Untitled Sermon (2)

Shawn / General

Moving from the old to the new / Spiritual Growth; Change /

Transitions in your life to be more useful for God and the Church

THE CALLED OUT CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT THE AMERICAN DREAM!

Illustration of the American Dream:

Born August 3, 1977, an American football player in the year 2000, when he was 23 years old he attended the NFL Combine in hopes of being selected for the NFL draft.

He achievements in the combine, include the slowest 40 ever to be recorded by a quarterback, and in all honesty, the only thing notable about his combine was how awful it was. however, he didn’t give up and was drafted in the 6th round. The NFL drafted him as a backup quarterback, with no expectations of him ever starting or being a major contributor.

His first start came a year later when the starting quarterback was injured.

Mark Rypien, one of the opposing quarterbacks at his first start said, “I had been looking forward to seeing Drew [Bledsoe], being a former Washington State Cougar, and instead, I got to see this scrawny-looking kid from Michigan take the filed and perform admirably under the circumstances.”

Well, that was in 2001, and on February 3rd, 2019, Tom Brady won his sixth Superbowl.

But that isn’t what is interesting. What is interesting is Tom Brady’s answer to a 2005 60-minute interview.

Tom says, “There’s times where I’m not the person that I want to be. Why do I have three Super Bowl rings, and still think there’s something greater out there for me? . . . I mean I’ve done it. I’m 27. And what else is there for me?

Introduction

Let’s start with something everyone is somewhat familiar with. Let’s talk about football just for a little bit. When I was in high school, I wanted nothing more than to be 6 foot 4 and 220 pounds. I figures if I had that, I could play in the NFL.

However, having the most talent and ability is still no predictor of success, but it helps, trust me.

In the NFL, they use a physical battery of tests through a process called the combine. This is where they can see the raw physical ability of athletes in trying to determine who to draft in the NFL.

There are two primary tests. First, is the 40 yard dash and the second is the vertical jump.

In 2008 an athlete named Vernon Gholston, who played one season for Ohio State, as an outside line backer and pass rusher. However, at the combine, he blew it up with 4.6, 40 and 35 in vertical. Keep in mind, he is 6 foot three and 270 pounds. The dude is huge and ran faster than some wide receivers. He was picked with the 6th overall pick in the draft. That means the team was looking for this guy to produce and be a game changer. He never recorded a single sack and after three seasons was out of the league, and not because of injuries.

However, you all know about Tom Brady, who was picked in the 6th round, had a 5.28 40 yard dash, which is terrible. Just keep in mind he ran the slowest 40 yard dash of any quarter back in NFL history, and still holds the title. Yet, he was won six super bowls.

What is my point in this: SUCCESS AND FAILURE IS NOT ABOUT WHAT YOU HAVE BUT WHAT YOU DO WITH IT!

A. Interrogatories:

• First, ask yourself what is failure?

Definition:

1. Lack of success

2. the omission of expected or required action

3. the action or state of not functioning (Like heart failure)

• According to these definitions, you can fail both by omission and commission.

I. Failures in the Old Testament

1. I want to look at a story in the old testament. It is in I kinds 13:14-20. It is a story of an unnamed prophet.

KJV 1900

14 And went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak: and he said unto him, Art thou the man of God that camest from Judah? And he said, I am. 15 Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread. 16 And he said, I may not return with thee, nor go in with thee: neither will I eat bread nor drink water with thee in this place: 17 For it was said to me by the word of the Lord, Thou shalt eat no bread nor drink water there, nor turn again to go by the way that thou camest. 18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him. 19 So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water. 20 And it came to pass, as they sat at the table, that the word of the Lord came unto the prophet that brought him back: 21 And he cried unto the man of God that came from Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded thee, 22 But camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the place, of the which the Lord did say to thee, Eat no bread, and drink no water; thy carcase shall not come unto the sepulchre of thy fathers.

2. The Lord gives him very specific instructions: Do not eat bread or drink water there, but go back the way you came.

a. You go into the world, you are to preach the gospel. Don’t eat their bread, don’t drink their water, just turn around and go back the way you came!

B. The world will entice you and lie to you.

a. This is a prophet! Friendly fire!

b. The world will say come on, it’s not that bad. Just relax, have some fun. NO SIR. NO SIR.

1. IT IS WRITTEN:

KJV 1900

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2. NOT CONFORMED!

3. TRANSFORMED!

3. What was he guilty of?

God told him not to eat, or drink or reside.

Can eating dinner with someone be a sin?

It is if God tells you not to.

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH.

Is drinking water a sin?

It is if God tells you not to.

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH

4. Being disobedient to the word of god - is punishable by death.

5. If the Lord tells you to do something, and you don’t it is punishable by death.

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH

Romans 6:23 KJV 1900

23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

BUT - THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH

Grace, is not cheap! Christ paid the penalty for your disobedience!

God tells you to read your Bible and you don’t - the wages of sin is death, Christ had to pay for that

God tell you to preach the word and you don’t - the wages of sin is death, Christ had to pay for that

YOUR DISOBEDIENCE IS WRACKING UP BILLS THAT CHRIST IS PAYING FOR - GRACE IS NOT CHEAP OR FREE

6. What happens in the old testament when you conform! These are all called me of God!

A. The unnamed prophet - Eaten by a lion, witnessed by a donkey and as the carcass lay there strangers passed by.

B. Abihu and Nadab, what happened to them

KJV 1900

1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH

2. Phinehas and Hophni, called to the ministry, sons of the Eli the High Priest. Took advantage of their authority and abused the people. What happened.

KJV 1900

25 If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH - GRACE IS NEITHER CHEAP NOR FREE

II. Failures in the New Testament

A. Let’s look at who Peter is

1. Peter is one of the twelve disciples, and one of in the inner circle of Christ

2. Peter is in a place of honor for his service to the Lord

3. Peter is a man of God called to ministry

4. If there is a hall of fame in ministry, Peter is in it.

B. The Context of Peter’s Fall

Context:

1. Peter announces the deity of Christ in and

2. Jesus tells Peter that he will build his church in

3. Jesus prophesies that he will be killed and raised on the third day in and

4.Peter, along with James and John witness that transfiguration of Christ in , ,

5. Christ is praying in Gethsemane and he takes Peter and the two sons of Zebedee to pray. They fall asleep. Your beginning to see the spiritual warfare. Knowing the pain and distress Christ was in they could not stay awake even an hour for Christ.

6.Christ prophesies that Peter will deny him three times in , , and Peter says NOT I.

C. Peter’s Denial of Christ

1.First, let’s be clear what is happening here. Peter is denying Christ in the public sphere. This is a big deal. This is probably the lowest point in Peter’s ministry. The point where Peter is thinking about quitting.

2. Let’s read the denial:

KJV 1900

54 Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priest’s house. And Peter followed afar off. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire, and earnestly looked upon him, and said, This man was also with him. 57 And he denied him, saying, Woman, I know him not. 58 And after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. 59 And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. 60 And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. 61 And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. 62 And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

3. WOW! Just for a moment understand the depths of pain, anger, confusion, and utter agony that Peter is in right now.

4. Now ask yourself how do you recover? How do you pick yourself back up?

D. Let’s look at Peter’s restoration

1. Look at

KJV 1900

6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.

2. I would argue, that this passage, is Christ reaching out to Peter. Tell the disciples, and Peter - where he is, that the Christ has risen.

3. Christ rose from the dead, and raises Peter with him.

i. Just like Christ rose me from the dead!

ii. Just like Christ rose Pastor from the dead!

iii. Just like Christ rose Jose from the dead!

iv. Just like Christ rose you from the dead!

4. In it says

KJV 1900

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

III. Avoiding Failure in God’s Eyes!

1. Let’s read in 2 Corinthian 5:17 - Know you are a NEW creature!

KJV 1900

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

2. You have the hope of Glory!

KJV 1900

27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Billy Donovan revealed that he felt depressed after leading the University of Florida to the second national championship of his tenure in Gainesville, he told reporters during a recent postgame interview.

Born August 3, 1977, an American football player in the year 2000, when he was 23 years old he attended the NFL Combine in hopes of being selected for the NFL draft.

Born August 3, 1977, an American football player in the year 2000, when he was 23 years old he attended the NFL Combine in hopes of being selected for the NFL draft.

The Oklahoma City Thunder head coach previously coached at Florida from 1996 to 2015 and led the Gators to back-to-back national championships in 2006 and '07.

He achievements in the combine, include the slowest 40 ever to be recorded by a quarterback, and in all honesty, the only thing notable about his combine was how awful it was. however, he didn’t give up and was drafted in the 6th round. The NFL drafted him as a backup quarterback, with no expectations of him ever starting or being a major contributor.

His first start came a year later when the starting quarterback was injured.

“I was depressed. I lost total sight of what it’s all about,” Donovan said. “And I don’t mean what it’s all about in terms of what goes into winning, but the fact that it doesn’t change your life one bit, other than someone may write next to your name, ‘national champion coach.’ Outside of that, it does not change your life."

Mark Rypien, one of the opposing quarterbacks at his first start said, “I had been looking forward to seeing Drew [Bledsoe], being a former Washington State Cougar, and instead, I got to see this scrawny-looking kid from Michigan take the filed and perform admirably under the circumstances.”

Well, that was in 2001, and on February 3rd, 2019, Tom Brady won his sixth Superbowl.

“And then what happens is you get to a place — and the first time it really resonated with me was I saw an interview on 60 Minutes with Tom Brady when I think the Patriots had won three of their five Super Bowls and after the third one he asked himself, ‘Is this what it’s all about?’" he added. "Because at the end of the day if it’s all about the ring and the trophy, you lose the most valuable thing, and it’s the group of people and the relationships that are established, of people working together to accomplish something they couldn’t accomplish on their own.”

But that isn’t what is interesting. What is interesting is Tom Brady’s answer to a 2005 60-minute interview.

3. The World will leave with empty, run down, and without purpose.

Tom says, “There’s times where I’m not the person that I want to be. Why do I have three Super Bowl rings, and still think there’s something greater out there for me? . . . I mean I’ve done it. I’m 27. And what else is there for me?

4. Lost, you had no purpose, and now you have the the Ministry of Reconciliation

KJV 1900

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

IV. How Do We Avoid Failure: Knowing Salvation in Christ is Eternal!

5. Billy Donovan asked “What’s different,” Man, if your a child of God, you are fundamentally different:

a. You undergo a spiritual circumcision.

KJV 1900

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

b. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit.

KJV 1900

13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

c.. This change leads to confidence in your new identity in Christ:

KJV 1900

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2. If you are in Christ, then you will “NEVER,” let me repeat, “NEVER,” be out of Christ - read verse again

a. Is everyone clear? ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED!

V. Avoid failures by having Trans formative Change

1. This is important because though your soul is saved, your body is not there yet.

a. Your body is dead and buried with Christ:

KJV 1900

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

b. The old man is dead!

c. (comic relief) However, we all know, even though he’s dead, he’s still pretty annoying and causing a lot of trouble for someone dead

2. Part of the transformation is learning to fight against the flesh.

KJV 1900

17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

1. The Old flesh is Present

2. The Old flesh is Persistent

3. The Old flesh will Provoke you

4. The flesh will try to convince you:

a. “It’s too hard, I can’t do it!”

b. “God doesn’t understand me!”

c. “Nothing I do is ever good enough!”

d. “This is impossible! No one can live that kind of life!”

As the Poet Dylan Thomas wrote:

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light

In Conclusion

• The Christian walk takes time, patience, and love, most importantly love

KJV 1900

2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

when sorrows like sea billows roll;

whatever my lot, though has taught me to know

-sing with me

it is well, it is well, with my soul