Revealing a Tapestry: Our Good

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Sermon

Oops: Life following Jesus isn’t sensible…

(stories about the insensible in scripture)

I’ve got a problem with the Christian life. The more I get to know Jesus in his word and the closer I get to his heart, the bigger this problem gets.

You see, regardless of what I think I want in life, there is a deep seeded part of me, maybe in you too that desires one key thing. In life, in church, in my family…I want to know it’s all good.

I want my faith to make my life better

I want church to be a place where I know what to expect

I want my finances, my family, and my future to be comfortable and solid.

But looking back in my own life, that isn’t the way it’s been.

For a season when I was about Caleb’s age, I left ministry out of frustration. Regretted it immediately, but for a season God shut all the ministry doors. In those 5 years, we eventually got comfortable, I got a great job, I was moving up the ladder, and then God called me back.

Part time youth ministry job…Did I keep working at the comfortable job, or take a ridiculous risk. Monica and I decided to take the risk. She found a property management job that covered our living expenses and I went part time and became a stay at home dad.

Then we began to realize that living 45 minutes away from the church was crippling our impact on the youth of Cottage Grove. But it was Monica’s income and the apartment that came with it that gave us security.

Then God impressed upon me that Fred and Dora had a little RV…4 could fit. And the Sunklers had property where we could hook up water, sewer, and electricity...

I do not like it Sam I am…I do not like RV’s on Land…but I shared the impression with Monica, who has always had insight where I have dreams…and she cried. Because she was sure I was right.

Family and friends objected…this can’t be how God would operate. Take the sensible route.

But...

Jesus is teaching, crowds have come from all over. As evening approaches, the disciples hint that it’s time for him to wrap things up. After all, these people need time to go get dinner before the food court closes.

5,000 men, plus their families and Jesus...

Matthew 14:16 CSB “They don’t need to go away,” Jesus told them. “You give them something to eat.”

They have 5 loaves of bread and a couple of fish. Tuna sandwiches are only going to go so far.

Matthew 14:18 CSB “Bring them here to me,” he said.

And he does it.

But this was always God’s kingdom way.

When the people of Israel were slaves in the land of Egypt, one of them got lucky and was raised by royalty…then committed murder and ran for his life. His adopted and natural family wanting nothing to do with him.

He finally settles in and makes a life for himself far away. Married, kids, a decent job herding sheep. When he turns a corner and sees a bush on fire…that isn’t burning up.

Investigating, which is sensible he hears the voice of God who speaks to him out of this inferno:

I have seen the misery of my people, and I have come to rescue them. Whooo…this sounds like good news! I am going to take them to a wide open productive land where other nations live now, but I’m gonna move them out and move you in. YEAH baby...

Exodus 3:10 “therefore, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh so that you may lead my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.”

In the sitcom version of this story, if there ever is one, this is where the sound of squealing brakes and skidding tires comes in.

Moses in summary says, “that is not a reasonable thing to ask of me.”

God says, “I’m not asking. You’re going.”

After Moses does exactly that, with many insensible things along the way, his sidekick Joshua takes over, they go into the land and face an enemy with mighty walls and and a mightier army. What does God say to do about it?

Joshua 6:3-5 CSB “March around the city with all the men of war, circling the city one time. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry seven ram’s-horn trumpets in front of the ark. But on the seventh day, march around the city seven times, while the priests blow the rams’ horns. When there is a prolonged blast of the horn and you hear its sound, have all the troops give a mighty shout. Then the city wall will collapse, and the troops will advance, each man straight ahead.”

Naturally. Walk around the wall, let the marching band play, shout and the walls are gonna fall…why not?

Gideon is told to take 300 and beat 150,000 with trumpets, torches and clay pots.

Jeremiah gets to go give an unpopular message being told that they won’t believe ahead of time.

Abraham is asked to sacrifice his only son born to him when he’s already 100…not like he’s getting a second chance...

And every one of these tilted their heads to the side and said…seriously?

Ugh: Risk is hard, we either fear it and avoid or jump into risk on things that don’t matter

(A message for you … get particular)

Risk is a hard thing. It’s doing the insensible for some possible payoff. And humans have an interesting relationship with risk.

We either fear it, and we will avoid it if we possibly can

We make our plan, we make sure it’s safe, then we execute the plan, letting nothing move us.

Or we just say no to the things that might put us in a risky place…sometimes by saying no…sometimes by yes to lots of other things…sometimes just by ignoring the call.

Or We chase risk, and take all kinds…on things that in the long run don’t really matter.

We drive fast, we do it imaginarily in video games or gambling, we take on the risky business ventures that come our way.

As I look back on my own life, I’ve gone both ways…and reflecting on why I and we as humans both avoid risk, and why we jump at risks that don’t matter I’ve come to a couple conclusions.

First, In both cases when it comes to kingdom living, we use those strategies to avoid taking the risks God is calling us to.

And though every time we take a risk it feels scary…it seems that this is God’s MO which means if we want to live a Kingdom centered life, we have to come to grips with being holy risk takers…or maybe as Paul says in 2 Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 5:7 CSB “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

So today, if you are a “safe” person…this message is for you.

Today if you are a risk taker, but for things that are temporary and only about you…this message is for you.

If you are somewhere in the middle and a little of both…this message is for you.

Ok, but what is the path to the risking, and risking well?

Aha: Seeing in the tapestry of God’s glory that God is pursuing in our church is for our good and MORE important the Kingdom’s good.

Last week I started taking about this tapestry that is being woven as ultimately being for God’s glory. In a million years when eternity looks back on this weaving, they will see how awesome God is.

There is another theme in this image though. Because ultimately, God’s glory is his revealing of himself…and at the very core of God’s nature is his deep love and grace and mercy and power to do good.

To backtrack to our last series on the sermon on the mount, where Jesus is describing the kingdom, describes himself as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets and then describes the summary of the law and prophets by saying, “DO to others as you would have them do to you” we see that WHO GOD IS AT HIS CORE, and WHAT HE DOES because that identity…is good.

Jesus invited the disciples to feed thousands of people with a few tuna sandwiches…Tell me they didn’t talk about that memory till the day they died with a smile.

God pushed Moses to confront the most powerful nation on earth…tell me that the day they started marching there wasn’t a grin on his face…there would be plenty more reasons for trouble, but no one got to know God better than this guy who was pushed to risk.

Tell me that it wasn’t worth moving into that RV when Monica and I got to watch students lives change, oh, and we got to see God get us into a duplex in less than 2 months and owning our own duplex in less than a year.

GOD’s RISKS ARE GOOD! So how do we shift our thinking and thereby our actions so we take the right risks.

Whee: LOOKING BEYOND can solve both (each fit both) errors…OUR REALITY (God’s Kingdom is bigger), TODAY’S DESIRE (what we want), THE SHORT TOMORROW (our plans), THE FINAL HEARTBEAT (to eternal things),

Here is the key verse. If you are taking notes, circle and underline this one:

The writer of Hebrews describes people of faith, people who took risks. Recognizing that in the end, they all died. Most of them never seeing the end result of their faithful risk taking. And he says this about them:

Hebrews 11:13 CSB “These all died in faith, although they had not received the things that were promised. But they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth.”

Repeat it.

They were:

Looking Beyond

These people were seeing something no one else did, they not only saw it, but shaped their lives around something they couldn’t see but they knew was home. Before I get specific, just read the next 3 verses:

Hebrews 11:14-16 “Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they were thinking about where they came from, they would have had an opportunity to return. But they now desire a better place—a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

They are looking beyond, because though this is not their home, they know there is one.

So what do we need to look beyond?

Our Reality

Can you feed everyone in this room with 3 tuna sandwiches? No. Even if everyone took very small bites, I’m allergic to fish, so I’d be out.

Can you write a check for a thousand dollars when you have a hundred in the bank? Yes you can…but you better not.

Can you walk into someone else’s despair and make them see hope? Sadly…no.

Our world has rules. What goes up…goes down. When you breath in…which you have to do…you must breath out. 5 loaves and 2 fish can feed a finite number of people.

CS Lewis noted something the Matrix would make famous half a century later. The observation that our idea of what is real…is limited by our experience.

All the stories we started this message with, including my own are impossible…and they happened.

Check this story from the days of Elisha.

The nation of Aram had Jerusalem under siege. It was desperate. the city was falling to pieces from the inside because of hunger and thirst. They were giving up on God saving them. Then Elisha gives this word to the King:

2 Kings 7:1 “Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says: ‘About this time tomorrow at Samaria’s gate, six quarts of fine flour will sell for a half ounce of silver and twelve quarts of barley will sell for a half ounce of silver.’ ””

To translate: Food is going to be so plentiful, it will be dirt cheap.

2 Kings 7:2 “Then the captain, the king’s right-hand man, responded to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” Elisha announced, “You will in fact see it with your own eyes, but you won’t eat any of it.””

The king’s right-hand man, couldn’t believe it. Wouldn’t believe it.

Then God.

Two lepers decide to go into the Aramean camp and surrender. Figure if they die they die, but if they are taken prisoner…they might get fed.

But when they get to the camp? No one. God had caused the Aramean army to panic and run away…leaving everything behind. Including enough food to feed…well to feed an army.

We look at our bank balance that no matter what steps we take, seems to be getting smaller and we think, “Could this really happen?”

We look at masses of hungry people and say, “But we only have five loaves and two fish here”

We look at the hopeless and say, “I can’t make them see”

We look at the lost and say, “they’ll never believe”

Then God. When we look at our present reality and simply accept it, we say there is no way beyond what I can do with what I have.

Church, God is calling you, God is calling us as a body…as a woven together community of faith to look beyond our reality and see what he sees.

You think there isn’t enough? Then God...

You think the problem can’t be resolved? Then God...

You think that person is beyond hope? …Oh…then God...

You think you are beyond hope? (shake head…) Don’t you dare. don’t you dare tell that to God…because there is nothing in your reality that can stop the one who MADE IT, MADE YOU, and is GOOD.

One of the best reasons to read through the whole bible is that there are countless stories not of human heroes, but of GOD stepping in and doing the impossible out of love for those who simply look beyond their reality and believe HE CAN do what we can’t.

Looking beyond our reality, we have to take another step…and a failure on this one may prevent more miracles than we can imagine

Today’s Desire

Jesus is healing all over Capernaum and there are two interactions:

Matthew 8:19-22 A scribe approached him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus told him, “Foxes have dens, and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” “Lord,” another of his disciples said, “first let me go bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

I will follow…but I need to know I have a safe place to sleep.

I will follow…but I need to wait until my dad passes away.

I will follow…but I can’t afford to sacrifice.

I will follow…but not if it means losing a friendship

I will follow…but not if it means giving up my favorite activities

I will follow…but not until that person apologizes

I will follow…but…is all about not being able to look past what I want…now.

God calls me to faithfully give in proportion to my income, but I can’t afford that.

God calls me to serve others according to the talents and gifts he has given, but I don’t have time for that.

God calls me to forgive and love others, but if they won’t, why bother.

As a church this can impact us too. If the individuals in a group are looking at today’s desire instead of looking beyond to God’s purposes…why would those individuals do different in a group?

As we look at our church as a woven community, we are going to keep pressing in to that question. How do we as a community walk together with a higher value on God’s desires for us than our desires for us? How do we become disciples of Jesus, living like he did.

No where is that more evident than at the cross. Jesus in Matthew 16 tells his disciples that he will go to Jerusalem, suffer, be killed, and be raised. Peter models our default setting and says, “NO WAY! This can’t HAPPEN”

The response from Jesus is IMMEDIATE.

Matthew 16:23 CSB Jesus turned and told Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me because you’re not thinking about God’s concerns but human concerns.”

God’s concerns or human concerns. That’s the difference between looking at today’s desires and looking beyond to God’s.

Jesus tells his disciples, after this harsh moment:

Matthew 16:24-26 “Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone wants to follow after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of me will find it. For what will it benefit someone if he gains the whole world yet loses his life? Or what will anyone give in exchange for his life?”

Avoiding risk may seem sensible, but hear what is at stake. “If anyone wants to follow after me.” This is what it means. It means looking beyond yourself, to the cross…

Avoiding the risk may seem like saving your life, your bank balance, your job, your family, but Jesus says if all you’re doing is trying to save your life you will lose it. Not meaning you will suddenly be struck down…but you won’t live it, and you won’t live the life God is inviting you into, and the cost of avoiding risk is just too high.

You see, when we look past our own desires and embrace God’s we are believing that he is GOOD…when we won’t…we’re still making a statement about what we believe about God.

We need to look past our reality, look past today’s desires, and we also need to look past

The Short Tomorrow

I love to plan. Truth be told, i like to plan better than I like doing. It’s exciting to look at what could be, and build a story of where we could go. It’s hard work to actually do it.

And planning is important. As a family you should have a budget, you should save for retirement and for emergencies, students you should plan your next steps, couples should plan in order to strengthen their relationships.

Truth be told, in each of these areas we’re discussing, we do need to be mindful of what we are looking past. We should look at reality. We need to know that we only have 3 sandwiches. We just have to look past it as well. We need to look past our desires, but at the same time, we need to be mindful of them. And we need to plan.

For example Our church leadership is working on the budget for next year right now. That budget will look at reality and desire…but it better look past it too. And though that budget will plan for tomorrow…but...

If our plans hold us so tightly that when God flips the script, or brings us an opportunity, or closes a door, or the Spirit moves us to change and we can’t do it...

I have no guarantee of my next heartbeat. On March 12 2020 we had zero plans for a pandemic. On September 10 2001 I had no plans to sit with students in shock as their nation was attacked for the first time in their lives. On October 30, 1996 I had no plans to get married on June 13th 1998.

On November 27th 1998 I had plans to go into business, by the end of December I was sitting with a pastor asking what it meant to be one.

James is my favorite here.

James 4:13-16 “Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will travel to such and such a city and spend a year there and do business and make a profit.” Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like vapor that appears for a little while, then vanishes. Instead, you should say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.”

Or as Proverbs says very succinctly:

Proverbs 16:9 “A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.”

I call it the short tomorrow, because we can’t see very far ahead. And even should we look to the end our lifetime, that is a drop in the bucket. God’s plans are far greater and better.

We must be willing to take the risks that matter, even when they disrupt our plans. Because as we keep saying…WE BELIEVE THAT GOD’s PLANS ARE GOOD.

we have to be willing to take risks, looking beyond Our reality, our desires, and our plans if we are going to follow Jesus. We can do that because living by faith, we believe he is good, and so those things that seem risky are actually the most solid place we can be. But how can we know if it’s the right risk? We need to look beyond...

Yeah: As a church we are called to the insensible, we must be bold enough to take the risks that move the mission. It takes a church with financial generosity, love for neighbor that pushes us out our doors and into their lives, willing to try and fail, willing to lose because in God’s economy that is exactly where he loves to win. WHAT WILL YOU DO?

The Final Heartbeat

I’m going to die. Probably not today, I have no plans for it.

You’re going to die. Probably not today, I have no plans for it.

The writer of Ecclesiastes lamented that one of the great mysteries of life is that we plan and save, and work and in the end we die and we have no idea if those who come after will be wise or foolish with what we leave behind. We have no control over it.

I could invest a million dollars in a cure for disease and no matter how many people were cured…they will still die. All my effort may have changed the calendar, but not the outcome.

Going back a few points, this is why Jesus was able to say those that want to save their lives will lose them. Because you can’t. So what are you willing to lose your life for?

What are you willing to give your time for? What are you willing to give your money for? What are you willing to give up your plans for? What are you willing to give up your priorities for, your reality for, your expectations for?

As individual threads in the story, in the weaving of this church, this church body that has been woven together for 105 years, threads coming and going, being born and dying, serving and loving and giving, we have a history that is filled with moments where we gave all and saw God change the course of eternity through us, and moments where we sought to save our lives…and lost the chance to live.

Today I want to invite you to do two things.

1. If you haven’t added threads to the Woven art over here, please do so, and add your name to the list of those who have. This piece will be a reminder that this church is a weaving of many threads for the cause of Christ.

2. I want you to look hard at your past. Identify 1 or 2 places where you chose to save your life instead of lose it. Come to terms with what that might have cost.

I had a conversation with a friend, I’ll call him Jim, not too long ago.

Years ago Jim got a job in Colorado, worked for a great guy who I’ll call John, they became great friends. About the same time he got saved. John, his friend wasn’t.

Over nearly the next decade their friendship grew. John would take a new job, and before too long would call Jim to come work for him again. Always a step up, a new journey.

Then, after nearly ten years, in a time they weren’t working together, Jim gets a call to hang out. John, his friend and the source of so many opportunities tells him that he has given his life to Jesus.

Jim is thrilled! So excited for him. He had been praying for this, longing for it.

Then John gets a sad look.

“Jim, you knew. You knew this was real. You knew the joy and peace that comes through knowing Jesus. I shared every good opportunity with you…Why didn’t you share this?”

As Jim was telling me this story, his eyes and his voice reflected the pain inside that was still fresh years later.

The bottom line, he was afraid to risk what was here and now for what was eternal.

His friendship, his prosperity, afraid to lose those things for the sake of John’s knowing Jesus.

Maybe for you, your moment was choosing not to share the gospel when you knew God was calling you to do so like my friend. Maybe it was something else. But feel it, and then take a second step and choose to do differently today.

Ask where is God calling you to take a risk and lose something in order to find what matters most. Write it down. Take a note in your phone. Do it before you leave. And show someone else. I’m always going to ask that of you…we need one another. We need a cheering section to help us take the risks we fear to take.

That chapter in Hebrews that we started in, that shares the stories, that section ends in chapter 12 with a challenge to us and I want to close with this:

Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy that lay before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Pray