BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE 3 (REAL)
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INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
HAVE EVERYONE TURN TO PSALM 16- (NOT ON THE SCREEN NOW - I WANT YOU TO SEE IT)
THE STAND FOR THE READING OF THE WORD (READ EZRA THIS WEEK - THEY STOOD)
SO LET US BEGIN THE PRACTICE OF REVERENCING THE WORD OF GOD BY STANDING AS IT IS READ BEFORE IT IS PREACHED
Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
TODAY’S MESSAGE
BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE: “Kingdom Ambassadors on Mission to Reflect and Restore Joy In the Lord”
BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE: “Kingdom Ambassadors on Mission to Reflect and Restore Joy In the Lord”
LET ME HAVE YOU PONDER SOME “WHAT IF’S:
WHAT IF
1. I TOLD YOU THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU COUD DO IN AND WITH YOUR LIFE IS TO PURSUE YOUR JOY?
WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE TO YOU?
2. WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT GOD WANTED YOU TO HAVE AND EXPERIENCE JOY
HOW WOULD THAT MAKE YOU FEEL?
3. BUT WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THE JOY YOU WANT AND THE JOY GOD WANTS FOR YOU IS NOT A PURSUIT… BUT A GIFT FROM GOD WHO IS IN RELENTLESS AND PASSIONATE PURSUIT OF GIFTING YOU JOY?
WOULD YOU RECEIVE IT?
HERE IS WHAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT THOSE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN CHRIST: THEY WERE MADE FOR JOY!
BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE is The active and aggressive push of the church’s modeling and messaging of the love of God against the advancement and spread of the schemes of the enemy
BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE is The active and aggressive push of the church’s modeling and messaging of the love of God against the advancement and spread of the schemes of the enemy
WE LEARNED IN THE LAST MESSAGE:
2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV)
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
THE WORD APPEAL CONVEYS THE IDEA OF CONSOLATION OR TO CONSOLE
YOU CONSOLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SUFFERED LOSS, AND OR WHO ARE IN DISTRESS
THOSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST
HAVE SUFFERED LOSS AND ARE DISTRESSED - THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
WHAT THOSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST NEED - WHAT THEIR SOUL’S ARE DEMANDING, IS THE CHURCH TO BE CALLING THEM TO THE PLACE OF TRUE JOY - A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST
BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE IS NEEDED BECAUSE JOY IS ABSENT
BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE IS NEEDED BECAUSE JOY IS ABSENT
SO WE MUST BE “Kingdom Ambassadors on Mission to Reflect and Restore Joy In the Lord”
SO WE MUST BE “Kingdom Ambassadors on Mission to Reflect and Restore Joy In the Lord”
1. UNBELIEVERS NEED TO BE RESCUED FROM THE PERPETUAL PURSUIT OF SORROW (FAKE JOY)
1. UNBELIEVERS NEED TO BE RESCUED FROM THE PERPETUAL PURSUIT OF SORROW (FAKE JOY)
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
SORROW: PAIN…WORRY
FALSE JOY CAUSES YOU TO
Mask pain
Manage worry
1. Fake Joy: MASKING EMOTIONAL, RELATIONAL PAIN
1. Fake Joy: MASKING EMOTIONAL, RELATIONAL PAIN
For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.
2. Fake Joy: WORRY/ANXIETY
2. Fake Joy: WORRY/ANXIETY
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
WHY DOES THIS FAKE JOY NOT SATISFY?
WHY DOES THIS FAKE JOY NOT SATISFY?
JEREMIAH 2:11-13-
Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
for that which does not profit.
Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
declares the Lord,
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.
THIS IS SAID BY GOD ABOUT HIS PEOPLE. BUT IT IS TRUE OF US WHEN WE CHOOSE OTHER THAN THE LORD
FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST ALL THEY HAVE BEFORE THEM ARE BRKEN CISTERNS THAT CANNOT HOLD WATER
HERE IS WHY THOSE OUTSIDE OF CHRIST NEED TO BE CONSOLED”
THEY KEEP GOING TO THE SAME WELLS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT SEE CHRIST THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER -CHRIST
THEY KEEP GOING TO THE SAME WELLS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT SEE CHRIST THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATER -CHRIST
THEY ARE CONSTANTLY SETTLING FOR DECEPTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE SUBSTITUTES
THEY ARE CONSTANTLY SETTLING FOR DECEPTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE SUBSTITUTES
ONE MAN WROTE THESE WORDS ABOUT THE PURSUIT OF SUBSTITUTES:
“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
“We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”
THEY ARE REJECTING JESUS BECAUSE THEY CANNOT SEE HIM
In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
BUT,
WE HAVE THEIR CONSOLATION
WE HAVE THEIR COMFORT; WE HAVE THEIR JOY
WE MUST BEHOLD JESUS MORE AND MORE THAT WE MIGHT BECOME MORE AND MORE:
WE MUST ACT IN BENEVOLENT SABOTAGE:
We must be active and aggressive in modeling and messaging of the love of God against the advancement and spread of the schemes of the enemy
We must be active and aggressive in modeling and messaging of the love of God against the advancement and spread of the schemes of the enemy
WE MUST, DAILY, JOIN WITH CHRIST AND BE:
WE MUST, DAILY, JOIN WITH CHRIST AND BE:
“Kingdom Ambassadors on Mission to Reflect and Restore Joy In the Lord”
“Kingdom Ambassadors on Mission to Reflect and Restore Joy In the Lord”
I WAS CONVICTED THIS WEEK BY THIS WORD IN PS 119:136-
My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law.
HOW THAT HIT ME?
I DO NOT WEEP OVER THE DESTINATION OF THOSE WHO KEEP REJECTING THE DEMONSTRATED LOVE OF GOD IN THE LIFE, DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SIN
THEY ARE SEEKING IT, BUT PAUL TELLS US, THEIR COMFORT IS IN THE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST
2. UNBELIEVERS CAN ONLY FIND JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE JESUS CHRIST
2. UNBELIEVERS CAN ONLY FIND JOY IN THE PRESENCE OF THE JESUS CHRIST
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
HERE IS WHAT DAVID IS TEACHING
WHEN ONE IS IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD - CLOSE TO HIM (IN HIS PRESENCE AND AT HIS RIGHT HAND) THERE IS FULL JOY AND PLEASURES FOREVERMORE
THERE IS THE TRUE AND ABIDING ENJOYMENT IN AND OF GOD IN THIS LIFE - AND ALSO THE LIFE TO COME.
IT IS NOT POINTING TO ONLY HEAVEN - DAVID IS TEACHING US THAT THE DESIGN AND PURPOSE AND INTENTION OF GOD FOR OUR LIVES IS THAT WE HAVE AND EXPERIENCE JOY
PRESENCE MEANS “FACE”: SPEAKS OF INTIMACY WITH GOD
PAUL TEACHES US THIS TRUTH
For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
JESUS AND JOY
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
THE PRESENCE OF GOD: IS CHRIST, ANNNNND - NOW THE PRESENCE OF GOD IS US.
2 Corinthians 5:20 (ESV)
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
GOD’S APPEAL COMES THROUGH US
WHEN WE COME TO MEET PEOPLE THE AIM IS THAT THEY SHOULD MEET CHRIST
THIS EXISTS, FIRST, IN THE HOME
IT EXISTS, NEXT, AMONG THE BODY OF BELIEVERS (LOCAL AND GLOBAL)
IT MUST EXTEND TO THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW CHRIST
SO DAVID SAYS THIS:
PSALM 16-8-
I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
I PUT BEFORE ME AS OFTEN AS I CAN, THE TRUTH OF WHO JESUS IS FOR ME: MY SAVIOR FROM THE PENALTY OF SIN; THEY ONE WHO HAS FORGIVEN ME OF ALL OF MY SIN AND SHAME
THIS IS WHAT WE PUT BEFORE UNBELIEVERS WHO WANT JOY, ARE SEEKING JOY BUT ARE IN THE PROVERBIAL RAT RACE OF MENTAL, MORAL, RELATIONAL INSANITY
JOY AND PLEASURE PUT THESE IN THE TITLE SOMEWHERE
QUESTION: DOES JESUS MAKE YOU HAPPY?
we cannot give what we do not possess
OR BETTER SAID THIS WAY
We cannot give the emotions which we have not experienced and do not have
We cannot give the emotions which we have not experienced and do not have
SO TO BE KINDOM AMBASSADORS ON MISSION WITH CHRIST TO REFLECT AND RESTORE JOY IN THE LORD
WE MUST SET HIS FACE BEFORE US, DAILY, TO BE REMINDED OF HOW INCREDIBLY LOVED WE ARE AND HOW INCREDIBLY NEEDY SO MANY ARE TO HAVE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIFTED
WE MUST SET HIS FACE BEFORE US, DAILY, TO BE REMINDED OF HOW INCREDIBLY LOVED WE ARE AND HOW INCREDIBLY NEEDY SO MANY ARE TO HAVE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIFTED