief and “job well done” rushed over me. I felt good. That last note played, and this precious lady in the choir, standing at the end of the stage right next to the open piano lid, looked at me and smiled and exclaimed “That was Great!” But before I could even say “thank you,” her face changed to disapproving and she continued still on beat “Sure was Loud!” And she turned away. “That was great … sure was loud.”
I sat there stunned, I had just gotten a pat on the back and a smack in the face in the same sentence.
Sometimes it is that way in serving the Lord isn’t it?
So, Paul keeps his heart set on proclaiming the good news. What Good news? Church is growing? No, Jesus Saves. Worship was awesome? No, Jesus Saves. We met the budget? No Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves, Jesus Saves.
So when someone is complaining about the service being 10 minutes too long – Jesus Saves
When someone doesn’t like the carpet color – Jesus Saves
Someone is attacking you or your job – Jesus Saves
Someone seems to always be over your shoulder – Jesus Saves
Paul says “yet”“despite, in spite of, regardless of, there is a necessity laid on my shoulders”
epikeimai = press against, to be imposed; to be urgent
No matter, I can put up with anything because the Gospel has been pressed into my hands, forced to my mouth, placed urgently in my heart
The Gospel … of Jesus Christ and so
Woe to Me if I preach not the gospel
Let us not be distracted with unnecessary battles or pleasures, that we might miss the presentation of the gospel
v19 “I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible”
v22-23 “… i have become all things to all men, so that by all possible means, i might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that i may share in its blessing”
v24 “Run to get the prize” –What prize? The prize of sharing in the joy of that soul that found Jesus.
The gospel is made up of so many components. Some receive face time, some get the praise, others are never seen. Whether it is a counter and sorter of money, or an AWANA Children’s Leader, a Nursery worker, a Sound Technician, a Door Greeter, a teacher, an encourager, someone who invites … It is all part of the gospel …In this case, people are the prize for the presenter, The prize is the Gospel … So many different things come together, years, months, weeks, days, comments, love given, and somewhere the finish line is crossed and the prize attained.
The Gospel is planted, sprouts, watered, harvested, processed, turned into flour, sifted, prepared, baked, shipped, purchased, and Someone eats that bread and says “wow that is good” …
… And somewhere … the unknown Farmer Smiles …
-
When Does Salvation Take Place?
I have always lead people to pray a prayer of salvation, but is that always when salvation takes place?
J. as a man I got to know in Belton, Texas in the middle 1980s. He told me that after years of fighting God and arguing with preachers and church people, he walked the aisle of the First Baptist Church and publicly “confessed Christ”. He signed the commitment card and was official. But he told me later that he wasn’t saved, he wasn’t in Christ.
You see, for years he had been the one that everyone prayed for in church. His wife and kids were in church and he made the occasional appearance but he wasn’t a follower of Christ. He didn’t embrace Christ as Lord. He was that guy who is in every church community in their radar.
J told me, as we talked one night 30 years ago, “Jim, I wasn’t truly ‘saved’, born again, not until I stepped into the Baptistry.” Wait, what? I’m a Southern Baptist, we believe in baptism, by immersion but it is a symbol of an inner reality. We do not believe that the act of baptism is slavific, or has saving efficacy. So, what did he mean? J went on to explain. He said that walking down the aisle wasn’t about surrender to and faith in Christ as Lord, but just about getting his wife and the church “off his back.” He thought that would be the end of it.
But then, of course, the pastor started coming over to talk about baptism and church membership. “Baptism, I walked the aisle, signed the card, prayed the prayer, leave me alone.” Some time went by, and he resisted not wanting to be baptized. He resisted because he wasn’t truly saved. He had done a work but not an act of faith. There was no surrender.
Finally J told me “when I truly ‘got saved’, when I was born again, was when stepped into the baptistry. It wasn’t the water. It wasn’t the aft of immersion. It was that at that moment he exercised faith and surrendered to God’s plan for salvation.
When the Israelites stood at the Jordan river before they entered Canaan, it was not a quiet river but a raging springtime river, perhaps a mile across. God told them he would stop the river. They believed he would but it still flowed until the priests at the front stepped into the river, then it was stopped far upstream and the walked across. So then the river of Judgment and separation between us and God is before the non-Christian. Christ had died for us, we know that we can be forgiven, reconciled to God, but until we truly surrender in faith and believe, receiving his Grace for ourselves, it isn’t ours.
Do I mean by this that baptism saves people? No.
Do I believe a simple prayer, words, even the right words save people? No.
But I do believe that it is an act of faith,understanding our sin, and surrendering to Jesus as Lord of our lives. That aft may require explanation, “what must I do to be saved?” Upon explanation they confess Christ and receive him by faith. Some may not come to that point until a later date as something else triggers it, like Mr. J Others may know and be resisting, yet the simple turn of the heart in a worship service, the act of stepping out is their moment of faith, before any prayer has ever been offered, or words said. Should we help them verbalize it in a prayer, definitely but, the simplicity of Romans 10 is still true though complex to in experience.
V8 – the word is near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart
V9 – that if you confess with your mouth ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
V10 – for it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
V11- … Anyone who trusts in him will never be out to shame
V13 – everyone who calls on the name of The Lord will be saved
Oh what a beautiful mystery and complete certainty is the salvation Of man by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
So
V14 – how can they call on one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in one they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching?
V15 – and how can they preach unless they are sent? -
Galatians 6:9(NIV84) “Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up”
– “Do not become weary” or “grow weary” – The Greek word is enkakeo – it means to “lose enthusiasm; to be discouraged; to grow weary; to lose heart”
We all get there, we lose momentum, we lose enthusiasm. The word “become” or “grow” insinuates that this is not something we slip and fall into, or out of, but it grows, it develops over time. Sometimes it feels like it came out of nowhere, but it most likely has been something that started with a seed, a kernal, and then something else and something else, and then … here it is, weary.
There other day, “all of a sudden” I had a couple of muscles in my chest and back that were killing me. I thought “how in the world am I sore, I haven’t done anything”. But then as I thought back through it there were a couple of incidents that had contributed to the tweak in my back and chest. I didn’t realize it.
We have had some success, God has been moving, all seems normal and then all of a sudden, I’m just weary, feeling out of sorts, what’s going on?
I need to ask a few questions, where did the weariness come from?
1) Has someone planted it in me? Has someone spoken negativity into my life?
2) Did I plant it myself?
3) Did someone else plant it, but I nurtured it?
It’s a process, and I have to go back and identify what is going on and then realize that We wrestle not against flesh and blood. Satan is in this, he is working to discourage me and bring me down.
I have to recognize the areas that have been broken up to prepare for planting weariness and I need to not allow the soil to be prepared.
Philippians 4:8 (NIV84)
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
I can’t dwell on the things that make me weary, let my enthusiasm wain.
I need to renew my strength … How does that happen?
Isaiah 40:31 (NIV84)
31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Those who hope / wait – the word comes from a root that means to twist or wind. It is like a thief “laying in wait” or a farmer “waiting” for the harvest. It means to “set your heart” to wind your intentions around The Lord. Those who so set their hopes on the Lord, who wind themselves around his will, his purposes, will renew their strength.
What are you wrapped around?
– “For at the proper time” – “time” – kairos = season, occasion – “proper” – idio = peculiar or one’s own … Where are we going? This means that our harvest is coming – but it is coming at a season, a time, that is unique, peculiar, my time. Like an idiosyncrasy is a quirk, so the proper time, is the season for ME. A season, unique to me is coming, if I will trust God for the proper time for renewal, success, recognition, rest – Wait for YOUR Time. Don’t be frustrated because someone else had their time, that’s theirs, wait for the Lord and your time.
– “we will reap a harvest” – REAP — I think we forget sometimes that harvesting means WORK too. There is work in the planting, and work to be done in the nurture, and there is work in the harvest, we have to REAP. Which reminds us too that it has to be the right season. If you reap during the summer, you won’t have anything good. So you have to know the season. if you don’t know ask, do the necessary, seasonal time.
But Harvest IS coming
Do you know the “Rules of the Harvest?”
1) you reap WHAT you sow 2) you reap LATER than you sow and 3) you reap MORE than you sow. Those are the 3 rules of the harvest I have always heard, but can I add one? 4) You reap WHEN you do the WORK of REAPING.
So, Paul says
– “Do not Give Up” – keep working, keep doing the last thing that God gave you to do. Work the Harvest when that time comes. The word “give up” is eklyo = to unloose – There it is AGAIN … we lose our strength, become weary, when we become LOOSENED from the Lord. Keep your hope set on the Lord. Wrap your mind, your intentions, you purposes around the Lord.
My boys often heard me quote Ecclesiastes 7:8 “the End of a matter is better than its beginning, patience better than pride” – Don’t unwind yourselves … stay focused on the end. Don’t just be a starter, be a finisher? How FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS – the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our Faith …
Then verse 9 of Ecclesiastes 7 says “do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools” … when you unwind from the Lord, and sit down instead of keeping at the work, it’s amazing how anger creeps in, angry with circumstance, angry with the success of others, and it is Fertile Ground for Weariness and giving up …
So, Want to “Clear your lap?”
GET UP
Get Back to Work
Continue What he Last Told you
Reap when it is Time …
Pastor Goforth 