Transform: Pursue
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1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
Good morning everyone!
Good morning everyone!
Last week we began a series called Transform.
What does it mean to be TRANSFORMED by the good news of the Gospel? Is belief more than just agreement, and is our faith an invitation to a story bigger and better than our own?
If the Gospel is true and Jesus was who he said he was, there is a transformative nature of the Gospel that should impact our pursuits and pleasures.
and the world transformative nature of the Gospel and the impact it has on our pursuits and pleasures.
And so last week I invited you to compare the Christian story to the different narratives that the world offers, whether it be a pursuit of stuff or a blind humanism unwilling to face up to its dangerous endgame.
Your homework last week was to hold up the worldview of God’s story to any of the others being offered you through media, commercials, friends, music, Netflix and see which offers a more life giving narrative, that takes into account what it means to have an identity, a purpose and to live fully human as we were created to live.
PAUSE
Now the gospel; which just means “Good News” says that our world is broken, that humanity is sinful and therefore every effort we make to fix ourselves will be tainted and misguided by our brokenness.
So God stepped into our story took on flesh, walked among us, lived the life we cannot, and at the cross, paid a sin debt, broke chains of sin and death, defeated the devil and proclaimed our freedom!!!
The Bible tells how the loving Creator God restored a lost humanity and cosmos through reestablishing his rule through Jesus Christ and the provision of life to His honour.
And the Bible is .... the record that
God has made promises to bring His people to Himself and He is fulfilling them all through Christ.
So rather than a closed universe where we are told to create meaning, identity, and purpose by accumulating and pursuing yet somehow never seem to find any real traction.....
That is the story we are invited to live in and it is a good story!!!!
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me.
PRAYER
In this text we see in Jesus the model of our new life it as sacrificial
That it is in the living out of this model that we are sanctified.
And in this life we find our sustenance.
PAUSE
NOW, if we find that we are convinced that it is a better story. That the author of life has lovingly and sovereignly unravelled such a beautiful story to invite us into----I would submit that we should want to pursue more of him. Right?
DENHAM SPRINGS, La. — Millions of people have seen and shared th
Although she heard David Phung’s voice during the rescue, Brouillette never saw her rescuer’s face before their reunion Monday at a Denham Springs home where she is temporarily staying.
“I know I don’t know you, but I love you,” Brouillette, 53, said as she hugged and thanked the man she called her “angel” and “savior.”
A Red Cross volunteer who befriended Brouillette at a shelter arranged Monday’s meeting. Brouillette lost her trailer home and all of her belongings in the flooding. Phung brought her a load of supplies, including dog food.
On Aug. 13, 2016 a YouTube video went viral.
It shows floodwaters in Louisiana, swallowing Hailey Brouillette’s red convertible car as 3 people approahc in a boat to help.
They cannot see her, just hear her voice under the soon to be submerged roof of the car.
They yell for her to get out.
“I’m trying! I can’t!” she replied. “Oh no! I’m drowning!”
David Phung tried to smash a car window from the boat, then jumped into the water and used his hands to rip open a hole on the top of the car. Phung grabbed Brouillette by her arms as the car disappeared in the murky waters. She remained submerged for several seconds before Phung finally pulled her out of the water.
“Get my dog!” she immediately shouted.
He said “No!!! Don’t be ridiculous!! “
___________
It was a month later that they actually met each other.
In the craziness of the moment she had never really taken in her rescuer.
David Phung, who rescued Hailey Brouillette and her dog Sassy from her sinking car in recent floodwaters, reunites with her for the first time
She heard David Phung’s voice during the rescue, but never saw her rescuer’s face before their reunion a month later. and had never seen the video
In front of cameras Hailey’s met her rescuer and the rescuer of her dog SASSY!
And as she embraced him she said.. “I know I don’t know you, but I love you,” she called her “angel” and “saviour.” They spent 3 days together talking about life...
“I know I don’t know you, but I love you,” Brouillette, 53, said as she hugged and thanked the man she called her “angel” and “savior.”
I love that, “I don’t know you, but I love you”
I would say a natural response to a rescuer.
She could have just said..tat she got what she needed from the relationship…salvation!!
When it come to the Christian faith, the Gospel story… we need to remember that our salvation was for and toward relationship!!!
So first....
We are being reconciled to God!
So if we believe the Christian narrative to be true it is not just information to agree with, but a relationship to be pursued.
Secondly, I would say that if you are NOT convinced that it is a better story.....take a step to pursue Him anyway!!
Because Jesus IS the story!!
See The end game of the Gospel is not heaven, it’s Jesus!
And that it is in him we find life.
And a faith that skips our pursuit of Jesus and skips to our salvation suggests a faith with no sacrifice, a faith that offers no sanctification, and has no lasting sustenance or value.
And that is the reason that if you are here and are not convinced that Jesu is who he said he was, that he offers a better story than you could write for yourself , I would still invite you pursue Him, since He is the story. And the truth of the story grows in our pursuit of him.
And this is what we will find:
Pursuing Jesus means ......
I. Sacrifice
Phil. 2L:5-8
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Phil
The method of our salvation was sacrifice. It is also the means of our deeper Christian life.
If we desire meaningful relationship…doesn’t it mean sacrifice??
In any area of life!!!
If I told my wife that I was willing to pursue her, tell her how much I love her, thank her for her love, .........for an hour on Sunday mornings, and that will hold me!!
AND that I am hoping that I get something out of it to get me through the week
That would say something to her about why she is in my life.
That would say something about how deeply I am invested in her, and what I am in it for!
In her case she would ask some very serroius questions about why she is in relationship with me!!!!
BUT if that is my approach to the relationship…maybe I should be asking what I am in it for!!!
If I am content to get my fill in short weekly or monthly fill ups, am I really in a relationship…AND can I really complain when the relationship feels empty and like an hollow ritual?
Isn’t that what many of us are content to call Christianity. Faith. Belief?
Ritual with no pursuit!!
Any love, any relationship worth having takes sacrifice!!
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
For the joy set before him he endured the cross!!
Jesus saw you and I as worthy of sacrifice!! Ultimate sacrifice!
So run with endurance. Continual long lasting pursuit.
PAUSE
Today one of the highest virtues of our culture is to be authentic!
Be true to yourself.
And as with many accepted axioms there is a kernel of truth to it.
Do not be manipulated. Don’t conform just because everyone else is doing it.
Agreed!
But once we mix that with the commercialism that we are all drowning in it becomes more than that!!
it is in danger of becoming an individualism that is over and above all else!1
Charles Taylor in his book “A Secular Age” talks about the kind of faith this produces.
“The religious life or practice that I become part of must not only be my choice, but it must speak to me, it must make sense in terms of my spiritual development”
The danger Taylor says is that with this mindset when it comes to Jesus, it won’t be long “before the emphasis will shift more and more towards the strength and genuineness of the feelings, rather than the nature of the object” of our worship.
If we are not careful we find ourselves making god in our image and asking him to conform to us.
Nothing is given or axiomatic anymore, so one has to “find” one’s faith: “I have to discover my route to wholeness and spiritual depth. The focus is on the individual, and on his/her experience”
So many attempt to live a Christian faith that requires no sacrifice, implying we are living lives that need no Jesus, and therefor a Christian faith that stagnant.
Somewhere we have misunderstood what it means to sacrifice.
By definition sacrifice hurts, at its lowest level it at least is uncomfortable.
Where
But for many any call to sacrifice infringes on things we have grown comfortable with, we think that God could not possibly mean that!
The reason we are invited to live lives of sacrifice is because when we sacrifice, we remove barriers that keep us from more of Jesus.
But I know for myself that often when I feel as though curtains hide His face from me they are often the result an unwillingness to draw them open by giving up something that I should not cling so tightly to.
I shut him out from so many area and then wonder why he doesn’t show up!
As author G.k. Chesterton put it....
Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried.
Sometimes we can give y very good things
Pursuing Jesus requires sacrifice....it has always been.
If one decides to be a doctor, they will sacrifice many other things to become one. Years of schooling, skipping out on fun, maybe vacation, reading, pursuing the goal of becoming a doctor.
A concert violinist doesn’t not become one by really wanting it. There were a thousand small and large sacrifices that led her to that stage, and if she decided it wasn’t worth it she would not be a concert pianist.
Sometimes we give up stuff that is really good.
But if our claim is like Hailey Brouillette’s. I don’t know you, but I love you. the pursuit of more of Jesus and the sacrifice that come with it, is not only practical it would be a desire!
Wha
A pursuit of more of Jesus will require sacrifice.
It will also be the means of our....
II. Sanctification
His goal was not to guilt Christians who don’t read it, his goal was to remind us that their is not Spiritual growth, nourishment, without spiritual eating!
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
As we pursue Christ, we identify with him. As vs. 5 says have the mind among yourselves which is yours in Christ Jesus.
And we see that Jesus threw off everything in his pursuit of us. He had all the right in the universe to stay firmly seated on His thrown.
Aren’t you glad he didn’t!?!?
He willingly shed his rights!!
We now, as we shed our perceived rights, and purse him wholeheartedly, without reservation, without a claim to “That is MINE!!”
We become like him!!
It is a part of our sanctification.
A shedding off of our old self and a putting on of Christ.
Not just in words
Not just in words
we become more like him
I find that I am often in danger of losing balance in my life when it comes to my spiritual practices.
That I may start excelling here but not so much here. My study of scripture increases, but my prayer life deteriorates. Silence and self-examination are at a high, but I am failing to seek out fellowship.
Because life does not stay still and let me get my spiritual house in order, things are often fluid.
And if sanctification came about simply by a balanced spiritual life we would all be in trouble.
But that is not where sanctification grows. Those are good tools, but they are not the prize.
Reading the bible in a year, having a prayer list, meeting together in Christian gatherings as the Church of Jesus are means to a deeper life with Christ- HE is the pursuit, and it is in a pursuit of him that we find we are becoming more like him.
If you visit our house, you will be not be struck with how well I keep the lawn. It is rotted our and eaten by birds and raccoons.
It wont be by how clean the kitchen is, although we will do our best to have it clean when you show up; (we find that inviting people over is the best methos for having a clean house)
What you will notice is that we are a family of songs and silliness, with inside jokes and goofy dances.
My kids did not come by this by accident!!
They became this way because they hang out with two goofy dorks for parents. Who don’t take alot of life too seriously.
Other times we take things very seriously. And so do our children.
They are like us because they live with us and are being made more and more like us.
The sure fire way to learn from and become like Jesus(which is what sanctification is) is to spend time with him!!
It is not about waiting for the retreat or for Sunday or for camp when we can really get away.
The amount of time, not the quality of time.
Any mature Christian will tell you that in their walk with Jesus, there have been many times and some long periods of time of what can only be described as silence, or at best small glimpses of grace that saw them through. And often it is in coming out the other side of those times where we are able to say....
you are my refuge and strength a very present help in times of trouble.
Because not only does pursing Christ mean sacrifice and sanctification, it also brings
III. Sustenance
16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
Phil 2:
it is the pursuit of Jesus, more of him that brings meaning and life to our faith
it is the word of life that sustains us.
Communion- ever wonder why Jesus used bread and wine.
it wasn’t caviar and Dom Parignon (first cause its gross)
But these were the fundamentals of their existence.
The everyday stuff of life!!
To welcome and to pursue more of Jesus is to welcome him into the stuff of life!!
The low level fundamental stuff, not just the “My life is in crisis” stuff.
I wonder how many of my meetings with people would look different if Jesus had been welcomed into the fundamental stuff of life rather than just when things got out of control.
There is a difference between making Jesus our daily bread, our life sustaining manna, and making him our emergency rations.
But I know for myself, I treat my pursuit of Christ more like an in case of emergency break glass, than a daily invitation.
In Jesus finds himself before a crowd and like usual he is clarifying their thinking- they are following him for the miracles he can do. looking for the immediate experience.
26 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 27 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.”
33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
The food of God. The life sustaining nourishment of God is found in his Son Jesus.
32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
John
Have you ever got home from work and realised you skipped lunch?
It is not a sin not to read your Bible everyday
Not a sin if you forget to pray tomorrow.
The reason to pursue Jesus in those way and many others is for life for sustenance.
If you forget to eat breakfast and lunch it is not a moral failure. You don’t say, “Oh no I forgot lunch, I’ve sinned.”
You say, “Oh man, I forgot to eat lunch.....I am hungry!!”
The thing about food is that....
Eating food once a week won’t do it.
Being near food wont sustain you.
Believing in food will not sustain you.
Eating food will sustain you.
A Christian life is nurtured by knowing and loving and pursuing Jesus.
There is no Christian life without it.
So if I believe that I am going to have life, and life more abundantly, without any sacrifice or spiritual discipline in my life, I may not be sinning, but I am disillusioned and I am starving myself.
It isn’t by accident that Eugene Peterson titled his book on Scripture reading.. “Eat This Book”
His goal was not to guilt Christians who don’t read it, his goal was to remind us that there is no Spiritual growth, nourishment, without spiritual eating!
___________________________________________
Conclusion
steak, good drink, good friends,
I am amazed at the amount of junk that my kids can put in their bodies and just get away with it!!
III. Pursuit
EAT THIS BOOK?
______________________
I’m pretty sure that if the world stopped eating Nutella, my daughter could keep them in business!
II. To Pursue means to struggle
it means discomfort sand offense to some.
My sone could eat 3 sleeves of Oreos and feel fantastic and seemingly not gain an ounce.
2) WILL YOU PURSUE HIM? "work our your salvation with fear and trembling"
The disciplines as a means for more of Him.
Check out doable discipleship episode one
Conclusion- take on a disciple this week (prayer, reading, solitude, fasting, etc)
how does the one with 4 young kids prayer
how do we do bible reading
serving
There are certain foods that we can eat as kids that we can just not eat as adults if we want to sustain ourselves.. There’s nothing to them. Pop tarts and bear claws just do not offer any sort of long lasting sustenance. They burn up quickly and they are not good for you!
other diciplines
What does this faith look like as a LIFESTYLE!
not a tag on
Nothing is outside of the lifestyle!
What happens when we eat certain foods that go down easy and taste sweet, and require no discipline not discernment, is that they may give us a quick fix, but quickly lead us to crash.
Charles Taylor- 87-88
The move toward true to yourself
No strength, not life, and we ask why am I so tired all the time.
And it’s affront to spiritual discipline
Here is the goal: when you and I ate food we feel refreshed and we feel deal. If we don’t eat breakfast or forget to eat breakfast we don’t feel moral kill you feel hungry. It’s the same thing when it comes to spiritual discipline feeding.
It is the same in our faith.
What will that mean for is this week
If you and I are willing to settle for a diet of faith that requires no sacrifice, with not desire to conform to the image of Christ.....we will find that we are living a faith with no sustenance and be frustrated by our lack of energy when it comes to loving and following Christ.
PAUSE
So if you are convinced of the greater story you have been invited in to by Jesus. Salvation from sin and death, a granting of an identity, purpose and full humanity that are defined by the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ I invite you to pursue the author and lead actor of your salvation story;
I want to invite you to make space this week, for your saviour. “Whom you do not know, but you love” so that you may know the object of your affections more.
This week I want to ask that you invite into your routine one discipline to aid you in your pursuit of Jesus- devotions, bible reading, prayer, solitude, journalling, Christian fellowship. If you are a musician a time of worship not in preparation, but simply an offering to him.
Not to alleviate your guilt, but to feed your soul. I am the bread of life says Jesus, true bread,
51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”
John
PRAYER
Jesus being food for our soul?
Secondly, I would say that if you are NOT convinced that it is a better story.....take a step to pursue Him anyway!!
Because Jesus IS the story!!
See The end game of the Gospel is not heaven, it’s Jesus!