All In - Lesson 4

Don Parmely

All In • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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February 1, 2023

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Exodus 3:1-5 “Now Moses was pasturing the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian; and he led the flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. 2 And the angel of Yahweh appeared to him in a blazing fire from the midst of the bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. 3 So Moses said, “I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight. Why is the bush not burned up?” 4 And Yahweh saw that he turned aside to look, so God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” 5 Then He said, “Do not come near here. Remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.””

Exodus 3:10-14 “So now, come and I will send you to Pharaoh, and so you shall bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” 11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?” 12 And He said, “Certainly I will be with you, and this shall be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God at this mountain.” 13 Then Moses said to God, “Behold, I am about to come to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ And they will say to me, ‘What is His name?’ What shall I say to them?” 14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’””

Exodus 4:1-5 “1 Then Moses answered and said, “What if they will not believe me and will not listen to my voice? For they may say, ‘Yahweh has not appeared to you.’” 2 And Yahweh said to him, “What is this in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.” 3 Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail”—so he stretched out his hand and took hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.””

Chapter 13 Quotes:

Sometimes going all in feels like it’s all for naught.

… it’s not over until God says it’s over!

In God’s kingdom, failure is never final. Not if you believe in the resurrection! You won’t win every spiritual battle, but the war has already been decisively won.

… when you have a setback, you do not take a step back, because God is already preparing your comeback.

Never underestimate the ripple effect of one act of obedience. It will never be all for nothing.

Moses: by trying to expedite God’s will, he delayed it for four decades!

[Sometimes/often?] our reality doesn’t measure up to our ideality. That crisis presents us with a choice: throw in the towel once and for all or throw our hat back in the ring.

… what seemed like a life sentence to Moses was really parole with a purpose.

(I promised I didn’t read this chapter before Sunday): Failure is the fertilizer that grows character.

… the journey to the Promised Land starts at a burning bush.

[Moses’] life was defined by monotony until he had an epiphany.

The heavenly Father loves surprising His earthly children! You better expect the unexpected because God is predictably unpredictable.

… [So] live in holy anticipation, knowing that God can invade the reality of your life at any given moment and change everything for eternity.

… [because] no place on earth, not even a thornbush, is devoid of the Presence.”

God is everywhere to be found.

God is where you want to be.

God is where it’s at.

The theological word is immanence. And it’s the complement to transcendence.

He is God Most High.

He is also God Most Nigh.

In the words of A. W. Tozer:

God is above, but He’s not pushed up. He’s beneath, but He’s not pressed down. He’s outside, but He’s not excluded. He’s inside, but He’s not confined.

God is above all things presiding, beneath all things sustaining, outside of all things embracing and inside of all things filling.

It’s not about who you are. It’s about whose you are! And I love the Almighty’s answer: “I AM WHO I AM.” God answers his questions by revealing His name. And He also offers this reassurance: “I will be with you.”

That’s all we need to know, isn’t it?

If God is for us, who can be against us?

God plus one equals a supermajority.

His name is the solution to every problem.

His name is the answer to every question.

His name calms every fear, seals every prayer, and wins every battle.

At His name, angels bow and demons quake.

At His name, our sin is vindicated and our authority is validated.

It’s not about who you are!

Who you are is absolutely irrelevant. God doesn’t use us because of us. He uses us in spite of us.

Throwing down your staff is letting go and letting God. And that’s counterintuitive for those of us who are control freaks. As our executive pastor Joel Schmidgall likes to say, “You can have faith or you can have control, but you cannot have both.” If you want God to do something off the chart, you have to take your hands off the controls.

The staff represented Moses’ identity and security as a shepherd. It was the way Moses made a living. It was also the way he protected himself and his flock. So when God told Moses to throw it down, He was asking Moses to let go of who he was and what he had.

It was Moses’ all in moment.

Generosity: The legacy that Thomas Maclellan left wasn’t wealth. It was the complete surrender of his life to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Daniel 3:16–18 (LSB) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to respond to you with an answer concerning this matter. 17 “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to save us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will save us out of your hand, O king. 18 “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods, and we will not worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Chapter 14 Quotes:

… these three Jewish expats obviously feared God more than they feared death itself. They would rather die by the flame than dishonor God. So they made a defining decision to stand up for what was right rather than bow down to what was wrong.

It was all or nothing.

It was now or never.

It was life or death.

When it comes to sinful rationalizations, we are infinitely creative. But it’s our rationalizations that often annul His revelations.

When we take matters into our own hands, we take God out of the equation.

Integrity won’t keep us from getting thrown into the fiery furnace, but it can keep us from getting burned. And it won’t just protect us. It will also convict the people around us.

Going all in and all out for the All in All is both a death sentence and a life sentence.

Who are you going to offend?

That is one of the most important decisions you’ll ever make!

If you fear man, you’ll offend God.

If you fear God, you’ll offend man.

Matthew 26:14–16 (LSB) Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me to deliver Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16 And from then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

Chapter 15 Quotes:

… goal-directed, self-imposed delay of gratification is a powerful predictor of future success in any endeavor.

He didn’t just sell out by betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Judas never bought in. And it’s evidenced by his lack of integrity from the get-go.

… while most of us can’t imagine pickpocketing Jesus, we shortchange Him in a thousand different ways. We rob God of the glory He demands and deserves by not living up to our full, God-given potential.

Nothing is more illogical than sin. It’s the epitome of poor judgment. It’s temporary insanity with eternal consequences. And we have no alibi, save the cross of Jesus Christ.

It’s not worth it, and we know it.

Yet we do it.

When God doesn’t conform to our expectations, we’re tempted to betray what we believe in. Like Judas, we’re in it for what we can get out of it.

Judas was spiritually schizophrenic. And so are we. Our love is mixed with lies. We steal from the One we have supposedly surrendered our lives to. And we betray Him in our own unique ways.

History turns on a dime.

The dime is our defining decisions.

And those decisions, right or wrong, determine our destiny.

Bad decisions usually lead to worse decisions. After Judas betrayed Jesus, he made the worst decision and last decision of his life. He ended his life by hanging himself from a tree in a potter’s field. It’s more than a sad ending. It’s a standing warning.

The good news is that God can forgive our bad decisions. And one good decision can totally change the trajectory of our lives. And that one good decision will lead to better decisions. But it starts by making the right decision when no one is looking.

It is much easier to act like a Christian than it is to react like one!

The original sin, committed by Adam and Eve, was buying into the Enemy’s lie that God was holding out on them. … If you believe that God is holding out on you, you won’t go all in with God. So

Isn’t that the lesson to be learned from Ananias and Sapphira?

Acts 5:1–11 (LSB) But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, 2 and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge. And bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. 3 But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? 4 “While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your authority? Why is it that you laid this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” 5 And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard. 6 And the young men rose up and wrapped him up, and after carrying him out, they buried him. 7 Now there was an interval of about three hours, and his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter responded to her, “Tell me whether you were paid this much for the land?” And she said, “Yes, that much.” 9 Then Peter said to her, “Why is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Behold, the feet of those who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out as well.” 10 And immediately she fell at his feet and breathed her last, and the young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11 And great fear came over the whole church, and over all who heard these things.

They gifted the proceeds from a property sale to the church, but God struck them dead. Why? Because they bald-faced lied about being all in. They claimed they had anted up everything, but they kept a little pocket change.

Humorous: Do you know what would have happened if it had been three wise women instead of three wise men?

They would have asked for directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, and brought practical gifts.

Stop selling out to sin.

Stop selling God short.

It’s time to go all in and all out for the All in All.

SESSION 4 ALL IN ALL: BURN THE SHIPS

If we are going to go all in and all out for the All in All, it will mean following God’s Plan A for our life and not resorting or retreating to our Plan B. In a world where quitting and taking the safe route seems to be hitting epidemic levels, we need to burn the ships, press forward, and quit quitting!

Introduction

Options … we love them!

Our culture has become enthralled with safety nets, fallback positions, and keeping our options open.

Talk to college students and many will tell you about their dreams, what they really want to do, what they are passionate about. But they will also tell you about how they are hedging their bets and making sure they have a fallback position for their vocational future.

Chat with people who have been in the workforce for a couple of decades and they might tell you about their desire to have a solid retirement and a nest egg to make sure their future is secure. They want to spend their golden years doing some helpful things for others, but they also want to be sure they have enough gold stored up so they don’t face any hardships along the way.

You might have even met people who are planning their wedding but are still holding on to their contact list of past romances just in case things don’t work out. They are in love and want to be committed to their spouse-to-be, but it seems foolish to burn all their bridges … just in case.

Some people enter their relationship with Jesus with this same cautious and safety-minded attitude. They like the idea of grace, a friendship with God, the gift of the cross, and the promise of heaven. But if things get tough, they still want a fallback position. They want to keep their options open.

During the aggressive persecution of Christians in the first century, many new believers retreated from their faith. Some had been Jewish before meeting the Messiah. Once the heat was turned up, they turned away from Jesus and went back to their Jewish faith. They chose Plan B and missed God’s best for their life.

Going all out is all about giving it everything you’ve got.

In response to this epidemic of people giving up and giving in, the New Testament book of Hebrews was written to call believers in Jesus to hold on to Plan A, refuse to retreat, and press forward toward God’s will. These words found in Hebrews 12:1 – 3 capture the epistle’s heartbeat:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Talk About It

How does Hebrews 12:1 – 3 call Christians to a higher level of devotion and commitment, even when times get tough?

It’s God’s job to get us where He wants us to go. Our job is to make ourselves available anytime, anyplace.

Don’t worry about results. If it’s the right thing, then the results are God’s responsibility. Focus on doing the right thing for the right reason.

Discussion

1. In a culture that values and encourages leaving our options open, how does a “burn the ships” attitude stand out? Give an example of a time you saw someone burn the ships and slam the door on their options and escape routes.

Nine times out of ten, failure is resorting to Plan B when Plan A gets too risky, too costly, or too difficult.

2. What would it look like, in very practical terms, to burn the ships in one of the following areas of life? Checkmark the area, and then write your strategy in the space provided.

Burning the ships back to past failures

Burning the ships back to past successes that were part of Plan B

Burning the ships back to a bad habit

Burning the ships back to regret

Burning the ships back to an unhealthy and ungodly relationship

Burning the ships back to crippling guilt

Burning the ships back to an addiction

Burning the ships back to an old way of life

The first step is always the longest and the hardest. And you can’t just take a step forward into the future. … You also have to eliminate the possibility of moving backward into the past.

3. Read:Genesis 6 and Hebrews 11:7. Noah and his family built an enormous boat in the middle of a desert, a project that took a hundred and twenty years to complete. Korczak Ziolkowski and his family members have invested more than six decades to carving a likeness of the Native American chief Crazy Horse in the Black Hills of South Dakota — projected finish date 2050! What characteristics and qualities does a person need to press on with a massive and difficult task?

How might a person committed to such a task be viewed by the general population?

“When your life is over, the world will ask you only one question:

‘Did you do what you were supposed to do?’”

Korczak Ziolkowski

4. Share a story of someone you know (maybe you!) who has tenaciously pursued a commitment, even when others might have walked away. It could be a spouse who stayed with their husband or wife after a serious accident or the onset of a life-altering illness. Possibly it was an employee who stayed with a struggling company even when there were no raises to be given.

5. The Christian faith demands a devotion to the long haul, long-term commitments, and long obedience in the same direction. What is one way you have learned to increase your commitment, endurance, and stamina as you follow Jesus in the tough times of life?

If you keep putting one foot in front of the next, it’s amazing how far you can go!

6. Mark says this about going all out for God:

It’s not a sprint.

It’s a marathon.

It doesn’t seek fifteen minutes of fame.

It seeks eternal glory.

It doesn’t care about public opinion.

It lives for the applause of nail-scarred hands.

It’s not satisfied with what the world has to offer.

Its only objective is My Utmost for His Highest.

How does this kind of attitude fly in the face of modern culture with its “pay me now” mindset?

7. If someone followed you with a video camera for a month and recorded everything you said and filmed everything you did, what do you think they would say your life is all about?

If you were to write one short sentence describing why you are on this earth and what you are supposed to do with your life, what would you write?

8. Mark tells his story of pursuing writing because he knew it was something God clearly wanted him to do — even though it took thirteen years for the first signs of accomplishment to become a reality! To follow his calling demanded daily and often painful discipline. What are some ways you need to adjust your lifestyle and priorities to align with what you believe God has placed you on this planet to do?

If you are willing to go when God gives you a green light, He will take you to inaccessible places to do impossible things.

9. Read:Judges 3:31, 5:6, and Isaiah 6:1 – 8. Shamgar the judge did not have the right heritage, training, weapon, or support network. But he also did not have any excuses. He took what he had and went out to deliver the people of Israel. Isaiah was trembling in his sandals, but he was willing to follow God. How can being willing to say “Here I am, send me” become the beginning of a whole new adventure of faith?

What is your next step in your journey of following God with passion and commitment? How can your group members pray for you and keep you accountable as you take this step?

The litmus test isn’t experience or expertise.

It’s availability and teachability.

Closing Prayer

Take time as a group to pray in any of the following directions:

• Confess where you have been playing it safe, hedging your bets, keeping your options open. Ask God to help you live all in and all out when you know you are following His will.

• Pray for a patient and enduring spirit as you live for Jesus in the ordinary pursuits of life. Ask God to help you learn to be long-suffering in a world that is quick to bail out and sound the retreat.

• Ask God to give you the power you need to take your next step of faith as you follow Jesus.

• If you have drifted into Plan B, C, or D for your life, ask God to remind you (relentlessly, if necessary), what His Plan A is for your life.

• Thank God for the people you know who have hung in there with tough marriages, walked with kids through long years of struggles, and endured the hard road of life without giving up.

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

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

IN THE COMING DAYS

Personal Reflection

Take time in personal reflection to think about the following questions:

• What ships do I need to burn — and burn right away?

• Where am I about to quit, and how can I hang in there with God’s help?

• In what life situation do I need to declare, “Here I am, send me”?

• What is the next step I need to take?

• What might happen if I don’t take this step?

In God’s kingdom, calling trumps credentials every time!

Personal Actions

Learning from Hebrews

The book of Hebrews was inspired by God and given to the church at a time when many were leaving or denying their faith because it was dangerous and costly to follow Jesus. They were settling for Plan B when God was offering them Plan A.

Read Hebrews (in one or two sittings, if possible) and answer the following questions:

What do I learn about the goodness of God’s Plan A (a life devoted to loving and following Jesus)?

Why is it dangerous to turn back to an old way of life once I have received Jesus and committed to follow Him?

How is Jesus better than the ancient ways of faith that many of the people still wanted to cling to?

How does holding to Jesus and following Him — even in the hard times — bring the greatest joy, hope, and life?

Sharpening Your Tool

If we can use any tool to bring glory to God, it makes sense to develop our skills and sharpen our tools so that we can bring Him the maximum glory. What is one tool God has called you to use?

What are three ways you can sharpen and strengthen this tool?

During the coming weeks, intentionally and actively work at sharpening this tool of your trade. Pray that God will help you use it to the best of your ability and for His glory.

No matter what tool you use in your trade — a hammer, a keyboard, a mop, a football, a spreadsheet, a microphone, an MRI, or an espresso machine — it’s an act of obedience.

It’s the mechanism whereby you worship God.

No More Excuses

Study the excuses of Gideon and Moses (Judges 6:11 – 18; Exodus 3:4 – 14). Then, choose one of the men and write down each excuse he made when God called him to follow Him and take action:

Excuse # ____

How do I see myself make similar excuses when God calls me to follow Him and take chances for His glory? What can I do to abandon these excuses and say, “Here I am, send me”?

God doesn’t call the qualified.

He qualifies the called.