Awaken. Return to form

Testimony

Intro/recap

What a weekend. I have to admit, that this weekend, I have seen God move in the life of your students in ways that I cannot even describe to you.

We have framed the weekend with Ephesians 4:1-16. Later on I encourage you to go and check out this passage, but for now one of the ways we described what is going on there is the following:

Show image. Explain.

This morning we consider what it is to live truth, return to form.

So this morning two places I want to go:

The challenge we face: Secularism

The necessary posture we must live by: Jesus is King

Pray.

Defining Secularism

I will be drawing on the work of Australian pastor and writer, Mark Sayers. If you are interested in exploring some of these ideas, I recommend his book; Reappearing Church.

Sayers admits “The average Westener processes religion through a crude, street-level model of secularism that is assumed but rarely analyzed.”

Let me just ask the room, what is secularism?

The secular myth that many of us believe is that religion was likely at its heights very long ago in the world and since then it has simply shrunk. Faith once was the center of all things, and if you were into history, you might think the middle ages like 1400s and since then, with exceptions, society progresses and religion is less important.

In a purely progressive secularism that is combative with religion: the belief is that as we progress in time, we will also advance scientifically, technologically, politically, and morally… and religion is not needed.

“This model presumes that with the right conditions and influences, humans are perfectible and that a kind of human utopia is possible.” Mark Sayers, p. 21

Show image 1 (Secular narrative)

The left and right are guilty of this:

Left: they are aligned with this pursuit of human utopia, peace, justice, and human perfectibility. Progressives believe that more government intervention will improve our society.

Right: want to pump the brakes and conserve fruits of western culture, free economy, less government intervention

They both believe specific policies can lead us to a free, fair, and prosperous future.

They may argue over what utopia will look like but they are both encapsulated by the secular narrative.

(Show image 2 with religion decline)

Religion in many ways is seen as a superstition or an enemy to progress. Even within the church as we see the deterioration of anything offensive in the gospel to make it more palatable to the general world. Let me press even harder… how many of us would rather live quiet unassuming Christian lives so as to not create any tension in the world. In many ways we have been convinced that our own faith is kind of problematic.

Here is what is fascinating:

“What marks the Western secularist-progressive myth is a religious-like belief that human perfectibility and social progression will continue until we reach utopia.” Sayers, p. 22

“The world is getting more religious and less religious at the same time.”

And the narratives are very similar when you think about it. Explain the Christian narrative:

Show image 3 (Christian narrative)

Fall and then a messy rescue plan where God is seeking to restore the world to an end where God’s presence is the all in all.

Now look at them together, do you see the similarities?

Show image 4 (the two together)

What do you see? What is similar and what is different?

Sayers thesis and I think it is very prophetic:

The world wants the kingdom without the king.

and it’s failing. None of it is true. We are more educated, technology is more than it ever has been.

Secularism is Failing

I have shared anecdotally before about the two hardest stretches of ministry (and really they were on top of each other)

It is failing…

At a macro level:

some might argue that we have truly progressed towards the end of human perfectibility, but it is hard to imagine, right?

brokenness and corruption in Hollywood

financial sector

Silicon Valley

Militaries

big business

politics

sports

Tribalism

Socio-economic disparity

racial unrest

presidential cycle last time yall…

COVID revealed so much

and yes the church

Micro level:

everyone is anxious

mental unhealth is a norm in young generations

falling IQ levels

epidemic lonliness

addictions

More human slaves today than when it was legal, so addiction and greed

Technology

gaming

sex

obesity

Life expectancy is dropping in the west for consecutive years

Ok, by now your depressed.

But go back to these pictures..

What is the answer? We have to return to the King. I think we must understand the current realm of the gospel and that is What is Jesus doing right now? What does it mean to say that he has ascended and sits at the right hand of the Father. What is the current relationship with us and the head of the body?

I will talk about this around the three p’s:

Presence

Power

Posture

First presence…

The Ascension brings Jesus back fully into presence of God

Jesus presence with God brings his presence with us. When Jesus came in the incarnation. He took on flesh and limited aspects of his power and presence in the world.

The first piece of the ascension that is important is basic. To know that he is back in the presence of God and that has implications for us, look at Hebrews.

Hebrews 9:24 NIV

For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence.

Jesus is returning to his glory. He humbled himself taking on flesh and now returns to where he came.

And shockingly he says it is better for you if I go.

How many of us would rather live now or be followers of Jesus?

John 16:7–8 NIV

But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

Presence everywhere. Now in prayer and in the Lord’s Supper and throughout our day and in our struggles and in our victories, we know Christ is present by His Spirit.

The Ascension now gives him all power and authority

As he is leaving he says “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” Sitting at the right hand is all about power.

The most quoted old testament passage in the nt. and one that is referenced constantly in terms of Jesus:

Psalm 110:1 NIV

The Lord says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

This is thought to be a prophetic vision that David sees the Father speaking to Jesus.

So now his power and authority is restored and even surpassed by way of his victory.

Jesus not only limited his omniscience but also his omnipotence.

Right hand of God in the bible....means power.

Exodus 15:6 NIV

Your right hand, Lord, was majestic in power. Your right hand, Lord, shattered the enemy.

Jesus is king.

Finally, Jesus position is about the full crowning of Jesus as King. As Jesus is crucified he is mocked as being king of the Jews, Clothed in the royal color and crowned with thorns. The vindication from death and the ascension brings Jesus to the place of king of kings.

This is known as the session of the Son.

This is what he is doing right now.

Matthew Bates: (Summarize and preach it out)

“Jesus’s reign is a nonnegotiable portion of the good news. First, when the gospel is presented today by a preacher or teacher, most of the time this “Jesus reigns” portion of the gospel is either entirely absent or mentioned as an aside. The cross and resurrection get central billing, but Jesus’s kingship is tucked away offstage. We need to recover Jesus’s kingship as a central, nonnegotiable constituent of the gospel. Jesus’s reign as Lord of heaven and earth fundamentally determines the meaning of “faith” (pistis) as “allegiance” in relation to salvation. Jesus as king is the primary object toward which our saving “faith”—that is, our saving allegiance—is directed. Jesus reigns right now. Second, Jesus’s reign corresponds to the present epoch of world history that we find ourselves in now. The first six stages of the gospel refer to events in the past with respect to Jesus’s life story—for example, he has already taken on human flesh, died for our sins, and been raised from the dead. But if Jesus has been raised from the dead, then where is he now? And what is he doing? It shouldn’t surprise us if the answer proves to be fundamental to all aspects of Christian life today. Jesus is currently the enthroned king, Lord of heaven and earth, and he is actively ruling until, as Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians, “he has put all his enemies under his feet” (15: 25).

2 things I want you to see here:

We are citizens of a different kingdom

our allegiance is to him first. This is a complete reordering for us.

Think Christianly. To have the mind of Christ.

His reign is through the called out ones. “You will do greater works than I.” How?!?! If resurrection is the public demonstration of the defeat of sin, death, and evil..... the ascension is Jesus’ continued reign over them.

Ascension solidifies his posture as intercessor

Jesus is also standing in the gap. He is our great intercessor. In his bodily resurrection. He is physically, positionally, the one who brings us to God. We are in community with the trinity by our joining to him. Look at these two scriptures:

Romans 8:34 NIV

Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

and here in Hebrews....

Hebrews 7:25 NIV

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

The one who was with us now is completely for us. The one who is now again everywhere and all powerful is also the one who is completely for us.

What does it mean that he intercedes?

The weight of this statement would require some serious unpacking of levitical law and the role of priests in the Israel’s worship. For now, the levite priest was set apart by God and they would lead the people in sacrifices for sin and brokenness. They would make a way for atonement. Then only a certain line of Levites in the line of Aaron and Moses could be the high priest and go into the Holy of Holies. This was the most direct contact with God. The high priest was our way into the holy of Holies. He was the human representative that made a way to God.

Jesus hears our prayers. He is the one contending for us. He is the one who meets us in the Eucharist. He is the one who meets us in worship. And it is by Him that we are brought into the community of the trinity; Father, son, and Spirit

Closing:

Francis Mcnut:

1. How many of you can ever remember your own father praying with you or over you?

2. How many of you can remember your own mother praying with you or over you?

3. How many of you have had the experience of praying with your spouse out loud other than at meals?

only about 3%=Father

only about 20%=mother

almost noone with spouse

that means we are generationally multiplying a faith of little substance.

You combine that with our busy lives, the influences of secularism, and is there any wonder we are anxious. This weekend, God shifted something in the life of these students and the adults that were here.