Explore God - Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering

Why Does God Allow Pain and Suffering?

Pain and suffering are the product of a fallen world separated from God. 

We long for Eden, what people view as a utopic existence and society.  God longs to bring people back here, in the paradise of God.

This topic is important to all of us. We are all touched by pain and suffering in such realms as our:

• Jobs, relationships, finances, family, school, unforeseen deaths, violations, systemic societal injustices, sexism, agism, health issues, crime, poverty, bigotiries...

• Here’s what we’re not going to do: 

  •  We’re not going to solve the issue of pain and suffering. 

  • We’re not going to minimize pain and suffering and provide simple platitudes like, “All you need to do is pray.” 

• Though we might not be able to figure it out enough to make perfect sense of it, we can be confident that God has a reason. 

Quotes related to pain and suffering: 

“God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” —C. S. Lewis

“The most beautiful people are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” —Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

“In order to have great happiness you have to have great pain and unhappiness— otherwise how would you know when you’re happy?” —Leslie Caron

“Our heavenly Father understands our disappointment, suffering, pain, fear, and doubt. He is always there to encourage our hearts and help us understand that He’s sufficient for all of our needs. When I accepted this as an absolute truth in my life, I found that my worrying stopped.” —Charles Stanley

“Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” —Helen Keller

God:

God’s not uninterested in your circumstances. Like any good father, he desires good things for his children. Believe it or not, there’s an entire book of the Bible that addresses issues like these.

• Background to the book of Job:

  •  Style: prose and poetry

  • Purpose: history and prophecy

  • Date: It might be the oldest book in the Bible. Either way, it’s a few thousand years old. 

  • Author: We know this person believed in God, but not much more info is given.

Job 1:1-22
There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. The Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him do not stretch out your hand.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. Now there was a day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and there came a messenger to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans fell upon them and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “The Chaldeans formed three groups and made a raid on the camels and took them and struck down the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother's house, and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord  gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.

Job 2:1-13 
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord . And the Lord said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil? He still holds fast his integrity, although you incited me against him to destroy him without reason.” Then Satan answered the Lord and said, “Skin for skin! All that a man has he will give for his life. But stretch out your hand and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die.” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?”  In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

Job never asks, “Why me?” Instead we can almost hear him asking, “What now?” 

Other passages to consider: 

God’s Judgements 

Isaiah 26:9-10 
My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. If favor is shown to the wicked, he does not learn righteousness; in the land of uprightness he deals corruptly and does not see the majesty of the Lord.

Psalm 119:67 
Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.

God’s Mercy

Romans 8:18-25 
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

God is preparing you for another world full of redemption, life, redemption and healing.  This fallen world is not all that there is. 

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”  
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Revelation 21:1-4 
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

God’s Discipline 

Hebrews 12:9-11 
Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

God’s Glory

John 9:1-7
As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

God’s Suffering

Christ on the cross displayed our God entering into our suffering to inevitably set us free from it by his substitutionary work.  

God’s Love

At the end of the day, we trust in his goodness and his divine plan.  

Romans 8:28-39
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised— who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.

Romans 8:18
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

1 Peter 5:9-10
Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

Romans 5:3–5
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

When things go bad for you, how will you respond?

   • Will you lament or will you look forward?

   • Will you ask, “Why me?” or “What now?”

   • Will you remain bitter or seek to be better?  Can you imagine if our entire community decided never to play the victim? 

Can you imagine if our entire community decided, like Job, to ask not “Why me?” but “What now?” no matter our circumstances?

Because God is greater than we are, we cannot fully understand or explain all of the problems we encounter. However, we can be certain of God’s perfect power, his perfect timing, his perfect purpose, and his perfect love.

Second City Church - Explore God - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2019

Explore God - Is There a God?

Is There a God?

We all think about God from time to time, even if we conclude we do not believe. It’s nearly impossible not to consider it occasionally. 

Here are some letters that children have written to God:

Dear God, I read the Bible. What does “begat” mean? Nobody will tell me. Love, Alison 

God, I bet it’s very hard for you to love all of everybody in the whole world. There are only four people in our family and I can never do it. —Frank 

Dear God, Are you really invisible, or is that just a trick? —Lucy 

Dear God, I wish there was no such thing as sin. I wish there was no such thing as war. —Tim 

Dear God, Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother. —Larry 

The problem for some of us is, if God doesn’t write back, eventually we wonder if he even exists. Have you been there before? Are you there now?

God:

The good news is that God is not intimidated by our questions—and neither is Second City Church. If you have questions about God, you’re welcome here, because all of us have questions. We’ve all written letters to God. Even if it wasn’t a literal letter, we’ve all tossed up prayers in the midst of struggles. And God welcomes those questions. Though he might not write his name in the sky or respond to your letter with a handwritten note, he’s given us lots of indications of his presence.

• Natural indicators such as creation and beauty.

Psalm 19:1-4 
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. 

Romans 1:19-23 
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

All of these things point to what theologians call God’s general revelation.

There are principles that point to God’s “fine-tuned universe.”  Examples include:

• Earth’s distance from the sun

• Gravitational Force

• The combination and concentration of atmospheric gases

• The charge of subatomic particles that make up our molecular structure 

• The human genome and the intelligence necessary for its orderly composition 

The Anthropic Principle 

An Explore God resource article spoke of a discussion noted pastor Timothy Keller conducted with a brilliant young scientist struggling with belief in God.  These were their conclusions:

1. The existence of something rather than nothing—that is, our very existence—is more likely if a creator exists than if one does not.

2. The universe is orderly to a remarkable degree, and in more than one way. (Natural laws are both simple and uniform, the capacity for reproduction is pervasive, and great complexity is produced using only a very small number of elementary particles interacting according to a small number of laws). Any one of these features suggests that it is more likely that the universe is the product of design than that it is the product of random forces impelling purposeless particles that resulted in accidental stability. Taken together, these two statements are even more formidable as an argument for a designer.

3. Value—both moral and aesthetic—appears to be an objective feature of the world (and not merely imposed by human preferences), a fact much more likely to be the case if a creator exists than if the universe is a grand accident.

4. Human consciousness and intelligence are more likely the products of a conscious and intelligent creator than of a physical universe devoid of either.

5. Humans have numerous features that are more easily explained by theism than by metaphysical naturalism, if only because metaphysical naturalism currently explains all human capacities in strict terms of their ability to enhance survival. Among such features are the possession of reliable faculties aimed at truth, the appreciation of beauty, and a sense of humor. Metaphysical naturalism also does not explain why humans possess (or at least convincingly appear to possess) free will.

• Ethical indicators such as conscience and a sense of right and wrong.

Romans 2:14-16 
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

“If God does not exist, everything is permitted”
- Fyodor Dostoyevsky 

In other words, the fact that we all have an innate sense of right and wrong is an indicator of a God who instilled morality in us.

Could there really be any such thing as horrifying wickedness [if there were no God]? I don’t see how. There can be such a thing only if there is a way that rational creatures are supposed to live, obliged to live. . . . A [purely naturalistic] way of looking at the world has no place for genuine moral obligation of any sort . . . and thus no way to say there is such a thing as genuine and appalling wickedness. Accordingly, if you think there really is such a thing as horrifying wickedness ( . . . and not just an illusion of some sort), then you have a powerful . . . argument [for the existence of God]. -

Alvin Plantinga

Yet there’s more. 

The Scriptures, prophecy, etc.

The health code contained in the Law of God

In over a 1000 year period, men from various socio-economic backgrounds, professions and periods of both geopolitical turmoil and peace wrote over 300 prophecies concerning the coming of a Jewish Messiah who would be the Savior of the world.  All of these were fulfilled in the life, miracles, death burial and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. 

Special Revelation in the person of Jesus Christ

Hebrews 1:1-4 
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

“Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for these desires exists. A baby feels hunger; well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim; well, there is such a thing as water. Men feel sexual desire; well, there is such a thing as sex. If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.” —C.S. Lewis

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.” -C. S. Lewis

Is the evidence convincing? Statistics show that 80–85 percent of people believe in God (even among those who do not consider themselves religious). Are you among them? Even more, are you living as if God exists?

“What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.”
- A. W. Tozer

If each person here were truly to live not only as if God exists, but like he cares for us and has a plan for us, what would change in our lives? In our families? In our schools and workplaces? In our neighborhoods? In our city? Imagine if we lived as if God were with us always. It would be enough to change the world.

Bottom Line:

Evidence of God comes from creation, morality, intelligence, and love. Once we establish that there must be a God, we are ready to discover who God really is.

How should I respond?

John 1:1-5,9-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people  did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Second City Church - Explore God - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2019

Explore God - Does Life Have a Purpose?

Does Life Have a Purpose?

Most of us do not spend a lot of time thinking about our purpose, at least on a cosmic scale. But the times we do can be pretty troubling, especially if we suspect that there is no purpose. On the other hand, even for those who believe that our lives are heading somewhere—who believe there is an ultimate meaning—finding answers to life’s simple, everyday questions can be difficult.

Who should I spend time with? Where should I work? How should I spend my money?

“Then what is life for? To die? To kill myself at once? No, I am afraid. To wait for death till it comes? I fear that even more. Then I must live. But what for? In order to die?”

- Leo Tolstoy 

Ernest Hemingway wrote, “Life is just a dirty trick, a short journey from nothingness to nothingness.”

“They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it’s night once more.” - Samuel Beckett

Henry David Thoreau said, “The mass of men live lives of quiet desperation.”

The first person to write, in detail, about this search for meaning was king over the ancient nation of Israel. King Solomon was more rich, powerful, and wise than any living person. He had it all, tried it all, and discovered some profound things as a result.

Ecclesiastes 1:2 
Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 1:16-18 
I said in my heart, “I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me, and my heart has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.” And I applied my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a striving after wind. For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.

Ecclesiastes 2:4-6 
I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself. I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.

Ecclesiastes 2:8-11 
I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the sons of man. So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me. And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 3:10-14 
I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God's gift to man. I perceived that whatever God does endures forever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it. God has done it, so that people fear before him.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 
He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.

Ecclesiastes 12:1,7,13,14
Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come and the years draw near of which you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”;

and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.

Conclusion: Life is meaningless without God. But God gives everything meaning.

One of the fastest growing religions in America is “practical atheism,” which is populated by those who claim to believe in God but live as if he doesn’t exist.

“The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle.”

- Brennan Manning

When you are taking your last breaths, will you be longing to have earned more money, achieved more status, or networked with the right people?

Matthew 6:25-34 
25 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

You are invited to embrace Jesus’s challenge to seek God’s kingdom and discover your purpose in light of God’s plan.

Bottom Line:
Every person on Earth was created to know and love God personally. Life is meaningless without God, but God gives everything meaning.

Second City Church - Explore God - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2019

Declarations Of The New Year - Part 2

My Eyes Will See the Salvation of God!  

Epiphany Sunday

What can the early years of Jesus let us know about how we should approach our New Year?

You will always have a mixture of experiences, hopes and expectations going into a new season. Simeon, Anna and Jesus represented these for us as we learn to:

Walk With God 

Talk With God

Run With God

Walk with God

Luke 2:22-40 
And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

Old Faithful

Here we’re reminded of the importance of God’s spoken word. 

Simeon walked with God and therefore had the Holy Spirit upon him to give him great expectation of God’s salvation and moved him to see it at Christ’s appointed hour of revelation. 

Isaiah 43:18-21
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

These words were life to a man’s soul like Simeon who after years of faithfulness, could have gotten into a rut of just expecting the same old thing - “this is just our lot in life (under the Roman oppression)”.  

Talk with God

Simeon had a word from God, a promise that had been spoken to him that he would see the salvation of God in his lifetime.  He had a life where he heard from God.

Anna had a different challenge.  

Overcomer

Here we’re reminded of God’s written Word

Anna faced unexpected disappointment early in her marriage.  However, the tragedy in her life pushed her further into God rather than away from Him,  to a life of prayer and fasting to see the salvation of God.  This also needs to be our response.  

Prayer and Fasting Week

Psalm 27:13-14
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

These words had to be life to someone like Anna, who with continued fasting and prayer expected to see the salvation and goodness of God despite her difficulties.

Run With God

Our Lord

Here we’re reminded of the application of God’s Word

Jesus learned to walk, talk and run with God in his Heavenly Father’s house.  It prepared him to be a bringer of salvation and one who see it over and over again in his earthly life and ministry.  We need to have the same expectation (as we go into things like our Explore God Outreach). 

“I Must Be In My Father’s House”

Luke 2:41-52
Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day's journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.

“I will not glory, even in my orthodoxy, for even that can be a snare if I make a god of it... Let us rejoice in Him in all His fulness and in Him alone.”

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Matthew 9:27-31 
And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.

Jesus’ life and ministry were shaped and directed by this dedication to his Father’s house, Word (the Scripture) and purposes.  In the new year we need a present work which leads to an eternal reward. 

Present Work

Have a purpose

New Year’s Resolutions 

Isaiah 42:8-13 
I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the end of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that fills it, the coastlands and their inhabitants. Let the desert and its cities lift up their voice, the villages that Kedar inhabits; let the habitants of Sela sing for joy, let them shout from the top of the mountains. Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare his praise in the coastlands. The Lord goes out like a mighty man, like a man of war he stirs up his zeal; he cries out, he shouts aloud, he shows himself mighty against his foes.

“The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”

Michelangelo Buonarroti

*Is the one deed worth it even if the world continues to be fallen around you?

YES. 

Psalm 5:1-3,11-12 
Give ear to my words, O Lord; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. 

But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.

Have a plan 

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”

Mike Tyson

How people respond in PANIC MODE

Devil drives us to non-sensical decisions 

Like gunshots fired in a crowded room - the panic causes more harm than good

Why would you leave your God or church family during a dark time?

Get counsel from seasoned leaders, down, not those who would panic with you. 

Have a group of godly people to counsel you

*A DIY job gone awry 

The bigger the job, the more input is needed. 

Don’t make plans or pursue even godly ambitions alone.  Pursue the counsel of God through the righteous in Christ 

*Joseph and Mary treasured up all the things that were said about Jesus in her heart to anchor their souls when their hearts were being tested/pierced. 

To see the salvation of God, you must receive Jesus’ work already done for you on the cross.  His sinless life was not only our model but our provision for meeting God’s righteous requirements.  Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was our substitute for a debt of wrath for our sins against a Holy God.  Christ’s  resurrection three days after his death and burial is the promise of forgiveness, new life in the land of the living and eternal life in Him.  Turn away from the old life of sin today and see the salvation of God as you entrust yourself to Jesus his Son who has come to deliver this good news!

Second City Church - Declarations Of The New Year- Pastor Rollan Fisher 2019

Declarations Of The New Year - Part 1

My Forgetfulness, His Faithfulness

Philippians 3:1-14 ESV
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.  To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and it is safe for you. Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.  For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God, and glory in Christ Jesus and put not confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also.  If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.  But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The Point

No matter how proud or how ashamed we are of our past, there is a battle waged in us and around us to find our identity in Christ alone.  We must forget what lies behind, abandoning our past by faith in Jesus Christ and entrusting it to the cross for our forgiveness, and press on to the only goal worth our entire lives: the goal of knowing Jesus Christ fully and being with Him eternally. When we recognize the incomprehensible eternal worth of Christ Jesus and His love for us as shown on the cross, we will see our past as God sees it: our successes as rubbish compared to Christ’s success of perfectly pleasing God the Father and our failures as opportunities to glory in Christ and His limitless mercy, grace, and love.

My Forgetfulness

What do I need to forget (repent of) that wages war against my soul being found in Christ alone?  EVERYTHING that lies behind. This is why Jesus said to even enter the Kingdom of Heaven you must be born again.  This is why Paul says he has been crucified with Christ and no longer lives but Christ lives in Him. The great exchange it has been called: my sinful life for his righteous life. Everything consists of:

• My failures

• My rebellion

• My fears

• My successes

• My hopes

• My dreams

• My ambitions

My prejudices

His Faithfulness

When we “forget” our past and remember the love of God shown in the cross of Christ and the power of God shown in the resurrection, we can move forward free from sin in the confidence of God’s love and acceptance.

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1:8-10‬ ‭ESV‬‬
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭ESV‬‬
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬
“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”

The Prayer

Lord, reveal to us by your Spirit the eternal worth of Jesus Christ, revealing Him as the only way by faith to a God based righteousness. Give us faith to lay down our lives with all our fearful failures and self righteous successes, in exchange for Christ’s righteousness, that we may receive the miracle of the freedom and joy of being found in Him alone, here and now and for all eternity.  This is salvation. Amen.

Second City Church - Declarations Of The New Year- Pastor Cole Parleir 2018

Declarations Of The Advent - Part 4

His Pleasure, My Peace

Luke 2:1-21
In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

His Pleasure 

We come to the manger to WORSHIP.  This is adoration in its purest form.  When we say we worship God, it means that we live for his pleasure.  I’m continually asking the question, “How can I please him in my thoughts, my actions, my speech, my use of time, talent and resources?”   I know all of these things by his commands.

2 Corinthians 5:9-10 
So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

There is no true peace without the worship of the Son of God, because...

It is life by design, life according to plans of the Creator (think about the functioning of a car). 

“Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace. If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace. In that stillness you will know what His will is.”

Amy Carmichael

As the shepherds were on the periphery in that time within that culture, the devil tries to push you out, to marginalize you, discourage and disconnect you so that you would be ineffective in the Kingdom.  However, God sends his angels to look for you and bring you good news of glad tidings and reengage you in the Kingdom.  

My Peace

God’s Peace Will Be Among Those With Whom He is Pleased

You can still find Christ in the manger (wherever circumstances seem non-ideal). 

How to enter into his peace:

2 Corinthians 5:11-15 
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

“A great many people are trying to make peace, but that has already been done. God has not left it for us to do; all we have to do is enter into it.”

Dwight L. Moody

It is at the cross of Jesus Christ that we enter into this peace.  We must repent of (turn away from) our sin and put our trust in the sacrificial death, burial and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins.  In this manner we are reconciled to God, brought back into his peace and live the rest of our lives for his pleasure.  

Second City Church - Declarations Of The Advent - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

Declarations Of The Advent - Part 3

My Spirit Rejoices in God My Savior

Reasons to Rejoice

Renewing that Joy

After the Annunciation where the angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and become the mother of the Christ, came the Magnificat, the song of Mary. 

Luke 1:39-56
In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.

Blessed is she who has believed...

Reasons to Rejoice

*What reasons has God given us to rejoice?

There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.

John Calvin

Jesus’ entry into the world provides powerful and tangible answers to the ills of the world such as:

• Broken Families 

• Racism

• Sickness and Disease

• Poverty 

• Depression and Fear

• Loneliness and Purposelessness 
  

An example of posts to help proper meditations (author of the chart unknown):

Renewing that Joy 

How do I renew that joy?

1. Cry out to God

Psalm 51:1-13

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.

1. Meditate and Reflect on what Jesus has done for you

Isaiah 43:1-13
But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. “You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and I am God. Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”

1. Communicate with other believers so that you might intentionally remind one another of the reason for the season 

Luke 1:67-80
And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us  from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

Second City Church - Declarations Of The Advent - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

Declarations Of The Advent - Part 2

I Will Prepare for the Coming of the Lord

The Themes of Advent 

Week 1: Prophecy 

Week 2: Preparation 

Week 3: Joy 

Week 4: Adoration/Peace

“The second week focuses on preparation: Over many centuries, God prepared the hearts of the Jews for Christ's coming, just as He is now working in our hearts to prepare us for Christ's second coming. “

- Benjamin Hettick

How do I prepare for the coming of the Lord?

1. Recognize his nature

2. Recognize his work

3. Recognize your role 

Luke 1:5-25
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.” And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.” And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they were wondering at his delay in the temple. And when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he kept making signs to them and remained mute. And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home. After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.”

Luke 1:26-38
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

How do I prepare for the coming of the Lord?

1. Recognize his nature - Jesus would be fully God and fully man

Hypostatic union - Jesus is:

Fully God

WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE

Fully man 

Son of the Most High God, born of a virgin woman

Christology

"He is God from the essence of the Father, begotten before time; and he is human from the essence of his mother, born in time; completely God, completely human, with a rational soul and human flesh; equal to the Father as regards divinity, less than the Father as regards humanity. Although he is God and human, yet Christ is not two, but one. He is one, however, not by his divinity being turned into flesh, but by God's taking humanity to himself. He is one, certainly not by the blending of his essence, but by the unity of his person. For just as one human is both rational soul and flesh, so too the one Christ is both God and human."

- Athanasian Creed 

The name IMMANUEL (reference Isaiah 7:14) means “God with us” and indicates Jesus’ identity (fulfilled in Matthew 1:23).

*This helps you relate to Jesus properly. 

1. Recognize his work - 
   

Jesus means “the Lord Saves” and specifies what Jesus does, as opposed to Immanuel, which speaks of who Jesus is. 

*This helps you receive from Jesus humbly

1. Recognize your role - CONSECRATION of no wine or drink was John the Baptist’s preparation. You need to ask yourself what it is that God would have you refrain from, and what he would have you give yourself to to be most useful in the hand of the Lord.  This is consecration. 

*This helps you run after Christ’s purposes passionately 

What does God want to birth through you to shape the world for His Kingdom?

Find your voice

It may be a business or an organization to help the poor that gives glory to God.  It may be helping establish a church to proclaim his truth in a city.  It may be children who will be disciples carrying Christ’s name to the nations.  Whatever it is, like John the Baptist, you are called to help restore families, turn the wicked to righteousness and help make people ready to meet the Lord Jesus.

Luke 1:26-38 
In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

“Worrying is carrying tomorrow's load with today's strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.”

- Corrie Ten Boom

Matthew 24:30-31 
30 Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Titus 2:11-14 
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

1. If you’ve never considered Jesus, put your trust in him today as God and Savior to prepare for Christ’s inevitable return.  The cross of Jesus provides for forgiveness of sins that you might meet him as an adopted child and not a foe. 

2. Wherever you are, repent of your self-centered living and serve Jesus as King - in your relationships, with your time, with your resources, with your pursuits

3. Actively develop a heart of consecration that you might develop a life that’s useful in helping others become ready to meet the Lord

Second City Church - Declarations Of The Advent - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

Declarations Of The Advent - Part 1

The Prophecy

“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone. You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9:1-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The Fulfillment

“Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned." From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭4:12-17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Second City Church - Declarations Of The Advent - Pastor Cole Parleir 2018

Declarations - Part 3

Isaiah 7:1-14
In the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, Rezin the king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah the king of Israel came up to Jerusalem to wage war against it, but could not yet mount an attack against it. When the house of David was told, “Syria is in league with  Ephraim,” the heart of Ahaz and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind. And the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz, you and Shear-jashub your son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. Because Syria, with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has devised evil against you, saying, “Let us go up against Judah and terrify it, and let us conquer it for ourselves, and set up the son of Tabeel as king in the midst of it,” thus says the Lord God: “‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’” Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

“No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.”
- C.S. Lewis

“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” 
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

1 Peter 1:13-21
Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Second City Church - Declarations - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

Declarations - Part 2

Psalm 50:22-23 

“Mark this, then, you who forget God, lest I tear you apart, and there be none to deliver! The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalm 118:1-29 

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord  does valiantly, the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord  does valiantly!” I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord , we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord . The Lord is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

The tragedy today is that many Christians think they are fighting flesh and blood in their marital and parenting issues, rather than realizing that Satan has an agenda to destroy their home. Whoever controls the family controls the future.

Tony Evans, Victory in Spiritual Warfare

When we allow our faith to be defined by our feelings, we will be confused. Faith must have an objective standard by which it is defined—truth. In fact, when faith operates by an objective standard of truth, it will eventually dictate our emotions rather than the reverse.

Tony Evans, Victory in Spiritual Warfare

Most of your unhappiness in life comes from the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself.

John Piper, When I Don't Desire God: How to Fight for Joy

I believe that the attacks on your life have much more to do with who you might be in the future than who you have been in the past.

Lisa Bevere, Girls with Swords: Why Women Need to Fight Spiritual Battles

Second City Church - Declarations - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

Declarations - Part 1

Luke 4:16-21 
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

“Personal piety and formal worship are essential to the Christian life, but they must lead to lives that “act justly and love mercy” (Mic. 6:8).”

Steve Corbett, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself

“If you are a North American Christian, the reality of our society’s vast wealth presents you with an enormous responsibility, for throughout the Scriptures God’s people are commanded to show compassion to the poor. In fact, doing so is simply part of our job description as followers of Jesus Christ (Matt. 25:31–46). While the biblical call to care for the poor transcends time and place, passages such as 1 John 3:17 should weigh particularly heavy on the minds and hearts of North American Christians: “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?” Of course, there is no “one-size-fits-all” recipe for how each Christian should respond to this biblical mandate. Some are called to pursue poverty alleviation as a career, while others are called to do so as volunteers. Some are called to engage in hands-on, relational ministry, while others are better suited to support frontline workers through financial donations, prayer, and other types of support. Each Christian has a unique set of gifts, callings, and responsibilities that influence the scope and manner in which to fulfill the biblical mandate to help the poor.”

Steve Corbett, When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor . . . and Yourself

Luke 14:12-24 
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

Second City Church - Declarations - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 6

Of it, not in it

Jeremiah 29:1-15
29 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,[a] 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[b] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Message Summary

As the redeemed of Christ who have been filled with the Holy Spirit. Our spirits have been saved and we are currently seated in heaven at the right hand of God with Jesus (we are ‘Of It’), but our souls and bodies are still on earth (‘not in it’). We must run this earthly race with all endurance having the proper sight of the trials and prize ahead, sobriety to walk through the trials, and the power of the Holy Spirit to endure until Jesus returns.

Three S’s of Christian Endurance

Sight

- We must know God’s will for us if we’re going to endure until Jesus returns.

We must be aware of the enemies schemes Jesus describes in ‘The parable of the sower’ in Mark 4. When we can see the spiritual world and the enemies plans we can take refuge in God, put down roots in Christ’s love shown at the cross, and expect power to overcome and lead a fruitful Christian life.

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.[a] 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

We need to see that God’s will is that we prosper while in earth and AND that persecutions will come. Persecutions aide in the formation of Christ in us. - Mark 10

29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

We need have the sight to understand Jesus is coming back and tribulation will come on the WHOLE world. The Gospel is for all people at all times in all places. God’s will is that we be spiritually awake and not caught off guard. - Luke 21

34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Sobriety

If we’re going to endure we need to have all sobriety, being fully aware of our present time, condition, and situation. The devil is lurking to find someone not spiritually sober to seduce them. - 1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

We need to be sober because we don’t know when Jesus is returning. Love for Jesus will keep us sober as we don’t want to miss him.. - 1 Thes 5:1-10

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,[a] you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children[b] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

As a church we are excited to appoint deacons and elders. Sobriety is required for deacons and elders who can help the church endure and grown in Christ. - 1 Tim 3:1-5

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer[a] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,[b] sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?

Vs 13 - For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Be sober minded and endure sound teaching. Sobriety will help us accept truthful teaching. - 2

Tim 4:3-5
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Sobriety leads to hope which leads to powerful grace to endure - 1 Peter 1:13

Therefore, preparing your minds for action,[a] and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Spirit

Will power, strength, and smarts won’t get it done, only the Spirit of God. - Zechariah 4:6-7

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

We need a fresh living walk with God by the Spirit of God to endure with joy. - Galatians 5:16-25

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do[e] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Quotes

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” - Jim Elliot

More scriptures to meditate on

Matt 10
22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved

Matt 13
20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.[a] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Matt 24
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

1 Cor 10
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Cor 13
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

2 Cor 1
5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.[a] 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.

2 Tim 2
11 The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

Heb 10
32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,

“Yet a little while,

and the coming one will come and will not delay;

38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

my soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 5

Wake Up Call

The Delusion
The Dream
The Doubling of Grace

Engel’s Scale 

Daniel calls Nebuchadnezzar to repentance, speaking the Word of the Lord

The God Test Community Groups and on-Line training

Nebuchadnezzar begins to testify to others

as in the “I Am Second” Video testimonies 

The Delusion

Daniel 4:1-9 
King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods —and I told him the dream, saying, “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.

What was Nebuchadnezzar's worldview that would be shattered?

He's invincible.  He is self-made - all of the vastness of his kingdom is the work of his own power, intelligence, acumen, leadership and skill.  He is favored of Deity.

What are the world-views of those who surround you - the things in which they trust?

Their youth.  Their beauty.  Their economic status or earning power.  Their intelligence and sense of progress or enlightenment.  They're invincible. I'll be young and able to live free forever.  Today is all that matters (#YOLO perverted).

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

-Timothy Keller

The Dream

Daniel 4:19-27 
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong.Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”

God humbles to:

1. Grab our attention

2. Show our limitations

3. Demonstrate His sovereignty and might 

4. Give you compassion for others who are like yourself but fully aware of their own weakness as they are in need or in pain

5. To open our eyes to REALITY and ultimately to usher you into a life of grace.  Through circumstances, we are brought to the cross of Jesus Christ that we might be reoriented in regards to that in which we trust.  

Nebuchadnezzar hadn't listened to the subtler signs (like Pharoah in Egypt). 

Proverbs 29:19 
By mere words a servant is not disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond.

Nebuchadnezzar's dip into senility was God's megaphone.

“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

C.S. Lewis

Our lesson: We want to have sensitive feet on the beach.  Don't wait to be humbled.

Our role as translator

Daniel was used as the translator to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's circumstances as his worldview began to crumble (we must be sensitive about this as not to turn into Job's friends).  

Be ready when the House of Cards crumbles.

Before you can interpret someone else's worldview, you must have a realistic assessment of your own.  What frames the way that you live?  Is it in accordance with God's priority and design?

Matthew 7:1-5

II Corinthians 13:5-10

The Doubling of Grace

Daniel 4:28-37 
All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles' feathers, and his nails were like birds' claws. At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 4

Our Tension

God’s Total Allegiance Required

Christ’s Trustworthiness 

Daniel 3:1-18 

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Our Tension

Obeying the king’s command to attend the dedication and bow before the image was an occasion for officials to reaffirm their loyalty to the king.

Why weren’t they ok with bowing to the image?  What’s the big deal? 

Deuteronomy 6

God’s Total Allegiance Required

Jesus, his cross and resurrection, the gospel of God’s grace and the Kingdom of God must be “your ride or die”.  These will constantly be tested throughout your lifetime.  

Luke 4:1-13

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

“Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God- the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people?”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Calling resists privatization by insisting on the totality of faith. Calling resists politicization by demanding a tension with every human allegiance and association. Calling resists polarization by requiring an attitude toward, and action in, society that is inevitably transforming because it is constantly engaged. Grand Christian movements will rise and fall. Grand campaigns will be mounted and grand coalitions assembled. But all together such coordinated efforts will never match the influence of untold numbers of followers of Christ living out their callings faithfully across the vastness and complexity of modern society.”

Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life

Things that are highly valued amongst men can be detestable in God’s sight.  

Luke 16:10-15 

10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Ultimately, a Kingdom is an administration, a value system with assumptions and goals reflected in the order in which we choose to get things done.  The Kingdom that we serve is demonstrated in that which we prioritize.

When things get busy, put God first.  When you have need, sow your seed and seek the Kingdom first.  When exams or project deadlines come, get the mind of the Lord first.  When kids have sports practices and games, teach them to find themselves in the house of worship first.  When you want to have brunch, dine at the table of the Lord first.  When you have adventures that you want to pursue, find the eternal pleasures in the presence of the Lord first.  Honor Jesus and serve God first.  Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.  This is true religion and true worship.

Christ’s Trustworthiness 

*Each time the Israelites took a stand for the Lord, God showed up, God was honored and the Hebrews were promoted (Daniel 1, Daniel 2 ; Daniel 3). After that, as we would, I’m sure they would have liked the last trial to be the final trial.  However, another persecution would inevitably come.

Daniel 3:19-30 

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

*There was also a progression of the king’s acknowledgement of God.  It reflects Engel’s Scale:

1. The Hebrews are 10 times better in all wisdom, learning and appearance after keeping themselves from being defiled with the king’s food (Daniel 1). 

2. Daniel’s God is the only one who can tell and interpret dreams (Daniel 2). 

3. If anyone speaks a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they’ll be punished (Daniel 3). 

4. By chapter 4, Daniel is calling for Nebuchadnezzar’s repentance and faith. 
   

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 3

Your Gift, God’s Grace to Save

Your Gift

God’s Preparation 

God’s Grace 

Daniel 2:1-19 

In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,  “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

1. Your Gift

*God was speaking to Nebuchadnezzar before Daniel

Purpose of prophetic gifts according to I Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13:2 

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

You will be positioned by God in your everyday work life, friendship group and community living to interpret dreams leading to the gospel.

1. God’s Preparation

Daniel had to be prepared with his gift.

This means you must have a vibrant Word and prayer life on your own to be prepared for it and confident enough to seek answers when the opportunity comes.

You must, like Daniel, be in a lifestyle rhythm that has your thoughts, faith and activities turned towards heaven and oriented to the purposes of God.  Otherwise, you will miss the eternal, soul saving opportunities that are presented to you and suffer the fate of those who surround you. 

*Daniel cultivated his focus and his gift with his brothers Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

Statistically, American church-goers show up 1.5 times/month - Ben Crawshaw of The Rocket Company

It is hard to develop any momentum for winning souls, discipleship, growth, giving or community impact with a lack of commitment.  The church is not meant to be interacted with as you interact with your Amazon, Netflix, Google or Instagram accounts. 

Hebrews 10:19-25 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

*Don’t just show up when you are serving.  That is no way to be a disciple or make disciples.  It takes consistency, faithfulness (which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit). 

You must learn to choose God’s blessed life vs. My #best life now.

1. God’s Grace 

The gift was meant for the saving of lives. 

Daniel 2:46-49 

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court.

Tech Team Vision:

• Our vision for tech team is to remove any distractions to help enable the congregation to worship Jesus freely. We also aim to serve the worship team and assist with any technical needs. Our overarching vision is to magnify Christ through behind the scenes service so that our church can experience Christ during our Sunday service, be further knit into community with other believers, and go out into our weeks engaging the culture! 

And this is true of every area of service in the house of God, whether you are on the worship team, in the children’s ministry, a community group leader, hanging curtains, greeting the newcomer to church or bringing the Word on a Sunday.  

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

Guest Speaker - Pastor Reggie Roberson

 

Second City Church: Guest Speaker - Pastor Reggie Roberson 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 2

Boundaries In Babylon

Background of the book Of Daniel

The foretold exile had begun and Daniel and his friends were of the first to go. The exile was of

God’s doing because the Israelites had broken the covenant with God. God allowed the

Babylonians to come and discipline the Israelites because of his justice, not because of His

favor on the Babylonians. This was the beginning of 70 years of exile for the Israelites.

Meaning of the exiles names

• Daniel “God is my judge” to Belteshazzar “O lady, (wife of the god Bel) protect the King!”

• Hananiah “Yahweh is gracious” to Shadrach “I am very fearful of god”

• Mishael “Who is what God is?” to Meshach “I am of little account”

• Azariah “Yahweh is a helper” to Abednego “servant of the shining one”

Daniel 1:8-21(ESV)

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that

he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And

God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief

of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink;

for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own

age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom

the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test

your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our

appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and

deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and

tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in

appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took

away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and

Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had

commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before

Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every

matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten

times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel

was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Pray

Though we are in this world we are not of the world. We once were of the world, but after

coming to the cross of Christ, having our sins washed away, and being indwelled by the Holy

Spirit of God through faith in Christ, we are now new creations. Our spirits now sit with Christ

Jesus in Heaven at the right hand of God where we are citizens of Heaven. How should a

citizen of heaven conduct themselves while in a foreign country, the world?

3 supporting points with 1 testimony

1. Resolve Not To Be Defiled By The World

a. 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with

the wine that he drank.

i. Make the decision BY FAITH to trust God in the circumstance He has put

you in. Stop blaming God, repent if you brought this discipline on

yourself, and trust God to sustain you.

b. Resolve leads to favor and compassion even in a hostile circumstance

c. Merit does not guarantee acceptance or favor, but God brings it

2. Welcome The Testing Of Your Faith By The World

a.

b. Supporting scripture

3. Promoted and Preserved

a. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

i. By God’s faithfulness Daniel was promoted and preserved in Babylon the

whole 70 years of the exile.

b. Remain in the circumstance you were in when God called you

i. 17 Only let each person lead the life [ c ] that the Lord has assigned to him,

and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18

Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek

to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call

uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision

counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments

of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.

21 Were you a bondservant [ d ] when called? Do not be concerned about it.

(But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For

he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the

Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23

You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So,

brothers, [ e ] in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain

with God.

4. Testimony

“To be in the world, but not of the world, you must be in the light”

We are not of the world just as Jesus is not of the world

15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. [ a ] 16

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them [ b ] in the truth; your word

is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake

I consecrate myself, [ c ] that they also may be sanctified [ d ] in truth.

Faith overcomes the world

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has

overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes

that Jesus is the Son of God?”

1 John 5:4-5 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.5.4-5.esv

We are citizens of heaven

18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer

strangers and aliens, [ d ] but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household

of God , 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the

cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in

the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by [ e ] the Spirit. -

Ephesians 2:18-22

Discern the character of those around you

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample

them underfoot and turn to attack you.”- Matthew 7:6 ESV

Don’t love the world

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father

is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and

pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along

with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

1 John 2:15-17 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.2.15-17.esv

How to know when the world is speaking vs God

“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the

flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit

of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children,

you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the

world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to

them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not

listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

1 John 4:2-6 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.4.2-6.esv

We love because He first loved us

Action Points

1. What does it look like for me to be ‘set apart’ by God as salt and light that point to Jesus

in the school, workplace, and community that I am in?

Invitation to follow Jesus

“Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up

his cross and follow me.”

Matthew 16:24 ESV 

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Cole Parleir 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 1

Matthew 5:13-16 
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 13:31-33 
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.  32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

We must ask the question, who is influencing whom?

Daniel 1:1-7
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

“Yale historian Jeroslav Pelikan wrote, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western Culture for almost 20 centuries. If it were possible, with some sort of super magnet, to pull up out of history every scrap of metal bearing at least a trace of his name, how much would be left?”

It turns out that the life of Jesus is a comet with an exceedingly long tale. Here are some shards of his impact that most often surprise people:

Children

In the ancient world children were routinely left to die of exposure — particularly if they were the wrong gender (you can guess which was the wrong one); they were often sold into slavery. Jesus’ treatment of and teachings about children led to the forbidding of such practices, as well as orphanages and godparents. A Norwegian scholar named Bakke wrote a study of this impact, simply titled: When Children Became People: the Birth of Childhood in Early Christianity.

Education 

Love of learning led to monasteries, which became the cradle of academic guilds. Universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard all began as Jesus-inspired efforts to love God with all ones’ mind. The first legislation to publicly fund education in the colonies was called The Old Deluder Satan Act, under the notion that God does not want any child ignorant. The ancient world loved education but tended to reserve it for the elite; the notion that every child bore God’s image helped fuel the move for universal literacy.

Compassion 

Jesus had a universal concern for those who suffered that transcended the rules of the ancient world. His compassion for the poor and the sick led to institutions for lepers, the beginning of modern-day hospitals. The Council of Nyssa decreed that wherever a cathedral existed, there must be a hospice, a place of caring for the sick and poor. That’s why even today, hospitals have names like “Good Samaritan,” “Good Shepherd,” or “Saint Anthony.” They were the world’s first voluntary, charitable institutions.

Humility

The ancient world honored many virtues like courage and wisdom, but not humility. People were generally divided into first class and coach. “Rank must be preserved,” said Cicero; each of the original 99 percent was a personis mediocribus. Plutarch wrote a self-help book that might crack best-seller lists in our day: How to Praise Yourself Inoffensively.

Jesus’ life as a foot-washing servant would eventually lead to the adoption of humility as a widely admired virtue. Historian John Dickson writes, “it is unlikely that any of us would aspire to this virtue were it not for the historical impact of his crucifixion...Our culture remains cruciform long after it stopped being Christian.” 

Forgiveness 

In the ancient world, virtue meant rewarding your friends and punishing your enemies. Conan the Barbarian was actually paraphrasing Ghengis Khan in his famous answer to the question “what is best in life?” — To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.

An alternative idea came from Galilee: what is best in life is to love your enemies, and see them reconciled to you. Hannah Arendt, the first woman appointed to a full professorship at Princeton, claimed, “the discoverer of the role of forgiveness in the realm of human affairs was Jesus of Nazareth.” This may be debatable, but he certainly gave the idea unique publicity.

Humanitarian Reform: 

Jesus had a way of championing the excluded that was often downright irritating to those in power. His inclusion of women led to a community to which women flocked in disproportionate numbers. Slaves—up to a third of ancient populations—might wander into a church fellowship and have a slave-owner wash their feet rather than beat them. One ancient text instructed bishops to not interrupt worship to greet a wealthy attender, but to sit on the floor to welcome the poor. The apostle Paul said: “Now there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave or free, male and female, but all are one in Christ Jesus.” Thomas Cahill wrote that this was the first statement of egalitarianism in human literature. 

Perhaps as remarkable as anything else is Jesus’ ability to withstand the failings of his followers, who from the beginning probably got in his way at least as much as they helped.”

-Excerpts from a Blog written by John Ortberg, Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church on the eve of the 2012 presidential election

John 17:13-19 
13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Jesus sanctified himself through the cross so that we could be set apart, set free from and forgiven of sin.  Through Jesus’ resurrection life, God intends us to be the shapers and reformers of a world he looks to reconcile to himself in Christ. 

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

What Would Jesus Say - Part 4

Mark 12:28-31
And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Matthew 12:46,48-50
While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Matthew 16:13-20
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. 18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.

"Emphasize reconciliation, not resolution.”
― Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here for?

2 Corinthians 5:16-6:2
From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

“The church is not a theological classroom. It is a conversion, confession, repentance, reconciliation, forgiveness and sanctification center, where flawed people place their faith in Christ, gather to know and love him better, and learn to love others as he designed.” ― Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change

Revelation 7:9-12
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Love is creative and redemptive. Love builds up and unites; hate tears down and destroys. The aftermath of the ‘fight with fire’ method...is bitterness and chaos, the aftermath of the love method is reconciliation and creation of the beloved community...Yes , love-which means understanding, creative, redemptive goodwill, even for one’s enemies-is the solution. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Resistance and nonviolence are not in themselves good. There is another element that must be present in our struggle that then makes our resistance and nonviolence truly meaningful. That element is reconciliation. Our ultimate end must be the creation of the beloved community. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Second City Church - What Would Jesus Say - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018