Limitless, Fearless, Selfless

MSC Junior Camp - Sunday AM Sermon

Introduction: Last week, as I was preparing for the Tue. night devo, I was studying the passage for that day, 2 Tim. 1.7 “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

I noticed that 2 Timothy 1:14 “By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.”

In short, and not to preach Tuesday’s passage, but it seems that since God gave us His Spirit, which dwells in His people, then His people will exhibit the same qualities that He exhibits: Power, love, and self-control. (more on that on Tuesday)

But it did give me an idea: Our camp theme for this week, “Selfless, Fearless, Limitless”, is composed of three qualities that God exhibits, and I think (in some sense) three qualities that God desires to be expressed in us!

This morning I want to spend a few minutes exploring how God is all of those things.

God is Limitless (Eph. 3.20-21)

Consider the abilities of “superheroes” - strength, intelligence/mental prowess, speed, skill, control of physical elements, etc.

All superhero abilities are, in some sense or another, above or beyond what we can physically do. (Even Batman: Which one of us can afford a Batcave?)

Yet, consider this: The creators of those characters were able to conceive of those entities, with those abilities!

Come back to the text:

God is able to do not just more than we can do. (the basic definition of a “superhuman”)

God is able to do not just more than we can express.

God is able to do not just more than we can think.

God is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (KJV)!

Put it this way: If we gave every human being on earth an internet-connected device, and we each submitted ALL of our thoughts, hopes, dreams, ideas, and foolish notions, our combined efforts would be left shivering in the cold, dark shadow of His limitless power, wisdom, and glory.

I say plainly and without disrespect: Your conception of God, and mine, isn’t big enough.

For God to be limited would require a perspective and rule higher than His, which does not exist!

I’m reminded of Paul’s spontaneous praise of God in Romans 11:33–36

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

By the way, that second quotation in Romans 11: “Who has given Him a gift that he might be repaid?” Paul is speaking of God there, but the first time that is asked, God was actually speaking to Job. Let’s go there next: Job 40, and think about the fearlessness of God.

God is Fearless (Job 40-41)

In Job 38-41, Job is being reminded why demanding that God explain His actions is grossly inappropriate, and God uses His rule over both inanimate and animate nature to make a simple point: You, Job, have no right to demand anything of God, nor to imply that God must defend HIs actions, as if they somehow might be judged as wrongdoing!

Job 40.9-14: God says, in essence, “If you claim to be able to question God as an equal, well then go ahead and prove you are equal to Him!”

40.15-41.9: God brings up two immensely powerful creatures, Behemoth and Leviathan, and the point is made in Job 41:10 “No one is so fierce that he dares to stir him up. Who then is he who can stand before Me?”

If you, Job, cannot subdue all of the creation, how shall you stand against the Creator?

God stops in Job 41:11 and asks the all-important question here: “Who has first given to me, that I should repay him? Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.”

Our God is without peer, equal, rival, competitor, or challenger. God is alone in his “weight class”.

That’s why repeatedly the Psalmists said things like Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Did you know there is not one reference in scripture to God being afraid? Can you think of one? I couldn’t either!

Just to be sure, I even asked ChatGPT if it could find Biblical references to God being afraid: “The Bible does not depict God as being afraid. Fear, as a human emotion, generally implies vulnerability, uncertainty, or a lack of control—none of which are characteristics attributed to God in biblical theology.

There is not one reference in scripture of God being afraid, and I think the reason is clear: Of WHOM would He be afraid? In what way is God vulnerable? Who would dare claim to force God to do anything? To whom must God answer?

So then, why would this incalculably vast, entirely fearless entity known as God have anything more to do with us, especially since we’ve defied Him, disobeyed Him, and dishonored He in whose image we were created?

God is Selfless. (Ps. 103.8-14)

Remember what we read in Ephesians 3? That praise gives glory to God “in the church and in Jesus Christ” Remember Romans 11? That praise sprang from Paul’s explanation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Read with me now in Psalm 103.8-14

Our God has chosen to be merciful and gracious.

Our God has chosen slowness to anger.

Our God has chosen steadfast love.

Our God has chosen not to hold His anger forever.

Our God has chosen to regard our fear of Him.

Our God has chosen to remove our transgressions from us.

Our God has chosen to remember our frailty.

In short, our God has chosen to be selfless, for our sake!

And for all of those reasons above, God, in His selflessness, chose to come here Himself and save us. God chose to send us Jesus.

Titus 3:3–7 “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

That, friends and brethren, describes the actions of our selfless, fearless, limitless, God. Only ONE such as that could have done such a thing for people such as us!

Conclusion: Let’s finish with the following verse: Titus 3:8 “The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.”

This week, if we’ll insist on these things, not just in our classes and devotional time and our conversations, but in all our actions and decisions, if we will insist on speaking of and serving God and our Savior Jesus Christ, we will have said and done what is “excellent and profitable” for everyone here and for all who will arrive in a few hours, Lord willing.

We serve a God who is selfless, fearless, and limitless, who sent His selfless, fearless, limitless Son to die for us, so that we, through the message of the Gospel, may overcome our limitations, conquer our deepest fears, and learn to give up ourselves for God and for one another.