The Deeper Life || Jesus
Deeper Life • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Friends, if you’re able, would you stand for the reading of God’s word? Hear the word of God from 1 John 3:1-3
See what great love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children—and we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know him. Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he appears, we will be like him because we will see him as he is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.
Pray and Slide Please be seated.
I have a confession to make. It can be really hard to recognize Jesus.
I have spent the majority of my life following Jesus. I have gone to school to study Jesus. It’s my job to talk about Jesus.
But it can be really hard to recognize Jesus. It can be hard to see Jesus. To know what he’s up to. Especially in times of strife, of transition, of turmoil. But even in the good times - I’m good at being distracted, I’m good at knowing just enough about Jesus to often fail to hear Jesus. Or at least I can fail to hear all of what he has to say.
For a lot of Christians, we base our knowledge of Jesus and the gospel based on what others tell us about him - rather than reading, understanding, and knowing Jesus ourselves.
Therefore, sadly.
So many Christians believe a deficient gospel and an emaciated Christ.
It’s not that we don’t have the gospel - it’s just not the full gospel. It’s deficient, incomplete of all it’s glories. And it’s not that we don’t believe in Jesus - we just functionally believe he’s pretty weak. But if we want to experience salvation to the full, joy and joy abundant, it’s imperative we know him deeply.
1 John 3, which we said - that we will be made like him when we see him as he is - in the words of Paul, right now we see as though in a mirror dimly. But the more we see him, the more we know Jesus, the more we change. Christ’s life is the key to holiness and salvation.
It’s common amongst followers of Jesus, to struggle to recognize Jesus in all his revealed glory. Even in the Biblical Story we see this, amongst his disciples.
I mean the perfect example would be in Luke 24, Which is a great narrative of the morning of the resurrection. The women find the tomb empty, and angels tell them Christ is risen, then Peter also finds no body, but Jesus still wasn’t revealed to them
But then we read of two disciples leaving Jerusalem on their way to Emmaus, and they were discussing everything that had happened - and the risen Jesus came up to them on the road. Now these are disciples - they know Jesus, but they are not able to recognize Christ. Perhaps they were kept from seeing him because of a spiritual reality, perhaps just from overwhelm - but they end up discussing events with Jesus, Jesus then does a Bible study with them - and all the while they are unable to recognize him!
It wasn’t until they made it to their home, and Jesus prays over the meal that they recognize it’s JEsus.
I’m so happy that story is in the scripture. It’s easy to go through life - even as a disciple of JEsus - and know recognize that he’s with us - or even recognize him in all his glory.
So many Christians believe a deficient gospel and an emaciated Christ.
This Lenten season, we are studying the concept of the “Deeper Life”
The "deeper life" is a passionate, surrendered, sanctified walk with Jesus. It emphasizes holiness, intimacy with God, empowered service, and sharing in the Heart of God for mission.
Last week we spent time unpacking the concept of the Deeper life, and the call to sanctification - or being made more and more in the image of Jesus.
We discussed that the Gospel is not just being saved FROM hell, but saved UNTO righteousness and joy, and peace and love.
Righteousness, salvation and life - and growing in these things - are ultimately all found in growing in Christ.
This is what John 15 talks about - John 15:5
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 we want the fruit of the gospel - we must be connected deeply to the fine of Jesus. We must remain in his love. Without him we can do nothing. But gosh many of us try, don’t we?
We must be in Jesus
Being rooted in Christ, as Colossians 2:6-7 say.
But here’s the reality - rooted in Jesus. Yes thats the foundation - but who is Jesus?(slide here)
So many of us do not have a robust Biblical view of Jesus. Due to our sin, but our nature and our own histories - we are prone to see certain perspectives of Christ over and above others.
If Holiness is Christ in us, if our change is ultimately about being more and more in Him, deeply - then we need to make sure we know who he is!
Now - especially for those of us growing up in Church, even in our Christian culture - we have the gut instinct to say: we already know JEsus and what he is like!
But I’d argue our views of Christ, our knowledge of him is light, lacking, skin deep - the evidence the lives we lead.
If remaining in Christ is the source of life - and if being in Christ is what grows the fruit of the Spirit, but so much of our lives is riddled with anxiety, dysfunction, fear, lack of assurance, still ruled by sin - perhaps we have a emaciated view of JEsus.
A Jesus who we proclaim is able to save us from hell - but for some reason just isn’t strong enough to bring us life and life abundant. Joy and joy complete. Peace that surpasses all understanding.
And the issue, we argued last weak - is NOT from God’s side. God is able to do above and beyond ALL that we ask or imagine - most of it is our lack of faith, our lack of desire, and our lack of understanding of Jesus.
Not that we have a heretical view of Christ. So many of us a “good” Christians. We can say the creeds with enthusiasm. For a lot of us - we don’t have an errant view of JEsus,
We have a diminished view of Christ.
If we are going to grow in JEsus - we need to get a good picture of Jesus. Remembering - he’s not a concept, he’s not a theological doctrine to excel in - he’s a person. He’s the God-Man.
So this morning, with our time - I want to encourage us and reveal more and more about Christ. We are going to look at different aspects, different things about Jesus and his Character.
As we begin, I’m indebted to Dane Ortlund in his book called “Deeper.” It’s a great work on the deeper life and his Chapter on Jesus helped me alot in my prep this week, and his concepts gave me a jumping off point as we continue.
Because if Jesus is God, and we confess that he is, amen? If JEsus is God, and he’s infinite - that means there is more of him to know. We will never exhaust how much of JEsus there is to know. And he has a lot for us - an unsearchable amount for us.
Paul mentions this in Ephesians
This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of Christ,
so let’s start with this - perhaps we can agree - Since JEsus is eternal, and his riches are incalculable, can we agree that there is MUCH more to Jesus than we know? That our conception of Jesus and his goodness is just the very beginning? The tip of an iceberg? That there is more to Jesus, his kingdom, and his power than we know? can we agree to that? We could dig in the eternal mine of the glories of Jesus and always come up with Gold forever and ever,
But this morning, I want to look at Jesus, and from several angles.
So let’s look at seven different, Facets, as Ortlund call them, but seven different areas Jesus that can help us have a more Biblical well-rounded category to this God we serve.
He’s the reigning King. He’s the Savior. He’s our great Friend. He’s persistent and faithful. He’s our Intercessor. He’s our Coming King. And he’s kind and compassionate.
let’s start with Jesus is the Reigning King.
Jesus is the Reigning King.
We must start with the Majestic power and authority of Jesus. He’s in charge of the WHOLE cosmos. This is how he begins the great commission:
Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.
Jesus is in charge of it all! above everything. We read about this also in Ephesians 1:20-21
He exercised this power in Christ by raising him from the dead and seating him at his right hand in the heavens—far above every ruler and authority, power and dominion, and every title given, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Jesus is the sovereign over everything. Everything that happens, Jesus sees it all. He isn’t surprised. He is the beginning and the end. By him all things hold together. Though we see things in history and feel stress and out of control - take heart, Jesus is on the throne. He is over it all.
And not just on a cosmic scale - Jesus is the reigning King of you. He knows you, sees you, rules over you. And make no mistake -he has the authority, and he is the judge. One day we will be judged, and scripture says he doesn’t just know our actions - but even the inclinations of our heart. 1 Corinthians 4:5
So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.
Everything will be laid bare, and he has authority over it all. And one day, he will make everything right again - he will rule and reign when heaven and earth meet in new creation.
Some of us need to remember that Jesus is our King. And he has ALL the power in the world. He’s not some polly-pocket God to take out and play with before we put him back away when we’re bored with him.
We out to be in awe of this King. Not some awe - FULL of Awe. The ONLY right response to Jesus is worship. Perhaps we have bought into the lie that Jesus isn’t powerful or isn’t in charge, so we feel the need to hold on to our own little pet kingdoms, make no mistake Jesus is the reigning King, and that means we should do what he says.
Jesus is the Savior.
Now we may be tempted to just say yes and amen to this and move on - but that would be a mistake - because we often don’t realize the full weight and the completion of the salvation taht Jesus offers.
When we talk about Jesus is the savior - we don’t just mean he’s giving us a boost along the way. It’s not our best effort plus JEsus blood. He’s the WHOLE thing.
Dane Ortlund has this wonderful quote on the full salvation of Jesus:
“In our ongoing walk with the Lord now, do we functionally believe that the healthy Christian life is basically a matter of our own efforts, baptized with a little extra push from Jesus?”
Do we realize how great the salvation of Jesus is? Some of us fail to recognize just how desperate our situation was before salvation. We feel like we were lost, we may have been drowning even.
But that doesn’t even begin to cut it. Scripture declares not hat we needed a little help - but that we were DEAD. Ephesians 2:1
And you were dead in your trespasses and sins
Dead. Cold. Hopeless.
And the great love is that WHILE we were still sinners Christ died for us - that he who knew no sin became sin for us so that we can become the righteousness of GOd. or in the Ephesians 2:4-5
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!
Not just saving you - if you are in Christ, you’re saved. Not Jesus plus your efforts. JEsus Jesus only Jesus!
We need to realize just how desperate we were - and then worship Christ for how great he is. He saves us. And what can seperate us from Christ - since he did the whole work? Can you mess up God’s plan? Are you stronger than the hands that put the stars in their place?
Who the son sets free is free indeed. JEsus is the savior, not just the helper. He brings the dead to life.
He is the king, he is the savior, and in a great scandalous reality -
Jesus is our great friend.
Oh that we would learn this. Think of what JEsus will say later in John 15, verse 15
I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.
Jesus isn’t hiding anything from us - he alls us his friend! A friend shares his heart with his friend. A friend bears the burdens of their friend. A friend stands with us when we need a support. A friend will answer the phone at the most desperate hour.
Jesus doesn’t just save us and scold us - he saves us to the extent where he wants us to be with him, eat with him, talk with him, hang with him. Oh the great Gospel!
Some struggle with this facet of Christ for two reasons, first, because we think God so high and ourselves so miserable that we can’t imagine a grace so great. Friend - Jesus is the full savior. You were dead in your transgression, but his atonement was so powerful to cleanse you from all sin and the very righteousness of God now dwells in you through the Spirit. His blood is more powerful than your sin.
Others struggle with this because of pride. Jesus is a friend of tax collectors and sinners - those who know they need salvation and therefore throw themselves on the grace and love of Christ and are met in compassion, salvation and friendship. But for those of us who still are trying to fix ourselves by our own effort, will get offended that Jesus says we are sinners. We try to earn the affection on our own - but we forget that we aren’t just desperate before JEsus - we are dead. This pride keeps us from allowing the love and friendship of JEsus to hit home.
But we can go to him - he is our friend. Jesus the king, the savior, the friend, and
And Jesus is persistent and faithful.
Some of us get nervous in relationships because we have been burned by fickle friends - fair-weather friends. Friends who have come and gone and left great wounds. Not so with our God, Not so with Jesus.
Even though Jesus was about to go through the darkest week of his life - of passover, his betrayal and crucifixion, look how he thought of his followers.
John 13:1 declares this
Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
We just have no idea how great his love is, because this heavenly faithful and covenant love finds its genesis only in the Godhead. We get nervous that should we be unfaithful or we mess up one more time God will pull his love and favor and presence from us.
Friends - it wasn’t your salvation to win. Jesus gave it to you by grace! So its not yours to lose! When we are regenerate in the Spirit - the Spirit of God dwells in us! He is persistent and faithful. He won’t give up, and he will win.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Imagine the lengths that Christ went for us while we were dead in our sins. Now that we are redeemed, now we are his children - he’s with us. May God open our eyes to his faithful presence!
And faithfully present not just with us, but for us.
Jesus is our Intercessor.
Did you know that Jesus is working on your behalf, right now? Jesus work didn’t end when he ascended into heaven.
Also in Romans 8, look at this, Romans 8:33-34
Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies. Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the one who died, but even more, has been raised; he also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us.
God justfied us because or Christ - but right now, JEsus Christ is at the right hand of God and he intercedes for us.
What does this mean:
He is constantly intervening before God the Father on our behalf. Jesus is praying for us.
To intercede is to mediate, to arbitrate, to assist, to come along and help.
Think about this then, when you sin, Jesus is there in heaven - before the father, and saying: My blood for that sin. That one is ours. My sacrifice for them.
Even when you fail - there is no one who can condemn you - because Jesus is still there interceding for you!
Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.
He is able to save us COMPLETELY! Why?
Because he is alive, right now, and he ALWAYS lives to intercede for him.
sometimes? no. always.
Begrudgingly? no he LIVES to intercede for us - why? for we are his people, his children - he bought us at great price! Out of his great love for us, he made great investment in us - he WANTS us to grow and to be safe.
Jesus doesn’t save you, then sit at the throne in heaven, with his arm crossed and smug, waiting for you to sin. He is not begrudgingly saving you.
Jesus intercedes for us all - therefore NO ONE can come against us.
I think we need to remember that a key to our growth is that Jesus is for our growth. He wants us to grow more than we do!
When a baby is learning to walk, parents get all excited - but when the baby first gets up, and then falls down, do the parents get angry and yell at the child? NO!
They help the kid, they shout: “YOU CAN DO IT!” “KEEP GOING!” “KEEP GROWING!”
Satan tells us that Christ hates us for our weakness. No Jesus loves us in our weakness and he has made us righteous.
He is still in heaven speaking on our behalf. He is our intercessor. And he will continue to, till he comes again
Jesus is our Coming King.
Friends - let us not grow complacent. The hour has been chosen by the Father that Jesus will return and make all things new.
He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!
The end is coming - and not in a scary way - in a most glorious way! Our faith will be made sight.
He will wipe away every tear from our eyes. He will bring salvation to those waiting. That’s what Hebrews 9:28 proclaims.
so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
He is coming, and soon. This should give us hope. The night is darkest before the dawn. There is light on the horizon. Are you sick? healing is coming. Are you sad? Joy is on the way. Do you see the world buck and writhe - take heart Jesus has overcome the world.
This reality should also compel us into taking our growth seriously. Ortlund rights of the second coming like this:
“When it [the return of Christ] happens, will we not lament our complacency about growing in Christ? Will we not be mystified at our our bank accounts and reputations loomed so large in our minds, so much larger than our actual spiritual conditions?”
Friend - there are temporal investments we can make, and they are of some value. But there our eternal investments that have everlasting value. Let us press on and into Jesus, and look forward to his return!
For it is imminent - and by that I mean that he is coming soon and at any moment. It could be today, tomorrow, or in another hundred years. Regardless - each of us is one moment closer to being with God.
Don’t let Satan convince you into complacency or monotony. Or worse, into apathy and pessimism. Death has an end date. Sin has been defeated. Evil will be struck down.
AND we can live in the glorious reality now, in part, as we wait for the full restoration of all things.
Christ is our Coming King.
and
Christ is Kind and Compassionate.
When you picture the face of Christ, what emotion do you see? When you imagine Jesus’ disposition towards you, or his attitude, what comes to mind?
Can I encourage you to think Biblically here, and know that Jesus is kind, compassionate, gentle, and tender. That he truly cares for you.
For as majestic as God is, for as mighty and powerful as he is, do you know the most repeated descriptor of God in the Old Testament?
It’s from Exodus 34:6
The Lord—the Lord is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in faithful love and truth,
Compassionate and gracious. slow to anger, and abounding in faithful love and truth.
Through all the ups and downs of the Old Testament, the repeated refrain was that Yahweh was compassionate and gracious.
And Jesus, being God, is the same.
There is one place in the gospels where Jesus decribes his own heart. And remember in Biblical language, heart doesn’t mean the organ, not just the emotions - but it was the idea of the center of our being. When Jesus describes his core center himself, this is what he says:
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.
Christ, describing himself - says he’s lowly, gentle, humble - and wants to give us rest.
And when we read over the gospels - JEsus is often interrupted by people - and meets them with love and grace. Now he corrects and points to truth - but he is so kind.
Those who he hotly comes after, are the self righteous. Those who are using worship for their own gain.
But the sick? he touched and loved and healed. The lost? His heart broke for them because they were sheep without a shepherd.
But some, again resist this - largely because they don’t want to lay down their pride, and recognize that they are dead in their transgressions.
Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
God’s kindness leads to repentance.
Can I encourage you, as a friend, a brother, but pastoral?
Jesus sees you. In your sickness, he’s with you. In your sin, he’s with you. And not in rage - but in loving tenderness. As you call out in desperation - Jesus hears you, and is able to understand what you are going through. That’s Hebrews 4:16
Do you know that Christ has loving kindness towards you?
Romans time and time declares that therefore wherever sins abounds, grace abounds. Not that we would keep on sinning, of course - but that we won’t sink into shame and guilt.
Friend remember
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,
But here’s what I’m convinced of - some of us are not growing, are not changing, are not becoming more holy, because we see only an angry Jesus who’s upset at us, rather than a Christ who is unbelievably for us and kind to us.
He’s not trying to beat you into submission. He was beat on your behalf! If you’re in Christ - there is no more punishment. Just eternal love. Let him love you.
Jesus is our reigning King. He’s the Savior. He’s our great Friend. He’s persistent and faithful. He’s our Intercessor. He’s our Coming King. And he’s kind and compassionate.
So What
Friends - change, growth, holiness, is all about and from and unto Jesus.
He is the great sun in which we all orbit.
I truly believe that so many of us live in angst and pain because we have not realized just how Great JEsus is, and how much he loves us.
He is our King, He is our Savior. He IS our friend. He is not going to tire out. He is our Intercessor. He is our COMING King. And he is abounding in compassion and steadfast love.
Do you know him?
This is THE key.
Do you know him, or do you know about him?
How do we get to know him - foundationally, it’s all about grace.
I would implore you to call out to him, again and again and again. REad the Bible, read the gospels. Again and again. Pursue JEsus because he first pursued us!
And when we hear things that are contrary to scripture - demolish that argument with the Gospel.
“The world is out of control, I’m so afraid.” - Jesus has over come the world he is king. I will not be afraid.
“All my friends have abandoned me, I’m alone.” Jesus is my great friend, and I cannot be separate from him.
Friend - recognize our state before the cross - not just desperate but dead. And then marvel in teh Gospel. He has rescued you to the point of being children and co-heirs with JEsus.
Therefore - Let me end with this prayer from Paul:
For this reason I kneel before the Father from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. I pray that he may grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with power in your inner being through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love, and to know Christ’s love that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Let’s respond in singing, and may we know Jesus and his love - SO THAT we may be FILLED WITH THE FULLNESS OF GOD.
