Alter Ego Week 5

Jesus>nothing

Intro: Anybody have favorite movies from your youth? Man I have a list but I would love to hear what some of yours are.

Question: What are some of your favorite movies from your youth ?

Mine: The Goonies, Ninja Turtles 1&2, Christmas Vacation, The Great outdoors, Uncle Buck, Ghost Busters, and the list can go on. Not the least of the list but one that has some of my favorite dialogue is The Sand Lot.

I’m going to read you word for word one of my favorite exchanges in the whole movie :

Ham Porter: Hey, you want a s'more?

Smalls: Some more of what?

Ham Porter: No, do you want a s'more?

Smalls: I haven't had anything yet... so how can I have some more of nothing?

Ham Porter: You're killing me, Smalls. These are s'mores stuff, 'kay? Pay attention. First, you take the graham. You stick the chocolate on the graham. Then, you roast the mallow. When the mallow's flaming, you stick it on the chocolate. Then you cover it with the other end. Then, you scarf. Kind of messy, but good. Try some.

You’re killing me smalls! I have probably quoted this line more than almost any other movie line.

I can feel the pain of Smalls though. He is completely unaware of what is being offered to him. He looks at Ham in a complete state of confusion as to how he can have some more of nothing.

I understand this sooooo much. How many times have you sat there wondering how you can have more of something you don’t have?

How can I have more money when I don’t have any?

How can I have more faith when I have little to none?

How can I have hope when I have none?

How can I fill in the blank....

You’re not alone. You see the last part of this alter ego we have been talking about for the last several weeks is this idea that “If I don’t have it I won’t.”

If we don’t have patience well tough luck to the next thing that inconveniences us.

If we are out of joy then fat chance that I will be able to find it in our current situation.

If we are out of self control then caution is getting thrown to the wind because boundaries aren’t a thing anymore.

If we live this way we will miss out on one of the greatest blessings that Christ has ever bestowed to mankind. The miracle of Water into Wine and no not because he kept the party going.

Turn or scroll on your smart devices with me to John 2:1-11

John 2:1–11 NIV

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” “Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.” They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.” What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

I love that this miracle was recorded. Jesus has yet to reveal himself to the public just yet so to speak. He has called his disciples and is at a wedding to celebrate but is told by his mother that something is to be done. Jesus is the spiritual mcgiver. He can take any situation that is thrown his way and completely turn it around and into something amazing.

Jesus when asked to do something looks around. He sees some vessels but not just any vessels…the ones used for ceremonial washing. This is what they would have likely looked like. (Slide)

Nothing special or ornamental. Nothing that catches the eye or would be sought after but yet that is what he uses to house the miracle being performed.

Maybe you are a person who has felt the urge or need to clean up before coming to Christ or committing anything to him. You feel as if you need to earn it or be worthy. This isn’t something that God expects or is concerned with. He merely needs us to be present and willing.

Satan loves to through our failures in our face trying to stop us. You can’t come to God like that he wont have you. You will be laughed out of heavens gates for showing up with your life in that state. Martin Luther killed it when he penned the following:

When the devil tells us we are sinners and therefore damned, we may answer, “Because you say I am a sinner, I will be righteous and saved.” Then the devil will say, “No, you will be damned.” And I will reply, “No, for I fly to Christ, who has given himself for my sins. Therefore, Satan, you will not prevail against me when you try to terrify me by telling me how great my sins are and try to reduce me to heaviness, distrust, despair, hatred, contempt and blasphemy. On the contrary, when you say I am a sinner, you give me armor and weapons against yourself, so that I can cut your throat with your own sword and tread you under my feet, for Christ died for sinners. My sin is on his shoulders, not mine. So when you say I am a sinner, you do not terrify me but you comfort me immeasurably.”

-Martin Luther

Something else that has just made me giddy is the fact that when Jesus told the servants to fill the jars and serve the water that would now be wine they did it! The completely tossed embarrassment out the window and did what Jesus said.

Think about that for a minute Jesus just told them to pout water into these jars and then serve what was in them to the wedding party. Nothing sketchy about that at all!

Their simple act of obedience launched the trajectory of Jesus ministry that has us sitting here today. Why? Because they served the wine from the washing jars.

As amazing as this is there is something else that just blows my mind. You see I believe this is the most miraculous miracle Jesus performed. If you have any knowledge of Jesus and His Miracles you just now started scanning your brain for them and if this claim holds up.

Let me explain…this miracle is the only one where Jesus creates something completely different than what was present. He takes nothing can creates something so to speak.

He has fish and loaves and multiplies them, someone with eyes that is blind and restores sight, someone who is dead he brings life to their bodies, someone who is sick is healed but in this instance He takes water and transforms it into something completely different. He transforms it into wine. Not boons farm either the good stuff.

Why is this such a big deal. Remember what we talked about just a little while ago.

How can I have more of something I have never had?

How can I be a follower of Jesus if I don’t love people easily or forgive easily or have much of a capacity for grace and mercy or suffering. Well let me tell you! Upon placing our trust in Christ to be exactly who he said he is, the one and only son of God having conquered sin and death for mankind on the cross, we are now sealed to be his by the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit now grow in us that which we didn’t have before or at least not at the same level.

Galatians 5:22–23 NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Part of the miracle that Jesus performs in every single one of us who places faith in him is just this. He creates in us, from nothing, the ability to Love, to have joy, peace and patience. To be kind and commit acts of Goodness. To be faithful when we are so prone to the opposite. To be gentle and have self control.

Jesus makes all things new!

2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Jesus didn’t come and die just to forgive us of our sins, leaving us helpless and powerless to live a new life. He rose again and is alive to enable us by his Spirit to live a whole new life. Jeff Vanderstelt

Conclusion: Today I implore you to not buy into the lie that the fruit of the spirit is a pipe dream or that if you don’t have patience or faith or gentleness that it is not possible to have such. Jesus is in the business of creating something out of nothing. He will take out lack of faith and take a mustard seed worth and move mountains. He will take someone with no patience and lead an entire people group out of captivity, across the red sea, and through the wilderness to the promise land. He will take someone who struggles with gentleness and spread the word of God across 1/3 of the known world. He will take the monumental screw ups and do mighty things with them in spite of their failures like king david. He will take someone who rejects him and provide them not only redemption but purpose and meaning like he did for Peter.

Jesus is in the business of taking our nothing and creating a very much amazing something. The only requirement is for us to do just like his momma said in John 2:5

John 2:5 NIV

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

What is Jesus Telling you today? Lets pray.