Wise Living
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Introduction
Introduction
Welcome to 2019! The new year has started, and already the hot cross buns are on the shelves at Coles! We’ve not even celebrated Australia Day, and already we’re getting ready for Easter! And most of us I’m sure have adopted new years’ resolutions, or like me cleared the cobwebs off of last years resolutions :)
Either way, our prayer is that this year will be a year of daring faith and mighty exploits for God!
If there’s ever been a time in the world when daring faith was required, then this is that time…and I love what Ps Tracy shared last week about how she journeyed through her time of challenge and difficulty in December, and that daring faith is sometimes just a basic trust in God, a basic obedience and dependence on His Word. I love our senior pastors, because they’re real people living a real faith, real people saying with their lives follow us, as we follow Christ!
Daring faith indeed, is a faith that moves mountains, sees the dead raised, but I believe a daring faith in this day and age is
a faith that also compels a man to love his wife like Christ love the church - that He would lay down his life for her, that he will serve her, that he will lead her
that also compels a man to love his wife like Christ love the church - that He would lay down his life for her, that he will serve her, that he will lead her
a faith that compels a woman to submit/come alongside her husband, BECAUSE he loves and honours and cherishes her, and considers her life more important than his own.
a faith which, in the face of attack on the institutions of marriage and family, the roles men and woman, the gender of individuals, holds to the truth of the God’s word in love
Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.
Daniel
“…who know...” - Sense: to be or become familiar with something through experience; intimate knowledge; to understand; observe
**Maccabean revolt in 167 - 160 BC**
This morning the title of my sermon is Wise Living, and I want to follow on from Ps Phil’s message 2 weeks ago. I believe daring faith find it’s foundations in wise, Spirit-inspired living.
Priest Mattathias and his sons defeated the Greek
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
In the gospel of John chapter 5 we find Jesus at the pool of Bethesda, where he encounters a lame man waiting to be put in the pool because the Bible says an angel would go down into the pool from time to time and stir up the water, and that the first one who got in the water after the stirring was healed from whatever ailment or sickness or disease that they suffered from.
Because the man was lame he couldn’t get into the pool fast enough (he couldn’t find a man to put him in the pool), and so people would jump the queue and get in the water before he could.
Jesus subsequently orders the man to pick up his mat and walk, the man is healed which of course is amazing, however the healing happened on the Sabbath, a day of rest, where no work was to be done, not even healing someone!
And so the Jews, in particular the Pharisees and Sadducees started persecuting Jesus, because he healed the lame man on the Sabbath.
We pick up the story at
Therefore, the Jews began persecuting Jesus because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.
But Jesus responded to them, “My Father is still working, and I am working also.”
This is why the Jews began trying all the more to kill Him: Not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
Then Jesus replied, “I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way.
For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed.
I want us this morning to have a closer look, in particular, at verses 19 - 20:
Then Jesus replied, “I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way.
For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed.
John
Wise Living
Wise Living
Dependence
Dependence
Then Jesus replied, “I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way.
John 5:19
John 5:19
A most mature faith, is a most dependant faith. A faith that relies and trusts wholly in God.
The story of a father preparing for a trip with his son - reference your trip with Jared to Sydney for Hillsong conference
What preparations did you make for your son?
We will have what we need, to do what God has planned for us, at the right time time when we need it!
Wise living understands that this life I live is not about me, dependence understands that it is all about Jesus. We are part of God’s plan in the earth… God is not featuring in my plan for my life…instead God saw it fit that I feature in His.
Paul says in
Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.
Now we have this treasure in clay jars, so that this extraordinary power may be from God and not from us.
We have this priceless treasure of heaven inside of us - we are the jars of clay. The extraordinary power that you see active in my life…the favour and influence I enjoy at my workplace, my successful business, my musical prowess, my wealth etc. is from God not from me - He is my source.
I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of man-made programs and formulas…God is my source, my dependance, in Him alone I trust and hope! …That this extraordinary power may be from God and not from me! It should be unmistakeable that it is Him, His ability, His favour, His blessing!
It is easy to get caught up in big noting ourselves…it is easy to think that it is about us. I’m reminded of Dead Sea Scrolls, when the scrolls were found at Qumran, some were intact in jars of clay. Of course the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls is that the scrolls contained most of the books in the Hebrew Bible, or the Old Testament in our bible. Of particular mention is the book of Isaiah, that was found completely intact. The reason why we have the scrolls today is because the jars preserved the contents, so the jars were a pretty critical factor in the preservation of the scrolls when they were found. However, when you go to the Israel museum to view the scrolls, the jars of clay is not the primary focus of the exhibition…the contents of the jars…the scrolls is the primary focus and emphasis of the scroll exhibition.
And so together with our dependence on God is also our surrender to Him...
Surrender
Surrender
We let go of all of who we are, in exchange for all of Him! Our lives completely surrendered to His will and pleasure…I’m leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms! There’s nothing in my life that is off limits to God - everything is fair game for the glory of His Name!
Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God
The Gospel of God: Romans Paul, a Servant of Christ Jesus (Verse 1)
In the Greek text, the word that the apostle uses is doulos which is not properly translated ‘servant’. A servant in the ancient world was a hired employee, a person who could come and go at will, who could resign from one job and seek employment elsewhere if so inclined. But a doulos was a slave owned by a kyrios, a master or a lord. Frequently in the New Testament this type of imagery is used to portray the relationship between Christ and his people: ‘You are not your own; you were bought at a price.’ Christians are those who belong to Christ. He is our Lord, he is our kyrios, he is our Master.
Paul will explain in the book of Romans that man, out of Christ, is in bondage to sin and a slave to his own evil impulses, inclinations and desires. This is man’s natural condition in the fallen state. Yet Paul wrote elsewhere that where the Spirit of the Lord is, where the Spirit of the kyrios is, where the Spirit of the Master is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17). How are these truths to be reconciled?
Paul had learned that man is only free when he becomes a slave to Christ. Outwith Christ, he is a slave to sin; but when enslaved to Christ, he knows the royal liberation that only Christ can bring. Paul, in citing his own credentials, regards as his highest virtue that he is a slave of Jesus Christ.
The original Greek word used for bondservant is “doulos”, which actually means “slave” when properly translated.
The difference in meaning is that a bondservant was a hired employee, a person that could come and go at will, who could resign from one job and seek employment elsewhere if so inclined.
The Gospel of God: Romans Paul, a Servant of Christ Jesus (Verse 1)
In the Greek text, the word that the apostle uses is doulos which is not properly translated ‘servant’. A servant in the ancient world was a hired employee, a person who could come and go at will, who could resign from one job and seek employment elsewhere if so inclined. But a doulos was a slave owned by a kyrios, a master or a lord. Frequently in the New Testament this type of imagery is used to portray the relationship between Christ and his people: ‘You are not your own; you were bought at a price.’ Christians are those who belong to Christ. He is our Lord, he is our kyrios, he is our Master.
Paul will explain in the book of Romans that man, out of Christ, is in bondage to sin and a slave to his own evil impulses, inclinations and desires. This is man’s natural condition in the fallen state. Yet Paul wrote elsewhere that where the Spirit of the Lord is, where the Spirit of the kyrios is, where the Spirit of the Master is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17). How are these truths to be reconciled?
Paul had learned that man is only free when he becomes a slave to Christ. Outwith Christ, he is a slave to sin; but when enslaved to Christ, he knows the royal liberation that only Christ can bring. Paul, in citing his own credentials, regards as his highest virtue that he is a slave of Jesus Christ.
The Gospel of God: Romans Paul, a Servant of Christ Jesus (Verse 1)
In the Greek text, the word that the apostle uses is doulos which is not properly translated ‘servant’. A servant in the ancient world was a hired employee, a person who could come and go at will, who could resign from one job and seek employment elsewhere if so inclined. But a doulos was a slave owned by a kyrios, a master or a lord. Frequently in the New Testament this type of imagery is used to portray the relationship between Christ and his people: ‘You are not your own; you were bought at a price.’ Christians are those who belong to Christ. He is our Lord, he is our kyrios, he is our Master.
Paul will explain in the book of Romans that man, out of Christ, is in bondage to sin and a slave to his own evil impulses, inclinations and desires. This is man’s natural condition in the fallen state. Yet Paul wrote elsewhere that where the Spirit of the Lord is, where the Spirit of the kyrios is, where the Spirit of the Master is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17). How are these truths to be reconciled?
Paul had learned that man is only free when he becomes a slave to Christ. Outwith Christ, he is a slave to sin; but when enslaved to Christ, he knows the royal liberation that only Christ can bring. Paul, in citing his own credentials, regards as his highest virtue that he is a slave of Jesus Christ.
But a “doulos” was a slave owned by a “kyrios”, a master or a lord! Maybe that's where Kyrios gets his antics from…This imagery is used throughout the New Testament to portray the relationship between Christ and his people
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;
you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
1 Cor 6:190
Wise living means that we are those who belong to Christ. He is our Lord, He is our “kyrios”, He is our Master. That seems constricting though…who wants to be a slave anyway? But Paul also writes in
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Now the “kyrios” is the Sprit, and where the Spirit of the “kyrios/Master” is, there is freedom
Paul is saying that we are only free when we become slaves to Christ…why? Because else we are slaves to the bondage of sin…when we are enslaved to Christ, we are free from sin and death, free from condemnation, free from guilt and shame, free from our past, free from our failures, free from our fears and anxiety, free from our the need to earn God’s goodness, acceptance and love!!!
We can understand why Paul when considering his own credentials as a Pharisee, regards as his highest virtue that he is a slave of Jesus!
Wise Living
Wise Living
Observant
Observant
Then Jesus replied, “I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way.
When Jesus says the Son sees what his Father is doing he is not saying that he makes rational deductions regarding God’s activity from what he can observe in Scripture or history or nature.
He has a sensitivity beyond human experience to God’s voice, because his intimacy with God is unclouded by sin. This sight, then, refers to his constant communion with his Father, and thus the actions he refers to are not some special signs done now and then to illustrate what the Father is like. Rather, Jesus’ whole life, everything he does, is reflective of what he sees the Father doing. According to this verse, such is all he, the Son, can do.
Yet He often withdrew to deserted places and prayed.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place. And He was praying there.
Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.
After He said good-bye to them, He went away to the mountain to pray.
Mark 6:
- Jesus himself, who is the unique Son and who alone has seen God, is nevertheless the model of true humanity in that he is thoroughly open to God, humble, doing nothing of his own. The birth from above makes us God’s children, and we share in something of the same sort of relationship with God through the Spirit as we see in the Son
Jesus himself, who is the unique Son and who alone has seen God, is nevertheless the model of true humanity in that he is thoroughly open to God, humble, doing nothing of his own. The birth from above makes us God’s children, and we share in something of the same sort of relationship with God through the Spirit as we see in the Son
I believe in our day, God is calling forth a people who has ears to hear what the Spirit of God is saying, and eyes to see the move of Holy Spirit in our individual lives, in our churches, in our communities, in our cities, in our nations, and to partner with God in His plan for all of humanity! the seeing and hearing referred to hear is obviously not with our natural senses…what we talking about is our spiritual senses.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He got up, went out, and made His way to a deserted place. And He was praying there.
For we are God’s coworkers. You are God’s field, God’s building.
But as we can see from the example that Jesus has set for us, sensitivity to God’s voice comes as we come away to be alone with God, our Father. As we become intentional about seeking Him out, for God is a rewarder of those who seek Him out the bible says.
The prophet Habakkuk
I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.
Hab 2:1
I will take my position at my place of observation and be on the lookout for, examine, observe accurately and attentively what He will say to me. God created mankind with the ability to imagine, to dream, and our imagination is meant to be influenced by heaven…this morning I believe Holy Spirit wants to restore spiritual sight and hearing. That we will have ears that can hear and eyes that can see what God is doing...
The Pharisees and Sadducees approached, and as a test, asked Him to show them a sign from heaven.
He answered them: “When evening comes you say, ‘It will be good weather because the sky is red.’
And in the morning, ‘Today will be stormy because the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to read the appearance of the sky, but you can’t read the signs of the times.
Matt
Jesus asks, how is it you can observe things with your natural senses? You look at the wind and the trees and discern seasons...and yet you are ignorant of spiritual things, you’re not able to discern or observe spiritual things????
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.
- Jesus asks, how is it you can observe things with your natural senses? You look at the wind and the trees and discern seasons...and yet you are ignorant of spiritual things, you’re not able to discern or observe spiritual things????
The verse says that God will pour out His Spirit on all flesh, and this will be the evidence of that outpouring:
Sons and daughters shall prophesy: HEARING what the Spirit of God is saying and releasing what God is saying in the earth
Old men shall dream dreams: Speaks of spiritual SIGHT, being able to SEE the dreams of heaven, our imagination touched heaven
Young men shall see visions: Spiritual SIGHT restored
AWAKENING our senses to heaven and the spiritual.
You see heaven first comes in us, we are changed by what the truth of God’s word, as we observe what God wold say about our situation through his Word. And as we step out in faith and obedience to God’s word, our world around us is impacted and changed. The victory happens here first, then there!
God is calling us to OBSERVE HIM!!! In the midst of the busyness of life…stop and observe…start taking note of what is happening around you. Put away your phone for a little while…become good LISTENERS!!!
God spoke this message to me in a queue at Werribee Plaza, and I could’ve ignored it, I could’ve said not now, or I could in that moment choose to act on my faith that God always speaks, and note down what He says by His Spirit...MAKE THE TIME!!!
This is why the world is filled with busyness…we are meant to be distracted!!!
God spoke this message to me in a queue at Werribee Plaza, and I could’ve ignored it, I could’ve said not now, or I could in that moment choose to act on my faith that God always speaks, and note down what He says by His Spirit...MAKE THE TIME!!!
Observe!
I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, dreams, visions, prophecies!!! Observe!!!!
Lord, You have searched me and known me.
How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the Lord’s instruction!
If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with You.
God, if only You would kill the wicked— you bloodthirsty men, stay away from me —
God, how difficult Your thoughts are for me to comprehend; how vast their sum is!
If I counted them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; when I wake up, I am still with You.
Ps 139:17-1
Wise Living
Wise Living
I have ultimate dependance on God
I have ultimate dependance on God
Obedience
Obedience
The Gospel of God: Romans Paul, a Servant of Christ Jesus (Verse 1)
In the Greek text, the word that the apostle uses is doulos which is not properly translated ‘servant’. A servant in the ancient world was a hired employee, a person who could come and go at will, who could resign from one job and seek employment elsewhere if so inclined. But a doulos was a slave owned by a kyrios, a master or a lord. Frequently in the New Testament this type of imagery is used to portray the relationship between Christ and his people: ‘You are not your own; you were bought at a price.’ Christians are those who belong to Christ. He is our Lord, he is our kyrios, he is our Master.
Paul will explain in the book of Romans that man, out of Christ, is in bondage to sin and a slave to his own evil impulses, inclinations and desires. This is man’s natural condition in the fallen state. Yet Paul wrote elsewhere that where the Spirit of the Lord is, where the Spirit of the kyrios is, where the Spirit of the Master is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17). How are these truths to be reconciled?
Paul had learned that man is only free when he becomes a slave to Christ. Outwith Christ, he is a slave to sin; but when enslaved to Christ, he knows the royal liberation that only Christ can bring. Paul, in citing his own credentials, regards as his highest virtue that he is a slave of Jesus Christ.
For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing, and He will show Him greater works than these so that you will be amazed.
Then Jesus replied, “I assure you: The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way.
Wise living is a life that is wholly dependant and surrendered to God, is intentional about being sensitive to God’s voice, and results in obedience to whatever God lays on your heart to do…no matter how big or how small. Simple obedience.
Overcome the fear of man
Overcome the fear of man
But Peter and the apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death— even to death on a cross.
Overcome the fear of failure/past
Overcome the fear of failure/past
For I know the plans I have for you” —this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Overcome the fear of the unknown
Overcome the fear of the unknown
From the very beginning telling you what the ending will be, All along letting you in on what is going to happen, Assuring you, ‘I’m in this for the long haul, I’ll do exactly what I set out to do,’
Close/Altar Call
Close/Altar Call
As I come to a close, I believe that God wants to restore sight and hearing, spiritual sight and hearing this morning. In Jesus talks about how the people’s ears have become hard of hearing, and that their eyes have closed i.e. they no longer see, due to the fact that their hearts have become dull. He explains how this happens a couple of verses further down in Matt 13.
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
“You, then, listen to the parable of the sower:
When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path.
And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.
Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown.”
-323
Group 1
Hears the word about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it. The bible says that the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in your heart.
You’ve perhaps listened to the message this morning, and even though you might not quite understand it all, something has stirred within your life, your heart.
You can’t explain it, but perhaps you’ve be been coming to church for a while, because there’s something here that your heart longs for.
You have a desire to understand, and this morning is your opportunity to do just that - this morning you have the opportunity to take the first step in understanding this amazing message about the kingdom of God. This morning want God wants to cause you to see His truth, and bring you into relationship with Himself so you can hear His voice.
The way that this happens friend is by inviting Jesus into your heart, allowing Him to be the kyrios, the Lord and Master of your life. Friend you don’t want to miss this opportunity…if you want to take this step, if you want to invite Jesus into your life, then right where you are, please raise your hand so I can see it, and we’re going to pray together. Let’s pray this prayer together.
Hears the word of and immediately receives it with joy. Yet you have no root in yourself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately you stumble
We’ve heard the word of God, we discerned and heard the Spirit of God speak to us, in a message at church, while studying the word of God, or while you were in a time of worship, God dropped an idea in your heart
We’ve heard the word of God, we discerned and heard the Spirit of God speak to us, in a message at church, while studying the word of God, or while you were in a time of worship, God dropped an idea in your heart
You’ve perhaps heard the word of God, you’ve heard the voice of God, you might have even had dreams, and saw visions of what God is calling you to do.
You’ve perhaps heard the word of God, you’ve heard the voice of God, you might have even had dreams, and saw a vision of what God is calling you to do.
But you’ve been at a cross-roads, you’ve suffered the difficulty and pressures of life, because you’ve stood on the promise, the word of God, and perhaps this morning you’re here with regrets at lost opportunities to step out in faith and to pursue godly opportunities.
Hears the word, but the worries of this age and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes fruitful
You’ve been called to step out in faith for God, but you are waiting to see the provision of God before you step out.
Only God is wanting you to step out in faith first - there is a letting go that needs to take place.
I’m not sure what it is that you need to let go of, but whatever it is, it finds it’s roots in the worries of this age and in the seduction of wealth
You’ve asked why you don’t see fruitfulness, because you’ve held onto the word/prophecy and promise - but you have not let go…this morning it is time to surrender, to let go.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all things will be added unto you.
You’re trying to pursue the call of God,