Week 1
Notes
Transcript
Easter Confliction
Easter Confliction
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
As we sat down and started talking about our Easter plan this year, there was certain things that were going through my mind. Immediatley I knew that the the Journey would be to go from Religion to Relationship.
As the conversation progressed, this phrase just kept repeating: The Empty Tomb and You: What’s keeping you from Living?
Its interesting because these 2 titles, if you, seem like they are different. The truth is, they speak to both sides of the same coin.
As we enter this season where Easter is on the mind, when we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus, my goal is simple: Revival and Relationship.
SO Let’s look at the first side of the coin
The Empty Tomb and You: What’s Keeping you from Living
The Empty Tomb and You: What’s Keeping you from Living
One the 1 hand, The Empty Tomb and You, speaks to those who are IN THE TOMB! What? But I thought that the Tomb was empty? Exactly. There is an empty tomb, which means something special to this first group.
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
What SIN are you trapped with?
AA/NA - Hi my name is Jacob and I am an Alchoholic. HI my name is Jacob and I am an Addict.
THe PROBLEM is that these programs facilitate a way of thinking that means you are never a conqueror! That you are never an overcomer!
That you are always the same.
That 10 years of sobriety and you are still: My name is Jacob and I am an alcoholic! HORRIBLE THINKING!
Why would you identify as your struggle? Your identifity becomes that which you are not!
Perhaps you think: that is just in those groups.
That way of thinking has seeped out of those groups and into our minds. Which is why even if you have never been, you know the words!
Only the words get churchified by those who attend.
“Well, this is my cross to bear.” - speaking of your addiction. Can we just recognize something:
Do not have other gods besides me. Do not make an idol for yourself, whether in the shape of anything in the heavens above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. Do not bow in worship to them, and do not serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me,
Have no other gods before me. Little g.
Col 1 tells us that we all find our purpose in Christ. He is our creator and sustainer. We know Jesus is our Savior and Lord.
Which means HE is the one who defines us.
When we have an addiction, we have sin. AND please understand that I use the word addiction specifically today. You may be thinking: I do not have an addiction. Yes you do. It’s called sin.
You may not be an alchoholic, or smoker, or drug addict; but when we repeatedly choose anything over God - thats addiction to sin. It is SIN.
Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
We have to NAME IT! We cannot beat around the bush! Brothers and sisters, your soul is far to precious for me to not step on toes. If it hurts when we tackle Sin, GOOD! If it feels personal today: GOOD!
What is keeping you from living? From TRULY Living? IS it the dollar? Do you define yourself as successful based on a bank account?
Do you identify as loved be gifts and doding?
Do you identify as attractive by physical compliments?
Do you find worth is success as defined by Always being the center of attention?
Do you have to have the best idea?
Is yours “always the best”?
Do you have to keep up with the Joneses?
The list goes on and on.
For we do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come. Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
This world is not our home! So do not seek the glory of this world.
What about the Other side of the coin?
Religion to Relationship
Religion to Relationship
What religion are you hanging on to?
Well Pastor, I am a follower of Christ. I am a Christian.
Can you prove it?
dWell I am in church every time the doors open, I serve, I tithe, i read Scripture, teach, etc...
Listen: all these things are good.
SOme may even be the overflowing of the Holy Spirit, the fruition of Spiritual Gifts and Fruits of the Spirit.
And it might be Fake it till you make it!
Religion - Synonyms of religion
1: a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
2a(1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural
(2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance
systematic beliefs and practices.
Is this what you have?
Do you think that is why Jesus came? To give you a list of rules, regulations, standard operating procedures and the what not?
That’s literally the LAW!
For what the law could not do since it was weakened by the flesh, God did. He condemned sin in the flesh by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh as a sin offering, in order that the law’s requirement would be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to him. Now if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.
So then, brothers and sisters, we are not obligated to the flesh to live according to the flesh, because if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.
We do not need religion!
We need
Relstionship -
Remain in me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without me. If anyone does not remain in me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be my disciples.
Relationship with our Brother Jesus! With our Lord Jesus. WIth our Savior Jesus. And the Word tells us in Ephesians that we are CO Heirs with Jesus! We are no longer dead but we are ALIVE!
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Do we stop doing the things we do? NO! But do not do these things as some form of ‘proof’. Do these things from the overflow of the GOD.
Do not look at GOd as some distant angry being you must appease. He is your Father.
So what is your choice?
So what is your choice?
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Do you find REST in Jesus? Have you ever tried?
Are you tired? Weary? Burdended?
It seems weird this whole yoke thing. ANd Jesus saying he is lowly, and humble in heart.
Heart - the CORE
God is telling you that AT HIS CORE - he knows your struggle.
At HIS CORE - He is right with you in whatever you are going through.
Finding rest in our souls.
