Never Gonna Stop Singing

Introducing Nick Zitzman...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XojBiUIZJAM

The God of the Bible never holds back, even when God restrains himself… God never holds back.

Creation — speaks into darkeness

Garden — engages that which is broken and dead

The Flood — does a full scale reboot.

The patriarchs — establishes a family.

The Exodus — establishes a nation

The Judges — establishes a land

The Kings — establishes a rule

The Exile — breaks the already broken nation to prepare for the great King… the Messiah.

The baby — incarnates God’s fraility

Jesus — engages in the flesh the world and its systems.

The crucifixion — how much more “he never holds back” do you want God to be?

The resurrection — the miracle which had to happen… the reversal… all things made new.

The Spirit — God sends God personal, unlimited presence and power… to...

You and me…

2 Corinthians 3:12–18 ESV

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Though dead in darkness, he reached down to save us...

Though enslaved with sins, he walks into our lives and frees us...

Recap and review 2 corin 3

We are transformed into the image of Jesus… and this is some of the effect of that transformation...

2 Corinthians 4:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

2 Corinthians 4:5–6 ESV

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

“We are very bold”… (3.12)

“We do not lose heart” (4.1)… but we do lose heart.

When Jesus comes into your heart, light is shining out of darkness… the dead are raised… the bound are freed...

We don’t hold back…

But when we don’t focus on the Light… the life… the freedom… we lose sight of Jesus within us by being so focused on how “Nick” we feel.

Nick Zitzman...

Clumsy… awkward… untalented…

As i was getting ready for this message, I showed this video to Jonathan… and Jonathan’s first question to me was “Dad, are you going to make fun of Nick?”

Why would I make fun of Nick? I am Nick. You are Nick.

I mean really… what is the only difference between Nick and you?

You are holding back and Nick is not.

You are measuring the outward parts of your life as more important for you to be mindful of than the inward parts of your life more mindful of all those looking at the outward appearance… but it is God who is looking at your heart.

The Series: Summer Play List

The Song: Never Gonna Stop Singing

In the song, singing is a metaphor… the song is about not holding back. About glorifying God, full on, in the midst of the many limitations that on our outside which can cause us to lose heart and hold back.

2 Corinthians 4:7–18 ESV

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death is at work in us, but life in you. 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, 14 knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. 16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.