Who's In Control?
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 11 viewsNotes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Intro:
5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
Today, I want to share something the Lord laid on my heart this past week. The title of my message is, [Who’s In Control?]
I had planned to continue speaking on Praise in Progress. I had a nice conclusion prepared for this series. Then this week, the Lord laid this message on my heart. I had to decide, who is control of my preaching.
I could do what I had prepared or I could follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. I opted to follow and do what the Spirit desires for us this morning!
Control is defined, the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.
Whether we want to admit it or not, we are, by nature, controlling people. While people make want to talk about control, it is in the news, in books, and in society.
Last year, the news was filled with the question, who will control the Congress? Next year, we will vote to see who will control the White House for another four years.
People love the idea of control because with control come power. We attempt to control our emotions, our thoughts, our money, and sometimes even our family.
Many people have split from a relationship because they felt controlled. We have heard the comments, he was too controlling. She tried to control me.
In our text we read of a man named Ezekiel. He understood a level of control I doubt we can fully appreciate. At the age of twenty-five he was forced from Jerusalem to make the 900 mile journey to Babylon.
Ezekiel was a both a priest and a prophet. However, he was under the control of the Babylonians. While in captivity, the people of God worked, served in governmental positions, and even owned property, but they still did not have full control.
Many pined for the days when the could return home to Jerusalem. They wanted freedom from a controlling regime. While it was their sin that led them to Babylon, God proved He was still in control.
He spoke through the Prophet Ezekiel. He proved that oppressive regimes, cultural customs, and arrogant kings could not stop God from speaking to His people.
The question was, would His people listen? Ezekiel spoke to the people of Judah who were in captivity. They were forced from their homeland, which had been ransacked by the Babylonians.
Toward the end of Ezekiel’s life, he had a vision of the temple in Jerusalem. I read part of this vision in our text, but let’s read the entire thing.
1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
1 Then he brought me back to the door of the temple; and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east, for the front of the temple faced east; the water was flowing from under the right side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me around on the outside to the outer gateway that faces east; and there was water, running out on the right side. 3 And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. 4 Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. 5 Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.
In his vision, God showed him a future temple. When the Babylonians took over God’s people, they destroyed their Temple to prove that the Babylonian gods were stronger than the God of Israel.
However, God shows who is really in control. In the vision Ezekiel saw a river flowing from under the altar in the temple. God invited Ezekiel to step into the waters.
He went 1000 cubits, which is 3/10 of a mile. When he entered in the water went to his ankles. Another 3/10 of a mile, and the water went to his knees. Another 3/10 of a mile and the water went to his waste.
Finally, after 1.3 miles, the river was so deep that Ezekiel had to give control to the flow of the river. The water was too deep he could not cross, instead, he had to swim.
His vision concerns a future temple that will be built after the Lord returns, during His Millennial Reign. But what does this vision mean for us today?
We know that God does not dwell in temples build by people, instead, He dwells in people.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.
16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are. 18 Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.
We are temples of the Holy Spirit. The point I want to make this morning is this: the deeper we go in God, the more we relinquish our control.
We are temples of the Holy Spirit. The point I want to make this morning is this: the deeper we go in God, the more we relinquish our control.
Many times we will say, God is in control, but if we take inventory of our lives, is He really? How do we know God is in control? We have to GIVE Him control.
The deeper we go in God, the more we give Him control. We have to decide, will we stay in ankle deep water, or will we move into knee deep or waste deep water? For me, I want to go so deep in God that I enter the waters where I have to flow where He goes.
I want to look at three passages of scripture found in the book of John. When Ezekiel recieved this prophecy it dealt with the future. Nearly 600 years later, John wrote concerning how Jesus came to this world and we can give Him control.
How do we give God control? We give God control, [When We Are Saved], [When We are Spirit-Baptized], and [When We Are Seekers].
Let’s begin
1. When We Are Saved
1. When We Are Saved
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
If ever there were people who LOVED control, it was the Pharisees. They had worked diligently for centuries to solidify their control in Judaism.
By the time Jesus came on the scene, the Jewish people were under the control of the Roman Empire. The Pharisees cozied up to the leaders of Rome to maintain their control.
They attempted to control people by forcing strict adherence of the law and their interpretation of what was right and wrong. When Jesus began to speak it turned their worldview upside-down.
One of the Pharisees, Nicodemus, was curious about Jesus. He went to Jesus under the darkness of night to ask him questions. He wondered, are you from God? Are you the one that will usher in the Kingdom of God?
Jesus answered by declaring NO ONE can enter the Kingdom unless they are BORN AGAIN. Nicodemus could not understand Jesus, how could a grown adult go back to the womb of their mother?
Nicodemus wanted a timeline of HOW God would restore His Kingdom. How would God bring salvation to the Jewish nation? His brain wanted to control the facts so he could understand.
But Jesus requires FAITH now KNOWLEDGE. Nicodemus was uncomfortable placing faith in someone he could not fully explain or understand.
However Jesus summarized the role of God and the role of humanity.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
God’s part was to send His Son. Our part is to BELIEVE in what His Son did for us, BELIEVE Him and accept Him as our Savior.
When we are saved, we relinquish control of our past, present, and future. We come to the Lord, believing that He is the only way to heaven.
We come to Jesus, accept Him as our Savior, repent of our sins, an we are brought into the Kingdom of God. Many people have yet to accept Jesus as their Savior because they are not ready to give God control of their past.
Many think they have made too many mistakes and cannot be forgiven. But when we do get saved, it is as though we are stepping into the water that flows from the Temple of God in heaven.
However, salvation is not the END, it is the beginning. When we get saved, we are in ankle deep water, but there is more. We give God control over our past, but He wants more control.
There are plenty of people who have given Jesus control over their sins, but they have yet to go any deeper in God. We give God control when we are saved, but we also give God control...
2. When We Are Spirit-Baptized
2. When We Are Spirit-Baptized
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Jesus’ three-and-a-half years on earth was used to revolutionize the way people understood God. For centuries He was a distant, far off God in the skies. But now, God came in flesh and dwelt among us.
Jesus showed that God can and will dwell with us. As Jesus went through His time on earth, He revealed that we can be saved by accepting Him as our Savior.
Yet He showed there is another gift that God has available for us. Six months before was crucified, He stood before those gathered to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles and promised a day when those who were thirsty could come and drink.
When they did, rivers of living water will flow from within them. That sounds a lot like what Ezekiel saw. A river flowing from under the temple. As temples of God, there is a river that can flow from us.
In scripture, rivers often signify the Holy Spirit. When Jesus baptizes us in the Holy Spirit and we begin to speak in tongues we step deeper in God.
However, He will ONLY baptize us in His Spirit when we GIVE HIM CONTROL. Just as He will not force us to get saved, He will not force us to be Spirit-filled.
When I traveled as an evangelist I was very fortunate to see hundreds baptized in the Holy Spirit. I noticed two categories of people.
There were those who were ready for God to fill them and there were those who would remark, I will be filled IF God wants me to be filled.
The question is NOT does Jesus want to baptize us in the Holy Spirit, Jesus promised:
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Mark
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
John 14:
5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus is ready to give us the same power He had while He walked on earth. The question is, are we ready to go deeper in Him? Are we ready to get into knee and waste deep water?
Will we give Him control of our understanding, our questions, and our confusion and ask, Jesus, I want to go deeper, I want to be Spirit-baptized! I give you control of my mouth and my tongue, give me a new language from heaven!
As we go deeper in God we have to give Him control, not just of our sins, but deeper, so deep that He fills us with His Spirit. But the fact is even when we speak in tongues, we might still only be in waste deep water.
For being saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit is not a place of arrival, it is a place of departure. We give God control when we are saved, Spirit-baptized, but there is more. We give God control...
3. When We are Seekers
3. When We are Seekers
17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.
As we go back to Jesus’ encounter with the women at the well, we find out something about Jesus. He is looking for people who will seek Him.
After Jesus’ death and resurrection, He showed how even those closest to Him cannot still not be to the place where they give God full control.
The woman went to the well in the daytime because of her position in the area. She was a woman with a sordid past. The women around her mocked her because of the things she did.
The disciples were on a boat and saw Jesus on the shore. Peter jumped into the deep water and swam to shore. There Jesus restored Peter and asked Him a question, Peter do you love me?
Peter answered yes! Jesus asked Him three times and finally on the third time Peter was grieved and saddened. Jesus you KNOW that I love you!
To understand what Jesus really asked, we need to look at the Greek word Love. There are two words for Love in this passage, one is Agape and the other Phileo.
Agape is unconditional love while Phileo is a fondness or affectionate friendship.
Jesus asked Peter twice, do you love me unconditionally? Peter answered, I am fond of you. On the third time, Jesus does not ask about unconditional love, but, “do you only have affection for me? Can you not say that you love me with the highest kind of love?
Peter had not given Jesus ALL control, but that would soon change. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the twelve went deeper in God.
Experience by experience they gave God full control. It began when Peter and the other disciples along with Jesus waited in the Upper Room for God to send the Holy Spirit.
They prayed for the Holy Spirit and Jesus filled them. Then as they went forward, with each step, each persecution, each trial, each victory, each miracle, and each answered prayer, the church continued to seek the Lord.
As they sought the Lord, they moved from a casual experience of being fond of Jesus, they went past their ankles, knees, or waste. They got into the deep waters.
And when they yielded FULL control of their lives to Jesus, He confirmed His word with signs following, and they went with the flow of the Spirit!
Close:
As I mentioned in my introduction, I planned on preaching another thought today. But the Lord abruptly changed MY plans. He took me to and then through the book of John showing me what happens when we give God full control over our lives.
I have been praying throughout this week, God I give you control. I have decided I do not want to stay ankle deep, knee deep, or waste deep, I want to go deeper in God.
I want to get into the water of life so deep where I have ZERO control and as the current of God’s love, grace, and power lead and direct me!
On a natural level, I have never loved water. When we would go camping as a child, I feared getting into the lake or the river. When I was in shallow water the rocks would hurt my feet.
When I got in much deeper, I was afraid of falling. My mom would tell me TRUST the life jacket, it will keep you afloat. But I was too scared, I would scream, cry, kick, until finally mom, would say, GO TO THE BEACH!
Eventually, I learned that the life jacket would do its job. Now, I love getting in deep water and just floating.
I have noticed out here where we have creeks and rivers, in shallow or even waste deep water, the rocks are still there and the current can still cause us to lose balance
When we get in deep enough, we find that we float the river. The same goes Spiritually. When we stay in shallow water we might have to fight the current of life because we try to keep control.
But if we will trust God, let Him save us, let Him baptize us in His Spirit and let Him take us deeper as we seek Him, we will discover that His control is MUCH better than our control.
The fact is this, God will not compete for control in our lives. So we have to ask ourselves, who is in control?
Notice, in life there is only ONE:
driver seat
pilot
president
boss
only ONE person can really be in charge.
Likewise, in our Spiritual walk, we have to determine, WHO IS IN CONTROL!
If you have not given Jesus control of your sins, do it today and let Him save you.
If you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit, give Jesus control and let Him fill you!
But do not be deceived into thinking that if we are saved and Spirit-filled we are okay. We have to keep seeking Him and going deeper in Him.
Deeper in His word, in prayer, in our commitment, in praise, and in worship!
Let’s walk with Jesus and get in the waters to swim. Let’s go deeper and determine, I do not want to be in control of my life, I want the one who controls the universe to be in control of me!