Summer Mixtape Week 4

Review

Last week we talked about three varying locations

Jesus in the hills

The disciples in the boat

The people on the shore.

We discovered that proximity is more beneficial than power and that we are sometimes prone to run after provision as opposed to proximity.

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The Presence of God will bring conviction

John 6:26–27 NLT

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, you want to be with me because I fed you, not because you understood the miraculous signs. But don’t be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that the Son of Man can give you. For God the Father has given me the seal of his approval.”

Jesus calls their reasons for being there into question and lets them know that their pursuits are too small.

You’re pursuing a meal when you have eternal life standing in front of you.

The presence of God will not always be goosebumps and good times.

When God’s presence shows up it often confronts us with parts of ourselves that we need to surrender.

Isaiah, Ezekiel, Mount of Transfiguration

Conviction is the primary reaction to the entrance of the presence of God.

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I’m not arguing…I’m just not listening

John 6:28 NLT

They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

Jesus shows them the reality of their misplaced priorities…and their response is a little bit annoying.

“For sure, but how do we do the multiplying bread thing.”

They don’t argue with Jesus…they just disregard what he says.

Some of us are not arguing with what God is calling us to…we are simply ignoring the fact that he is calling us to it.

Disobedience does not require verbalized disagreement.

It’s not that I’m sinning…it’s just that I”m not doing everything God has called me to do.

James 4:17 NLT

Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Jesus has confronted this group with the fact that they need to chill out on their obsession with their next meal...

AND THEY ARE STILL COMMITED TO SEEING THE WORK OF BREAD MULTIPLICATION TAKE PLACE.

It’s a new day but they are commited to yesterday’s miracle.

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The subtle seduction of productivity

Jesus tells them to seek eternal life and they respond by saying…we want to learn how to be more productive.

Herein we see a manifestation of one of the enemies most deceptive plays.

He uses the subtle seduction of “godly productivity.”

When we fall prey to the productivity deception…we become very focused on doing something for God.

When we become doing focused we seek God for the purpose of finding out what he’s called us to do…as opposed to being with Him relationally and learning who He desires for us to be.

“We want to perform God’s works too…what should we do?”

TR: This has been a destructive tendency of the people of God for generations.

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Baal worship = Productivity

When the nation fell to idol worship it often started with a false god like “Baal”

One of Baal’s primary means of blessing was increasing the harvest of their crops.

They pursued a false god for the sake of productivity.

You and I may not build an idol or worship an image but we do find ourselves compromising our faith and pursuing a subpar Christian experience for the sake of being more productive.

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How to identify a productivity worship

I’m not preaching at or to…I’m receiving this message with.

I can seek a larger crowd, greater influence, outside opportunities

GOOD THINGS…THEY’RE FOR THE KINGDOM!

THEY’RE GOD’S WORKS!

Maybe for you it’s more money to give more..it’s a relationship so you can honor God with your marriage…it’s a child so you can raise them for God…maybe a ministry or gifting.

We are seeking a thing because “we want to do God’s works too.”

HOW TO IDENTIFY?: It’s the thing that you think “if I had that…God would be proud of me.”

The deepest desire of every human is for our father to affirm us and be proud of us.

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You have one job

Wanting your father to be proud of you is not bad…but it’s also not complicated.

Jesus further simplifies how we can make this happen when they say they want to do the works of God.

John 6:29 NLT

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

When you believe God in spite of adverse realities…GOD IS PROUD!

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I made God proud; but it wasn’t when you thought

I’ve testified of the fact that God has blessed this plant thorughout the process.

God wasn’t proud of us the day we launched with several hundred

God wasn’t proud of us when we met our fund raising goal

God wasn’t even proud of us when we had fifty people commit their life to Jesus.

GOD WAS PROUD OF US THE MOMENT THAT WE SAID YES TO THE CALL IN SPITE OF NOT KNOWING HOW WE WOULD DO IT!

We believed in Him!

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Do a belief check

One of the most beneficial things I can call you to this morning is to separate yourself from your doing for long enough to do a belief check.

Do you really believe in the God you are working for?

Do you really believe in the gospel you are propagating?

I’m offering you a safe space to evaluate your own faith right now…because more than we need to do…we need to believe.

THE ONLY WORK GOD WANTS IS FAITH!

Productivity will come and go with ebbs and flows but faith is an essential aspect of everything we do.

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They only believed when there was production taking place

We see the true addiction of the people in the next statement that they make.

Jesus has just simplified a relationship with God to an almost unbelievable level…but they aren’t satisfied with that.

They are addicted to productivity…MORE IMPORTANTLY…THEY’RE HUNGRY

John 6:30–31 NLT

They answered, “Show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What can you do? After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! The Scriptures say, ‘Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”

I will believe in you…when you show me something worth believing in.

The word believe means to put their faith in...

They would only put their faith in Jesus when he showed that he could do miracles.

SUREITY CANCELS FAITH!

But also…being bound by productivity gives you a short term memory when it comes to the provision and power of God.

He just provided dinner yesterday…but they need a sign.

The sin of the multitude was that they would only believe in seasons that productivity was present.

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Food = Fulfillment

It’s important that we contextualize this in a way that helps us understand.

We see that Jesus fed a multitude and while were impressed…we’re not floored.

Because truthfully…we could figure out a way to feed 20,000 if we absolutely had to.

THE GATHERING OF 20,000 WAS INCREDIBLE

THE FEEDING OF 20,000 WAS IMPOSSIBLE

I believe in order for us to fully appreciate the magnitude of the miracle we have to put it in terms that are more applicable and relatable to our struggle.

In 2023 America we don’t necessarily relate with a hunger for food because we have hundreds of avenues whereby to have our hunger filled.

While we are not necessarily addicted to pursuing Jesus for our next meal…We have replaced the desire for food with the desire for fulfillment.

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The gospel of purpose

We preach the gospel of purpose.

Replace every allusion in this text to food with the concept of fulfillment and it brings it to life for you and I.

We have lured people into a lifestyle of following Jesus by saying GOD HAS A PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE.

We tap into the dreaming nature of every American when we preach the gospel of purpose.

We become individuals that are only willing to follow Jesus as long as there is some progression of productivity towards my purpose.

If I say yes to the calling…how much closer will that bring me to my life purpose?

I am calling us to step away from being purpose drive Christians...

Don’t misunderstand me…I do believe in purpose…but it can’t be the pursuit…HE MUST BE OUR PURSUIT!

There are many believers in America who do not follow Jesus because they are in love with Him…they follow Him because “he has a plan.”

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What if Jesus is the fulfillment?

Jesus turns this on it’s head…remember we are replacing allusions to food with allusions to fulfillment.

John 6:32–33 NLT

Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, Moses didn’t give you bread from heaven. My Father did. And now he offers you the true bread from heaven. The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

He says I AM THE FULFILLMENT!

What if Jesus is it?

What if you don’t write the book?

What if you don’t produce the album?

What if you don’t get the platform?

What if the business doesn’t take off?

What if you don’t make millions?

IS HE ENOUGH?

I’m not saying don’t be ambitious…I am saying we must be self aware enough to know when our ambitions are beginning to overtake our affections.

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Closing

John 6:34 NLT

“Sir,” they said, “give us that bread every day.”

They are still enamored with the concept of bread…just like we are still enamored with the concept of fulfillment.

Yes follow Jesus for fulfillment…we get it but if he took every means of fulfillment away tomorrow…How many of us would stay true to Him?

Pursuing an authentic relationship with Jesus may result in the reality of purpose…but following the reality of purpose will not produce an authentic relationship with Jesus.