Famous Last Words: Jesus Provides Healing and Life

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Famous Last Words: Jesus Provides Healing and Life

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: Jesus provides healing and resurrection life when death has been at your door.  

• Where My Eyes Have Been 

• Death at My Door

• It is Finished (Where My Eyes Will Go)

Where My Eyes Have Been 

My eyes have been fixed on the places where my hopes have been set. 

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way. And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.” Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died. And the people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live.” So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.

-Numbers 21:4-9

“No person, not even the best one can give your soul all it needs…this cosmic disappointment and disillusionment is there in all of life, but we especially feel it in the things in which we set our hopes. When you finally realize this, there are four things you can do: You can blame the things that are disappointing you and try to move on to better ones (that’s the way of continued idolatry and spiritual addiction), you can blame yourself and beat yourself (that’s the way of self loathing and shame), you can blame the world (that’s how you get hard, cynical, and empty), or you can reorient the entire focus of your life on God.”

-Timothy Keller in Counterfeit Gods

Where have you gotten derailed in your focus?  

Are there pursuits in your life more important to you than the worship of God?

Death at My Door

At some point, sin, Satan and suffering come to every person’s door to strike at those hopes.

“Optimism hopes for the best without any guarantee of its arriving and is often no more than whistling in the dark. Christian hope, by contrast, is faith looking ahead to the fulfillment of the promises of God, as when the Anglican burial service inters the corpse 'in sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ.' Optimism is a wish without warrant; Christian hope is a certainty, guaranteed by God himself. Optimism reflects ignorance as to whether good things will ever actually come. Christian hope expresses knowledge that every day of his life, and every moment beyond it, the believer can say with truth, on the basis of God's own commitment, that the best is yet to come.”

-J. I. Packer

13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

-John 3:13-18

 

It is Finished (Where My Eyes Will Go)

Looking to Jesus’ finished work on the cross brings healing and resurrection life to what was once dead. 

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said ( to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

-John 19:28-30 

And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.

-Matthew 27:33,34 

William Lane explains,

According to an old tradition, respected women of Jerusalem provided a narcotic drink to those condemned to death in order to decrease their sensitivity to the excruciating pain . . . . When Jesus arrived at Golgotha he was offered . . . wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused it, choosing to endure with full consciousness the sufferings appointed for him (The Gospel of Mark, p. 564)

Lane comments,

A sour wine vinegar is mentioned in the OT as a refreshing drink (Ruth 2:14), and in Greek and Roman literature as well it is a common beverage appreciated by laborers and soldiers because it relieved thirst more effectively than water and was inexpensive . . . . There are no examples of its use as a hostile gesture. The thought, then, is not of a corrosive vinegar offered as a cruel jest, but of a sour wine of the people. While the words “let us see if Elijah will come” express a doubtful expectation, the offer of the sip of wine was intended to keep Jesus conscious for as long as possible” (Ibid., 573–574).

“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.

-Luke 24:46-53 

"The message of Easter is that God's new world has been unveiled in Jesus Christ and that you're now invited to belong to it.”

-N. T. Wright

  

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Second City Church - Famous Last Words - Parables of Jesus - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2020

Famous Last Words: Perfect Peace

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Famous Last Words: Perfect Peace

“Why Have You Forsaken Me?”

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Palm Sunday is an acknowledgement of Jesus’ authority, coming as the benevolent king to rule over the nations.  Yet in times like these, our world can echo the cry of Jesus on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Focus: We will be kept in perfect peace when our minds are stayed on Jesus.

Perfect Lessons

Jesus’ experience on the cross gives us perfect lessons for our trials. 

Perfect Savior 

Jesus was shown to be a perfect Savior by what His time on the cross accomplished. 

Perfect Peace 

We are kept in perfect peace as we rehearse the reality that temporary tragedies can lead to eternal victories in Jesus.  

As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

-Matthew 27:32-54

Perfect Lessons

Jesus’ experience on the cross gives us perfect lessons for our trials. 

"I think that taking life seriously means something such as this: that whatever man does on this planet has to be done in the lived truth of the terror of creation, of the grotesque, of the rumble of panic underneath everything. Otherwise it is false."

-- Ernest Becker, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Denial of Death

Lament is a Biblical response while I prayerfully wait for answers.  However, I am commanded not to fear. 

Why?

The Cross You Threw Off Because You Were Forced to Carry it Can Become your Salvation

 “People know instinctively that if Christianity is true they will lose control, and they will not be able to live any way they wish. So they are rooting for it not to be true, and are more than willing to accept any objections to the faith they hear.”

-Timothy Keller

As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.

-Matthew 27:32

Like Simon of Cyrene, some of you were forced to carry a faith (cross) that was not your own, so you’ve been tempted to throw it off. You’ve looked for freedom of thought, love and pleasures in all of the wrong places.  However, these detours can leave you damaged and be found wanting. Now is your time to return. God Knows Everything God is not surprised by anything that we experience.  We can trust God’s sovereignty when we look at the prophetic writings of Scripture: Psalm 22 is one of several Messianic Psalms foreshadowing the person and suffering of Jesus on the way to his salvific work on the cross:(King David wrote these words somewhere between 1010 and 970 BC)

Foreshadowed:

they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.

-Psalm 22:18

Fulfilled:

 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.

-Matthew 27:35

Foreshadowed:

All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

-Psalm 22:7

Fulfilled:

And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 

-Matthew 27:39-42

Foreshadowed:

 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

-Psalm 22:8

Fulfilled:

He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

-Matthew 27:43,44

Foreshadowed:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

-Psalm 22:1

Fulfilled:

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.

-Matthew 27:45-50

Because God is not surprised by anything, we can be confident of the following, even in the midst of suffering:

“There is no panic in heaven!  God has no problems, only plans.”

-Corrie Ten Boom

The safest place to be is in right relationship with Christ and in his hands. 

There will be times that it seems like God is not doing anything. 

39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

-Matthew 27:39-44

There will even be times where you may feel abandoned by God. 

When you go through health, financial or relational difficulties, it is human to ask the question, Where are you God?  Jesus asked the same question. 

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

-Matthew 27:46

Jesus knew the plan going in.  He spoke about his sacrificial death, burial and resurrection that would lead to the salvation of the world repeatedly throughout his ministry.  Yet in the stress and strain of the moment, our emotions cause our perspective on things to get fuzzy.  When Jesus took on the sin of humanity, and for the first time in his existence experienced separation from His Heavenly Father, he cried out in agony, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

People misunderstand tragedies.  

They thought that Jesus was calling out to Elijah. 

47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.”

-Matthew 27:47-49

The moment that it seems like God is forsaking his people is the very moment when he is working his plan of redemption for the world.   

But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”

-1 Corinthians 2:7-9

This leads us to the benefits of a perfect Savior.  

Perfect Savior 

Jesus was shown to be a perfect Savior by what His time on the cross accomplished. 

What happened as Jesus died?  What was the significance?

The Veil Was Torn

This act was opening the way to God’s presence in the Most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies. 

51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

-Matthew 27:51

The Dead Were Raised 

Because Jesus was crucified, the dead can come out of their graves.  

52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

-Matthew 27:52,53

Those Far Away Came to Saving Faith 

54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

-Matthew 27:54

Perfect Peace

We are kept in perfect peace as we rehearse the reality that temporary tragedies can lead to eternal victories in Jesus.  

The phrase “do not be afraid” is recorded at least 365 times in the Bible.  

“If you look at the world, you'll be distressed. If you look within, you'll be depressed. If you look at God you'll be at rest.”

-Corrie Ten Boom

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: “We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter in. You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. For he has humbled the inhabitants of the height, the lofty city. He lays it low, lays it low to the ground, casts it to the dust.

-Isaiah 26:1-5 

Trials can bring us low, and at times, we may not understand what God is doing through them.  Our hearts’ cries can reflect some of the Lord’s final words,“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  Yet if we remember the perfect lessons taught to us at the cross, about a perfect Savior, Jesus Christ, we will he kept in perfect peace as our minds are stayed on Him.  Repent of sin today and put your faith in Jesus to make sure that you are walking in that peace.  

  

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Second City Church - Famous Last Words - Parables of Jesus - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2020

Famous Last Words: Receiving and Giving His Love

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Famous Last Words: Receiving and Giving His Love

God wants us to be ready to receive and give his love whenever and however it’s needed.  

Pastor Rollan Fisher

• Where Secularism Fails

• The Love of God in Crisis 

• The Gospel at Just the Right Time

31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ 41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44 Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ 45 Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ 46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

-Matthew 25:31-46

Where Secularism Fails

Secularism does not fully provide an answer to the challenges or needs of the day. 

"Each new morn new widows howl, new orphans cry, new sorrows strike heaven on the face,"

-Macduff in Macbeth, Act IV, William Shakespeare 

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

-Romans 1:21-23 

“Men despise religion (here meaning Christianity). They hate it and are afraid it may be true. The cure for this is first to show that religion is not contrary to reason, but worthy of reverence and respect. Next make it attractive, make good men wish it were true, and then show that it is.”

-Blaise Pascal 

The Love of God in Crisis 

The love of God is clearly seen in times of challenge and need.  

“The interaction between religious and scientific communities can sometimes be inhibited by a perception that they don’t share the same worldview. But my research shows that scientists often do their work out of a core value to heal the world around them. In my interviews with religious scientists, I’ve found that many of them feel similarly about their work and their goals, sometimes drawing on the concept of Shalom, a Hebrew word that broadly refers to seeking peace, harmony, well-being and prosperity that result from the flourishing of all creation. One immunologist told me not long ago, “I see science as an amazing tool to intervene on the human condition.”

-Source here

“Jesus, properly understood as shalom, coming into the world from the shalom community of the Trinity, is the intention of God’s once-and-for-all mission. That is, the mission of birthing and restoring shalom to the world is in Christ, by Christ, and for the honor of Christ.“

-Randy Woodley, Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision

Love has no formula - only the discernible character of Christ. 

The Gospel at Just the Right Time

Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is the perfect reference for giving love at just the right time, exactly as it is needed.  

Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

-Romans 2:4

When secularism falls, inevitably failing to provide solace in the midst of idol crushing trials, the power of God’s gospel is that it meets people presently in their suffering to provide both a present and eternal hope. 

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

-Romans 5:6-11

Never be confused.  You must put your faith in Christ because he is true, not because he is useful, though when you submit to him as true, you will also find the benefits of trust in Him. 

  

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Second City Church - Famous Last Words - Parables of Jesus - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2020

Famous Last Words: God expects a return

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Famous Last Words: God expects a return

God expects a return on everything that He’s entrusted to you.  

Pastor Rollan Fisher

• Different Measures 

• Hidden Talents 

• The Kingdom With Interest 

14 “For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

-Matthew 25:14-30

Different Measures 

God has given every individual different measure of talents (resources) to earn and achieve for the Kingdom of Heaven. 

After his sacrificial death on the cross to reconcile sinful humanity to God, Jesus would be the Master who was resurrected and would go on a journey, ascending to the right hand of the Father.  Before leaving, he says he leaves his servants with talents with which to do business until he makes His promised return. 

What was a talent?: 

In New Testament times, a talent was a unit of money worth 6000 drachmas (a common laborers earned about one denarius a day), or 20 years wages.  

*People are given different measures of opportunities and resources, even physical attributes in life.  Regardless of where you begin, Jesus says that everyone has the ability to do business with what’s been trusted to them resulting in the growth of the Kingdom of God.  

*We are to be servants of God.  We must see what we have in terms of intellect, resources, relationships and opportunities as ultimately belonging to Jesus.   Each of these things are components of the Master’s property and we are to be stewards of His property.  We will give an account for it all.  Thus we are to use all that we have the way that the Master would.  

The question is “What has the Master given you?  What are you going to do to multiply it for the Kingdom?”

Hidden Talents

The temptation will be for each of us to waste, misuse or bury our talents.  

This parable begs the question: “Does God expect anything of his people besides moralistic obedience?” 

The answer is unequivocally yes.   Christ is looking for a multiplication of the life of God in you to be produced in others.  It was Jesus who charged his followers for all time with the Great Commission: 

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

-Matthew 28:18-20

*The charge does not change with our circumstances.  As in any business venture, it is incumbent upon those employed to find creative ways to see their business succeed and grow, despite the changing environment and times.  This was the message of the talents.  (It is what we’re doing even in the midst of the virus going online with our community groups.  We’ve already heard the testimony of increased participation from these efforts!)

*The problem of trying to live your best life now is it gets severely interrupted in times like these. More than that, it is a misappropriation of the talents with which you’ve been entrusted.  

Even friendships today sadly suffer the fate of: 

Waste 

Misuse

Being buried in temporal, rather than eternal significance

“True friends don’t spend time gazing into each other’s eyes. They may show great tenderness towards each other but they face in the same direction - toward common projects, goals - above all, towards a common Lord.”

C.S. Lewis

“The very condition of having Friends is that we should want something else besides Friends. Where the truthful answer to the question "Do you see the same truth?" would be "I see nothing and I don't care about the truth; I only want a Friend," no Friendship can arise - though Affection of course may. There would be nothing for the Friendship to be about; and Friendship must be about something, even if it were only an enthusiasm for dominoes or white mice. Those who have nothing can share nothing; those who are going nowhere can have no fellow-travellers.”

C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

In times like these, it is easy to want to bury your talent because you are:

1. Thinking about self preservation

1. Afraid to make a mistake

2. You don’t feel like your talent is valuable enough

The paralysis of perfectionism must be swallowed up by an understanding of the grace of God. 

The servant who started and ended with one talent was called wicked and slothful.  This servant thought that his master was an exacting man. He did not know his master well and made excuses for his lack of productivity.  

The worthless servant who buries the talents has the consequence of being thrown out into the darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  This is imagery referring to hell and eternal damnation in the New Testament, being referenced by Jesus six times in Matthew and once in the gospel of Luke. 

The Kingdom With Interest 

God expects a return on the talents that He’s invested in you. 

Whether it be your intellect, your relationships, your resources, your opportunities or skill, God wants what He’s entrusted to you to result in the advance of the Kingdom of God.  

We can grow in ability.  

What should drive me each morning is to one day hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”. 

Let comparisons die.  You are not responsible for that with which someone else has been entrusted.  The Master said “well done” to the servant with the five talents as well as to the one with the two talents.  What Jesus is looking for is faith and faithfulness until he makes his return.  

The question I should ask daily is: 

“How will my life be used today to advance the Master’s Kingdom purposes?”   How can I invest what He has entrusted to me to see Christ gain the interest of souls won, disciples made, churches planted and the rule of Heaven entering all spheres of society?  God is taking ground each day and your aspiration should be to be a part of what He is doing.  

*Jesus lived a sinless life, died on the cross as a substitute for the punishment we deserve for our rebellion toward God and rose from the dead three days later to give us the opportunity for eternal life.  Though salvation is the same for all who repent of their sins and put their faith in Jesus, it is clear from the parable that the rewards in eternity will be different based on what we do with what God has entrusted to us.  Let’s repent today of the sins of the wicked, slothful servant and turn today to serve the Master who will make his return with his great reward.  

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Second City Church - Famous Last Words - Parables of Jesus - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2020

Famous Last Words - Parables of Jesus

Famous Last Words: Parables of Jesus

Pastor Rollan Fisher

As we live a life of faith in preparation for Christ’s coming, there is:

• What We Don’t Know

• What We Do Know 

• Our Response in Faith 

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

-Matthew 25:1-13

What We Don’t Know

We don’t know how long trials will last or what form they will take.  We encourage you during this time to develop your prayer life like never before.  (We’ve posted a community guide on the web).  

"Worry is a conversation that you have with yourself about things that you can not change.  Prayer is a conversation you have with God about things that He can change." 

-Unknown author

It is moments like these that God uses to mercifully grab our attention that our oil lamps might be filled.  

What We Do Know

We do know that God commands us to be prepared.  Like the ten wise virgins, we must be prepared with supplies - naturally, medically and spiritually.  Torches required regular refilling.  So do we in Christ.  Do not get isolated during this time. 

“Socially distant doesn’t mean spiritually secluded.”  -TDJ

If there continues to be physical separation, engage with podcasts and points of connection online.  Use Facebook groups, Zoom, etc. to pray and continue life together in community groups. 

Our Response in Faith

God commands us to respond in faith living in the expectation of meeting Him and being used by Him in the world in which we live.  

We are not to live in fear, but in faith.  The understanding of our future destination must shape how we live today.

“If there ever be a time when the mind is sensitive, it is when death is abroad. I recollect, when first I came to London, how anxiously people listened to the gospel, for the cholera was raging terribly. There was little scoffing then.” 

-Charles Spurgeon referring to his time of ministry during the Cholera outbreak of 1854

 

Jesus pointed out that those without oil (Ephesians 2:12) are to go to the dealers - the preachers and teachers of the gospel who can establish you in the Word of God and Kingdom truth. 

When people are gripped by fear, they need those who will point them to wisdom, faith and selfless service, not self-preservation and fear. 

We are the dealers of oil - the gospel and Kingdom truth. 

Jesus remains the hope for both present and eternal life.  If you don’t know Jesus, now is your time to come to repentance and faith.  His sinless life was lived for us. His sacrificial death on the cross was made so that death could not hold us.  His resurrection from the dead means that we have the promise of everlasting life no matter what circumstances we may temporarily face.  Pray for people and share the good news in light of this truth. 

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked. Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge — no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

-Psalm 91:1-16

Second City Church - Famous Last Words - Parables of Jesus - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2020