SOZO, NOW WHAT?

Travis Deatherage

SOZO • Sermon • Submitted a month ago • Presented a month ago

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25-INTRO

Normal welcome (In-person, Online)

Travis - Connections Pastor

Wrapping up SOZO and tying it together by looking at Palm Sunday / Triumphant Entry. We have spent 2 months discussing how to experience the fullness of life that God intends for us and the SOZO - Wholeness, he wants to bring us to. Today we are going to see how to respond to SOZO AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF OUR RESPONSE

Throughout the series we have discussed that SOZO: Saved + Freed + Healed = Whole.

We have learned that Jesus came to seek and SOZO the lost, that Salvation from sin is far from the end, its truly just the beginning.

We talked about freedom and that because of Jesus we can break free from the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bondage we suffer from

We talked about healing from past wounds and current ailments and why God sometimes heals and sometimes doesn’t.

We talked about walking in wholeness, becoming like Jesus, the ultimate goal of SOZO

The reality of what God wants to do in us and through us is far greater and deeper than we could ever imagine possible.

Now that many of us have begun this SOZO journey or continued on this journey, we have to wrestle with, WHAT NOW?

23-PRAY

PARADE EXPERT

Since it is Palm Sunday where we celebrate Jesus’ Triumphant entry to Jerusalem, it is important for you to know that I am essentially a parade or processional expert.

I watch, somewhat religiously:

Rose Parade

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

I have attended:

4th of July

Disney Parks

CM ZOO - Chicken Parade

I have starred in a parade:

San Jose Holiday Parade

PICTURE ON SCREEN

I got to walk around with Jimmy Neutron

20-SOZO

Jesus joins a crowd of pilgrims traveling from Galilee (N) to Jerusalem (S) for Passover. As they pass by the border of Samaria (an area they would’ve gone around despite it meaning they were going to take a longer route):

TEN LEPERS

Luke 17:11–13 ESV

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

They saw him and they cried out to him for help, for healing

Luke 17:14–19

“When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.

καθαρίζω / katharizó : to cleanse by curing

As they obeyed, they became cured and clean. No longer unclean. Their health status and their social status had changed. The priests would confirm this.

As we come to the close of the SOZO series I have to ask: By a show of hands has anyone seen, heard of or experienced salvation, freedom, healing, wholeness?

Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks.

ἰάομαι / iaomai : healing, particularly as supernatural and bringing attention to the Lord Himself as the Great Physician

Praising God with a loud voice

Fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks

Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.””

σῴζω / sózó : to save in the technical biblical sense; to deliver from the penalties of the Messianic judgment; to make one a partaker of the salvation by Christ

Obedience lead to healing and cleansing

Faith > SOZO Connections are all throughout scripture

All 10 showed faith in asking for healing and obeying Jesus and yet its worth asking this question based on the text:

Was the one who praised the only one experienced SOZO? (Wholeness)

17-BLIND BEGGAR

Luke 18:35–41 ESV

As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” And he cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him. And when he came near, he asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me recover my sight.”

Luke 18:42–43

“And Jesus said to him, “Recover your sight; your faith has made you well.”

He asked for healing, by faith his sight was restored and he was SOZO’d

We saw how the leper responded, lets see how this blind man responds.

“And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God…

Very similar to the leper.

Followed Him, glorifying God

Personal Decision - Public Act Of Praise

“…And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.”

Your praise has the potential to impact those around you

15

Many of us have made a personal decision to Follow Jesus.

Have we followed that up by publicly glorifying him to the point that people see it and give God praise as well?

So much of our conversation around SOZO has been focused on what God wants to do in us, and rightfully so.

I know that I have need to cry out “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me”. I have needed and still need his SOZO power in my life.

One of reasons I have been excited to teach this message is because I get to celebrate all that God has done in our Church throughout this series and beyond!

And we have things to celebrate at TC, but man wouldn’t we be selfish if we just stopped at celebrating?

We have to celebrate AND share.

Verses like the great commission“Go therefore and make disciples” and Paul’s writing in Romans “ I am unashamed of the gospel” call us and challenge us to share what He has done

Verses like “Come see” “come taste and see” model for us the evangelistic heart that SOZO should produce in us

Check out what Paul says in Romans about SOZO

Romans 10:9–15 ESV

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved (SOZO’d). For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

That is good news! The lepers and the blind man CALLED on the name of the Lord and they were SAVED.

Romans 10:9–15 ESV

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?

There are people in this city who have not heard about Jesus. The one who saved you and I from the path of destruction, the one who is freeing and healing people in the room, is unknown to many outside these walls.

Romans 10:9–15 ESV

And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”

It’s not our job to convert people.

It's not our job to save people.

It's not our job to convict people.

It's not our job to convince people.

It's our job to worship in such a way that they ask about Jesus and then tell them all about Him.

The convincing, convicting, converting, and saving is the work of the Holy Spirit.

10- If you have been SOZO’d you have been sent.

A few minutes ago I asked: By a show of hands has anyone seen, heard of or experienced salvation, freedom, healing, wholeness? And many of you raised your hands.

You were obedient to the guy with a microphone, thank you for that. You did what you were told just like the 9 lepers.

But no one responded quite like the Samaritan leper or the blind man:

So let’s try this again. has anyone seen, heard of or experienced salvation, freedom, healing, wholeness?

I don’t know what you have experienced or heard or seen, but I know that someone in this room had cysts here one week and gone another. Addiction in January and sobriety for the last few months. Mental health struggles overcome, marriages on the path of healing, Chronic pain, relieved. Identity secured.

Is there anyone in here that wants to stand and testify to what God has done and that wants to PRAISE him with me for just a moment?

Because we have a whole city out there that we can easily criticize for not following Jesus, but if we are honest how many of us are praising and sharing in such a way that the city takes notice.

We need to celebrate in here what He has done, but we also need to let it pour out into the streets so that “all the people when they see it, give praise to God”

TRIUMPHANT ENTRY

Lets take a look at how this connects to the Triumphant Entry on Palm Sunday.

After Jesus leaves Jericho he makes his way to Bethany and Bethphage where he tells his disciples to get him a donkey so that he can ride into down the mount of Olives into Jerusalem.

8- 3 GROUPS OF PEOPLE

Crowd 1 - Those Who Saw Him Do Mighty Works and Ushered Him In

Luke 19:36–38 ESV

And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

This crowd was his disciples + the pilgrims from Galilee, people who had joined them after witnessing/experiencing miracles like the raising of Lazarus, possibly the samaritan leper, the blind men he healed, Zacchaeus. When they saw him get on the donkey, they recognized the fulfillment of an OT prophecy, and turned the arrival into a triumphal procession. Their shouts made no secret of their belief that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah. Before they got to the city people were laying out their branches and clothes. This signified royalty and victory. They were ushering him into Jerusalem.

The language suggests a burst of admiration far wider and deeper than had ever been witnessed

NOT A SMALL THING - not a chicken parade!

No greater way in their language or culture to welcome someone. It was the highest possible praise!

John 12:17 The crowd that had been with him continued to bear witness

They were sharing what they had experienced, publicly, unashamed

Some pharisees actually told Jesus to rebuke the disciples and Jesus responded with “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.””

If you’ve been SOZO’d, you can’t be silent

6-

Crowd 2 - Those Who Heard About Him And Welcomed Him In

John 12:12–13 ESV

The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!”

Testified to what they “heard” VS the other crowd testifying to what they had “seen”

People were praising God and haling Him as Messiah, not just because of their experience but also because they HEARD of what He had done

This doesn’t happen unless people celebrate and share.

Does CO Springs hear about the move of God happening in our midst?

What if the whole city showed up next Sunday for Easter. If we truly glorified God in front of our families, friends, coworkers, neighbors, baristas, servers, grocery clerks, etc, could you image what would happen?

What if we ran out of room next week and we had to make makeshift overflow room and even more important than the attendance of our service next or ever, what if there was revival in our city

Barna Study from last year: Nearly half of U.S. adults (44%) even say they are more open to God today than they were before the pandemic.

4- The City - Those Who Didn’t Know Him And Inquired About Him

Matthew 21:10–11 ESV

And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

The city of Jerusalem were, however, not praising, not ushering him in or welcoming him in, they were taken aback, and stirred

Their cry was not Hosanna, it was - WHO IS THIS?

How many came to to know Jesus that day who started the day off not knowing Him, because the praise that was usually reserved for the Temple was happening on the paths outside the city and roads inside it?

TEMPLE

Luke 19:45–46 ESV

And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”

Jesus entered the Court of the gentiles, the only place in the 33 acre complex where non-jews were allowed to enter and worship. But worship had become impossible. This court become overrun by stalls with buyers, sellers, birds and other animals. They were there so that pilgrims who had been traveling in could purchase the needed animals for the sacrifices, but the whole thing had gotten out of proportion. We know that the merchants and the money-changers were offering unfair prices and exchange rates and the ultimately it was the religious elite who were not just providing a service but profiting off of this. God’s plan for the temple was to be a center of worship for all nations.

The religious got in the way of the lost, just like they had done with so many others throughout scripture.

We are either actively creating space in this family for those who do not know Jesus yet or we are intentionally or unintentionally getting in the way.

The story of Zacchaeus, just a few chapters before mentions that he could not see Jesus (partially because he was very short) but also because the crowd was in the way. He was like, 44% of US adults, according to Barna, interested and open to Jesus, but there were barriers.

If Jesus were to walk through those doors, I would not want him to react the same way He did in the temple, let’s make room for all nations, tribes and tongues and lets not stand by allowing people to miss out on Jesus.

If you’ve been SOZO’d, you can’t stand by

2- CLOSING - The Date of Palm Sunday

The date of Palm Sunday would’ve been the day on the calendar that all jews would pick out the lamb that would be slain for their household for the Passover celebration (1 week from that day). They would’ve taken their lamb to the temple to be inspected by the priests.

How interesting that Jesus enters the city and heads straight to the temple, his intended destination.In just a few days he would be arrested, beaten, hung on a cross as the perfect lamb, who came to take away the sins of the world.

How powerful is it to realize that he has been SOZOing on the way to his sentencing.

He entered the city and presented himself at the temple as THE PASSOVER LAMB, for you, for me, for the world.

Romans 10:13 “For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.””

Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”

If you have been SOZO’d, you have been sent, you can’t be silent, you can’t stand by