True Faith 1: Love and Obediance

SLIDE 1 - as I go up

Good morning and welcome to Fayette Community Church, if this is your home church, welcome back, and if you’re a visitor, welcome we’re glad you’re here! It’s great to be back, last week my family was down in Texas visiting our in laws, one last big hurrah before baby #2 is born in a month or so’s time, and it was a good time, but we chose the worst time, weather wise to visit Texas… It was over 110 every day we were there, so seeing family was great, but it is great to be back!

Two weeks ago we wrapped up a series on The Lord’s Prayer and today we’re starting a new series that will take us through the middle of August, I’m calling this series True Faith: Disciplines of a True Disciple. We will mostly be in Luke 19 and John 14 today, so feel free to open up to Luke first and if you’d like and dog ear or slide something into John for later feel free.

There are certain words we don’t say - some are word’s that carry a lot of force for harm or good and frequent use weakens them. Other words that carry certain meanings due to their historical use or abuse that we choose to avoid, and then some words we as a culture have deemed inappropriate for one reason or another. When I was growing up there was a word that if you said it in church would send shivers down people’s spines and light a fire in the hearts of others. If you even hinted at this word some people would get red in the face out of anger, embarrassment, or shame… In many church circles this word was considered taboo, it was considered wrong, it was a bad word… and I’m going to say it - I’m going to say this bad word in church today from the pulpit, you’ve been warned are you ready… are the little one’s ears covered? All right, the word is legalism! (pause) Any shivers running down any spines, oh… you were expecting something worse… well trust in in the early to mid ninety's that was about as bad as you could get! For others here, however, you may be thinking I’ve never heard that word before, what’s Brian going on about.

The proper definition of legalism is SLIDE 2

dependence on moral law rather than on personal religious faith.

in the church than that means,

the belief that out good works we can earn our salvation, through god deeds we can enter heaven.

And that is a lie. Christ alone gets us into heaven, not our works - so in that regard legalism is bad, it is wrong, it is spiritual heresy. But in the 90s, the church seemed to forget what legalism actually meant and to avoid the lie, we fell into a different one! To keep people from relying on their works, we seemed to tell people that we didn’t need good works at all. In truth good works can blind us from God and make us proud. If you do good works for good works sake - than yes, you’re missing the mark. But there are good works Jesus told us to pursue, good works Jesus told us to do! And then there are actions that bring us closer to God while there are other actions that separate us further from him.

So before we start this new series on spiritual disciplines, I wanted to set the record straight in 2 areas, make sure we’re all building from the same foundation.

Point 1: Works do not save us! Ephesians 2:8-9 SLIDE 3 are very clear on this

“8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.”

Works do not save us - that’s foundation 1… but Ephesians 2:10 tells us SLIDE 4

“10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.”

so point 2: SLIDE 5 we are created for good works. Good works which God has already prepared for us to do! So NO our works do not save us, but once we are saved we need to know God has already laid before us good works we are expected, called, to do.

Now (pause) this is not a sermon on good works… The sermon is July 30th… so if you are looking to remain unaware and in ignorance of what those good works God prepared for us to do are… July 30th is the week to skip… That’s a joke, don’t skip church! Ignorance is not an acceptable defence before the throne of God come judgement day!

But rather those two points, works do not save us BUT we were created for good works, and those works being those which God has already appointed for us - serve as a foundation for us to understand there are actions that we, Christians, are called, expected to do, and this series, True Faith: Disciplines of True Disciples is set to help us look into such actions and say what are things we can, things we should, do to better follow Jesus, to better grow and show our faith.

In this series we’re going to look at Love and Obedience - how are those two attributes intrinsically connected, or how should they be, for all Christians; that’s today’s sermon. Next week we’re going to look at Bible study and memorization - what should the Christian’s relationship with scripture look like? As i said earlier on the 30th we will talk about giving and service, august 6th, Sabbath and Rest, the 13th Fasting and prayer; note I didn’t put those on potluck week, and then the 20th we’l wrap up the series by looking at solitude and silence. This is not an all inclusive list of spiritual disciplines or healthy habits, but we’re merely scratching the surface and if after you want to dig deeper I have some great books I can recommend you.

I’m excited for this series, in fact, the first sermon series I got to plan while I was a resident during my seminary years was a series going over spiritual disciplines, and I was bummed as I only for to preach 2 or three of the sermons in that series… this time I’m selfish and I’m taking them all! So again, we’re only scratching the surface here, but to help us with this 3,000 foot view I want to offer a definition of spiritual disciplines. SLIDE 6

Spiritual disciplines are biblical practices that put us in a position to experience God—leading to a greater maturity and affection for Him.

This is a definition I had help creating when I planned that first series, but it is one I love - these are actions that put is in the path God, actions that place us in a way which we will experience God, actions that will lead us to grow in spiritual maturity and grow in love, affection, for God. So each week we will look at these disciplines, these actions and say how do they do that? So today lets begin with the why - why should we practice spiritual disciplines.

To do so we’re going to begin by looking at a story I have actually already preached on here in Fayette before… uyp 5 months in and I’m already revisiting passages.. but that was a while ago - it was actually before I was the pastor pastor here, it was before I even applied here, it was back when I was just a guy helping fill your pulpit last September.

But this passage is about a guy in scripture I have a lot in common with, You can turn to Luke 19 if you want to follow along, but we will be looking at the story first of Zaccheus. Now Zacchaeus was a wealthy tax collector.. I’m a pastor… our economic status is not what we have in common… no… what Zacceaus and I have in common is something else, lets start in verse 1 and see if you can pick up on it. SLIDE 7

1 He (that is Jesus) entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 There was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but he was not able because of the crowd, since he was a short man. 4 So running ahead, he climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus, since he was about to pass that way.

Now Zacchaeus was a short man… the summer after I graduated high school I went to our youth camp, the same camp some of our teens were at a few weeks back, we got to hear from a couple of them upon their return, it sounds like they had a great time, If I recall correctly Josiah was baptised there this summer - so that’s a win! But for me, back in 2005, this was one last hur-ah, one last chance to have fun with my high school friends before I had to be an adult and act mature… note I said act mature… not be mature… I may get older… but I refuse to grow up… Our guest speaker that year made a comment about his high school years. He said something along the lines of, “when I was in high school I was short, like Zacchaeus short, going into tenth grade I was 5’5 – now anyone here 5’5 in probably a freshman or a girl you have time to grow” (pause) everyone from my church turned to look at me… five foot four graduated senior Brian had a hard time listening to the rest of what that short-shammer had to say that week… but as a short guy I know what Zacchaeus was feeling – I’ve been events to see a speaker, I’ve gone to shows to see a play, I’ve gone to concerts to see a band (pause) And while I went I did not get to see the speaker, or see the show or see the band… I got to listen to them, but I was blocked from seeing by you tall people! I went to see my favorite comedian once and I actually asked to trade seats with someone because I couldn’t see over the head of the person in front of me! But Zacchaeus had a plan, he saw a tree and thought, I climbed trees as a kid, I can do this! And he climbed a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus as he passed by.

Now, I want to be clear, climbing trees is not a spiritual discipline… I don’t want to go out after church and see all you adults climbing these trees on our property… actually I kind of do… That could be amusing… Zacchaeus knew he wasn’t going to grow three feet in five minutes... but, climbing a tree was an activity that Zacchaeus could do, it was something head control over, a practice he could perform placing him in a position where he could see Jesus. Now I realize culture shifts frequently, but I think it is a safe bet that even two thousand years ago people laughed as they saw this grown man climbing a tree, I think it was safe to say he was going out on a limb (pause).

Zacchaeus was doing something to help him see and experience Jesus, see and experience God! We are learning spiritual disciplines are actions not attitudes. Actions not attitudes. While activity is driven by desire, the thing that matters most is our response to the desire, the action - it doesn’t matter how much Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, if he didn’t climb that tree he wouldn’t have had the same exchange we see in the next verses. If Zacchaeus didn’t climb a tree he wouldn’t have been transformed as he was. Zacchaeus desire to see Jesus was greater than his desire to stay on the ground. His desire to see Jesus was greater than his desire to be or to look mature. his desire to see Jesus was greater than his desire to fit in with the crowd. So he took action and he climbed a tree. Spiritual disciplines are a means to an end. A means for us to see, to interact with, to experience God. The story continues in verse five: SLIDE 8

5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down because today it is necessary for me to stay at your house.” 6 So he quickly came down and welcomed him joyfully. 7 All who saw it began to complain, “He’s gone to stay with a sinful man.”

By climbing a tree not only did Zacchaeus get to see Jesus, but Jesus saw him. Not only did Jesus see him, but Jesus invited himself over to Zacchaeus’ house for dinner, and this interaction changed Zacchaeus life entirely.

What really amazes me is not Zacchaeus’ reaction to Jesus invite, but everyone else’s. Like, I’d have said yes to that invite too! But the crowds response is to complain that Jesus isn’t dining with them, he’s not associating with the crowds of people, but with the loner, with the tax collector, the “sinful man”.

Jesus sees and knows something the rest don’t. They are looking at this man and thinking about who Zacchaeus was, while Jesus sees Zacchaeus at what he has done, not the tax fraud, not the theft, not the sinful past, but the action that put him in Jesus path, the means to the end of encountering Christ. Jesus sees a man who shed all else to see Jesus, a man who rearranged his day, who changed his plans - I don’t think he had ‘climbing a tree’ in his day calendar! Jesus sees a man making a fool of himself, like come on adults how gracefully could you climb a tree now days, or much less unclimb the tree (pause) getting down is the real hard part?! We don’t know how big the crowd was, but we only know of one person in it that went this far out of their way to see Jesus. Only one person was so driven, to put themselves in a position to see, to experience Christ in t his way. Zacchaeus was driven by something greater, and Jesus saw that.

If we return to our definition we said SLIDE 9

Spiritual disciplines are biblical practices that put us in a position to experience God leading to a greater maturity and affection for Him.

We see the goal of these disciplines is again not to practice the disciplines. The goal of the disciplines isn’t so we can add a gold star to our Christian activity sheet. The goal of practicing spiritual disciplines is so that we can grow in spiritual maturity, so that we can grow in affection for God!

And this is what brings us to John 14. As you turn there than let me ask you this. Should we believe that spiritual disciplines, these actions we will cover over the next five weeks, cheat codes for growing in maturity and love for God? Well… no… and yes...

Spiritual disciples are SLIDE 10 both a response to God’s love and an overflow of our love for God. and First John tells us we can only love because God first loved us - that’s First John 4:19; so lets turn our attention than to God’s love.

Remember what we looked at early, Ephesians 2; 8 through 10 - we are saved by grace not by works, but we are created for good works… that’s kind of a logical pretzel all knotted up, let me straighten that out for you; God give us grace. That grace saves us. We respond to being saved with works. If we lack the latter we need to look forward and see what is missing. If we are lacking works we must be missing the salvation or the grace… or we’re stuck in this middle - this apathetic valley between salvation and works. And trust me, I don’t have time to get into it today - that apathetic valley, that lukewarm faith - God’s not a fan of it… He addresses that in Revelation chapter 3, and maybe someday we’ll get there, but today we’re in John 14.

In the chapter before this, in chapter 13, Jesus washes the disciples feet then explains why they should do the same for each other and others, but then in the end of the chapter gives them a powerful deceleration. Jesus tells them

34 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Our love is to be our identifying trait, but then in chapter 14 Jesus doubles down on this and tells them. SLIDE 11

12 “Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. SLIDE 12

17 He is the Spirit of truth. The world is unable to receive him because it doesn’t see him or know him. But you do know him, because he remains with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you. 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me. Because I live, you will live too. 20 On that day you will know that I am in my Father, you are in me, and I am in you.” (John 14:12-20)

That’s a lot of text, so lets zero in on verse 15. SLIDE 13

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands.”

If you love Jesus you will keep Jesus commands! If you love Jesus you will obey Jesus. If you love Jesus you will live like Jesus! That’s a strong statement. There isn’t much wiggle room there. Do you love Jesus or not? Your fruit is your obedience. Your proof is your obedience. The degree you sacrifice your will, your wants, your personality, your temptations, is a sign of the degree to which you love Jesus!

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands.”

And I have said it here before, you likely have heard it said by others, that as Christians we have something non-Christians don’t - the Spirit of God within us! but did you see that promise follows verse 15.... SLIDE 14

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.

(pause). We’re commanded to love and obey - then we’re promised a counselor, a helper. The Spirit makes us more like Jesus - the Spirit helps and guides - but we begin the work with Christ - God is already calling us, but as we partner, as we respond in love with love and obedience -

15 “If you love me, you will keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever.

Jesus then expands on this in verse 21. SLIDE 15

“21 The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

Have you ever prayed, ‘God reveal yourself to me. God show me you are real. God show me your love.” I’ve prayed that countless times - and we are given here the formula, the method, the way to see that become reality!

21 The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

Naturally that raises questions right - fortunately the disciples asked those questions for us! verse 22 SLIDE 16

22 Judas (not Iscariot, not the one who betrayed Jesus - the other disciple named Judas) said to him, “Lord, how is it you’re going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 The one who doesn’t love me will not keep my words. The word that you hear is not mine but is from the Father who sent me. 25 “I have spoken these things to you while I remain with you. 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.”

But this is awesome SLIDE 17 Verses 12, 15, 21, 23 all tell us this same truth! If we love Jesus we will obey Him! If we love Jesus we will do what he commands! If we love Jesus our actions will be proof of that attitude. That is 4 times in 11 verses.

This is not legalism - this is love! In the 90s we seemed to be so afraid of legalism that we forgot how to love. We forgot how to love God and we forgot how to love others! We were afraid we’d value our works to greatly and put our trust in them, so we stopped works of love altogether, but those works are supposed to be the sign of our faith! We feared that the fruit would overshadow the root, so whenever that love blossomed we cut it quick, we cut it so much it became stunted, the fruit died.. and when the the fruit, the love, died… often so to did the root. There was a max exodus of the church in my college years and even in recent years due to this - people read the Bible they see this equation - then they look at the church and see silence, see the cutting of love… and they leave - because the church doesn’t look like Jesus… We can’t neglect the roots! Healthy roots make healthy fruits, and unless we are loving God our works are void, but as long as we are loving God our works should be clear, we can’t ignore the fruit either - because now many churches are on the other side! they are highlighting their woks, their deeds, their service, their acceptance - and are ignoring the love, the word, the truth of God. They are showing false fruit, and the roots won’t hold up the false fruit, their roots will die. We need both!

So back to the question I asked earlier. Are spiritual disciplines a silver bullet, a life hack, a cheat code for spiritual maturity and adoration? Well activity doesn’t drive the result… simply reading my Bible won’t make me love God. Simply praying won’t make me love God… as I read my Bible, as I pray; as a response to God’s love, however… when his love fuels my discipline, that is when the discipline comes alive, in the love of God is where these practices become perfected.

So How do we balance the dual commands of loving God and obeying Him? How do we obey God when don’t feel like loving Him? How do we love Him when we don’t feel like obeying Him?

I had a friend who often raised this very question, and he’d ask, am I to just ‘fake it till I make it?’ At the time I never had a great answer for him, my best advice was live a life of obedience while praying God gives you the heart that your obedience is no longer driven by duty but becomes the overflow of desire. And think that is decent advice. But I think in light of John 14, a better answer is not that we are faking it till we make it; rather we are hitting the spiritual gym! We are working out our faith muscles, we are stretching our love muscles - we are getting spiritually fit!

I spent a lot of time in the gym in highschool (pause) clearly it has been a LONG time since then (pause) I was never the guy who enjoyed working out, but I longed to be better, to lift more, to beat my old records - and that attitude drove my action; that end drove the means. In the same way as we workout our faith - we should grow in love and maturity. And out of that love, that maturity our actions should be driven further and harder.

In first Timothy Paul told his young disciple SLIDE 18

7b train yourself in godliness. 8 For the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 9 This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance. 10 For this reason we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

If you ever played a sport, learned an instrument, or learned another language – you are probably familiar with the moment where you just want to quit. You know there were times you asked, is this worth it? You really wanted to learn how to nail that 5 iron straight down the fairway, how to sink that 3 point shot, how to hit that key change with complex chord progressions, these thing all take practice, but likely there was a time when you didn’t enjoy that practice, you may have wanted to quit, but the dream of what you could achieve sustained you! And someday you realized you could do it. Some day all the practice paid off, but if you didn’t already have a love for the game, the art, the language – you likely would have stopped before you got there.

We call these spiritual disciplines for a reason because they take discipline. If they were easy, we’d call them, spiritual things everyone does naturally… but we don’t… They take work, they take dedication; but they result in growth, maturity, and love.

So what might your next step be? We are all on different paths, we are all at different places. But what is your tree. For some of us we already are enamored by the love of God. For you your next step may be choosing a day a week to start spending an extended time fasting and praying to God. For other you may be just learning about God’s love for you, perhaps something happened a couple weeks ago, maybe God revealed himself to you in a new way and you’re just starting to explore this new faith. Perhaps your next step is to ask someone to start personally discipling you, or to spend time simply meditating on parts of scripture about God’s love for you and others. Some of you may still be skeptical, you wonder why you’re even here, or why all these other people are here; maybe your next step is asking someone that very question, perhaps sitting down and reading a book of the Bible with them and asking what is it about this Jesus guy, that has people so excited two thousand years after the fact?!

What about you? How can you spend time this week preparing your heart for this series, preparing yourself to listen, learn, and embrace these spiritual disciplines we will be covering? Bible study, scripture memorization, giving, serving, sabbath, rest, fasting, prayer, solitude, or silence. How can you ready yourself to be place in the path of Christ? The first step; are you loving God? If not, why not - have that honest hard conversation with yourself and better yet someone else. Then ask, if I love God, am I obeying Him? Because those two things are here completely connected. We need to love and obey.

Let me pray for us.