Guest Speaker - Cole Parleir

Advent

Preparing for God's Promise of Christ

What is Advent?

Growing up in a plethora of Protestant and Charismatic churches in NC, I had no idea what ‘advent’ was.  It was either because we didn’t talk about it or I was just caught up in the kids Christmas play and didn’t realize what was happening.  Learning of different denominations of Christianity and the traditional Christian calendar, I now know what Advent is. My life has more structure now in general, praise the Lord!

In case you are like me and don't know what the Advent season is and the word advent, it comes from the Latin word ‘advenire’ which is two words, ‘ad’ meaning ‘to’ and ‘venire’ meaning ‘come.’  Together we get the word advent meaning: something to come.  Think “arrival,’ no not the aliens and their language.

Dictionary.com says it’s a noun meaning
A coming into place, view, or being; arrival.
the coming of Christ into the world.

The period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, so welcome to the advent season -  since it started last Sunday!

Synonyms
Onset, beginning, commencement, start.

What is the “Christ” or the “Messiah”?

Messiah
Hebrew for ‘anointed one’

Christ
Greek translation of messiah meaning, ‘anointed one’

The anointed one
anoint means to “smear or rub with oil”
Synonymous
Consecrate, bless, ordain, hallow

Anointed to do what?
To be the victor over Satan and sin prophesied since the fall

“And I will put enmity between you (Satan) and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.””-Genesis‬ 3:15‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”-Romans‬ 16:20‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The blessing to all peoples through Abraham, the father of faith:
““I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.””
--Genesis‬ 12:2-3‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

““Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.””---Acts‬ 3:24-26‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Passover Lamb of God

“Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down.”--Exodus‬ 12:21-23‬ NIV‬    ‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is Godʼs Chosen One.”--John‬ 1:29-34‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Prophet like Moses

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him. For this is what you asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, “Let us not hear the voice of the Lord our God nor see this great fire anymore, or we will die.” The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.”---Deuteronomy‬ 18:15-19‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”--John‬ 6:14‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Suffering Savior for the sins of the world

“See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. Just as there were many who were appalled at him — his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness— so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand. “Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the Lord ʼs will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”--Isaiah‬ 52:13-53:12‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”--1 Peter‬ 2:21-25‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”--Isaiah‬ 9:1-7‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Immanuel – God with Us

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”--Isaiah‬ 7:14‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

“She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”--Matthew‬ 1:21-25‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

‬‬The Son of God and The Son of Man

“Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”--John‬ 1:49-51‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Light of the world

“The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husbandʼs will, but born of God.”--John‬ 1:9-13‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Word

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ ”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.”--John‬ 1:14-18‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬

Who is the Christ?

Jesus is the Christ, the anointed one.

“And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him (Jesus). 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."--Luke‬ 4:17-19‬ ESV‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Peter, by revelation from the Father:
“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”--Matthew‬ 16:13-19‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬
 

One Solitary Life by Dr. James Allen Francis (Son of Man)

“Let us turn now to the story. A child is born in an obscure village. He is brought up in another obscure village. He works in a carpenter shop until he is thirty, and then for three brief years is an itinerant preacher, proclaiming a message and living a life. He never writes a book. He never holds an office. He never raises an army. He never has a family of his own. He never owns a home. He never goes to college. He never travels two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He gathers a little group of friends about him and teaches them his way of life. While still a young man, the tide of popular feeling turns against him. One denies him; another betrays him. He is turned over to his enemies. He goes through the mockery of a trial; he is nailed to a cross between two thieves, and when dead is laid in a borrowed grave by the kindness of a friend.

Those are the facts of his human life. He rises from the dead. Today we look back across nineteen hundred years and ask, What kind of trail has he left across the centuries? When we try to sum up his influence, all the armies that ever marched, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned are absolutely picayune in their influence on mankind compared with that of this one solitary life…”

This one solitary life is the only life. He is the beginning and the end, the way the truth and the life, the only way to God the Father, the savior of the world, the Lord of heaven and earth, the healer, the redeemer, the vine, the king of all, the Christ, the Messiah, the teacher, the giver of the Holy Spirit….and the soon to return king, savior, and judge.  

Response

If today you have realized for the first time the grand story of God's plan to save the earth, to save you by washing your sins away because of Jesus Christ, the lamb of God, the Lord forevermore, respond today.

Jesus says,

““All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. “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.”” - Matthew‬ 11:27-30‬ NIV‬‬‬‬‬‬

The Father has chosen to reveal Himself to you today. Will you accept God's invitation to come to Him through faith in Jesus Christ, repenting of your sins and trusting in Jesus to give you eternal life and bring you into a relationship the Father?

Guest Speaker - Reggie Roberson

Prevailing Through Prayer

It would be crazy of me not to mention and congratulate the city for a winning an amazing World Series. In winning the World Series Cleveland was prevented from capturing two of the major sports titles. It was nerve wracking and yet at the same time a wonderful thing to prevail and win.

That's what I want to talk about this morning -prevailing. The specific title of this message is going to be prevailing through prayer.

Prevail

1. Having superior power or influence.

2. Effectual

So the focus this morning is on prayer that brings in the superior power and influence of God that produces a dynamic effect.

As I was praying for you, Second City Church, I felt by the Spirit of God to encourage you that God is going to move in some blatant and subtle supernatural ways in your life and the lives of those you know and in those who you have never met. The way we like to say that in church terms is that there's going to be a harvest. God is on the move yet He is inviting us to move with Him. You may find yourself in a place where there is a personal challenge that seems impossible or you may look around and become overwhelmed by the culture in Chicago and lack of receptivity and responsiveness to the hope of the gospel. With God all things are possible and we are able to prevail over personal challenges and culture. One of the keys to this supernatural move is in fact prevailing in prayer.

(NCCU story)

Let's take an exclusive peak into a prayer that prevailed in Acts 4 to discover these dynamics of prevailing prayer.

Luke begins the book of Acts with a story about the resurrected Jesus telling His disciples to wait in the city until they receive a special endowment of power. They do what they know to do which is pray. One day while they are praying during the celebration called Pentecost, the Holy Spirit comes in power and fills each of the 120 gathered. Because it was a celebration, many nations were gathered there and Peter shared the gospel and 3000 people got baptized. Sometime shortly after this, Peter and John are going up to the Temple at the hour of prayer and they see a man at the gate called Beautiful who is lame. They reach out there hands to him to help him get up in Jesus' name and he gets miraculously healed. Many people witness this healing and know this man because he was lame for 40 years. They marvel at Peter and John and the miracle they performed. He shares the gospel with them and many believed and became followers of Christ -approximately 2000 more men bring the number to 5000 in men alone and plus 120. The rulers in Jerusalem came and heard them telling people about Jesus and were angry because they thought they already dealt with him. They arrested them and asked them by what power did you heal this man. Peter shares the gospel again. The rulers confer with each other and have nothing to say and decide to release them but warn them to not speak in the name of Jesus any more or something worse will happen. The Christ followers tell them that they can't stop speaking about what they’ve seen and heard. This is where our story picks up:

Acts‬ ‭4:23-33‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, "'Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed'— for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness. Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”‭‭

Main point: There are four dynamics of prevailing prayer that this passage reveals:   

Together

Persistent

Biblical

Faith

Together v. 23, 24

Our text says that Peter and John went to their Christ-following friends. They lifted up their voices together.  Why did they pray together? A fuller display of Christ comes when we pray together and dynamic power in agreement. It is true that God lives in the individual person who receives Christ in his or her life. However, much of the Bible is written to groups of people who Paul says Christ lives in you plural.

Colossians 1:27 Christ in you all is the hope of glory.  
Colossians 2:9 in you all is the fullness of the Godhead

In other words, a fuller expression of Christ’s wisdom and power is displayed when we pray with other followers of Christ.  There is dynamic power released when believers agree in prayer. We are better together!  

Engagement Testimony Prayers

Do you have friends who you tell what you're facing and pray with them?

Action point: Get with family members, husbands and wives, co-workers, friends. We are better together.  

(Story of two women who were going to pray at work).

If you are going to see prayers that prevail you will need to have people who are praying for you and with you.  

Persistent v. 24

They lifted their voices immediately. The didn’t sit around wondering what to do.  Prayer was a familiar thing for these followers of Christ.  Persistence is both passion and consistency. This particular passage in Acts 4 is not the first time disciples prayed.

Jesus taught them in the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:5-14 how…

Prayer is conversation in which you invite God to be involved in your world in a direct way- nothing more or nothing less (doesn’t require a special position- body or organizationally, some special clothes, nonverbal expressions, or vocal tones or language changing).  It’s you speaking like you would to someone you honor and who you knew loved you.  This prayer or conversation that Jesus taught them was not only about speaking but also and even more so about listening.

There all types of prayers or conversations you can have...adoration, confession, petition, intercession, thanksgiving and heavenly tongues-praying in the spirit.  

These Christ followers became aware of all of these types of prayers before our main passage in Acts 4.  There is actually a mention of these followers of Christ praying in each preceding chapter:

They prayed at all times and seasons:  

Exciting times

“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.”‭‭ Acts‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭ESV
‬‬Expectation from risen Christ about power!

Mundane times

“And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:42‬ ‭ESV‬

“Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭3:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Challenging times

Acts 4 (main text)  

Crisis should not be the only time we pray because it can be hard to receive God’s guidance. Anxiety and confusion may prevent us from hearing God’s answer for the crisis (airplane story). When you’ve created a familiar space where you’ve heard God before, then it’s easier to hear despite the crisis.  Yet if a crisis is where you start to pray, then continue during the mundane times, and the exciting times as well.

Do you have daily scheduled times of prayer?

Action point: We need to schedule regular moments of prayer throughout the day before you start work, when you arrive at work, before you eat a meal, before you go to bed.

When you pray with others and pray persistently, you set yourself up to experience prayers that prevail.

Biblical v.25-26

Something incredibly profound takes place in our main text.  These followers of Christ are having a conversation with God and in the middle of their prayer and they use a Bible passage in Psalm 2:1-2 as a reference point for their prayer.  

“Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and against his Anointed...” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:1-2‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Psalm 2:1-2 they believed talked about what Christ experienced and what they were experiencing from these rulers.  Why did they use a Bible passage in prayer? The Bible helps us to understand God’s plan and reveals His will.

They understood that praying in light of the Bible, in reference to the Bible, or using Bible Scriptures meant that they were praying in agreement with God's will and plan.  Praying in agreement with God’s will and plan makes for a prayer that will prevail.  God is not going to release His power and wisdom into something that is not His will. Prayer is really about praying God’s will back to Him.

This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 1 John 5:14

Deuteronomy 6 story

That Psalm 2:1-2 Bible passage came out of them because they put it inside of their hearts before the challenge and crisis came.  What Bible passage or verse have you put in your heart? Do you read the Bible daily? Do you learn about, and memorize scripture?

We should put Bible Scriptures in us and pray them.

When you pray the Bible you can pray boldly because you know that God hears you and will agree with what you are praying because you pray His will. Biblical prayers are likely to be prevailing prayers.     

Faith

The choice to pray in Faith: Faith is placing your confidence and trust in God. The depth or strength of your faith is directly related to your view of God.

(Paul)- My God will supply all your needs Phil. 4:13
-according to my gospel my God will judge the living and the dead 2 Tim. 4:1
 All things were for him and by him Col. 1:16

Let’s look at how their view of God is expressed through this Acts 4 prayer that prevails:

“And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said….‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is personal

He's not an it or an energy, influence, or a force.  He is a person that communicates and connects with us.

Prayer strengthens our relationship and connection with God.  Prayer provided space to experience God in a real way although He is invisible.    

“And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord... ‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is sovereign

Their perspective of God was that He is on the throne and has superior power and influence over even the nations or leaders.

He has the authority and right to determine affairs, events, and how their prayer got answered.

We have to let God answer our prayers the way He wants to.  We often get in trouble when we create a picture in our mind of how God should do something.  Most of the time life never ends up the exact way you pictured it.  This is the mercy of God -He withholds from you some things that would not have been good for you at the time you asked for them. The mystery of prayer is that God allows us to partner with Him to see His will take place in our life and in the lives of others, yet He does it they way He wants to do it.  

(Debt reduction story)

“And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them,”‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

God is great

They acknowledge God’s infinite power as the creator.  Surely if He makes the heavens and the earth then He can make our situations right and/or make us right in the situations.

Acknowledging God’s greatness lifts us out of impossibilities to possibilities and out of weakness to strength- out of heaviness into joy -out of fear into faith.  

(Getting into NCCU with Reverend Page)

Our prayer should not magnify our problems but should magnify God! God deserves the glory because He is great!

And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus." 4:29-30

God is helper

They understood they needed help and that they could access God's wisdom, power, and goodness as they were faced with challenging situations.  As a result, they were a humble people. Humility is a critical part of faith because humility in a person recognizes a need for God and attracts His grace or power.   

“But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."”‭‭James‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

One reason why people don’t prevail in prayer is because they think they got it.  That is, they don’t need God to help them.  You're trusting in your own strength and ability to fulfill your God given purpose.  This is a great misunderstanding of God’s plan for your life and His plan for those you serve (in your different vocations). God’s plan for your life is always going to transcend your natural abilities and talents.  What God wants to do in your careers, work, relationships, and your heart is too great for just your own abilities. The Gospel says that no matter how much we try we can never fulfill God’s plan for our life on our own.  We need His strength and power.  You don’t just need natural, you need you supernatural. When we turn away from trusting in ourselves and our own ability and put our trust in God, He sends the Helper or Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. God is a helper.  In whatever challenge you are facing you must believe that God is a helper.  

(There was a woman...Story with my mother and noonday prayer and my testimony...)

Conclusion: Don't be discouraged by not seeing immediate results and delays - a harvest is coming. Let's partner with God.

Let's prevail in prayer as we pray…

Together

Persistently

Biblically

Faith

Second City Church: Guest Speaker Reggie Roberson 2016

Guest Speaker Peter Ahlin on Isaiah 60

[powerpress]

Peter Ahlin Speaking on Isaiah 60- September 1, 2013

Greeting

Brief background on prophecy:

Prophesy in conjunction with love, to encourage:  (1 Corinthians 14:1,3) -->  Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.  The one who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.

Prophecy should be neither blindly accepted nor rashly despised:  (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22) -->  Do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.

Words from God will encourage you to follow God and His revealed will: (Deuteronomy 13:1-3) --> If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Brief background on Isaiah:

He lived in a city and region characterized by intensified moral darkness and corruption.  Isaiah said that he was a man of unclean lips living among a people of unclean lips.  He lived during the reign of several Judean kings, including Ahaz, a king who bowed to foreign idols and even had his own son sacrificed in fire.  According to church tradition, Isaiah is said to have been killed during the reign of King Manasseh, who also sacrificed his own son, practiced sorcery, and led the people to do more evil even than the pagan nations that had lived in Judea before them.

He lived in a time of deep national division.  God's people started out as one family and one nation.  Because of the sin of King Solomon, ten tribes out of twelve were torn away from his family and given to someone else to rule.  The strength that should have come from the diverse skills, abilities, and propensities of these twelve tribes was greatly attenuated into the separate nations of Israel and Judah.  In fact, during Isaiah's life the king of Assyria captured the land of Israel and deported its people.

He lived in a land constantly threatened by violence.  The powerful Assyrian kingdom was active throughout Isaiah's life, and, at various points, three of their kings attacked Israel, extracted gold and silver tribute from Judah's temple and treasury, and came up to threaten Jerusalem with 185,000 soldiers.

He had every reason to feel insignificant and powerless to bring about any real change.  He was just one man, dwelling among a people of unclean lips!  He felt the magnitude of the task before him, and he clearly saw the extent of the depravity in the culture around him.  Yet, by the Spirit of God, Isaiah received a prophetic vision of how things would be not just slightly improved around the margins, but entirely and miraculously transformed.

As you think about the cultural ethos in America, Illinois, and particularly in Chicago, does this picture ring true?  Moral darkness, corruption, ethnic division, violence, and the temptation to feel utterly insignificant and powerless to change anything?  Everyone doing as he or she sees fits.  Political corruption.  A heightened sense of ethnic division and misunderstanding.  Incredibly high rates of homicide and other violent crimes.  Less than 100 people in a city of 2.7 million.  It's tempting to wonder if anything can be done to turn the tide.

This July, the Holy Spirit showed me in Isaiah Chapter 60 four specific things that will happen in the life of Second City Church.  And so, with Pastor Rollan's agreement and oversight, I wish to share those four things with you.

(1) In a dark and adverse hour, your church will shine as a bright light and beacon of the radiant presence of Jesus Christ, attracting the sons and daughters of God.  (Isaiah 60:1-4)

Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.  For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.  The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising.  Lift up your eyes all around, and see: They all gather together, they come to you; Your sons shall come from afar, And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.

LIGHT IN ADVERSITY

This is an age of financial hardship for so many.  Does anyone know the city that in 1960 had the highest GDP per capita in the country?  Detroit!  And now more than 50,000 dogs roam the streets in packs as the population rapidly dwindles.  Financial difficulty is present here as well; for instance, Illinois is the last state in the country for the funding of its long-term pension liabilities; for every dollar that must be paid out in the future to fulfill these obligations, it only has 45 cents.

This is also an age of increasing disintegration of public morality.  Conduct that was thought unthinkable for centuries is now being mandated by judicial fiat.  When public figures get caught acting inappropriately, they no longer even show any sincere remorse:  I’m sorry if anyone was offended.  I’m going to take responsibility for my actions, which means finding out how long I have to hide out before running for office again.  I spent the last two years insulting anyone who questioned my integrity until the moment I was caught – now I have been caught and I really mean this apology!  It seems the only unpardonable crime is believing in absolute standards for right and wrong that emanate from an eternal Creator.

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you that the surrounding financial and moral darkness is just a passing moment; indeed, the darkness is deep.  But the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you.  Through the pages of the Bible, we see this again and again: Matthew Henry comments on Isaiah 60 that it evokes the ninth plague in Exodus, when terrible darkness fell upon the land of Egypt, darkness that could be felt, yet the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.  Paul wrote to the Philippians that they were living in a crooked and perverse generation, but that they could shine blameless and pure, like bright stars against a dark sky.  And so, with this promise to the church comes a commission for every member in it – to shine as a bright light in dark adversity, not to engage in moral compromise in your marriage, in your job, in your academic pursuits.  Jesus said, While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.  Now that He has ascended to heaven, He has called each of us to be the light of the world.  And this church will not be hidden under a bowl. It will eventually be put upon a stand to bring light to the entire city.  Jesus is the Lamb who lights the heavenly city so that it needs no sun or moon, and, if you’ll allow Him, He’ll shine brightly through you into desperate darkness; and those in the dark will be drawn to the light.

(2) A beautiful diversity of many nations will be joined together in your church family, and those who come will be able to build and minister with great efficacy.  (Isaiah 60:5-10a)

Then you shall see and become radiant, And your heart shall swell with joy;  Because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you, The wealth of the Gentiles shall come to you.  The multitude of camels shall cover your land, The dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;  All those from Sheba shall come; They shall bring gold and incense, And they shall proclaim the praises of the Lord.  All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together to you, The rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you; They shall ascend with acceptance on My altar, And I will glorify the house of My glory.  Who are these who fly like a cloud, And like doves to their roosts?  Surely the coastlands shall wait for Me; And the ships of Tarshish will come first, To bring your sons from afar, Their silver and their gold with them, To the name of the Lord your God, And to the Holy One of Israel, Because He has glorified you.  The sons of foreigners shall build up your walls, And their kings shall minister to you.

LOVE IN DIVERSITY

This is an hour of heightened tensions between ethnic groups.  Many civil rights advancements have occurred in the last fifty years, but we are still far from a society where people are judged, in Dr. Martin Luther King’s words, not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.  It seems that when people go on record, they often do one of two things –they pretend that no distinctions exist whatsoever among nations and ethnicities, or they talk as though the differences were utterly irreconcilable.  The world’s answer to offenses against other groups is not repentance and reconciliation; it’s sensitivity training.  In other words, it’s ok to continue having those hateful feelings and thoughts towards others as long as you are sensitive enough not to say them out loud or while being recorded!  The kingdom of God has a far different model.  It is not the model of ignoring distinctions, nor is it the model of despairing of ever been reconciled. Instead, it is the model of loving cross-cultural community, where God-given distinctions are preserved and celebrated in love.

How many of you have seen the movie 42?  While the movie tells a great story as Hollywood is at its inspiring best, it sells far short the Christian faith that Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey shared. When they first met, Rickey shared with Robinson a devotional passage from Papini’s “Life of Christ” on the Sermon on the Mount, specifically, the portion on “turning the other cheek.” Robinson’s strong moral character was the reason the Bible-quoting Rickey chose him, and Robinson’s amazing commitment to non-violence in the face of numerous hateful provocations was pivotal in the integration of baseball and much of society in the years that followed.  The real story of 42 was two Christian men, purposing to bring transformation to their sphere of influence.

You see, the Bible does not teach that nations and cultures are homogeneous, nor that their differences are irreconcilable ones.  The biblical picture Isaiah shares is that even in the perfected future, national and ethnic distinctions persist.  Tim Keller points out here that every culture brings something different, something for which it is known, and that each culture has strengths and contributions to the flourishing of mankind that cannot be replaced.  Further, these cultural distinctions will persist for all of eternity.  John looked into heaven and saw a countless multitude of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.  And so, with this promise to the church comes a commission for every member in it -  to demonstrate love in diversity, to model a community of believers from every nation about whom it may be said, "See how they love each other!"  Jesus went through Samaria when his Jewish contemporaries who hated Samaritans walked miles out of the way to avoid it.  Now that He has ascended to heaven, He has called each of us to show His love in diversity.  Jesus is the one who reconciled divided foes both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity between them, and, if you’ll allow Him, He’ll fill you with His love as your church fills up with a beautiful diversity of cultures, languages, and nations.

(3) In a state known for corruption, you will bear a standard of justice.  In a city known for devastation and violence, you will exhibit incredible peace and wholeness.  Violence will stop at your doors and not come within your borders, for you will have the impregnable walls of Salvation and gates of Praise.  (Isaiah 60:17b-18)

I will also make your officers peace, And your magistrates righteousness.  Violence shall no longer be heard in your land, Neither wasting nor destruction within your borders; But you shall call your walls Salvation, And your gates Praise.

LIFE IN TRANQUILITY

This is a region known for corruption and violence.  4 of the last 7 Illinois governors have been convicted and imprisoned for things like racketeering, bribery, and fraud.  The city of Chicago saw 500 homicides in 2012; the rate was calculated in that year to be double that of New York and Los Angeles, with more youth homicides than any other city.  Many political officials use their power to promote themselves or enrich themselves, while many people use implements that should be employed for others’ protection for others’ destruction instead.

By contrast, the agents of the kingdom of God bring peace and righteousness where they go.  Think of the heroic decades-long labor of the Christian Parliamentarian William Wilberforce, to bring an end to the horrific British slave trade.  He was not a man who used his political office to obtain power and wealth for himself; he used his office to advance peace and promote righteousness.  He was also a man who would not give up easily; Wilberforce persisted year in and year out until the Slave Trade was abolished, and then slavery abolished.  The end result?  Righteousness was established and violence prevented.

Scripture teaches us that when our minds are stayed on God, He will keep us in perfect peace.  When every natural circumstance rages against tranquility, God’s peace which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, as you pray to God with thanksgiving.  As violence may rage all around, you will have peace that this city is desperately craving.  You will also have righteousness.  If you read I Peter 5, where Peter writes to elders, he urges them to act as shepherds, to do with willing hearts and not to act with any dishonest motives or lording authority over others. As you all have gotten to know Pastors Rollan and B, I am sure you have seen hearts of shepherds, without guile, pretense, dishonesty, or desire to promote themselves.  Thank God for this!  But with this promise to the church comes a commission, not just for the pastors, but for every member in it – to embody life in tranquility.  Jesus slept when the most powerful storm career fisherman had ever seen raged around Him.  He also lived so perfectly righteous an existence that He could look around at those who hated Him, ask them if they had any accusation of sin against Him, and then sit back and listen to the silence.  Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven, He has called each of us to embody his life in tranquility.  Jesus is the one who said: “Peace I leave with you.  My peace I give to you, not as the world gives" (with strings attached or for something in return or with a great big catch), but true peace.  Jesus also allows us to be set free from sin and become slaves to righteousness, if we have been united with Him in his death.  And if you’ll allow Him, Jesus will fill you with his peace and his righteousness.

(4) From your church, the seeming least beginnings (both in individual people and in ministries) will grow to serve thousands of people and become like a mighty nation, at God’s right time.  (Isaiah 60:21-22)

Also your people shall all be righteous; They shall inherit the land forever, The branch of My planting, The work of My hands, That I may be glorified.  A little one shall become a thousand, And a small one a strong nation. I, the Lord, will hasten it in its time.

LEADERSHIP FROM OBSCURITY

This city is the architectural wonder of America!  As I look up at these massive skyscrapers, including the tallest building in America, I am reminded that tall buildings are frequently, like the tower of Babel, just another sign of people's saying "let us make a name for ourselves.” (All the more ironic now that the tallest building has actually changed names from the Sears to the Willis Tower.  Human efforts to make names for ourselves will eventually fade.)

This church, however, is not motivated by making a name for itself, but by seeing the name of Jesus Christ exalted in every corner of this great city, and from here to the entire world.  Earlier today, I alluded to the fact that this church is less than 100 people in a city of 2.7 million.  But you need to know that Zechariah 4:10 is true ofSecond City Church: “Do not despise these small beginnings.”  The Lord rejoices to see His work begin.  The principle of the mustard seed is that the smallest seed grows to become a large tree that provides shelter to all kinds of life!  God definitely takes pleasure in starting small!  Remember what Moses said to the people of Israel in Deuteronomy 10:22: “Your fathers went down to Egypt with seventy persons, and now the Lord your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude.”  Remember that in one day, the early church grew from 120 people to more than 3,000 people!

But there’s a second principle I want to share with you: the Picasso principle.  The story goes that Picasso was out sketching when a woman stopped and asked him to sketch her.  He agreed, and in less than five minutes the sketch was completed and signed.  “How much do I owe you?” the woman asked.  “Five thousand francs,” the legendary artist replied.  “But that’s ridiculous!” the shocked woman cried. “It only took you a few moments.” “Au contraire, Madame,” answered Picasso, “it has taken my entire life.” Although a sudden change will come, when this church’s influence will grow exponentially, it will be years of preparation in the making.  The church didn’t just grow from 120 – 3000 by mistake; the 120 were meeting together constantly to pray in the days that preceded the day of Pentecost, after 3 years of following Jesus every day.

Isaiah uses the image that God’s people are like the branch of His planting.  And Scripture teaches what kind of plant flourishes:  Those who are planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of my God.  And so, with this promise to the church, comes a commission for every member in it: to grow into leadership out of obscurity into destiny, to be planted in this house and grow up like an oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor (not our splendor but His).  An oak grows up from an acorn, from obscurity to a mighty destiny.  Jesus started from humble beginnings in a poor carpenter’s shop, submitting faithfully to His parents and making tables and chairs, in a town from which people asked if anything good could come!  Then He launched the greatest movement of people the world has ever seen and will ever see.  The time spent in carpentry wasn’t 30 wasted years; it was an integral part of His preparation for world-altering ministry.  And now that He has ascended to heaven, He has called each of us to be planted in His house, to grow and flourish here, and be launched into our destiny.  At just the right time, God sent His Son.  At just the right time, He will launch you.  Jesus is the rock upon which the church is built, and if you’ll allow Him, He’ll show you how to make and lead disciples, first on a small scale, and then on an incredibly large scale, here and around the world.

Conclusion

Isaiah was a man just like us.  He lived in a spiritually dark time, in a deeply divided nation, in a land constantly threatened by violence, and he had every reason to feel insignificant.  But he chose to take God at His word, and when he heard the voice of the triune God asking: “Whom shall I send?  And who will go for Us?” He said, “Here am I!  Send me!”

The Holy Spirit has spoken. Second City Church is going to be a great light in darkness, a beautiful tapestry of cross-cultural loving community, a powerful example of peace and righteousness, and an influential evangelizer with explosive city-wide and world-wide impact.  But what about you?  If you would say, “Yes!  I’m in.  I want to be planted in the house of the Lord.  I want to be a light in darkness.  I want to be fully committed to a loving cross-cultural community.  I want to be an agent of peace and righteousness.  And I want to be part of Jesus Christ’s mission, here in this local body, to reach this city and this world.”  Stand to your feet and let’s pray.

Second City Church- Guest Speaker 2013