Faith Church Sermons (Lafayette IN)

Our Reliable Source

Steve Viars — 2012-02-05T16:49:33+00:00

Luke 1:1-4
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- would you agree with me this morning that it’s important to base your decisions on a reliable source of information?...

- in other words, if you have a deficient source of truth…whatever choice you make is at least going to be flawed, and maybe even disastrous…

- we’ve all seen the unbelievable pictures of this cruise ship that wrecked off the shores of Italy…

- what an incredible miscalculation…

- 17 people lost their lives and 15 others are unaccounted for and presumed dead…

- many other passengers were injured in various ways – 2 lawsuits seeking damages of $560 million have already been filed on behalf of seven individuals with many more on the horizon…

- then there’s the loss of the vessel…which cost $570 million to construct…

- The Carnival corporation is now projecting a financial hit in the range of $375-395 to their bottom line…and they just reduced their latest financial forecast for the entire year because of what’s happened…

- it is incredible that the wrong decision of one person could have such dramatic implications on so many others…

- well, how did all of this happen?...

- the captain says that the rocks they hit were not located on any of the maps…

- and amazingly, they weren’t detected by the ship’s multi-million dollar navigation system…

- here’s the exact testimony from Captain Schettino – the so-called “chicken of the sea”… The area was safe, the water was deep enough,” he said. “We struck a stretch of rock that was not marked on the charts. As far as I am concerned, we were in perfectly navigable waters. We were moving with a tourist navigation system, and as you can see by the rip (in the ship) there was a lateral rock projection. On the nautical chart, it was marked just as water at 100-150 meters from the rocks and we were about 300 meters from the shore. We shouldn’t have had this contact.”

- there it is – we shouldn’t have had this contact…

- well Mr. Captain – you did…you surely did…

- you can decide how much of the captain’s story you even believe…but there’s no question about this – it’s important to have a source of truth that’s reliable and trustworthy…and a lot can go wrong when you don’t…

- with that in mind, let me invite you to open your Bible this morning to Luke chapter 1…page 43 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- our church’s theme this year is Building Core Strength

- emphasized in verses like - Psalm 138:3 - On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul…that’s it—core strength…

- we’re emphasizing this theme in three specific areas this year…

1. Shoring up foundational areas in our walk with Christ and our church ministries that comprise the basis of godliness and effective community service.

2. Planning and praying for the construction of Faith West and the successful launch of a cluster of new ministries in West Lafayette.

3. Preparing for the next round of ministry dreaming as we embark on a new strategic planning process in 2013.

- this morning we’re talking about Basing Our Core Strength on a Reliable Source…

- we’re just going to try to work our way through the first 4 verses this morning…

- read Luke 1:1-4…

- in the time we have remaining, let’s think about 3 reasons to base your core strength on the reliability of Scripture.

I. Because of the Significant Number of Original Sources.

- Now, let’s just say…

A. A word about the author.

- there’s really not a lot that we know about Luke…

- that’s because he wasn’t interested in talking about himself---he’s interested in talking about Jesus…

- but as we survey Scripture – we pick up a few isolated details…

1. He was a physician.

- Colossians 4:14 – Luke, the beloved physician, sends you his greetings, and also Demas.

2. He was probably a Gentile.

- cf. “in their own language” in Acts 1:19

- also in this list of Paul’s fellow workers in Colossians 4 – his Jewish companions are spelled out as such – and Luke is mentioned after that…

- cf. Colossians 4:11 - …these are the only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are from the circumcision, and they have proved to be an encouragement to me.

3. We also know he was a traveling companion to the apostle Paul on some of his missionary journeys.

- we know that because of the “we” sections in the book of Acts…

- in other words, Luke—who was also the human author of the book of Acts, was personally present during many of those events about which he was writing…

- now, all of this is very relevant to the issue of reliability that we’re talking about this morning…

- when you put the books of Luke and Acts together, both written by the same man…and incidentally, written to the same man – an individual named Theophilus…

- but those two books comprise over one-fourth of the entire NT…

- it’s significant that a relatively unknown man was used by God to author, humanly speaking, this much of our New Testaments…

- the reason that matters is because if the author was an imposter – he would have claimed to be someone well known to give his words greater credibility…but he didn’t need to do that because he was the real thing…

- that’s why writings we have that date all the way back to the second century, like the Muratorian Canon, specifically name Luke as the writer of this book…

- the same is true many of the third century church fathers, people like Irenaeus, Tertullian, Origen, and Clement of Alexander all attributed the book to Luke…

- one commentator on the gospel of Luke, Robert Stein, said it like this…

Such unanimity in the tradition is impressive…In general such uncontested and ancient tradition should be accepted unless there is good reason to the contrary. This is especially so when it names a minor figure in the early church and a non-apostle as the author of over one-fourth of the entire New Testament (Luke, The New American Commentary, Nashville:Broadman and Holman, 1992, p. 21).

- Luke could be the poster child for reliability…

- but thank the Lord for people who are the real thing huh, like our man Luke…

- now, before we get too much further into this, we need to also say…

B. A word about the Author.

- and you might say – PV, you repeated your point…

- no, this one has a capital “A”…

- it’s important to understand the way God used human beings to function as the human authors, so to speak, of His Word…

- 2 Peter 1:16-21 - For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty….So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

- Paul explained it like this…

- 2 Timothy 3:16-17 - All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

- here’s a great summary of what we’re talking about from theologian Ron Rhoads - Biblical inspiration may be defined as God's superintending of the human authors so that, using their own individual personalities (and even their writing styles), they composed and recorded without error His revelation to man in the words of the original autographs. Inspiration means that the Holy Spirit of God superintended the human writers in the production of Scripture so that what they wrote was precisely what God wanted written.

- that’s a formula for reliability…now, what else can we see from this text?...

C. Luke readily acknowledges the existence of other sources.

- Luke 1:1-2 - Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us…

- and Luke is not saying that in a disparaging way at all…

- he’s glad for these original source documents and he’s learned much from studying them…

- one of the first lessons I learned about research in college was the importance of going back to the original sources…don’t just rely on what someone else said about a person’s view or experience or writing – go back and investigate what they said themselves…

- that’s why I’ve often recommended this book The Question of God by Armand Nicholli…

- Nicholli is a professor at Harvard Medical school and he wrote a theoretical debate between C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud…on the supposition that C.S. Lewis was one of the most influential thinkers in the 20^th century writing from a Christian perspective while Freud was one of the most influential thinkers in the same time period writing from an atheistic perspective…

- and while we have no evidence that the two ever met….

- what Nicholli did was juxtapose what Lewis said in his original writings with what Freud said on the same subjects…

- what’s great about that approach is – you’re not reading what other people said about Lewis, or about Freud – you’re reading what they said in their own words…in the original source documents…

- that’s what Luke did – it is likely that he had either read Matthew’s gospel and Mark’s gospel, or even had access to copies…

- and not only that…Luke knew Mark, and traveled with him…

- Philemon 23-24 - Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, greets you, as do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, Luke, my fellow workers.

- we also know that Paul was imprisoned for two years in Caesarea…

- Acts 24:27 - But after two years had passed, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, and wishing to do the Jews a favor, Felix left Paul imprisoned.

- Luke very easily during that time could have interviewed Matthew, and Mary, the mother of Jesus, the other apostles, the 500 people who saw Christ resurrected, etc…

- for all of those eyewitness – the events and sayings of the life of Christ would have been incredibly vivid…

- and the point of all of this is – you have to decide what the source of your core strength is going to be…

- and I realize that some people might say – well, I’m just going to remain neutral…there is no such thing…

- philosophically, we’re talking about “epistemology” – your source of truth…how you go about knowing what you think you know…

- Cornelius Van Til was right when he spoke about the modern principle…that all facts are interpreted facts…and that there is no such thing as epistemological neutrality…

- so you have a navigational map…the question is, do you have a reliable one…

- that’s why it’s wise for followers of Jesus Christ to order their lives on the truth of Scripture recorded for us in places like the gospel of Luke…

- that’s why this church is always going to be about systematically teaching God’s Word…

- 1 Timothy 3:15 - but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

- last Sunday was a different kind of schedule for me – we had our service pastors speaking and I gave a little presentation in the middle…and then in several services I was traveling around the campus at different times than I normally do…it was wonderful to look into different classrooms and watch the Word of God being taught to people of all different ages…because we’re convinced about the reliability of the source…

- here’s a second reason that flows out of this text…

II. Because People like Luke were Meticulous in their Research

A. Eyewitness accounts

- did you see that key phrase in verse 2?...

- Luke 1:2 - just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses…

- that’s takes us back to what Peter said – we’re not following cleverly devised fables here…

- we meticulously researched the testimony of eyewitness accounts…

- 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 - For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

- and you can picture Dr. Luke carefully interviewing these eyewitnesses because he wants to be sure he gets it right for his friend…

- there’s another detail here that’s very important…

B. Of servants of the word…

Luke 1:2 - just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,

- the reason that’s important is to remind us that the people that Luke is interviewing would derive no benefit from lying…

- they are paying a significant price, and increasingly so, for being followers of Christ…yet they are willing to do so because they aren’t serving themselves, they’re serving the Word…

C. He investigated everything carefully from the beginning and wrote it out in consecutive order.

- Luke 1:3 - it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus;

- Luke wanted his friend to know that this was a reliable source of truth…

D. This is why God’s Word is powerful enough to change you.

- John 17:17 - Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

- Psalm 19:7 - The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

- Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

- believing this impacts our entire mode of ministry…

- we’re convinced that God’s Word is powerful enough to help people like you and me change…

- so unless there’s some proven medical issue involved…we’re going to operate on the assumption that Scripture is a reliable source of truth to guide us into a personal relationship with God…and then into progressively becoming the kind of people God wants us to be each and every day…

- that’s why over 1700 dear servants of God are descending on Lafayette starting next Sunday evening…

- they want to hear about how to take the practical truth from Scripture and make it available to people in their communities and their churches who are hurting…

- we call it biblical counseling, or biblical discipleship…but it is based on the belief that the book we hold in our hands is reliable…it’s God’s Word to man…it can be trusted…

- I want to thank all of the men and women who are planning to serve for the BCTC…

- you might think that what you are doing is not that important in the larger scheme of things…but we cannot overestimate the value and importance of how you serve in whatever task God has called you to…

- because if what we’re saying is true – that Scripture is a reliable guide and powerful enough to help us change…then ultimately the proof is in the pudding…

- here’s the way Paul said it to Titus…Titus 2:10 - …showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.

E. This is also why we sometimes have to stand for it.

- Jude 3 - Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

- when a teacher is going to refer to the Creator as “a puff of smoke magician” or a “cosmic tinkerer”, somebody better say something about it…

- I’m not suggesting that the biblical story of creation should be taught in public schools…

- I’m suggesting that scientific evidence that seems to challenge macro evolution should be put on the table as well…

III. Because God Wants Us to have the Exact Truth

- don’t you love the way Luke explained his purpose to his friend in verse 4?...

- Luke 1:4 - so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

- isn’t that what you need when it comes to the principles necessary to navigate life effectively…

- you don’t want a map that doesn’t identify the rocks…

- you don’t want a navigational system that cost you a lot and helps you a little…

- Can I ask you this morning, have you chosen a reliable source when it comes to the issue of establishing a relationship with God?...

- later Luke will quote Jesus who said…

- Luke 24:44 - Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

- that’s a reliable Savior – have you put your trust in Him?...

- Christian friend – is there evidence that you believe God’s Word is a reliable guide for yourself and your family?...

- isn’t this also what Faith West is all about?...

- a place that is a lighthouse for God and His word…Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word…

- haven’t we also seen that God blesses those who want to live and proclaim His Word?...

- John 13:17 - If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Filed Under: bible (29), epistemology (1), luke (2), reliability (3), research (2), sources (1), truth (10)

Fulfilling Your Calling in Christ

Steve Viars — 2012-01-29T17:02:43+00:00

Colossians 3:12-17
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I want to begin with a little quiz this morning … ready. Each of the items has only one of two answers (it is not T/F … that is way too boring and much to “school-like”. The first possible answer is “Epic” … let’s try that together [that is the good one in case you were wondering] … The second possible answer is “Epic fail.” Got it? Two possible answers …

1. Football fan or not. The Baltimore Ravens in the last 30 seconds of the game against NE last weekend. “Epic fail” … the dude dropping the touchdown pass to win the game and then the kicker missing the field goal to send the game to overtime.

a. Man alive … I would not want to be that kicker going into that locker room!

2. Dentist who used paper clips in root canals. I don’t think I can comment any more on that one! “Epic fail”

What about this one …

1. Alaska woman, 5’ tall 97 lbs and 85 years old beats a moose with a shovel to save her husband. “Epic”

a. That is one bad woman. I would never want to be a dinner party with her. I mean, how in the world could you beat that story?! “Your story is pretty cool, but try this on for size … I beat the living tar out of a MOOSE”!

2. The article in the newspaper about how pleased the neighbors are with Faith West … “Epic”

a. We are not done by any means, but remember a couple years ago. That article could not have been written.

3. The fact that 1700 people are planning to come to the BCTC two weeks from today. “Epic”

a. This year many of the conferences around the country (including some we have done) have not had that kind of attendance. The fact that we do is an unbelievable blessing from the Lord.

We played that game to illustrate a very important point this morning. I can use, and you can use, the focus this year on core strength to actually strengthen; resulting in something that is “Epic” or you and I can squander the opportunity resulting in something that is “Epic fail.”

For three weeks PV has been explaining the content of core strength

· Shoring up foundational areas in our walk with Christ and our church ministries that comprise the basis of godliness and effective community service.

· Planning and praying for the construction of Faith West and the successful launch of a cluster of new ministries in West Lafayette.

· Preparing for the next round of ministry dreaming as we embark on a new strategic planning process in 2013.

One of the questions that we could be asking this morning is how do we get this core strength?

I understand the value of dreaming, I understand the importance of preparing for FW, I understand that I need to be growing closer to Jesus. What does that look like? How do we grow in our walk with Christ and strengthen the ministries? How does the stretch result in strength as opposed to injury?

With that in mind, I would like to start that discussion this morning by having you turn with me to Colossians 3:12-17 (page 158 in the back section of the Bible in the chair in front of you).

The title of the message is Building Core Strength by Fulfilling Your Calling in Christ

Let’s begin with a quick summary of the passage. In your bulletin we have printed the text with a few items in bold and a couple of lines in italics.

Bold = Commands from Paul

Italics = God’s Calling of His People in Christ

12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 (SUMMARY) Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

17 (SUMMARY) Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

In other words, the bold represents commands given by God to his people that is the heart of what core strength is. The italics are your position in Christ that makes doing commands like this possible.

- Notice in verse 12, as those – chosen, dearly loved. If you know Christ as your Lord and Savior this is a description of who you are. “dearly loved” … your hope and security is found in one who chose you and dearly loves you.

- Notice in verse 15, to which you have been called … in one body – that is the body of Christ.

- The Lord is helping us see that because of who I am in Christ, certain things can be true of me by the power of Christ in me. That is also why the Lord reminds us in 1:13-14 that we were rescued from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of his dear son [our citizenship in the Lord’s kingdom is firmly established]… and in 3:1 that you are raised with Christ so seek the things where he is [because I am positionally already with him].

You see, friends, part of what the “Epic” look likes for us is recognizing our position in Christ. Then, it is by God’s grace to begin living out our calling (Ephesians 4:1 puts it this way, live in a way that is worthy of your calling). So let’s get to the first point …

I. We must clothe ourselves with the righteousness of Christ.

Col 3:12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on (clothe). The imagery there is of garments being put on. Clothe yourself with something…

Garments attract, garments detract, and sometimes they define who you are or what you are doing.

1. I had a savings account when I was 4, but my first real trip to the bank came at 11 or 12. Family members had purchased savings bonds for me when I was very little and now, at 11 or 12, it was time to cash them in. I had to wear a sport coat and tie. This was a big moment because I was getting my first CD. My dad wanted my clothed with my best.

a. When we walked in the bank everyone understand that we were not here for the run of the mill business. This was not about putting another dollar in my account. Something was going down.

2. When you think about garments attracting how can you not talk about Bill and Peggy Strunk. Not only do they dress with vibrant colors, but they match perfectly. The garments attract attention.

Sometimes the way you are dressed, identifies you –we call them uniforms (football player, a police officer, or a ballerina).

God uses the imagery of garments to describe what living out your calling looks like. The point is very clear – you are responsible to do this. Just as you get dressed in the morning, you are expected to put on, to clothe yourself, with certain qualities.

When a person is clothed with (read v. 12-14) what do you see? … You see Jesus. These garments or “qualities/actions” identify you as a person like Jesus. They attract attention. Everyone around recognizes that you are with Jesus (much like the apostles in the book of Acts when the leaders acknowledge that they have been with Jesus).

- In his incarnation and/or his exaltation we see his compassion, humility, patience, gentleness, bearing with us, forgiving, and ultimately his love!

With the big idea already in mind, let me apply this for a few moments

Compassion (the willing to care about others)

- For each other. Honestly, if a bar can be a place where people know your name and they are always glad you came … [honestly there are quite a few bars like that] … then how much more should that be true in the church house?

o One of the ways you can develop core strength is put on a heart of compassion that looks like this … look in the area where you normally sit and make sure you know every name in the 30 people around you and greet them by that name.

- For your neighbors. Isn’t what we are doing the most important thing that people could be doing at 11 am on a Sunday morning?

o I get that it can be awkward. I understand that the second you invite a neighbor to church or to pray for them, they might get uncomfortable.

o Sometimes it is that stretch that really helps you reach out and it may be the means by which your neighbor comes to Christ.

o Invite them, not solely out of duty, but because you really believe your neighbor is missing out on something wonderful.

Kindness (the quality of bringing goodness to others)

- In the home … sometimes the people we love the most and are around the most are the people we are most harsh with.

o When your spouse frustrates you, irritates you. Ask yourself… by the power of Christ in me, am I putting on kindness?

o If you are a single mom or just a single … have you clothed yourself with the kindness of Jesus in your relationships?

- In this service … When you come into service at 11:00, are you trying to get here 5-10 minutes early in the hopes of showing kindness to someone? Greeting them by name and finding out something about them?

o Or are you scampering in here 5 minutes after the service begins and leaving during the prayer or announcements without saying a word to anyone?

Here is my take, every week, there are people in this room that could use a simple does of genuine kindness. So I hope one of the practical steps you will take is be in this room before the service countdown greeting those who will sit near you.

Humility – (thinking of others as more important to you)

Do I have to say anything more about humility?

Gentleness—(the acceptance of God’s dealing with us good)

Patience—(Graciously responding over the long haul during provocation)

Examples of this all over the place.

- With our children, with our parents, with our teachers, our co-workers (who never seem to deliver what we want when we want it).

Bearing with one another (Choosing to put up with)

The applications to this are practically endless. But let me highlight a couple of them

1. We are creatures of habit. We might all laugh when Steve tells us that he goes to McDonald’s every morning for a coffee. But the fact is, that many people come to service and sit in the exact same seats every week. They are practically assigned. What happens when someone (a newer person for example) takes your seat? Do you sit beside them, and learn their name OR are you irritated that you have to sit somewhere else because a visitor took your seat? Clothed with the righteousness of Jesus does not get would up about that. Instead, they would happily give of their seat for the goal of ministry purposes.

2. I am sure that most of you have noticed that the 11:00 is pretty full (last week there were 20 people sitting in the foyer). So it is likely that some of you in this service will be asked to switch services. Maybe go to the 8 hour or maybe your ABF will be asked to move to 11 and go to 9:30. While we will always do this with an attitude of asking and a recognition that one service fits your family schedule much better, we hope being clothed with the righteousness of Jesus will also allow you to think about how a particular move might help our church accomplish its overall mission.

a. Then, if there is a seat open we would seek to invite someone because there is nothing else going on at 11:00 on a Sunday morning that is more important than worship through song and study of the Word.

Forgiving (Choosing to relinquish offenses)

Relationships without forgiveness are relationships that cannot last.

- Our forgiveness is motivated and characterized by the forgiveness of Jesus. So in those moments when you do not want to forgive or you think they deserve to suffer a little bit too. Remember that forgiveness is not based on the merit of the person you are talking to, it is based on the forgiveness that you have already received in Jesus.

- That is a picture of core strength. That is clothing yourself with the righteousness of Christ.

LOVE (summary of all)

- The final picture is that of love. A wonderful summary of that Christ embodies.

- If we are putting on love (Eph 5:1-2), then we are putting on Christlikeness.

The second series of commands defines yet another aspect of our call and gives us a picture of what core strength looks like.

II. We must let the peace of Christ be decisive in circumstances and relationships.

Col 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Let’s notice first what is doing the “ruling.” Because something always rules the heart. Something is in control of the way you and I make decisions. Something determines whether we follow one course of action or a different course of action.

The Bible says that the “peace of Christ” deserves this ruling privilege. This is Christ’s peace not yours and not one that you can conjure up on your own. It is the something that Christ gives.

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!

There are probably a couple ideas that Paul is bringing together.

1. In 1:20 Christ embodies peace and when we are reconciled to him, we are in a state or condition of peace before God because of Christ. We have a state or condition that provides all that I need. I have abundant spiritual blessings through the peace that Christ brings.

2. But this also seems to indicate something going on inside us that results in a unity on the outside similar to Phil 4:7 where the results of prayer during times of anxiousness results in the peace of God dwelling in our hearts. This means I don’t have to clamor after things in order to have peace in my life.

When I am recognizing the peace that Christ brings that allows me to respond in such a way that unity is developed rather than splintered apart. When I allow the peace of Christ to rule my decisions the natural outflow is that all of us will enjoy that peace together.

Here is looks like to live this out … When the peace of Christ determines my decisions …

- You will not be jealous about a friend getting a dream that you wish you had. Maybe that dream is a better marriage (and it is just not happening right now), maybe that dream is getting married (and it is just not happening right now), or maybe it is having a baby (and it is just not happening right now). When Christ’s peace controls my thinking I can rejoice with them because I have what I need in Christ.

o Friends, this attitude can exist at virtually every level…

- You will not be insensitive to those hurting around you. Just as you want them to rejoice with those who rejoice, you will weep with those who weep – because Christ’s peace controls you.

o That is why you can be genuinely concerned about your friends who are honestly hurting.

- When the peace of Christ rules your heart your boss’ criticism will encourage you to do better rather than enrage you in bitterness.

o Isn’t that a good thing?

- When your spouse does not treat you the way you desire, you will be able to respond with kindness because you are allowing the peace of Christ to control your decisions.

- Even when that ministry assignment or ministry task does not happen just like you want it to, the peace of Christ will allow you to respond well.

o Who doesn’t want our ministries to go well and to accomplish their mission? Sometimes a ministry even has to die or be put on sabbatical for it to be evaluated. When those moments come we can be offended that our thing got dumped. But when the peace of Christ rules, we can look at the bigger picture.

- When people do not seem to appreciate you or value you, the peace of Christ will help you serve for Jesus knowing that the reward is in heaven.

- What happens when we sin against each other? Does the peace of Christ rule in such a way that the sin is handled in a godly fashion? Even in the midst of failures, the peace of Christ ruling in our hearts will allow us to overcome those failures and continue to work together.

Here is why you can do that … because the peace of Christ is fulfilling every need that you have. There is nothing lacking, there is nothing missing.

In this text do you see where that leads … unity in the body. The psalmist writes, how good and how pleasant it is for the brothers (and sisters) to dwell together in unity. As each of us allows the peace of Christ to rule us – to determine the our decisions – we all will experience the wonderful blessings of unity.

But notice the way the text puts this again … Let the peace of Christ …

- Let’s face it, sometimes we are ruled by a lot of things that have nothing to do with the peace of Christ.

- When we lust or clamor after those things it leads to a path of anger, bitterness, entitlement, and no productivity.

I want you think for just a minute … what would an 11:00 service ruled by the peace of Christ feel like?

- People, lots of people, who are genuinely friendly.

- People, lots of people, thinking not only about what I will get out of the sermon, but how I can minister to someone to promote unity.

- People, lots of people, knowing the names of especially the people who usually sit around them.

- People, lots of people, who want others to join them so that they do not miss out on the blessings available right here.

One of my ministry goals period – not that I am there yet, but a dream - (11:00 service, my ABFs, Sonrise at 8 and YC at 9:30, our conference training, our seminary classes) is that people do not have to be guilted into coming. They come and encourage others to come because anyone who is not there is missing out on the blessing. Wouldn’t it be great if people at 11 came because the opportunities to give blessings and to be blessed were so great that only emergency issues would keep them away?

In case we forgot … be thankful too.

We have seen the command to clothe yourselves with the garments of Christ’s righteousness and the command to allow Christ’s peace to determine your decisions. The third command is in v. 16.

III. We must let the Word of Christ saturate our inner being.

Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another, with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Just as the peace of Christ was to rule in our decision making so now we are encouraged to let the word of Christ richly dwell in us.

I think it is very reasonable to say that God expects us to know his word. While Sunday morning and the FCI classes on Wed nights are valuable times of teaching, it is also important to develop a habit of reading and meditating on the Bible. It is allowing your mind to dwell and to think on the Scriptures.

- Counseling training is the next step, not because you are necessarily going to be counselors, but you want to be mentors.

- Some of you taking an FCI class to enrich your understanding of the Bible is the next step

- Could greatly benefit from the ABF ministry where a portion of the time is given toward understanding Scripture.

When the word of Christ dwells in you richly, it comes out.

- Isn’t that true with whatever I might be fired up about at the time? If you kids are participating in some activity, then you tell others about it. Hey, my daughter has a ballet recital, or a piano performance, or a basketball game. You, as a parent, are stoked about it.

- If Christ’s words saturate your being then they will come out.

As intimidating as this might be … we all will know what is saturating your being. Because the text makes it clear that IF YOU ARE INGESTING THE WORDS OF CHRIST, THEN THE WORDS OF CHRIST WILL COME OUT OF YOU.

With the result that the Word overflows from our lips in:

A.Wise edification (teaching and admonishing) of one another

- When the word of Christ is saturating I am able to teach and admonish people with the words of Christ rather than my just own opinion or rather than my emotions might initially lead me.

- Isn’t that what we need? Don’t we need teaching and at times a little admonishing?

An old song writer wrote these words, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love.”

Those who are saturated with other things will teach and admonish others to go after their others things.

B.Grateful celebration (singing) with one another

When the word of Christ saturates us, it also results in celebration. I am not talking about putting on a show (some are more inclined to music than others), but I am also not talking about being a stoic either.

A person who has his or her life saturated by the Word of Christ gratefully celebrates.

Check out the summary in v. 17 …

Whatever you do, do that in the name of Christ!

Friends, we are representing Christ. That is one of the reasons that he saved you. He was calling a group of people to be his possession to show the glories of Jesus to the world.

He has given you every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, he has transferred you from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of his dear son, he though you were dead in your sins made you alive together with Christ.

Now, God says, clothe yourself with the righteousness of Christ, allow the peace of Christ to determine your decisions, and be totally saturated by the word of Christ.

That is how you will be able to exhibit core strength in the areas of (1) growing in your walk with Christ; (2) launching FW; and (3) ministry dreaming.

It is also the way that this service will be a service that people want to attend. It will be a place where people know your name and they are glad you came. It will be a place where you can serve and be encouraged just as it is a place where you can serve and encourage others.

Most importantly, if we get this done, we will be a people who represent well the name of Christ. So let pray and lets works toward this year being “Epic.”

Filed Under: bible study (7), compassion (11), forgiveness (23), kindness (5), peace (11)

Preparing for the Next Steps in our Future Together

Steve Viars — 2012-01-22T16:37:44+00:00

2 Samuel 7:1-17, 9:1-8
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Introduction

- this morning I’d like to begin our time together by asking you a question:

- Is there such a thing as “ministry dreaming”?

- identifying a need or opportunity around you/us and then asking God to help you glorify Him by meeting that need, or seizing that opportunity?

- can you think of anyone in the Bible whose story included ministry dreaming?

1. Caleb

- Here’s a man who’s 85 years old…

- he’s been a prime leader in the conquest of the Promised Land, so he has to be war worn for sure…

- but what’s the request he makes when he comes to Joshua:

Joshua 14:10-12 - Now behold, the Lord has let me live, just as He spoke, these forty-five years, from the time that the Lord spoke this word to Moses, when Israel walked in the wilderness; and now behold, I am eighty-five years old today. I am still as strong today as I was in the day Moses sent me; as my strength was then, so my strength is now, for war and for going out and coming in. Now then, give me this hill country about which the Lord spoke on that day, for you heard on that day that Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; perhaps the Lord will be with me, and I will drive them out as the Lord has spoken.

- there’s a man who’s been dreaming about future ministry…

- even while he was serving God faithfully and sacrificially…at the same time he is dreaming about what he might be able to do next to advance the glory of God’s name…I want that mountain…to prove that God’s Word can be trusted and it really is possible regardless of your age to find your strength in Him…

- that’s ministry dreaming…

2. Nehemiah

- what a fabulous story of a man who hears a report of the broken-down condition of the walls around Jerusalem…

- and he immediately confesses the sins of himself and the people and then he starts dreaming about how that problem might be solved…

- and then the foreign king he served noticed that he was sad and he asked Nehemiah about it…

- and what happens next is a fascinating example of someone who not only dreamed of addressing a specific need, but who had already begun working out the details in his mind…

- so when the king said…what do you request…

- out comes the strategic plan…

- Nehemiah 2:7-8 - And I said to the king, “If it please the king, let letters be given me for the governors of the provinces beyond the River, that they may allow me to pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress which is by the temple, for the wall of the city and for the house to which I will go.” And the king granted them to me because the good hand of my God was on me.

- what’s important about that example is for our discussion here is to point out that we’re not using the word dreaming in some pie in sky, fuzzy, ethereal way…he’s just a dreamer who has no connection to reality…

- no, Nehemiah was already thinking through the exact steps that would have to be taken and the exact resources that would be involved…

- that’s why when he actually went to Jerusalem….Scripture tells us that he got up early in the morning to inspect the walls before anyone there knew what he was dreaming about…

- Nehemiah 2:11-13 - So I came to Jerusalem and was there three days. And I arose in the night, I and a few men with me. I did not tell anyone what my God was putting into my mind to do for Jerusalem and there was no animal with me except the animal on which I was riding. So I went out at night by the Valley Gate in the direction of the Dragon’s Well and on to the Refuse Gate, inspecting the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were consumed by fire.

- what’s that?...ministry dreaming…don’t you love that?...

- we could think of examples of this in the NT as well…like…

3. Paul

- Acts 15:36 - After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let us return and visit the brethren in every city in which we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.”

- can you picture that?...you’re sitting around the fireplace deciding what you’re going to do…and out pops – let’s go check on the churches…lets go see if there are ways we can participate in what God is doing in His world…

- or another example from his words to the Corinthians…

- 1 Corinthians 16:5-9 - But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia; and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go. For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

- do you hear him dreaming?...I want to have an extended time of ministry with you in Corinth…I’m thinking about that…but right now I need to stay in Ephesus because a wide door of effective service has opened for me, and I’m dreaming about everything can be accomplished through that as well…

- that’s it – ministry dreaming…

- now let me ask you this – what do you dream about?...

- in those quiet moments in your life when you don’t have to be concentrating on something else…do you ever engage in ministry dreaming?...and about what?...

- let’s take it even one step further…

- would you agree with this – humanly speaking, God has made you in such a way, and placed you in such a place, that it’s will that that particular dream be accomplished specifically by you?...

- of course we all know God can use anyone or anything to accomplish His plans – I’m not suggesting otherwise…

- but humanly speaking…that one’s got your name on it

- that’s why God made you the way he did…that’s why He put you where He did…

- that’s why He gave you the cluster of life experiences He did, both good and bad…

- the God of Scripture very much works with individual people…He even knows the exact number of hairs on your head...that’s why there’s that marvelous text in the book of…

4. Esther

- Esther 4:14 - …And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

- not just anyone, not just any time, and not just anyplace…

- but you, here, right now…

- and if you study that particular passage carefully – there’s a delightful balance of divine sovereignty and human responsibility…because Esther is told – if you don’t seize this opportunity, God will provide deliverance for His people from another source…but he goes on to say – there will be consequences for you and your father’s house…[namely, it will perish]…but we don’t need to think about the negative aspect if we’re locking on to the positive one…

- who knows whether you have attained royalty for such a time as this – you, being a ministry dreamer, right here, right now…

- with that in mind, please open your Bible to 2 Samuel chapter 7 [page 231 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you]…

- our theme this year is…Building Core Strength

- emphasized in verses like - Psalm 138:3 - On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul…that’s it—core strength…

- I’ve been encouraging you to read through this handout which contains our planning initiatives for 2012……

- but one of the reasons I asked you to do that is because the introduction to this document explains the three primary ways this theme of Building Core Strength is going to emphasized this year:

1. Shoring up foundational areas in our walk with Christ and our church ministries that comprise the basis of godliness and effective community service.

2. Planning and praying for the construction of Faith West and the successful launch of a cluster of new ministries in West Lafayette.

3. Preparing for the next round of ministry dreaming as we embark on a new strategic planning process in 2013.

- those ideas are so important that I’ve been doing something I’ve never done before…taking three Sundays to break down and provide biblical background for each of those ideas…

- so 2 weeks ago…- Core Strength Part 1 - Shoring Up Our Foundation

- then last week – Core Strength Part 2 – Planning and Praying for Faith West…

- now this morning, Core Strength Part 3 – Preparing for the Next Steps in our Future Together

- I’d like to read 2 examples from the life of King David about him being a ministry dreamer

- read 2 Samuel 7:1-17, 9:1-8

- with the time we have remaining, let’s organize out thoughts around these emphases:

I. An Example of Ministry Dreaming

II. The Power of Ministry Dreaming

III. The Process of Ministry Dreaming

IV. Some Potential Areas of Ministry Dreaming

I. An Example of Ministry Dreaming

A. David and the temple

- the verses we read are at a critical place in David’s life and rule…

- the text says that…

- v. 1 – the Lord had given him rest on every side from all his enemies

- we also know that in the previous chapter, David had the challenge of bringing the ark of the covenant, that piece of furniture from the tabernacle that served as the physical manifestation of the presence of God back to Jerusalem…

- That project turned out to be problematic for sure because of the death of a man named Uzzah for handling the ark of the covenant in an indifferent fashion…and then later when they successfully brought it to Jerusalem…David held a great worship service and even danced before the people in joy and celebration that God’s presence was back with them in this particular way…

- but if you know your Bible, you know even that was tempered by David’s own wife Michal who ridiculed him for what he had done…

- but still, even with the challenges…now that David has rest from his enemies and is in a position to dream about the future…in what direction does his mind gravitate?...

- building a temple…a permanent home for the presence of God…

- and you might say – but Steve, the subsequent verses show that God didn’t allow David to build it…

- that’s true, and we learn in 1 Chronicles 28:3 that God made this determination because David had been a man of war…

- 1 Chronicles 28:3 - “But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name because you are a man of war and have shed blood.’

- we also learn that God allowed David’s son Solomon to build it and david spent a fair portion of the end of his life helping his son organize the plans and stockpile the materials to make the project a success…

- but the headline here is that David’s desire—his ministry dream to build the temple-- greatly pleased the Lord…

- we can that with confidence because it’s in this passage that David receives the words we refer to as the Davidic covenant…the promise that the Messiah will be born through David’s line…and that his kingdom will be everlasting…

- that’s why it was so important that Joseph, the human father of Jesus, be of the…

- Luke 2:4 - Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David,
- the principle is – you can learn a lot about a person’s house by listening to what they dream about…the things they would really like to do in order to glorify their God…the same is true with…

B. David and the hurting.

- 2 Samuel 9:3 - The king said, “Is there not yet anyone of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?”

- the word “kindness” in this passage is one of the most important words in all the OT…the word hesed – or covenant love…

- when a person dreams about that – how can I magnify God’s presence through the construction of the temple, or God’s mercy through exercising kindness to someone in need—that’s exactly what we’re talking about this morning…in ways big and small…ministry dreaming

- now, please think with me about this…

II. The Power of Ministry Dreaming

- if you’re wondering where this message is going…here it is…
- the third key element of core strength is you being a person, and us being a church, that values and practices ministry dreaming…
- - where we’re constantly using our God given creativity to think about new ways to glorify God and meet needs around us…
- - and that’s important every day – in ways big and small…and it’s especially important as we move into a formal planning cycle a year from right now…
- - our experience is that it’s never too early to dream…
- now, let me ask you to consider this – how has that tendency served us in days gone by?...have you ever thought about the ministry dreamers who have gone before us?

A. The establishment of Faith Church

- do you know how our church started?...
- it was through the ministry of Pastor Baden Rowe, who was the pastor of Kossuth Street Baptist church back in the early 1960’s…
- and he and their church family were concerned about the new housing that was being built on what was then the south side of our town…and they dreamed of a church being established there…so they scooped off several families from their church and led them to plant a new church…thank the Lord for ministry dreamers…

B. A philosophy of ministry focused on helping people grow 7 days a week.

- one of the things that attracted Pastor and Mrs. Goode to Lafayette was their dream of building a church where answers from God’s sufficient Word were made available in a way that helped people grow in the practical areas of everyday life.
- that might sound obvious to us – but that was in the days of bus ministries and high powered evangelism…when the focus was often on numbers instead of quality of discipleship…that’s being a ministry dreamer
- and there are a number of men and women who are still part of this church family who joined the Goodes in embracing that dream…and served and sacrificed in all sorts of ways in order to make that happen

C. A Biblical counseling training ministry

- Pastor Goode and Dr. Smith had also received training in biblical counseling and wanted to start a community based biblical counseling center that would serve the community and also serve as a training center for other churches that wanted to have similar ministries in their communities…
- Pastor Goode recognized early on that having a medical doctor involved in our counseling ministry was crucial to its development…so he asked Doc Smith to join him…
- and even though Doc had an established medical practice in Lowell, he was willing to leave that practice and move to Lafayette to help Pastor Goode fulfill that dream…
- see, that’s being like Nehemiah, Caleb, like Esther, like Paul, like King David…

D. Our Biblical counseling training conference

- we’ve had that conference for over 25 years and we’ve been blessed by having servants of God from around the country come here so we can study together about how to minister God’s Word to those who are hurting…
- but I can remember the year when Doc Smith, who was still the administrator of the cc at the time said – what can we do to make this better…
- what would it look like to take this to the next level…
- and the decision was made to bring in speakers from other sister counseling organizations and acquaint our guests to other leaders in the movement…
- and sure there were some risks to that dream…but we’re expecting a record number of people to with us in a few weeks…that’s where ministry dreaming gets you…

E. To be more effective in outreach.

- this church family dreamed about that…

· Vacation Bible School

- I mention that for several reasons but this is a good example of ministry dreaming doesn’t have to be the big things – it’s just taking whatever area is entrusted to you and making it the best it can be…

· Lafayette Passion Play

- did you know we actually started our drama musicals here?

- when we started, it required a whole group of musicians, and actors, and tech people…people who dreamed about the impact that could have at Easter…and look at it today…

· Lafayette Living Nativity

- when we heard about that ministry, Pastor Goode and Arvid Olson flew down to Slidell LA to see one in action and then brought that idea back here…

- and our church family was asked to commit a rather large amount of money to launch one here – but the vote was unanimous…and an entire crew of hundreds and hundreds of dreamers got busy…and look what we have today…

F. To start a Christian School

- people like Dan Wickert, Dale Davidson, Pastor and Mrs. Leffew…
- our first staff
- we owe dreamers like that a tremendous debt of gratitude…

G. More effective community ministry

· Christmas for Everyone
· Faith Community Center
· Food pantry/clothing closet
· Community athletic leagues
· Dozens of other community based ministries

H. High quality, affordable church-based ministry training

Establishment of Faith Bible Seminary

I. Enhanced foreign missions program

Establishment of Faith Global Ministries as a missionary sending agency

J. Faith based residential treatment for at risk girls based on biblical counseling

Vision of Hope

K. New location for Purdue Bible Fellowship and West Side Biblical Counseling Center

Faith West becoming a reality

- here’s my point – God uses people who dare to dream about ways to minister for Him…

- we owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to men and women who have gone before us and proved the power of that important quality…

- now it’s our turn – it’s part of the core strength that we hope to continue to build this year…

- now I realize you might say – how do I get started?...

III. The Process of Ministry Dreaming

A. What are the unique strengths, talents, interests, passions, experiences that God has given me/us?

- what is the Lord doing in your heart?

B. What are the needs and opportunities that the Lord has placed around me that if met/seized could bring Him greater glory?

C. What are the weaknesses that exist in you/us that need to be shored up?

D. What would that dream look like if it came to fruition?

- paint a picture, write a story, describe a goal---that’s what each person we’ve studied this morning did – [Caleb, Nehemiah, etc]

E. What resources will be necessary to accomplish this dream and what are the possible sources?

F. What steps/processes will need to be followed to fulfill the dream? Who needs to do what when?

- you could apply those principles to anything you believe the Lord might be calling you to do, or us to do…
- now, what could that look like?...here’s some of the ideas that are rumbling around already…
- I’m telling you this to encourage you to begin praying, and dreaming yourself…call this priming the vision pump…

IV. Some Potential Areas of Ministry Dreaming

- maybe it would help you to know our overall philosophy of campus development…
- we’re hoping that day will come when you can stand out at the community pond, right next to the eagle statue – and name an area of need in our community, and point to a facility and ministry that is trying to address it in the name of Christ…
- “Let you light so shine among men…”
- so how do we get there?...

A. Acquire 100 acres of adjacent land and 5 remaining homes on our SR 26 frontage

- we may never be able to do that – but it will never happen if we don’t pray about it, and dream about it…
- but what a gift that would be to our children and grandchildren…
- a blank tapestry on which they can dream…

B. Senior Living Community

Affordable senior living community developed contiguous to our site as part of the Faith campus.
Senior living residents integrated into all facets of campus life including serving at Infant Care, Pre-School, Faith Christian School, Vision of Hope, Faith Community Center, etc.
Day-time adult care center and program.
Expanded Caleb’s Kin Program.
Full time pastoral staff member

C. Ministry for recovering men at Bethany Farms

Master plan developed for all 100 acres
Working farm established for men’s ministry
Others ministries at Bethany Farms considered and launched

D. Additional facilities for Vision of Hope

Step down apartments for phase 3 residents
Facility to serve victims of domestic violence

E. World class approach to serving children and adults with Special Needs

Special needs program at Faith Christian School
Home for adults with special needs
Sports leagues for special need children and adults
Mentoring services
Instructional programs

F. Fully developed Sports Leagues

the opportunities to interact with our neighbors through sports leagues is incredible…

G. New Faith Ministry Center

New space for seminary expansion
New biblical Counseling Center

H. Enhanced ministries for foster parents and grandparents

Quadplexes for Families Willing to Serve as Foster Parents
Meeting places for family reunification process

I. Hospice Center

J. Fire House for Persons Displaced by House Fires

K. Publishing

Filed Under: dreaming (1), history (3), ministries (1), ministry (7), planning (13), plans (3), strategic planning (2), vision (2)

Planning and Praying for Faith West

Steve Viars — 2012-01-15T17:06:48+00:00

Matthew 25:1-40
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- suppose I told you that 18 months from now you were going to receive a tremendous windfall?...

- perhaps you were going to receive a large inheritance…

- or maybe someone is going to give you a lottery ticket (cuz I know you’d never but one) and it is going to turn out to be the big winner…

- if I was able to tell you that now, what do you think the next 18 months would all be about for you?...

- two answers that come to mind are…the next year and a half would be all about thankfulness…and preparation…

- thankfulness at the marvelous [and in many ways] unexpected blessing of God…and preparation to be sure you stewarded that blessing properly…you made the very most of what God was going to entrust to you…

- well guess what my friends, it is highly likely that 18 months from now, unless Jesus chooses to return for His people first, our church family is going to open the doors on an incredible gift from God…the facilities and ministries known as Faith West…

- this morning we want to focus on everything that is involved in getting ready…

- with that in mind, let me invite you to open your Bible to Matthew chapter 25…page 21 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- last Sunday we kicked off our new theme of Building Core Strength…

- and I mentioned that there are a lot of verses in the Word of God that we could use that emphasizes our theme – but one of the ones that really resonated with me was - Psalm 138:3 - On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.

- that’s it—core strength…

- we also encouraged you last week to read through this handout which contains our planning initiatives for 2012…and I hope you did that and if you need another copy or you weren’t here last week---copies are available at the welcome center…

- but one of the reasons I asked you to do that is because the introduction to this document explains the three primary ways this theme of Building Core Strength is going to emphasized this year:

1. Shoring up foundational areas in our walk with Christ and our church ministries that comprise the basis of godliness and effective community service.

2. Planning and praying for the construction of Faith West and the successful launch of a cluster of new ministries in West Lafayette.

3. Preparing for the next round of ministry dreaming as we embark on a new strategic planning process in 2013.

- those ideas are so important that I’m doing something I’ve never done before…taking three Sundays to break down and provide biblical background for each of those ideas…

- because there’s never been a time when it was more important for every person attending our church to understand why we’re here, and where we’re going, and how everyone on the team fits…

- so last week…- Core Strength Part #1 - Shoring Up Our Foundation

- this morning – Core Strength Part #2 – Planning and Praying for Faith West…

- the bottom line is – we’re at least on a trajectory of breaking ground on this project this summer – and opening the facility and launching all the associated ministries 18 months from right now…

- so what do the next 18 months need to include?...thankfulness and preparation…

- thankfully God’s Word is sufficient, so we have plenty of direction to guide us in this endeavor…let’s read selected portions of Matthew 25 and then talk about,

I. The Preparation of Core Strength

II. The Investment of Core Strength

III. The Motivation of Core Strength

- one more quick comment before I read – If you know your Bible well, you know that this is a rather controversial section of Scripture because it alludes to the return of Christ…

- there are many different views out there about the sequence of the end-time events…

- we are pre-trib and pre-millennial here – that means we believe Christ is going to return for His church, then there will be a 7 year period of tribulation on the earth as described in the book of Revelation, then Christ will usher in the millennial kingdom in fulfillment of all the OT promises and prophecies not yet fulfilled to His people…

- however, there are many good men and women who see those issues differently even among our church membership…

- but, and this is the big point – there are clear, simple, powerful theme in these verses regardless of what specific end-time events you believe are being spoken of here…

- my goal is to help us benefit from those important themes this am…read Matthew 25:1-40

- now, here’s what we hope to accomplish with the rest of our time…

- To let the key themes of Matthew 25:1-40…

1. Help us be best prepared to pray intelligently about the ministry opportunities associated with Faith West.

2. Guide us to consider participating in specific ministries at Faith West and to receive the training necessary now to be best prepared to serve as soon as the facility opens.

3. Help us be prepared to vote on the final authorization of Faith West on the evening of January 29.

I. The Preparation of Core Strength

- I realize that if you’re not used to studying the Bible, this parable of the wise and foolish virgins may not make a whole lot of sense to you…

- please keep in mind that when we interpret God’s Word, we seek to understand it in its original context…

- and in Bible times, weddings were often rather protracted affairs…and part of that had to do with communication…it’s not like the groom could send a text and say – I’m 5 minutes away from the church-house…

- so there were three phases in a marriage…the engagement period that was generally arranged by the fathers…

- and then the betrothal…where there was actually a wedding ceremony…but the couple still did not live together because often the young man had to establish a trade or prepare their home…

- then at the end of the betrothal there was generally a large feast that often began in the evening and involved the entire village, sometimes lasting as long as a week

- what triggered that event was the groom and his groomsmen coming to the bride’s home where she and her attendants would be waiting….and then together they would parade through the town with lanterns, or better translated torches doused in oil, announcing the beginning of the wedding feast…

- Jesus often told stories like this to illustrate important spiritual truths…and this one is all about the importance of preparation…of being sure you’re ready when the Lord returns…

- now you might say – why would the Lord emphasize this at the latter part of His earthly ministry…

- it’s because of a very sobering theme that runs throughout the New Testament…and that is that there will always be a mixture in the church of people who generally know the Lord, and people who don’t…

- that’s why Jesus told the parable of the tares and the wheat…they grow up together and there is no way to separate them until the harvest…

- it’s why Jesus made shocking statements like the one in Matthew 7:22-23 - Many will say to Me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?” And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.”

- this is why Paul would later say -- 2 Corinthians 13:5 - Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?

- that’s what’s happening in this passage of Scripture…the ten virgins looked identical on the outside…in fact they all even had torches…

- but five of them were not prepared…they were not the real thing…

- they did not have a genuine relationship with Christ…even though they had been around teaching from God’s Word….they had participated in all sorts of activities and events…they had never personalized the gospel for themselves…

- so what are the take-aways for us from a story like this?...

A. Be sure of your faith while you have the opportunity to do so.

- Matthew 25:13 - Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.

- you would not want to be like one of the foolish virgins who had been around the church, or around Christian people of biblical truth, but never had personally repented and believed the gospel….

- but it doesn’t stop there…

B. Look for ways to help those around you/us genuinely come to Christ while the opportunity exists.

- you hear a story like this and you first ask – am I prepared?...and then if you can answer that properly, you start immediately wondering about those the Lord has placed around you…

- it’s just like the apostle Paul would say of his Jewish brethren -- Romans 9:2-3 - that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh,

- that is the heart cry of a genuine believer who would not want anyone within his sphere of influence end up being unprepared like one of these foolish virgins…

- and so the upshot is…

C. Be on the alert.

- Matthew 25:13 - Be on the alert

- for ourselves and those the Lord has placed around us…

- now let’s just tie that back to what we emphasized last week…

- we were talking about how God was stretching us…He’s sovereignly allowed all of this residential development to be occurring within a half mile of our church…much of it high density development…

- we have an unprecedented opportunity to serve our new neighbors and be prepared to welcome them as they would visit or church or participate in one of our ministries…

- but that’s invariably going to reveal weaknesses…either in our individual lives or in our corporate ministries together…

- and the question is—are we going to let the stretch help us identify aspects of our core strength that need to be shored up?...are we going to embrace the stretch…to welcome it?...

- well, some people went home and took that admonition to heart…

- they evaluated the genuineness of their own faith…and then maybe they said – you know I’m going to be more purposeful in my study of Scripture because if the Lord is going to bring new people our way – I want to know my Bible better so I can be in a position to win and disciple those who come…

- that is a person who is like a wise virgin – who wants to be well-prepared and be in the best position to help others achieve the same condition…

- others went home and said – you know, I don’t wake up on a Sunday morning and pray for those the Lord might be bringing to church for the first time, and help my family to come to God’s house expecting an opportunity to be a blessing to someone else who may be hurting or even not yet part of the family of God…

- but I am going to work on helping myself and my family be spiritually alert to opportunities on Sunday and every day – that’s how core strength is developed…wise people are willing to do everything they can to be best prepared…

- now let’s bring in the next part of this passage…the parable of the talents…how can that help us?...by emphasizing…

II. The Investment of Core Strength

- here’s three different servants whose master has gone away for a period of time and entrusts each one of them with a different amount of money…different levels of resources…well, would it be safe to say as you look around the room at the gifts and abilities that…

A. God has chosen to unusually bless us.

- and it completely defies human explanation…like God’s work so frequently does…

- Matthew 25:14-15 - For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents…

- there’s absolutely no explanation given for what He chooses to entrust to whom…

- but the point is clear…

B. Faithful stewards risk and reinvest what God has entrusted to them.

- please don’t miss the overall logic of this passage…

- if you’re prepared to meet Christ and you are concerned about helping others be in that position as well, you will be like one of these two faithful servants…

- Matthew 25:16 - Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.

- that simple verse encapsulates so much of what is involved in faithfully serving God…

- he did it immediately…there was urgency to it…too many Christians want to sit around and talk about it some more…

- there’s a time for talking, and a time for action – wise is the person (literally) who knows the difference…

- he also traded what was given – literally “put it out in the marketplace”---which involves reasonable risk…you cannot live in a way that is consistent with the point of this passage without factoring that idea into your heart…

- the safest, most conservative, risk-free plan is not always the will of God…in fact I would say it seldom is…just ask the guy who received one talent in this story how that approach worked for him…

- now, we have enough on the table to turn our attention to Faith West…

- what’s this project all about…

- in our five year strategic ministry plan, we decided as a church family back in 2008 that one of our keystone initiatives would be to purchase a piece of property as near the Purdue campus as we could and build a biblical counseling and student ministry center…

- so we’ve been working on that for some time together…we’ve actually had three different pieces of land under contract…all of them on Northwestern…

- two small lots right across from Mackey Arena – the city really viewed that like us trying to put 10 pounds of potatoes in a 5 pound sack…

- then we moved up the road to Smittys and executed a purchase agreement at that site…

- but they have had ongoing environmental problems that prevented them from fulfilling the contract

- so then we started looking at the old Family Inn site…

- and our leadership team will tell you that at the beginning, I was not in favor of this site because it was very expensive…even though the price had come down to less than half of the amount of liens against the land before the economy went sour…

- but two primarily ideas changed my thinking…

- one, when one of our deacons asked if this property was large enough that we could begin offering worship services on Sunday there…

- two, when our team came up with an approach that makes the project financially self-sustaining…meaning the worship services and other church-related ministries are essentially funded by other activities on the site…

- so last fall our church family voted to purchase the land which we’ve done…

- then in November our church family made commitments to our three year Spreading the Word Capital Campaign of over 3.3 million dollars…that coupled with cash that is being invested from our various ministries for equity and equipment brings the total amount of cash investment on our part to over 4 million dollars…

- that was very impressive to our bank and the local officials who are willing to provide support for a tax exempt bond issue on the debt service at Faith West…

- that’s almost unheard of in this economy…but the reason that piece is so important is because it gives us access to interest rates that are projected to be 1.82% after cash stabilization based on today economic conditions…

- a commercial loan for a non-profit organization at an interest rate like that is a minor miracle…

- and the beauty of it is, even a very conservative approach to the leases from the student housing and other ministry activities during the week easily drive the debt service…meaning the worship services and other church ministries can be conducted at little or no cost to us…

- so Faith West is a 10 million dollar project with our church family investing 40% equity on the front end…

- and of course we’ve been talking about all of this in these many congregational input and informational meetings all fall – I hope you’ve been taking the time to attend them…our 50 pastors, deacons, and interns have been studying all of this for months now—and just recently passed a unanimous recommendation to proceed with Faith West…

- now, let’s walk through the facility…

- and let’s talk about how you can pray, and how you can plan to participate…

- and please keep in mind what we’ve studied…the preparation of core strength, and the investment of core strength…

- when we decided to purchase this site, one of our first steps was to get together with the neighbors and ask them that since we were dealing with a larger piece of property, what ministries we might be able to start that would be a blessing to them…

- we also held brainstorming sessions with our college students and our church family…that’s how all of this came to be…

- one of the first prayer requests is for our relationship with our neighbors…

- right now they are strongly in favor of this…the walking trail around the perimeter and the playground in the back were amenities they requested…just like our community park behind the community center…

- understand that one of the previous developments that was actually approved for this site was a 60 million dollar development – speaking of trying to put 10 pounds in a 5 pound sack…so our neighbors appreciate the way we are developing this in a way that is proportional to the size of the lot…

- we also have a information/input night with them this Thursday – please be praying (are you making a prayer list)

- also please be praying for our work with our elected officials, their professional staffs, the attorneys and architects and engineers…

- please begin praying for our relationships with the contractors and workers – and for their safety…

- one of the action steps is that during the period of construction, we will have regular work days to be sure that the jobsite and grounds are kept neat and orderly---that might be a specific way you can serve…

- You’ll also notice that we created an outlot that says future retail – we don’t have a firm plan for that right now and that possible sale or lease is not baked into our financial model…

- now let’s go inside the building…the south corner is devoted to childcare…so we’ll have a pre-school during the week…for several reasons…

- it serves the community – that’s one of the ministries our neighbors requested…

- it provides an opportunity to serve single moms (who are trying to get a degree at Purdue)

- it allows us to reach out to the families of international students (who may want to put their child in an American pre-school to learn English and American culture)

- because we have to have space like that if we are going to offer worship services on Sundays

- because it generates income…

- take-aways?...please pray for each of those possible ministry target groups…

- consider classes or mentoring opportunities you might participate in with each target group…for example, the wife of an international student who wants to learn conversation English, or who wants to learn about American cooking, how to bake a pie, our holidays, shopping…simple friendship…

- if we move to the northeast corner – those are areas that are especially designed for our Purdue Bible Fellowship…

- they will finally have a place for their Friday night Bible studies…

- they’ll have a comfortable place to hang out during the week…

- take-aways…thanking the Lord for His marvelous provision…we have dreamed and prayed about this for years…let’s be sure to thank the Lord…

- the center of the north section is where we anticipate a significant amount of actual ministry occurring…

- the rooms at the edge are designed for both counseling and also group meetings…

- they will have soundproof moveable partitions so we can use them for individual and group counseling…and student can also use them for group meetings for the projects they are doing…

- the lounge area will have comfortable seating, WiFi, and a place for folks to hang out and have solid conversations…

- the northwest corner will be leased to a family who owns and operates a number of local restaurants…

- we are designing a bakery/coffee/sandwich type restaurant themed around the ideas of libraries and learning…

- that concept will actually flow into the student lounge area so the two will open up to one another…

- the take aways there are to thank the Lord for providing the space for offering biblical counseling services (there are also some more private offices in the center of the building]

- but we are also going to need more persons who would like to be trained to do biblical counseling in this facility, or to lead small group Bible studies for college students and neighbors [they can be led by people of all ages]’

- the multi-purpose gym will be used for community recreation…just like we’re finding at our community center, you can’t have enough community basketball and volleyball leagues…it’s a great way to get to know our neighbors…

- this is also where we’ll have worship services on Sundays…

- the fitness center was something else requested by the neighbors…and we have found that too to be an incredible way to get to know those the Lord has placed around you…

- take-aways…prayer…volunteering to help with the organization of one of the leagues…

- there’s so much more that could be said – but hopefully your heart and mind are beginning to think about all the ways we could accomplish our God-given mission in that space – it really is quite amazing…

- of course – that’s only the first floor…

- then there’s 3 floors of student ministry housing…that would be drug, alcohol, and tobacco free for students willing to sign a code of conduct to follow God’s Word in the choices they make…

- the reasons for that…

- tell the story of Bethany at Ball State

- think also of the discipling opportunities that could afford with international students…

- then of course there’s the financial aspect…student ministry housing is a great asset for our ministry now, and certainly in the long-range plan of our church…

- we are creating an asset than will have tremendous value to future generations…

- more questions? – input/information meeting tonight at 6…

- the actual wording of the ballot… I am thankful to the Lord for the marvelous opportunity to construct Faith West to begin a new cluster of ministries in West Lafayette. I agree with the unanimous recommendation from our pastors and deacons and I vote in favor of proceeding with the proposal as presented. I acknowledge and understand that Faith West is projected to cost approximately 10 million dollars with an anticipated 6 million dollar debt service with Chase Bank. I also vote to authorize a 5% financial contingency if the income is available and necessary for the completion of the project. Additionally, I vote to authorize the pastors and deacons and/or their designees to execute all documents and take all actions necessary or pertaining to the financing, construction and operation of the Faith West project.

- now, let’s go back to Matthew 25 and wrap all of this together…

III. The Motivation of Core Strength

- it’s all right there at the end of chapter 25, isn’t it?...

- sure all of this is going to stretch the fire out of us in all sorts of ways…

- but verse 40 says it all…

- Matthew 25:40 - The King will answer and say to them, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.”

Filed Under: faith west (2), investment (1), outreach (2), planning (13), preparation (2), risk (1), service (13), stewardship (46)

Shoring Up Our Foundation

Steve Viars — 2012-01-08T16:57:39+00:00

1 Corinthians 9:9-27
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- Each January, we take one Sunday of the New Year and address the question, Why are We Here, Where are We Going, and How do You Fit In?

- I know if I were a member of a church…or any other group for that matter…before I was willing to invest time, energy, resources, giftedness into that organization…I’d want to know, what’s the plan?...(wouldn’t you?)

- where are we heading?...what are we trying to accomplish?...

- there’s an unlimited number of activities and organizations you could be involved in…but our time and resources are very much limited…

- so I think most of not all of us would say – I’m not going to invest in anything until I know where that entity is heading and what they are trying to accomplish…

- that’s what today is all about…Why are we here…(what’s our mission)…Where are we going…(how do we intend, by God’s grace, to accomplish that mission this year)…and How do you fit in…(what role does the Lord want you to play on the team and are you are willing to step up and accept that responsibility?)…

- you probably already noticed from the cover of the bulletin, and also the handout of our ministry initiatives for 2012, that the theme we’re selected for 2012 is Building Core Strength…

- we believe that encapsulates the path the Lord wants us to follow in these coming months together…

- there are many verses in Scripture we could use as our theme verse…honestly, it’s hard to select just one…

- Psalm 28:7 - The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him.

- notice in that passage the twin emphases of strength and heart – that’s core strength…strength in the inner man…strength in the fundamentals…strength in the things that matter most…

- Psalm 29:11 - The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace.

- notice the strength God is willing to give His people…and the impact that has on us at the very core of our being…we’re blessed with shalom…with peace…

- here’s another great verse…

- Psalm 73:26 - My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

- what’s noteworthy there is that the Psalmist isn’t necessarily worried that he might find himself in situations where he’s come to the end of his own strength…in fact that very well could be a great position in which to find oneself…

- of course God sovereignly controls all of that anyway…

- and it very well could be that as he’s stretched to the end of himself…it’s at that very point that he experiences a place in His relationship with the Lord that is sweeter and stronger than ever before…

- here’s one that has an eschatological emphasis – the importance of looking to the future…

- Psalm 84:5 - How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion!

- do you remember the old hymn – We’re marching to Zion…beautiful, beautiful Zion?...

- there it is…

- here’s another important emphasis if we want to see how this strength is gained…

- Psalm 105:4 - Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His face continually.

- that’s something that happens at ones core…

- one more from the Psalms –

- Psalm 138:3 - On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.

- the last part of that verse encapsulates much of what we’re talking about here…

- generally, when we think about someone being strong – we think – her legs are strong, his arms are strong…

- this is emphasizing core strength…you have made me bold with strength in my soul…exactly…

- now, when I announced this theme…many of you may have thought of this great passage…

Isaiah 40:28-31 - Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

- if you’re looking for a passage of Scripture to memorize to begin this new year well – that would be a great candidate for sure…

- that explains the cover of both our bulletin and ministry initiatives handout you received when you came in this morning…

- I really appreciate all the thought that Arvid Olson and Brian Nicholson put into this design because it’s very powerful for sure…

- you recognize the eagle as being the statue behind the community center that was designed and provided by one of our church members…it’s a gorgeous picture of strength…with a portion of Isaiah 40 inscribed at the bottom…

- Pic #1 – the eagle statue without the pics over it…

- what’s unique about this design is that what’s overlaid on the eagle is 5000 pictures of different members of our church serving together in various ways…

- Pic #2 – the eagle statue with the pics over it

- you can actually go on our website and magnify the pictures if you want to…

- but the point is – the strength of Faith Church is the power of God working in and through His people…

- strength without an appropriate instrument is either wasteful or dangerous or both…

- but when you have God’s power working through His people at the very core of their being…that’s a combination that is incredibly effective…

- with that in mind, let me invite you to open you Bible to 1 Corinthians chapter 9…page 134 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- while you’re turning there – let me answer the important question of why would we choose this particular theme for this particular year?...

- the best way I know to answer that is to use an illustration that me and athletics…

- but before I do that…for anyone who is relatively new here – you need to know that I certainly don’t fashion myself as some sort of athlete…I was never particularly good at sports…I played a lot of them in school…but never particularly well…

- anyway, last year Joe Blake and I got the crazy idea that we would like to participate in a triathlon…

- now, that word can be used to describe many different lengths of races…but the key is that you’re going to be doing a combination of swimming, biking, and running…

- we selected the Muncie Ironman 70.3…which starts with a 1.2 mile open water swim with 1500 of your best friends….who actually go off in waves of 50-100 people at a time…then (assuming you survive)…you jump on your bike and ride 56 miles…and then when you’re done with that…you strap on your running shoes and run a half marathon…13.1 miles….so you add that all up…you get 70.3…

- incidentally…when we arrived the night before the race for orientation, they asked this crowd of people in a big meeting room how many were actually attempting their first triathlon of any length – Joe and I enthusiastically put up our hands and then looked around and saw very few other hands up in the entire room…accompanied by a lot of shaking heads because apparently you’re supposed to start with shorter length triathlons…

- which now means I’m not a very good athlete and I’m also not very smart…that’s a bad combination…

- so we trained for it all spring and early summer and I kept hearing people talking about the importance of developing core strength – and that didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me…because you swim primarily with your arms (at least I do) and you run and bike with your legs…what’s the core (whatever that is) have to do with it…(so now we have – not very good, not very smart, and not very teachable…)

- so the actual event was on Saturday, July 9^th…

- and it was fascinating…neither Joe and I had done much swimming…and it’s pretty intimidating to look out on a reservoir at a 1.2 mile course laid out – but it was sink or swim…literally…so when our wave of old men jumped in, we dove in with them…

- and let’s just say that there is no danger of us becoming professional swimmers on the senior tour if there is such a thing…but I’m happy to announce to you that we survived…and coming out of the water is a relief for sure…

- then we jumped on our bikes…which is our strongest event…and honestly we did very well on that section of the course…and we started thinking…we could actually finish this thing, which for us would have been an accomplishment…

- and when we started looking at our composite time…at that point we were doing pretty well time-wise – we were quite a ways ahead of our goal…

- then we started running…and after the first mile Joe started getting some cramps so he told me to go ahead…which I did…

- but after the first mile or so, my lower back started hurting like it never had before…not in an injury sort of way…but like in any sporting event like that…your greatest weakness is going to be exposed by the stretch of the event…

- it was at that moment that I came to understand why everyone had spoken so much about core strength…your arms and legs are connected to your back…there’s a little physiology lesson for today…and that particular weakness was being revealed by the second…

- now, since I’m often accused of not finishing my stories…at the comfort station at the end of the second mile…I saw a guy do something that seemed very strange to me…

- there are all these volunteers at the comfort stations at the end of each mike of the run ready to serve you any way they can…with ice-water sponges, energy drinks, ice, power-bars, gels…whatever you want…

- and this guy grabbed the back of his tri-suit – which is one piece…

- I’ll spare you any pictures because the words spandex and pastor should never be used in the same sentence…but he asked the volunteer to pour ice down the back of his suit…

- and as I ran the next mile, I realized what he had done…his tri suit created a little pouch for ice at the base of his back, and it slowly melted over the course of each mile…

- now, that might not sound very helpful or pleasant to you in January…but on a hot day in July when my back was screaming…that’s exactly what I needed…and I did it every mile until we finished the race…

- now, here’s the point – I believe rather strongly that we are at a very similar place as a church…

- on purpose – and we’ll explain why in a minute – we are running at a fairly aggressive pace around here…

- and we should be…

- but we are attempting a lot…there’s no doubt about that…

- like the whole church family is running a corporate triathlon together…

- but invariably that kind of a stretch will reveal areas that need to be addressed…

- individually and as a family…

- and please don’t be frightened by that…

- the response isn’t…then let’s avoid the stretch…

- no, it’s the exact opposite…embrace the stretch…welcome the stretch…

- and let it reveal weaknesses in our core both as individuals and as a church body…

- and then aggressively shore up those weaknesses…

- now, one more question before we read this passage…what is this document (the initiative handout) and how does it relate to our 5 year plan?...

- every five years our church family goes through a strategic ministry planning process…and that’s how we produce this document (the 5 year plan) – if you don’t have one of these or you haven’t reviewed it recently, I would encourage you to get one at the resource center and do so…

- the 2012 initiatives come directly from the 5 year plan, but they are adjusted for whatever our situation is at the time…

- they also are given careful attention all year…one of our staff members is assigned to each initiative…and they will have to give quarterly updates on how the accomplishment of that initiative is coming…and that also starts to answer the question…how do you fit in?...but I’m getting ahead of myself…

- now, if you look inside this handout – that introductory text is very important to understanding what we’re trying to do…

- We’re talking about building core strength in three very important ways…

1. Shoring up foundational areas in our walk with Christ and our church ministries that comprise the basis of godliness and effective community service.

2. Planning and praying for the construction of Faith West and the successful launch of a cluster of new ministries in West Lafayette.

3. Preparing for the next round of ministry dreaming as we embark on a new strategic planning process in 2013.

- now, I plan to do something that I’ve never done here before – we’re actually going to take today and the next two weeks trying to flesh all of that out…it’s crucial that we’ll all on the same page…so with the rest of our time this morning – we’re talking about the first piece…

- Core Strength Part #1 - Shoring Up Our Foundation

- read 1 Corinthians 9:19-27…

- let’s use the emphases in this passage to organize the rest of our time around these 4 ideas:

I. The Attitude of Core Strength

II. The Focus of Core Strength

III. The Actions of Core Strength

IV. The Result of Core Strength

I. The Attitude of Core Strength

- what would lead us to even care about evaluating our areas that needed to be shored up?...why should we care?...

- you could summarize Paul’s words with this phrase:

A. Voluntary enslavement.

- 1 Corinthians 9:19 - For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more.

- this is in a larger context by the way, of Christian liberty…that’s what 1 Corinthians 8, 9, and 10 are all about…

- and Paul’s point is – as a follower of Christ, I was saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to the Scriptures alone, to the glory of God alone…

- and therefore, we all have great freedom in Christ…

- but many times it is best to voluntarily enslave those freedoms…

- and please notice the reflexive nature of all of this…I have made myself a slave…

- it’s not like – my mommy made me do this…or someone else is forcing this on me…

- no one made Joe and me sign up for a tri…

- no one has forced our church to have the breadth of ministries we’ve chosen to launch and develop…

- but that voluntary enslavement creates a controlled and purposeful stretch that can very healthy if we’ll allow it to be…

- another important piece of that attitude is…

B. Willingness to be flexible in non-essentials and ministry methods.

- there are some hills, that we, and certainly the apostle Paul, would have died on…

- however, one of the reasons so many churches and Christians are so weak is that they are dying on the wrong hills…

- in fact, do you know the background of that hymn, we’re marching to Zion?

- there was a dispute in the church in 1707 about whether it was right to only sing Psalms from the Bible or whether it was acceptable to also sing man-made hymns…

- and in some churches…if the church family began singing a hymn….people would start marching out…

- so Isaac Watts, who was a famous hymn-writer, penned the hymn Marching to Zion…

- to help people focus on their heavenly purpose, not their earthly preferences…

- that explains the thrust of the second verse…for people who refused to sing and marched out of the church house…

- Let those refuse to sing who never knew our God,

- But children of the heavenly King, but children of the heavenly King,

- May speak their joys abroad, may speak their joys abroad.

- see, Paul didn’t do that…

- v. 20a – To the Jews, I became a Jew

- v. 20b – To those who are under the law, as under the law though not being myself under the law

- v. 21 – To those without law, as without law though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ

- v. 22a – To the weak, I became weak…

- v. 22 b – I have become all things to all men…

- that’s personal and ministerial flexibility…but if you don’t stretch yourself…you’ll never find out if that’s a weakness or not…

- but when you put your foot on the gas pedal…you’ll find out really quickly whether you’re willing to voluntarily enslave your freedom and learn to major on the majors…

- those are core competencies when it comes to the matter of faithfully serving God…

- now, what about…

II. The Focus of Core Strength.

- why would Paul be willing to live this way and why would he be encouraging the believers in Corinth to follow His example?...

- the answer is…the importance of…

A. Winning others

- I’ve had people tell me they were uncomfortable with that terminology…but friend, it comes directly from God’s Word…

- v. 19 – that I may win more

- v. 20a – so that I might win Jews

- v. 20b – so that I might win those who are under the law

- v. 21 – so that I might those who are without law

- v. 22 – that I might win the weak

- v. 24 – run in such a way that you may win

- Paul truly believed that there was a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned…and every time the Lord used him to draw another person to Himself…Paul saw it as a win for the kingdom of God and the person who had been transferred into it from the kingdom of darkness…

- and when a person has that as their focus…they want to be stretched…

- and if that stretch reveals a weakness that has to be shored up…the answer isn’t quit the race, the answer is address the weakness and actually be thankful for the process that revealed it

B. Faith’s mission

- this is why we’ve worded our mission statement the way we have…

- The mission of Faith Church is to glorify God by winning people to Jesus Christ and equipping them to be more faithful disciples…

- would it be fair to say that those concepts come directly from the Word?...

- and they better, if we are asking God to bless our answer to the question…why are we here?...

- so what do we do with this?...what did Paul do?...please think about…

III. The Actions of Core Strength

A. Run hard.

- v. 24 – Run in such a way that you may win.

- it could not be any clearer…there is nothing laudable about Christians or churches sitting around and doing nothing…

- and I understand that it is possible to try to do too much or be stretched too thin…

- but for every one Christian and every one church in that ditch – there’s 100 mired down in the ditch of laziness and faithless mediocrity on the other side of the road…

- now let’s start breaking this down…

1. In your personal life.

- You’ll notice a number of initiatives that are targeting person growth and sanctification…

- and of course there are all sorts of other things that we do around here every day that aren’t called out on this sheet that are designed to provide resources to help individuals and families grow in their relationship with Christ…

- and I would encourage you right now to think about – what areas of weakness might be present in your heart and life…

- I really need to work on this…or that area – and I intend with the help of God to make myself available to this particular resource…

- that might mean working on something individually…it might be signing up for some counseling help, or joining a small group, or an ABF, building a friendship…it can take 1000 forms…but let the stretching nature of stewardship reveal the ways you need to grow…in your core strength…

2. In your relationships

- the same is true of every relationship you can name…

- that’s why we devote so many resources around here to improving inner-personal relationships…

3. In ministry

- now, I’d like us to really think about this one…because there are a number of initiatives that are especially focused on this particular aspect of what we’re trying to do…

- part of what is stretching us right now is unprecedented opportunities because of the people moving in all around us…

- so, what does core strength look like there?...

a. A+ in electronic communication

- perhaps the Lord wants you to serve in one of those areas

b. Passionate outreach

- Brian and Carolyn Barrett leading Project Jerusalem…(see Reaching Out #1) – perhaps you should volunteer for one of those opportunities

c. Well-maintained facilities

d. Welcoming church family

B. Box wisely

- v. 26a – I run in such a way, as not without aim

- v. 26b – I box in such a way, as not beating the air

IV. The Result of Core Strength

- did you notice the two-fold nature of winning discussed in this passage?...

A. God glorified in others being saved.

- v. 22 – that I may be all means save some

B. God glorified by you winning.

- v. 24 – Run in such a way that you may win

Filed Under: faith west (2), flexibility (1), plans (3), strength (4), stretch (1)

Celebrating the New Year Well

Steve Viars — 2012-01-01T16:54:59+00:00

Psalms 40:1-3
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- Happy New Year…it’s very unusual to have a year like this one, where Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Sundays…I realize that if one does, then the other does too…but with leap years and how that affects the calendar…I suppose there’s only a handful of times in a pastor’s entire ministry that I have the privilege of speaking on New Year’s Day…and honestly there’s a lot about that that I like…

- for at least two reasons…

1. God is the one who invented the concept of “new”…and so it’s not surprising that we see this theme woven intimately into what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ…and a day like this gives us a special opportunity to think about that theme…

2. This is a great time of year to do strategic planning…and I’m sure there will be some folks here who will say under their breath – Steve, you think every day is a great day to do strategic, and there’s probably some truth in that…but today is an especially good day to do strategic planning… (unusually so…an extraordinary opportunity really…)

- so we’re talking this morning about Celebrating the New Year Well…

- this morning we want to talk about 3 ways to benefit from New Year’s Day coinciding with the Lord’s Day…

- for starters, let me invite you to open your Bible to Psalm chapter 40…page 409 of the front section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- we’re going to be looking at a number of passages of Scripture this morning and for simplicity we’ll have many of them on the screen…but this is one of our favorites when it comes to the topic of newness for sure…

- The Psalm is written by King David and like many of the Psalms, we’re not entirely sure of the historical background…

- but sometimes we can make educated guesses…

- and we can almost always relate to the themes that the Psalmist discusses and make practical applications to where we’re living today…

- read Psalm 40:1-3…

- so, three ways to benefit from New Year’s Day coinciding with the Lord’s Day…

I. Reflect on the Newness that is Ours in Christ

A. We have a new foundation.

- David begins this discussion by talking about how God brought him out of the pit of destruction…out of the miry clay…and set his feet upon a rock and established His goings…

- Psalm 40:2 - He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.

- we can all relate to that, can’t we…where we felt like we were mired down…or sinking fast…

- but as soon as you trust Christ as Savior and Lord…you receive something new…

- a foundation that is solid and reliable…

- that theme is sprinkled all over the New Testament in places like…

- Matthew 7:24-29 - Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall. When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.

- when’s the last time you thanked God for the new foundation you received when you came to Christ?...

- New Year’s Day would be a great opportunity to do that…we could say with the Psalmist…

- Psalm 95:1 - O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation.

- or, Psalm 18:2 - The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

- I hope there’s been a definite time in your life when you trusted Christ as your Savior and Lord…because there’s nothing more important than having a foundation that’s new…

- did you see what else David emphasized in this Psalm?...perhaps we could summarize it like this…

B. We have a new outlook.

- Psalm 40:3 - He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.

- and you understand that the emphasis here isn’t that he learned some new lyrics or a new tune…this isn’t speaking about a literal song…

- it’s a new way of thinking about life…a fresh perspective…a new set of eyes…

- and many people who will hear this message today would say…you know, living for myself got old…really old…

- and then when I trusted Christ – and I started looking at life through the lens of loving and serving others---it turned my life around…

- I have a new song in my mouth – not praise to me and organizing my life around my wants and goals – but praise to God and organizing my life around His desires…

- think about how many people in our church family will be able to say this Christmas season – before I would have never thought about taking my hard earned money and buying Christmas gifts for complete strangers…or people I’ll never even meet in this life – but after coming to Christ I have a new outlook…

- or I would have never been willing to give up a weekend during my busy Christmas season to work in an outside outreach like the Living Nativity…but I did it this year, and I loved it…

- and as a result of that new outlook, the last part of the verse literally came true for some in our church family…

- many saw it (not because people were trying to draw attention to themselves…but people can’t help but noticing), so many saw it, and feared and trusted in the Lord…

- and that means that some folks will be starting the new year with the joy and satisfaction that their new outlook on life was used by the Lord to draw someone else to Himself…how cool is that?

- today can also cause us to rejoice because…

C. We have access to new mercy.

- when I began talking about things that are new, many of you probably thought of this particular verse…

- Lamentations 3:22-23 - It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

- can you imagine how old it would get to try to make life work apart from a personal relationship with God?...

- where you’re trying to handle the struggles and trials of life with your own wisdom?...

- or trying to please God and earn His favor in your own strength...

- that would be absolutely exhausting…

- but in Christ we can have a fresh batch of mercy every morning…a fresh batch of compassion and faithfulness…

- the older we get, the more we understand the first part of that passage…

- it’s because of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed…if it’s up to us, and our perfection and our power, we’re in big trouble…

- that’s why we need mercy that is new…every morning…

- so a new foundation, and a new outlook, and new mercy…what else could we add to the list?..

D. We have new potential for change.

- surely that’s one of the major aspects of this theme in Scripture…you can have new life in Christ…

- 2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

- the grammar in this verse indicates that this newness is a perpetual state of fact…

- it’s not the kind of new that is eventually going to wear out…it’s a perpetual newness…meaning that we can always have hope for change in this life…

- that’s why Paul said in Ephesians 4…

- Ephesians 4:22-24 - that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

- that’s both a state – it occurs positionally the moment you trust Christ…and it’s an ongoing process as you identify areas that don’t please God and put them to death, and then replace them with thoughts and actions that are more like Christ…

- that’s something else I would encourage every person to do today – to take a few moments and review this past year and think about the ways you’ve changed to become more pleasing to God…I hope you can list specific ways that’s true…and then thank the Lord for the new life we can enjoy in Him…

- one of the songs I heard for the first time this year emphasizes that same theme… You Make Beautiful Things

- another theme we have to mention, especially in light of that last one and how it actually occurs is…

E. We have a new love for God’s Word.

- the more you come to know and understand your Bible, the more you realize that part of the framework or skeleton on which much of the Scripture hangs is the biblical covenants…

- the Noahic covenant in Genesis 9, and the Abrahamic covenant in Genesis 12 and 15 (which was subsequently repeated to Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph), and the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7…and then there’s…anyone want to guess based on what we’re talking about today?...

- the new covenant in Jeremiah 31…

- and part of that promise includes…Jeremiah 31:31-33 - “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

- we believe this covenant will be completely fulfilled in the millennial kingdom sometime in the future…however, we also believe we are experiencing and enjoying certain aspects of the covenant now because we are personally related to the King…

- that is why Jesus instructed us to observe the Lord’s table in part with the words…1 Corinthians 11:25 - In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

- there’s all sorts of ways we could tease out that theme – because the new covenant is an important topic in Scripture…but for sake of time – please lock onto what God said in Jeremiah would be one of the essential aspects of the new covenant…that He would write His law on our hearts…

- giving us the ability and the desire to both understand and apply Scripture…

- we know now from our vantage as NT believers how that is made possible…through the indwelling ministry of the Holy Spirit…

- that’s why Paul said earlier in 1 Corinthians that 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

- you may have also noticed that emphasis earlier when we read the “not building your life on sinking sand” verses…

- what marked a person who was building his life on a rock was Matthew 7:24-25 - Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.

- the secret to all of that is the “acts on them” part…the ability to do that is new – it only comes through the power of the Spirit of God…

- now, that’s a whirlwind tour of that subject – but the point is – New Year’s Day is a great opportunity to reflect on the many aspects of the newness that we enjoy in Christ…and to thank the Lord for those truths…and look at the coming year with enthusiasm and hope…we have special reasons to say in our hearts, Happy New Years…

- now, how else can we benefit from New Year’s Day coinciding with the Lord’s Day?...

II. Make Plans Now to Use the New Year Wisely.

- I think I like football as much as the next person, but I’ve always believed that this time of year is the perfect opportunity to do individual and church strategic planning…

- and please keep this in mind – God is the one who designed us with a linear existence…

- so days and weeks and months and years are all part of His creative design…

- and He knew that this kind of newness in our calendars, whether humans had a literal calendar or not, could be helpful to us…

- so what kind of plans can and perhaps should you be making right now?...

A. Review and update your personal and family mission statements.

- when’s the last time you thought about that?...

- why did God put you on His earth?...what’s His purpose for you and are you living in light of that purpose?...

- and there’s not just one way to think about that, but you might want to consider our church’s planning documents as a starting place or a guide…

- The mission of Faith Church is to glorify God by winning people to Jesus Christ and equipping them to be more faithful disciples.

- by the way, if you’ve never gone through that exercise before – I or one of the other pastors would be happy to help you write out your own statements – your deacon would be happy to do that as well – we could do that by e-mail or whatever method worked best for you…

- but New Year’s is a great time to think about that…

B. Write out the core values for yourself and your family.

- it won’t be long at all and we’ll be busy with all sorts of activities for 2012…who would have ever believed that…

- but how are you going to decide what you should do and what you should avoid?...

- we’ve said it many times – it’s easy to be busy but it’s hard to be effective…

- effectiveness comes through identifying your core values and then structuring your schedule in a way that is consistent with what God says should be important to you…

- but if you haven’t thought through your values, inadvertently you get busy with things that really aren’t going to matter 5 years from now, or 10, or whatever…

C. Establish your personal and family initiatives (specific goals, action steps, and target dates) for 2012.

- in each of these core value areas, what do you believe God wants you to specifically accomplish?...

- a year from now, how are you going to know whether 2012 was spent productively or not?

- if you’d like some samples of what that might look like…you could go on-line and look at the 2012 initiative for each of our staff members…

- it’s a long document (145 pages?), and it’s done from a ministry perspective…but it might be helpful as you seek to think through what God wants you and your family to do in the next 12 months…

- and just like I said for the other areas – if you want to talk this through via e-mail or some other method, feel free to ask one of our pastors or deacons—we would be delighted to work on this with you…

- I mentioned at the Christmas Eve service that I had just returned from conducting the memorial service for my great aunt down in Southwest Virginia…

- my grandmother was in a family of 16 brothers and sisters who grew up on a little farm in the mountains…

- my great grandfather used to say that if you didn’t have a plan for what you were going to do the next day, you probably weren’t going to accomplish what you should…

- it’s also interesting that my dad’s memory of my great grandpa was him taking the red kerosene lantern up to the church house on Saturday night…

- I would love to know the relationship between his faith in Christ and his emphasis on productivity and industriousness…

- now, I realize right about now you might be wondering how happy a new year this is really going to be…but let me also encourage you…

D. Review and adjust your long term savings accounts.

- Proverbs 6:6-8 - Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, which, having no chief, officer or ruler, prepares her food in the summer and gathers her provision in the harvest.

- here’s some questions to consider…

1. Have you reviewed your retirement plan and communicated with your spouse?

2. Have you reviewed your college savings fund and communicated with your children?

3. Have you established savings accounts for other long term purchases?

4. Have you reviewed your life and disability insurance and discussed it as a couple/family?

5. Have you updated your family balance sheet?

- do you know if you are going forward or backwards financially?

- and I understand that these steps can be taken at any point in the year – but New Year’s is just a logical time to do it…

E. Determine your 2012 budget.

- one of our missionaries, Al Yoder, had an interesting post on FB the day after Christmas…

- he said… “God forbid that I should be against our God given desire to give gifts to our loved ones... I do hurt, though, as to how many long, long years it takes missionaries to get to the front lines, compared to the amounts spent on people... and I thank God for the wonderful supporters that have enabled us to do so much work for the King that was born so many years ago. May in the new year, we all focus more and more on the kingdom and less and less on the large amount of stuff we leave behind at the rapture.

- does Al have a point?...

- one of the things that keeps us from frivolous spending is having a budget, and asking God the discipline to stick to it…

- and I realize I’m going to sound like a broken record here…but if you would say – my spouse and I just can’t discuss money without it turning into a fight…

- if that’s the case, then there’s much larger issues involved…but why not get some help?...

- you also might want to consider taking the next Financial Peace University class

E. Update your gone to heaven file.

- I realize some people think it’s morbid for me to talk about this…but I generally raise this subject once a year…

- and one of these years, you or someone you love is going to be glad I did…because let’s face it – we had some funerals in 2011 for people we would have never predicted a year ago…

- and it’s just a matter of grace and thoughtfulness to have your house in order for the people who are going to have to come after you…

- and obviously this should be kept in a safe, secure place…but it’s all the information someone would need if you passed away…

- and, the point here is – it should be updated once a year, and now is a great time to do that…what should it contain?...

a. Full names (s)

b. Will

- especially if you have children in your home…

c. Social security number (s)

d. Tax information

- especially if you are self-employed

e. Family balance sheet

f. Budget information

g. Bank accounts

h. Medical and Life Insurance information

i. Retirement plan/funds

j. Credit card information

k. Decisions/preferences about funeral home, grave plots

- and I realize you might say – boy, PV—this sounds like a lot of work…it is…but this is part of what it means to be a steward…

- to rejoice in the newness we have in Christ…

- and to capitalize on the occasion of this new year to make plans to use 2012 wisely…

- now, let’s end with this…it’s one of the most frequently discussed topics when the word new is used in the Bible…

III. Remember that the Best Newness is Yet to Come

Revelation 21:1-2 - Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

Filed Under: budget (4), change (7), goals (5), initiatives (3), mission (6), new year (2), planning (13), purpose (39), values (2)

The Biggest Bill Has Been Paid

Steve Viars — 2011-12-25T16:00:47+00:00

Colossians 2:1-15
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- one of the amazing characteristics about Christmas is how frequently some particular fad catches on that ends up becoming part of the celebration of the holiday that year…

- can you think of some of the amazing Christmas fads in the past?...

- check out this video – and they show pictures first and then identify the item afterward – see how many of them you can name…

- isn’t it fascinating how one certain item or one outstanding event becomes part of the way we remember Christmas that particular year?...

- Christmas 2011 may be remembered for a delightful trend that has sprung up all over the country now…

- Layaway Angels…have you heard about them?...

- not all stores even do layaways anymore…but K-Mart does – probably some others…

- but you can select certain items you want and the store will hold them for you while you pay a bit off each week until you pay them off completely and take them home…

- and you might say – well, that’s what I use my credit card for…that’s a totally different discussion but this service is available many times for people who don’t have credit…or who have fallen on hard times and maxed out their credit…

- but they lay some things away especially this time of year for their children hoping they’ll be able to work some overtime or something will come through so they can have something for their children at Christmas…

- and the way the programs generally work…if you don’t pay them off by a certain time, the items go back on the shelf so they can be sold to someone else…

- well, this year…people are walking into stores and offering to pay off the layaway bills anonymously for complete strangers…

- then the stores have the happy privilege of calling their customers and telling them to come on it and get their items because the bill has been paid…

- can you imagine how that would impact you if you were just trying to make ends meet…or you had lost your job and were trying to figure out what you were going to do for your kids…and you get the news that a complete stranger paid your bill?...how cool is that?...

- has anything like that ever happened to you?...

- and what if – it wasn’t from a complete stranger – but it was someone who knew you intimately…not just on the outside, but on the inside…

- someone who knew all your thoughts, and all your desires, and all your everything…

- anyone want to argue about whether you’ve been naughty or nice if we’re talking about an analysis that includes the inner man?...

- what if someone knew you intimately…and also this…what if the bill turned out to be incredibly larger than you had ever imagined…

- and what if…someone was willing to pay that bill for you anyway?...

- would that make it a merry Christmas or what?...

- with that in mind, please open your Bible to Colossians chapter 2…page 157 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- this morning we’re finishing up a series we’ve been doing entitled That Crazy Family of Yours…

- So far we’ve talked about:

- Tis the Season for OCD

- Loving Your Outlaws

- Too Much Sugar, Too Many Presents

- Fixing Your Focus

- Christmas has Always Been Crazy

- this morning we want to conclude by studying the wonderful news that The Biggest Bill Has Been Paid

- let’s read beginning at Colossians 2:1 – read 2:1-15

- what a tremendous passage of Scripture and I’d like us to organize our thoughts this morning around these three ideas…

I. The Significance of the Bill

II. The Sufficiency of the Payment

III. The Sweetness of the Victory

I. The Significance of the Bill

- Paul uses terminology in this passage that is very important for all of us to understand…

- because something far worse than having an item on layaway that you can’t afford to redeem is having an outstanding bill at the store that you didn’t even realize you had…or you didn’t realize how large the bill had actually become…

- did you see how Paul described it?...

A. Dead in your transgressions.

- transgressions is the Greek word paraptwmata – para means beyond…

- that’s what sin is – to step over the line…to go beyond what God has commanded…to cross the line He has established…

- and the passage says – not only that we do that…but we were dead in that condition…

- think about that – crossed over the line of disobedience and unable to return…

- Grammarians call that a locative of sphere – living in the sphere or realm of spiritual death…being completely unable to know or please God on our own…

- the reason I’m stressing that this morning is that we will have men and women attend our services today, or maybe who have attended for some time…

- and they would refer to themselves as “10 commandment Christians”…which is a terrible phrase by the way…

- and even if someone hasn’t actually used those words…that’s the way they think about themselves…

- my relationship with God is based on me being a pretty good person…

- I try to be kind to others…I try to do the right thing…

- I try to obey the ten commandments and let’s even throw in the golden rule…

- or I’m better than a lot of the people I know around me…

- and all of the various versions of that is the belief that we earn our way to heaven by our good deeds…

- or that God grades on a curve…

- or that He’s going to have some kind of heavenly scales...

- the problem with all of that is that it fails to recognize the enormity of the bill…and cancels the need for an event like Christmas…

- if we could have earned our way to heaven on our own—Jesus would have skipped the whole “baby in a manger” step – and just stayed in heaven and yelled down to us – be really good…because I know when you’re sleeping, and I know when you’re awake…I know when you’ve been bad or good so be good for goodness sake…

- in other words – stay off the naughty list…

- and Paul would say – excuse me – but because the standard is God’s perfect holiness…you were born on the naughty list…in and of yourself you will always be on the naughty list…and (locative of sphere)…not only do you transgress…you are dead in your transgressions…

- That is one really big bill…

- but it doesn’t stop there…Paul also says that we were…v. 13 – dead in…the uncircumcision of your flesh…

- you say, what does that mean?...

B. Outside the covenant community.

- that’s why it’s so sad to hear people say things like – well, I’ve always been a Christian…

- we’re all God’s children…

- that’s like the person who filled the back room of K-Mart with layaway items and then goes through life as if there’s no bill to pay…

- friend, if the Word of God is going to be our guide…the significance of our debt cannot be overstated…

- that’s why Paul goes on to say in verse 13…that we are in…

C. Possession of a certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us.

- what is that?

1. its meaning

- cheirographos – “something written with the hand, an autograph”

- in Bible times a debtor was sometimes required to write out the nature of his debt in his own hand so there was no question about what he owed…

- that is the impact that the OT law was always intended to have on us…not as a guide so we can earn our way to heaven…

- but as a revelation of the Holy character of God and a simultaneous revealer of the sinfulness of man…

- as we continued to transgress the law and realize the depth of our need…

- that’s why Paul told the Galatians…Galatians 3:24 - Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

- God’s Word is a schoolmaster in the sense that it brings us to a place of realizing—we could never keep this on our own…the bill of our sinfulness is far too high…

- and notice…

2. its effect.

- v. 14 – which was hostile toward us

- that’s speaking about our conscience…and about how it smites us and reminds us of our failures…

- Galatians 3:10 - For as many as are of the works of the Law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law, to perform them.”

- and the point of all of this is that the bill that has been generated by our own sin is absolutely enormous…and until a person is willing to look at him or herself in the mirror and say – yes, I acknowledge that is true – Christmas will make very little sense at all…

- that, by the way, explains a lot of what this church does…

- and I’m so glad for the many men and women who have served in CFE…

- who have served in the LN…

- or the Christmas Eve Services…

- New Year’s Eve spectacular…

- made a commitment to Faith West…

- participate in the hundreds of regular ministries of our church…

- why, because we are all about proclaiming the gospel…the belief that there truly is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be shunned…

- if there wasn’t a bill that someday will have to be faced by every person living in this community some day, we could dial down our activity for sure…

- and you might say – well, you act like there’s some sense of urgency about all of this…

- there is – that’s why Paul said -- 2 Corinthians 5:11, 20, 21 - Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men…Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

- now, that’s pretty heavy and it has to be…but that’s what positions us to appreciate…

II. The Sufficiency of the Payment

A. Made alive together with Him.

- Colossians 2:13 - When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him…

- the great news is that the bill doesn’t have to remain unpaid…

- a transaction can occur…please look up at verse 13 of chapter 1 for a beautiful description of it…

- Colossians 1:13 - For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

- do you see how different that is than – we all God’s children?, or I’ve always been a Christian?...

- no, a decision has to be made at a definite point in time…

- and the beautiful thing is – the payment is already in place…

- Colossians 1:19-20 - For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

- it’s not a matter of sitting around and hoping someone will make the payment we can’t afford…

- it’s a matter of going and receiving the gift that has already been provided…

- it would be like the manager at K-Mart calling a layaway customer and informing them of the incredible news that their bill has been paid and then the customer never going in and receiving the gift…

- the sufficiency of the payment was nullified by their unwillingness to accept what was given…

- that’s why John explained…John 3:16-18 - For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

- now you might say – back in Colossians, what did Paul mean by saying that we are made alive together with Him?...

- it’s very important to understand that we are not talking about going from one set of rituals that we couldn’t keep to another set of duties that maybe we can…as if that’s the core of being a follower of Christ…no –

B. The payment is a Person.

- this passage is all about the sufficiency of the Person of Jesus Christ…

- that why Paul said in verse 9 – For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form

- that’s the miracle of the manger – the incarnation – God becoming man…

- we saw that in 2 Cor. 5:21 – He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

- the Bible writers never quite got over that – and neither should we…

- John said -- John 1:14 - And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

- Paul said -- Philippians 2:7-8 - but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

- this is where the illustration of the Layaway angels falls so woefully short…

- as admirable as it is to put down some money to make a payment for someone you don’t know…

- Jesus was willing to be the payment…

- there is a huge difference between being willing to make a payment, and being willing to be the payment…

- but that act is what made the potential nature of our relationship with God intensely personal…

- Paul went on to describe this payment with the words…

C. Having forgiven all your transgressions.

- verse 13 – having forgiven us all our transgressions

- in his commentary on Colossians, John MacArthur has a marvelous outline highlighting the beauty of the forgiveness that is ours in Christ…

1. God’s forgiveness is gracious.

Romans 3:24 - being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;

2. God’s forgiveness is complete.

Romans 5:20 - The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,

3. God’s forgiveness is eager.

Psalm 86:5 - For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in lovingkindness to all who call upon You.

4. God’s forgiveness is certain.

Acts 26:18 - to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’

5. God’s forgiveness is unequalled.

Micah 7:18 - Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love.

6. God’s forgiveness is motivating.

Ephesians 4:32 - Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

- and because of that…

D. He will cancel out the certificate of debt.

Colossians 2:14 - having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

- we’re told that in Bible times, often when you wrote something on a papyrus—because of the nature of both the ink and the writing material – the ink wasn’t absorbed – it just sat on the top…

- so you would use that papyrus over and over simply by wiping it clean…

- canceled out – exaleipho – like wiping off a blackboard

- that’s the beauty of Christmas…that your layaways have all been covered…

- Psalm 130:3-4 - If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared.

- Isaiah 55:7 - Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him, And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

- Hebrews 8:12 - “For I will be merciful to their iniquities, And I will remember their sins no more.”

- and friends, the people on the first Christmas night knew that…because the angels said… Luke 2:10-11 - But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

- now, where does that leave us?...

III. The Superiority of the Victory

Colossians 2:15 - When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Colossians 1:18 - He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

Galatians 6:14 - But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Filed Under: christmas (27), gospel (21), holidays (6), salvation (7)

Christmas Has Always Been Crazy

Steve Viars — 2011-12-24T16:09:46+00:00

Luke 2:1-20
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- how many of you would say that the last few weeks have been crazy for you?...

- there’s the challenge of trying to get everything ready for however you celebrate the holidays…

- you’re probably traveling, or having guests into your home…

- there’s all the stress of shopping and cooking and cleaning…

- many of you have also been serving faithfully at our church…but that takes time…

- then there are all these political things occurring around us…

- arguments about Right to Work legislation…the death of the leader of North Korea…

- the Senate and the House haggling about payroll tax relief…

- all kinds of activity in preparation for next year’s election…

- it just feels crazy in a lot of ways…

- tonight I’d like to point out that…Christmas Has Always Been Crazy…

- but there are definitely ways to handle the challenges with grace…

‑ I don’t generally announce the passage I’m speaking from at our Christmas Eve Candlelight service because people can’t see their Bibles anyway…

- however, since so many people just look off their smart phones anymore, let me tell you that we’re going to be reading from Luke chapter 2 in just a moment…

- this smart phone business has put pastors in an interesting predicament…

- now, I don’t know if people are following along in their Bibles or checking their e-mail, watching a football game, or who knows what…

- there’s also the issue of how we used to tell people that you can tell a lot about a church by standing at the door and seeing if people are carrying their Bibles with them – because if they don’t need their Bibles, that’s probably not a good sign…

- of course young people respond to that with – that is so 1970…I have my Bible on my phone…

- this Christmas we’ve been talking about That Crazy Family of Yours…

- now, I realize you might say – PV – we have Uncle Frank with us tonight…we made him take his Rudolf’s nose off before we came in the church house – but he has it out in the car…so dial down the title of the series we’ve been doing…

- the point of all of this has been to simply acknowledge that this time of year brings special challenges…but we haven’t been poking fun at everyone else in the family…we’ve been poking fun at ourselves…and wondering we get so wound up about some of the things we get so wound up about…

- tonight we want to read a passage of Scripture that shows that the first Christmas night was crazy busy too – but it was transformed into what one of the greatest Christmas hymns of all times refers to as a Silent Night…

- read Luke 2:1-20…

Luke 2:1-20 - Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. “This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.” When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

- let’s break this passage down and look for 3 principles to help us face the busyness and pressure that comes with this time of year.

I. Many Times Craziness is Intensified by the Choices of Unreasonable People.

- the text says that on…

A. The first Christmas

- all of these events unfolded because of the decree of Caesar Agustus…

- Luke 2:1-20 - Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth.

- that’s a rather comprehensive project…and of course that meant everyone living under Roman rule but that certainly encompassed a significant territory…

- so an attempt was going to be made to account for every human being in the Roman empire…

- and you understand that the purpose was not to be sure that the number was correct on the road signs leading into various entry points to the Roman Empire…”you are now entering the Roman Empire…population 12 million….”

- a government generally took a census for one of two reasons…

- to be sure that everyone was being taxed…

- to account for who might be available for military service…

- that’s why some of us who learned this passage in the King James version of the Bible remember it being translated as…there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be….taxed…or registered…

- now, how was that done?...

- did they send you a self-addressed 3 x 5 card in the mail and you listed the names and ages of everyone in your household and send it back by return mail?...

- please tell me you just went on line and updated the information…or that it was synced to your FB account?...

- no actually here’s the way it worked – you had to go back to the city of your husband’s origin…

- and not by plane, train, or automobile…how about walking…or maybe a nice extended ride on a donkey?...

- and forget turning up the heater or popping a DVD in everybody’s individual player to keep the kids occupied…

- the point is that the first Christmas was shaping up to be pretty crazy simply because of the decisions of a politician who wasn’t particularly concerned for the convenience of his citizens…

- what about for you?

B. Your Christmas

- there are a lot of things happening right now that make your head spin around…

- like…

1. Warring politicians.

- and the reason I raise that is because sometimes I think we make the mistake of believing that politics is a recent invention…

- the truth is – Jesus was born into a culture and a time that was rich with political intrigue…and you better believe that especially Jewish people who were being forced to make a trip like this because of the Roman occupiers would have had strong opinions about what was occurring…

- and we live with that same kind of political pressure as well…you can hardly turn on the news without hearing about…

- school voucher legislation…

- the threat of another government shut down…

- one political party walking out if they don’t get their way…

- whether the president wants to anger the environmentalists by approving a pipeline from Canada that would simultaneously please the unions and on and on…it’s crazy…

2. Unprecedented pressures at work.

- Many who will hear this message tonight are facing incredible challenges at work…

- where you’re being asked to do more with fewer resources by persons in management that don’t seem to understand how impossible their requests and demands sometimes are…

- and then you throw in…

3. Imperfect family members.

- and that’s the sweetest way I could think of to say that…

- but when you still all of this up – there’s no question that we all face Christmas craziness in part because some of the people around us make requests or demands that are just unreasonable…just like on the first Christmas night…

- but there’s more than that…we also have to face the fact that…

II. Sometimes God’s Plan Includes Taking what Appears to be Craziness to the Very Brink.

- please think about this from Mary’s perspective…

- she’s received the news several months before that she will give birth to a child who was conceived of the Holy Spirit…

- and remember, she’s a young girl – in her teens…

- and she had to discuss all of this with the young man she’s engaged to…

- and they had to deal with whatever was said publically about them…

- and then she has all the normal pain and difficulties and challenges that come with being pregnant…

- and the uncertainty of what it will be like to give birth to the Messiah…

- would we agree that that’s pretty close to overload right there?...

- and then Joseph shows up, who’s heard the news about the census, and says…Mary, dear…are you in the mood for an…extended donkey ride?...

- and we can’t just pass all of that off on the choices of unreasonable people…

- God Himself had ordained hundreds of years before that His Son would be born in Bethlehem…(chief priests and scribes to Herod) - Matthew 2:5-6 - They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, Are by no means least among the leaders of Judah; For out of you shall come forth a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

- see, at some point we also have to factor in the sovereign hand of our God who allowed this census to occur at this very moment…meaning that Bethlehem would be unusually crowded that night and that Mary and Joseph would be forced to stay with the animals because there was no room for them in the Inn…

- so it wasn’t an accident or a last minute thought—it had been planned hundreds of years in advance…

- the apostle Paul would later write that God… Ephesians 1:11 - …works all things after the counsel of His will.

- so all of the cultural and political issues swirling around us right now – we can’t get around the fact that our God has allowed us to face these issues…

- and the challenges taking place in the economy and at work…

- and then all the issues that occur when your family members get together…

- and I realize that there are some who will be with us tonight who have gone through a season of significant trials this year…

- it’s not craziness…it’s craziness in part that God has allowed to occur…

- that was clearly true for Mary and Joseph and it’s true for you and me as well…

- so where does that leave us?...understanding that…

III. Submitting to God’s Plan Brings Quiet to a Crazy World.

- the whole scene switches from a loud, busy, crowded city to a quiet hillside…

- where God announces the birth of His Son not to the powerful people down in the city…but to the poor, outcast shepherds…

- and they come and find Mary and Joseph and the baby Jesus lying in a manger…

- and they brought the confirmation from the Word of God that Mary desperately needed…

- and it’s fascinating how the passage ends…

- Luke 2:19 - But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.

- rejoicing in the fulfilled promise of the Savior has a way of drowning out the craziness…

- so when’s something’s not going your way politically – that doesn’t have to monopolize your thinking…

- If God loved you enough to send you His Son…that’s all we need to have, and that’s all we need to know…

- and if our economic well being is threatened – if God can accomplish His plan through poor shepherds…he could accomplish His plan through us even if our possessions and lifestyle were reduced…

- and if that family of yours is being a bit crazy…

- remember…that’s part of God’s sovereign plan for you…really…

- and if God gave young Mary the strength and grace to handle her Christmas craziness with quiet, Christ-centered dignity…He can do the same for you and me…

Filed Under: birth of christ (6), christmas (27), holidays (6), peace (11), politics (2), pressure (1), stress (3)

Fixing Your Focus

Steve Viars — 2011-12-18T17:07:37+00:00

Matthew 2:1-12
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- what a great a Christmas Hymn – reminding us of what the angels did on the first Christmas…

- and what an unusual phrase with which to end the song…

- glory to the newborn King…

- there’s a lot of words that often come to mind when we think about newborns…but king isn’t generally one of them…

- we would not normally bow down to a crib, to a manger, to a newborn…

- but would you agree with me this morning…that who you bow down to is a powerful expression of the nature of your heart…

- if you pay attention to sports at all, you’ve been following the story of Tim Tebow…

- Tebow’s parents are missionaries…and the doctors advised his mother to abort him because of the danger of the pregnancy…

- His mother chose to let her baby live and then homeschooled Tim with his four siblings in Florida.

- when a law was passed allowing homeschool children to participate in public school sports, Tim began playing quarterback for Neese High School…

- he distinguished himself quickly as a excellent athlete and team motivator even though his presence as a homeschool student created a fair amount of controversy…

- as it turns out…the words controversy and Tebow are frequently used in the same sentence…because he has not only been an outstanding football player—he has simultaneously been an outspoken follower of Christ…’

- He did missionary work in the Philippines…he characteristically begins his interviews by thanking Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior and then giving credit to his teammates for his success on the field…

- but throughout his stellar career at the University of Florida and now as the quarterback for the Denver Broncos...what has become the greatest focus has even received its own nickname…Tebowing…

- Goggling that word is fascinating…

- Tebowing – verb - to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different.

- An article was posted Tuesday on the FoxNews website that said…”The Global Language Monitor announced Monday that it acknowledges that the word “Tebowing” has officially entered the English language…

- I was reading a story a couple of weeks ago of a little boy who was going into surgery and assured everyone he was going to be OK because he had tebowed…

- pictures are coming in from literally around the world of people tebowing…some genuinely, some perhaps in mockery…

- but wouldn’t you love it if your name was going to be associated with something, that it was associated with you bowing down to your God…and you did it so faithfully that it turned the world upside down…where everybody was talking about it…so much so that publishers would have to include the word in the next version of their dictionary?...

- that leads to a question, doesn’t it?...who are you going to be bowing down to this Christmas?...not just literally, and probably not on the football field…but everywhere you find yourself in the next two weeks…

- with that in mind, please open your Bible to Matthew chapter 2…page 1 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- I realize that this is about the time a poor fellow reaches over to his wife and whispers…Oh no Ethel, I think Pastor Viars forgot this was the day for the Christmas Musical…

- no, I didn’t…Vern…but we want you to have something directly from God’s Word that frames the great music and narration we’re about to enjoy together…

- read Matthew 2:1-12

- This Christmas we’re talking about That Crazy Family of Yours….

- how do we handle the special challenges that come with this particular time of year when we’re around people and situations that can be stressful to say the least…

- one answer is by Fixing Your Focus…being sure that you’re bowing down to the right thing…or in this case, to the right Person…

- think with me about this story of the wisemen for a moment and consider 3 lessons from men who bowed down wisely.

I. Be Sure the Object of Your Worship Deserves that Position.

- there is very little we actually know about these men…and most of what we read in Christmas cards is either speculative or downright wrong…

- for example, we don’t know that there were only three – just that there were three kinds of gifts…

- we certainly don’t know they rode camels…some believe Arabian horses is a better guess…

- we don’t know their country of origin – “from the east” takes in quite a bit of territory in the ancient world…

- and even the biblical description “magi” or “wise men” leaves a lot of room for interpretation…

- but we do know this – they were intent on worshipping the One God identified to them through the sign of a star…

- they made a bee-line to find the place of His birth so they could bow down and worship Him…

- if you and I are going to handle the next 14 days well…we’ll need to look for opportunities to do that very thing…

- in our hearts and minds…to Tebow…to come and bow down to Him…

- I’ve seen examples of that all over the place the last few days…

- people calmly serving in CFE…they were tebowing….

- a teenage girl greeting us warmly at the LN – out in the cold…Tebowing….

- the leader of the LN walking around checking everything, one of the set directors whose wife just passed away a few weeks ago on location greeting guests in the midst of his sorrow…tebowing…

- See, every thought, every desire, every word, every action is an expression of worship…it reveals the identity of our functional god…

- I would encourage you as you listen to the music to ask yourself how you can bow down to Christ and worship Him in the way you respond to the challenges of the holidays with your family and everyone else…

- now please think of it from Herod’s perspective…

II. Beware of the Tendency to Let Your Personal Agenda Crowd Out the Savior.

- this tebowing thing has made many people very nervous…

- that happened the first Christmas, didn’t it?...

- v. 3 – When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled…

- that word literally means agitated…like being inside a washing machine…

- and why was that?...because Herod already had a king…and it was himself…

- that’s a surefire way to ruin Christmas with your family…believing the day, or the season, or the situation ought to revolve around you…

- see, Jesus is the rightful king…and He might be planning some challenges for you this Christmas, disappointments, occasions of being slighted or sinned against…just so that you’ll have opportunities to show who your rightful king truly is…

- when your heart starts to be agitated the next two weeks – ask yourself, am I focused right now on my agenda, or Christ’s agenda?...

- and if you would say – well, how can I have the kind of relationship with Christ where He’s really my king?...

- or maybe you heard Tebow say the other day when people were giving him a hard time for Tebowing every chance he got – he said – my relationship with Christ is personal—like a marriage – you don’t just tell your wife you love her on your wedding day…you do it every time you get a chance…exactly…

- and if you do know Christ – please allow this music to help you recommit yourself to bowing down to His agenda each and every time you have the opportunity this season…

III. Let Fulfilled Prophecy Adjust Your Focus This Christmas.

- if you’re a skeptic, you might say – but why should I bow down to a newborn?...

- lots of reasons…but one that comes screaming out of this text is that the precise details of His birth were prophesied hundreds of years before they occurred…

- as if maybe God had a plan…not that the Broncos would beat the Bears last Sunday night in a come from behind overtime victory that now puts them in sole possession of first place in the AFC West…

- as if the birth, life, and subsequent death and resurrection were all part of God’s plan for the redemption of every person who would bow their knee to Christ in repentance and faith…

- so take your helmet off…get down on one knee…let’s bow down.

[Following the Christmas musical]

- our choir has helped us make things crystal clear this morning, haven’t they?...

- to whom are you bowing down?...who/what is your king?....

- I imagine that some who will be here today would say – I don’t have the kind of relationship with Jesus Christ that we’ve been talking about today…

- when Tim Tebow talks about loving Jesus the way a husband would love his wife….that sounds like a foreign language…

- can I just tell you that if that’s your condition this morning – we’re so glad you’re here…

- but now it’s time to consider taking a step…

- maybe another Christmas metaphor will help all of understand what that looks like…

- John 1:11-12 - He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

- a relationship with Jesus Christ begins by admitting your need, and then accepting the free gift of salvation available through His shed blood…

- you’re trusting Him as your Lord and Savior…

- Christian friend – you’re going to have all sorts of opportunities to Tebow while you’re around that crazy family of yours…

- not literally of course…but every bit as powerfully…

- when you let that snide comment go by instead of feeling like you have to respond in kind…you’re bowing down…

- when you give in to your spouse’s preference and do it the way they would like…you’re bowing down to Christ…

- when you care more about serving than being served…you’re bowing down…

Filed Under: birth of christ (6), christmas (27), focus (7), wise men (1), worship (15)

Too Much Sugar, Too Many Presents

Steve Viars — 2011-12-11T14:46:37+00:00

Deuteronomy 6:1-9
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It’s a privilege to be here with you this morning.

For those who don’t know me, I’m Trey Garner. I’m the pastor of our Children’s Ministries here at Faith.

I’ve been here for a little over twelve years now, and I spend most of my Sunday mornings ministering to 1st – 5th Graders.

I’ve found that there’s one big similarity between teaching kids and teaching adults. It has a lot to do with holding someone’s attention.

The major difference is that with kids you’ve got to settle them down and with adults you have to keep them awake.

So, in an effort to help you stay awake this morning, from time to time, I’ll randomly flash an image up here on the screen just to keep you on your toes.

It might be an image like this (image #1)…

It might be an image like this (image #2)…

Or it might be an image like this (image 3)…

You know, I actually don’t have any other random images that I’m planning to show you. It’s just that I’ve been sitting on that one for a while, and I wanted to find a way to work it in.

So, with that out of the way, let me ask you.

Have you ever seen anything at Christmastime resembling this (image #4).

What about this? (image #5)

You ever seen this? (image #6)

Or how about this? (image #7)

Well, that one may be a bit over the top. But those are obviously images of kids (composite image) who are really excited about Christmas.

And I’m sure we’ve all had at least some experience with kids who were overjoyed about receiving the gift they really wanted.

Or kids who believed that Christmas was essentially Halloween, Part 2: you get dressed up, you get all kinds of sweets, you still visit people’s houses—you just stay longer.

No question about it—Christmas can be a really fun time for kids.

But Christmas can also be fraught disappointment. I’m sure we’ve all had some experience with the child who didn’t receive the present he wanted for Christmas.

What’s that like?

Well, it’s a lot like the 3 year-old whose parents gave him books instead of toys for Christmas. Take a look.

I don’t know if you could make out everything that boy said, but the gist of it was that he hated receiving books for Christmas.

So strong, in fact, was his hatred for the books he received that he declared, “Poo! I say Poo!”

From a three-year-old, it doesn’t get much stronger than that.

I mean, somebody get out the bar of soap.

You know, it’s interesting. I first saw that video on YouTube, and one of the comments made about the video was…“Meanwhile in Africa…”

And I thought those simple words provided some pretty good perspective on that reaction.

The point I’m driving at here is that…you can tell a lot about the heart of a child at Christmastime.

Jesus said…

Matthew 12:34

For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart.

The way children react to their circumstances tells you something about the things they value.

And I’m not just picking on the boy in the video. I’m also talking about the kids who go jumping out of their skin over receiving the latest and greatest thing they wanted.

You can tell a lot about the things they value as well.

And you say, “Pastor Trey, you are a killjoy. For crying out loud, can’t you just let the kids enjoy Christmas.”

Hey, I’m not suggesting that we need to turn kids into some collection of stone-faced automatons who never find joy in anything.

Rather, I’m arguing with we need to help kids find joy in the right things by instilling them with the right perspective.

With that in mind, let me ask you to open your Bible to that great Christmas passage of Deuteronomy chapter 6.

That’s found on page 137 of the front section of the Bible under the chair in front of you.

If you’re familiar with the book Deuteronomy, then you know that it says absolutely nothing about Christmas, but it does say a lot about training kids.

And I hope we’ll be able to mine some of those principles out of this passage today.

This year, our church’s theme has been Living Life Together…

All year long, we’ve been focusing on the issue of strengthening relationships for the purpose of glorifying God and advancing the mission to which He has called us.

That’s because we believe that where deeper relationships are present greater growth takes place.

And I hope that you would be able to look back over the course of the past few months to determine whether you’ve made progress… whether you’ve grown in deepening your relationships.

For the last few weeks, we’ve been discussing how to strengthen your relationships with…That Crazy Family of Yours

You will probably be spending more time with your family in the next month because of school breaks and vacation days from work…and you’ll also be spending more time with extended family because of people traveling all over the country to see one another…

And throughout this series, we’re considering how God’s Word can help us strengthen these relationships.

A couple of weeks ago, Pastor Viars talked about how this time of year ‘Tis the Season for OCD…and he discussed avoiding perfectionism in our Christmas celebrations.

Then, last week Pastor Dutton talked about Loving Your Outlaws…how to share the love of Christ with your extended family.

Today, we’re going to allow for the possibility that the craziest members may not be people that you see only occasionally.

The craziest members of your family may live right in your home.

Now, we should get this on the table…the craziest member of your family may be you.

I know that’s certainly the case in my home.

But often times, you know and I know that it’s the kids who win the crazy prize, right?

So, this morning we’re going to look at Deuteronomy chapter 6 to help us figure out how to avoid a Christmas that’s characterized by Too Much Sugar, Too Many Presents

Now, I know that I’m speaking to a diverse group this morning, and that not everyone here has children in the home.

But I want to suggest to you that there are principles in what we’re about to study that will have application to all of us.

Clearly, if you’ve currently got children in the home, I want to encourage you to think about how these principles ought to impact your life and your approach to parenting.

Maybe that’s not your situation. Maybe you’re in a life situation where you once had children in the home, but they’ve grown up and moved out…or maybe they’ve grown up and…forgotten to move out…

Maybe you’re a grandparent…or hope to be a grandparent…

If that’s the case with you, I would encourage you to think about the ways in which these principles ought to impact your relationship with your grandkids…or the grandkids you may eventually have.

Maybe you’re in a situation where you don’t have kids yet, but you hope to someday.

On some level, I’m most excited about talking to you…because you’re in a place where you get to plan for the kind of parent you want to be.

If that’s your situation, I would encourage you to think about these principles and begin working to establish the life habits that are going to prepare you to work with the children that God may choose to give you down the road.

And maybe you’re here this morning, and you don’t fit into any of the categories I just described.

You need to know that these are important principles for you too, because there’s a sense in which the responsibility for discipling the kids in our church belongs not just to their parents, but to you also.

Throughout the Bible, we see the model of mature believers training younger ones to grow in their faith.

And we are called to…

Hebrews 10:24

…stimulate one another to love and good deeds

That includes the kids that are part of our community of faith.

Now, there’s no question that the primary responsibility for spiritual training rests on parents, but you have a role to play in that as well.

Okay, so let’s turn our attention to Deuteronomy 6.

Before we read this passage, I want to provide you with some context to help you understand what we’re about to read.

This passage was written sometime during the 15^th B.C. by a man named Moses.

If you’re familiar with the Old Testament, then you know that Moses was the prophet selected by God to deliver the Israelites from 400 years of slavery in Egypt.

Moses was then to guide them to their new home, the land which God had promised them, a land flowing with milk and honey.

But the words of this text weren’t spoken to the Israelites immediately upon their departure from Egypt.

Why not?

Because a funny thing happened on the way to the Promised Land…the Israelites made a series of poor choices.

They rebelled against the Lord. And as a result of their rebellion, they were forced to wander in the wilderness for a period of 40 years…until everyone over the age of twenty that was part of that rebellious generation died.

So now, at the beginning of Deuteronomy, it’s finally time for the next generation to end their wilderness wanderings.

Here they stood on the border of the Promised Land, poised to do what their parents had refused to do.

And before entering the land, Moses gets everybody together and gives them one final reminder about the way in which God had called them to live.

And the question was…would they do it? Would they choose to live by the Lord’s instructions?

That’s where we pick up. Let’s look at Deuteronomy, chapter 6, beginning in verse 1.

Deuteronomy 6:1-9

Obey God and Prosper

“Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it,

² so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.

³ O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey.

⁴ “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

⁵ You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

⁶ These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.

⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.

⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

I don’t know what it is about that passage, but every time I read it I feel like singing Jingle Bells.

I realize you probably came this morning expecting to study something a little more Christmassy

But I believe this passage teaches us 3 important truths that can help us instill kids with the right perspective this Christmas.

The first truth is that…

I. God has given us a mission.

Look there in verse 1. Moses says…

Deuteronomy 6:1

Now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the LORD your God has commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it…

Deuteronomy 6:3

O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it…

It’s like Moses is the guy on the tape recording saying, “Your mission should you choose to accept it…”

And it’s like we’re Peter Graves and you can hear the Mission Impossible theme song.

I realize like forty percent of you have no idea who Peter Graves is. For the sake of this analogy, you’re Tom Cruise.

Peter Graves is the pilot from Airplane.

But we’ve been given a mission to fulfill. And…

A. What is that mission?

Verse 5…

Deuteronomy 6:5

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

That’s what we’ve been called to do. We are called to love the Lord our God.

That is to be the driving pursuit of our lives. It is to be the goal of every thought that we think, every word that we speak, every action we undertake.

And you say, “Pastor Trey, Moses was talking to the Israelites. They were God’s chosen people. That was their mission. I’m all for loving God, but is that really supposed to be my mission too?”

And what’s the answer to that? The answer is…“Uh huh.”

And you say, “How do you know?”

We know because Jesus said the same thing.

When one of the Pharisees asked Jesus…

Matthew 22:36-38

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.”

Jesus made it clear that the mission for all who would claim to follow God had not changed.

And by the way, isn’t God good to provide us with a mission to pursue?

He didn’t have to do that. He could have left us aimlessly casting about on the sea of life…like a ship without a sail…being tossed around here and there by erratic waves of our culture, leaving us to figure out for ourselves what our lives ought to be about.

But he didn’t do that. He provided us with a direction to fill our sails, to guide our journey.

One of the big philosophical questions that man has pondered throughout the centuries is…“What is the meaning of life?”

The Christian doesn’t have to wrestle with that question because God has provided the answer.

Life is all about loving Him.

The Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it this way. It says…

“Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” (Westminster Shorter Catechism)

We are called to love the Lord our God.

But notice that Moses doesn’t stop there. Moses answers this question:

B. How are we to love God?

Deuteronomy 6:5

…with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

We are not called to love God in the same way we love our favorite ice cream…

Or the way we love our favorite sports team...How’s that working out for us this year Colts fans?

We are called to love God…

1. With our entire being.

He isn’t looking for half-hearted, luke-warm followers.

He wants us to be passionate, on-fire, sold-out for Jesus, others before me, God before anyone kinds of followers.

The question I think we have to answer is…

What does that look like? How are we to go about loving Him with our entire being?

One of the answers to that question is…

2. Through obedience to His commands.

In His commentary on the book of Deuteronomy, Peter Craigie says…

The all-encompassing love for God was to find its expression in a willing and joyful obedience of the commandments of God. (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Book of Deuteronomy, p. 170.)

That’s why Jesus said…

John 14:15

If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Throughout Scripture, we see a direct connection between our love for God and our obedience to God.

What Moses was saying to the Israelites, and what Jesus was saying to His disciples was…

“Don’t go around saying that you love God, putting yourself out there like you are tight with the Almighty…if you’re not willing to obey His commands.”

Do you know what the Bible calls someone who has heard the Word of God but has refused to act on it?

The Bible calls that person a fool.

Matthew 7:26-27

Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.

Is there anyone here who would say, “Yeah, sign me up for that?”

We are called to love God…with our entire being…through obedience to His commands…

But there’s another way we’re to carry out our love for God, and that’s…

3. By serving others

In addition to the connection Scripture makes between love and obedience, the Bible also makes a clear connection between our love for God and our demonstrations of that love to other people.

A few minutes ago, I mentioned Matthew 22, when a Pharisee asked Jesus about the greatest commandment.

Not only did Jesus say…

Matthew 22:37-38

“‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment.”

But he went on to say…

Matthew 22:39-40

The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

So great is the connection between loving God and serving others that Jesus said, “These two commands sum up then entire Old Testament.”

That’s like the best version of Cliffs Notes ever.

In Matthew, chapter 25, Jesus speaks about the judgment to come and he explains what that judgment would be like for those who faithfully and sacrificially sought to serve others. And he says,

Matthew 25:40

Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.

So, let me ask you to write this on the tablet of your heart.

If I love God, then I will serve others.

Say that with me. “If I love God, then I will serve others.”

Now, don’t say that like your pastor made you say that. Say that like you mean it.

“If I love God, then I will serve others.”

And you say, “Pastor Trey, I thought this was supposed to be about the kids. Right now, it sounds a whole lot like you’re talking to me.”

You know…it does sound a lot like that, doesn’t it?

You realize that kids need to see an active love for God modeled in your life if they’re going to live it out for themselves.

You can get away with telling them to love God and serve others for only so long before they start asking, “Hey, are my mom and dad doing that? Are grandma and grandpa doing that?”

This loving God and serving others thing…it is hard work.

And if kids are asked to do something that cuts against the grain of their natural desires, they’re going to want to see confirmation that they’re not the only ones doing it.

They’re going to want to see if the people around them…the people who are telling what to do and how to live…they’re going to want to see if those people are living in a way that’s consistent with their instructions.

Most kids have a pretty astute sense of hypocrisy. And if they figure out that your practice doesn’t match up with your preaching, it’ll take them about two seconds to conclude that they shouldn’t have to practice it either.

So, we’ve got to lead by example.

Now, assuming that we’ll be willing to take the appropriate steps to do that, let’s talk about some things we can do this Christmas to help kids act on these principles.

And let’s talk first about the things they can do right here…

a. At church

The marvelous thing about preaching a message like this on a weekend like this is that there are hundreds of examples of parents from our church who have done this in the past couple of days.

This weekend, we’ve had all kinds of kids running around here in full Israelite mode serving as part of the Living Nativity.

They’ve been out there in Bethlehem hocking their wares, trying to see how many shekels they can get for a plastic kumquat.

They’ve been serving alongside their moms and dads handing out CD’s, directing traffic, you name it.

And I don’t know if you noticed, but it’s been a wee bit chilly outside.

They’ve been standing out there in the cold…wearing about 14 layers…when most of the rest of the kids in town have been indoors cuddled up to a nice toasty XBOX.

And these kids have done it for the sake of the gospel…because God has given us a mission

And part of that mission is to…

Matthew 5:16

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

And the Living Nativity is not the only thing families have been doing around here this weekend.

Yesterday was the distribution day for Christmas for Everyone. That ministry is designed to provide gifts for the children of low-income families.

There were a number of parents and kids from our church over at the Community Center yesterday assisting some of the hundreds of guests we were able to serve through that ministry.

I know some of you sponsored a Christmas for Everyone child, and purchased some of the gifts on that child’s Christmas list.

And when you went shopping, I know that many of you took your kids along.

Sure, it probably would have been faster to go to the store by yourself, but you didn’t want to miss the opportunity to help your child get a taste for how exciting it can be to love God by serving others.

And if you’re one of the parents who has gotten your kids involved in serving this Christmas season, I want to say to you, “Way to go.”

You are fulfilling your mission.

You have officially earned an imaginary gold star from the Children’s Ministries pastor. Treasure it.

But if you’re sitting there, and you’re thinking to yourself, “Oh, I should have gotten my kids serving this Christmas. Now, it’s too late.”

No, it’s not.

We’ve got the Living Nativity running for another weekend. Just go to our website, and sign up.

We’ve got plenty of people serving already, but we’ll make room for you.

We don’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to help your kids cultivate their love for God.

Now, the church isn’t the only place you can help your kids fulfill the mission.

That should also be happening

b. At home

And for the purposes of this discussion, I’m using the term “home” to refer to any place you’re going to be together as a family.

That could be your house…that could be your parent’s house…that could be the mall…that could be your car…that could be your Great Aunt Minerva’s barn…wherever…

You’re likely going to be spending some extra time with your kids this holiday season, and you’re going to have the opportunity to observe what’s really important to them…to observe the things they value…the things they love.

And the best opportunity you’ll have to witness these things is when circumstances don’t go their way.

What happens when the cousin your daughter really wanted to see doesn’t show up at the family gathering? How does she respond?

What happens when your son has to give up his room so that grandpa will have a place to sleep? What’s his reaction like?

What happens when your child is asked to sit quietly while the adults are talking? Hmm?

What happens when your kids don’t get the gifts they were hoping for?

Do they stomp around shouting, “Poo! I say poo!”…or the older child equivalent of that expression.

The way they respond tells you what’s in their hearts.

If they respond peaceably…with gratitude and joyful flexibility to the situation God has given them, then there’s a good chance that your child understands the mission.

But sadly…maybe more often than not…they won’t respond that way.

If they respond by whining, or complaining, or throwing some kind of fit when their expectations aren’t met, then that’s an indication that you’ve got some work to do.

The first thing you may want to do is write the word “Self” (Show Self) on a piece of poster board.

Then, draw a big circle with a line through it (Show circle with line).

And post it on the ceiling over his bed so that it’s the first thing he sees when he gets up in the morning and the last thing he see before he goes to sleep.

The next thing you may want to do if your child decides to spin off in some anti-Christmas tizzy is show him this video. Take a look.

What do you think? Will that make an impact? “That’ll teach you to value the mission.”

There’s a familiar saying that I think every child ought to memorize. It goes…

There are two choices on the shelf: pleasing God or pleasing self.

You and I are experts in pleasing ourselves. The problem is…so is everyone else.

But the even bigger problem is that God says this life isn’t about us…it’s about Him.

And if we’re going to fulfill the mission God has given us, that’s going to require that requires that we say “No” ourselves and our natural inclinations.

As we head into our Christmas celebrations, we need to prepare our kids with the proper mindset.

If you’re headed over to a family get together, you need to remind your kids that you’re going to serve…not to be served.

You need to tell them…

“If your cousin wants the last sugar cookie, you let him have it.”

“If the trash in the kitchen starts overflowing, you ask if you can take it outside.”

“If your grandma wants to give you the biggest, wettest kiss you’ve ever gotten, you say, ‘Bring it on, Grandma.”

“If your uncle asks you to pull his finger…”

Well, okay, maybe not that. You’ve got to draw the line somewhere.

But I think you understand the point. We need to help our kids embrace the mission.

Jesus said it this way…

Matthew 16:24

If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

Now at this point, I think we need to honest and acknowledge the fact that the mission the Lord has given us is a pretty challenging one.

Loving Him with our entire being through obedience to His commands and service to others…that’s a tall order. That is not something that comes naturally to us.

Thankfully, the Lord has provided us with some help…because not only has God given us a mission…

II. God has given us a motivation.

And this passage provides us with a couple of different sources of motivation.

This first is…

A. Who God is

Deuteronomy 6:4

Hear, O Israel!

And that’s like God saying, “Hey, hey, hey, hey…you better pay attention to this.”

The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!

And you say, “What? What does that mean?”

That statement right there is a big one. These words have been called…

“…the fundamental monotheistic dogma of the Old Testament.”

They tell us about the unique nature of our God.

One commentary explains that…

This clause not merely precludes polytheism, but also syncretism which reduces the one absolute God to a national deity, a Baal…and in fact every form of theism and deism, which creates for itself a supreme God according to philosophical abstractions and ideas. For Jehovah, although the absolute One, is not an abstract notion like “absolute being” or “the absolute idea,” but the absolute living God, as He made Himself known in His deeds in Israel for the salvation of the whole world. (Commentary on the Old Testament: Volume One, The Pentateuch, p. 884.)

The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

Craigie says…

He was not merely first among the gods, as Baal in the Canaanite pantheon, Amon-Re in Egypt, or Marduk in Babylon; he was the one and only God and as such he was omnipotent...when he spoke there was no other to contradict; when he promised, there was no other to revoke that promise; when he warned, there was no other to provide refuge from that warning. (The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Book of Deuteronomy, p. 169.)

He was and is God alone.

The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.

So, when we are called to the mission of loving God, we’re not loving just anybody.

We are called to love the one, true, eternal Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Judge of all that exists.

That’s a fair motivator, don’t you think?

But you say, “That’s not enough for me. I want more.”

Fair enough. How about being motivated by…

B. What God has done

Moses actually begins the book of Deuteronomy with a review of God’s gracious acts toward the nation of Israel.

He had chosen them from among all the nations to be a people for His own possession.

He had miraculously delivered them from their bondage as slaves in Egypt.

He had provided for them in their wilderness wanderings, raining down bread from Heaven for their food, giving them victory over their enemies.

He had provided instruction to them for their good, to help them live in ways that would bring joy and blessing.

Time and time again, he had demonstrated His loving care for them.

And in response, He had asked them to love Him.

Now, what about us? Has God done anything to motivate our love for Him?

You better believe He has. If the Israelites had reason to love the Lord, how much more then do we?

The Israelites had not yet seen the Messiah. They were awaiting the day when He would be revealed.

We have the benefit of what I like to call the Linus motivation.

Anybody here a fan of A Charlie Brown Christmas?

This is my favorite Christmas special. They showed it just this past week.

Frankly, I’m surprised they’re still allowed to air it because of the explicit way in which it presents Christ as God.

I realize that most of you have seen it before, but in the event that I’m talking to one of the twelve people who hasn’t, let me tell you what happens.

Charlie Brown is depressed…he’s disillusioned with the cultural celebrations of Christmas, and he’s having trouble finding meaning in the season.

So, after searching for meaning in several different places, he finally breaks down and asks for help. And that’s when Linus steps to the plate.

Take a look.

Linus is quoting Luke, chapter 2, and I love how he presents it because it’s just so simple. But the event itself was anything but simple.

What happened 2000 years ago in Bethlehem was absolutely astounding…

That God, Himself, in the Person of Jesus Christ, would choose to take on human flesh and dwell among a wicked and depraved people for the expressed purpose of dying for our sins…

So that we could be forgiven…

So that we could be redeemed…

So that we could have fellowship with the Lord…

So that we could become joint heirs and fellow partakers in the marvelous promises of God…

That is incredible.

That’s motivation to fulfill our mission…to love Him with our entire being through obedience to His commands and service to others.

And to ensure that the mission would be accomplished as the Israelites headed into the Promised Land…and for the decade and centuries to follow, God provided them with another help.

Not only do we have a mission…not only do we have a motivation, but…

III. God has given us a method.

God has told us what we need to do to make sure that we love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9

These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. ⁸ You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.

⁹ You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

The idea here is that the Word of God…

the truth about who He is and what He has done…

the truth about who we are and what He expects of us…

the principles that help us to evaluate our world and our circumstances within it…

the wisdom that helps navigate the waters of life skillfully…

The idea here is that these things would be emblazoned on the hearts of God’s people…

And that the adults would work diligently at teaching children these truths so that they might embrace them for themselves.

Now, let me pause for a moment and ask you…

Why would that be important? Why would it be important both for us and for the kids we’re trying to disciple to have the truths of Scripture imprinted on their minds?

Why wouldn’t it simply be enough for our kids to understand the mission to which God has called them…their obligation before Him? Why wouldn’t that be enough?

It’s because duty without reason breeds rebellion.

Without the foundation of a relationship, their obedience to God’s commands would become meaningless.

Craigie says,

The people were to think on [God’s statutes] and meditate about them so that obedience would not be a matter of formal legalism, but a response based upon understanding…By understanding the paths of life set down by the commandments, they would at the same time be discovering the way in which God’s love for them was given expression.

Our kids need to meditate on the truths of Scripture to flesh out their understanding and appreciation for God.

Without that biblical understanding, the command to obey will result in either legalism or rebellion.

Don’t miss that.

Without that biblical understanding, the command to obey will result in either legalism or rebellion.

Through concerted effort, we have to equip kids with biblical framework through that will serve as the grid through which they will view the world.

And you say, Pastor Trey, “I would love to do that. I really would. But I have absolutely no idea how I’m going to work that into my life. Where am I going to find the time?”

Let me give you some encouragement here.

Doing this doesn’t require you to quit your job or join a commune.

Moses was encouraging the Israelites to make God conversation a normal and regular part of their lives…

To make spiritual discussions a component of the things they were already doing.

So that whether they were eating dinner together…

or getting ready for bed…

or doing chores around the house…

or travelling to see relatives…

or whatever…

In whatever they were doing, they were to be advancing the spiritual conversation.

And it’s the same for us.

Parents, how much time do you spend in the car with your kids jamming out to tunes on the radio?

Do people still do that…jam out to tunes…or is that something they stopped doing in the nineties?

Turn down the radio and talk a bit. Tell them some of the things you’re thankful for…some of the things that amaze you about God. Ask them what they think.

At this time of year, ask your kids their favorite part about the story of Jesus birth? What’s your favorite part?

Do you eat dinner together? If not, I want to suggest that you start. And use that time talk about a verse of Scripture. Talk about what it means.

If you don’t know, get out a study Bible and see what John MacArthur has to say. Talk about how it should impact your life.

Inject your lives with spiritual conversation.

If you’ve got kids in the home, I hope that one of the things you’re planning to do when you leave here is talk to your kids about the things you learned today…

To tell them about God’s mission for your life and for their lives.

If they’ve been involved in one of our Children’s or Student ministries this morning, I hope you’re planning to ask them what they learned.

Let me provide you with some Resource Suggestions:

Did you know that we’ve got a section in our bulletin explicitly designed to help you carry on faith conversations with your kids about the things they learned in Sunday School.

It’s that section inside the cover titled “Faith Kids @ Home.”

There are suggestions for questions you can ask them…passages you can read together…songs you can sing…verses you can memorize.

I want to encourage you to incorporate those ideas into your week.

And if you’d like to have those suggestions e-mailed to you, you can go to our website and subscribe to the Faith Kids Connection. The web address is there on your handout.

Faith Kids Connection: blogs.faithlafayette.org/faithkids

If you go there, you can subscribe to the types of posts you want to receive and you’ll get them e-mailed to you each week.

You’ve also got some other resources listed there on your handout.

I’m not going to take the time to discuss them, but they can serve as good spiritual conversation starters…

Big Truths for Little Kids by Susan Hunt and Richie Hunt

Simple stories designed to teach kids digest deep truths about God.

Sticky Situations - 365 Devotions for Kids & Families by Betsy Schmitt

Devotions designed to help families think about glorifying God in life’s difficult moments.

Sticky Situations 2 - 365 Devotions for Elementary Kids by Betsy Schmitt

More discussion starters designed to help families glorify God.

Everyday Talk: Talking Freely and Naturally about God with Your Children by John Younts

Now, I want to warn you…if you’re not in the habit of doing this, you may feel weird at first.

You may feel like you don’t know what you’re doing…like you’re a pig on roller skates.

But don’t let that stop you. Acknowledge the weirdness. Embrace the weirdness.

The more you do it, the more natural it will become.

Can I give you another encouragement: there’s a sense in which you’re doing this right now.

By applying yourself to the study of God’s Word this morning, you are placing these truths on your heart.

At least, I hope that’s what you’re doing. And that’s part of this process.

But you need to know that you’re never going to be able to lead your kids where you yourself haven’t gone.

And you say, “Pastor Trey, what do you mean by that?”

God has given us a mission…He’s called us to love Him, but you can’t love God if you’re separated from Him.

And you say, “Pastor Trey, what do you mean by that?”

Scripture teaches that…

Romans 3:23
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

In the book of Isaiah we read that…

Isaiah 59:2
Your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.

Our sins prevent us from having any kind of relationship with a holy God, and those same sins ultimately lead to our destruction.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death…

Because of our sin, all of us deserve to spend an eternity separated from God.

But remember, we have a God who wants a loving relationship with us. In fact, he went to great lengths to make that possible be with us.

Jesus came to save His people from their sins. He did that through His death, burial, and resurrection.

2 Corinthians 5:21
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

God offers salvation to any who will acknowledge their sin and embrace Christ as their Savior.

And should you choose to do that, God has a marvelous promise for you.

Romans 10:9
If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Now, I understand that you may have questions about that. And if you’d like to talk to one of us, call the church office this week, or send us an e-mail.

We’ll be happy to sit down with you and show you from the Scripture how you can know with absolute certainty that you’re on your way to heaven.

But for those who have already trusted Christ, you need to put yourself in the best possible position to fulfill your mission

If you’ve got influence over kids…or if you will someday…then you need to put yourself in a position to help them.

Maybe the step you need to take as a result of hearing these truths is to purpose to spend more time with Him.

Maybe you need to sit down with your schedule, and block out specific times that you’re going to spend reading His Word, that you’re going to spend talking to Him in prayer.

Maybe you need to spend some time evaluating your kids, considering the ways in which they most need to grow, and discussing the truths that will help them to do that.

God has given us a mission—to love him with our entire being, through obedience to His commands and service to others. Let’s be faithful to fulfill it.

Let’s pray.

Filed Under: christmas (27), holidays (6)

Loving Your Outlaws

Steve Viars — 2011-12-04T16:02:14+00:00

Genesis 2:18-25
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Introduction:

1. We are continuing our Christmas series: That Crazy Family of Yours

- Crazy has a broad definition:

- Crazy could mean: wild, passionate, extreme, fanatical,, or unwise, foolish, or dumb!

2. You might be thinking, my family is crazy, but I’m not crazy

- Well, let’s be honest, we’re all a little crazy at times (some more than others, but it’s true)

3. Sometimes the whole family can be a bit crazy:

[picture]

4. Sometimes it’s one or two people that are a little crazy (like you Brother & Sister-n-laws’ kids)

[picture]

5. I’m certain that all of us have some pictures that we would like to make sure never get posted on FaceBook or on a website…or displayed during the worship service of your church!

6. Our goal is to keep the focus of Christmas where it belongs:

· The birth of Christ – the angels announced that very clearly

· Luke 2:11 for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

· The life of Christ –What kind of person was this child? What character or actions did He demonstrate?

- John wrote this about our Lord’s life…

· John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

· The mission of Christ – Why did Jesus come? What was He here for?

· John 6:38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

- that will was revealed in John 3:16

· John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

7. Since Jesus is the Co-Creator, (John 1:1-3 makes that clear), let’s go back to Genesis 2 where all this started:

8. The title of our study this morning is: Loving Your Outlaws!

- sarcastic for “Loving Your In-laws” (Father, Mother, Brother, Sister-n-law)

- the extended family that will be around at Christmas time

9. While you may not see them often, you still have to ask some questions:

Q: What do you DO or NOT DO when you are around them?

Q: What do you hope to accomplish during this ‘family time’ together?

10. In other words: What are some things you want to avoid? What are some things you want to make sure to happen?

Genesis 2:18-25 READ

- let’s put our focus this morning on…

I. Remember the Most Important Goal at Any Time of Your Life.

- We can summarize this very quickly with a couple of statements:

A. My goal in life is to please God.

- that’s clearly stated in:

· 2 Corinthians 5:9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.

· 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

glory = right opinion of God in what you say, do or don’t do, how your respond to people…

Q: What is this so important?

A: It’s easy for anyone to be afraid of what somebody thinks of us (Steve dealt with this last week OCD)

- When we start struggling with the fear of man, we need to remember this:

· Galatians 1:10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.

- our goal this Christmas (any time) is to glorify God…to please God in all I do or say

- Q: How is that accomplished?

B. I please God by thinking and acting like Christ.

· Matthew 3:17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

Q: So we ask the question, How did Christ act?

· Holy – modeled obedience to the Father

· Love for others – willing to go to the cross and sacrifice His life

· Grace – He did things for people who did not deserve it

· Patience

· Spoke the truth

· Handled problems the right way (timely, carefully, with love, grace, & mercy)

C. God knows you’re not going to be perfect, but He does expect you to be growing.

· 2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Point: Make this year with our In-laws better than last year!

- make the relationship stronger…& make sure God is pleased with all you say and do

-Q: How do I do that? How do I make sure my spouse & children ‘get it’?

II. Some “Do’s” to Loving Your Outlaws

- It makes sense to think about the 2 greatest commandments

A. Love God first, and love your neighbor (in-laws) as yourself.

- shoe love to your in-laws in ways that can be interpreted

agapa = self-sacrificial love, an act of the will, a choice, an action not just emotion

- be willing to DO something for that person (especially the one you may have the most difficultly with)

- don’t just SAY it, PROVE it!

- it’s easy to tell someone you love them, but what do you DO to show it?

- Paul wrote this

· 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,⁵ does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,⁶ does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.⁸ Love never fails…

- That leads to a specific demonstration of that love:

B. Be a servant

- That’s what the little babe in a manger grew up to be: a perfect model of a servant!

· Philippians 2:3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;⁴ do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.⁵ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,⁶ who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,⁷ but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.

· Galatians 5:13 …but through love serve one another.

Examples: Help clean up the kitchen/ ask them if you can get something for them / do what they want to do and don’t force your desire/schedule on them!

- If you practice A & B, it will help you if or . . .

C. When problems arise, be humble and look in the mirror first!

- remember what Jesus said:

· Matthew 7:1 "Do not judge so that you will not be judged.² For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.³ Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?⁴ Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye?⁵ You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”

- be willing to be humble and admit YOU were wrong – model humility & ask forgiveness if you need to

- if those are a few “DO’s”, let think about…

III. Some “Don’ts” in Loving Your Outlaws

Go to Matthew 10:32-42 – READ or summarize

A. Don’t be afraid to talk about Jesus – Matt. 10:32

· "Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven.

- if you love your in-laws like we talked about in “Do’s”, perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18)

- the opposite of fear is not courage, it’s agapa love!

1. If they are unsaved, look for ways to lovingly share the gospel

· Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

2. If they are believers, look for ways to talk about God’s Word (what God’s teaching you)

- Lesson you’ve learned

- How God is helping you to handle various life situations and how you are growing

B. Don’t return evil for evil – Rom. 12:14-21 [READ]

· Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

- It’s easy to think: You did ______ to me, so I’m going to do _______ to you!

Parenting implications: You don’t want to teach your child to get mad and shoot their in-laws

- Instead, return good for evil – the way God has done for you!

C. Don’t compare yourself with others.

- Paul warned us against that:

· 2 Corinthians 10:12 For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.

- in the way you love your wife

- in the way you discipline your children

- OR in your own personal habits or choices – like the way you eat:

[picture]

D. Don’t forget: Parents may not have authority over you or your spouse, but God still expects you to respect them!

· Ephesians 6:2 HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise),³ SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH.⁴

- yes, in Gen. 2 the word leave = totally abandon

- but you have to interpret the Scripture in light of the Scripture

* Parent’s may not have authority, but they still have the position and influence!

- I mean that in a positive way, not manipulation or intimidation

Example: In-laws can help you disciple your children with good communication and accountability

Illustration: Garnet: It’ went well; Caleb said, “Mamaw spanks hard!”

Conclusion:

1. Remember the salt & light principle:

· Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.¹⁴ You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;¹⁵ nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.¹⁶ Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

2. Don’t underestimate your influence on others.

Filed Under: christmas (27), family (34), holidays (6), in-laws (1), purpose (39), service (13)

Tis the Season for OCD

Steve Viars — 2011-11-28T19:00:28+00:00

Philippians 3:1-16
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- I hope you had a great thanksgiving with your family and friends on Thursday…we had a marvelous time last Sunday evening thanking the Lord and celebrating as a church family…so hopefully we’ve all been focusing on thankfulness…

- but in this culture…you barely finish your last bite of pumpkin pie before the attention switches to Christmas…and that’s not necessarily bad, but it’s certainly busy…

- and many of us would say that we have something of a love/hate relationship with this time of year…

- we look forward to it…we like it – but it also has some very unique challenges…

- we always have a surge of calls to our counseling center after the holidays…

- the volume is turned up for all of us, both good and bad…that just comes with this time of year…

- which, when you think about it – is kind of sad…because at the time we give over to celebrating the One who came to be the Prince of Peace…for many of us, this is when peace is most elusive…and that in and of itself, probably indicates that we allowed something to get out of balance…or we haven’t yet found answers to handling the special challenges that come with this time of year…

- for many men and women—if you made a list of what aspects of Christmas are most difficult or perplexing…it wouldn’t be long before the topic of your extended family was on the table…

- you will probably be spending more time with your immediate family in the next month because of school breaks and vacation days from work…and you’ll also be spending more time with extended family because of people traveling all over the country to see one another…

- that’s why this year, we want to take the next several Sundays and just talk about That Crazy Family of Yours…we want to think about principles and passages from the Word of God that can help us navigate this time of year more successfully…

- This morning we want to focus in on Tis the Season for OCD…and to help us get a handle on that topic…please open your Bible this morning to Philippians chapter 3…page 155 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- while you’re turning there, let me just be sure I’ve said that in this series…we’re really poking fun at ourselves…

- we’re not here to criticize our extended family members or cast them in a negative light…we’re here to think about why we don’t handle those challenges any better than we sometimes do…and what principles from the Word of God will help us do better…

- and we do want to make this enjoyable – because we have been pushing very hard together as a church family – the banquet last Sunday night illustrated some of the many things the Lord has allowed us to accomplish as a team – so it doesn’t hurt from time to time just to lighten things up…plus sometimes it’s OK to laugh where we hurt…and some of what we get upset at around the holidays is pretty goofy when you step back and think about it…

- I also want to be sure we’re said that when we use words like crazy, or OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), we’re using those in the broad way they’re used in popular culture…not in some professional sense….and again, to mildly poke fun at how obsessive we can be about certain things…

- the challenge we always face in situations like this is that on the one hand, there’s the way you mean something…and on the other hand…the way someone in the audience hears it, or receives it…

- believe me, we know that what the world refers to as mental illness is no laughing matter…

- we spend literally thousands of hours providing counseling for people in our community, many of whom have been given one or more labels from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders…we take that as seriously as can be…

- I also know as a parent of a special needs child that children with organic abnormalities in the development of their brains often have all sorts of versions of Obsessive Compulsive Behavior…that too is a very serious phenomenon…

- I was even asked to write a chapter this year in a book that is about to be released by Broadman and Holman entitled Counseling the Hard Cases – and my chapter was titled The Gospel and Obsessive Compulsive Behavior…so we’re not talking about any of that in a formal professional way in this series…

- we’re using these words the way they are thrown around in broad culture for the purpose of mildly poking fun at ourselves and then searching for answers in the Word of God…now, is that enough disclaimers to keep the email traffic down this week?

- now, maybe at this point it would be good to throw out a few definitions…

- Obsess – “To haunt or trouble in mind, especially to an abnormal degree”

- Compulsion – “that which compels; driving force; an irresistible, repeated, irrational impulse to perform some act.”

- in other words – because we think about something too much – or place too high a value on it…we respond in ways that are really counter-productive….

- I’ll try to illustrate this much more in a minute…but just a random example – the person who obsesses about being able to bake a turkey as juicy as mom used to gets very little sleep the night before because she’s worrying about the turkey being dry…and then is mad all thanksgiving day because it didn’t come out as juicy as mom’s…so the holiday is ruined because of a problem that could have easily been solved with a can of gravy you could have bought at Meijer---which when heated and slathered over the meat solves all culinary problems…

- here’s a little holiday tip, just like caulking solves all construction mistakes…gravy solves all culinary ones…

- our obsessions can ruin the holidays…

- now, can I tell you something amazing?...

- you and I are not the first people in the history of the church to struggle with thinking about the wrong thing too frequently – or placing too high a value or priority on certain aspects of life – in other words, to obsess…

- nor are we the first persons in the history of the church to live compulsively…to take certain irrational actions as a result of a mind that’s racing in the wrong direction…

- in fact, you could say that at one point in his life – the apostle Paul did the exact same thing…and what’s especially great about that news is – he also specifically taught and powerfully modeled the process of getting to a better place…

- read Philippians 3:1-16

- so we’re talking about, Tis the Season for OCD…and with the time we have remaining…let’s think about…3 steps to placing the focus of Christmas where it belongs.

I. Identify the Areas You Might be Tempted to Obsess About.

- did you see how Paul did that in these verses?...

A. For Paul

1. circumcised the 8^th day

- and I realize you might say – why would anyone think about that, or value that?...

- we learned the answer to that question in our study of the book of Acts…where some people even inside the new church were insisting that a person could not truly be a follower of Christ unless even as an adult, they were circumcised…

- that’s obsessive…

2. of the nation of Israel

- in other words, my identity is wrapped up in the details of my birth…

- that makes me better than someone else…

- that gives me higher value…

- so I think about that a lot, and look for opportunities to let others know about it

3. of the tribe of Benjamin

- one of the favored tribes

- and by Paul’s day, there had been so much intermarriage a Jewish person seldom would have known their complete pedigree…

- but Paul’s family had apparently remained faithful to their heritage in the sense of only marrying within that particular tribe…

- and he saw that as a reason to boast…as a reason to think he was better than others…

- and if we think that doesn’t happen today – we would be wrong…

- how many people from broken families go to their in-laws and feel inferior because of their heritage…

- I don’t fit in…I don’t measure up…I wonder what they say behind my back when I’m not around….and that eats at them like an obsessive cancer…as if they had any control over their family of origin in the first place…

4. a Hebrew of the Hebrews

- in other words, even though many Jewish people at this time of history had blended into the Roman culture around them…Paul had maintained his Jewish distinctive…and he took great pride in that and thought about it a lot…

5. as to the law, a Pharisee

- in other words, he was all in…

- if he was going to do it…he was going to do it all the way – and that’s where he found his joy…and his identity…in knowing and keeping the law and judging those who didn’t… any person who would have known Paul at that point of his life would have said that he was obsessive about keeping the law…

6. as to zeal, a persecutor of the church

- when this new sect came along, he was so adamantly opposed to the message of Christ that he justified murder and persecution of completely innocent people…

7. as to righteousness which is in the law, found blameless

- he had religious OCD for sure – completely fixated on earning righteousness before God and finding His joy and identity in his supposed obedience…

- now, let’s translate that over to you…but not in a general way, but specifically around what followers of Christ can become overly focused on during this time of year…it’s a rather long list, isn’t it?

B. For you.

1. the perfect decorations

- there’s nothing wrong with having fun decorating your house – but when you freak out because one of the strings of lights went out just before the guests arrive…there’s a lot more going on there than lighthearted decorations

2. the perfect meal

- here’s the sad reality – just like most men will not be as handy as our fathers or grandfathers…most women will not cook as well as their mothers or grandmothers…

- and there’s nothing wrong with wanting the meals to go well – that’s one of the ways a person can glorify God…but when you cross the line into worrying about, or spending too much time or money to achieve, or neglecting other priorities, or getting upset if something doesn’t turn out well…then you’ve placed way too high a value on the outcome of that meal

3. being accepted by your extended family

- some people crave position…

- and they demand to be treated in a particular way when they go into someone else’s home or environment…

- and they walk into the room like this giant vacuum cleaner sucking up all the approval they can possibly find…

- and every word is a slight…

- and every lack of compliment is viewed as being on purpose…

- your mom complimented your sister’s hair but she didn’t say anything about mine…

- everybody made a big deal about your brother’s promotion but no one mentioned mine…

4. having the perfect body shape or size

- some people go on a crash diet 3 weeks before Christmas…

- I am going to fit in that holiday dress…

- I am going to turn heads when I walk in the party…yea, when those buttons pop off and go flying across the room you probably will…

- and again, nothing wrong with trying to be good stewards of our bodies…but how much mental time is that subject worth…(as I was typing these very words, 2 little guys knocked on my door and offered me a cupcake for their birthday – I don’t eat cupcakes every five minutes – but for crying out loud – why not?)

5. being thought of as being materially prosperous

- why do so many people spend more money than they have at this time of year?...

- many times it’s to impress others

- it’s amazing how many people will go out and buy a new car they can’t afford just so they can one-up their brother in law in the holiday driveway…

- or buy gifts or clothes that you can’t afford just to impress other people…

- haven’t we learned the lesson that people who might be impressed by our material things aren’t worth impressing anyway?...and are certainly not worth the pain of the debt that invariably accompanies the needless purchase?...

6. having perfectly behaved kids

- just like Paul found his identity in his righteous deeds, some parents find their identity in their children’s accomplishments

- so we stuff our kids with sweets, keep them up too late at night, drag them halfway across the country---and then get irritated when they don’t behave well, because of the bad impression that gives people about us…

7. being in the preferred marital or family state

- this one is much more serious…but this may be another Christmas where you have to endure family members making dumb comments about you not being married…or maybe if you are married, not having children…

- or maybe in your case, you’ve gone through a divorce this year…and in your mind, that is what defines you…more than anything else…

- now, that’s just the beginning of the list – we could dozens and dozens of ideas…here’s what I’m encouraging you to do right now…identify the area that you might be tempted to obsess about in the next 30 days…to think about too much, to too highly value…because remember, we don’t change in general, fuzzy ways – we change when we identify specific habits of the inner/outer man…

- now, what happens next?...

II. Learn to Deemphasize Things in Your Heart that Don’t Really Matter.

- see, verse 7 contains the great transaction…

A. For Paul.

- Philippians 3:7 - But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

- do you see the key phrase – “gain to me”?…

- that’s what that whole list was…

- Jesus was nowhere to be found…

- which is sad, because that was the purpose of the OT law…

- Galatians 3:24 - Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

- so the very things Paul is obsessing about – is focused upon – is finding his joy/identity in…are actually taking him further and further away from the Savior…

- it’s like the story John MacArthur likes to tell of the family that had a new baby, and a couple of months later they had a lot of friends and family in to celebrate and they were enjoying one another’s company and someone eventually asked where the baby was…and to everyone’s horror the mom pointed to the same bedroom where they had all stacked their coats when they came in…and they had literally suffocated the very baby whose birthday they came to celebrate because of neglect…

- and did you see Paul’s solution – it’s the key to everyone we’re talking about this morning…I had to learn to count that as loss…

- count – ageomai – engage in an intellectual process

- and Paul is saying that I had to make a mental shift, and come to the conclusion that things I used to believe were incredibly important or valuable were in fact loss…

- they don’t really matter any more…

B. For you

- in order to handle the next month well…there very well may be all sorts of things that you have to say…that really doesn’t matter…that’s really not that important…I’m not going to let that get in the way of higher priorities…

- in fact, in verse 8 Paul goes so far as to say – I count all of that as rubbish…

- v. 8 - rubbish – skubalon – waste, dung, manure

- So I am not going to overspend and bring all sorts of unneeded financial pressure on me and my family simply to impress people that I seldom see…it’s no worth it…it’s not that important…what I used to obsess about…I now consider loss

- I’m not going to worry about how my in-laws treat me…and whether the plans work out the way I want…and whether I’m accepted and revered…

- putting those issues in the loss column could dramatically reduce the amount of drama around the holidays…

- it doesn’t matter if the presents all have matching ribbon…it doesn’t matter if the cinnamon rolls aren’t as tasty as Grandma’s…it doesn’t matter if this on my body is too big and that on my body is too small…

- now, what does this look like in real time?...how does this transaction work?...

- let’s say that going to the in-laws is always a point of tension for you…

- they don’t treat you as well as you believe they should…

- their traditions are different…

- it’s hard to fit in…you just don’t like it, and it’s uncomfortable…

- so every Christmas it’s a fuss…you drag your feet…you’re late…you make snide comments…you clam up…you make the process of your spouse visiting his/her family as miserable as you possibly can…and practically as soon as you get there you’re wanting to leave…

- and you may not even fully understand why you feel this way, but you know it’s powerful…

- is it possible that you’re thinking way too much about your comfort…and your acceptance…and your familiarity…and your treatment…?...the things you believe would be gain for you?...

- is it possible that this Christmas, one of the best gifts you could give your spouse is – when we’re going over to your family – I want to make that as pleasant for you as possible…and I’m going to learn to consider whatever I believe I want/need out of that to be loss…to be unimportant…far less valuable and important than I’ve thought before…I’m not obsessing about any of that…

- so honey, what time would you like to leave?...I’ll be ready early…

- is there anything I can make or take that would especially show love to your family?...

- let’s talk about some of the great memories you have from your family on the way over and let’s be sure the kids are learning them…

- and I’ll be sure to offer to help in the kitchen or serve in some other way to free your family up to visit…

- and I’ll do my best to engage in conversation even though I find your grandmother’s love for NASCAR a little bit over the top…

- that’s the kind of intellectual exercise Paul went through…and that’s what God calls us to do as well…

- now I realize you might say – but you’re talking about me giving up all of my rights…I’m losing myself in this process…

- isn’t that the point of the manger?...isn’t that the point of being united with Christ in His death?...isn’t that what it means to preach the gospel to ourselves?...

- and isn’t it unfortunate that too often the very time of the year that is given over to celebrating the birth of the Savior is the very season where we’re least like Him?...

- now, Paul doesn’t stop there…because the Lord never asks us to remove something from our hearts and lives without offering a far better substitute…

III. Find Your Joy and Identity in Your Resurrected Savior

- I really believe that there will be a direct correlation between the genuine joy of the holidays, and our ability to live in the middle of Philippians 3:8-11.

A. For Paul

1. v. 8 - The surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord

- many times our obsessions are like cataracts that prevent us from clearly seeing Christ…

2. v. 8 – that I might gain Christ

3. v. 9 – that I might be found in Christ

4. v. 9 – that I might be found in Christ’s righteousness

5. v. 10 – that I may know Him

6. v. 10 – that I may know the power of His resurrection

7. v. 10 – that I may know the fellowship of His sufferings

8. v. 10 – that I may be conformed to His death

9. v. 11 – in view of my coming resurrection

B. For you

- bottom line – what you frequently think about is where you find your joy, it’s where you place you identity, it’s where you locate your trust…

- many of the things that get us upset during the holidays do not deserve that position…the One whose birthday we’re celebrating deserves it.

Filed Under: christmas (27), family (34), holidays (6), obsession (1), priorities (4), relatives (1), stress (3)

6 Words Every Relationship Needs: #6-Perseverance

Steve Viars — 2011-11-20T16:08:32+00:00

Hebrews 10:32-11:2; 12:1-3
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- Have you ever heard of these personal showers girls have before someone in their tribe is married?...I’m not going to speculate on what goes on at such gatherings—the whole topic is completely off limits…

- but would you agree with me that in fairness to what the Scripture teaches about equality, that there should also be a shower for the guy…and I know sometimes they have these tool showers now where you get some screwdrivers or a tool-box…that’s really not what I’m talking about…

- I mean the kind of event where the groom-to-be is presented with the kind of large power equipment every man needs to carry out his responsibilities at home…

- for example, every man needs a backhoe…because some days you wake up and feel like digging something up…I can’t explain it – it’s just a primal instinct from deep inside…but you just need to dig a big hole that day and it’s not right to deprive a man the equipment necessary to accomplish that task…

- and of course you need a jackhammer – because other days you wake up and something deep inside says – I need to break something today…and the process needs to be relatively dangerous with big chunks of stuff flying around…

- I’ve always thought this would make a nice shower gift too…because getting the ladder out of the garage or the basement is inconvenient and there are a lot of ladder related accidents you know – but not with one of these babies…the uses for a bucket truck are practically endless…

- and by the way, for the purposes of stewardship—I am certainly not suggesting that these pieces of equipment would have to be brand new…I think I speak for most men here when I say that we would be willing to accept items from the secondary market…that’s just the kind of sacrificial beings we are…

- and I’m really just scratching the surface here – dozens and dozens of items fit under this heading along with the need, of course, for a large building to safely store all of these items…

- one item I have to mention if we’re going to talk about essential power tools, especially this time of year…is…

- isn’t there just something about this time of year that makes you want to go in the woods and start cutting things up?...

- every guy needs a chain saw – and if you’ve been around our church for any period of time, you know that I’ve had a rather colorful relationship with chain saws over the years…

- My dad and I used the first one I had to cut the trees down along the edge of the ravine where we built our house…and then we framed our house and were working on different things and one night I left it in the garage but it was before the garage door had been installed and someone stole it…

- that was over 18 years ago and I’m still bitter about it…

- even though 2 weeks ago I stood right here and taught what the Bible says about forgiveness, if the guy who stole my first chain saw came up to me today and admitted what he did and asked for my forgiveness, honestly I’m not sure could do it…without taking the saw and cutting a few limbs off him…that’s how deep the pain goes…

- then I bought my second chain saw and that one worked fine until I had the unfortunate experience of cutting some trees down behind our house and cut one that was supposed to fall into the ravine but instead it fell on our house…that was a bad day, but it did allow us to go ahead and put larger gutters on the back of the house like we had been discussing…

- well unfortunately the sage continues…

- because last weekend I was out in our woods and there was a huge tree that had blown partially over and needed to come down…

- and I can’t fully explain what happens in a man’s brain at a time like that…but there’s something about the challenge…it makes your glands secrete this hyper-competitive hormone that defies logic and reason…

- and I knew that the tree was under a lot of pressure because of the way it had fallen…and if you’re not careful, as you’re cutting, the pieces actually come back together and it wedges your saw and it won’t run and you can’t get it out…

- of course that’s only going to happen to novice chain saw guys who aren’t as good at it as me…at least that’s what I told myself until I was almost all the way through the tree when it rolled and just totally bound up my saw…

- now, here’s what you’re supposed to do at that moment – go find another guy with another chain saw he received at his power tool shower and have him cut your saw out…

- that’s what you do if you’re smart…what I did was to take my saw handle and try to work it out of the bind by pushing the handle up and down…

- which was fine, until I heard this crack…where I broke the main piece the holds the bar and the chain to the saw…a piece that I have subsequently learned if broken, costs practically more than the price of a new saw to replace…

- so I’m happy to announce that I’m now the proud owner of my third chain saw…

- now, here’s why I tell you that crazy story…do you ever get tired of things breaking?...

- of items in your life not enduring…constantly needing to be fixed or replaced…sometimes, if not frequently, due at least in part to your unwise choices?...

- compare that to what God’s Word says about the enduring nature of His attributes and provisions…

- Psalm 104:31 - Let the glory of the Lord endure forever; Let the Lord be glad in His works;

- Psalm 145:13 - Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, And Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

- Jeremiah 10:10 - But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth quakes, And the nations cannot endure His indignation.

- Psalm 111:3 - Splendid and majestic is His work, And His righteousness endures forever.

- 1 Peter 1:25 - But the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word which was preached to you.

- what a contrast to the many things in our life that don’t last very long – either because of the way they were made to begin with…or because of the way we treated them…

- now let me ask you this – when it comes to your relationships – are they more like the character of God…or like me and my chainsaws?...I think we need to talk about that…

- with that question in mind, please open your Bible to Hebrews 10…page 174 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- this morning we’re concluding our study on Six Words Every Relationship Needs…

- we have some advertising pieces for the outreach series that starts next Sunday on That Crazy Family of Yours…so I hope you’ll plan to be with us and bring some friends along…

- but in our current study, the first five words we’ve looked at have been grace, and encouragement, and loyalty, and forgiveness, and transparency…

- and I hope all of us can point to specific steps we’ve tried to take in the last month to make those concepts more a part of the way we relate to those the Lord has placed around us…

- this morning we want to land the plane on this study by looking at a characteristic that is equally important and necessary as the others we’ve examined…it’s the issue of Perseverance…

- read Hebrews 10:32-11:2…now if you know your Bible, you know that this next section if frequently called the Faith Hall of Fame…stories of great men and women whose lives were especially characterized by endurance…by perseverance…

- it’s a fabulous collection of tales for sure…

- but the conclusion comes in chapter 12, verse 1---and this is where I’d especially like us to focus this morning…read Hebrews 12:1-3…

- so we’re talking this morning about perseverance…and with the time we have remaining, let’s think about 3 steps to developing relationships that endure.

I. Be Challenged by the Example of Faithful People around You.

- that comes from this phrase…v. 1 – “since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us…”

- now, what does that mean?...

- it’s one of those phrases that has led to all sorts of interesting speculation among the people of God…

- so folks believe that men and women in heaven actually observe what is occurring on earth…they’re sort of in the grandstands, so to speak…cheering us on, or maybe yelling at the refs (no, that’s probably not it)…but some believe that is what this passage is talking about…

- I can’t imagine anything more boring than being in heaven where you now know what it is like to experience an existence without the curse of sin…yet being forced to go to a game every day where you’re watching people break their chains saws over and over…

- that is why it is so important for us to interpret the Word of God in its context…

A. The “great cloud of witnesses” in verse 1 is referring back to the faithful men and women whose stories are told in chapter 11.

- and please think through the argument of what we read…

- the book of Hebrews is written to Jewish men and women, many of whom have genuinely trusted Christ but some who had been around the gospel and even he activities of the church without truly repenting followers of Christ…

- but for both groups, the newness is wearing off…and the challenges involved in being a Christian were becoming more significant as the persecution of the church increased…

- and some of these people were actually thinking about quitting…about throwing in the towel…about going back to the temple where the worship was more familiar and accepted and safe…so…

B. The context is men and women who are struggling with perseverance.

- Hebrews 10:35-36 - Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.

- and some people face that in their relationship with God…others face it in their relationship with people…

- some individuals go through relationships faster than I go through chain saws…

- there’s no perseverance…

- so someone hurts you, and now they’re off the Christmas list…

- or someone disappoints you, and they get cut off…

- or someone else is rude, or mean, or insensitive…or you blow up at them, or give them the cold shoulder…

- and by the way, I’m not in any way minimizing the significance of the disappointment, or the hurt…

- but the question before the house is – does God want us to find ways to persevere in times of trial or not?...

- I wonder how many of us might be tempted right now, or some time recently…to just give up on another person or situation out of frustration and anger…where the Spirit of God would say to us…”do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.”

- and if that’s the case, one of the keys is to look around at faithful people around you and say in your heart…if God can help them persevere, God can help me…

- that’s one of the great benefits of being part of this stewardship celebration tonight…

- you’ll be around a number of people who have learned the art of endurance…they have been serving God and serving the people in their life for a long, long time…

- there will be people with us tonight who have been married for over 60 years…you want to be around people like that…and do you think they could tell a few war stories?...of course they could…but they’d also tell you they’re glad they found ways to communicate and works things out…

- there will people tonight who have been at this church practically from the day it started…and they’re still here…part of a great cloud of witnesses intended to give you hope…

- we’ll have some missionaries with us tonight who serve God in incredibly challenging ministry assignments – but they’re not quitting…they are asking God to give them perseverance…

- now, please keep this in mind as well…

C. Often perseverance is the result of handling a hard time well.

- see, you don’t go through the drive through at McDonalds and order a sack of endurance and say, please hurry up because I’m in a rush this am…

- Romans 5:3-4 - And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;

- and I realize that you might say – but I don’t know what to do when one of these relational challenges hits…I don’t know what to say…I don’t know how to respond…

- add this thought from later in this same book…

- Romans 15:4 - For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

- see, where does the perseverance come from?...

- an important part of that answer is – through knowing the Word…

- “through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures…”

- see, some people are too busy sending a nasty text or a flaming e-mail when they ought to shut all of that down…and at that very moment say – I’m not going to say anything else – I’m not going to do anything else – unless I’m sure that the way I’m about to respond is honoring to God and in line with His Word…

- and while you’re going through that process (and remember, this is a process)…you can follow the example of godly people you’ve met (if you’ve opened yourself up to those kind of relationships – having a great cloud of witnesses)…and you can open your Bible and please mark this down…your heart will be more open to the life-changing principles of the Word of God for sure…

- see, slow down…shut it… Romans 14:23 - whatever is not from faith is sin. (cf. the holding principle)

- and then use this relational hiccup as an opportunity to contemplate the model of other godly people and the truth of the Word of God…

- Psalm 119:71 - It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.

- now, let me ask you this – are you surrounding yourself with a group of godly people who can model for you what it means to develop endurance in your relationships through the application of biblical principles even when it’s hard and maybe even when you really don’t feel like doing so?...

- and as a result…you have hope in your heart because if God helped them endure…He can help you as well…

- I cannot emphasize that principle enough especially from the perspective of what is required to develop long-term strength and stability and health in a church family…

- younger people (either chronologically or younger on the Lord)…finding ways to surround themselves with godly examples…and even saying…I want to step into that person’s shoes…

- cf. trying to emphasize that yesterday at LN set-up day – letting some of the old war-horses sit in lawn chairs and drink bad coffee is styrofoam cups and essentially saying – you guys did your part and we want to develop the same kind of endurance…

- so sure there are going to be problems and challenges when we serve together…

- but if God helped you endure, he’ll help us as well…

- that is part of transferring truth across the generations…

- and one of my concerns as a pastor is whether or not this next generation is capable of long term commitment, and endurance, and perseverance…

- now, all of that is important…but it leads to the question – am I supposed to pull this off by myself…in my own strength?...that’s why the next section of the test is so very important…

II. Keep Your Eyes on Your Savior Who Persevered for You.

- following the example of other people is only valuable to the degree to which their lives point us to our Savior, and help us keep our eyes on Jesus…

- “v. 2 – fixing our eyes on Jesus”

- don’t you love that picture?...

- and here’s what that means…

A. Carefully evaluate your focus during a time of “relational tension.”

- see, there are many potential wrong goals when someone disappoints you, or hurts you, or mistreats you in some way…

- think about that – to what does your mind typically gravitate?...

- I’m going to hurt them back…I’m going to make them pay…I’m going to gossip about them or discredit them in front of others…

- I’m going to cut them off so they can never hurt me like that again?....

- there’s all sorts of objects on which we can place our focus.

- and what does this text say we are supposed to do?....fix our eyes on Jesus…

- times of relational tension are the perfect opportunities to follow and thereby become more like our Savior…

- Romans 8:28-29 - And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son…

- the principle is – frequently it’s at that very point of relational tension where a person is poised to take a significant step of growth toward Christ-likeness that they bolt because of the pressure and discomfort of the situation and go find some other friend, or other partner…or other whatever…and immediately what happens is, the relational maturity meter resets…and what might feel like something that is really good for a period of time is really just the familiarity of doing the same thing over and over again…

- that even happens with pastors…

- many pastors stay in the same church for a period of time…and when the pressure comes, they bolt…[or in church speak, God calls them somewhere else]…and then things get tough there…and they bolt…

- and they pastor about 5 different churches for 8 years each and at the end of their ministry career they think they have 40 years of ministry experience when that’s really not true…

- what they really have is 8 years of ministry experience 5 times over…

- and that same principle is true of any relationship you can name…

- perseverance comes from becoming more like our Savior…

B. Remember that Jesus is both the author and perfecter of your faith.

Hebrews 12:2 - fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

- the kind of persevering faith we’re talking about this am finds its source in our crucified and risen Lord Himself…

- and I realize you might say – but wait a minute, you said we are thinking about this in its context—weren’t the people mentioned in chapter 11 OT saints – how could Jesus have been the author and perfecter of their faith?...

- what’s the answer to that question – because Jesus is the eternally preexistent second member of the trinity…

- as my theology professor John Whitcomb used to like to say – Jesus’ birth in a manger in Bethlehem was one of His more recent accomplishments…

- that’s why Paul said…

- 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 – Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

- which leads to several questions, doesn’t it?

1. Have you ever trusted Christ as Savior and Lord?...is he truly the author of your faith, or does the impermanence of so many of your relationships over the years demonstrate that you’ve not yet become a follower of Christ?...

2. As a Christian, are you committed to perseverance, and is that obvious by the way you stay in there and try to communicate biblical and solve problems with the people in your life?...

III. Remember that there is no Such Thing as Short-Term Endurance.

Hebrews 12:3 - For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Filed Under: endurance (3), faithfulness (7), perseverance (6), relationships (12), steadfastness (2)