Jesus on Trial

The Good News According to Luke

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: Jesus on trial reveals our motives, his crucifixion, our need and his burial the pathway to the greatest miracle of all. 

• On Trial

• Crucified 

• Buried  

On Trial

The trial of Jesus reveals the true motives of men’s and women’s hearts.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭1‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king." And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You have said so." Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no guilt in this man." But they were urgent, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place." When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. I will therefore punish and release him."”

Just as Pilate and Herod had heard of Jesus’ earthly ministry, the evidence for the historic Jesus of Nazareth’s sinless life, miracles, death, burial and resurrection are available and abundant.  

A recommendation:

The world will quickly embrace Jesus as a humanitarian figure.  

Yet we in the world attempt to place Jesus on trial when his authority crosses our wills.  

"I had motive for not wanting the world to have a meaning; consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned exclusively with a problem in pure metaphysics, he is also concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do, or why his friends should not seize political power and govern in the way that they find most advantageous to themselves. … For myself, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation, sexual and political." --Aldous Huxley, Ends and Means (London: Chatto & Windus, 1946), pp. 270, 273

The essence of the gospel is heard when Jesus said:

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“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. 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. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."”

Don’t be one who ignores the light and intellectual integrity for emotional or preferential reasons (meaning the way you want to live despite the consequences).   

V. 12 - Opposition to Jesus turns previous opponents into allies because they have the commonality of inward resistance to the authority of the King of Kings.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭18‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But they all cried out together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas"— a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and for murder. Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!" A third time he said to them, "Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him." But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus over to their will.”

So why do people so often today put Jesus on trial?  

Because they want to do what they want to do and live the way they want to live.  

Hedonism is a false god promising happiness and peace which people serve in our generation. 

People bow daily at the altar of their lusts. 

“The passion of lust is the opposite of holiness and honor.”

-John Piper

“Heaven and hell are at stake in what you do with your eyes and the thoughts of your imagination.”

-John Piper

The crowd asked an insurrectionist and murderer to be released to them rather than the author of life.  

This is telling of the human condition which is bent on rebellion and sin that leads to death.  

When we don’t choose Jesus, we will always choose death instead.  

Crucified 

The crucifixion of Jesus reveals our need for a savior.   

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭26‬-‭43‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. But turning to them Jesus said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?" Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."”

There are many additional reasons that people throw off faith. 

One reason is being forced to carry a cross. 

There are those who have carried the cross forcibly like Simon of Cyrene and therefore want to throw off any vestige of religion from their lives.   

The solution: Meet the one who carried the cross for you and so be saved.  

A second reason is the company amongst which we find Jesus in the midst of his saving work.  

Jesus was crucified in between criminals.  

Jesus was treated as a criminal though he did no wrong.  

How have you or those you know vilified Jesus because of those with whom he is associated?  

Jesus asked the Father to forgive those who were condemning him, who didn’t realize the wrong they were doing in crucifying the Son of God. 

Jesus also gives grace to those others would condemn, right off and leave for dead.  

The man hanging next to Jesus on the cross gives one of the clearest examples of the gospel - that salvation is by grace through faith alone.  

There is no way around it - we will reap what we sow. 

The man would die for his crimes that day. 

Yet because he would turn to Jesus and beg for his mercy, the man would receive forgiveness and the gift of eternal life that would swallow up all of his earthly mistakes.  

If we scorn the grace given others, it only shows the lack of understanding that we have of our own sin before a holy, perfect God.  

The solution:

Understand that in death, Jesus is acting as a savior offering life to a blind and bound world.  

Buried 

The burial of Jesus paves the way for his greatest miracle of all - resurrection from the dead.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭44‬-‭56‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, "Certainly this man was innocent!" And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. And all his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galilee stood at a distance watching these things. Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.”

The speed of Jesus’ death was produced not only from his torture, but by the wrath of God being poured out on him as the Passover Lamb for humanity’s sins.  

The temple being torn in two at Jesus’ death removed the veil of separation between God and man - meaning that through Christ’s broken body, we would be reconciled through repentance and faith - once again having welcome access to the presence of God.  

Just as many families purchase burial plots where family and friends can visit their graves after death, Jesus was laid in the tomb set apart for Joseph of Arimathea.  

The fact that Jesus was buried in a known and recognizable tomb provided solid foundation for his resurrection claims.  

The people would be able to tell whether or not his body was still there. 

Jesus would have a physical death preparing the way for a bodily, not simply a spiritual, resurrection.  

Jesus had to die to pave the way for the greatest miracle of all, his prophesied resurrection of the dead.  

We enter into Christ’s new life by dying to sin and putting our trust in Jesus’ finished work at the cross. 

What do you need to allow to die and be buried in your world to allow Jesus to bring you into a new, resurrection life?

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

-Aristotle

This is good news for us as we also look to the hope of resurrection in Christ when God truly makes all things new!

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Chapter 22

The Good News According to Luke: Chapter 22

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We must allow the Holy Spirit to reveal what devotions we hold as of greater worth than Christ that our betrayals might turn into redemption.  

• Betrayal

• Sifting

• Redemption

Betrayal

When our desire for earthly gain outweighs our eternal reward, the end result is betraying our first love. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to put him to death, for they feared the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd.”

What was significant about Judas’ betrayal is that he was one of Jesus’ chosen, inner circle.  

This should give all of us both pause and a sense of sobriety because if this turning of the heart could happen to one who walked with Jesus, saw his miracles and heard his teaching in the flesh, why would we be exempt from such potential failure?  

It said that Satan entered Judas’ heart - playing on Judas’ lack of developed conviction in Christ’s unfolding plan of judgment and redemption - emboldening the compromise which left room for his downfall. 

How convinced are you regarding the claims of Jesus?

If you are shaky at any point, it is literally a matter of life and death that you do your homework and sure up your Biblical convictions.  

We are here to help. 

*Remember, a person turning away from God never happens all at once - it is the result of daily, seemingly inconsequential decisions without immediate consequence that deceive one into thinking that retribution will never come (John 12:6).  

“Jesus warns people far more often about greed than about sex, yet almost no one thinks they are guilty of it. Therefore we should all begin with a working hypothesis that “this could easily be a problem for me.” If greed hides itself so deeply, no one should be confident that it is not a problem for them.” 

― Timothy J. Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters

Where is our help?

Luke 22:7-23

Passover and communion are examples of the importance of celebrating the regular rhythms that God has instituted for worship which act as means of grace by which people actively in search of the Holy Spirit’s pruning might not only be refined, but grow, as God works powerfully in their lives.  

Notice Biblically that these, as well as other God-ordained remembrances, are meant to be celebrated corporately, in the gathering with other believers during moments of worship.  

"I don't have to go to church to be a Christian" and they are right. Salvation is through faith alone in Christ alone. You also don't have to go home to be married-but stay away long enough, and your relationship will be affected."

~ Tony Evans #churchmatters

Well if Judas was participating in all of these things, what could have prevented his destructive end?

TRUE BIBLICAL FELLOWSHIP

The prerequisites for such a productive shared life:

1. Openness - don’t be a closed book as to what is really going on in your life - seek others out. 

2. Honesty - don’t present people with your IG life. 

3. Humility - be open to the Biblical exhortation and consistent accountability that will produce real change. 

Again, coming together for church, not just a social gathering, has benefits for your spiritual development as you proactively engage with other Christ-followers who you can look in the eye, encourage you and pray for you as you strive towards the goal of mutual sanctification and Kingdom mission. 

Sifting

We must understand the nature of our spiritual battle if we are to remain devoted to and fulfill the mission of Christ.    

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭24‬-‭38‬ ‭ESV

“A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. “You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.” And he said to them, “When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything?” They said, “Nothing.” He said to them, “But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment.” And they said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.” And he said to them, “It is enough.””

The root of the spiritual battle that we face is the preservation of self, otherwise known as selfish ambition (Galatians 5) or selfishness.

*If self is the focus, you will always find yourself falling.  

Jesus says service to others is the pathway to greatness in the Kingdom. 

The disciples missed this and thought their glory would be found in the things that the world enjoys, rather than what God esteems. 

We have already rightly bemoaned Judas, but now see that Satan turns to Peter in Jesus’ band of merry men to continue an attempt to bring destruction to all that Christ has built over the last three and a half years of ministry.  

“Unfortunately, most Christians do not understand the battle they are fighting, the enemy that they face, or the means God has provided to overcome the temptations and deception of this present world system.” 

― Chip Ingram, True Spirituality: Becoming a Romans 12 Christian

Satan asked to sift Peter and God allowed it to ensure that Peter would become the man that he needed to be. 

Peter needed to learn the limits of self reliance and the utter dependence that he would need to have on being filled with the person and power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill God’s will (Acts 2).  

The good news is that God knows our failures - past, present and future - yet still chooses to redeem us through his substitutionary work on the cross.  

Redemption

Christ comes to redeem our betrayals as we turn to him in repentance and faith. 

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭39‬-‭53‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.” While he was still speaking, there came a crowd, and the man called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He drew near to Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus said to him, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said, “No more of this!” And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness.””

*Have no doubt about it - the battle is over your relationship with God and your call by which you will or will not advance his Kingdom and glorify Christ with your life.  

It was the battle for Jesus in Gethsemane determining whether he would go to the cross to die for the sins of the world that we might be reconciled to God - forgiven through repentance and faith in Christ’s atoning work.  

It would be the battle for Peter as he stood warming himself before the fire determining whether he would live in his own comforts or identify with the name, purpose and sufferings of Jesus.  

Last Sunday, we just recognized the annual Oscars moment and I could not help but have the Manchurian candidate come to mind. 

What is the programming or ticking time-bomb within you that needs to be diffused that you might not detonate your walk with and call in God?

How did Jesus overcome his course-altering struggles? 

By continually praying in submission to the Father, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭22‬:‭54‬-‭71‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him.” But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him. When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.””

It seemed like Peter was doing well, in his own strength.  

Times of testing his reputation, personal safety and comforts challenged Peter’s devotion to Christ and his cross.  

How, where and when has Christ asked you to carry your cross?

How has your devotion to and association with Christ cost you?

There are internal power struggles in each of our hearts that we can feel every day.  

Even at Jesus' trial, he is making it clear that at the end of the day, he will have no place in our lives except the one of leadership, authority and power.  

We must settle this before the judgment. 

The good news is that if you’ve dealt with betrayals in your life, there is a God who understands, can heal your heart and make you whole again. 

The good news is that where Peter failed to carry his cross, Jesus in his grace carried it for him and his sins.  

*After Christ’s resurrection from the dead, he would return to restore Peter to a place of devotion - meeting Peter where he was but demanding that Peter prove his love for Jesus by living for someone beyond himself (John 21). 

““You can’t lose when you turn to God.”

-John Piper

What happens when we do?  

We receive not only the forgiveness of our sins, but the power and baptism of the Holy Spirit do God’s will.

Let’s turn in repentance from our daily betrayals today, to be filled with the power of God to walk in his full redemption and mission.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke

The Good News According To Luke: Chapter 21

Associate Pastor Cole Parleir

Focus: Heaven and Earth will pass away, but God’s Word will remain.  Believe in Christ and remain in His kingdom forever. 

Context

Before (Luke 20- The authority of Jesus revealed)

• Jesus as maker of all things reveals his compassion through weeping over Jerusalem and his authority to make wrongs right by cleansing the Temple unto authentic worship.

• Jesus' authority is then questioned by the religious authorities.

• Jesus reveals his authority as owner of Jerusalem, the temple, and their very lives through the parable of the tenants. 

• Jesus reveals his authority over the worlds systems through telling them to pay the government what they owe the government, but since the government is not God, to also give God their very lives which belongs to Him. 

• Jesus reveals his authority as preeminent teacher through correcting the religious ruling party of the Sadducees regarding the resurrection.

• Jesus reveals his authority as the living Word of God by correcting the Scribes revealing in Psalm 110 the divinity of King Davids messianic descendant. He also warns the people of Scribes who consume them through misleading them. (The Son of man came to serve and not be served Matthew 20:25-28)

• This “great condemnation” of the scribes who devour widow’s houses provides the foil for Luke 21:1-4 

Where are we in Luke 21?

• A listening crowd in the temple during Passover week which is the last week of Jesus’ pre-resurrection earthly ministry.

Giving As Worship (Luke 21:1-4 ESV)

God sees your sacrifice as worship when no one else does.  This is because he knows you like no one else does.  

Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, 2 and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. 3 And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. 4 For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”

The Lord

The Temple

The Rich

The Widow

We come to church to worship because the Lord Jesus, as promised, is here among his people. (Matt 18:20)

The Lord Jesus by the Holy Spirit sees everyone’s gift according to their heart of worship.

They all gave because they all came to worship as God’s chosen people.

This was in “The Court Of The Women” which was one step in from the court of the Gentiles.  This is where God’s people came, ALL of them.  

This court is where the 13 brass contribution boxes called “trumpets” were located, because all of God’s people have something from him to give back to him.  

9 of the boxes were for money gifts in place of sacrifices.  The other 4 were for free-will offerings of wood, incense, temple decoration, and burnt-offerings. 

The widow gave the smallest monetary denomination in circulation…but she gave two of them.  This could have bought two baths at the public bath house. 

Question: Are you bringing money (a gift) or a sacrifice?  It could be one in the same, but it may not be.  

Jesus boiled down the Mosiac law consisting of 613 commands to one when a scribe asked which is the greatest:

37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 

Matthew 22:37-38 ESV

Question: Does God have from you what he has always said from the very beginning that he wants: love with ALL your heart?

This poor, female, widow who was relegated to the outer court showed greater love for God than the chief priest in the inner court because she gave ALL…she had…to live on.  

The widow:

• Was “all in”

• Whole hearted (Psalm 138:1- David, Num 14 - Joshua and Caleb)

• Chose ‘the one thing’ (Luke 10:42)

See Jesus’ commendation of Mary, another single woman with nothing to give but her heart and attention.  (Luke 10:41-42)

This is what God is after: your heart.  Not your money or service.  

Question: Are you supporting the church (ministries) OR worshipping God?  These could be the same, but may not be.

“From the offering of this poor widow, learn that what we rightly give for the relief of the poor, and the support of God’s worship, is given unto God; and our Saviour sees with pleasure whatever we have in our hearts to give for the relief of his members, or for his service. Blessed Lord! the poorest of thy servants have two mites, they have a soul and a body; persuade and enable us to offer both unto thee; how happy shall we be in thine accepting of them!” 

Matthew Henry and Thomas Scott, Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, 1997), Lk 21:1.

This is what God is seeking: those who will give first their soul (heart) and body followed by everything else. 

Jesus put it to the woman at the well

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” - John 4:23-25 ESV

The great gift we can give to God in response to the gift of Christ  to us, is our spirit.  This is because as we are about to read, everything else is will pass away, but those united to Christ in Spirit and truth will remain. 

Christ has come and is coming back

Christ Jesus has come to die and atone for sinful humanity.  He is coming back to redeem and make new ALL who are waiting for Him.  In this hope we can stand, raise our heads, and persevere until the Kingdom of God comes. 

“And while some were speaking of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said, “As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.” And they asked him, “Teacher, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”  And he said, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them. And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified, for these things must first take place, but the end will not be at once.” 

The temple was destroyed in AD 70 by the Romans because the Jews continued to revolt.   Jerusalem was finally leveled as the Romans crushed the revolt once and for all.  

Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences. And there will be terrors and great signs from heaven. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness. 

This is “carrying your cross” though believers are promised a coming redemption.    

Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 

By the Holy Spirit you will be given what you need to witness to your generation. 

You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives. 

This is a promise of eternal life in resurrection bodies, all to be lived with spiritual family as fulfillment of the promise that whatever we lose to follow Christ there will be an increase of it the Kingdom. 

“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, and let those who are inside the city depart, and let not those who are out in the country enter it, for these are days of vengeance, to fulfill all that is written. Alas for women who are pregnant and for those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress upon the earth and wrath against this people.  They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”

God’s judgement will fall an apostate Israel.  In his mercy who prophesies this and tells those will accept it how to escape it. 

“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.   Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” 

JESUS WILL RETURN!  When all the trials mentioned earlier provoke you to fear, you can in hope, confidence, and joy straighten up, raise your head, and rejoice that your redemption is near!

And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. As soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all has taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 

Since heaven and earth are passing away, believe the Gospel of your salvation that Jesus Christ is the Son of God sent to save you from your sins and the wrath of God.  Build on the living Word of Christ and his written word the Bible.

“But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet. And early in the morning all the people came to him in the temple to hear him.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭21‬:‭2‬-‭38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Respond to the Gospel today while the light is shining on your soul.  

Scripture References:

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Matthew 18:20 ESV

“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”

John 4:23-25 ESV

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 22:34-39 ESV

I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;

    before the gods I sing your praise;

2 I bow down toward your holy temple

    and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,

    for you have exalted above all things

    your name and your word.

3 On the day I called, you answered me;

    my strength of soul you increased.

Psalm 138:1 ESV

But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:41-42 ESV

Additional Notes:

• Greek two lepta, which make a kodrantes; a kodrantes (Latin quadrans) was a Roman copper coin worth about 1/64 of a denarius (which was a day's wage for a laborer) or $4.42 today for an average Chicago worker 

• In Jesus' time each coun could buy one bath at the public bath house. 

• Luke 21:4 (FSB): 21:4  The Greek phrase used here means “all the livelihood” or “all the life,” implying that her giving was so generous it could impede upon her survival

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

Christ: The Architect, The Builder and The Restorer

The Good News According to Luke

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: The challenge of our days will be to submit to the authority of the invisible God who breaks us in our sin only to rebuild us through repentance in his glorious image - that of Jesus Christ. 

• The Architect

• The Builder 

• The Restorer 

The Architect 

Christ is the great architect of our lives who lays good plans by the authority of his word.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭1‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.” He answered them, “I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” So they answered that they did not know where it came from. And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.””

You can not have it both ways - either Christ is God and you are not, or you are self-autonomous and Jesus is merely a good sage.  

The end of this passage makes it clear that in the judgment, we will see that there was only one true king to whom we must give an account.  

You will always wrestle with the extent of Christ’s authority in your life when, at heart, you want to be your own God.  

We say that we submit to the authority of Christ, but do not do what he says. 

We do not do what he says because we do not read what he says to do.

Lordship means there is no picking and choosing what you will and won’t obey.

To do this and think that you have the pleasure of God is deception 

(I Corinthians 10). 

It is the great delusion of our day. 

God is wise and his word is eternal - his character does not need to evolve with the times or become more enlightened (Psalm 19).  

“In the words of human rights scholar Max Stackhouse, “Intellectual honesty demands recognition of the fact that what passes as ‘secular,’ ‘Western’ principles of basic human rights developed nowhere else than out of key strands of the biblically-rooted religion.”” 

― Paul Copan, Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

When we follow sociological, physiological and psychological trends to their utmost conclusion, we find that God’s ways were always right, for all time.  

Learning the Scripture and understanding all that the OT foreshadowed that would ultimately be fulfilled in Christ gives us both God’s ways and his wisdom personified.  

It shows us how to live in every area of life.  

The Builder 

Jesus is the builder of truly blessed lives.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭9‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!” But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.””

*We all have some measure of poor foundations in our lives that need to be torn down so that we might be rebuilt for God’s glory.  

God’s redemptive work in our lives will break us or his judgment in response to our unmitigated rebellion will crush us.   

When God breaks us, he rebuilds us through repentance and faith. 

“Pride, we know, is an inflated view of ourselves—a false advertising campaign promoting ourselves because we suspect that others won’t accept who we really are.  Pride is actually a lie about our own identity or achievements. To be proud is to live in a world propped up with falsehoods about ourselves, taking credit where credit isn’t due.” 

― Paul Copan, Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

 What areas of your life do you need to humbly allow God to tear down that he might rebuild it in the power, freedom and joy of Christ?

Examples of practical obedience:

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭19‬-‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?” They said, “Caesar’s.” He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.”

The pathway to true blessing is faith in and obedience to God’s word.  

The Restorer 

Through his death at the cross, burial and resurrection from the dead Jesus works to restore broken lives.

Jesus deals with the real issues in society by dealing with the real problem - sin in the heart of every man, woman and child.  

“You've probably heard the complaint, “Jesus never said anything about the wrongness of slavery." Not so! Jesus explicitly opposed every form of oppression. Citing Isaiah 61:1, Jesus clearly described his mission: "to proclaim release to the captives, ... to set free those who are oppressed" (Luke 4:18). This, then, would mean Rome's oppression and its institutionalizing slavery. Now, Jesus didn't create an economic reform plan for Israel, but he addressed Life in the Ancient Near East and in Israel heart attitudes of greed, envy, contentment, and generosity to undermine oppressive economic social structures. Likewise, New Testament writers often addressed the underlying attitudes regarding slavery. How? By commanding Christian masters to call their slaves “brother" or "sister" and to show them compassion, justice, and patience. No longer did being a master mean privilege and status but rather responsibility and service. By doing so, the worm was already in the wood for altering the social structures.” 

― Paul Copan, Is God a Moral Monster?: Making Sense of the Old Testament God

It is only through the cross of Jesus Christ that we find forgiveness for our sins and power through the resurrection life of God to live in the pure image of our Creator.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭27‬-‭40‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.” And Jesus said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.” Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” For they no longer dared to ask him any question.”

It is that for which modern humanity inwardly longs and strives, yet misses, because they do not go to the source. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭20‬:‭41‬-‭44‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?””

Understanding Jesus’ true identity matters because it determines how you relate to him today.   

Let’s return to God and trust him in all of his ways for his pleasure, glory and the good of all who would obey him. 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

A little is a lot In God’s Kingdom

The Good News According To Luke: Chapter 19

“A little is a lot In God’s Kingdom”

Pastor Cole Parleir

Focus: Jesus seeks and saves the lost giving them opportunity for eternal reward as they participate in the coming of His kingdom.

Context

Where we are at in the Gospel account of Luke

• Luke

• Luke 18

• Luke 19:1-10 Zaccheus 

• And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” 9 And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

• Jesus sought Zaccheaus in order to save him.

• Verse 10 defines Jesus’ mission and sets up the rest of Luke 19

Luke 19:11-27 ESV

Jesus clarifies the coming of the “kingdom of God” and how we can participate.

“As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 He said therefore, “A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants,[a] he gave them ten minas,[b] and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come.’ 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant![c] Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.’ 18 And the second came, saying, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ 19 And he said to him, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 Then another came, saying, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 He said to him, ‘I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’ 24 And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas!’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me

Define terms

• Mina

  • Most likely about 3 months wages for a laborer (avg Chicago IL salary is $73k, making this amount for us $18k)

• The kingdom of God

  • Where God reigns.

Supporting scripture on the kingdom of God

Luke 17:20-21, 33 ESV

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, 21 nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.

…33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.”

John 3:1-3 ESV

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus[a] by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again[b] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Acts 1:6-8 ESV

“So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

1. The kingdom of God is not observable in ways you expect

2. The kingdom of God is in you when you are born again

3. The proof of the kingdom of God in you in increasing measure is

   1. Repentance of sin and confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9)

   2. Godly character (Galatians 5:22-23)

   3. Holy Spirit empowered witnessing (Acts 1:8)

The kingdom of God is God’s rule shown in the salvation of sinners like Zaccheus.  This is God setting up his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. This is occupying until he returns. 

Observation

• Good servant 

• Wicked servant

• Citizen enemies

Stewardship principles for engaging God’s resources in business:

1. Decide: Am I a servant or an enemy of the coming king?

2. Recognize: Every servant has resources entrusted to them. 

3. Invest: God expects and enables a return on his investment in you.

4. Rewards: God will reward good stewardship with his pleasure and increased stewardship.

How can we “engage in business” until Jesus the King returns in power and set’s up the observable kingdom of God?  We can work with him “seeking and saving that which is lost” through using the spiritual gifts and resources he’s given us (think minas!).

Here a few ways you can engage in kingdom business at Second City Church:

• Ministry Team Fair (Sunday morning service)

• Second City Stars Children’s Ministry (Sunday morning service)

• Booklat Children’s Outreach (Thursday evenings)

• Youth Ministry (weekly outreach or bi-weekly youth nights)

• Madison WI Mission Trip | Church Plant (10 days in June)

• Bair Lake Bible Camp (A week or all summer)

Luke 19:27- 40 ESV

“And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Jesus is fulfilling prophecy that the Messiah would come to Jerusalem as a humble king riding on a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

Sometimes we steward the Lord’s word as the disciples did in retrieving the donkey.  

Little did those rejoicing understand that their praises were for a king who would be crucified for them.

Will you let the stones cry out in your place?

Luke 19:41-48 ESV

 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.

We see Jesus weeping 3 times in scripture

1. Lazarus’ death (John 11:35)

   1. His friend and sins effect

2. Over Jerusalem’s blindness and coming destruction (Luke 19:41)

   1. His people and sins effect

3. In the garden of Gethsemane (Hebrews 5:7)

   1. Himself and sins effect

Weeping over sin is the proper response even when we have hope. 

The temple was to be a place of holy worship where sin was dealt with.  It had become a place of transaction: money for sacrifices and sacrifices for sin.  Jesus was restoring a proper environment for an acceptable sacrifice through prayer from a contrite and broken heart over sin.

Isaiah 57:15 ESV

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Today God wants to revive your broken heart through is broken body and shed blood for you at the cross.   

Bring your sin and shame in repentance and faith and be made new today.

He will make your life fruitful for his glory. 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 15

The Good News According to Luke: Part 15

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We will find Christ’s power and joy when we find the right posture in our hearts before him. 

• The Right Faith

• The Right Attitude

• The Rightful Ruler

The Right Faith 

The type of faith that God provides gives grace to overcome sin and causes mountains to move!

‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬-‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin. Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!" And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.”

Sin is serious to God and destroys relationships with him and others. 

Because sin is so serious to God, not only those who practice it, but those who promote it will be judged severely.  

Think of what things in our culture promote sin on a daily basis - from the music we listen to, to the entertainment in which we indulge, to the political agendas that people endorse.  

What God says about those who cause others to sin by introducing such temptations should be a check to us all and where our allegiances lie.  

We should pay attention to not only what, but who we are ultimately representing in our choices in life.  

If your brother or sister finds themselves in sin, according to Jesus, we should not enable or ignore their sin, but rebuke them with the word of God.  

The goal is repentance followed by the forgiveness that Jesus paid to distribute through his sacrificial death on the cross for our sins.  

Through Christ’s resurrection from the dead, we have not only forgiveness of sins, but a new faith and grace that allows us to live in the authority of Christ to move mountains in our lives!

The Right Attitude 

The type of attitude that the Holy Spirit provides is a humility and gratitude that sets our hearts free.   

‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭7‬-‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and recline at table'? Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink'? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'" On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well."”

Though sons and daughters of God through Christ, our posture should continually be of humble servants to Almighty God.  

In our modern culture these seem like mutually exclusive identities - you are either a child of God or a slave, a servant or an heir.  

Yet in Christ our identity and relationship to God is not an either/or but a both/and proposition.  

We are simultaneously a son or a daughter as well as a servant of the king; a friend as well as a submitted follower (John 15); a slave to righteousness (Romans 7) as well as a co-heir with Christ (I Peter 3).  

It is just as a man can be simultaneously a son, a brother, a husband, a father and even a grandfather.   

These are all different components of the same individual’s identity and must be stewarded in unison to relate to the proper people at the proper time.  

This is what the above parable shows us about God’s expectation of us as we live as yes, his children, but also his servants in the world.  

Attitudes of humility and gratitude make this possible.  

We must be humble enough to understand that we will forever be unworthy servants who are saved by grace through faith alone in Christ’s redeeming work at the cross.  

It is not only our duty, but privilege to serve the eternal, inexhaustible, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and overwhelmingly gracious King of the universe with humility and gratitude for the very breath that he provides.  

When we live in such humility and gratitude, and not with the entitlement of our age, we are able to encounter God in his strength receiving our healing and restoration in the midst of a broken world.  

Jesus shows the lepers that he is powerful enough to heal them with simply a word.  

As they put their faith in Jesus’ ability to heal and followed his instructions, they were cleansed.  

It was not enough to take Jesus at his word - the lepers needed to do what he said.  

*So often we want healing but don’t follow God’s instructions, and wonder why we remain in the same spot, even when we believe that he can heal us.  

Always remember, faith and obedience are God’s recipe for experiencing God’s power moving on our behalf.  

When we see God move, do not take him for granted.  

It was the nine native Galileans, those who would have been “churched” in our culture, who did not return to thank Jesus for their cleansing.  

Many people find themselves in sullen, dissatisfied, embittered lives because they spend their mental energy being consumed with the things they do not have rather than rejoicing in God for the things that they do.  

*Lack of gratitude leads to lack of joy.  

For both big things and small things, we will cultivate our relationship with God and find great joy in Christ when we develop the habit of finding the things for which we can be thankful and expressing it.  

What ways have you been like the lepers stealing glory from God?  

In what ways do you, like the Samaritan, need to find the joy of your salvation by learning to thank God for all that he already has done - things both big and small?

The Rightful Ruler 

The type of redemption that God provides is complete and is realized when we fully surrender to Jesus as Lord.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬-‭35‬, ‭37‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." And he said to the disciples, "The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, 'Look, there!' or 'Look, here!' Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day. But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation. Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed. On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it. I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left." And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."”

Jesus said that the coming Kingdom of God would be in the midst of us.  

This means, among other things, that his rule in our lives should be something that is growing in an ongoing fashion, not just an event to be observed.

In what ways is the rule of God growing in your life?

At the same time, there will be a day when Jesus makes his return to judge the world in righteousness. 

Those who have repented of their sin and put their trust in his atoning work at the cross will be saved.  

Those who have rejected Jesus and persisted in their rebellion will get what they asked for, an eternity without God in hell.  

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, in the end, “Thy will be done.” All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. Those who knock it is opened. ”

― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

Do not be of those in this world who try to preserve their lives and find that they are losing it.  

Who is it in your life that can be a mirror to you, disciplining you and helping you to grow in devotion to Christ?

Who is it that you are helping to do the same?

Now is the time to prepare your heart before God and his coming Kingdom that is to be among us. 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 14

The Good News According to Luke: Part 14

Pastor Rollan Fisher

This is a word to boost our confidence in God during a looming recession.  

Focus: We need to allow God to show us what actually governs our lives that we might adjust to find our reward in Christ. 

• Who’s in Charge?

• What’s Law Got to Do with It?

• Where’s Your Reward?

Who’s in Charge?

Follow the money to see who’s in charge of your life. 

Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭1‬-‭15

“He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.' And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.' So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money."”

“The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

God cares about providing for his children but wants to teach his children how to handle his money the right way (Luke 12:)

God wants to teach us trust in him by how we handle our finances.  

Why is wealth called unrighteous?

Wealth can be categorized as unrighteous for at least three reasons:

1. The money is acquired through unrighteous means

2. Selfish desires in the use of wealth lead to a life dominated by personal gratification and self-indulgence rather than for the care and well-being of others

3. The corrupting influence of wealth can lead to godless living (meaning in sin or without regard to God and his purposes)

God gives both miracles and wealth to be utilized as a part of his redemptive plan in creation.   

“Christianity, therefore, is perhaps the most materialistic of the world’s faiths. Jesus’s miracles were not so much violations of the natural order, but a restoration of the natural order. God did not create a world with blindness, leprosy, hunger, and death in it. Jesus’s miracles were signs that someday all these corruptions of his creation would be abolished. Christians therefore can talk of saving the soul and of building social systems that deliver safe streets and warm homes in the same sentence. With integrity.” 

-Timothy J. Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Who is the one who has eternal dwellings with whom we should use the wealth “to make friends”?

It is God who, like the rich man, will evaluate and judge our use, like the manager’s, of the resources that he entrusted to us. 

This is never more pertinent than in times of layoffs and recession.  

We have the invitation in these, and really at all times, to develop our trust in God who is ultimately the provider of all things - including our jobs, income and retirement.  

We develop this faith in God by understanding who our wealth actually belongs to in the first place.  

In the parable above, the term “another man’s possessions” reinforces the concept of stewardship - that none of our earthly possessions are ultimately our own, but are God’s, and it is our responsibility to distribute them with Biblically mandated wisdom, for Christ’s Kingdom purposes.  

Our focus in doing so in our lifetime is with the expectation of our heavenly reward that will not be stolen, and is in no danger of perishing, spoiling, or fading (Matthew 6). 

When we live as stewards and not owners of our resources, it demonstrates where our faith truly lies.  

We have peace when we know that our source is the Lord, we are stewarding things according to his pleasure and he will therefore provide for our needs.  

Example of home ownership. 

In the parable above, when challenged on their idolatry regarding money, notice how the Pharisees’ opposition evolves from grumbling (Luke 15:2)  to ridicule of Jesus.  

The point is that human achievement can seem praiseworthy before men but be detestable before God.  

God knows our hearts and that for which we are truly living - those who often seem justified in their pursuits in the eyes of men are not necessarily in right standing with God.  

Any human achievement can be exalted amongst men, but if not done for the glory of Christ, can be an abomination in God’s sight.  

What pursuits and lifestyle choices have you been attempting to justify before God, but are incongruent with his Word?

What’s Law Got to Do with It?

The law of God keeps the plumb line straight even when our circumstances change.  

Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it. But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. "Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”

The Law and the Prophets were affirmed by Jesus as perpetual standards for the way that we should live and govern every area of our lives. 

Jesus references marriage because it is practical and hits us where we live.  

You find the heart behind the law of God which forges such references to daily life from Scripture such as the following -

“The Seven Social Sins are:

• Wealth without work.

• Pleasure without conscience.

• Knowledge without character.

• Commerce without morality.

• Science without humanity.

• Worship without sacrifice.

• Politics without principle.”

-From a sermon given by Frederick Lewis Donaldson in Westminster Abbey, London, on March 20, 1925.

The Law of God is a direct reflection of his character and eternal desires for his people. 

It is a plumb line pulling us out of excuses and into the higher way of Christ, despite our selfish reasonings that would convince us to lookout solely for “numero uno” - ourselves.

This is what we see reflected in Jesus’ commandment about marriage, but it was interesting as a parallel sandwiched between Christ’s direct teaching on wealth and how to handle it.  

There are over 800 verses in the Bible on money with God giving instruction about everything from prosperity to poverty, saving to investing, work and stewardship to tithes, offerings, care for the poor and radical generosity.   

About 25% of Jesus’ teaching ministry was about finances because he knew it is such an idol in people’s lives.  

This is also why in the Old Testament God gave the law about giving the tenth, the first and best ten percent of your income to God, to counteract the stranglehold of fear and greed in our hearts, while developing the muscles of trust and generosity.  

The New Testament brought the law from a mere exterior obedience to an internal motivation that increased, rather than decreased, the expectation of godliness from us (Matthew 5-7).  

Thus the law of the Old Testament becomes the floor and not our ceiling in our devotion to Christ and his purposes.  

Because of the law of the Spirit of life, God has empowered you to be more, not less generous in the freedom of Christ.  

Jesus perfectly fulfilled the law for us in obedience to the commands of God that he might be a perfect substitute at the cross for the ways that we have fallen short.  

We are forgiven our sins through repentance and faith in Christ’s atoning work giving us the opportunity for eternal life through his resurrection from the dead.  

In doing so, Jesus not only reconciled us to God, but now expects us to live a life of faith by which we follow his example not for justification, but for sanctification leading to glorification (Romans 8).  

“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”

William Wilberforce

Where’s Your Reward?

Don’t Sell Out Now - hold out for (order your life around) the reward of God. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭16‬:‭19‬-‭31‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.' And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' He said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'"”

The lesson of Lazarus and the rich man is don’t burn up all your rewards, comfort and pleasure now when there is exponentially more to come.  

Don’t simply live for this life - live for the next one since it lasts forever.  

Everything about Christ’s moments of suffering in exchange for eternal glory after his resurrection from the dead points to such a promise. 

Too many people cash in too early on life’s rewards.

Don’t find yourself in Hades because you live in self-indulgence today. 

God would deliver us from self-absorbed living that we might turn our eyes to Christ and those in need around us.  

Remember, the essence of the Kingdom of God is that you are blessed to be a blessing.  

“I asked her what was so scary about unmerited free grace? She replied something like this: "If I was saved by my good works -- then there would be a limit to what God could ask of me or put me through. I would be like a taxpayer with rights. I would have done my duty and now I would deserve a certain quality of life. But if it is really true that I am a sinner saved by sheer grace -- at God's infinite cost -- then there's nothing he cannot ask of me.”

Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

 Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 13

The Good News According to Luke: Part 13

Pastor Rollan Fisher

“Jesus's teaching consistently attracted the irreligious while offending the Bible-believing, religious people of his day. However, in the main, our churches today do not have this effect. The kind of outsiders Jesus attracted are not attracted to contemporary churches, even our most avant-garde ones. We tend to draw conservative, buttoned-down, moralistic people. The licentious and liberated or the broken and marginal avoid church. That can only mean one thing. If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then we must not be declaring the same message that Jesus did.”

-Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Focus: We serve a God who goes looking for those who are valuable to him to redeem their lost time and lives.  

• Lost Valuables

• Lost Time

• Lost and Found

Lost Valuables

We see the kindness of God as he goes looking for the lost until they are found.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. "Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."”

Ten silver coins (drachmas) would have been about ten days wages for a laborer and thus of great value to him. 

God spends his life and mobilizes the church to diligently seek for and save those who are lost - those who do not yet know or walk with Jesus.  

This is the starting point of making disciples of the nations - the rescue and healing of broken, damaged lives.  

Every person that you have or ever will meet is valuable to and dearly loved by God. 

“There are no ordinary people. You have never talked to a mere mortal. Nations, cultures, arts, civilizations - these are mortal, and their life is to ours as the life of a gnat. But it is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub and exploit - immortal horrors or everlasting splendors. This does not mean that we are to be perpetually solemn. We must play. But our merriment must be of that kind (and it is, in fact, the merriest kind) which exists between people who have, from the outset, taken each other seriously - no flippancy, no superiority, no presumption.”

-C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

Aren’t we glad that God goes looking for people until they are found!

God meets us in our weakness to bring us back to himself just as the man in the parable lays the sheep on his shoulders who is too weak to return on its own. 

Hear the good shepherd’s call today. 

God places such a priority on seeking and saving the lost that he says there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to do so.  

The irony is that, as is the emphasis in all the gospel of Luke and book of Acts, there is a universal need for repentance and the “righteous persons” are only people who think that they do not need to repent.  

We must realize that we have wandered from God, his life and his ways before we can be found.  

“Properly understood, Christianity is by no means the opiate of the people. It’s more like the smelling salts.”

-Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Lost Time

God came to redeem the time that we lost wandering in sin. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he said, "There was a man who had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.' And he divided his property between them. Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.”

“When a newspaper posed the question, “What’s Wrong with the World?” the Catholic thinker G. K. Chesterton reputedly wrote a brief letter in response: “Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours, G. K. Chesterton.” That is the attitude of someone who has grasped the message of Jesus.”

-Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

The story of the prodigal son is of one who started off in the house but took what he had for granted.  

He should have known better, but thought he could have a better time in wild and rebellious living.  

The young man was unmarried, and thus in the culture was probably a teenager.  

The father allowed the son choice and divided the inheritance when asked.  

God will allow us to go our own way, in opposition to him, and learn from the mistakes that we make.  

The younger son enjoyed the wayward living for a time, but the bill of sin always catches up with you and has to be paid.  

When all of the younger son’s money disappeared, so did his fair weather friends who were simply around for a good time.  

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭25‬:‭26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked.”

The wayward son had to hire himself out to a Gentile to feed pigs, which would have been repugnant to him.  

How has the sin in your life, though at first pleasurable, come back to bite you?

“We must admit that we’ve put our ultimate hope and trust in things other than God, and that in both our wrongdoing and right doing we have been seeking to get around God or get control of God in order to get hold of those things.”

-Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

When these substitutes fail us, we find ourselves wanting like the prodigal son.  

What has that been for you - a failed relationship?  Career pursuit?  Search for happiness or attempt at identity outside of God?

We can begin our way back to God for redemption when we realize, like the prodigal, that our sin isn’t just against earthly relationships, but against heaven, that is, against God himself. 

We wake up when we realize that:

It is the wrath of God that allows us to be turned over to the consequences of our own sin (Romans 1). 

It is the mercy of God that allows us to wake up from our sin without being completely consumed by its deserved consequences (Lamentations 3:16-33). 

Because of the mercy of God, Christ would go to the cross to pay for our sins. 

It is the kindness of God that draws us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

And finally, it is the grace of God that gives us better than we deserve allowing us to be forgiven and live in the resurrection life of Jesus!

“God’s love and forgiveness can pardon and restore any and every kind of sin or wrongdoing. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done. It doesn’t matter if you’ve deliberately oppressed or even murdered people, or how much you’ve abused yourself. The younger brother knew that in his father’s house there was abundant “food to spare,” but he also discovered that there was grace to spare. There is no evil that the father’s love cannot pardon and cover, there is no sin that is a match for his grace.”

-Timothy J. Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Lost and Found

God came to restore dignity and worth to those who’ve strayed, while reminding the faithful of their great eternal reward.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭17‬-‭32‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. "Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.'"”

While the prodigal was still a long way off, the father, who was undoubtedly watching and longing for the son’s return, saw him and made his way towards his returning son. 

When the prodigal woke up to his mistakes, the father came running to meet him on his return. 

This was culturally unusual for dignified, well-established men of means of Jesus’ day, but it demonstrates the heart of our Heavenly Father longing to meet the repentant sinner where they are.  

When he returned, the father had a feast celebrating the return of his lost son. 

With forgiveness, the father restored the younger son to a place of dignity and worth, welcoming him back as an heir in his home.  

Jesus Christ, God incarnate, made this possible for us by living the sinless life we should have lived, dying on the cross the sacrificial death that we should have died, in our place, and rising from the dead to provide new life for those who would entrust themselves to him.  

When we return to God, we are given the robe of Christ’s righteousness and bestowed the ring of sonship established in covenant by Jesus’ blood.  

This is what we celebrate along with others in the sacrament of baptism, as people leave their old life of sin and turn to a new life in Christ!

Yet the truth is, both brothers in the story of the prodigal son had heart issues and something to learn.  

“The targets of this story are not "wayward sinners" but religious people who do everything the Bible requires. Jesus is pleading not so much with immoral outsiders as with moral insiders. He wants to show them their blindness, narrowness, and self righteousness, and how these things are destroying both their own souls and the lives of the people around them.”

-Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Both brothers were in need of the gospel.  

The younger brother needed the gospel because of the sin found in his wild living.  

The elder brother needed the gospel because of his self-righteous pride that distanced him from the father and had the elder son refuse to participate in the father’s feast.  

While sinners like the prodigal were listening to Jesus’ words, so were the Pharisees and scribes to whom this parable was also directed.

“Your computer operates automatically in a default mode unless you deliberately tell it to do something else. So Luther says that even after you are converted by the gospel your heart will go back to operating on other principles unless you deliberately, repeatedly set it to gospel-mode. We habitually and instinctively look to other things besides God and his grace as our justification, hope, significance, and security. We believe the gospel at one level, but at deeper levels we do not. Human approval, professional success, power and influence, family and clan identity—all of these things serve as our heart’s “functional trust” rather than what Christ has done, and as a result we continue to be driven to a great degree by fear, anger, and a lack of self-control. You cannot change such things through mere willpower, through learning Biblical principles and trying to carry them out. We can only change permanently as we take the gospel more deeply into our understanding and into our hearts. We must feed on the gospel, as it were, digesting it and making it part of ourselves. That is how we grow.”

-Timothy J. Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

If you find yourself like the older brother, you must not be bitter in soul towards the younger brother who received the warm welcome after wasting his father’s possessions while the older brother remained faithful.  

“Another sign of those with an “elder brother” spirit is joyless, fear-based compliance. The older son boasts of his obedience to his father, but lets his underlying motivation and attitude slip out when he says, “All these years I’ve been slaving for you.” To be sure, being faithful to any commitment involves a certain amount of dutifulness. Often we don’t feel like doing what we ought to do, but we do it anyway, for the sake of integrity. But the elder brother shows that his obedience to his father is nothing but duty all the way down. There is no joy or love, no reward in just seeing his father pleased. In the same way, elder brothers are fastidious in their compliance to ethical norms, and in fulfillment of all traditional family, community, and civic responsibilities. But it is a slavish, joyless drudgery. The word “slave” has strong overtones of being forced or pushed rather than drawn or attracted. A slave works out of fear—fear of consequences imposed by force. This gets to the root of what drives an elder brother. Ultimately, elder brothers live good lives out of fear, not out of joy and love.”

-Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

The older brother says the treatment of the younger is not fair because he likens his own faithfulness to years of servitude without any celebration.  

This produced in the older son a self-righteous resentment. 

Has that been how you have felt?

The father responds with an affectionate appeal to his elder son, and thus, to those like the Pharisees, an invitation to enter into the same mercy and grace.  

As a faithful child, you should receive the encouragement that all that the father has is yours.  

Remember, you have not wasted your inheritance in wild living and should rejoice that your brother has been brought home.  

At the same time, pride should not blind us to the fact that we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and are saved solely, like the younger brother, by God’s grace through faith alone.  

“Here, then, is Jesus’s radical redefinition of what is wrong with us. Nearly everyone defines sin as breaking a list of rules. Jesus, though, shows us that a man who has violated virtually nothing on the list of moral misbehaviors can be every bit as spiritually lost as the most profligate, immoral person. Why? Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as each son sought to displace the authority of the father in his own life.”

-Timothy Keller, The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Let’s all as elder and prodigal sons return to the cross today that we might allow Jesus to truly save us - restoring our lost time and lives by his redeeming love.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 12

The Good News According to Luke: Part 12

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We must trust the goodness of God to truly understand Jesus, hear his call and follow where he leads. 

• Too Good to be True?

• Too Busy for Jesus

• Too Costly Not to Come

Too Good to be True?

To truly understand Jesus, we must embrace God’s goodness.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?" But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, "Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?" And they could not reply to these things. Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, "When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 'Give your place to this person,' and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."”

In time, God will always exalt the humble and humble the proud. 

It is our experiential disappointments and our underlying pride that can have us miss the heart of God both to teach and to heal.  

The extreme measure of the kindness of God is often overlooked in our theological constructs, and so we exclude ourselves from the grace that could otherwise be ours.  

We need to embrace a humility that allows us to see God work in his saving power and healing ways. 

Too Busy for Jesus

God will not be pleased with those who are too busy for Jesus.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just." When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, "Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!" But he said to him, "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.' So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, 'Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.' And the servant said, 'Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.' And the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.'"”

There is a torment of too many options that makes people anxiety-ridden and unhappy today.

When we sit at the feet of Jesus as a priority, our options are narrowed and our focus is sharpened on that which is of value in life.  

We are all headed to the judgment where the wedding of Jesus to his bride, the church, will be celebrated in glory.  

There is an invitation to all to come and participate as a favored guest at his banquet, but many will see themselves excluded because they allowed themselves to be too busy to come.  

God wants us to narrow our focus and do all things for the glory of God and the furthering of his Kingdom.  

This is the liberating and empowering filter of a disciple of Jesus.  

There were at least two words for life in the New Testament:

1. Business affairs

2. Animating presence of God (John 10:10)

*You can not live on the empty calories of life that sustain you momentarily with a sugar spike then bring you crashing back down.  

This pattern eventually takes your health and life in God.  

Think of how many people are disappointed after vacations, marriage and getting their supposed dream job only to find it isn’t exactly as advertised.  

Jesus was singular in his focus when he lived in perfect obedience to the commands of God, worked miracles in compassionate demonstrations of his divinity and died a substitutionary death at the cross for our sins. 

Christ’s resurrection from the dead was the call to repentance from the worship of other priorities, agendas and people that we place before him.

*In the parable above, it was twice an invitee's business (that which would create the life they wanted to live), once a romantic relationship, that caused them to ignore God’s call.

What is it that would have priority in life for you above and before the call of God?

For those who have rejected God’s call, they will be replaced by those whom the world seems to have rejected.  

Make sure you order your life around the call of God and the coming rewards of the Kingdom that are to be distributed at the wedding banquet of the Lamb of God.  

Too Costly Not to Come 

We need to count the cost of true discipleship.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭14‬:‭25‬-‭35‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. "Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."”

God wants true disciples, not nominal Christians.  

The reason that God wants true disciples is because he wants to build something for the Kingdom of God with your life.  

Your call is to be a disciple who is involved in making disciples of Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20). 

God knows that it will take war in the spiritual realm and a fight of faith to accomplish his plans. 

Jesus said very clearly that if we are not willing to give up everything to follow him, we can not be his disciples.   

There are continual moments in following Jesus that he will require you to sacrifice that which is most valuable to you - laying down what you previously clung to - for something more rewarding in his sight.  

He does this regularly that you might live clear of the sin of idolatry - putting any person, pursuit or thing as of greater importance than God.  

What might Jesus be asking you to lay down - what dream, what personal goal, what part of your identity - that you might follow him into the better thing as a disciple?

God demands such all-consuming worship for the Father’s pleasure and for your benefit - steering you clear of pursuits that would suck life from you, rather than giving it to you.  

What do you now find that you are unwilling to give up for Jesus?

If you do not have the commitment of a true disciple, you will quit along the way finding paths deceptively easier, yet detrimental; more self-gratifying, yet destructive in the end.  

Do not lose your saltiness!

The essence of being a disciple is holy living.  

Holiness means being set apart to God not only in your thoughts and your actions, but also setting apart your time, talent and resources for the purposes of God. 

The cross was the place where Jesus paid the price of death for our sins that we might be forgiven in our repentance and liberated by faith from our bondage to decay. 

He rose from the dead that we might not live worthless lives to be tossed out, but be a holy people who, in humility and love, bring the flavor of the Kingdom of God to a world he has come to redeem.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 11

The Good News According to Luke: Part 11

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We must regularly check ourselves and strive to stay near the heart of God to produce the fruit that Jesus desires in our lives.  

• Don’t Fool Yourself

• Don’t Miss the Point

• Don’t Miss Jesus

Don’t Fool Yourself

We must make sure that we are not fooling ourselves in our walk with God.  

Luke‬ ‭13‬:‭1‬-‭9‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"”

We deceive ourselves thinking we are right with God when we simply compare ourselves to others who we think live worse lives than ourselves.  

It’s never about how you measure up to others - God will judge you based on how you do or do not obey his commands.  

It is not enough to simply say you believe.  

God is looking for fruit from our lives.  

Repentance means to change our minds, submit to God’s truth and go in a different direction.  

From what things are we to repent?

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.”

If you’ve found that you have been a tree planted in his vineyard without producing any fruit, this is a wake-up call to repent so that you are not eventually cut down and thrown into the fire (Matthew 3:7-10).  

Never forget that the thing that can cause you to grow and save your life may be repugnant to you (stink like manure) at first.  

Be careful not to reject God’s mercy to you in this way. 

Don’t Fool Miss the Point 

We must stay close to the heart of Jesus to make sure we are bearing the fruit he wants us to bear.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭13‬:‭10‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability." And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day." Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?" As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him. He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches." And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened."”

Even if you’ve found yourself crippled by sin, spiritual torment or disease for years, Jesus has the power to heal you.  

God works through process, but Jesus can also miraculously do in an instant what seems impossible or would take a lifetime to correct.  

Either way, know the heart of the Father and give him the opportunity to move on your and other people’s behalf.  

We can often miss the fact that God does and wants to work miracles in people’s lives when we try to box Jesus into theological constructs with which we are most comfortable and can control.  

Yet Jesus reiterates the point that the Kingdom of God is a small seed that should grow to touch every area of our lives - so much so, that it begins to provide a resting place and shelter for others looking for hope.  

Don’t let your history put a limit on the future God wants to open up to you as you come to know Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit in new ways.  

Because God is inexhaustible, the nature of his Kingdom implies that we are always learning, always growing, always changing to become more like Christ.  

Don’t Miss Jesus

We must submit and come Christ’s way if we ever hope to enter the Kingdom of God. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭13‬:22‬-‭35‬ ‭ESV‬‬

He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them, "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last." At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, "Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you." And he said to them, "Go and tell that fox, 'Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.' O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"”

There is a difference between being in the presence of God and in his pleasure.  

We must enter through the narrow door of faith in Jesus’ saving work at the cross, subsequent resurrection from the dead and our confession of Christ as Lord (Romans 10:8-13). 

Committing to Jesus as Lord means an absolute submission to God’s commands and following the specific direction of the Holy Spirit in your life by which you will glorify God (Ephesians 2:8-10).  

Many who have found themselves merely in a culture of Christianity will find themselves shut out of the Kingdom because they did not live for God’s pleasure.  

We know that Jesus longs to bring us to himself because of the great lengths to which he went to live sinlessly for us, die sacrificially for the forgiveness of our sins and through his resurrection from the dead provide eternal life for us.  

There is no other person, way or name by which we can be saved.  

Let’s come to repentance and embrace the heart of God today to make sure that we are not missing Jesus by simply being in his presence rather than living for his pleasure.  

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 10

The Good News According to Luke: Part 10

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: To truly walk with Jesus, you need to ask yourself where you find your loyalties, your treasure and your life.  

• Where are Your Loyalties?

• Where is Your Treasure?

• Where is Your Life?

Where are Your Loyalties?

The times in which we live will test your integrity and your loyalty to Christ.

Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“In the meantime, when so many thousands of the people had gathered together that they were trampling one another, he began to say to his disciples first, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do. But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.””

As the people of God, we must walk in integrity, meaning that we are the same in our love for Jesus and others no matter where we find ourselves or who we are around.  

God knows that we live in a fallen world where people neither honor him, nor revere his commands.  

Nonetheless, he expects our allegiance to be first to him, even in the face of persecution. 

In such a way, we know that we have God’s backing in all that we say and do as we look to represent him in the world he came to redeem.   

Where is Your Treasure?

The times in which we live will expose what is in our hearts and show where our hearts truly lie.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭13‬-‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” And he said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

It is not wrong to have a blessed life - it is wrong to sacrifice the pursuit of the Kingdom of God for that life.  

The parable of the rich fool is speaking directly to the American Dream and what our generation feels like is its inalienable right to unlimited worldly success and pleasure. 

People live for themselves and their own personal enjoyment with no regard for the future, the Kingdom of Christ or standing before God in judgment.  

This is not good. 

‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.”

Let no one be deceived.  

According to Jesus, we know what and who we love by how we spend our time and our money. 

Tithes (giving our first and best ten percent of all of our income to God) and offerings (it is time for our annual clothing drive at Second City for the needy of the city) are what God uses to keep our hearts anchored in him. 

God wants to free you from F.O.M.O. 

God wants to give you a proper perspective on Y.O.L.O. 

God will judge how we spend our time, talent and treasure.  

How will he judge you?

Where is Your Life?

The times in which we live will require us to determine from what source we are seeking life.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭35‬-‭59‬ ‭ESV‬‬

““Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.” He also said to the crowds, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny.””

Do you have a zeal like Jesus for the Kingdom of God?

God expects to find us doing his business when he returns.  

We need to live as ready servants, eagerly awaiting our Master’s return.  

Jesus lived a sinless life of Kingdom focus to be the example of where true life should be derived - in the presence of and in eternal service to Almighty God.  

He died on the cross for our shortcomings, that we might, in repentance, turn away from self-absorbed living that is a bottomless pit taking life from us, rather than giving it to us.  

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭30‬:‭15‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The leech has two daughters: Give and Give. Three things are never satisfied; four never say, "Enough": Sheol, the barren womb, the land never satisfied with water, and the fire that never says, "Enough."”

After his suffering and three days in the grave, Jesus rose from the dead victoriously and will make his return to judge all of the living and the dead - providing rewards for those who were faithfully serving his purposes as they sped his coming, punishing those who instead chose hedonism as they were in their wait. 

True life is only found in Jesus.  

We need to be those who are discerning enough to know from what other sources we’ve been looking for life and turn from these false gods to serve our risen King!

The question remains, how will he find you when he comes?  

Jose’s story of a young man who was shot defending a woman harassed on the street. 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 9

The Good News According To Luke: Part 9

Pastor Cole Parleir

Luke 10 set us up for a teaching on prayer.  Jesus commends Mary’s decision to set at his feet and learn from him rather than be distracted by what seems necessary.  This approval of Mary coupled with Jesus’ own prayer life and powerful ministry, causes the disciples to take note and ask Jesus to teach them how to pray.

Focus: God cares about our heart so he gives miracles to awaken us to hear His Word that we may become disciples of Jesus Christ and experience true blessing.

• Pray with Jesus

• Work with Jesus

• Cleansed by Jesus

Pray With Jesus (Luke 11:1-13)

Disciples look to Jesus to teach them to pray powerfully.  When they do, they and the world are transformed. 

“Now Jesus[a] was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” 2 And he said to them, “When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name.

Your kingdom come.

3 Give us each day our daily bread,[b]

4 and forgive us our sins,

for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.

And lead us not into temptation.”

5 And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 7 and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence[c] he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 11 What father among you, if his son asks for[d] a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; 12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? 13 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

• God’s kingdom come on earth as in heaven is the goal of the prayer of a disciple of Jesus.

• Disciples should ask God for their daily needs that are physical (food) and spiritual (forgiveness of sin and deliverance from temptation) while interceding for the physical and spiritual needs of others as well.

• Disciples are those whom God desires to be free from offense. This requires a daily forgiveness of those who sin against them.

• Effective faith filled prayer is that which can be impudent and persistent with great expectation laid upon the sovereign Lord.

• We pray in faith because our prayers are focused on the manifestation of God’s promise and not our own desire.

• God’s goodness and faithfulness are the foundation we kneel upon in prayer. He delights in giving the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. When we have the promised Holy Spirit at work in us we can go from praying intimately with Jesus to working powerfully with Him.

Work with Jesus (Luke 11:14-23)

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil by delivering and healing those in Satan’s grip.

“Now he was casting out a demon that was mute. When the demon had gone out, the mute man spoke, and the people marveled. 15 But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,” 16 while others, to test him, kept seeking from him a sign from heaven. 17 But he, knowing their thoughts, said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and a divided household falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore they will be your judges. 20 But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are safe; 22 but when one stronger than he attacks him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoil. 23 Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.”

• Jesus cares for the hurting by turning compassion into action.

• Working with Jesus is always miraculous for he is always setting the captives of Satan free, healing the broken, and preaching good news to the poor.

• Jesus’ miracles and those he does through us will be a sign and wonder provoking a 3 fold response from witnesses: marvel, accusation, or testing.

  • 1) Marvel which leads to repentance, salvation, and worship at God’s goodness and power.

  • 2) Reject the miracle as demonic leading to a hard heart.

  • 3) Testing of God by asking for a ‘sign from heaven’ when Jesus’ presence is the sign from heaven.

• Unity matters. Satan will attack the churches unity so we must be aware of it and fight to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

• Neutrality regarding Jesus’ divinity and mission is not an option.

• Deliverance MUST be followed with discipleship.

“There is no discipleship without deliverance, and there is no deliverance without discipleship” - Dr. Leo Lawson

• There is no spiritual vacuum or 'emptying your mind'. It will be filled by something, so fill it with God's Word and Spirit as a disciple.

• We must go from a ‘believer’ to a ‘disciple’ to experience the increase of his kingdom on earth.

Cleansed by Jesus (Luke 11:37-54)

Jesus came to shed his blood because it’s the only work that can make us truly clean on the inside and eternally blessed. 

“While Jesus[a] was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. 38 The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. 39 And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you.

42 “But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and every herb, and neglect justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 43 Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seat in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces. 44 Woe to you! For you are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them without knowing it.”

45 One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also.” 46 And he said, “Woe to you lawyers also! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your fathers killed. 48 So you are witnesses and you consent to the deeds of your fathers, for they killed them, and you build their tombs. 49 Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ 50 so that the blood of all the prophets, shed from the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be required of this generation. 52 Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.”

53 As he went away from there, the scribes and the Pharisees began to press him hard and to provoke him to speak about many things, 54 lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.”

• We need to be made clean on the inside.

• An evil generation focuses on behavior modification (cleansing the outside of the cup and dish) rather than being clean on the inside where God sees, judges, and blesses.

• Jesus, the Son of Man and Son of God, would go to the cross for our deliverance from sin, cleansing our hearts, and would be resurrected 3 days later as a final and ultimate sign to overcome one's unbelief granting them repentance and faith and giving them a new clean heart averting God’s wrath and securing his promises.

• Once born again we must let the light of Christ shine brightly without compromise including syncretism to religious and cultural traditions.

• We are called to obey all that Jesus commands and teach others to obey what HE alone commands. We must become disciples of Jesus filled with the Holy Spirit who make disciples.

Questions

• Have you been born again, cleansed on the inside through Jesus’ shed blood for you?

• Have you become a disciple set on obeying Jesus?

• Do you need deliverance from 'habits' or mindsets that keep you from doing what Jesus wants you to do?

• Do you want to walk in signs and wonders that point your generation to the resurrected Christ?

Pray

Our Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your one and only Son Jesus Christ to reveal yourself and your Kingdom!  Search me and know me that I may be cleansed by you.  Teach me to pray your will, do your will, and abide in Christ.  Use me in my generation to bring your Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.  In Jesus name, amen. 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 8

The Good News According To Luke: Part 8

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: Jesus calls us to share his good news as we do good deeds, fueled by the overflow from our relationship with him.  

• The Good Calling

• The Good Samaritan

• The Good Portion

The Good Calling

Jesus calls those who follow him to bring the good news of his Kingdom to those who surround them.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:1-16‬ ‭ESV

“After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, 'The kingdom of God has come near to you.' But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, 'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.' I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. "The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me."”

The Good Samaritan

Jesus wants us to be on the lookout for ways to do good to others as we go about our business.   

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭10:17-24‬ ‭

“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!" And he said to them, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." Then turning to the disciples he said privately, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."”

“The heart overflows with gladness, and leaps and dances for the joy it has found in God. In this experience the Holy Spirit is active, and has taught us in the flash of a moment the deep secret of joy. You will have as much joy and laughter in life as you have faith in God.”

- Martin Luther

The Good Portion

Jesus fuels all of the good that we’ll ever do for the Kingdom by learning to sit at his feet.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭10:25-42‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How do you read it?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And he said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live." But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.' Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?" He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise." Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me." But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."”

The aim of our days is to live on the overflowing waters of the Spirit of God.  

‭‭John‬ ‭7:37-39‬

“On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 7

The Good News According to Luke: Part 7

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: Our worship should produce a change that leads us to the service of Jesus. 

• Worship Leading to Change

• Change Leading to Service

• Service Leading to Christ

Worship Leading to Change 

When we worship God, we change as a result.   

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:1-9‬ ‭

“And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics. And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart. And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them." And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. Now Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening, and he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had been raised from the dead, by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the prophets of old had risen. Herod said, "John I beheaded, but who is this about whom I hear such things?" And he sought to see him.”

When we encounter Jesus, he changes the trajectory, goals and pursuits of our lives.  

Worshiping Jesus means that we are now about building God’s Kingdom and not just our own. 

“Just as worship begins in holy expectancy, it ends in holy obedience. If worship does not propel us into greater obedience, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change.

…To worship is to change.”” 

-Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline p. 173

Change Leading to Service

The change that God brings about in our lives ultimately leads to following him in obedient service.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:10-27‬ ‭

“On their return the apostles told him all that they had done. And he took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida. When the crowds learned it, they followed him, and he welcomed them and spoke to them of the kingdom of God and cured those who had need of healing. Now the day began to wear away, and the twelve came and said to him, "Send the crowd away to go into the surrounding villages and countryside to find lodging and get provisions, for we are here in a desolate place." But he said to them, "You give them something to eat." They said, "We have no more than five loaves and two fish—unless we are to go and buy food for all these people." For there were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, "Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each." And they did so, and had them all sit down. And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of broken pieces. Now it happened that as he was praying alone, the disciples were with him. And he asked them, "Who do the crowds say that I am?" And they answered, "John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and others, that one of the prophets of old has risen." Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" And Peter answered, "The Christ of God." And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one, saying, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised." And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God."”

Worship leads to ministry. 

Ministry is service.  

If there is no practical service in your walk with Jesus, there really is no worship.  

*When you look at how you spend your time, treasure and talents in life, who do you find that you are really serving?  

Jesus involved the disciples in the miracles that he would perform by utilizing what they had to minister to the masses.  

Jesus performed the miracle, but he had the disciples distribute the fish and loaves that he multiplied.  

“Holy obedience saves worship from becoming an opiate, an escape from the pressing needs of modern life. Worship enables us to hear the call to service clearly so that we respond, “Here I am! Send me!” Authentic worship will impel us to join the Lamb’s war against demonic powers everywhere-on the personal level, on the social level, on the institutional level. Jesus, the Lamb of God, is our Commander-in-Chief. We receive His orders for service and go “…conquering and to conquer…with the word of truth…returning love for hatred, wrestling with God against the enmity, with prayers and tears night and day, with fasting, mourning and lamentation, in patience, in faithfulness, in truth, in love unfeigned, in long suffering, and in all the fruits of the spirit, that if by any means [we] may overcome evil with good….”

-Foster again but the quote he used is by James Nayler

How are you involved in bringing the miracles of Jesus to others?

Service Leading to Christ

As we serve God, we begin to understand true discipleship and walk more closely with Christ.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭9:28-62‬ ‭

“Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah"—not knowing what he said. As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!" And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen. On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, "Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not." Jesus answered, "O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here." While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And all were astonished at the majesty of God. But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men." But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying. An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, "Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. For he who is least among you all is the one who is great." John answered, "Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us." But Jesus said to him, "Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you." When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem. And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?" But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God." Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home." Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."”

Service is what God uses to crucify our flesh, shape our character and mold us into the image of Christ.  

“If all our serving is before others, we will be shallow people indeed.”

-Richard Foster

We have no interest in serving when we don’t value what God values - desperately craving the shallow, fleeting praise of men rather than the esteem and eternal reward of ALMIGHTY GOD.  

“Love to be concealed, and little esteemed: be content to want (lack) praise, never be troubled when thou art slighted or undervalued…. Hiddenness is a rebuke to the flesh and can deal a fatal blow.” 

-Jeremy Taylor

DO NOT TRY TO BE ANYONE ELSE - WE NEED YOU, NOT YOUR IDEA OF WHO YOU SHOULD BE. 

We are often misplaced when we try to be something that we are not - trying to be someone else rather than cultivating the indispensable gift that you are to the body of Christ and the world.  

In such a manner, the whole body suffers because the role that you are divinely crafted to play goes unfulfilled (I Corinthians 12).  

Faithful service is God’s mechanism to free us from our obsession with self to place our eyes on what is of eternal worth.  

Through participation in service, you are practically helping to advance the Kingdom of God as we collectively win the lost and rebuild lives as people learn to be disciples of Jesus. 

This is why rather than having those who purported to want to follow Christ chase their inheritances, Jesus had them proclaim the Kingdom of God.  

Where will you find your place of service in and through the church?

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 6

The Good News According to Luke: Part 6

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: As we serve the Lord, we will fulfill his vision as we commit to his mission together.  

• Common Lord

• Common Mission

• Common Grace

Common Lord

Through the gospel of the Kingdom, we are freed to serve our common Lord Jesus.  

Luke‬ ‭8:1-18‬ ‭

“Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means. And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 

"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold." 

As he said these things, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 

And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.' 

11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 

15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience. "No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away."”

God’s design is that we serve the Lord Jesus together. 

No one farms a land alone.  

God frees us by showing us the ways that the cares, riches and pleasures of life come to choke the word and life of God out of us.

Others help us see what we do not so that we can cultivate a good heart that produces fruit.

Jesus then gives us his light of life and puts us on display so that we can show his goodness and grace to the world.  

Common Vision

We are brought together by Jesus to fulfill his Kingdom vision.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭8:19-25‬ ‭

“Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you." 21 But he answered them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it." One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side of the lake." So they set out, and as they sailed he fell asleep. And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water and were in danger. And they went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we are perishing!" And he awoke and rebuked the wind and the raging waves, and they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them, "Where is your faith?" And they were afraid, and they marveled, saying to one another, "Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him?"”

The vision is how we serve our Lord.   

God’s vision is to bring together a family of worshipers who put his word into practice together. 

Those who do so are who Jesus calls his mother and brothers - his family.

It is the family of God with whom we are to travel to fulfill the purpose of God and with whom we are to weather life’s challenges as we see Jesus calm our collective storms.

*Relearning how to relate and build relationships after Covid is important.

Embrace the awkward to get to a place of health.

3 Keys to good relationships:

1. Don’t over-inflate your personal story as compared to others making your experience or circumstances seem like more or less than it is (Galatians 6:2-5).

2. Don’t be myopic (Proverbs 25:27; 27:2)

3. Make the first move to be kind, show honor, and be a blessing (Proverbs 18:24 NKJV; Romans 12:10)

“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

Common Grace

We accomplish Christ’s Kingdom vision when we are on mission together.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭8:26-56‬ ‭

“Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, "What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me." For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.) Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned. 

38 The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him. Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus' feet, he implored him to come to his house, for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 

45 And Jesus said, "Who was it that touched me?" When all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!" But Jesus said, "Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me." And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace." While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler's house came and said, "Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more." But Jesus on hearing this answered him, "Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well." And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, "Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, "Child, arise." And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened.”

The mission is how we achieve the vision.  

Even as Jesus delivered the man of the legion of demons, he immediately sent him on mission to be a forerunner of the mission of God in the Decapolis.

Through commitment to the mission of Jesus, we can move past just being part of the crowd, to actually encountering the power of the Lord as did the woman with the discharge of blood.  

Then, like Peter, John and James we can see Jesus bring life to dead things where others are simply content to weep and mourn.  

God’s resurrection power was on display throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Jesus modeled this for the disciples so that following his sacrifice at the cross for our sins, we would be able to continue in the same mission today.

As an outplay of the Great Commission of Jesus and continuing the work initiated by the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, our mission at Second City Church is:

“Winning the lost, making disciples, and training leaders that establish Christ honoring churches that multiply in the city of Chicago and the nations.”

*Success can be your reward (when you do things God’s way) or your master (when you try to take your life into your own hands). 

Let’s meet Christ at the cross in repentance and faith that we might experience true success in the sight of God, fulfilling both his vision and mission together, God’s way.

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 5

The Good News According to Luke: Part 5

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: We must recognize the authority of Christ to properly understand how to receive and live in the love of Jesus.  

• The Authority of Christ

• Misunderstanding Christ

• Forgiven Much to Love Christ

The Authority of Christ

We can miss God’s healing when we do not embrace the authority of Jesus in our lives.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:1-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“After he had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, "He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue." 

And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, "Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 

When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith." 

And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her.

 And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, "Do not weep." Then he came up and touched the bier, and the bearers stood still. And he said, "Young man, I say to you, arise." And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother. Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and "God has visited his people!" And this report about him spread through the whole of Judea and all the surrounding country.”

We all know that abuse of any type of authority is bad - whether it be from a beloved family member, government official, church leader or workplace superior.  

Yet the authority that Jesus wields is good, can always be trusted and leads to our eternal benefit, not harm.  

Though following God-centered leadership can lead to momentary pain (think the cross of Christ), it always leads to a lasting good for you and others (think eternal

life through the resurrection of Jesus). 

All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus (Matthew 28:18-20).

Because all things that have been made were made through him (John 1:3), he is the final arbiter of what is right or wrong in terms of how all aspects of life should be lived and best function.

Jesus having all authority means that there is nothing in the physical, mental, emotional or spiritual world that will not submit to him when he intervenes.

When Jesus expresses his authority, it is to put things in right order, for the Father’s glory and our good (I Corinthians 15).

We need to embrace the authority of Jesus to receive healing in our lives.  

Why does this matter in our daily interactions?

If you are ever to learn to lead well, you need to first learn what it means to be under authority - what it means to follow.  

The abuse of authority has jaded people to this idea throughout the generations.  

Yet as a result, there has been an unhealthy pendulum swing whereby people consider themselves accountable to no one.  

The result is countless stories of people who are isolated, damaged wanderers who do not build the Kingdom with their lives, but scatter amidst ongoing theatrical acts of disappointment.  

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17:19‬ ‭

“Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18:1‬-2

“Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion.”

God delegates his authority to others in our lives to be a part of the healing process, just like the centurion and those that he sent to plead with Jesus on behalf of his servant.  

The question then becomes:

*Whose spiritual authority have you acknowledged in your life to help mold you, shape you and heal you?

Misunderstanding Christ

We relate with God, his church and the world well when we properly understand Jesus. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭7:18-35‬ ‭

“The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" And when the men had come to him, they said, "John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, 'Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?'" In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me." When John's messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings' courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, "'Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he." (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.) "To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.' For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Yet wisdom is justified by all her children."”

What are you looking for when you come to Jesus?

The world can look at Jesus as the enemy even while he gives commands that are for nothing but our good. 

 Nonetheless, Christ has and continues to lovingly interrupt our lives to set us free from the power of our real adversary, the devil.

“Jesus Christ can afford to be misunderstood; we cannot. Our weakness lies in always wanting to vindicate ourselves.”

— Oswald Chambers

We also sacrifice truth for wanting to fit into a world sick with sin, not realizing that our acceptance enables others’ damnation.  

However, Jesus properly understood means salvation for the repentant, true acceptance and true healing for those humble enough to realize their limitations and embrace Christ's love.   

We know Jesus by his actions - what he does to redeem, heal and restore people’s lives as he turns them from sin, freeing them from guilt and shame at the cross.

Forgiven Much to Love Christ 

We love Jesus, his church and the world well when we realize how much we need to be forgiven.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭7:36-50‬ ‭

“One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and reclined at table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."”

To truly ever love Jesus well, we must embrace how much we need to be forgiven.  

Humility changes everything.  

Our perspectives towards Jesus, our problems and even the world’s issues morph when we see God as he is and recognize our own sin for what it is.  

To truly understand Jesus, we must come with a heart of humility.  

Humbling ourselves is an art that must be learned, a skill that God requires for proper relationship with him and the world around you.  

When we don’t have this heart posture, our relationships are strained at best, adversarial at worst.  

Humility chokes out accusation and bitterness.  

Through the cross, we learn how much Jesus deserves to be loved and how to love others with the same redemptive lense through which God first loved us.  

Let’s come to the cross for our great forgiveness and meet Jesus in his resurrection life today. 

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 4

The Good News According to Luke: Part 4

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: Jesus redefines our pain to lead us to his purpose which is ultimately good.  

• Redefining Pain

• Redefining Purpose

• Redefining Good

Redefining Pain

Jesus redefines our pain through his person.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:1-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands. But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?" And Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?" And he said to them, "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath." On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come and stand here." And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, "I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?" And after looking around at them all he said to him, "Stretch out your hand." And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.” 

People have church hurts that need to be healed. 

Jesus redefined how people understood religion and rituals, including the Sabbath. 

Jesus continually brought revelation to people’s interaction with the traditions of the religious community, explaining the spirit behind the law of God.  

Many people have been hurt in the church because they were exposed to a religious culture, but failed to connect with the Lord who was to be worshipped within that culture.  

They were exposed to law, but not the heart behind that law.  

As Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus showed that he came not to hamper but to help those who would turn to him.  

The purpose of honoring that which God’s word says to honor is that we might meet with Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath, who came to heal.  

People have emotional hurts that they try to hide.  

As in the case of the man with the withered hand, Jesus brings what cripples us into the light with others not to embarrass or shame us, but to heal us. 

“The strangest thing happens when what we have most wanted to conceal is brought into the open. We don’t die. Instead, we often begin to heal.”

-John Ortberg

Eternity Is Now In Session: A Radical Rediscovery of What Jesus Really Taught About Salvation, Eternity, and Getting to the Good Place 

“It’s a strange truth that I admire vulnerability in other people, but I don’t want to have to be vulnerable myself.”

-John Ortberg

I’d Like You More If You Were More Like Me: Getting Real About Getting Close

Redefining Purpose

Jesus redefines our purpose through his direction. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:12-19‬

“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured. And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.”

When we commit to honoring that which God honors, he provides eternal purpose for our lives.  

Jesus brings definition to that purpose by involving us in what he is doing, making us a sent people to bring his Kingdom as we carry his presence.   

‭‭Mark‬ ‭3:13-15‬ ‭

“And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons.”

We must first be with Jesus before we can represent Jesus well. 

If you’ve made a decision to follow Jesus, it is because he has desired you, called you to himself and is appointing you to represent him in your family, community, workplace and/or school.  

When you go into the world with this understanding, you go in Christ’s authority, not your own.  

When we encounter Jesus and are touched by his power, we gain the ability to love, because we are cured of that which previously troubled us.  

“There is no safe investment. To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly be broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket – safe, dark, motionless, airless – it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. The alternative to tragedy, or at least to the risk of tragedy, is damnation. The only place outside Heaven where you can be perfectly safe from all the dangers and perturbations of love is Hell.”

-C.S. Lewis 

So how should we live and minister in this authority of Christ?

Redefining Good 

Jesus redefines what is good in this world for us through his perfect character that leads us to the cross.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭6:20-49‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. "Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. "Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. "Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation. "Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry. "Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. "Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them. "If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount.

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."

He also told them a parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,' when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye.

"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."”

Grandpa’s trees in Florida were always one of my favorite parts of the trip, but I could only ever expect to take home oranges because that is what type of trees he had planted.  

There will never be different fruit until you have a different root - you must be born again by the imperishable seed of God’s Word and dig deep to be continually transformed by his Holy Spirit (I Peter 1:23). 

There is no sense in getting weary.  

Weeding a yard, house cleaning, training your children and tending to your own soul before God are constants that are a fact of life.  

If we do not tend to them, we should not be surprised at the mess that is a result. 

When we see Christ’s great commands, we realize how much we fall short of God’s perfection and are in need of a Savior.  

Christ's perfect character not only gives us a picture of what we ought to be, but leads us to the cross as the only source of true redemption when we fall short.

We must not be hypocrites, looking only at the faults of others, while having logs of sin in our own eyes.  

We must come to God in true repentance and faith in Jesus’ sacrificial work at the cross, so we can not only be forgiven of our sins, but by the power of his resurrection, be supernaturally transformed to bear new fruit.  

As we do so, we can thereafter build lives of love and grace on God’s word that glorify Jesus, lead to our healing and withstand any storm.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 3

The Good News According to Luke: Part 3

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: Jesus wants you to be a healed disciple who makes disciples. 

• Being a Disciple

• Healed by the Master

• To Make Disciples

Being a Disciple

God is not simply looking for believers, he is looking for disciples.  

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭5:1-11‬

“On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”

What does it mean to be a disciple?

A disciple is one who patterns their thoughts, speech and actions - their life pursuits - after their teacher.  

Jesus says that when you are following him, he is going to make you into something - a fisher of men.  

If you are truly walking with Jesus and daily obeying his voice, you will be actively involved in telling others about Christ and his Kingdom.   

This is what it means to be a fisher of men.  

Your faith in Christ’s substitutionary work at the cross and his subsequent resurrection from the dead is what saves you.

Your obedience to Christ, being actively involved in the mission of Jesus, is what God uses to save others.

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.”

What do you need to leave in order to follow Jesus?

• Is it the fear of man?

• Is it hedonism?

• Is it selfish living?

• From what does God need to heal you?

Healed by the Master

Jesus wants to heal you as his disciple.

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭5:12-26‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him. And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest, and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray. On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.””

In addition to physical restoration, in what ways  does Jesus look to heal you?

Jesus wants to cleanse you, meaning that Jesus wants to heal you of impure patterns, guilt and shame.

Jesus wants you to get unstuck, meaning Jesus wants to heal you of emotional and spiritual paralysis.

To Make Disciples

When we have received from the Lord as a disciple, Jesus expects us to turn around and give as a disciple.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:27-39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” And they said to him, “The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink.” And Jesus said to them, “Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days.” He also told them a parable: “No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’””

When Levi was called by Jesus, he immediately turned around to reach others. 

But who did he turn to reach?

Of course, you would invite those who love Jesus and need a home to the party!

But Jesus said that he came not for the healthy, but the sick, to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance.  

This is where we begin as we think about who Jesus came to call as disciples.  

It is not those who have it all together, but those who are presently opposed to God and bound by sin that are Jesus’ primary candidates for recruitment.  

Why?

Because as Jesus would later say, “those who are forgiven much, love much.”

That means your family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers who do not yet believe in or follow Jesus are the very ones that he came to call as disciples!  

If you’ve ever felt like this spiritually 😉

You can begin with one and the One to One

And become this:

When we have met Jesus in a real and powerful way, the best thing to do is gather our friends, family and acquaintances together to meet the King as well.

Don’t disqualify yourself as a disciple-maker.  

We can always say I am too young or too old, am too busy, am not a professional or don’t know enough.  

***However, what we saw Levi do is IMMEDIATELY JUMP IN THE GAME BY INVITING PEOPLE TO AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THOSE HE KNEW COULD MEET JESUS.***

You can do that through church, community group or even community day - wherever Jesus is being honored and the Word of God is being taught. 

Jesus was willing to use those who simply made themselves available to influence others for the Kingdom of God.  

“I tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you’ve been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else.  If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”

-Toni Morrison 

Levi didn’t cut off his natural relationships, but started with that pool of people knowing that they could be forever changed by Jesus, just as he was.  

Let’s meet Christ freshly at the cross today, and bring others to experience the same freedom that we have so graciously received!

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According to Luke: Part 2

The Good News According to Luke: Part 2

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: Jesus came to give us victory over Satan, heal our brokenness and preach good news to all.

• Winning Victories over Satan

• Healing the Sick

• Preaching Good News to All

Victory Over Satan

Jesus came to establish his victory over sin and Satan.

‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:1-15‬

“And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'" And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours." And Jesus answered him, "It is written, "'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'" And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,' and "'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'" And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.”

How is God incorporated into every aspect of our lives?  

It’s by understanding that God has a plan for this world, your place in it and that there will be a fight to walk in that plan.  

Just as there is a real God, there is a real devil and demons which want to lead you into sin.   

Satan is God’s adversary who looks to detract from the glory of God, God’s creative order and loving blueprint for all creation.   

Sin is not only lawlessness, but it is missing God’s mark in any area of our lives. 

The truth is, how you live matters.  

What you do for work matters.

What you choose to do with your time, talent and resources all have eternal consequences. 

Your family dynamics, relationships in the church and the community in which you live matters.  

Jesus came to teach us how to live in God’s good, pleasing and perfect plan.  

Satan tries to divert us from God’s word and that plan, as we see exemplified in the temptation of Jesus.  

There are times, though, that the Father will allow intensified moments of confrontation with demonic forces in your life so that you might actually grow in strength - learning to overcome temptation, be done with sin and live in the power of the Holy Spirit.  

God does not lead you into battle to lose, but to learn how to fight and win (Psalm 144:1).

As the warfare increases, we see from Jesus’ example that fasting and prayer are to  become a weapon of choice.  

In this way, Christ is allowed to become greater in our lives as we become less (John 3:30; Galatians 2:20).

*Jesus was entering a new season of his life and he did so with prayer and fasting. 

As we follow Jesus by faith and in obedience, his victory over sin and Satan becomes our victory as well.  

We begin to live in victorious faith and freedom as we look to fulfill our Heavenly Father’s directives in our lives. 

Christ’s Kingdom focus becomes our daily focus.  

***As you mature in Christ, the battle is not over whether you will commit petty sin for which you have been forgiven, but whether or not you will fulfill the will of God for your life.***

This is what the temptation of Jesus clearly exemplified and is the battle which Christ continually fought and won (Hebrews 10:5-7). 

In the desert temptation, it wasn’t merely a matter of whether or not Jesus was going to commit adultery, but whether he would fulfill his calling.  

I John 2:14

I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one.

Jesus' response to the devil in the wilderness marks the reality that the Word of God MUST be central to (the foundation of) our responses to the attacks and temptations of Satan.  

The word of God is the only ground upon which we are to stand because in such a sense we are allowing God to respond for us (with his authority and backing as Creator and ruler). 

What do each of the temptations show us?

Jesus’ special relationship with the Father was challenged.

Jesus responded with the firmness and security of God’s written word to maintain his: 

1. clarity of identity, 

2. precision of conviction and 

3. steadfastness of vision to accomplish the Father’s will.

We must learn to do the same in a world that daily challenges the:

1. definitions,

2. statutes and

3. purposes of God around us.

Jesus’ encounter with Satan answers the question for us  - “should I ever have to suffer and forgo my God-given needs if I am a child of God?”

The answer is yes as God teaches you how to sacrifice as he builds you for his eternal glory and greater Kingdom good.  

When God is calling you to sacrifice, don’t try to meet your needs your own way and in your own timing by trying to turn your rocks into bread (in regards to marriage, career advancement, etc.).  

Trust God that he makes everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3) and has your best interests in mind as you follow him.   

Times of fasting and prayer help make this clear, and should be the “go to” before any big life transition or decision.  

*Again, fasting and prayer preceded Jesus entering into a new season of his life and ministry (Acts 13). 

Most people make big decisions or changes in their lives without consulting the counsel of God, his word or his people (Proverbs 3:3-12).  

They simply announce the changes to everyone once a decision has already been made without consideration for how their decisions impact others and are a part of God’s grand design, in need of God’s help.  

This should not be because God does not build that way. 

Whether in your family life, education, career or moments of relational transition, each point of entry into a new season of life should be preempted by the trifecta of: 

1. God’s Word (reinforces God’s ways),

2. fasting with prayer (introduces God’s specific direction through practical application of that Word) and

3. godly counsel (helps bring confirmation to those eternal purposes).

DON’T TRY TO BE A SOLO ACT!

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭12:15‬ ‭

“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭15:22‬ ‭

“Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭20:18‬

“Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭24:5-6‬ ‭

“A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory.”

It is especially important that we make this a lifestyle.

Why?

Just as the devil left Jesus until an opportune time, so he returns to us after moments of victory to try to steer our walk with God off course.  

Times of fasting empty us of our self-reliance to increase our awareness of God that we might live with a dependence on his Holy Spirit, counsel and power.  

This is how Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish God's Kingdom plan.

What did Jesus come to do and why does it matter to us?

God has so much to do in the world around us and wants to use us, his body, to do it! 

Healing the Sick

Jesus came to heal the sick, liberate the bound, repair the damaged and mend the broken.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:16-41‬ ‭

“And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, "Is not this Joseph's son?" And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, '"Physician, heal yourself." What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'" And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away. 31 And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, "Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God." But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!" And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.”

In reading that passage in the synagogue, Jesus was reaffirming both his identity and calling.  

And thank the Lord, because Jesus came as God our healer, our Savior!!

Pain is what we’re all trying to escape. 

Jesus came to provide a many times present, but always eternal, healing to our pain.  

The rhythm of Jesus’ life included the custom of physically going to the local synagogue whose entrance was built to face Jerusalem as a continual reminder of the centrality of both public and private worship in our lives.  

If it was important and a custom for Jesus, it needs to be for each one of us.  

What was the importance of being in the synagogue?:

God can use your church participation to help draw attention to and surface demonic oppression that has remained dormant or hidden as you have encounters with Jesus and his people, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

“I tell my students, ‘When you get these jobs that you’ve been so brilliantly trained for, just remember that your real job is that if you are free, you need to free somebody else.  If you have some power, then your job is to empower somebody else.”

-Toni Morrison

Preaching the Good News

Jesus came to preach his good news of the Kingdom to all. 

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭4:42-44‬ ‭

“And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.”

Jesus’ ultimate victory over Satan, sin and death would be accomplished at the cross where he would not only take the punishment for our sin, but provide forgiveness for those sins.   

By Christ’s historic resurrection from the dead, he would usher us into the freedom of an eternal  life where we would be forever healed in the presence of God (Revelation 21). 

He preached the good news of the Kingdom so that all would have access to this new life as they turn away from their sins and put their trust in Jesus’ substitutionary, completed work.  

Let’s begin this next season prayerfully considering who we might invite to Christ and his cross that he might bring victory and healing to those that we know and love.  

Make invitations before and for Back to Church Sunday, and be encouraged by the testimony of God using our team’s work even in Madison.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher

The Good News According To Luke: Part 1

The Good News According To Luke

Part 1

Pastor: Rollan Fisher

Focus: We have to drop the facades and embrace ongoing repentance to grow into the people Jesus intends for us to be.  

• John Prepares the Way

• What Should We Do?

• Jesus for the Masses

John Prepares the Way

God calls us to himself as others give testimony of what Jesus is trying to do In our lives (Romans 10:14,15). 

Luke 3:1-9

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet,“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. ’” He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

The first thing of note that we need to appreciate and celebrate is that in the account that Luke gives of Jesus’ life and ministry, Luke is meticulous with recorded details to ensure historical accuracy that can be verified extra-biblically.  

Luke makes it a point to identify five different Roman rulers and the territories they governed to demonstrate that his account would not fit into the genre of myth, nor historic fiction, but must be considered verifiable fact - a researched testimony that could be corroborated.  

God had John call people to a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of their sins - the starting block for beginning a life fueled by the grace, involvement and intervention of Jesus Christ.  

“If you are renewed by grace, and were to meet your old self, I am sure you would be very anxious to get out of his company.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

God’s grace frees us from our wretched lives when we, by faith, drop the facades and live a life of ongoing repentance. 

No one can claim that they are right with God simply because they had a cultural background in the church or a natural pedigree of those who’ve belonged to God.  

The deception of such living will have people cut down and thrown into the fires of hell. 

If we’ve truly repented of something, we will bear fruit in that area by the power of the Holy Spirit - meaning we will grow. 

*One of the things that prevents us from bearing the fruit that God desires in our lives is the facades which we live behind.  

*Our generation has an obsession with image that prevents us from being humble and honest enough to allow God to do what he wants to in our lives.  

In fulfillment of all that the Lord had the prophet Isaiah predict (Isaiah 40:3-5), God sent John into the wilderness (the dry place) saying that he would: 

make his (Christ’s) paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Amongst other things, here is what God was promising and what it means for us today:

1. “Every valley shall be filled” - meaning through the help of others (like John the Baptist), God wants to expedite the work of the Lord in your life.

2. “…every mountain and hill shall be made low” - meaning the places of pride in our lives will be dealt with, humbled and brought down, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.

3. “…the crooked shall become straight” - meaning that which is off-center in regards to God’s design for your life shall be corrected and reoriented.

4. “…the rough places shall become level ways” - meaning the dysfunctional areas of your life that were hard to touch and travel upon will become healthy, productive and functional.

5. “….all flesh will see the salvation of God” - meaning that in Jesus, God offers his rescue, healing and deliverance to all people.

God sends people to prepare the work of the Lord in your life.  

“Low self-esteem causes me to believe that I have so little worth that my response does not matter. With repentance, however, I understand that being worth so much to God is why my response is so important. Repentance is remedial work to mend our minds and hearts, which get bent by sin.”

John Ortberg, The Me I Want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You

We all need help to grow - in things like our marriages, in our parenting, in how we build lives and careers to honor the Lord.  

*THE TRUTH IS THAT IT IS NOT SHAMEFUL TO NEED HELP - IT IS SHAMEFUL NOT TO ASK GOD AND HIS PEOPLE FOR THAT HELP. 

Matthew 3:5,6

Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

Confession involves coming into agreement with God and his higher way (Isaiah 55). 

We often don’t have a posture of confession, so God in his mercy sends people into our lives to track us down. 

It may be your spouse, your friend, your community group leader or parent that God is using to point out sin - to help you take responsibility for shortcomings and grow.  

But we can not stay there. 

We must be like the Psalmist who asked God to search him and try him to see if there was any offensive way in them so that they might be led in God’s everlasting way.  

Psalm 139:23,24

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me,and lead me in the way everlasting!

*WE HAVE TO DROP THE FACADES TO EMBRACE AN EMPOWERING LIFESTYLE OF CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE.  

How are you hiding behind an image that you’ve created for yourself?

How does God really see you?

*Do you have ears to hear how God is making his appeal to you through others (your family, friends, spouses, neighbors, co-workers, etc.)?

What Should We Do?

We walk with God through an ongoing lifestyle of repentance and faith.  

Luke 3:10-17

And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”

And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?”Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”And he said to them, “Collect no more than you are authorized to do.”As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.  But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done,added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

*Just as we ask God about the ways that we need to grow, so it is invaluable to ask those God has sent to help shape your life how you need to grow in Christ as well.  

You need to give the people who love and surround you permission to speak the Word of God to you and offer you areas of improvement based on that Word. 

This is what John did for the Israelites when they asked, “What then shall we do?”

*This question follows the conviction of the Holy Spirit and proceeds all positive, godly change in our lives (Acts 2).  

The baptism of the Holy Spirit empowers us to live godly lives, burns up our chaff and gives us gifts of the Spirit that we might be witnesses for Christ in power (I Corinthians 12).

Our desire should be to have the directives of God established to move in power in every area of our lives. 

This is the essence of Jesus being Lord of our lives.  

God commands nothing except that which is loving and good - that which is best for you, your family and the world around you (Genesis 1).

Deuteronomy 10:12,13

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good?

Sin is not only lawlessness, breaking the commands of God; but is also missing the mark of God’s best for your life.  

To come into God’s best for your life requires a lifestyle of ongoing repentance.  

Repentance means a change of mind and a corresponding movement in a different direction.  

It means falling out of agreement with your former self-identification or lifestyle and coming into agreement with God’s ways which are higher and better for you (Isaiah 55). 

Repentance begins with confession of sin.   

Jonah 2:8

Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love.

Confession brings freedom because it ushers you into the light to get the help that you need from God and others.  

So the question then becomes:

• How are you growing in the Lord?

• When was the last time you allowed the Lord to identify the things from which you need to repent?

• When is the last time you asked a God-given relationship, ““What then shall I do?”

How are you now living differently based on what God pointed out to you, by himself or through others?

C.S. Lewis accurately described what it is like when we merely give lip service to God - having sin pointed out, but not acting.  

“As long as [man] does not convert it into action, it does not matter how much he thinks about this new repentance... Wallow in it... Write a book about it; that is often an excellent way of sterilising the seeds which [Heavenly Father] plants in a human soul... Do anything but act. No amount of piety in his imagination and affections will harm [the cause of evil] if [it is kept] out of his will... The more often he feels without acting, the less he will ever be able to act, and, in the long run, the less he will be able to feel.”

C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

Jesus for the Masses

God brings us into his family to see Christ and his Kingdom purposes formed in us.  

Luke 3:21-38

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai,the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri,the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda,the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi,the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er,the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim,the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David,the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon,the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah,the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor,the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah,the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech,the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan,the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

Whereas Matthew’s genealogy, written to a Jewish audience, helped establish the prophesied Abrahamic, Judean and Davidic lineage of the Messiah, Luke’s genealogy for a gentile audience went all the way back to God to show Christ’s unique salvific identity for all of humanity. 

Note that God’s eternal purposes in Christ came about through a family line of faith, not through individuals acting alone.  

Through repentance and faith in Jesus’ sacrificial work for us at the cross, we are forgiven of our sins and adopted into the family of God (John 1).  

We then proactively interact with that family to grow in the knowledge of God and become like Christ, bearing fruit as we together commit to lifestyles of transparency, humility and ongoing repentance.  

*This is the reason God calls us to be devoted to church gatherings for worship and environments of discipleship like our community groups that we might in unison fulfill God’s Kingdom purposes. 

“The church is not a theological classroom. It is a conversion, confession, repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness and sanctification center, where flawed people place their faith in Christ, gather to know and love him better, and learn to love others as he designed.”

Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change

We would say that the church is not only a theological classroom, but God’s “plan A” for us meeting Christ to grow into all that he’s called us to be and do as a part of his eternal Kingdom.  

Second City Church - Pastor Rollan Fisher