Don't Sweat the Technique

The Voice of Worship: Don't Sweat the Technique

[powerpress] Last week we spoke about the priority of moving from a place of simply knowing about Jesus to engaging God on a consistent basis.  This week we will speak about the dynamics through which we glorify Jesus in the midst of life's battles and victories, developing a practice of worship with which God said He is pleased.

The Battle Rounds (II Chron. 20:1-30)

Life as we know it is a fight of faith.  It can be a battle to maintain your peace and your joy - to walk in right relationship with Jesus and others.  It is also a battle to be able to excel in the workplace, in school, or in your pursuits while maintaining God's kingdom priorities.  God has given us weapons with which we can win these battles, and the one with which we need to begin is worship.  Worship magnifies God in life's battles - over your circumstances, struggles, and fears.  It invites God to intervene in your situation.

Why do we begin each celebration service with music and song?

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. (Psalm 100:1-5 NIV)

The manner in which we approach God is important as it honors Him for who He is as much as what He's done.  It postures our hearts in humility, thankfulness, and faith when we remember not only his grandeur, but also His great love for us expressed in Jesus.

It is natural that we give God thank offerings when He has done something for us.  However, it can be difficult at times with the weight of life to come to Jesus with that type of attitude.  God knows this and has instructed us how to deal with moments like these.

This is a segment from a psalm of Asaph.  He and Heman were appointed by King David from the Levitical (priestly) tribe to be musicians who led the people in worship at the temple of the Lord (I Chronicles 6:31-53).

“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” But to the wicked person, God says: “What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son. When you did these things and I kept silent, you thought I was exactly like you. But I now arraign you and set my accusations before you. “Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with no one to rescue you: Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” (Psalm 50:14-23 NIV)

The victory begins in silent meditation as we reflect and stand on the truth of God's word.

“Many Spirit-filled authors have exhausted the thesaurus in order to describe God with the glory He deserves. His perfect holiness, by definition, assures us that our words can't contain Him. Isn't it a comfort to worship a God we cannot exaggerate?” ― Francis Chan, Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God

Silent Meditation is put into effect as we give God a sacrifice of praise for: 1) the unchanging nature of who He is, and 2) as an act of faith, because we know that His trustworthiness in the past gives us every indication of His character in the future.  Jesus is not formulaic.  It may not be the same way that He brings about the necessary (not always desired) provision or miracle each time, but He will do it.  We have no right to think otherwise.

Religion is passive regarding the affairs of life; relationship is aggressive pursuing the promises of God (I Thess. 5:18) Religion can be cold and isolating; relationship is both personal and communal.

Praise the Lord. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people. Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp. For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds. May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them— this is the glory of all his faithful people. Praise the Lord. (Psalm 149:1-9 NIV)

When you praise God individually, you are making moves to deepen your intimacy with Jesus.  When you worship corporately, you are obeying God's instructions and receiving the benefit of being encouraged by - literally feeding off the strength of - other people's faith.

Through the writers of Scripture, the Holy Spirit has also given instruction revealing the importance of how you worship.  We call these the live rounds.

The Live Rounds (Technique, How)

Worship is not just a frame of mind or a condition of the heart.  It is also something that is to be expressed.  The manner in which you worship can be both attractive to God and freeing to your soul.

Religion is merely academic; relationship is employing that knowledge. Worship involves an all-encompassing adoration of Jesus. There are several postures of worship which the Bible describes which are important in your relating to God.

How low can you go? Standing (Solomon dedicating the temple in I Kings 8:22)

Sitting (David in II Samuel 7:18)

Kneeling - stilling our souls and orienting ourselves in submission to Jesus For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. (Ephesians 3:14, 15 NIV)

Bowing (Matthew 2:11) - humbling ourselves in reverence and honor before Jesus

Laying Prostrate (Deuteronomy 9:25; I Kings 18:36-39; Matthew 5:3) - acknowledging the glory of God and our complete dependency on Him.  It is saying, "We are undone and desperate before you."

"At the very least, they can be persuaded to that the bodily position makes no difference to their prayers; for they constantly forget, what you must always remember, that they are animals and that whatever their bodies do affects their souls." -CS Lewis, The Screwtape Letters - Letter 4

Though the worldview constructed by Darwinian evolution absent of the acknowledgment of God would suggest that we are merely animals and beasts of instinct, the Bible reveals that we are so much more.  Out of all of God's creation, humanity is the unique image-bearer of God, full of intellect, reasoning ability, an eternal soul, and, through the Holy Spirit, self-control.  God has also designed us to have our hearts and minds intimately connected with the movements and expressions that proceed from our bodies.  Worship brings this into clear view, being an outward expression of the inward condition of the heart.  It is the visible demonstration of the Holy Spirit's secret work within the soul of a man, woman, or child.

Just as surely as postures position our hearts properly before God, actions communicate the same reverence, rejoicing and delight, with liberating effects for the worshiper.  People often make judgments about how someone else is worshiping before the Lord.  You need not do this.  We need to play to an audience of one.  It is about the heart. But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7 NIV)

Psalm 95 has traditionally been called the veniti (which in Latin means "O Come!" because of the Psalm's opening call to worship) and explains outward expressions that coincide with biblical worship.  Throughout the history of the Christian Church, it has been utilized as a standard to tell us what worship is:

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice, “Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah, as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested me; they tried me, though they had seen what I did. For forty years I was angry with that generation; I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray, and they have not known my ways.’ So I declared on oath in my anger, ‘They shall never enter my rest.’ ” (Psalm 95:1-11 NIV)

Singing - practical adoration

Shouting - can be cathartic and magnifying

Playing Instruments - for the delight of God's heart

"I wish to see all arts, principally music, in the service of Him who gave and created them.  Music is a fair and glorious gift of God.  I would not for the world forego my humble share of music.  Singers are never sorrowful, but are merry, and smile through their troubles in song.  Music makes people kinder, gentler, more staid and reasonable.  I am strongly persuaded that after theology there is no art than can be placed on a level with music; for besides theology, music is the only gift capable of affording peace and joy of the heart…the devil flees before the sound of music almost as much as before the Word of God." -Martin Luther

Several people express concern over people falling into emotionalism in worship experiences.  A question would be, "Does not the God who made your emotions not want you to emote to Him?"  Another concern that people have is the idea of worship turning into a performance.  People seem to have no trouble at a sporting event, concert, or other party where they are expressing their joy or sorrow over the subject or object of focus.  This is to be our celebration service, where we are rejoicing in who Jesus is and all that He has done for us.  Your adoration should begin privately and continue with friends, as in a wedding or other celebration.  We will continue this discussion in a couple of weeks.

Clapping - gives a means of celebration You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. (Isaiah 55:12 NIV)

God has designed things in such a way as to receive glory from all of His creation.  Sin is simply the momentary marring and muffling of that exaltation.  All of creation is meant to give God praise.  If the trees, etc., are clapping and bursting forth in song, how much more should we be!

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness. (Psalm 96:11-13 NIV)

This is why nature so enraptured romantics like Thoreau, Emerson, John Keats, and Walt Whitman.  Though described as an agnostic pragmatist committed to metaphysical naturalism, even Harvard educated professor George Santayana, known for his quote, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," also said:

“The earth has music for those who listen.” ― George Santayana

All of creation is meant to give honor to God, and it is why Jesus said: When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:37-40 NIV)

It is also why contemporary songwriters have penned songs with lyrics such as "Ain't gonna let no rock out praise me!" These are things that God encourages privately, but also when we are together.

Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. (Psalm 150:1-6 NIV)

Dancing - liberates your soul

Leaping - allows you to emote with joy to God (II Samuel 6:16 discussed last week)

You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Those who want to kill me will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth. They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals. But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God will glory in him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced. (Psalm 63:1-11 NIV)

Prophesying - coming into a place of faith and agreement with God's Word.  It is here that we are often empowered and commissioned for the work of God (I Samuel 10:1-9; Acts 13:1-3).

Lifting Hands - a sign of surrender and an appeal for aid (like a child crying out for its parent - Exodus 178-16; I Timothy 2:8)

The fruit of true biblical worship is an increasing submission to the Lordship, the leadership, of Jesus in your life.

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:41-46 NIV)

The writer of Hebrews goes on to say: Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. (Hebrews 13:15 NIV)

All true biblical worship must begin and end with the worship of the Father through the person and work of His Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.  This is what it means to worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.” (John 4:21-26 NIV)

It is only true worship when through it, your mind, body, heart, and soul are being transformed to lift Jesus to the foremost pursuit of your life.   Worship is only fully realized in a community where the many varied attributes of God are manifest and shared through a corporate, ideally multicultural experience.   The cross of Jesus makes a way for us to leave our sin, preferences, and presuppositions behind, allowing the rightful King to be exalted on His throne.  Let's enter into fully devoted worship to see Jesus glorified and our lives and those in this city transformed.

Second City Church- The Voice of Worship Sermon Series 2014

The Heart of Worship

The Voice of Worship: The Heart of Worship

[powerpress] It is one thing to talk about Jesus.  It is another thing to relate to and interact with the living God.  It is important in our walks with God that we make the transition from knowing about Jesus to actually relating with Jesus.  We will learn how to do the latter as we look at the priority of approaching Jesus in worship and study biblical coaches who exemplified pleasing worship to God.

Turning the Chair

We were made for relationship with God.  All of the pursuits of life that have become idols are an effort to fill that ontological void.

God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:9 NIV)

Jesus unapologetically says, before you do anything else, make it a priority to relate to Him that He might contextualize and be a barometer for the rest of your life's affairs.

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NIV)

If you have to choose between first working for God or sitting at His feet, always choose sitting at His feet.  Jesus will fight to protect His time with you.  It will propel any of the work that He has called you to do in school, in the workplace, with your family, amongst your friends, in the community or the church.  Choose time with Jesus over sleep, a movie, other entertainment, a hangout with friends, or work, knowing that when you've given Him your first and best, He will multiply your time, efforts, and quality of interaction in all of these other things.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV)

As opposed to the conditions on the competition The Voice, there is nothing that you need to do to turn God's chair.  You do not need to perform for Him.  You already have His attention.  He is the one waiting for you to come and meet with Him.  Because of what Jesus has done for you on the cross, you can approach God with confidence.

The good news is that when we think of worship, it is about real relationship with Jesus. Religion keeps you at a distance, but relationship draws you in. Empty religion is an obligation, but relationship becomes a delight.

This truth is ironically reflected in Steve Martin's comic piece, Atheists Don't Have No Songs: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QJS5UOyHyQE

Steve Martin's parody actually shows the deep resources from which the Christian pulls their thankfulness bursting over in song because of God's goodness.

“I can safely say, on the authority of all that is revealed in the Word of God, that any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.” ― A.W. Tozer

The Coaches

God has given us pictures in the Scripture of examples of worship that are pleasing to Him.  They act as our coaches in relationship to Jesus.

We shall never want to serve God in our real and secret hearts if He looms in our subconscious mind as an arbitrary Dictator or a Spoil-sport, or as one who takes advantage of His position to make us poor mortals feel guilty and afraid. We have not only to be impressed by the "size" and unlimited power of God, we have to be moved to genuine admiration, respect, and affection, if we are ever to worship Him. - J. B. Phillips, Your God Is Too Small

Religion can condemn; relationship can liberate (Romans 8). Religion makes everything about the rules; relationship makes everything about the love for God that has you obey His commands out of deep seated affection and gratitude. You want to please Him.

Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes. When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!” David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord ’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.” And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death. (2 Samuel 6:12-23 NIV)

The ark of the Lord represented the presence of God that the Israelites would carry with them on their journey to the promised land, in their battles, and rest finally at their place of worship.  It was the physical sign of God being with them, as He is with the Christian today.  When we engage God in worship, it is the difference between being in the same house as your parent, and sitting down with them face to face in quality interaction.  God wants and calls us to the latter type of relationship, and King David celebrated that reality with exuberant praise.

There can be obstacles as to why you don't come before God:

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals. When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord ’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. Then David was angry because the Lord ’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah. David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household. (2 Samuel 6:1-11 NIV)

Before that moment of exuberant praise, King David had an encounter where he mishandled and misunderstood the presence of God.  You may have experienced the same thing, but there is hope for a safe, fresh, and real encounter with God.

There are other reasons that people exclude relating to God as a part of their lives:

1) Because He is invisible, and we can feel like we are talking to the wall.  We feel like we are wasting our time, or that it won't produce much that we desire.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 NIV)

The good news is that as we approach God with trust and expectation, He promises to draw near to meet with us.

Moses, who spoke to God face to face as a man speaks with a friend, encouraged us: Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.” What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? (Deuteronomy 4:6-8 NIV)

James, Jesus' natural born little brother, exhorted in the same manner: But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:6-8 NIV)

2) Like the contestants on The Voice, we don't have the confidence.  We can feel unworthy, ill-equipped, dirty, or simply scared.  Many times our perception of God can be shaped by our relationship with our own father.  We can have misconceptions about who God is.

This is where we find the cross of Jesus Christ.  As a Christian, you begin there and end there.  Every day, you are living by the grace given you because of Jesus' sacrifice and blood spilled upon it.

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:14-17 NIV)

His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. (Ephesians 3:10-12 NIV)

The good news is that to the Christian and the one who has not yet begun to follow Jesus, God says come.  At the cross, Jesus took the punishment for the sins that separate you from God, and He rose from the dead to act as a bridge to your living relationship with the living God.  Now we only need to repent (turn away from our rebellion), believe the good news, and come.

Second City Church- The Voice of Worship Sermon Series 2014

Christ's Community Shaping Culture

Christ. Community. Culture. - "Christ's Community Shaping Culture"

[powerpress]

Transforming Truth: Jesus' church is meant to shape culture as it acts to reflect God's heavenly rule on earth.

We have been going through a three week series defining the vision of Second City Church. We began with the preeminence of Jesus, the Messiah, and last week spoke about how He cares for and develops His people within His community, the church. This week we will see how Jesus has shaped civilization, and how Jesus' community now has a mandate to shape culture (Matthew 5:13-15).

How Jesus Has Shaped Civilization

Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people. The abolition of religion as the illusory happiness of the people is the demand for their real happiness. To call on them to give up their illusions about their condition is to call on them to give up a condition that requires illusions. The criticism of religion is, therefore, in embryo, the criticism of that vale of tears of which religion is the halo”

- Karl Marx, from Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right

Jesus revealed God to be a righteous, fully engaged, benevolent King who is wholly participatory with His creation. We would wholeheartedly disagree with Marx's assessment of Christ-centered religion, because Jesus has said and history has recorded the veracity of the following:

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.” (Mark 4:30-32 NIV)

Those who have done some of the most to alleviate the suffering of the world and put systems and values that are awry into the right order have been those who have known and loved Jesus. It was because of His transforming work in their lives and His revealed design for creation that these followers of Jesus worked so tirelessly, at much cost to themselves, to serve societies with the love and truth of God, thereby actively shaping culture.

How Christianity Changed the World is an excellent tome chronicling this.

The book categorizes where Jesus used the Church to change culture and gives examples of those who put into practice His principles in each of these following areas:

1) The Sanctification of Human Life Infanticide, child abandonment, human sacrifices and suicide were diminished through Christian influence.

2) The Elevation of Sexual Morality

3) Women's Rights - Freedom and Dignity

4) The Origin of Much of Western Charity and Compassion was derived from Christian ethics and teachings.

5) The Development of Hospitals and Modern Health Care

6) Education for the Masses - (i.e. Martin Luther and the catechism schools)

7) The Dignity of Labor, Economic Freedom and the Judeo-Christian work ethic (i.e. Tom's founder motivated by Christian convictions)

God will give you ideas that will be both profitable to your bank account and the community and nations.

8) The Development of Scientific Inquiry was based on the idea of God being an orderly Creator with discoverable laws that govern the physical universe.

9) The Equanimity of Liberty and Justice - Democracy and Civil Liberties had their inspiration from the throne of God whose foundation is justice and righteousness (Psalm 89:14).

10) The Abolition of Slavery, as well as the Civil Rights movements, had their catalyst within the Church.

As opposed to Karl Marx's opinion, we remember that William Wilberforce, whose mentor was John Newton, a former slave trader and author of the hymn Amazing Grace, was one who fought tirelessly against the injustice of his time.

11) Christianity's influence on Art and Architecture

12) Music - (i.e. Bono and the RED campaign)

13) Literature and Western themes

14) Holidays, Words, Symbols and Expressions

We are not saying that these people are Jesus or even fully represent the convictions by which Jesus will ultimately judge. However, they are examples of undeniable manners in which Jesus, His gospel, life, and teachings are causing people to work for the betterment of society.

These cultural transformations are concepts and categories which people in Western cultures take for granted today. However, before we assume that these values were always our own, it would be good to remember their roots and history. This is where the gospel and the cross of Jesus Christ come in, because man has not proven to be inherently good, but bent towards evil when given the opportunity. There are at least two reasons for any of the good that has been done:

1) People are made in the image of God and have a remnant of His law in their hearts, despite suppressing the truth (Romans 1 and 2). 2) The prevailing influence of the gospel in society has transformed cultures.

Humanity's disconnection from God has led to the massive greed, tyranny, poverty, selfish living, destruction of the family, and death that mark our world. On the cross, Jesus paid for our rebellion against God and His ways. Jesus died as your substitute, was buried, and restored to life as a picture of the restoration that God wants to bring to the earth through our repentance. He became a curse to break the curse handed down to us (Galatians 3:10-14) and will one day bring the rejuvenation of all things (Isaiah 65).

Jesus wants to transform culture for the better by first transforming your heart and mind (Romans 12:1-3) by reconnecting you to God today.

Today's Cultural Mandate

Why we must reach our culture for Jesus:

The Muppets spoof commentary: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wXfLrt90CHM. This is what society is focused on today.

What drove men and women like Wilberforce was prevailing prayer.

Jesus said: “This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ (Matthew 6:9-13 NIV)

When Jesus spoke about prayer, it began with the worship of God who is above all and greater than all. As Creator, our Father in Heaven, he has the master plan for the world as we know it. The term "hallowed be your name" had the meaning of making His name and treating His name as holy. It was to understand God as the reference point for all things. Because of His holiness, you are to be holy (I Peter 1:15,16), striving for your life to be separate from ordinary or common usage, turned instead to devotion to divine service. It is having your life centered around God and lived for His glory. Worship begets Christ-centered ambition, motivating faithful action which results in transformed cultures.

What was Matthew's, a Jewish writer's, understanding of the kingdom of Heaven for which Jesus' followers were to pray?

They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.” I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. (Isaiah 61:4-11 NIV)

This speaks of the cultural mandate that we have as the church to serve the world for the flourishing of all people in all cities in all nations.

The question is: "What was God's intended design for each aspect of culture, industry, and influence?" The mission then becomes: "To bring God's kingdom on earth in each of these areas as it is in Heaven." This must be the governing thought for your work day and where the majority of your life is spent. We are able to do this as we remain faithful to God's Word and prayer. As we do so, we are able to walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. (Luke 2:52 NIV) We pray this continually for you.

Different than the lightweight character that defines our culture (Pastor Rollan referenced the Russian police choir singing Get Lucky at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics), by following Jesus as a part of His community, we hope to be bring the gravitas of such reproducible, concentrated involvement in the nations:

Orphanages and Recovery Centers for victims of human trafficking

James 1 model of widows caring for orphans

Marketplace ministry training center

Transform culture with things like urban farming

Entrepreneur Center linked to the gospel for church planting in this nation and for closed nation entry

Job Training and creation all with biblical principles

This can all begin now, like the mustard seed. We encourage college students to stay for the summer months and participate in the first freshman outreach, first Second City Church sports camp, the hosting of a youth mission trip to the city, the work with the Jessie White Tumblers, etc. If you have a God-given vision to shape an arena of culture with the kingdom of God, begin to prayerfully make plans, baby-step action points, with those in our community of faith. Never forget that these love revolutions began as a seed (John 12:24).

“Jesus's resurrection is the beginning of God's new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the life of heaven. That, after all, is what the Lord's Prayer is about.” ― N.T. Wright, Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church

This is another reason why Christ's community is important. As we come together as the church, the greater the number of committed disciples are on mission with Jesus, the greater our service to the city, its people and its issues, and the greater the ability to see God's kingdom come on earth as it is in Heaven, here and in the nation and in the nations.

Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests. (Proverbs 14:4 NIV)

When the oxen don't gather in the manger, their efforts are scattered, diminished, and there is no tangible direction. We must remain in the community of Jesus, the church, if we are together to achieve Jesus' cultural initiatives.

In the following quote, you have this designation of characters:

The speaker: Screwtape, a devil The recipient: Wormwood, another devil "He": God The man: a Christian

"I know we have won many a soul through pleasure. All the same, it is His invention not ours. He made pleasures: all our research so far has not enabled us to produce one. All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures with which our Enemy has produced, at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden. Hence we always try to work away from the natural condition of any pleasure to that in which it is least natural, least redolent of its Maker, and least pleasurable. An ever increasing craving for an ever diminishing pleasure is the formula. ...

You have only to keep him (the Christian) out of the way of experienced Christians (an easy task now-adays), to direct his attention to the appropriate passages in scripture, and then to set him to work on the desperate design of recovering his old feelings by sheer will-power, and the game is ours. If he is of the more hopeful type your job is to make him acquiece in the present low temperature of his spirit and gradually become content with it, persuading himself that it is not so low after all. In a week or two you will be making him doubt whether the first days of his Christianity were not, perhaps, a little excessive. Talk to him about 'moderation in all things'. If you can once get him to the point of thinking that 'religion is all very well up to a point', you can feel quite happy about his soul. A moderated religion is as good for us as no religion at all - and more amusing." -C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters - Letter 9

This is what drives us at Second City and is what paints the picture for the vision God has given us for the church: Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 NIV)

This is how the biography of Jesus Christ, the gospel written by the apostle Matthew, ended. You can tell a lot about what is important to a person based on the final words that they speak. These words are what summarize the heart, motivation, and drive behind Second City Church. In a nutshell: "We exist to love Jesus and fulfill His Great Commission."

The question is, "how do we practically plan to do it, and what will it look like when we do?" God willing, it will include the things that follow and so much more.

At Second City Church:

We envision being a house of prayer for all the nations to the glory of God.

We envision sharing the Good News of Christ's death and resurrection with thousands of unchurched friends and people in the greater Chicagoland area, many of whom will accept Him as Lord and Savior.

We envision developing people - new believers as well as established believers - into fully functioning followers of Christ through Bible study, worship services, community groups, special events, and leadership training.

We envision being a church that lives and models biblical community: a safe place where we are accepted, loved, shepherded, encouraged, forgiven, and are built into disciples of Jesus Christ.

We envision helping all our people - youth as well as adults - to discover their divine designs so that they are equipped to serve Christ effectively in some ministry within and outside our church.

We envision welcoming numerous members into our body who are excited about Christ, experience healing in their family, relationships, and marriages, and grow together in love.

We envision being a people who care for the orphan, the widow, the victim, and the poor through practical means that help to rebuild lives.

We envision training and sending out missionaries, church planters, and church workers all over the world. We also see a number of our people pursuing short-term missions service domestically and abroad. We see our people ministering to unreached people groups and serving the least Christianized cities of the world.

We envision training marketplace Christians to be fully devoted followers of Christ who help transform culture by bringing the kingdom of God to every sphere of industry and influence.

We envision being a generous people. We see the people of God giving radically to the advance of the gospel in the city and the nations because of the love of God in their hearts.

We envision being a beacon of God's truth and hope to the people of Chicago and to the nations of the earth.

To say all of this in three memorable words, we are about Christ. Community. and Culture. Come be a part of God's unveiling story!

Second City Church- Christ. Community. Culture. Sermon Series 2014

Christ's Community

Christ. Community. Culture. - "Christ's Community"

[powerpress] In our three week series defining the vision of Second City Church, we began by focusing on the preeminence of Jesus Christ.  We now turn to the importance of community which can not be overstated.  The Jewish context from which Jesus taught understood that life in God is to be carried out in community, not individually.  Historically, the inheritance that God gave to His people was for whole tribes and not for singular Israelites.  Our Western mentality has reduced Christianity to individualized perspectives and goals, whereas the gospel that Jesus preached was not one solely of personal salvation, but the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 24:10-14).  No one man or woman makes a kingdom, just as no one is truly a leader unless they have followers (otherwise they are just taking a walk).  It is deception to believe that you can live the fully obedient Christian life outside of Christ's family, the church.   To recapture God's design for His church, we are committed to God's community that shapes us and empowers us.

Community that Shapes You

“God hath thus ordered it, that we may learn to bear one another’s burdens; for no man is without fault, no man without his burden, no man sufficient of himself, no man wise enough of himself; but we ought to bear with one another, comfort one another, help, instruct, and admonish one another.” ― Thomas à Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

The church is a family that helps to shape your identity in Christ.

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” (Matthew 12:46-50 NIV)

Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!” “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. (Mark 10:28-30 NIV)

The thoughts found in these and other Scriptures have governed the historic church which has been steered by such summarized doctrine as The Apostle's Creed:

I believe in God, the Father Almighty,    maker of heaven and earth;

And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord;    who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,       born of the Virgin Mary,       suffered under Pontius Pilate,       was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell;

   the third day he rose from the dead;    he ascended into heaven,    and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;    from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,    the holy catholic church,    the communion of saints,    the forgiveness of sins,    the resurrection of the body,    and the life everlasting. Amen.

Intrinsic to what it meant to be a follower of Christ in the orthodox context, was to have a devotion to His catholic (which literally means "universal") church.  This devotion is then played out in local communities that both shape you and send you with the purposes of Jesus into the world.

“Friendship is the source of the greatest pleasures, and without friends even the most agreeable pursuits become tedious.” ― St. Thomas Aquinas

The church is to be a community where the family provides stability, security, and companionship as it helps to form your character.

Ultimately, the family that you belong to shapes who you are as an individual.  We belong to the family of God.  Healthy families have regular, consistent moments where they gather together to share life.  God's design for this begins with the Sabbath.

The importance of the Sabbath:

“Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. (Exodus 20:8-11 NIV)

God's commands given to the Jewish community were setting a principle precedent for how He intended the church to function in Jesus-centered community living.

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord ’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 58:11-14 NIV)

The Sabbath was and is without fail not a "personal day," as some suppose, where you do whatever you want in isolation.  How often have you been in front of the television on a day off, swept away in an 8+ hour Netflix marathon, only to realize that you are more fatigued, mentally drained, and have no more spiritual vitality than when you began your "down" time?  The Sabbath is meant to be a time of worship, instruction, and recalibration for the week ahead.  Through it, you are once again able to move forward God-centered and full of His grace.   This is made possible as the community of believers come into fellowship with one another, providing and receiving encouragement.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24, 25 NIV)

This encouragement, as modeled on that Sabbath day, is to continue on a daily basis, in the midst of the daily challenges of work, parenting, marriage, and aspiration to personal holiness.

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. (Hebrews 3:12-14 NIV)

When you are not in Christian community, your world becomes very small, and all of your concerns become simply about myopic issues, ambitions, and problems that seem to have no end, refreshing themselves without your help.  The Sabbath lifts your eyes to Christ and His victorious kingdom.  You're once again given a much grander perspective.  The result is that you have the vision, focus, and strength to impact the world.

But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. (Psalm 52:8 NIV)

You must make sure that your priorities align with God's design for your flourishing.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vYsVmSh4648

God said that it is not good for people to be alone (Genesis 2).  If that is the case by His design, He also provides the solution.  This city is big and can be isolating. However, your need for both platonic and romantic relationships are meant to flourish within the church, through all the seasons of life.

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” (Psalm 92:12-15 NIV)

Every time that we come together as a family of believers is important.  In the church, there is a two-way revolving door which will help you grow in your relationship with Jesus and others.  The first is our celebration services Sunday mornings where we worship the Lord together, observe the sacraments, like communion, give our hearts to the Lord through our tithes and offerings, and unify around a vision to serve the city with the gospel.  This is where our Christ-centered relationships are formed, reaffirmed, and many people can meet Jesus for the first time.  From this place, we encourage people to enter into community groups where relationships can be deepened and strengthened.  It is here that we continue to open our lives to one another, committing to the process of mutual accountability as we strive to become more like Jesus.  We have a growing number of stories about people who said that they are not yet ready for church, but are coming into relationship with Christians that will hopefully help lead them into relationship with Jesus.  These are our on-ramps where you can meet Jesus and His people.  Come to church and get involved in a community group.  Come through the door of the community group and get involved in the church.  By doing so, you become a part of a community that empowers you.

Community that Empowers You

“. . . the Twelve Apostles are the most evident sign of Jesus' will regarding the existence and mission of his Church, the guarantee that between Christ and the Church there is no opposition: despite the sins of the people who make up the Church, they are inseparable. Therefore, a slogan that was popular some years back, 'Jesus yes, Church no,' is totally inconceivable with the intention of Christ. This individualistically chosen Jesus is an imaginary Jesus.” ― Benedict XVI, The Apostles: The Origin of the Church and Their Co-Workers

The church is the community with whom you are empowered to serve the city with the gospel.

We are committed to gathering together in community, because it is a command.  No individual outside of Jesus has all of the gifts of God operating in them without need of others.   We are able to do more in the mission of Jesus as a church, than any one person can do on their own.

Central to our doctrine and the gospel of the kingdom is the primacy of Christ lived out through church community.  Where there is no church involvement, there is no ability to say you are fully following Christ.

You are loved and cared about here.  Your presence and contribution are invaluable.

In Christ-centered community there are: 1) Fathers and Mothers Many of you are struggling and wander much of your lives, because you never identify and submit yourself to godly counsel in your life.  If Jesus and the apostles did so, how much more do you and I need it, despite what "calling" that we feel like we have?  If you feel called to be a pastor, future church planter, missionary, or to make marketplace impact for the kingdom, you need authority in your life.  B and I have served in ministry under authority for over a decade and been trained under seasoned pastors.  We have older men and women who have done exactly what we're doing who we call and look to for advice, prayer support, and accountability.  Those who teach the Word should have a mechanism for vetting.

2) Brothers and sisters

You mutually strengthen one another in the Word and grace of God.

I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:14-16 NIV)

Community groups are a great place to engage in this.  We are all equals at the foot of the cross and are to submit to one another, under the Word of God unto the honor of Jesus.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17 NIV)

As we commit to one another in this manner, we sharpen one another in Jesus and life.  Iron rubbing against against iron can at times cause friction and irritation.  However, the purpose is that it would be part of the process of your sanctification, so that you might become more like Jesus, knowing Him more fully.

3) Spiritual Children

Biblical discipleship and disciple making take place in community.

You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:1, 2 NIV)

The Roots class will equip you for this.  If you have not been through the Purple Book, have only partially completed it, or have not done it in a while, we invite you to go through it with us Sundays at 2:30 pm - 4 pm at the Church of the Ascension.

These eternally purposed relationships are where the joy that you know should come from Jesus is stirred.  You find that joy chiefly in God's presence and additionally when you find yourself involved fully in the community of Jesus through which we experience His love.

Second City Church- Christ. Community. Culture. Sermon Series 2014

Jesus of First Importance

Christ. Community. Culture. - "Jesus of First Importance"

We are in a three week series, "Christ. Community. Culture.," defining who we are as a church and the subsequent vision that we believe God has entrusted to us.  Christ is the first and most important distinctive from which all of the others flow.

At Second City Church, everything begins and ends with Jesus Christ of Nazareth.  He is to be the centerpiece for all of our lives, around which everything revolves.  Christ-centered living is a challenge in our day as faith has become for most an additive rather than a focus.  As we seek to define the vision of Second City Church, we will look through the gospels to see why the greatest man and the greatest command speak of Jesus as of first importance.

The greatest man is Jesus, the incarnate Son of God.

As I was preparing for the message, I thought of the names I most associated with Jesus and realized that the majority of them were represented in the Gospel of John.  John was one of Jesus' twelve apostles and the "one whom Jesus loved" or had a special affinity for (John 13:23; 19:26; 21:7; 21:20).  This list is a summary of declarations that Jesus made about Himself in that memoir, or assertions that were made about Him that revealed His identity.

He is God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end to all of history. He is the Word (the Greek word: Logos), our reason for living. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5 NIV)

This means He is the Creator. 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 husband’s will, but born of God. 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 1:9-14 NIV)

Jesus is the Lamb of God foreshadowed in the Jewish Passover. He is the only one who can make atonement (reparation, making amends through payment for a wrong or injury) for your sins. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 NIV)

He is the chosen one who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit who empowers us for God-centered living. 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 God’s Chosen One.” (John 1:33, 34 NIV)

Jesus is our good teacher and rabbi. He is to be your leader. The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?” They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?” “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.” So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. (John 1:35-39 NIV)

He is the anointed one of God coming to break chains, burdens, and yokes. He is the long-awaited Jewish Messiah who came to be our deliverer. Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ).  (John 1:40, 41 NIV)

He is the one who gives us identity, purpose, and mission in the midst of life's mundanity. And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas” (which, when translated, is Peter ). (John 1:42 NIV)

He is the one whom all of the Jewish prophets, the world's stories, and the whole Bible ultimately points. He is our prophet who knows and details our future. The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, “Follow me.” Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:43-45 NIV)

Jesus is the bringer of grace and truth.  He gives you kindness that you don't deserve, while turning you to the truth that will set you free in your work, life, family life, and relationships. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 NIV)

Jesus is the one who makes God known. 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 1:18 NIV)

Jesus is zealous for His Father's house. He is the builder of His church. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” (John 2:16, 17 NIV)

His favorite self-designation was as the Son of Man to be worshiped by the nations. No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” (John 3:13-15 NIV)

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (Daniel 7:13, 14 NIV)

Thus, He is our focus of worship. Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. (Hebrews 13:15 NIV)

Jesus is the Son of God sent as God's expression of love to the world. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18 NIV)

He is our commanding officer who makes all our places of meeting with Him holy. Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” The commander of the Lord ’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13-15 NIV)

He is the one who sees us, knows us and calls us anyway despite our doubts and failings. “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” (John 1:46-48 NIV)

He is the only mediator between humanity and God. Jesus is the ransom paying the price for our rebellion that we might go free. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. (1 Timothy 2:5, 6 NIV)

He is Jacob's ladder connecting heaven to earth. 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 1:50, 51 NIV)

The one sent to finish His heavenly Father's work “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. (John 4:34 NIV)

He is the savior of the world who rescues us from the destructive force our sins. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” (John 4:42 NIV)

He is our healer. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, (John 5:5-9 NIV)

He is our righteous judge, the final judge, the one whose opinion actually counts in the midst of a fickle world. Because of this, we call him our everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor and Mighty God For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. (John 5:21-23 NIV)

Jesus is the one about whom all of the Scripture is about. 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. (John 5:39, 40 NIV)

Jesus is the bread of life and the true water for your soul. Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. (John 6:35 NIV)

He is the light of the world. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV)

Who then tells us to be the same? “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16 NIV)

He is our sinless example of a perfect life. He is our wisdom. Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? (John 8:46 NIV)

Jesus boldly declared himself the "I am," the one who has always existed. “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. (John 8:57-59 NIV)

Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “ I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘ I am has sent me to you.’ ” God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.’ “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. (Exodus 3:13-15 NIV)

We call him the Good Shepherd. He is our chief shepherd and senior pastor. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11 NIV)

Jesus is the gate through which people pass from death to life. Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. (John 10:7-9 NIV)

He is the giver of the full life for which everyone is looking. He is our animating presence and power for life. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10 NIV)

Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25, 26 NIV)

He resurrects broken hearts, marriages, families and dreams. Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:38-44 NIV)

He is our evangelist proclaiming good news to the world. He is the one who, through the cross, draws all people to Himself. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32 NIV)

He is our humble, benevolent master. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (John 13:13-17 NIV)

He is our model for love. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34 NIV)

He is our comforter. He is the one who prepares an eternal home for us. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:1-4 NIV)

Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is the only way to God. Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:5-7 NIV)

He is the one who answers prayers. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. (John 14:12-14 NIV)

He is Immanuel, God with us. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:18, 19 NIV)

He is the giver of commands to be obeyed. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” (John 14:21 NIV)

He is the giver of peace. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27 NIV)

Your example of one who perfectly submits to the Father He is the giver of joy. He is our big brother as we come to the Father through Him. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:9-11 NIV)

Jesus is your friend as you do what He commands. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15 NIV)

He is the one who chooses you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. (John 15:16 NIV)

He is our protector and great unifier of His church. He is the one who came to destroy the works of the devil. He is our high priest and great intercessor. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. (John 17:11, 12 NIV)

He is our great apostle. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. (John 17:18 NIV)

Jesus is the promised King of the Jews. He is God's suffering servant. He is our perfect sacrifice. He is the substitute for the death that you deserve. He is the propitiation (appeasement) for the wrath of God that you should have taken. He is your source of forgiveness. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. (John 19:19 NIV)

He is the virgin born Son of Mary, crucified, who with His last breath said, "It is finished," so you never have to work your way to God. He is the one buried in a guarded tomb and three days later rose from death because of His innocence.

He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:39-42 NIV)

He is your resurrected king. He is the author and perfecter of your faith. He is the one at whose name every tongue will confess and every knee will bow proclaiming that He is Lord. A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:26, 27 NIV)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LkNa6tLWrqk

The greatest command is to love Him. 34Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. 35One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” 41While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, 42“What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” “The son of David,” they replied. 43He said to them, “How is it then that David, speaking by the Spirit, calls him ‘Lord’? For he says, 44 “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet.” ’ 45 If then David calls him ‘Lord,’ how can he be his son?” 46No one could say a word in reply, and from that day on no one dared to ask him any more questions. (Matthew 22:34-46, NIV) He is the only true God. One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34 NIV)

Heart (Greek word: Kardia) - The seat of the desires, feelings, affections and passions. The goal of this is to relate to Jesus.  It directs your worship.

Mind (Greek word: Dianoia) -  Understanding, intellect, intellectual capacity.  Especially the thought process, the operation of reason, manner of thought.  The product of reason, a thought, something imagined. The goal of this is to know Christ and interpret all of the world through the lens of Jesus.  It shapes your theology.

Soul (Greek word: Psyche) - life, person.  The breath and animating seat of the senses.  The will and the seat of the appetites.  A person's spiritual and immortal nature with its rational and natural faculties. The goal of this is to be transformed by Jesus.  It is the process of your sanctification.

Strength (Greek word: Ischys) - Physical and mental power as an endowment. The goal of this is to serve Jesus.  It results in your ministry to the church and world.

The greatest command is to love God.  The second places a priority on loving others and is played out in community.  It is central to the gospel, and without it, there is no following Christ. We will elaborate on this more next week.

Second City Church- Christ. Community. Culture. Sermon Series 2014

An Interdependent Life

Built To Last - "An Interdependent Life"

[powerpress] Transforming Truth:  Your Christ-centered relationships are to be built to last for the purposes of God.

Becoming an effective community of faith is a challenge in our times as it was in the apostle Paul's.  As in our day, Paul was ministering to a culture that was largely unfamiliar with God's biblical manners of operation.  The people of Corinth had heard stories about God, but were unfamiliar with His ways.  Paul had to teach the Corinthians how God established the church to function for the kingdom of Christ to advance.  In this next segment of his letter to the Corinthian church plant, Paul demonstrates how interdependent giving, building, and sending of people is the key to effective ministry in order that Jesus might bring transformation to cities and nations.

Interdependence through Giving

Jesus wants to biblically reorient the way that you handle your resources.

Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me. (1 Corinthians 16:1-4 NIV)

Things that we can notice from Paul's instructions to the Corinthians are: 1) Frequency - There was a weekly frequency in the giving.  Just as we gather together weekly for worship in our celebration service to recalibrate our life's direction, so does giving do the same for our hearts.  It is the act of worship that tangibly says, "God your word and your gospel are of preeminence in my life.  Please use this offering and me as I leave this place for the advance of your kingdom."

2) Proportionate - Both tithing and offerings are proportionate to your income.  Obviously, the 10% plus that comes from a student is not going to equal the contribution of that which is from the CEO of a company.  However, what matters is that all tithing and subsequent offerings made regularly are pleasing to the Lord as they are done cheerfully.  When we are determined to live with the same generosity that Jesus has shown us in giving His life, we become useful in helping to change other lives as He multiplies our contributions.

3) Useful to continue gospel ministry - There was a regular custom among the Jewish people of the time to send gifts to the people of God in Jerusalem.  Paul was encouraging the Corinthian church, made of many new Gentile converts, to think in the same interconnected manner (Romans 15:25-28).  Paul was receiving not just the tithe, but offerings from the Corinthians to help their brothers and sisters in Jerusalem who were in need.  Because of their faithful, weekly giving, the love of Jesus was able to spread, continually impacting lives with the gospel in the city of Corinth and abroad.

The same is already true for Second City Church.

We were excited to plant the church to be able to mobilize people to be a blessing to others.

Two examples:

Many of our people from Second City participated in the Box of Love Thanksgiving Outreach (http://www.hlicchicago.org/boxoflove#sthash.5temT88x.dpbs).  As we worked to put together Thanksgiving boxes for needy families in Chicago, teams were mobilized to deliver not only food, but the gospel of Jesus Christ. Each box contained whole Thanksgiving meals, fed around a family of 8, and included a very nice Bible from Tyndale for the families.  This year alone, over 2250 families in Chicago were able to receive these boxes, and many of the recipients committed their lives to Jesus for the first time as a result of your generosity!

We were also able to deliver Christmas meals as a part of an outreach to needy families at KIPP Create College Prep Middle School.  We took an offering for this Dec. 20 and received several hundred dollars that went entirely to feeding another 5 at-risk families identified by the school.  Two of the larger families are homeless.  The director was literally brought to tears as 39 people were going to be the recipients of the love of Christ, along with Bibles, Bible Studies, and invitations to become a part of the community.  The charter school is now looking for ways that we can collaborate and serve them on an ongoing basis.

All of this is pleasing in the sight of the Lord!  Thank you, Second City!

"If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one." -Mother Teresa

This Easter, we will continue this with an outreach catalyzed by Oscar, Kartika, and their amazingly delicious restaurant, Rickshaw Republic.  Isn't it just better to live an unselfish life?

Interdependence through Building Enduringly

Jesus wants to biblically reorient the way that you think about your impact on a city.  You should build your life in such a way that you can stand firmly in the gospel with other believers and that your impact is felt in a location for generations to come.

After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you—for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. (1 Corinthians 16:5-9 NIV)

In the Old Testament, two things were given to the people as an inheritance - land and children.  In the same way, God gives His people today a charge to impact cities for the gospel through their vested efforts.  In doing so, they have spiritual sons and daughters as people are brought to Christ through their efforts.  With the mobility offered us through globalization, we need to pause to resist a transient mentality.  Instead, we need to see the place we live and the lives of the people there as a part of the inheritance of God to be transformed by our ministry.  Before we make school, career or geographic moves, we should take the time to ask God if we have fully vested what He wants us to in our present locale.  Most people don't even bother to ask.

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. (1 Timothy 1:3, 4 NIV)

The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. (Titus 1:5 NIV)

Both Macedonia and Crete were cities where Paul instructed Timothy and Titus to plant roots so that the Kingdom might be built in that place.  The influence of Christendom throughout the world are a product of these efforts and focus.

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV)

During the 70 year captivity in Babylon, God gave an example to the Israelites about how to establish roots in a place to transform a city.   He was planting the Israelites knowing that it takes time to make a difference in a culture.  They were instructed even in their exile to build homes and settle down, to plant gardens that take time to receive a harvest from, to marry and have children so that the work becomes multi-generational.  The underbelly of globalization, the reverse benefit if you will, is that individuals in the U.S. don't have a people or a sense of home.   You must stay in a place to make it home in your heart and affect it.  If you don't feel at home here yet, give it time.  It is worth it.  It is the difference between an oak and a maple.  The root system of the oak is strong, enduring, while the maple can be pulled up easily.  We are called to be oaks of righteousness for the display of God's splendor.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord ’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:1-3 NIV)

Whole cities and the people that are in them are important to God.  We see that he began by placing Adam and Eve in a garden and told them to cultivate it (Genesis 1-3).  However as they did so, we see that everything ends in a city, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21), as a culmination of all that God designed.  Jesus cares about cities and wants to transform them by the consistent ministry of His people within it.

Interdependence through Sending Strategically

Jesus wants to biblically reorient the way that you serve God through the relationships that He's given you in the church.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=eJRyXdScpeg

Many Americans today are determined to live an independent life, where they are accountable to no one but themselves, and they ignore the impact that their decisions have on anyone else.  God has called us to live an interdependent church life.  It is the difference between the maverick and the sent-one.  Jesus was sent by the Father to serve the world.  We are to be sent by and with the backing of our churches as we move in the same fashion.

When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers. Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity. (1 Corinthians 16:10-12 NIV)

You are being sent into your sphere of influence for the glory of God, but you are not to do it alone.  Take someone from the church with you, even if they are not normally in the same circle. When Jesus sends us into our jobs, schools, and neighborhoods, He utilizes the relationships that He built for His purposes.  There is chemistry, safety, and strength in these relationships built through the history of going through the fires of life together.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34, 35 NIV)

The question is, "How did Jesus love and relate to His disciples?"  Was it casual and flippant, or full of heartfelt commitment and strategy?  When you spend time with a co-worker, neighbor, or classmate you want to reach, bring one of your friends from the church.

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love. You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters, to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition. The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord ! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen. (1 Corinthians 16:13-24 NIV)

As we continue to grow, we want to see more done for the kingdom of God as all of the gifts of God are brought into unity to accomplish Christ's goals.  There are many professing Christians, but many are not unified toward a common goal. Therefore, our efforts are diminished.  Paul taught how this could function differently.  The promise of God is that we would have a multiplication of efforts as we work in a committed and unified fashion to serve our cities.

You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. (Leviticus 26:7, 8 NIV)

Let's be the people of God who function in the interdependence of community and pull in the great harvest that Jesus has for this city!

We invite you as we begin our vision setting the Christ. Community. Culture. series for the church to join us the next three Fridays for a time of prayer and fasting for the city of Chicago.  You can fast during the day, come to the prayer meeting at 8 pm (or at 9 pm on Feb. 7th), and break fast as a part of the Anti-Hibernation Campaign over a meal out in the city.

Second City Church- Built to Last Sermon Series 2014

Beginning with the Resurrection

Built To Last - "Beginning with the Resurrection"

[powerpress] Transforming Truth: Jesus and His resurrection are of first importance and must drive everything that we do.

To embrace why Jesus and His resurrection must drive everything that we do, we must look to understand the importance of the resurrection, the expectation of the resurrection, and their implication for our lives. It is the first part in understanding why we do what we do as a church.

The Importance of the Resurrection

The gospel establishes a worldview for you. Your worldview is the manner in which you interpret all of the affairs of life, determining their value and importance. The Bible introduces Jesus and explains the gospel. It is meant to give context to all of life.

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. (1 Corinthians 15:1-11 NIV)

Some people have doubted the reality of the resurrection. It is central to the good news about Jesus and must be considered.

“When anyone tells me that he saw a dead man restored to life, I immediately consider with myself whether it be more probable that this person should either deceive or be deceived or that the fact which he relates should really have happened. I weigh the one miracle against the other and according to the superiority which I discover, I pronounce my decision. Always I reject the greater miracle. If the falsehood of his testimony would be more miraculous than the event which he relates, then and not till then, can he pretend to command my belief or opinion.” ― David Hume

As a thinking person, the apostle Paul gives reason as to why the greater miracle is not believing the testimony of the resurrection. I will expand and go into greater detail on these points as a part of our Easter celebration, yet what follows is an introduction.

Consider these things about Paul's claims of Jesus' resurrection:

Written in approximately AD 55, Paul's first letter to the Corinthians was written within about 20 years of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus and was reciting a well known homily of the early church that had been ratified and passed down to Paul. This is typically not enough time within the lifespan of Christ's contemporaries for the development of myth and lore.

1) Prophecies - Paul sites the many Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah fulfilled in detail through the life, times, miracles, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For all of them to be fulfilled in one person by chance was a statistical impossibility. (Luke 24:25-27)

2) No one will die for a lie. - After Judas Iscariot's suicide, all of the remaining eleven apostles, minus John, were martyred for their eyewitness testimony of Jesus' resurrection. There was no monetary incentive, political power, or prestige to gain from their testimony. What the early Christians earned for their witness was persecution and death. (i.e. - Acts 12:1-4)

3) The 500 witnesses - Paul makes an appeal to the 500 people who also saw Jesus' bodily resurrection at the same time, many of whom were still living at the time of Paul's writing. Psychologically, there is no such thing as an identical mass hallucination. He essentially said, "go and talk to them to verify the claims." (Acts 26)

4) The conversion of Christ's family - Jesus' own siblings and mother became followers of Jesus, where previously they went to "take charge of him" as being insane because of His claims. (Mark 3:20,21)

5) Paul's conversion - Paul's conversion to being a follower of Christ would make no sense after being a zealous Pharisee who persecuted the church. (Acts 9)

He would also lose his life in 64 AD under the Emperor Nero for the same testimony of having been a witness to the bodily resurrection of Jesus.

“The Old Testament records the preparation for the coming of the Messiah. The Gospels record the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ our Lord. The book of Acts records the propagation of the gospel (the good news) concerning Jesus Christ. The Epistles (letters) explain the gospel and its implications for our lives. The book of Revelation anticipates and describes the second coming of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His eternal kingdom. From beginning to end, the Bible glorifies Jesus Christ and centers on Him. Its Christ-centeredness is one of its wonderful features.” ― Josh McDowell

The gospel also tells us why the resurrection is supremely important in the Christians life:

But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19 NIV)

A preacher once said that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, life as we know it is as good as it gets. This is true for the non-Christian. Because Jesus did, factually and historically rise from the dead, life as we know it for the Christian is as bad as it gets.

We have the ability to transform our world now because of resurrection faith and resurrection power from God. Things once dead including marriages, relationships, careers, financial states, and hope can be brought back to life and redeemed by the power of God. This happens as all things are submitted at the cross of Jesus.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame. (1 Corinthians 15:20-34 NIV)

It was because of the conviction of Jesus' bodily resurrection from the dead and His Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) that the disciples began sharing the gospel with fervency. Following Easter this year, we will study the habits of the early church and the moves of God that they experienced as represented in the Book of Acts, the earliest recorded history of the church. Because Jesus was of first importance, we see the following results in Acts. It is why we prioritize our efforts with the goal of seeing more and more people coming to know Jesus and His good news:

The result of Peter speaking to the non-Christian crowd at Pentecost:

With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (Acts 2:40, 41 NIV)

The results of the early church's devotion:

And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:47b NIV)

The result of Peter and John speaking to the crowds after the healing of a cripple:

But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand. (Acts 4:4 NIV)

The result of the regular gathering and daily-life ministry of the church:

Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. (Acts 5:14 NIV

The gospel creating disciples:

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. (Acts 6:1 NIV)

The result of the apostles being able to be devoted to prayer and the ministry of the Word:

So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:7 NIV)

The result of the church being strengthened and encouraged:

Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. (Acts 9:31 NIV)

The result of the healing of the cripple Aeneas:

All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. (Acts 9:35 NIV)

The result of Dorcas being raised from the dead:

This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. (Acts 9:42 NIV)

The result of the church members preaching wherever they went:

The Lord’s hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord. (Acts 11:21 NIV)

The result of godly teaching and leadership:

He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch. (Acts 11:24-26 NIV)

The result of effective speaking:

At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. (Acts 14:1 NIV)

The result of preaching in new territories:

They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. (Acts 14:21a NIV)

The result of multiplying leaders:

So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. (Acts 16:5 NIV)

The result of focused times of ministry (A mission trip to Thessalonica - 3 weeks of teaching the Scriptures):

Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women. (Acts 17:4 NIV)

The result of preaching in intellectual centers:

As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. (Acts 17:12 NIV)

One of the results of Paul's year and a half ministry in Corinth:

Crispus, the synagogue leader, and his entire household believed in the Lord; and many of the Corinthians who heard Paul believed and were baptized. (Acts 18:8 NIV)

This resulted in cities being transformed and the world being changed to the glory of God:

And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. (Acts 19:26 NIV)

Because Jesus is of ultimate importance, the gospel was not just something that the church believed, but it went out from the church to transform people, cities, and nations.

The Expectation of the Resurrection

The resurrection establishes an eternal hope and focus for you. As a human being, you are motivated by the incentives that are in front of you. God made promises to give you joy in the expectation of looking forward to His reward for obedience.

The resurrection is a part of the end goal, reminding you of the glories to come.

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:35-55 NIV)

It does not matter how much you work out, how healthy you eat, or how many supplements you pop. Though these things can help to prolong your life, your inevitable destination is the grave as your body wears out like a rag and expires. It is after this that you will face the judgment of God (Hebrews 9:22,27,28; II Corinthians 5:9,10). The good news of the gospel is that this isn't the end of the story, but that there is a life to come.

In the previous set of verses, what are some important things that Paul mentions about the resurrection?

1) The bodies that we have in the resurrection will be different in quality than the bodies that we have now.

2) The weakness of our earthly bodies will be traded for the imperishable strength of our spiritual bodies.

3) Upon Jesus' return, those who belong to Him will be changed in an instant.

4) We will be immortal with Jesus.

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

Because of the information and sensory overload in our culture, it is easy to breeze past things that are important to God. You have a virtually infiniteseeimal source of distraction with the internet that you carry around in your pocket. You need to slow down to evaluate, think, and pray about your decisions and trajectories. You should ask these questions:

Is your heart set on eternal things? (Colossians 3)

When the Bible refers to "the world" in I John 2:15-17, it is a mindset, not a person or group of people. It is camped in secularism. Worldliness is thinking that the here and now, that the "concrete" and all that you see right now, is all that matters. The word secular means "nowise," now, or the present.

(Timothy Keller "Peace - Overcoming Anxiety" message from 3/31/13 29:15-30:05)

Are you wasting your time?

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12 NIV)

The Implications for Our Lives

The gospel and the impending resurrection establishes a daily motivation for you.

This orders your days, because you know that you will be rewarded according to what you do with your life before God. If He values what you do, there will be reward; if He deems it rebellious or a waste in selfish living, you will be repaid accordingly.

People sense the reality of a greater purpose to their lives, though they don't always know how to identify what it is. I would say that you have at some point in your life hoped for the same thing as well.

Tom Brady "Is this all there is video"

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4HeLYQaZQW0

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:56-58 NIV)

When you choose to live with Jesus with Him having first importance in your life and His gospel at the center of all your daily pursuits, then the "something more" that you're looking for will finally be realized. You are meant to live for someone and something bigger than yourself - the eternal God and His everlasting kingdom.

Second City Church- Built to Last Sermon Series 2014 

Jesus and A Fresh Start

Once and Future Kings - "Jesus and A Fresh Start"

[powerpress] To begin the year, we'd like to have an exhortation from one of our congregants that can encourage us going into the new year:

Esther King grew up in the ministry with her parents being missionaries to Mexico. From 2 years old, ministry has been clearly seen as a part of her calling. As a family, the Kings started Christian schools and helped establish churches through evangelism and humanitarian outreaches. Esther would speak to crowds of over 5000 people about the gospel from the time she was 10. She is a graduate of ORU, having enjoyed chapel 5 days a week along with her academic studies. She is a graduate of Northwestern Law, where there is an expectation of excellence, and she is here to speak to you about that subject today. I've seen both godliness and this type of character reflected in Esther's life, which is why I've asked her to share with you as we begin the new year together.

From Esther Joy King:

Today, I’m speaking from my passion, who I am, and that means, I have to be really vulnerable with you. I wish I could tell you I have arrived, but I’m here sharing with you from the middle of my journey; and despite my failures, I am making a conscious choice for excellence. But I’m going to show up as I talk, and I’m going to ask all of you, to make it personal. There will be moments where we’re going to stop and reflect on God’s word to you, and I’m going to ask you guys to engage, to be here. I’m asking that you would make this time we share together a sacred space to open your heart to what God is saying, and to open up to how the concepts of excellence apply in your life. As we do this together, I think we will be creating a sacred space for God to show up right here in this room and change us.

Together we will:

1. Open hearts

2. Participate

3. Commit to taking what we learn here together out into 2014.

You might want to get out an old fashioned pen and paper to jot down your thoughts, what reflections you have. The words I speak are neither hear nor there, but what is important are the concepts and ideas I’m communicating and how you’re responding to them.

Do I have an agreement from you that you’re going to make this morning a sacred space in your life and allow God to move?

Christmas is the traditional birth of Jesus, and we’ve been following the story through the Once and Future Kings series. Today, we’re going to do this by following along on the journey Mary and Joseph took with Jesus from His birth to Egypt.

They obeyed God, and He worked through their action.

How many of you really want 2014 to be a year of growth? Do you really believe our God takes us to a new level? I’m going to be talking about breakthrough concepts of what excellence can look like for you.

Then we’re playing tag, and Pastor Rollan’s going to pick up the story of Mary and Joseph. We will continue on their journey with them about the real side of things. Why do we not always live up to everything God has for us? What if we fail? Do we have hope? And what can we learn about God and our relationship with God through this whole thing.

Let’s jump into Mary and Joseph’s story. Let’s look at what God is saying to Joseph:

Matthew 2:13

This is God talking. We see His character revealed in His words. We can learn Him by listening to Him. This is who our God is. God is speaking, and He’s saying, “Get up!”

This is the same God that spoke to Abraham, and said get up, stand up, and go into the Land of Promise.

Four hundred years later, the same God said to Joshua, get up, stand up, be strong and courageous, and go into the Land of Promise.

The same God that said to David, get up, stand up, because you are called to be king.

The same God that said to Esther, get up, stand up, and go before the king.

This is who God is; this is His character. Our God is a God of action. He is not limited. He does not have a limited mindset. He does not speak negative things. He believes all things are possible. Life and life more abundantly. A God of more than enough. That can do abundantly above all we can ask or think.

Because this is who He is, this is who we are called to be. It’s our destiny. God is saying to you, get up, stand up and go, and move into something greater in your life.

In contrast, we’ve all been through seasons that were mediocre, where we just fit in, just get by, settle, compromise, just except what life is handing out, but we are turning a corner and living with a spirit of excellence in 2014. We are living life with excellence in 2014. Our task is to find our greatness.

God is saying to you, get up and start relentlessly pursuing excellence.

STOP. EXERCISE: What really matters to you in 2014? What does it look like to live fully alive, to live every moment, engaged, obeying God’s instructions?

Relationship, finances, health, career, family, habits, routines, commitments, values, legacy. Peace. Favor.

What is excellence? It is multi-dimensional. Let us wrap our minds around this idea:

Excellence is an internal commitment to get up, stand up, and go. Playing life all in. Being better than you were yesterday. Fully engaged. Above and beyond. Leaning in. Abundantly above all that you could possibly ask or think. Standing out. Finding your greatness. Uncommon. Leaving it all on the field. Taking big risks. Relentlessly pursing your destiny. Limitless. Excellence is representing God’s greatness to the world.  Stand up and stand out. 

This is what we’re a part of; this is the God we serve! We belong to Him, and He belongs to us. Our God is a God of, “Get up, and Go!”

...whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)

We are representing a King, our Father, the Creator of the universe- how are we going to be anything less than the best?

We’ve talked about the why, but the big question now is how. How do we become excellent? We’re going to go through three steps to becoming excellent.

Mathew 2:13-14

“Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you...” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and left for Egypt.

Verse two: Joseph did it!

When we obey God, do it right away, with urgency.

Step 1: Obey God

What do I mean?  I mean a commitment in your heart to obeying him, a general commitment to His principals, and a specific commitment to pursue His plans for your life. Make it a disposition.

Oral Roberts was a man of God who did huge crusades in the 1950s and 1960s. My family got to meet him, and Oral Roberts gave me this advice, “Obey God.”

There are two sides to the will of God: 1. The general will of God (how to be in fellowship, what He’s up to on the earth, and how we fit in). 2. The specific will of God (His purpose and will for your life as an individual).

(Esther shared the story of her experience about reading a book about spiritual discipline and how God can speak through imagination.)

Idea: God has a specific way to connect with you!

Step 2: Build Habits

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23-24)

General Principal: Thoughts->Action->Habits->Destiny

We all wrote out our goals earlier. I recently read an article called, The Science of Building Good Habits and How to Make Them Stick.

We make "micro quotas” to reach “macro goals.”

Quotas make each day approachable, and your goals become achievable because of this. The author told his own story:

For me, cracking the code on flossing was to put the floss right by the toothbrush, and to commit to myself that I would floss one tooth — only one tooth — every time after I brushed.

I could floss them all if I wanted to, but the commitment was just one tooth.

[This works] because I was training the behavior. Maybe once every few weeks, I’d only actually floss one tooth, but a majority of the time I’d end up flossing them all.

STOP. EXERCISE: Small things: What is a small action you can take today toward reaching your goal?

Here is a lesson from Warren Buffet: “Just imagine you could be given 10% of the future earnings of one person you know,” Buffet says. Would you pick the smartest person? The most talented person? No. Buffet says, “You’re going to pick the person that has the right habits.”

It can still be hard to commit day in and day out, so what do we do?

Step 3: Do it together

COMMUNITY: We do it together.

“Take the woman and child with you.”

We do this together. It’s part of our mandate as Christians.

(Esther shared her story of Lindsey and her going to workout together.)

There’s a second side to the coin. As we grow and become more mature, we also have the responsibility to bring people up with us.

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: "The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me." For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus (Romans 15:1-5)

Fully engaged with the tension of destiny. Life, living in the fullness, clear about what it is you are called to do, and you’re passionate about what it is, step into God’s plan for you. One-hundred percent fully engaged with life, with the people around you. Life living in the fullness of the purpose of God, and experiencing the overlap of what God intended to happen.

You are called to live a life of more- of greater, abundantly above all that you could ask or think. This is living excellence.

In the Common Era B.C., there lived a man named Daniel. Daniel was taken captive from his homeland of Israel, and taken to Babylon. When he went there, Daniel was chosen to attend the king's school, to learn the ways of Babylon. At this school, all the men were wined and dined. But they were served food that had been offered to idols. Daniel said no. He stood up and stood out and said give me vegetables and water. He refused to be like the others.

At the end of their schooling, the Bible says, Daniel was found to be ten times superior. The king noticed, and, long story short, Daniel became one of the king's most trusted advisors. Daniel influenced King Nebuchadnezzar. And Daniel influenced the nation.

Daniel was 10 times superior. The demand for greatness is higher now than ever before. Our culture, the world, is hungry for what we are called to be. We are to influence culture through excellence, and live in our destiny.

The world will be attracted to the reflection of God’s nature that it sees in us. The world will know:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:9)

From Pastor Rollan Fisher:

If excellence is the standard and this is part of our identity in Christ, what is it that can keep us from living in such a manner? It is many times the discouragement of the trials that we face. However, as we enter into a new year, the transforming truth is that: the King comes to bring new hope.

As we look again at the Epiphany, we are in the time immediately following the visit of the Magi. It is interesting that what was subsequent to a major milestone in the history of the church was a major trial. Be encouraged, God has hope for you despite the trials that you have or will face.

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” (Matthew 2:13-18 NIV)

King Herod was on a rampage to protect his right to rule. Though parents to the most important life ever to grace the planet, Mary and Joseph were undoubtedly challenged by these events. However, God had left the seeds of hope in His Word.

There were two distinct prophecies that Matthew referenced in regard to the infanticide that Herod ordered precipitating Jesus' family's flight to Egypt. The first prophecy is from Hosea 11:1. This reference was a constant reminder to the Israelites of the Passover, God's deliverance of His people from their oppression and slavery in Egypt. It was a foreshadowing of the hope to be found in Jesus, the deliverer who would also make His way out of Egypt, to save His people from their sins. He will deliver you as you choose to turn away from self-sufficient living. He will deliver family, co-workers, neighbors, and friends as you reach out to them with the good news of Jesus.

The other prophecy is from Jeremiah where centuries earlier King Nebuchadnezzar gathered the Israelites preparing for the Babylonian exile in the city of Ramah. Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, was personified as the mother of Israel's children who would be carried away to a foreign land because of their sin, but who would also have the hope of restoration after their disciplinary service was over (Jeremiah 31:31-34). This again would be a foreshadowing of the new covenant that Jesus would establish with His people after their difficulties.

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.” So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. (Matthew 2:19-23 NIV)

Here are some takeaways we can learn about God and our relationship with Him from this scenario:

1) God wastes nothing. The size of the trial can be an indicator of the size of the redemptive purposes of God on the other side.

There were two major instances where a deliverance was at hand, and the spiritual forces of darkness employed rulers to try to stamp them out. The first was in the account of Moses who would deliver his people out of slavery in Egypt as a foreshadowing of the work of the Messiah. The second was now Jesus, the Messiah. Both had their lives threatened at birth.

What has Satan tried to steal from you? Your testimony of God's rescue will be part of what glorifies Jesus. We need to look for the excellencies of God in the midst of our trials.

2) God is involved. In the midst of world affairs and the trials of your life, God speaks with specific detail.

Do you regularly seek God to hear His voice? The people of God who walk in excellence will listen for the voice of God.

“Wealth does not bring about excellence, but excellence makes wealth and everything else good for men, both individually and collectively.” ― Socrates, The Apology

3) God is timely. As Esther said, it is important to obey God when He speaks. Immediate obedience can mean the difference between God's protection of your heart, career, and relationships or, resultant mistakes that can take months or years to restore. In the case of Herod, it was the difference between life and death for the young Jesus. As we obey, nothing can thwart the plans of God. We need to remember that when it seems like we've been displaced, as Christ's family was in Egypt, God is still in control and, in His foreknowledge, working all things out for His gospel ends.

Do you obey God's instructions quickly or pay the price for procrastination? A life of excellence is the result of quick obedience to the voice of God.

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.” ― Steve Jobs

4) God is wise. He gives precedent for how to handle life. Many times, a year of trial can be the very thing that God uses to set you in the place He desires for your true calling and His redemptive purposes (i.e. - Joseph in Genesis 37-50, the scattered church in Acts 7 and 8).

Have you asked God what He wants to do with your present placement? There is a pattern in God's Word for both encouragement and a direction for living (Romans 15:4).

Do you have a discipline of studying the Word of God? Excellence is a result of being a student of God's word.

5) God is merciful and works things out that seem detrimental to fulfill His Word and gospel purposes. There is an eventual reprieve from trials, though it does not come as quickly as we would like. It is estimated that King Herod died within a year of the assassination attempt on Jesus' life, showing that God does not give us more than we can bear.

Will you persevere until God turns your darkness into light? Excellence can be the product of how we respond to life's circumstances, learning God's unchanging character and purpose in the midst of them.

“We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life.” ― Steve Jobs

6) God is consistently choosing to be with His people in obscurity, as well as in prosperity and the public ministry to thousands that Jesus would enjoy. You can be just as pleasing to and secure in God in trials as you are in times of blessing. Trials are not a measure of God's blessing, though they are always a good time to evaluate whether there is sin with which to reckon. Jesus was sinless and grew excellent in the midst of His trials. In taking on flesh, Jesus was our example for living and the most excellent of men. It was said of Him that He did all things well (Mark 7:37).

Do you practice in secret or obscurity what you would want to be displayed publicly (Proverbs 22:29)? Excellence begins in the secret place and obscurity.

“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation. We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” ― Aristotle

7) God is sovereign and sees the big picture.

The key is consistency that He uses to prepare the way for everything to come. If you do not strive for obedience and excellence now, do not expect His blessing later.

During this time Nazareth was a small, agricultural town of around 500 people. Though it was not significant politically, religiously, or militarily, from a height on a ridge within a ten minute's walk, the people of the city could see the major trade routes and Herod Antipas' capital city of Sepphoris, which were the seats of influence.

How do you respond to humble beginnings?

“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way” ― Martin Luther King, Jr.

Those who are massively effective use the same fervency for excellence in their small beginnings as they would when they've achieved their lofty goals.

We need to be excellent in our small beginnings so that Jesus will entrust us with the fruit of His gospel, making us ruler over much.

All of history, including your life, is a part of God's redemption story in Jesus Christ. Because this is who God is and we are to be for the display of God's splendor (Isaiah 60:21-61:3), let's approach this year with a new hope that Jesus will receive glory from the excellence of our lives. As we commit to Christ-centered living, excellence will be the result as we do all things for the sake of the gospel that will transform the city and the lives of the people therein.

“When you do the common things in an uncommon way, you'll command the attention of the world.” ― George Washington Carver

Second City Church- Once and Future Kings Sermon Series 2014

Jesus and a Time to Reflect

Once and Future Kings - "Jesus and a Time to Reflect"

[powerpress] Transforming Truth: The King Comes to Rule the Nations

This transforming truth speaks to both the scope of the church of God and your role in it. As we traverse the Christmas plain, we have moments to reflect. Before we can effectively move forward in the new year, we must consider where we have been and where Jesus wants to take us. To do so, we look to the Epiphany, which is a celebration of the revelation of God the Son as a human being in Jesus Christ. This benevolent king came to rule the nations. When Jesus sets up rule in a life, this rule comes with a change of priorities. In studying the response of the religious leaders, King Herod, and the Magi to the Advent, we will be able to ask ourselves the penetrating questions necessary to align our hearts with Jesus.

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “ ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. (Matthew 2:1-12 NIV)

What we can learn from the Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law

I like to think of priorities as "Prior" "I" "Ties" - things that have had a grip on you or you are unwilling to let go. They can be positive when submitted to Jesus or shallow and destructive when driven by your own untethered ambition.

The chief priests were those who, along with the high priest, made up the Sanhedrin (the governing body of the Jews), overseeing the temple activities, treasuries, and priestly orders. The teachers of the law originally had the responsibility of reading, writing, and making copies of the Scriptures, but by the time of Jesus were those who were experts in interpreting the Law. They were the lawyers of the time.

It is ironic that those who were obviously most familiar with the law and its predictions about the coming King were the least zealous to make every effort to welcome Him. It is the same when we think about the comforts that we enjoy today. Jesus is ready to move in your life, this city, and the nations with the gospel. Many times we're just too distracted to hear or recognize what Jesus is willing to do in or through our lives. This is why He continually made an appeal to those who had "eyes to see" and "ears to hear" (Mark 8:18). What are the things that distract you?

Once you have settled into your routine of a steady paycheck, friends, a stable place in society, and satisfying station in life, it is hard to want to change anything.

Bethlehem, though the birthplace of King David, the home of His ancestors Ruth and Boaz, and now, the birthplace of the Messiah, was a small and seemingly insignificant village during the time of Jesus. How would you have responded and how do you respond to small beginnings? Will you go out of your way to be a part of Jesus' redemption story no matter how glorious it looks at the beginning? Never forget that salvation for the world began in a stable.

These leaders of the people had become too comfortable with their undisturbed "slice of the pie." They were slow to respond to the coming of the King, though they seemingly knew everything they needed to be the first responders to His impending mission. Unfortunately, many of the religious leaders, without correcting this heart course, ended up being some of Jesus' strongest opponents during His earthly ministry. Have you fallen into the same religious malaise? Will you allow Jesus to light you ablaze through a pursuit of a relationship with Him and a cultivation of passion for His purposes?

What we can learn from Herod

“When we have to change an opinion about any one, we charge heavily to his account the inconvenience he thereby causes us.” ― Friedrich Nietzsche, Beyond Good and Evil

During the first century, an expectation circulated that a ruler would arise from Judea. Even the Roman biographer and historian, Seutonius, author of Lives of the Caesars wrote, "Throughout the whole of the East there had spread an old and persistent belief: destiny had decreed that at that time men coming forth from Judea would seize power (and rule the world)." Herod, the ruling governor for the Romans in Judea, was more than likely unsettled by the large caravan that the Magi had with them. It would have included servants and a possible military escort to protect themselves and the gifts that they would present to the child. Herod had taken great pains to protect himself from former invaders from the East and was suspicious of anything that threatened his right to rule - his freedom to determine to do with his life and realm exactly what he wanted.

Herod was a representation of a king who couldn't give up control in his realm when the true king arrived. It is the difference between a steward's mentality and a king's. We are to be stewards like Prince John in Robin Hood until the good King Richard arrives. May we not be like Herod with Jesus. We should be willing to relinquish both honor and the reigns in our lives in the areas that are important. These are: How we spend our time and what we do with it The commitments that we make Where we go and who we go with How and for what we use our finances

These things were submitted and represented well by the Magi.

What we can learn from the Magi

The Magi were Gentiles, from foreign nations.

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. (Micah 5:2-4 NIV)

The term "Magi" in early records referred to a priestly caste in ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) who used a combination of the science of astrology, diplomatic wisdom, and magical incantations to interpret present and future events. Persia was where the Israelites had been exiled during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. The Israelites were allowed to return to Israel under King Cyrus (Ezra 1), but a large colony of Jews remained in the East after the Exile (i.e. - the book of Esther), particularly in the regions of Babylon, Arabia, and Parthia. This left the people of this area with an exposure to Judaism, its religious practices, and also the prophetic anticipation of the Messianic King (Numbers 24:17; II Peter 1:19; Revelation 22:16). If the Magi came from the region of Babylon, they would have traveled approximately 900 miles to Jerusalem and taken several months to travel with a caravan from the time of the initial citing of the star. They would have had to endure the smell of their animals, those traveling with them, and be committed to them despite their temperments, attitudes, and strength of vision or commitment to meet the Messiah.

Here is a truth that you will never escape: You must inconvenience yourself to meet the King. It is equally true about being useful in His gospel purposes.

They had an idea of god with their likely exposure to Zorastrianism, but to truly worship the King, they had to first go to the place where they could meet him.

“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered.” ― G.K. Chesterton

To be able to see the King and participate in His story of redemption of this city and the nations, you must be willing to embrace the adventure that God has for you with His people.

Many times the Gentile world puts the people of God to shame. What can we learn from the Magi's example?

The Magi taught us how to honor the King.

We've lost a sense of honor in our culture. In biblical times, when approaching royalty or people of high religious, political, or social significance, gifts were brought to demonstrate deferential respect.

You honor the king with gold, incense, and myrhh: - Gold was valued monetarily as a means of exchange and a precious metal for making jewelry, ornaments, and dining instruments for royalty. The sacrifice of this in your life is obvious by comparison and is really a question of who you want to honor most. Will you commit your treasure in obedience to Jesus for gospel advance? - Frankincense produced a sweet odor when burned and was used as a perfume, but was also used in Israel as the only incense permitted on the altar. The Bible often spoke of prayers as incense that are a sweet fragrance to God (Revelation 5:1-10; 8:1-5). Will you commit to consistently offering your prayers for Jesus' salvation and rule to reach the people of the city and the nations? - Myrrh is a mixture of resin and gum. The oil myrrhol was used in incense, as a perfume for garments or a lover's couch, as a stimulant and as packing in the wrappings of the clothing of the deceased to stifle the smell of a decaying body. Will you move to a place of pursuing genuine love for and intimacy with Jesus, allowing the gospel of His death, burial, and resurrection to be at the forefront of your thoughts and pursuits?

These things are what it takes for God's redemptive plans to be executed in this city and the nations. Let's align ourselves accordingly to welcome the rule of the King.

Second City Church- Once and Future Kings Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and the Incarnation

Once and Future Kings - "Jesus and the Incarnation"

[powerpress]

Offering special video: THE DIGITAL STORY OF THE NATIVITY http://youtube.com/watch?v=GkHNNPM7pJA

Transforming Truth: The King Comes to Save

The advent season is the celebration of the incarnation, which literally means taking on flesh or embodied in flesh. The apostle John wrote at the beginning of his biography of Jesus that God, the Logos, the reason and meaning behind all existence, became flesh (John 1:14). As we come to the culmination of the advent season, we choose to remember the person of Jesus Christ and what He came to do in that incarnation. In reflecting on the expressed purpose of His coming, we rejoice in the fact that the king came to save, being God with us leading to a saving obedience.

This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about : His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 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 1:18-25 NIV)

One name (Jesus, meaning "the Lord saves") spoke of the Messiah's role as the anointed King and Savior from David's royal line. The other (Immanuel, meaning "God with us") spoke of His identity as the incarnate God who came with humility and power to fulfill that role. Names and nicknames that we were given as children did the same.

The Lord Saves

“The average man has no central core of moral assurance, no spring within his breast, no inner strength to place him above the need for repeated psychological shots to give him the courage to go on living. He has become a parasite on the world, drawing his life from his environment, unable to live a day apart from the stimulation which society affords him.” ―A.W. Tozer

To dismiss these things, ridicule them, or ignore them as non-issues will not make them any less real. Everything else in life is offered to you as escapism, which, unfortunately, only exacerbates the real issues, because they fester through neglect and become worse, not better. Jesus offers salvation, rescue, and the writing of a new script through His intervention and power. The incarnation is about God not merely commenting on the state of humanity or your condition, but invading it to save it.

Jesus is God With Us

“Not only were the Jews expecting the birth of a Great King, a Wise Man and a Saviour, but Plato and Socrates also spoke of the Logos and of the Universal Wise Man 'yet to come'. Confucius spoke of 'the Saint'; the Sibyls, of a 'Universal King'; the Greek dramatist, of a saviour and redeemer to unloose man from the 'primal eldest curse'. All these were on the Gentile side of the expectation. What separates Christ from all men is that first He was expected; even the Gentiles had a longing for a deliverer, or redeemer. This fact alone distinguishes Him from all other religious leaders.” ―Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ

Our lives fall apart because, instead of making relationship with Jesus the Savior the goal of our lives, we make Him merely a means to an end. That means that when we don't get what we were hoping for, we void the contract in our mind and quit God. The incarnation took room for this reasoning out of the equation, because God said He is coming to us as the initiator and the goal of your life's success. He said that He is the prize and contextualization for all things; that if He is with you, your circumstances may change, but your hope, joy, and peace should not. At the culmination of all things, He has won life's battle, and His people taste eternal victory through Him because of His incarnation, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious death on the cross, His burial and resurrection from the dead.

You will never be fully and truly happy until you know that God is an end to Himself and not a means to an end. This realization allows you to have inconvenient trust leading to a saving obedience.

Saving Obedience

Ontologically you are made to serve a king. That is why all of the stories and legends of old or modern times gravitate toward this. You will either submit to the true, benevolent king, or substitute kings will try to take their place. The same is true for saviors - what good kings are to be.

What are the real issues causing pain in your life, and by what are they truly caused? The Bible says it is separation from God and sin. But it also says that the Messiah comes to save you from your sins and bring you back to God, that He might be Immanuel, God with you.

Unanswered prayers are a big reason for people leaving God, but it is merely a means to show us what we value more than Him. "Being mad at God" for not coming through shows us where we have missed the importance of the incarnation.

What are you looking to as a savior? Are you putting your hope in some relationship or candidate, your health or sense of financial security, career or measure of success? As long as you are looking to some external agent to make you happy rather than the person of Jesus, you will be dissatisfied, and these things will fail you because they are false gods and were never designed to be the savior. It is only Jesus, Immanuel, God with us, that saves. It is through this realization that circumstances are seen as merely temporary and not determinants of joy, peace, or wholeness. You realize that whether good or bad, circumstances change, but the savior does not; He is the anchor for your soul, always good, always kind, always forgiving, always ready to give life, a meaningful existence, and purpose found only in Him.

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. (Revelation 21:5-7 NIV)

We as human beings hate the idea of anyone commanding us to do anything. But trust in and obedience to this King are the very things that will save you from the false saviors who can neither see, nor help, nor hear (Isaiah 44:6-23).

People don't hate the idea of God; they distrust the biblical God, the One who commands specific things, the One who actually became historically incarnate and can actually save. Trusting and obeying like Joseph, when it is inconvenient, is the key. Anything worth having and doing in life comes with constraints that if you had the choice you would not place on yourself (i.e. - years of schooling for a degree, years of practice for expertise with an instrument). The Savior gives commands, that though they inconvenience you, lead to His glory and your good. You've seen the other options, and they have failed you. They will continue to do so, because no one and nothing else is designed to have the answers, wisdom, or power. God will never make a substitute for Himself. It is time to allow him to be King.

Though you are not to serve Him conditionally, you must also have a radical trust toward Jesus that He will make all things right, beginning now and continuing in eternity. Do not be satisfied to think that all things must remain the same in your life. The radical nature of the incarnation bespeaks a radical faith that God wants you to have that the King comes to save completely. He is the great knight who comes to establish peace in His realm. The once and future king means that He came to bring reconciliation through His advent, sinless life, death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead. As you trust Jesus, you will continue, in increasing measure, to experience His transforming grace in your psyche, your emotional state, your relationships, and, if applicable, your marriage and your parenting until He makes His return to make all things new!

“Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight,

At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more,

When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death,

And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

 Second City Church- Once and Future Kings Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and Orderly Worship

Once and Future Kings - "Jesus and Orderly Worship"

[powerpress] Transforming Truth:  The King Comes to Bring Order

Paul continues in Corinthians to instruct about the proper use of the gifts that God bestows.  He does this by revealing the heart of Jesus the King who comes to bring order to His church. We will see this today as we study the Scripture to discover the motivation behind the gifts, why the gifts continue, give an explanation of the gifts, and determine how everything is to be done in order.

Everything Done in Love

Jesus administers all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in love.  His church is to do the same.

Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:31 NIV)

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. (1 Corinthians 13:1-7 NIV)

These images would bring to mind the accomplishment of completing seemingly impossible tasks with the metaphor of moving mountains; or lovers' suicides and Jewish martyrs who threw themselves into the fires to avoid being forcibly defiled as Paul wrote in other translations,  to "surrender my body to be burned" (I Cor. 13:3, NASB).  Paul is saying that the grandest religious gestures or acts performed through the use of the gifts are meaningless and miss the mark if they are not motivated by love.

Why the Gifts Continue

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13 NIV)

We know that the 66 canonized books of the Bible are Holy Spirit inspired and flawless (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32; II Samuel 22:31; Proverbs 30:5,6; II Timothy 3:14-17; II Peter 3:14-18; Revelation 22:18-21).  We hold to the doctrine of the inerrancy of Scripture.  However, until the return of Jesus, every ministry and church will be imperfect, because it consists of people, who though being sanctified, are imperfect.  Presently, we see and know imperfectly, though truthfully, through Scripture.  Upon Jesus' return, there will no longer be the need for the gifts, because He will have brought about the final judgment and redemption of humanity and creation.  When Jesus makes His return, that is when the perfect will have arrived, we shall "see face to face," and "know fully," even as we are fully known.  Until that time, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in effect for the advance of the gospel and the building of Jesus' church.

Jesus is our example for everything. The cessationist position is one that is never articulated in Scripture.  To the contrary, the Bible says that we should: Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:7, 8 NIV)

The church father Augustine began with the cessationist view and changed his mind later. Benjamin (B.B.) Warfield and others attempted to protect the integrity of the Scripture through the cessationist approach, but in doing so, threw out the metaphorical baby with the bath water. Continuationists acknowledge the authority of the Scripture and the present use of the gifts. The charismatic position has been made into a caricature, yet we can not allow this to be a determinant for theology.  We are to reject the disorderly conduct of the Corinthians and many modern assemblies, yet must embrace the gifts (I Corinthians 14:39,40).

One would have to go outside of the Bible and base their theology on the experience of individuals (a general rule frowned upon as the basis of truth in biblical hermeneutics) to establish the case for cessationism.   What we see clearly as the pattern, norm, and continued expectation of Scripture is the power of God demonstrated through the church as the work of the Holy Spirit.

"...if a man gets up and talks bitterly against any one, and professes to be a young convert, you may believe it is a spurious conversion. It is counterfeit. It has not got the ring of heaven in it, because a man when he is converted will love every one. Not only that, but I have noticed this, that when a man is full of the Holy Ghost he is the very last man to be complaining of other people. He loves everybody too tenderly. He loves even a cold church, and is anxious to lift them up and bring them to a kinder feeling and sympathy.

And I want to say here that I think a good many people have gotten into this habit of coldness. A man told me the other day that he felt it to be his duty to go up to a certain church and open on them when he got a chance for their lukewarmness, and I thought if he could just get a look at these young converts here he would feel differently. For when a man is himself cold he looks upon everybody else as cold too. When a man is himself warm he will talk about everybody else in the same view as of himself; he will talk about the love of God that is in our hearts, and that is what we want. If we only just felt filled with love, how easy it would be to reach man! All these barriers between us would be broken down. If you can only convince the greatest blasphemer and infidel in New York that you really love him you can reach him. What we want, therefore, is this love, and that is the work of the Holy Ghost to impart; and let us pray today that the love of God may be shed abroad in all our hearts."  -D.L. Moody

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. (1 Corinthians 14:1-5 NIV)

We are to eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit, but to do so, we must understand them.

An Explanation of the Gifts

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days. I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the Lord has said, even among the survivors whom the Lord calls. (Joel 2:28-32 NIV)

What is the purpose of prophecy and tongues? Demystifying tongues and prophecy: Tongues basically means languages (I Corinthians 14:10). Prophecy is speaking a message on behalf of God for the glorification of Jesus and the building of His church.

We must theologically look make sure that we do not fall into a reductionist approach, which is not representing everything the Bible has to say on an issue. Instead, we must choose the multi-perspectival approach, which is looking at all of the representations of an issue in the Bible.

There are 3 examples of the gift of tongues in the Bible: 1) The Missionary tongue (Acts 2) Pastor Rollan shared his Ukraine attempt at this and the example of RW Schaumback in Italy.

2) The Prophetic tongue (I Corinthians 12, 14) A king from a foreign land can send delegates and interpreters who will deliver the messages delivered in other languages. (I Corinthians 13:1) Pastor Rollan also shared of his experience in churches where this gift was ministered well.

3) The Prayer Language (I Corinthians 14) B's dad, to her surprise, practiced this gift as an ordained Presbyterian minister who preaches in a Methodist church.  She didn't know, because things were done in order.

Types of New Testament Prophetic Words 1)  Predicting future events for the mobilization of the church (I Corinthians 14:6; Isaiah 46:9-11)

At the time of its writing, roughly 25% of the Scripture was accurately predictive in nature, much of which surrounded the person and work of Jesus as the prophet of God, the Messiah.  It is to mobilize God's people for the care of the church and His gospel purposes in the world.

To a group/church:

During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:27-30 NIV)

To an individual:

Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven. He had four unmarried daughters who prophesied. After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’ ” When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.” (Acts 21:8-14 NIV)

This person must be heavily vetted and ascribe to all of the aforementioned qualifications for them to have directional impact on the church.

2)  Strengthening, Encouragement, and Comfort of the Church

Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. (1 Corinthians 14:6-17 NIV)

This can be a word speaking the truth of God to you about a past, present, or future circumstance that your trust in Jesus might be bolstered and your walk with Him affirmed.

3)  Preaching (I Corinthians 14:4,6,7,24,25)

This means teaching the Bible by the power and inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that people would turn to the word of God, repent of sin, and believe in Jesus. This was many times the function of Old Testament prophets- to return the people to the law of God. That law as the highest authority is now found in the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures, and every word that is preached is subject to these canonized books of the Bible.

Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.” (Revelation 19:9, 10 NIV)

God gives anointed preaching so that the church is edified and clear instruction is given.  It includes unbelievers hearing the word of God, being convicted of sin, and turning to Jesus for salvation.  Above all, this is to be valued without end until Jesus' return so that people might continually know who Jesus is, what He expects, and how to live on mission with Him (Psalm 138:2).

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. In the Law it is written: “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (1 Corinthians 14:18-25 NIV)

Isaiah 28:11-12 was the verse quoted from the Law above, and the context was God's judgment on the immature, self-righteous rebels of Israel.  Operating in any spiritual gift does not equate to maturity or God's pleasure (Matthew 7:21-23).  We must be those who live in faith, humility, and holiness to have that designation.

Clearing up a confusing passage (I Corinthians 14:22-25): When we look at the missionary tongue represented in Acts 2, we see that this is a sign for unbelievers to repent of sin and turn to Jesus.  When we understand prophecy to also include the preaching of the Word of God, it is for both believers and unbelievers to come to faith and repentance in Christ.

Why New Testament Prophecies are Subject to and Less Authoritative than the Bible:

The Old Testament is basically a recording of God's interaction with humanity through the specific interaction with His chosen people, the Jews.  It was written by prophets and scribes.  It is a foreshadowing of Christ and His redemptive work as the promised Messiah.  The New Testament is the explanation of Christ and His atonement, the fulfillment of all that was prophesied about Him for the redemption of the fallen world.  It is written by eyewitnesses, apostles, and those to whom they gave detailed accounts to (i.e. - Luke).  It is the expounding of the person, power, and present ministry of Jesus.  Anything that comes after must be in agreement with and congruent to these affirmed words.  That is why religions such as Mormonism, Islam, and Jehovah's Witnesses, though acknowledging Jesus of Nazareth, are rejected as true, because they contradict the aforementioned witnesses.  Present day ministry solely continues the work already laid out.

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:19, 20 NIV)

As discussed last week, there is a difference between the unique, twelve apostles of Jesus and those who operate in an apostolic gifting today.  The twelve apostles of Jesus are described in this manner:

Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. (Matthew 19:27-30 NIV)

“For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “ ‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’ and, “ ‘May another take his place of leadership.’ Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” (Acts 1:20-22 NIV)

In the same way, the prophets of the Old Testament were never wrong, lest they be stoned, predicting the coming of Jesus, His work, death, burial, and resurrection, and world events with amazing detail and accuracy and recorded as witnesses to much of the events of the pre-incarnation period.  Because of these things which have been tested and approved, their writings are held in a league of their own.

How do I know if something is truly a prophetic word? 1)  It agrees with, and does not contradict the highest authority of Scripture.  God is not double-minded, nor does He change His mind about things.  If you are prophetically gifted, you should always work to have a properly contextualized and hermeneutically sound interpretation of Scripture to underscore the word that you are sharing.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood. (1 John 4:1-6 NIV).

(Deuteronomy 13; 17; 18; Matthew 24:1-35; and II Thessalonians 2:1-12 give warnings about false prophets, apostles, and miracle-workers who use demonic power to turn people away from Jesus or His ways.  Be wary of those.  Many major false religions and cults in the world today have been founded by individuals claiming to be mouthpieces of God, but are actually turning people from Jesus and leading people to Hell.)

2)  It is redemptive in nature, pointing to the cross of Jesus Christ.  Because prophecy is for the strengthening, encouragement, and comfort of the listener, it will always reflect the gospel and the purposes of God therein.

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 NIV)

3)  It should be done demonstrating the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).

4)  It should be done in order, whether in a public or private setting.  Prophetic words need to have the ability to be vetted.  Even Old Testament prophets were trained in the company of other experienced prophets like Samuel and Elijah (I Samuel 19:20). In a public service, they should be submitted to the leadership for discernment, judgment, and determination of a proper time and place to share the message, if at all.  Some prophetic words are not to be communicated, but are prayer burdens that should be stewarded.

There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. (Luke 2:36-38 NIV) (*Because Anna was a prophetess prior to Christ's arrival, we know that there were not 400 years of absolute silence from God between Malachi and Christ's coming.  In addition, this cuts against the foundation of cessationism.)

What should I do with a prophetic word that is spoken over me? 1) Like Mary, treasure the words in your heart, asking God and your leadership for application, direction, and faith to properly respond to the word.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told. (Luke 2:8-20 NIV)

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2:25-35 NIV)

2) Like Timothy, fan into flame the gift of God that was bequeathed by the Holy Spirit to you.

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. (2 Timothy 1:6 NIV)

Once we understand the definition and purpose of the gifts, fear of exhibitionism in the church can be quelled with a proper understanding of Jesus the King's order in the church.

Let Everything Be Done in Order

Like today, in the Roman society there were different styles of worship, both the somber Roman ritual and the ecstatic Greek celebration. Paul was emphasizing that neither of these styles was paramount, rather that we have concern for others as we look to build up the church (I Corinthians 13), and that there is order in the use of the gifts.

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. Women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says. If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church. Or did the word of God originate with you? Or are you the only people it has reached? If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. (1 Corinthians 14:26-40 NIV)

The issue of women in the church was settled when we spoke of Jesus and a restored dignity (Acts 18:18-28; I Corinthians 11:5; Titus 2:3-5).  In this Corinthian context, several women were seemingly interrupting the services and teachers with untrained biblical insights.  Paul was correcting the lack of decorum.  Despite the lower literacy rate among women of the day, Paul is being extremely progressive for the times encouraging the men to respect their wives' intellectual abilities and to teach them in the home.  Paul also sets guidelines to ensure that any participation in church is not distracting and mutually edifying for all involved.  Women are exhorted to teach, pray, and prophesy as with all others, in order.

The reason things need to be done in order is because the use of the gifts is for the benefit of others, for the common good, and not yourself.  Anyone who works in the gifts out of order will be ignored (I Corinthians 14:36-38).  When all of the gifts are exercised with humility, under submission, and, most of all, in love, then the Bible will be taught, people will be edified, Jesus will be exalted, people will be saved, healed, and delivered, and the kingdom of God will advance.  Let us be those who welcome Jesus the King in His fullness, allowing Him to move in power, love, and through order.

Second City Church- Once and Future Kings Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and His Indispensable Parts

Once and Future Kings - "Jesus and His Indispensable Parts"

Transforming Truth: The King Comes Bearing Gifts

The universal church is made up of God fearing, Jesus honoring, Bible preaching local congregations. In every way, the local churches of Jesus Christ are built through the faith of church members. The Kingdom of God is advanced through local churches, fulfilling Jesus Christ's mission through the contributions of its people within. Just as the sacraments reorient our hearts to the attitude, love, and redeeming work of God, the gifts of the Holy Spirit empower the work so that Jesus' gospel might advance. In this section of Corinthians, Paul teaches us about Jesus as the king who has come bearing gifts.

The work of Jesus is summarized in the gospel, which is His advent through a virgin birth, His sinless life as an example to all believers, His miracle ministry and His propitiatory death on the cross, burial, and resurrection to reconcile humanity to God. As a witness of this, He left gifts of the Holy Spirit that testify to Jesus' person, power ,and present ministry.

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (1 Corinthians 12:1-6 NIV)

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, comprised of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit (John 14, 16). They are one, each eternal and co-equal in divinity. The second ecumenical council of the Christian church, the Council of Constantinople, held in Constantinople in AD 381, promulgated the ratified Nicene Creed and the biblically revealed divinity of the Holy Spirit.

You can remember the roles of each of the members of the Trinity as you picture the sign of the cross that many Catholics make: Vertically- the Father is above and rules over all, while the Son came to the earth to atone for our sins; horizontally- the Holy Spirit is the one who lives in us and is with us today, to minister through us utilizing gifts that the Father wants to give us.

Do Not Be Ignorant About the Gifts

How do all of these gifts connect to Jesus?

Everything points to honoring Jesus.

Any ministry that takes place by the power of the Holy Spirit will lead to Jesus being exalted as Lord. That is the purpose and aim of spiritual gifts: to see the uncreated, incarnate God, Jesus Christ made tangible and real in people's thinking and experience.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NIV)

You can not dismiss something based on your lack of experience. Neither fear, a lack of understanding, or negative experience have the right to dictate theology. It must be God the Father speaking by the Holy Spirit about Jesus the Son and all that comes with Him through His word.

The answer to abuse is not disuse, but proper use.

There are both benefits and challenges to the way that you came to Jesus:

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 NIV)

The reality is that what was impressed upon you as you grew can shape your current perception of God.

The benefit that many who grew up in Christian homes had is that they were exposed to the reality of Jesus from an early age. They were ideally able to avoid many of the pitfalls of moral decline in our culture. They were able to have a certain biblical exposure that at least allowed them the assumption of the reality of God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit could at times be the uncle that no one really knows that well, what job he has or what he does for a living. The benefit that I had in not growing up in the church is that when I did become a Christian, I had to let the Bible speak for itself, along with a Hebrew-Aramaic-Greek study lexicon and a good set of Bible commentaries to explain the cultural context of the Scripture, history, and the like.

There are continued lists of gifts of the Holy Spirit found in Romans 12:3-8, Ephesians 4:7-16, and I Peter 4:10-11 that we will cover at other times. Today we will simply focus on those represented in Paul's letter to the Corinthians. With each we will see that in the New Testament, Jesus set an example for these gifts by the power of the Holy Spirit, and they were continued through the church by the same Holy Spirit to Jesus' glory. They were not limited to the twelve unique apostles of Jesus, but were distributed as God intended, to members of the church.

	Jesus' Example	Others' Examples
Wisdom	Luke 2:41-52	James in Acts 15:1-35
Knowledge	John 4:1-42	Peter in Acts 5:1-11
Faith	Luke 8:40-56	Barnabas in Acts 11:19-30
Healing	Mark 1:29-34	Phillip in Acts 8:1-8
Miraculous Powers	John 2:1-11	Stephen in Acts 6:8-7:60

The philosophy of naturalism has done much to try to squelch the supernatural gifts in the church. We have been affected without realizing it.

“Christ's miracles were not the suspension of the natural order but the restoration of the natural order. They were a reminder of what once was prior to the fall and a preview of what will eventually be a universal reality once again--a world of peace and justice, without death, disease, or conflict.” ― Timothy Keller

The naturalist environment in which we live has us daily wake up to an anti-supernaturalist atmosphere.

“Miracles are a retelling in small letters of the very same story which is written across the whole world in letters too large for some of us to see.” ― C.S. Lewis

Prophecy, Speaking in Different Kinds of Tongues, and the Interpretation of Tongues we will cover next week. (Paul, the daughters of Phillip the evangelist, Agabus, and others were examples of those operating in these gifts.)

	Jesus' Example	Others' Examples
Distinguishing Between Spirits	Mark 9:14-32; Luke 13:10-17	Paul in Acts 16:16-40

There are two main ways that you can figure out how you're gifted:

1) Prophetic messages and impartations

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. (1 Timothy 4:14 NIV)

2) Try different areas of service to see whether or not you have an ability to minister effectively in that area resulting in people experiencing the grace of God through your service to them through the use of that gift. If people regularly seek you out for a certain type of service or encourage you in a particular trait, you should not assume that all people have such gifting and should instead embrace it to use that natural talent or spiritual gift to build up the church.

Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27 NIV)

The great tragedy of the Christian community is when we feel like one gift is more valuable or exciting than another. The truth is that each person and each gift is indispensable for the advance of Jesus' kingdom as people have the gospel shared with them, are taught the Scripture, are loved, served through the church, prayed for, discipled, shown hospitality, and trained to be leaders to help shape society to the glory of God. We need to stop making comparisons and instead be complements to one another as we work toward the common goal of seeing the multitudes in this city and the nations come to Christ.

Are you fulfilling your role so that more and more people might be reached with the gospel of Jesus?

If you don't yet see something in the church that you are passionate about, or an area in which God has talented/gifted you, talk to us. You are the very person being added to help plant, water, and build that area that God will cause to grow for the saving of many lives and for His glory. (Genesis 50)

And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret? Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12:28-31 NIV)

	Jesus' Example	Others' Examples
Apostles	Hebrews 3:1	Timothy + Silas in 1 Thess. 1:1-2:8
Teachers	John 1:36-39	Priscilla and Aquila in Acts 18:24-26
Helps	John 13	Tabitha in Acts 9:32-43; Mark in II Tim. 4:11
Guidance/Administration	Luke 9:10-17	The deacons in Acts 6:1-7

How do these gifts work together for the sake of the gospel?

The Body of Christ, the church, is to be a people that continually exalt the person of Jesus through the preaching of the totality of Scripture and administration of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As a result, we are to see many people reconciled to God through Christ.

Take-Home Truth:

1) Pray for a way within or through the church through which you can serve.

Second City Church- Once and Future Kings Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and Communion

Once and Future Kings - "Jesus and Communion"

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Transforming Truth: The King Comes To Forgive

As we begin the advent season, we remember the fact that Jesus was the king who was born to die. By the time Paul was writing to the Corinthians, Jesus had come, lived, died in payment for our sins, and was resurrected to bring new life to those who would believe. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians was delivered about twenty years after the culmination of these events. Paul passes on sacred rhythms for the church to maintain the preeminence of Jesus' coming and his reconciling work as king. As we look into the Scriptures, we will see both the purpose of communion and how to participate in the sacrament in a worthy manner.

The Purpose of Communion

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” He replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’ ” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely you don’t mean me, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Then Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely you don’t mean me, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said so.” While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:17-30 NIV)

Communion, like the Passover meal which Jesus used to commence the practice, had an element of looking behind and looking ahead. The Passover looked behind to the deliverance from Egypt in the Exodus. This is now symbolic of our freedom that Jesus purchased on the cross for us through the giving of His body and shed blood. We embrace this initially through the sacrament of baptism. We commemorate it through communion. There was, in the Passover, also a looking ahead to the future redemption of Israel, while communion also celebrates this looking forward to Jesus' return.

Communion in a Worthy Manner

In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval. So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers. As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God by humiliating those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? Certainly not in this matter! For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world. So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. Anyone who is hungry should eat something at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. And when I come I will give further directions. (1 Corinthians 11:17-34 NIV)

The Corinthian society had festive meals where the elite and poor were separated, and served meals of corresponding quality. The early church met in the homes of wealthy patrons that could seat between 40 and 50 people. They emulated this divisive practice to the dishonor of the gospel. Divisions in the community between married couples and singles, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, hipsters and traditionalists are to be continually broken through communion.

Are you allowing the sacrament to center your life in gospel living?

The sacraments are the great levelers of men since all must come to Jesus in the same way. Through communion, we are to be unified in our remembrance of Christ's sacrifice, celebrating it in a manner where the haves and have nots are thrown out the door. It is as we leave this table that the leveling in our hearts should continue to produce charitable affection and action towards one another and the world in which we live. Baptism is the same as we remember the death that Jesus had to endure for all of our sin. It is only as we enter into His death through baptism that our obedience is made complete and the pledge of a good conscience toward God sets us on course to new living, with a circumcision done by the hand of God rather than men. Those uncircumcised in the old covenant were cut off from the people. It is an outward sign of an inward work.

Life will not become less busy or have less responsibility in the call of God. Part of communion is remembering the joy that is to be found in remembering the fact that we are called to be servants like Christ, laying down our lives for God and others. You are frustrated when you move out of that place of contented love. The sacraments return the joy of our salvation and our daily service to us because we again remember Jesus and His sacrifice, a total life lived for the honor of the Father and the redemption of others.

Communion is a place where we are to judge ourselves and come to repentance so that we will not fall under the judgement of God. It is a place where we take an evaluation of our actual walk with Jesus, to see if we are living wholeheartedly in obedience to His commands or simply playing church. It is an act of kindness that He continually calls us to this place so that we might once again experience His grace.

“No one should be surprised at the difficulty of faith, if there is some part of his life where he is consciously resisting or disobeying the commandment of Jesus. Is there some part of your life which you are refusing to surrender at his behest, some sinful passion, maybe, or some animosity, some hope, perhaps your ambition or your reason? ... How can you hope to enter into communion with him when at some point in your life you are running away from him?” ― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

The Biblical term "falling asleep" was utilized for those waiting for death until the final judgment of Jesus and the subsequent resurrection from the dead. When Paul says that there are those who are sick and fall asleep because of their lack of esteem for communion, it is because they are making a mockery of the body of Jesus that was broken and the blood of Jesus that was spilled for them in sacrifice. You are to continually return to a place of thankfulness through communion as you remember the price that Jesus paid to demonstrate His love for the Father, for you, and His desire to see you reconciled.

What better way is there to show appreciation during this Christmas season, than to partake of the sacrament of communion where we remember the body and blood of Jesus Christ, shed for our sins?

“We who have turned our lives over to Christ need to know how very much he longs to eat with us, to commune with us. He desires a perpetual Eucharistic feast in the inner sanctuary of the heart.” ― Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth

Second City Church- Once and Future Kings Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and a Restored Dignity

Tough Questions - "Jesus and a Restored Dignity"

Transforming Question: Are you allowing Jesus to define your identity and give you dignity as He does?

Paul was writing to the Corinthian church that was at the intersection of several worlds. There was the Greek population to which many attributed their ethnic heritage, the Roman society from which several derived their citizenship, and the newfound Christianity which defined their faith. Each of these were cultures that had within them manners in which the Corinthians were learning to identify themselves and interact. In this section, Paul begins to give the Corinthians, and us, anchors for the soul by helping to restore dignity to the sexes as we focus on the person of Jesus.

Much like the importance of counteracting the push towards an androgynous society today, Paul sees the need to address the Corinthians' fear of definition.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the traditions just as I passed them on to you. But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God. (1 Corinthians 11:1-16 NIV)

This is an important discussion, because what you think about God's attitude toward the dignity of the genders will ultimately affect your relationships in the home, in the workplace, your relationship with Jesus Himself, and ultimately your potential kingdom activity.

In some modern scholarship, Paul, Christianity, and Jesus are presented as misogynistic. However, when you understand the context of the Scripture, you see that nothing could be farther from the truth. The truth is that in Greek culture, Aristotelian viewpoints had a foothold that the gospel was coming to untie.

In her detailed book, The Concept of Woman: The Aristotelian Revolution 750 Bc-Ad 1250 (1997), Prudence Allen lays out for us some of the groundwork to explain the pendulum swings between chauvinism and extreme feminism within Western civilization.

1. The male is separated from the female, since it is something better and more divine in that it is the principle of movement for generated things, while the female serves as their matter. 2. A woman is as it were an infertile male. 3. The female is as it were a deformed male. 4. The male is by nature superior, and the female inferior; and the one rules, and the other is ruled.

In these statements the superior valuation of man over woman is explicitly stated. However, it is also present in the theory of contraries and in other aspects of Aristotle’s thought about sex identity. Aristotle stands out from his predecessors in that he gave a complete rationale for his theory of sex polarity. He developed reasons and arguments for the philosophically significant differentiation of the sexes and for the superiority of man over woman. Therefore, he is correctly identified as the founder of the sex polarity position. (page 121)

As opposed to male chauvinism and the understandable response of extreme feminism, the biblical model is a response that is properly identified as complimentarianism based on the ontological order of God and the two-sided example of Jesus Christ.

Paul is here answering questions posed by the Corinthian church, within their context, to which we are not privy. Regardless, by working with the totality of Scripture, we can extract certain principles from this text for which we should be thankful as we once again center on the person of Jesus.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. (1 Corinthians 11:1 NIV)

The whole point is, whether male or female, you are to follow the example of servant leadership and perfect submission found in Christ. The issue is how to wield and how to yield to authority.

But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3 NIV)

The word "man" can also be translated "husband," and the word "woman" can also be translated "wife."

It is important that we note this, because I have had to make some crazy clarifications. For example: In a dating relationship, a girlfriend is not obligated to submit to her boyfriend. This is also not saying that every man is to be the head of every woman in the workplace.

The point is for both men and women to be like Jesus in proper relationship to authority. Men are to lead their families according to the precepts of the Bible. Women are to be like Jesus following the biblical lead of their husbands. God the Father is the ultimate authority. Jesus, though co-equal, submits to His authority. As the man submits to Jesus, and, in a marriage, the woman submits to her husband. The Father never abuses His authority with the Son; nor is the husband to abuse it with his wife.

In a marriage, a husband is not an ultimate authority, but has responsibility in his home to lead. This is what Adam abdicated in the beginning (Genesis 3:6-12). What this means is that as Jesus was with the Father, the husband and wife are to be unified in their purpose toward gospel ends. This is a difficult case where in many scenarios, the women have been those who pursue Jesus while the husband is passive or pagan. In this manner, a wife is only to submit to the authority of her husband as the husband himself is submitted to Christ. This is where the protection comes from.

The man is under the authority of Christ and is to lead his family as a delegated authority in that place. As seen by other instruction (Ephesians 5:21-33), the husband is to provide his love, provision (I Timothy 5:7,8), protection, and covering as he lays down his life for his wife to lead like Jesus. The wife is in this context empowered to fulfill her role as a co-heir of the kingdom (I Peter 3:1-7) with her husband, in unity and submission, as Jesus is unified with and submitted to the Father. Jesus is the reference point for both- empowering, dignifying, and leading in each scenario.

Headship does not promote or sanction abuse, as Paul said:

Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged. (Colossians 3:19-21 NIV)

Peter also made this abundantly clear when he exposed God's heart to men's delegated leadership:

Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7 NIV)

When we think that either men or women are not esteemed enough, it is because we lack proper esteem for Jesus Himself who is the model for both the sexes.

In our culture, the discussion of sex speaks of biology, while gender speaks of roles based on that biology. The culture wars that exist are a product of sin. We do not need to go back to societal structures but God's design in creation to get our right bearings.

This is a discussion of ontological order.

As in Corinth, there are attacks on both masculinity and femininity in our culture today, but both must be esteemed as good and beautiful. Men are told that they need to act more like women in the church, and women are pressured to feel like they need to act more like men to get ahead in the marketplace or society. These things are not God's design. Both were made in the image of God and have unique expressions that are to be complementary rather than contentious, competing, or at odds with one another.

Jesus is the perfect example of submission while being co-equal with and empowered by the Father.

Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head. (1 Corinthians 11:4 NIV)

In Corinthian culture, those who wore headdresses were the elite of society who participated in their cult worship and used it as a means to communicate their place in society. The focus was on their status rather than Jesus, and, thus, they were dishonoring their head.

Men have crazy qualifications for the things that are to make them men today, as parodied in our advertising:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4zmG0hhl0Q

A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. (1 Corinthians 11:7 NIV)

Men are not idiots as modern media portrays, but are to assume their roles as the glory of God. It is the fear of God, taking responsibility and living in a holy manner, that is pleasing to Jesus that makes you a man.

But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head—it is the same as having her head shaved. For if a woman does not cover her head, she might as well have her hair cut off; but if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut off or her head shaved, then she should cover her head. (1 Corinthians 11:5, 6 NIV)

In antiquity, women's hair was a common object of lust, and in much of the Mediterranean, women were expected to cover their hair. Failing to do so was thought to provoke male lust as bathing suits are thought to in some cultures today. There was a clash of cultures as Jewish women covered their heads striving for propriety, and upper-class women of the Roman social elite were eager to set trends and show off their fashion. The point is propriety within the culture, and this does not transcend to every culture. In Corinthian society, women who were married wore head coverings. Those who did not were considered unchaste.

Paul uses an ancient rhetorical skill, reductio ad absurdum, reducing their insistance on bald heads to the absurd, saying why not shave a woman's head if that is the greatest shame for a woman within that culture. In essence, Paul says don't reject authority, and don't be unchaste.

The issue of authority will always be an important one. All relationships and civilization are built on a measure of it. For positive forward movement and unity to exist simultaneously, there must be headship in family relationships, between spouses, between parents and children, bosses and employees, in the church, and within the Trinity itself.

Women are esteemed by Paul in being given roles of both public prayers and prophecy within the church, which were strides forward in the cultural context. Appealing in verse 7 to the creation account makes it obvious that God's design was that both men and women were made in the image of God, and were to be respected as such.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UFpe3Up9T_g

We have had to work with one of our daughters toward a reorientation of what actually is a princess. In Genesis 2:18, the phrase translated "helper suitable" was one praising the women's strength. It was an esteeming, rather than a demeaning nomenclature to induce subservience. The word helper was used more often of God the Holy Spirit than anyone else in the Old Testament, as God was helping the Israelites win wars, etc. "Suitable" means "corresponding" or "appropriate to" as an equal, as opposed to the animals who were being ruled over. Women were given as a complementing gift for their strength, not their subjected service.

Everything is to be a reflection of the Trinitarian relationship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They are one God, three persons, equal in value, different in function. The Holy Spirit is called the Helper of Israel, though He is equal in essence to God the Father. The ecumenical councils sought to establish this point.

Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God. (1 Corinthians 11:11, 12 NIV)

The issue was the respect for God-given identity, women acting as women and men acting as men. The answer was to avoid one extreme or the other - either the unchaste rebellion toward authority or the subservient mentality that Christ came to liberate the cultures from (Galatians 3:26-29).

We are to be thankful that there is interdependence in Jesus. There is no room for violence, dominance, or abuse, but love, honor and respect from both sides with eyes focused on honoring our ultimate head, God the Father, through the Son Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering. (1 Corinthians 11:14, 15 NIV)

Finally, Paul uses the modus operadi of the Stoic philosophers making appeals to nature. Paul is well aware of the fact that barbarians, philosophers, the heroes of the epic past, as well as the Jewish Nazirites maintained long hair, even as a means to honor God. Here he is simply using the argument that men should not try to appear as women, nor be effeminate as men. Instead, men should take responsibility, be full of strength, and ready to lead. Paul is saying that we should be thankful that though culture would attempt to reduce men to blundering idiots, God has a place of dignity and esteem that he returns to them through Jesus.

The answer to abuse is not revisionism, but repentance. This repentance takes place regularly as we enter into ongoing fellowship with Jesus through communion, which we will cover in further detail next week.

Second City Church- Tough Questions Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and the Sacrifices That We Make

Tough Questions: Jesus and the Sacrifices That We Make

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Transforming Question: Is Jesus authoring and receiving the glory from the sacrifices that you are making?

Life is ultimately an act, a dance, if you will, of worship. The irony is that not everyone knows that they are worshiping or what they are worshiping. Beyond just music or song, worship was biblically defined as service to someone or something. Worship includes sacrifice. The key is to be able to recognize what you are sacrificing and question whether Jesus is authoring that sacrifice, being honored in the midst of it. Paul asks questions in this segment to highlight for the Corinthians what and who they are actually worshiping. To do so, he exposes the nature of deceptive religion, helps to identify the root of the sacrifices that we make, and finally helps us to understand the value in doing all things for the glory of God.

Deceptive Religion

People can think they are living for Jesus when they really are not.

Paul ended the previous section of the letter giving an analogy of how a Christian must run their race in Christ in such a way as not to be "disqualified for the prize." It is here that he develops that thought exposing the ways that the norms of the pagan culture can impact the Christian.

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:1-13 NIV)

You are first given clues in Paul's appeal as to how to read your Bible.

The Gentile Corinthians would have been unaware of the Jewish history to which Paul was making reference, so he makes it a point here to clarify that the God who brought the Israelites out of Egypt in the Old Testament is the same God that they now serve in Jesus. This connection between the Old and New Testament is one that we must continue to esteem today. In this sense, Paul presents Christian heritage as encamped in Jewish history, where the patriarchs and matriarchs of faith are to be honored as our forefathers and mothers. Most importantly, there are not two different Gods, but one between the two covenants. All of human history is God's unveiling of one continuous redemptive story through the person of Jesus. When references are made to previous events in Scripture, it is important for you to cross-reference the source, so that you can understand the full extent of the analogy being made in its original context, and then the applied context.

They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:2-4 NIV)

The first sacrifice that we are to make where we come to Jesus in real submission is through a believer's baptism. Each of the Israelites who passed through the Red Sea had to actively put their faith in God to deliver them from their bondage in Egypt and bring them into the freedom of a new life. Many people as a part of a religious family were dedicated to the Lord as a child, but have never chosen to take their own "walk through the sea" as an outward sign of their personal trust in Jesus. You can not ride on the coattails of your family forever. Have you had a believer's baptism, one of repentance? When you do this, you are personally choosing to give the totality of your life to Jesus. You are uniting with Him in His death on the cross for your sins that had you bound, and putting your trust in the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead, so that you may too come out of that water to live a new life.

“Everything has been figured out, except how to live.” ―Jean-Paul Sartre

Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. (1 Corinthians 10:5 NIV)

The fear of the Lord needs to be upon us as we recognize that "most of them" in that generation fell in the desert, because they did not obey God's commands, but instead chased their idols, the things that they wanted most in life above God.

Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. (1 Corinthians 10:6 NIV)

Worship and the sacrifices that you make for it begins with where your set your heart. Biblically, your heart refers to your affections, your emotions, and desires. Sin surfaces when you sacrifice setting your heart on the best thing, otherwise known as the blessed thing, for immediate gratification. It is in this place that things always seem to fall apart because you encounter the resistance of God. This is essentially what a curse is. The things on which we set our hearts today are similar in root to those of the Israelites coming out of Egypt.

Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.” (1 Corinthians 10:7 NIV)

Idolatry and Pagan Revelry - This is the idea when you say, "God you owe me. My life deserves to be a rip-roaring good time, and I am not going to have you constrain me." If you live solely for comfort and pleasures, you will be an idolator. In this scenario, the people of Israel were tired of waiting for Moses to come down with direction from the mountain, so in the meantime, made their own false god through which they could satisfy their carnal desires. There is having a drink, and there is drunkenness. There is eating, and there is gluttony. There is having a good time dancing, and there is turn down the lights club grinding. Don't indulge in the latter.

We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. (1 Corinthians 10:8 NIV)

Sexual immorality - This is the idea when you say, "God, you owe me. As a sexual being, I deserve to have all of my sexual desires fulfilled." This is why dating someone whose heart is not set on the Lord's purposes is so detrimental. The natural flow of relationships is to yearn for physical intimacy, which is to a blessed thing in the commitments of marriage. However, at Shittim (Numbers 25:1-3), the seduction of the Moabite women led the Israelites to the worship of pagan gods. The Israelites were, thus, derailed in their devotion to and pursuit of the one true God. As with the Levites, there had to be a line drawn in the sand.

We should not test Christ, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. (1 Corinthians 10:9 NIV)

They tested Christ. This is the idea when you say, "God you owe me. I deserve to have the baby, the spouse, the job, the position, and the income I want exactly when I think I am worthy of it." The Israelites began to disdain the manna that He was feeding them. Some of you might equally have abandoned feeding on the unchanging gospel of Jesus found in the Scriptures and found that you are withering in your souls. You begin to test and see if there are other philosophies, religions, or practices that can sustain you just as well, but the result is catastrophic. The snake, the deceiver, will always begin to bite, injecting you with his poison. The good news is that because of God's mercy, you can once again look to Jesus lifted up, and He will forgive you. Testing Jesus also refers to times when you see how long you think you can get away with a particular sin without repercussion. The sad truth is many people only wake up once they are faced with the consequences of their actions. Don't be that person, but if it is you, you can turn to Jesus for healing today (John 3:14,15).

And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. (1 Corinthians 10:10 NIV)

Grumbling - This is the idea when you say, "If things did not turn out as I expected them to be, You are not doing your job, because really God, aren't You here to serve me?" This is the common theme in Christian culture of charging God with wrongdoing and "being mad at God." We feel like we have the right to accuse God, our leaders, and His people when we are "just getting things off of your chest." It's not like you really dislike Jesus, you're just venting for relief. This was most often in response to what the Israelites felt like they left behind in Egypt, what they felt like they were missing. What they forgot, and what we forget today is the bondage and the treacherously hard labor that came with it. God put an end to that himself.

“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” ― G.K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World

The good news is that in all that we do as a church, Jesus chooses to continue to walk with us in powerful ways. He was there in the Exodus, leading His people in the cloud. He was also satisfying their thirst in a dry and weary place supernaturally through the rock. He does the same for you today as you walk with His people and come to Him.

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:12, 13 NIV)

The Sacrifices that We Make

You make sacrifices everyday. Whether it is to get ahead in life or simply a decision about what you will do with your time, you are always sacrificing one thing for another. When your life is not centered in Jesus, the sacrifices are often in pursuit of your idol, the thing that you love more than Jesus.

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I speak to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf. Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy? Are we stronger than he? (1 Corinthians 10:14-22 NIV)

Paul re-references idols because you, like the Corinthians, have to know how to deal with those that are public, as well as those that are private. In I Corinthians 8, Paul refers to public sacrifices, those that one was invited to participate in as a part of civic life. Here, he makes the point that there are also private invitations to participate in idolatry, in this case in a home, over a meal. The reality about idols and the nature of the beast is that they always find a way to try to creep back in. Satan left Jesus after his temptation in the desert until an opportune time. You need to constantly press the reset button.

Paul exhorts you to flee from idolatry because worship outside of the person and cause of Jesus always leads to dissatisfaction, frustration, and disappointment. Even in false religions, people think that they are serving one entity, but really they are sacrificing to destructive demons. Knowing that you are in the pleasure and will of God brings you peace that is health to your whole body, mind and soul. The truth is that you fall into idolatrous sacrifices when you make good things become ruling things in your life. You know that they rule you because you are aware that if they were taken away, your sense of stability or happiness would leave with them. This is the root of misplaced identity, and Jesus wants to deliver you from that by exposing the motivation behind and the recipient of the sacrifices that you are making.

The yearning for the approval of people other than Jesus and the desire to control certain elements of your life can often drive ungodly sacrifices.

How do people make sacrifices?

Are you making sacrifices in your workplace at the expense of biblical convictions and kingdom pursuits?

Are you making sacrifices in your purity pushing boundaries for a romantic relationship that you hope to keep?

Are you sacrificing your family in exchange for an exalted perception of success in your career?

Are you sacrificing your godly relationships because you find it more comfortable to hide in your offenses or pain?

Are you sacrificing intimacy with God for the sake of entertainment or a few more moments of sleep that really do not rejuvenate you?

Are you sacrificing what God says gives you value and worth for the things that the culture esteems?

We are often blind to the things that are destroying our lives.

Certain personalities lean towards certain things. For instance, my mind locks onto something, and I'm like a dog on a bone until it is accomplished. My wife continually speaks of the gravitation that I have towards the phone and technology, always being at work, always feeling like I need to connect with the next person. I am asking God to help me set boundaries lest it damage what is most important in my family. Some would say that this is obsessive or compulsive. If left without the intervention of God, though these personality types can lead to high achievement, it can also lead to addictions and control. For many, the fear of losing control has led to abuse of various types, drug or alcohol addiction, rampant sexual activity as a vie for power, acceptance or numbing of the pain of a violation. Others are passive or passive aggressive because of disappointments or discouragements. Jesus comes to set us free from our bondages.

In The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis clearly exemplifies how subtle and imperceptible our sacrifices can be, and their penultimate results.

In the following quote, you have this designation of characters:

The speaker: Screwtape, a devil The recipient: Wormwood, another devil The Enemy: God The man: a Christian The Light: the life following Jesus

"...Nothing is very strong: strong enough to steal away a man's best years not in sweet sins but in a dreary flickering of the mind over it knows not what and knows not why, in the gratification of curiosities so feeble that the man is only half aware of them,...which once chance and association has started them, the creature is too weak and fuddled to shake off. You will say that these are very small sins; and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness. But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one - the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.." -C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters - Letter 12

The world says:

“Self-sacrifice? But it is precisely the self that cannot and must not be sacrificed.” ― Ayn Rand, The Fountainhead

However, God's relationship with us is foundationally built on His self-sacrificial nature. Have you ever been in a relationship where it seemed that you were the only one making all of the sacrifices to make the relationship work, while the other party merely took advantage of your kindness? Relationships cannot endure this forever. Jealousy can be both good and bad. If it is controlling and domineering, it the type of the sinful nature which is destructive and God says to leave behind. If the jealousy is relational and based on the loving care, it is for the protection and good of the object of that jealousy. The latter is the type of jealousy that God has in His heart toward His people and is based on a longing for deep, life-giving intimacy.

The good news of the gospel is that Jesus established His covenant with you through the cross by being both the one who set the terms and the sacrifice that fulfilled the demands of that relationship with God. In response to His grace, He now requires a radical reorientation of our lives with acute attention to the detail as to whom your sacrifices are being made. This is a question of both motivation and orientation. The motivation reveals why you are making the sacrifices that you are. The orientation shows you the result of those sacrifices. They must both be submitted to God as not to arouse His loving jealousy.

Everything To the Glory of God

The decisions that you have to make on a daily basis will all become easier if you are continually asking the question, "Will Jesus be glorified through this sacrifice?".

It is easy to identify detrimental sacrifices that other people are making in their lives; it is much harder to see your own. This is the value of Christ-centered relationships that can be a mirror to you. There is no way that you can have a clear read on whether or not your sacrifices are pleasing to Jesus without the revelation of His Word. Where there are questionable matters, prayer and godly counsel are combined with the Word to give you specific insight into the heart of God. As we see with the propensity toward deceptive religion, counsel must reflect God's Word. It is not simply because someone is in the church that you should emulate their standards in regard to relationships, speech, finances, family, career, or entertainment.

“It wasn't necessary to win for the story to be great, it was only necessary to sacrifice everything.” ― Donald Miller, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years: What I Learned While Editing My Life

“A man who does not have something for which he is willing to die is not fit to live." ― Martin Luther King Jr.

Everyone wants to live with this type of resolve in their lives, to know that their days and contribution to the world count. The question is, how do you get there?

Paul is giving instruction to properly direct the Corinthians', and our, worship.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. No one should seek their own good, but the good of others. Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, for, “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.” If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom being judged by another’s conscience? If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for? So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians 10:23-33 NIV)

The question when you belong to someone else is not, "Is this best for me?" The motivating question is, "Is what I am about to do best for Jesus, His reputation, His people and my relationships with them as I serve the world.

God is good and cares for His people as an all-wise, loving Father. It does not mean that you will get exactly what you want, when you want all of the time. It does mean that by His determination, when we make the right sacrifices, with Jesus at the center, He promises this:

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Lord Almighty, blessed is the one who trusts in you. (Psalm 84:11, 12 NIV)

Take-Home Truth:

1) Begin to filter all of your life decisions through the aim of giving Jesus glory.

Second City Church- Tough Questions Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and a Generous Heart

Tough Questions: Jesus and a Generous Heart

[powerpress]

“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” ― Winston Churchill

Transforming Question: Are you allowing Jesus to make you a radically generous person?

As Chicago is presently, the city of Corinth was one of the wealthiest cities in the world in Paul's day. Paul was writing, however, to a people who were not generous in heart. Their lives were not centered around the gospel, so living generously became an inconvenience to them rather than a joyful thank offering to God. In this section of Corinthians, Paul poses his own set of questions to the church so that they might become generous in heart, like Jesus. In doing so, he helps us understand how our generosity shapes the church and how our generosity should impact our ministry to the world.

How Generosity Shapes the Church

God is radically generous. The gospel begins like this:

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16 NIV)

When God's generosity is present in a church, souls are saved, lives are restored, families are built, the hungry are fed, people are healed and cities are changed to the glory of God. God makes us like Himself when He calls us to give that His gospel might advance. (Pastor Rollan referenced the Love in a Box outreach weekend.)

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. Don’t we have the right to food and drink? Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:1-18 NIV)

Paul was not just another Corinthian sophist coming through town expecting an honorarium for his oratory display. He was a commissioned agent of Jesus whose primary goal was to see people reconciled to God in Christ. Despite their lack of esteem for Paul or the gospel, Paul continued to model a heart of generosity. He said that though God intended that he be paid by the church for his service to them (v. 3-12), he'd rather work as a tentmaker and preach to them free of charge than have them focus on the wrong thing. This he did until resources became available, after which time he devoted himself exclusively to preaching (Acts 18:1-6).

“The price is certainly high for people who don’t know Christ and who live in a world where Christians shrink back from self-denying faith and settle into self-indulging faith. While Christians choose to spend their lives fulfilling the American dream instead of giving their lives to proclaiming the kingdom of God, literally billions in need of the Gospel remain in the dark.” ― David Platt

Without a doubt, generosity is a gospel issue.

As certainly as we are all missionaries for Jesus in the city, there are also appointed individuals who God calls into occupational ministry as opposed to marketplace ministry. In the New Testament, this was exemplified by Jesus (Luke 8:1-3), as well as the leaders of the early church. Their full-time responsibility was prayer, the ministry of the word of God (Matthew 4:18-22; Luke 5:27-32; Acts 6:1-7), and the running of the church, which was synonymous to Paul's reference to those who minister at the altar (I Corinthians 9:13,14). Ministry takes time, attention, and resources. Just as you are paid for your marketplace work, God designates generosity in the church to pay for the care of His house and advancement of His gospel.

This is how Jesus practically builds His church, mobilizing the resources to forever fund its work.

Your salvation is based on God's generosity to us in giving His first and His best, Jesus Christ, so that you could be reconciled to God. When we think of giving in the church, the tithe is our first reference point.

“ ‘A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord. (Leviticus 27:30 NIV)

A tithe literally meant a tenth, and through it God is going after your heart. God went on to say,

“Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God." (Exodus 34:26a NIV)

This is really the issue. As God did for you, you need to ask yourself if you are giving Jesus your first and your best in everything. Are you doing it not only with your finances, but with your thoughts, in the workplace, in your relationships, how you serve, and in the way that you utilize your time?

We can see the attitude of radical generosity that Jesus esteems in the gospel of Mark:

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” (Mark 12:41-44 NIV)

Just as Jesus gave his entire life for the sin of the world, we are called to be "all in" with our giving.

“But then I realize there is never going to be a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, 'I wish you would have kept more for yourself.' I'm confident that God will take care of me.” ― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

You think that when you are a student or do not have much that your generosity is not a big deal, but it is a pleasing offering to the Lord. That is why you do it, and your heart is shaped through it. Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21 NIV)

It is through the tangible act of giving that your trust is placed in God rather than your paycheck, and your heart is molded to become like Christ.

No matter how large or small, your giving counts. Jesus takes your faithful offering and multiplies it to feed the multitudes who are starving for life in their souls as He did with the two fish and five loaves.

As opposed to the Corinthians, I am so thankful that for such a young church, we have seen such a wonderful group of people who are both generous and sacrificial.

Since our launch this Easter 2013, we have already been able to give away nearly $5000 as a church towards church planting and ministry in America, Europe, and the Middle East. In addition, hundreds of books, Bibles, Bible studies, and apologetic materials have been distributed to seekers throughout Chicago, and equipment has been sent to India to serve unreached people groups with the gospel throughout that nation. Over 4000 invitations to church have been passed out in the city where people have gotten connected to our website to hear the good news of Jesus. Thousands of dollars have been spent in food, meeting spaces, and hospitality so that those who come can be connected to the community of Jesus. Through this, many people have found their church home and are growing in their love and devotion to the Lord.

This is what your generosity has accomplished thus far; and you should be exceedingly glad, because this is only the beginning.

How Generosity Shapes our Ministry

“It is true that God may have called you to be exactly where you are. But, it is absolutely vital to grasp that he didn’t call you there so you could settle in and live your life in comfort and superficial peace.” ― Francis Chan, Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit

Once we partner in our roles as missionaries to the city and resources flow as we cultivate a generous heart, we only have to learn the keys to effective ministry to see Jesus transform the city. Generosity of heart deals not only with what we give financially, but the way that we inconvenience ourselves for the benefit of others.

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23 NIV)

There is a misconception that to reach people with the gospel you have to do exactly what they do. "When in Rome," many say, "you must do as the Romans do." This is not what Paul is advocating here. Instead, what Paul is saying is that to serve those in need of the gospel, you need to work to understand their mentalities and mindsets so that you might have a bridge of communication. As you do this, you are able to love people where they are presently. Then you should look for opportunities to testify to them about the life of Jesus.

It is a general pride of heart and laziness of spirit to think that people need to come to you on your terms. In such a scenario, we begin making excuses for all the reasons why we are unfruitful. Jesus called us to be fishers of men. If the fisherman lives like this, without making adjustments, he will soon go out of business. As seen in the life of Jesus, God humbles Himself to meet people where they are, in terms that they can understand, to bring them to the truth.

Do you see a person wise in their own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for them. A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road, a fierce lion roaming the streets!” As a door turns on its hinges, so a sluggard turns on his bed. A sluggard buries his hand in the dish; he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth. A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven people who answer discreetly. (Proverbs 26:12-16 NIV)

When we are generous in heart towards those who do not yet know Jesus, we are not simply looking for a platform on which to speak. We often think too much about ourselves, our preferences, and how we think things should be done. What matters is that we are serving people, the Bible is being taught, and that people are learning how to practically walk with Jesus. If you have no relationships that lead to effective ministry in the lives of those who are needy, you are too wise in your own eyes and are actually a sluggard who will remain unfruitful until you make generous adjustments.

“We are settling for a Christianity that revolves around catering to ourselves when the central message of Christianity is actually about abandoning ourselves.” ― David Platt, Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NIV)

Finally, Paul is also saying that preaching to someone does not give a Christian immunity in their personal responsibility to holiness. Instead, Paul says that to win the prize of making practical connections with people so that individuals, communities, and cities might be saved, you must have the mentality of a professional athlete who goes into training. To be effective as a minister, you must first prioritize your own love for and growth in God.

“If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time.” ― Zig Ziglar

As a Christian, this means you need to have practical goals of how you will grow in your personal walk with God, the cultivation of a generous heart, and your ministry to others.

In conclusion, it is not a matter of whether this type of generous living is on God's heart, but whether you will align yourself with Jesus for effective ministry. When everyone embraces the truth that their full contribution as partners in the gospel and cultivating a generous heart are necessary for the kingdom of God to advance, the move of God for which we are praying in Chicago will be absolutely imminent.

Take Home Truth:

1) This week, prayerfully set practical goals for how you will grow in your walk with Jesus, your generosity, and your ministry to others.

Second City Church- Tough Questions Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and the City

Tough Questions: Jesus and the City

[powerpress] Transforming Question: Are you allowing Jesus to make you a shaper of the city, or are the idols of the city shaping you?

Much like Chicago is to America today, during the first century, Corinth was one of the largest cities in the Roman Empire. It had a massive population for the time (100,000), many of whom were freedmen who were former slaves working their way up in the world. Corinth's patron deity was the Greek goddess Aphrodite (the Roman equivalent of Venus). She was the goddess of beauty, fertility, and sexual love, and was often described as the daughter of Zeus. There was a major sanctuary of Poseidon in the vicinity where people regularly sacrificed, as Poseidon was believed to control the fortunes of the port cities with their maritime trade.

It was in this city accustomed to pagan idolatry that Paul was seeing people become followers of Jesus. Because the Corinthians were susceptible to the idols that filled the city, Paul here continues to instruct the Corinthians, and us, how to live in the love of Christ in such an environment. To escape the trappings of the ruling influences within your culture, you must identify the idols that shape your city, reject both legalistic and licentious living, and determine to actively shape your city for Jesus.

The Idols that Shape Your City

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God. So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. (1 Corinthians 8:1-8 NIV)

In the Scripture, the term "gods" (Greek word: Theos) referred to not only deities, but earthly rulers and judges. An idol is in effect a false god; someone or something that rules your life in place of the one true God found in the person of Jesus Christ. An idol is that which you allow to ascribe ultimate value and worth to your life outside of the judgments of Jesus. Worship is how you serve these gods based on this.

What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. (1 Corinthians 7:29-31 NIV)

The first strain of potential idols can be seen as Paul transitions from his instruction on marriage and singleness. These matters are clearly the things which can most drive your daily experience, including your romantic relationships, your pains, the pursuit of pleasure, and your possessions that can fall into the ditch of either materialism or hobbies which shape your identity rather than Jesus.

The categories of idols extends to the carrots that are continually placed at the end of the stick in our culture to define success in our eyes.

http://youtu.be/331dJSUHsR4

It's the fame, having or being the hot girl or smokin' man, the life filled with popular friends and powerful people, the admiration of the masses, the fast and adrenaline filled life free from real responsibility, the confidence to be who you always thought you were, the adoration of strangers as you pass on the streets and the testosterone filled dominance in your workplace and career that are this generation's idols. Everyone wants to be "the most interesting man or woman in the world" (i.e. Dos Equis commercials).

"There are more idols in the world than there are realities." -Friedrich Nietzche, Twilight of the Idols

Idolatry brings you into the realm of distorted fantasy, where you begin to chase ideals that are both destructive and false. This matters because idolaters do not submit to the will of God. They will be judged and will not inherit Christ's Kingdom (Ephesians 5:5-7; Revelation 21:6-8). As the Creator, Jesus knows both what is most productive and fulfilling. He gives you value based solely on your possession of Him, the giver of righteousness, forgiveness, and the ability to serve others in His love. As a follower of Jesus, you are to reject idolatry, and live a life of purpose based on the things that He deems most significant.

Legalistic and Licentious Living

In the effort to reject idolatry, you can gravitate to the extremes of either legalistic or licentious living. Both of these must be rejected if you are to find rest in Jesus Christ.

The legalist is the one who hopes to obtain approval from God by his or her right behavior, a self-righteousness that has them see no need for the cross or grace of Jesus. This is that for which the Pharisees, rich in knowledge but poor in relationship with God, were guilty. It is this person who is the perfectionist, who finds it difficult to pray or remain in the community of Jesus if they have had a bad day, made a mistake, or feel in any way vulnerable. Jesus wants to free you of this.

I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” (Galatians 2:21 NIV)

The licentious person lives somewhat of a dual life, taking their "freedoms" in Jesus to the extreme, being concerned solely about their own pleasures and gratifications. Because they misunderstand the purpose of the grace of God, they are prone to live in two worlds, never really fully walking with Jesus in either. We must make a choice to have an undivided life. This is exemplified by the following quote:

In the following quote, you have this designation of characters:

The speaker: Screwtape, a devil The recipient: Wormwood, another devil The Enemy: God The patient: a Christian The friends: co-workers, associates, and friends the Christian meets in the world

"Sooner or later, however, the real nature of his new friends must become clear to him, and then your tactics must depend on the patient's intelligence. If he is a big enough fool, you can get him to realise the character of the friends only while they are absent; their presence can be made to sweep away all criticism. If this succeeds, he can be induced to live, as I have known many humans live, for quite long periods, two parallel lives; he will not only appear to be, but actually be, a different man in each of the circles he frequents. Failing this, there is a subtler and more entertaining method. He can be made to take a positive pleasure in the perception that the two sides of his life are inconsistent. This is done by exploiting his vanity. He can be taught to enjoy kneeling beside the grocer on Sunday just because he remembers that the grocer could not possibly understand the urbane and mocking world which he inhabited on Saturday evening; and contrariwise, to enjoy the bawdy and blasphemy over the coffee with these admirable friends all the more because he is aware of a 'deeper', 'spiritual' world within him which they cannot understand. You see the idea - the worldly friends touch him on one side and the grocer on the other, and he is the complete, balanced, complex man who sees round them all. Thus, while being permanently treacherous to at least two sets of people, he will feel, instead of shame, a continual undercurrent of self-satisfaction. Finally, if all else fails, you can persuade him, in defiance of conscience, to continue the new acquaintance on the ground that he is, in some unspecified way, doing these people 'good' by the mere fact of drinking their cocktails and laughing at their jokes, and that to cease to do so would be 'priggish', 'intolerant', and (of course) 'Puritanical'. -C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters (Letter 10)

Shaping Your City for Jesus

The truth is that either you will allow Jesus to use you to help disciple the city, or the city and its flow will disciple you.

Being made in the image of God, you have a sense of conscience that allows and disallows certain activities before God alone. However, it goes beyond your personal faith. What you choose to participate in can help shape the city by emboldening or dissuading the worship of idols.

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall. (1 Corinthians 8:9-13 NIV)

There are essentials to the Christian faith that are non-negotiable. These include things found in the historic creeds of the church, including the deity of Jesus, His incarnation through the virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles and good deeds, His death on the cross as a substitute for your sin and His bodily resurrection from the dead prior to His ascension. The Bible is not only a biography of Jesus and His people, but also a clear communication of things that are pleasing to Him and those that are not. For instance, drunkenness, sexual immorality, thievery, rape, murder, and slander are never to be condoned. Where the Bible does not clearly express God's commands about particular subject matters, there is flexibility and freedom for the Christian to make decisions based on their conscience.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall. So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if they eat, because their eating is not from faith; and everything that does not come from faith is sin. (Romans 14:19-23 NIV)

When Paul refers to the weak conscience, he is referring to those who have a great sensitivity to a particular form of idolatry based on their histories, giftings, and callings. We all have certain strengths in God, and we all have certain weaknesses. The key is to be mindful of your own weaknesses to cut off those things that lead you into things that are clearly stated in the Bible as sin. Jesus said:

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, (Mark 9:42, 43, 45, 47 NIV)

The second thing to be mindful of is the company that you keep. If your friend, especially your Christian friend, is going to be emboldened to participate in a form of idolatry because of the expression of your freedom, you should also refrain from that activity in their presence. You need to have self-imposed limits out of love for your brothers and sisters. For example, if someone that is a part of your community group is a recovering alcoholic, or regularly crosses the line of holiness because of too many drinks, you don't need to go to a bar together to have a good time. This would only put them in a compromising situation and embolden them to return to the sin from which Jesus is delivering them.

Standards regarding smoking, piercings, tattoos, drinking alcohol, what type of music you listen to, and whether or not you can watch certain movies are all issues where Christians have diversity in regard to their convictions. The question is not whether or not things can be done, but what is beneficial for the individual and the community of which they are a part. Issues like fooling around as you date, being stingy with your resources rather than being generous for the cause of Jesus, and cussing can easily be settled when you look at Scriptures like the following:

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:3, 4 NIV)

or

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:5-10 NIV)

The truth is that we need to have the values of "Christ, Community and Culture" always at the forefront of our minds. It is only as we do this, that we can forgo being shaped by the idols of our city, and, instead, allow Jesus to make us a shaper of it. We then become ambassadors of Jesus Christ. This motivation and the gospel was most clearly expressed when Paul wrote this, in his second letter to the Corinthian church:

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17-21 NIV)

As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation. We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything. (2 Corinthians 6:1-10 NIV)

Take-Home Truth

1) Join a community group to continue to build relationships mutually edifying in Jesus. 2) Make an appeal as to why life in Jesus is better than the idols of the age with a friend in need this week.

Second City Church: Tough Questions Sermon Series 2013

Jesus, Singleness and Marriage

The Real World: Corinth - "Jesus, Singleness and Marriage"

[powerpress] Transforming Truth: God has great fulfillment in both seasons of singleness and marriage which can only be realized as you center your life around Jesus.

As Paul was writing his first letter to the Corinthians, much of it was in response to questions raised by the church members in a previous letter written to Paul. The questions that the Corinthians posed are similar to questions with which we wrestle today and about which we are to look to Jesus for guidance. In the rest of the letter to the Corinthians, these matters include marriage (7:1), singleness (7:25), sacrifices to idols (8:1), spiritual gifts (12:1), and the collection of offerings for God's people (16:1).

The sexuality that we spoke of last week is a perfect segue into this week's topic of Jesus, singleness, and marriage. This is not meant to be an exhaustive commentary on the subject, merely an address to the particular issues that were raised by the Corinthians and with which we wrestle. These topics will be discussed in greater detail and depth in forthcoming series. We will speak today of singleness and marriage in terms of the gospel and sex, "that in between place," and trusted paths in our singleness and marriage.

The Gospel and Sex

Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. (1 Corinthians 7:1-9 NIV)

Sex and sexuality are celebrated in the highest of terms in the Bible. Finding the right venue and terms for such a relationship is the issue. As this section begins, Paul acknowledges the abundance of sexual temptation that exists in the Corinthian, as well as our, culture. This is true for both men and women, with the realities of natural desire within dating relationships, pornography, sexual addictions, illicit attractions, and clandestine relationships always at our doorstep. Both men and women need to be free to come into the light about these issues, having secrecy and shame removed at the cross of Jesus Christ. There is both grace for repentance and forgiveness for the wayward at the throne of Jesus. The church is to be a safe place where issues involving illicit relationships, violations, and secret sins can be brought into the light, healing received, and strength in God restored. The relationships formed in community groups are a perfect tool for this. As things are being stirred in your heart this morning, please know that community groups are a place in addition to Sunday where you can build relationships to receive ongoing prayer, support, and ministry.

As a concession, Paul says very plainly that it is better to have sexual desires fulfilled in the blessed covenant of monogamous marriage than to burn with passion. Marriage is superior to the alternatives of condemnation-ridden hook-ups and the devaluation of pre-marital relations without the security of life-long commitment. Though there has been a decline in the percentage of American adults who are married (http://stateofourunions.org/2012/social_indicators.php#marriage), we need to discuss marriage, since at least half of the population will be married at some point.

In marriage, sex is to be enjoyed regularly and fully, where neither the man nor the woman treats their bodies as their own, but that which belongs to their spouse.

However, I must stress that your body does not belong to another until marriage, and until then you are responsible to protect your purity. When married, it is to be the husband's mindset that the wife's fulfillment is to be honored over that of the husband, and, likewise, the wife's mindset that the husband's fulfillment is to be honored over the fulfillment of the wife. It is a mutual submission. The adage of our culture that says that we have the right to do with our own bodies what we want is not a biblical one. Being in the mood is not a prerequisite for intimacy. A life centered in selfless gospel living where we are looking to the interests of others over our own, in this case our spouses, is the key.

That In Between Place

To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? (1 Corinthians 7:10-16 NIV)

The trap from which people are trying to escape today is summarized in this statement:

"You can be single and lonely or married and bored." - Chris Rock

In doing so, young people especially are trying to find a middle ground of co-habitation, sexual liberty, and prolonged engagement that they believe will leave them satisfied while avoiding the disappointments introduced through a culture of divorce. Unfortunately, the statistics reveal results to the contrary:

In a study entitled, The State of Our Unions: 2002 - Why Men Won't Commit conducted by the National Marriage Project, people who cohabit before marriage end up getting divorced at higher rates than those who do not cohabit before the nuptials. Additionally, a 2010 Pew Center report entitled, "The Decline of Marriage," also concluded that 84% of married people surveyed were highly satisfied with their family lives, as opposed to 71% of those living with a partner, 66% of those remaining single, and 50% of those who are divorced or separated.

What the results imply is that you can be driven by an unwarranted fear of commitment. Additionally, the themes of "falling in and out of love," propagated by our culture, gives unreasonable expectations for mature, fulfilling progress in our relationships.

In the following quote from C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, you have this designation of characters:

The speaker: Screwtape, a devil The recipient: Wormwood, another devil The Enemy: God Our Father: Satan

"The Enemy's demand on humans takes the form of a dilemma; either complete abstinence or unmitigated monogamy. Ever since our Father's first great victory, we have rendered the former very difficult to them. The latter, for the last few centuries, we have been closing up as a way of escape. We have done this through the poets and novelists by persuading the humans that a curious, and usually shortlived, experience which they call 'being in love' is the only respectable ground for marriage; that marriage can, and ought to, render this excitement permanent; and that a marriage which does not do so is no longer binding...."

As an example, not found in The Screwtape Letters:

“The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself.” ― Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

"In the first place, humans who have not the gift of continence can be deterred from seeking marriage as a solution because they do not find themselves 'in love', and, thanks to us, the idea of marrying with any other motive seems to them low and cynical. Yes, they think that. They regard the intention of loyalty to a partnership for mutual help, for the preservation of chastity, and for the transmission of life, as something lower than a storm of emotion...In the second place, any sexual infatuation whatever, so long as it intends marriage, will be regarded as 'love', and 'love' will be held to excuse a man from all the guilt, and to protect him from all the consequences, of marrying a heathen, a fool, or a wanton." -C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters - Letter 18

There are two modern mentalities that are incorrect when it comes to singleness and marriage:

1) I, not God, am to define the value and terms of marriage.

Marriage was God's creation and His first institution that He blessed. It is God who introduced the idea of companionship, and He knows its best goals, manners, orientations, and boundaries. God said that it is not good for man to be alone. Out of His goodness and wisdom His desire is that, as we reflect his Trinitarian relationship, which includes trust and submission to His design, the joy of individuals, as well as the flourishing and continuation of all healthy societies, will result.

Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.” That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. (Genesis 2:19-25 NIV)

Biblical, Christian, God-endorsed marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman for their pleasure, protection, procreation, pruning, and fulfillment of the purposes of God.

He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord. (Proverbs 18:22 NIV)

Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord. (Proverbs 19:14 NIV)

When you are building your singleness and future marriage on the gospel of grace and forgiveness, no-fault divorce ceases to be an option. God's commitment to you as another flawed individual in Christ is the standard, and you are to work on your marriage relationship. It is only when someone refuses to repent, to change, or to work on things that Christ allows someone to go their own way. There are biblical means for divorce, including abandonment by an unbelieving spouse, sexual infidelity and the like; however, not getting along is not an acceptable reason. If there are unfortunate circumstances that lead to divorce, there is still hope in the gospel that shows you how to live in this new season of your life.

The truth is, at some point in your life, you will be single. Some balk at this, count it a curse, and run as quickly and far away from it as they can. Some people know no peace unless they are identified as having a boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other because they find their value in the human they belong to rather than in God who can make them whole. Loneliness overtakes us when we balk at God's community, the church, not realizing that it was His design for singles and married couples to live a happy life. It is in church community where Jesus puts the lonely in families and through which you fulfill your God-ordained purpose.

A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, he leads out the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land. (Psalm 68:5, 6 NIV)

You must recognize that in the Bible, singleness is described as a gift, though it would have been outside of the norm of Roman culture. It is less of an anomoly today, but is it for the right reasons?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/28/opinion/sunday/why-do-people-still-bother-to-marry.html?_r=0

2) Marriage will hinder you from fulfilling your life potential or purpose.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NIV)

Your years of singleness should be those in which you are fully devoted to Jesus where you are using your extra time, resources, and energy to advance the kingdom of God. You do this in church community, and, through your singleness, you should not be molded by, but be an active shaper of your friends, co-workers, city, and culture.

As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan. (1 Timothy 5:11-15 NIV)

The question then becomes, how are you to live during this period of your life? Jesus was single during his earthly ministry and showed that there can be a happy, fruitful, meaningful life as a Christian, free from sin, stigmas, and despair. He had great community within what would become the church, the family of believers who loved God and shared in His mission on the earth. If you are single, you are to do likewise. If you are married, you are also to do the same, not allowing your family to be cloistered away and an idol unto itself.

Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. (1 Corinthians 7:17-24 NIV)

The grass is always greener on the other side.

Marriage is a sanctifying agent that brings joy and fulfillment. Singleness is just as holy of a calling where you are set apart during that time to undivided focus on the Lord's kingdom advance.

Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away. I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better. A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 7:25-40 NIV)

The first thing that we must understand is that there is a context for this passage and the circumstances to which Paul is writing. It is found in v. 26 where Paul talks about the "present crisis." This may have referred to a number of things, including a food shortage of that time that was recorded by the Roman historian Tacitus. These food shortages could often induce social unrest and riots. Regardless, when considering whether to remain single or to get married, there are circumstances that you want to consider.

For example:

1) Is there some sort of mortal threat to your life, that if married and you had children, would leave your children without a parent?

2) Is there a suitable spouse for you- one that belongs to Jesus, loves Him passionately, not nominally, and will be a partner to you in pursuing His purposes together?

In the following quote, you have this designation of characters:

The speaker: Screwtape, a devil The recipient: Wormwood, another devil The great masters: other devils

"It is the business of these great masters to produce in every age a general misdirection of what may be called 'sexual taste'. This they do by working through the small circle of popular artists, dressmakers, actresses and advertisers who determine the fashionable type. The aim is to guide each sex away from those members of the other with whom spiritually helpful, happy, and fertile marriages are most likely....It is all fake, of course; the figures in the popular art are falsely drawn; the real women in bathing suits or tights are actually pinched in and propped up to make them appear firmer and more slender and more boyish than nature allows a full-grown woman to be. Yet at the same time, the modern world is taught to believe that it is being 'frank' and 'healthy' and getting back to nature. As a result we are more and more directing the desires of men to something which does not exist - making the role of the eye in sexuality more and more important and at the same time making its demands more and more impossible. What follows you can easily forecast." -C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters - Letter 20

Every time that we come together for church services, we are setting a stake in the ground for the worship of and honor of Jesus Christ. We are saying, in fact declaring, that it is not just about our personal faith or endeavors, but about the corporate purposes of God and His pleasure found in the advance of His kingdom in the earth. Part of those purposes are revealed and established both through seasons of singleness and marriage.

Trusted Paths in Our Singleness and Marriage

The trusted path in your singleness is understanding God's purpose in your singleness. It is not to live selfishly, wasting your time, talent, and resources on whatever you want to do. It is so that you can live in undivided devotion to the Lord Jesus, His gospel and kingdom purposes. This is true for as long as you are single, whether for a season or as a lifelong call. Do not deceive yourself to live beneath this or otherwise.

I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord. (1 Corinthians 7:32, 35 NIV)

The conclusion for finding and committing to an acceptable spouse is this:

1) If you are a Christian, your potential spouse must belong to Jesus and show evidence of following Him wholeheartedly.

2) Prayerfully acknowledge the Lord Jesus, and see what He thinks about your potential spouse (Proverbs 3:5-8).

3) You are to follow the biblical pattern of seeking godly counsel from your parents, leaders in your church community, and peers who also love Jesus. They can many times give you a broader, objective view about your romantic decisions. It is for our protection that we are open to and submit to Christ-appointed relationships in our lives.

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. (Proverbs 15:22 NIV)

This is the same community with which you are to grow in love and godliness in both your singleness and marriage. It is a gift to have those who know you, your strengths and weaknesses, that will support you in seeing your relationships become all that God intended them to be.

4) Having done these things, you may marry whoever you want, as long as they belong to Jesus!

All of this is really a metaphor for selfless living exemplified by Jesus for us in the gospel. He came not to simply have His needs met, but to enter into relationship with you, satisfying all of your deficiencies in His life, death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead. You can only be fully reconciled to God and satisfied in your soul through Jesus. Once you are, you have the ability to live unselfishly in service to the one with whom you are looking to build a life to the glory of God. The summary is found in the fact that whether you are single or married, live wholeheartedly for Jesus and His gospel purposes in the season in which you find yourself!

Take-home Truths

1) Allow God to define the non-negotiables of your relationships.

2) If you are presently married, prayerfully and with godly counsel, determine how to treat your spouse in an honorable fashion.

3) If you are presently in a romantic relationship other than marriage, pursue godly, accountable relationships through which you can make sure that the romantic relationship is centered around Jesus and His purposes.

4) Further learn how to center your life around the purposes of God, whether in singleness or in marriage, by participation in a community group.

Second City Church: The Real World- Corinth Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and Christians

The Real World: Corinth - "Jesus and Christians"

[powerpress] Transforming Truth: Your identity in Jesus alone must define who you are and what you do.

As the apostle Paul ministered in the city of Corinth, he went directly into a society that was mainly Italian in culture, spoke Latin as the official language, and lived by standards altogether different than the Judeo-Christian ethic.  Those who came to the cosmopolitan city of Corinth were individuals from the province of Achaia (like America's Mid-West) with aspirations.  Arriving in a new environment, it became fashionable for the people to adopt Roman culture with all of its habits, beliefs, and social mores.  As the values of status and personal ambition were embraced, things like dress were utilized to make statements about positions in society ,and there became a clear divide between the wealthy patrons of the city and the "common man."  Even Paul's authority and role as an apostle was judged by the educated elite in light of the expectation that he fit their standards of a good public orator as found in the lecture halls surrounding them.

If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers! The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:1-11 NIV)

How did Jesus deal with people who professed faith?

When it comes to legal matters in the church, we absolutely submit to and abide by the laws of the land that are themselves submitted to the Law of God (Romans 13). What this means is that confidentiality in the church only goes so far as things are civil, not criminal cases.  We love and work with anyone, from any type of background, believing that Jesus will both forgive and liberate lives.  However, we must report things when crimes are committed or there are circumstances that put others in danger (i.e. - sexual or physical abuse).  This is where the courts and justice system of the land are employed.  This also applies to things like contractual matters, business counsel, and cases between a Christian and a non-Christian.

The appeal that Paul is making in the midst of a culture that is filled with people who are quick to bring suits against another is that we must look to work out civil matters between Christians within the church.  There are many here that are being trained and are are even now qualified to help in matters of counsel so that the name of Jesus is honored when there are issues to be worked out.  If we are going to be a family, we need to live like one, without dysfunction.

This decision is an issue of identity.  Will you allow the norms of our culture to define your interactions, or will you allow Christ to actively shape you into a person who thinks and lives differently?  The question to ask is this: Who will you believe?  Will you trust the One who made you, loves you and died to redeem you, or a destructive culture struggling in the dark looking for hope and meaning?

“Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you” ― Elisabeth Elliot, Keep a Quiet Heart

All of Scripture says God loves you, He is patient with you, and, through your faith in Jesus and repentance from sins, He brings you into His plan and purpose for your life.  Paul sites a list of sins representative of the common way of life in the Corinthian culture as an appeal to put off the old behavior and to put on the new, true life found in Jesus.  He summarizes this in his letter to the Colossians:

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. (Colossians 3:9-11 NIV)

The new life in Jesus is an issue of how you identify yourself.  Everyone, as long as you are in the tent of this body, is going to be tempted.  Jesus was tempted in every way, just as you are, yet was without sin.  He lived, and you should live, out of His identity as the Son of God.  This is what defines us.  This is sanctification.

“Love may forgive all infirmities and love still in spite of them: but Love cannot cease to will their removal.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

When Paul speaks of being washed, it refers to baptism upon your repentance.  If you have not been, you should be baptized into the death and burial of Jesus, dying to your old way of life, that you might rise with Him by faith into new life.  Sanctification (Greek: Hagiazo) refers to being holy, sacred and devoted to God, with the fundamental idea of separation from common or ordinary usage for devotion to divine service.

Sanctification is an identity and relationship issue.  When Jesus relates with His people, it is the first thing that He addresses, at times changing people's names (Abraham, Sarah, Peter, Paul, etc.), vocations, and, always, their lifestyles.  Our names, talents, vocations, and orientations are the things that we cling to, that we feel like define who we are and why we do what we do.  When we come to trust in the love of Jesus and the truth of His gospel, we humbly submit to allowing God to remake us in His image.  Our fallen state is redeemed, and we are reshaped into the original, flourishing design that He had for us before our separation from Him.  It begins when we are born again and will culminate when we see Jesus face to face.

If this is true, how did the world end up in the state that it's in today?

1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:1-9 NIV)

The nature of temptation and the scheme of Satan, the accuser, is to always question trust in God's Word.  When this is embraced in a society separated from God long enough, lies become the norm.

“No matter how big the lie; repeat it often enough and the masses will regard it as the truth.”  ―John F. Kennedy

The commands of God can seem foreign to you if, like me, you did not grow up in a church environment, or, as a Christian, you live unaware of the naturalistic malaise that is the atmosphere of Chicago.

17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed. 20That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. (Ephesians 4:17-28 NIV)

28Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32 NIV)

It is a deceptive hum that lulls the church to sleep thinking that this is a good city and that everything is fine.  It is an effort to remember that God is important, heaven, hell, and eternity are real, and there are invisible forces at work driving life as we know it on a daily basis.  What we see in front of us is not all that there is.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

Even in the church, the Bible instructs us that there will be and are false teachers, false apostles, false prophets and false teachers, as there have always been, and that we must be aware and on our guard.  Humanistic rationalism has led to many distortions of the Word of God and heresies within the church.

For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 NIV)

Like a muddied spring or a polluted well are the righteous who give way to the wicked. (Proverbs 25:26 NIV)

One of the primary functions of the Old Testament prophets was to call the people back to the Law of God that they might be blessed.  This is what the crux of real revival looks like - beginning with the restoration of the holy standards of God amongst His people that we might turn away from wickedness and that God might heal our land.  This is to what Paul calls the Corinthians, and, in effect, all Christians through the cross.

When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his robes. He gave these orders to Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Akbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary and Asaiah the king’s attendant: “Go and inquire of the Lord for me and for the people and for all Judah about what is written in this book that has been found. Great is the Lord ’s anger that burns against us because those who have gone before us have not obeyed the words of this book; they have not acted in accordance with all that is written there concerning us.” (2 Kings 22:11-13 NIV)

You forfeit the pleasure of God when you lose Biblical truth.  When you dismiss the Word of God, the motivation for Christian living begins to be merely a tool toward a better marriage, better job, better life, way to fulfill your dreams, to fulfill our duties as a social organization, or various other goals, rather than being a people set apart to Jesus as the focus.  Jesus becomes a means to an end rather than the end itself.

In the following quote, you have this designation of characters: The speaker: Screwtape, a devil The recipient: Wormwood, another devil The Enemy: God

"The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social justice as a thing which the Enemy demands, and then work him on to the stage at which he values Christianity because it may produce social justice.  For the Enemy will not be used as a convenience.  Men or nations who think they can revive the Faith in order to make a good society might just as well think they can use the stairs of Heaven as a short cut to the nearest chemist's shop.  Fortunately it is quite easy to coax humans round this little corner.  Only today I have found a passage in a Christian writer where he recommends his own version of Christianity on the ground that 'only such a faith can outlast the death of old cultures and the birth of new civilizations'.  You see the little rift?  'Believe this, not because it is true, but for some other reason.'  That's the game."- C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters - Letter 23

This is when your morality before God gets blurred and begins to adapt to the standards of the world around you, because pleasing God is not the ultimate objective.

So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:9, 10 NIV)

What replaces love for Jesus is the idolatry of your self-aggrandized human duty and dignity, which evokes pride and causes you to miss the target.  The human spirit is glorified rather than the one that gave it breath.

“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. (2 Chronicles 7:13-15 NIV)

You are called as a part of Jesus' church to love those in the world, being in the world but not of it.

“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. (John 17:13-19 NIV)

Tolerance is not God's highest value.  He commands those in the world to repent of rebellion and sin.

“Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:29-31 NIV)

It is not a human rights, civil rights, or equality issue.  It is an issue of reconciliation with the one true God, and conforming to His loving, liberating design for human flourishing.  All of us were born fallen and into sin in various capacities. That is why Jesus said you must be born again to see or enter the kingdom of God (John 3).  Thereafter, you are supernaturally sanctified by His Word and Spirit the rest of your life until you see Him face to face.

“Yes, if truth is not undergirded by love, it makes the possessor of that truth obnoxious and the truth repulsive.” ―Ravi Zacharias

The rest of this chapter speaks of sexuality and Jesus who comes to shape this vital, primal area of our lives.

Sex and sexuality are celebrated in the highest of terms in the Bible. Finding the right venue and terms for the relationship is the issue.

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything. You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. (1 Corinthians 6:12-20 NIV)

The struggle in Christian living is over the rights that people think that they have or attempt to maintain though they belong to Jesus. For those in Corinth, and for many in our culture, the issue is sexuality.  Paul further addresses the issue in terms of prostitution, being renumerated for your sexual activity.  This is prevalent in Chicago as it was in Corinth. The command is to flee from sexual immorality.  Because the Corinthians were looking for loopholes as we do, Paul chose two words to define the sexual sin.  Sexual immorality is biblically defined as sexual activity before marriage. Adultery is sexual activity outside the covenant of marriage.

The reason that this is important is because you are to be a temple of the Holy Spirit.  Paul's first mention of the temple to the Corinthians was a reference to the church, the collective body of believers:

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 NIV)

We must honor, esteem, and protect it, not simply for what it is presently, but for what it is destined to become in Jesus.  The second mention of the temple is that of the individual.  Both references indicate that you need community to help clean you so that we can together become houses of worship.

Why?  Because You are not your own.  You were bought by Jesus at the price of His own life.

The question is: Who does Jesus say that you are when you belong to Him? You are male or female, called, elect, a new creation, where the old has gone and the new has come, part of a chosen people, a royal priesthood, adopted as sons and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, royals (refer to song), Predestined Justified Righteous in Jesus Glorified Holy Free from blemish, accusation or blame in Jesus More than a conqueror through Jesus who loves you To be the head and not the tail To be at the top and never at the bottom To lend to many nations and borrow from none Unified Anointed Loving Joyful Patient Kind Peaceful Graceful Gentle Self-controlled The apple of God's eye Favored Strong in the Lord Able to teach and competent to instruct one another Forgiven and forgiving Wise Bold as a lion A co-heir with Christ as we participate in His sufferings (including the process of overcoming temptation).  And the list goes on...

How then do we begin to live the sanctified life? You begin by falling out of agreement (repentance) of the old way of life and adopt a new confession that will transform your heart, environments, capacities, and world.  The words that come off of your mouth shape your identity more than you know.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. (Proverbs 18:2 NIV)

The mouths of fools are their undoing, and their lips are a snare to their very lives. (Proverbs 18:7 NIV)

It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:13-15 NIV)

Jesus uses your words to shape your affections, your thoughts, your workplace, your friendships, your families, your church and everywhere that we will head together.  Make sure that you live as if your life is not your own.  Allow Jesus to define your life and your community, not by where you have been, but where He is taking you and this church by His love and grace.  Let these things be the word of faith that you hold to in your heart and on your lips.

Take-Home Truth: 1) Come to Jesus in repentance and faith.  Be born again in Christ. 2) Join a community group to continue to learn how to find your identity in Jesus alone. 3) Begin to discipline your tongue to speak about not where you have been, but where Jesus wants to take you and this church.  Make a list.

Second City Church- The Real World: Corinth Sermon Series 2013

Jesus and Non-Christians

The Real World: Corinth - "Jesus and Non-Christians"

[powerpress] One of the great imperatives of the Christian faith is to learn how to interact with a world that does not share the same beliefs, convictions, or values.  The Bible speaks of two categories of people in the world: those who belong to Jesus and those who do not.  In the next two chapters of Corinthians, Paul specifically addresses how to interact with each.  This week, we will discover how Jesus relates to those who are not His followers, and how the church is to follow suit.

What follows is an excerpt from the apostle Paul's letter to the Corinthian church:

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:1-13 NIV)

Paul came to Corinth ministering to a community and a culture in flux.  What we see immediately is that the church is not an institution where you merely come to receive a set of lifeless doctrines, but it is a family (I Corinthians 4:14-17) that encourages and facilitates your dynamic walk with God.  It is a community together fulfilling the purposes of God within cities around the world.  In Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, he responds to the specific issues with which the Corinthian church finds itself dealing.  Here in the epistles, you see people's changing times and circumstances being addressed with the unchanging nature of God.  This is the same confidence that we have today - that our times' are changing, but God's Word is forever active, immutable, and applicable.

Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life. Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. To all perfection I see a limit, but your commands are boundless. (Psalm 119:89-96 NIV)

People throughout history have been proud of and run quickly to rally behind things that God calls sin.  It is not enough to have mere sincerity in your devotion to God.  He expects sincerity and truth.

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:21-24 NIV)

People in our culture, like the pluralistic Corinthians, want to be spiritual, but not commit to any one doctrine or truth.  Jesus said that because what we examine as metaphysics is ultimately about a relationship with the one God who has lived eternally, walked among us historically, and proved His authority by His life, miracles, death, burial, and resurrection, truth is an imperative.  He is a singular entity with likes and dislikes, things that He will and will not tolerate, based on His character and design.

What we see is that before God is concerned about how we are relating to the world around us, He is first concerned about the way that we are relating to Him and one another.

Excommunication was prescribed by God and enforced in the church because the habits of the few rebellious that are ignored or overlooked can embolden the sin in the hearts of the many in the community when left unchecked.  Forgiveness is offered to the repentant.

If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven—if there was anything to forgive—I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes. (2 Corinthians 2:5-11 NIV)

The point of excommunication is that if you are going to continue to live like a non-Christian, thus encouraging people to continue in or return to their bondage, you need to be separated from the group so that it is not infected.  Your repentance is your re-entry card to the fellowship.

The Passover description is found in Exodus 12. The summary of the Passover is that God will punish the world for its evil and rebellion but will deliver His people out of their slavery into a life full of His promises.  God provides salvation through the sacrifice of our Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty of death for our sins.  This is what makes way for our forgiveness.

Here is the point: God will judge those outside of the church.

How did Jesus deal with people who were not yet His followers?  He loved them, calling them to faith and repentance.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:16-18 NIV)

This is true, because both Christian and non-Christian alike are guilty of breaking God's laws, His commands that He gives for order and the flourishing of the world.  It is the Christian who has submitted to the grace given through Jesus' necessary substitutionary sacrifice as the Passover Lamb that we might go free.   Without that substitute, we are all held responsible and guilty for our wrongdoing and will be self-condemned by our own actions.

We see the same heart of God reflected in the Exodus account following the Passover:

Many other people went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves. (Exodus 12:38, 39 NIV)

In the church, we are to hold one another accountable to the love, humility, forgiveness upon repentance, and holy living which Jesus himself displayed.

The things toward which we need to be intolerant as Christians are the habits within ourselves that would bring defamation to the name of Jesus.  Let us not participate in the very activities that the Bible calls sin while holding out a condemning word to non-Christians who are trapped in their rebellion. Let us instead, as Jesus exhorted us, come fully to the repentance to remove the planks in our eyes, that we might see clearly to help someone who may have sawdust in their own.  In this way, the cross of Jesus which we preach will become a place of second chances, life, and freedom as we turn away from lifestyles that come to steal our time, kill our consciences, and inevitably destroy our relationships with God and His people.

At the heart of the Christian’s view of spiritual reality is a man who gave his life in sacrifice for people who did not believe in him, a man who died asking for forgiveness for the people who were killing him. Therefore, Christianity is an exclusive claim, but it is the most inclusive exclusive claim because it wants you to exclusively believe in this man who died for his enemies, and asks you to love and care for yours.

So, does the message that Jesus is the only way to God necessarily lead to intolerance? Christians can only become intolerant to the degree that  they misunderstand the heart of the gospel – namely, the good news that Almighty God himself came to serve us and die for us, so we could be saved not because of our right beliefs and behavior, but by the gift of his unmerited grace. That message, rightly grasped, cannot lead to coercion or intolerance. The gospel has within it deep resources for humility and respect. It is up to Christians to prove this assertion with their lives. -Timothy Keller, The Reason For God

When not steeped in immorality, what is the church supposed to spend its time and energy doing?

You must have a long-term vision to plant roots and be a blessing to this city - to Christians and non-Christians alike (Jeremiah 29:4-7 NIV)  

When the prophet Isaiah spoke about true spirituality, including humbling ourselves with fasting and prayer in hopes of God moving amongst the people of our cities, he spoke about it in these terms:

“Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord ? “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. “If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord ’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride in triumph on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 58:1-14 NIV)

The community that was the church was a sign and a wonder to behold, even amongst the Roman community.

32All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. 33With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all 34that there were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales 35and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.36Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), 37sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet. (Acts 4:32-37, NIV)

Why do we not observe that it is their [the Christians'] benevolence to strangers, their care for the graves of the dead, and the pretended holiness of their lives that have done most to increase atheism [unbelief of the pagan gods]?  For it is disgraceful that, when no Jew ever has to beg, and the impious Galileans [Christians] support not only their own poor but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us. Teach those of the Hellenic faith to contribute to public service of this sort. - Emperor Julian

 “The Roman Emperor Julian, writing in the fourth century, regretted the progress of Christianity because it pulled people away from the Roman gods. He said, 'Atheism [I.e. the Christian faith!] has been specially advanced through the loving service rendered to strangers, and through their care for the burial of the dead. It is a scandal that there is not a single Jew who is a beggar, and that the godless Galileans care not only for their own poor but for ours as well; while those who belong to us look in vain for the help that we should render them.” ― John Piper, A Godward Life: Savoring the Supremacy of God in All of Life

Make no doubt about it.  Sin steals your life, your strength, and weathers you like a rag.  Think of the people that you know who've aged rapidly while living wildly sinful lives.   They often seem worn and abused as a result of the decisions that they make and the consequences that ensue.  God calls you to something different.  Many Christians treat the world that does not believe in Jesus or the gospel of God as enemies.  You are called, however, as a Christian and in this church to love, serve, and be a blessing to the entirety of our city and all who are in it.  You are to promote the well-being of our city and make ways for it to prosper and flourish in every sphere of society, including business, government, law, entertainment, medicine, academics, and the family unit, all while preaching the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ, believing for thousands upon thousands to come into saving relationship with Him.

Practicals: 1) Come to Jesus in faith and repentance if you do not know Him. 2) Join a community group with which you can grow if you do. 3) Begin to serve the city in and through the church as you grow.

Second City Church- The Real World: Corinth Sermon Series 2013