"Come to Me"- Guest Speaker Pastor Reggie Roberson, October 6, 2013
[powerpress] (Pastor Roberson gave an introduction to knowing and serving with Pastor Rollan and B Fisher.)
Like Rollan and B, I've had the privilege to travel around the world and see various church movements. I believe there is a unique destiny on this church. If you pay careful attention to and embrace what I am about to tell you, there will be steady growth in your own life and in the lives of those around you.
As I was praying for you, God reminded me about the fire that burned down Chicago. He told me that the fire is still present and continues to burn homes, individuals, and businesses- morally, socially, and spiritually. While the Bible speaks of a life giving fire that God gives us, in Jude it talks about this destructive fire, saying:
save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. (Jude 1:23 ESV)
This fire that I am talking about is a mixture of dark forces of the generational type; dark ideas about God, people, and life; self-centered pursuits and demonic beings that are burning up lives. What are we to do in order to be free from this fire burning our lives up or down? How do we rise above the resistance morally, socially, and spiritually in this city?
Three Simple Words: "Come to Me"
We understand "Come." That usually requires a reorientation or rerouting of our direction and course. "To" is directive and definitive. But who is the "Me?" This is most important. "Me" is not impersonal like success or money, prestige, or empty ideologies which will stab you in the back. "Me" is not joy or peace either; those are simply by products of "Me." "Me" is Jesus Christ who is infinitely attentive, full of wisdom, and possesses tangible power, joy, and peace. "Me" is Jesus is also reflected in His body of believers.
The main thought is that, if you are going to overcome the moral, social, and spiritual resistance that will try to burn up your life, you must reorient or reroute your entire life toward Jesus and His body of believers.
There are three Scriptures I want us to pay careful attention to that express this thought of coming to Jesus. Before I do that, let me give you the back story of how I received them.
I was supposed to be here with you on March 15th-18th; however, I was hit with sickness for almost two weeks straight. I hardly slept at night (not just me, but all of my family members). No matter how bad I felt, I wanted to make this trip. So I started praying for a message to share with you all, and I heard nothing from God. (I regularly and quickly hear from God.) As I sat in pain, I closed my eyes and heard God say, "Come to Me." I realized that He was talking to me about current situations. It was more than a message. From that point on, He corrected me for going, going, going and not coming to Him. God wants us to go, as said many times in Scripture, but that is, after we have come to Him. Then He said that this is the issue with those in Chicago; there is a tendency to be going, going, going and not coming to "Me."
I have three passages that God spoke to me for you. I am going to relate all of these passages to putting on clothes to help us understand them better. In Colossians 3:9-10, the Bible uses clothes as a metaphor to putting on either your old or new life or way. As we come to Christ, He dresses us with the clothes or life we were designed to live.
1. Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
Jesus said “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
These people start off with clothes that are too awkward for him or her.
This is a person weary and burdened, because they have taken on a situation, a vocation, an ideology, a philosophy, or a lifestyle that they were not designed by God to bear. Jesus is saying, "When you come to Me, I'll reveal what you were designed to be and guide you through the whole process. You'll find rest for your soul... not always immediately from your circumstances." Rest is an inner condition, an attitude, and a state of being at peace. Jesus yokes you or clothes you with easy and light, not sleasy and tight, by giving you rest. (Pastor Roberson gave an example of this from UNC.)
2. John 5:39, 40 NIV
Jesus said "You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life."
The people in this Scripture can be likened to those that have clothes that make you appear to own something you really don't.
This person is exposed to the right environment (i.e. church body), but thinks that becoming a better person or having more Bible knowledge is the goal. They are not willing to build lasting supportive and transparent relationships. Though they appear on the surface to be morally upright, they really lack God's life in them and are really after self-glorification, which makes you empty on the inside. Jesus desires to clothe us with strength and enjoyment that comes from His presence.
3. Luke 15:11-24 NIV
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating but no one gave him anything. “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and (CAME) went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
These clothes are attracting the wrong people and situations.
This person knows that their sin has separated them from God. They've taken all their God-given gifts and used them for their own pleasure and gratification. In the process, their souls have been shaken in a cycle of pride and insecurity. This person makes a decision to humble his or her self and discovers that he or she needs to reorient and reroute his life to Jesus and His body of believers. It is there that he finds the right clothes or life. Jesus gives His power, provision, and protection to those who come to Him.
How do we do we come to Jesus practically? What does that look like?
1. Understand what Jesus offers. (The Gospel is the Good News of new clothes- a new and true life.) 2. Repent and believe. (Take off your old clothes and put on the clothes God has given you - from going everywhere else and never coming to Him.) 3. Pray. (Find prayer partners and people you can share anything with. Be transparent and also take time to listen to God.) 4. Prioritize. (Devote yourself to the following: Prayer & Bible reading and meditation; Spending time with other believers listening to what God speaks through them; With those that don't know Christ, live a life of integrity and compassion, always slowing down and looking to help others.)
If you are going to overcome the moral, social, and spiritual resistance that will try to burn up your life, you must reorient or reroute your entire life towards Jesus and His body of believers.
Second City Church- Guest Speakers Missions & More Series: Reggie Roberson, October 6, 2013