To Be, or Not To Be? pt5
Notes
Transcript
Prayer:
God, show me the way to the cross.
It is still hard to understand why the Son of God would let mortal men condemn Him to such a horrible death.
But what love you demonstrated in that act!
Lord, Show me how to demonstrate that same love to the world’s needy.
Give me your power…to do your work…as I set out on your mission.
Help me to understand who you are.
Help me to be and do what you want me to do.
Father, Give me eyes to see the world…to see people…as you see them.
I commit myself totally to you.
I will take up my cross and follow you…even into death. Amen.
“To Be, or Not To Be?”
To commit to Christ, or to Commit to the world?
MP — Christ demands a commitment from believers that is more than simply “believing” in Jesus, it is faith that leads us to a life that astounds normal human life, and leads us to the lowest places, for the Glory of God.
That commitment is defined by several characteristics:
— a commitment to Kingdom Work.... This is a commitment that involves our time, our talent, our abilities, and our tithe..... If we are lacking in any of these areas, then we are NOT committed to the Kingdom!
He said to them, “Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic.
Our reliance must be on God, NOT ourselves.... for everything!
— a commitment to Join Him.... Christ does not come “all the way” to us.... Instead, He comes near, and invites us to leave this “worldly” life, with all its pain, anger, and suffering… and to join Him in the Kingdom Life.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Some say that Christ comes half way, and we have to go the other half.... That’s not true, Christ comes 99% of the way.... all the way to our door, but we have to choose to open it to Him...
— a commitment to Living in the Kingdom… Christ commanded us to “feed them”… to feed those in need…to care for them and provide for them, not through our own power and ability, but through His..... Living in the Kingdom is understanding and relying on the One true source of life.....
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Today, We are going to look at another characteristic of a Committed Follower of Christ.... as we answer the question:
Who do you say I am?
Who do you say I am?
Look at Luke 9:18-27.
This is an interesting section.....
Remember last week, we talked about C.S. Lewis’s commitment to prayer, and how he understood that it didn’t change God, it changed Him....
Christ understood that.
And here, we find Him, once again, in a quiet place, praying with His inner circle.... those mighty men whom He intended to carry His work on.... And guess what’s on His mind?
Their faith....their commitment to the Kingdom.....
You see.... He knew that faith is not what changes the world....it’s what changes them, and that....is what changes the world!
Do you understand that? Your faith — your beliefs — will never change the world..... Only your commitment to them will.
It is not actions that change the world.... It is not politics....or social agendas that change the world.... It is changed hearts that change the world!
And… It takes commitment to change our hearts!!!!
Jesus knows that....
As He sat with them and prayed, Jesus knew what they were thinking. He knew that their thoughts concerning Him were were no different than the “peoples’” thoughts..... And so, He asks them:
Once when Jesus was praying alone, with only the disciples near him, he asked them, “Who do the crowds say that I am?”
They answered, “John the Baptist; but others, Elijah; and still others, that one of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
Does this sound familiar?
This is the same question that was in Herod’s mind.... It was the same answer.... Could it be that Jesus knew what people were thinking…what the disciples were thinking, and He wanted to teach them the truth?!
Look at what He asks next:
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.”
Great answer, right?!
But… Look at what Jesus says next:
He sternly ordered and commanded them not to tell anyone,
What?! Isn’t this great news?! Didn’t He just praise Peter for speaking the truth?!
So, why does He command them not to tell?
The word Jesus uses here is “epitimesus”. This is the exact same word He uses in three previous places.
But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” When the demon had thrown him down before them, he came out of him without having done him any harm.
Then he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. Immediately she got up and began to serve them.
Demons also came out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Messiah.
Did you notice what He was rebuking? (Demons and illness)
Then He uses the same tone of “rebuke” here with the disciples..... Harsh right?
Why did He use such a strong rebuke? Why is He so harsh about them NOT sharing who He is?
Many would say, “It’s not the time.” Which is partially true. It wasn’t Jesus’s time yet, and to declare Him would set things in motion. We see evidences of that with others who didn’t heed His command, and told people anyway.
But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.
But, is there something more going on here?
[Jesus “rebuked” them]
saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
This wasn’t a simple “rebuke” to “be quiet and tell no one.” There is more going on here.
Let me ask you this — Do you think that is the “Messiah” they wanted?! Is that the Kingdom they expected?!
NO! The disciples, just like the people, did not understand..... This is not the Messiah they wanted! They wanted a conqueror…one that would set them free from their worldly persecution and fear..... Not this! Not a suffering servant.... not One who would die!
What Jesus is saying to them is — “You have to keep quiet, because you do not yet understand who I am!”
“Your messiah is not what Messiah is in my mind, or in God’s mind.” (Trent Butler)
“Your messiah is about deliverance from worldly oppression… yours is about military victory..... yours is about physical salvation..... and yours is about national dominancy.... (ouch!!!)
You want a messiah who will lead you into war and give you victory, but that’s not the Messiah God desires, or that you need!
The Messiah the Father has sent is the “Prince of Peace,” and the “Messianic King,” but not through war and fighting. Through suffering....” (What?!)
Can you imagine what the disciples must be thinking?
“Through suffering?! How can this be?!!!! The prophets said......”
Christ is exactly what the prophets proclaimed..... the disciples just did not understand, because they needed to let go of their worldly view of who He was..... CHURCH — We cannot understand Messiah until we let go of our worldly ideas of who He is!!
Messiah would stand against both Jewish and Roman leadership..... He would stand against oppression from both the Church and the World..... They would seem to win at first, but..... On the third day....on that glorious third day.... victory will come because.....the resurrection!!!
saying, “The Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
Glory! Hallelujah!!! Praise the Lord, the Gospel is proclaimed!!!
Why do you follow Christ?
You see.... That is what He is really asking them. “Why do you follow me?”
“Who do you say I am?”
Many people follow Him for the healing and miracles. The feeding of the 5,000 reveals that.
Many people seek Him for personal gain. Herod is an example.
Why do you follow Christ?
How you answer that question will determine your faith...
There are a lot of people out there who are seeking Christ for the wrong reasons....
— they seek permissiveness by seeking love without judgment or consequences....
— they seek justice through equity instead of equality....
— they seek acceptance without any requirement to change.....
— they seek salvation without personal cost....
— they want it their way!!!!
If Christ doesn’t give them comfort, permission, and wealth, they reject Him!
Let me tell you — Christ’s ministry…Christ’s mission… does not lead to fame, fortune, and worldly wealth, ....
Remember the word that I said to you, ‘Servants are not greater than their master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yours also.
Christ’s earthly ministry leads to the Cross!!!
Take a moment and really think about that...... Christ’s earthly ministry — everything He did on this earth.... everything He taught.... every miracle He performed..... — Led directly to the “criminal’s” Cross.
Brothers and Sisters that is the truth!
The sacrificial altar of God’s love for us was a Criminal’s Cross.... A torture device considered so vile, so evil, and so gruesome, that it was held only for the worst criminals. The Roman government saw it as so inhumane that it was against their own law for a “citizen” to be put to death in that way....
Yet…that place of torment…of embarrassment...of shame.....is where Christ’s ministry led to.....
You do know that for someone to die on the Cross was considered a curse, right?
his corpse must not remain all night upon the tree; you shall bury him that same day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the Lord your God is giving you for possession.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”—
That is where Christ led.
That is where Christ went… For US!!!
For You!
and for ME!
Are we willing to do the same?
That is what He is asking us.... Are we willing?
To Be, or Not To Be?
That is what the Tribulation is all about… A time of testing.... Will we go to the Cross for Christ, just as He has done for us?!
You see — The Cross must be borne into and through the place of the world’s judgment and punishment of the believer.
But, here’s the awesome thing — Christ doesn’t ask us to go through it alone!!!
Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,
John sees Christ standing in the midst of the Church!!!! Right in the middle of the lampstands.... In Verse 20, Christ tells us — “the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” Christ will never leave us or forsake us. He will never leave us to face the Cross alone. He is with us, and He promises that when we commit to the Cross, when we wash ourselves in His Blood through a committed faith.... Then we will receive the power and glory of the Kingdom!!!
Now Listen — This is what He says: “The Cross is not the end!” It wasn’t the end for Him, and it is not the end for us!
Seeing the “Great Multitude” under the altar, and being asked who they are, John says to the angel:
I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.” Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
Look at what Christ says next:
Then he said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
When Christ asks the question: "Who do you say I am?" He is asking each of us.
Being Christian is not about believing that God...Christ...exists, it is about placing our faith in Him, completely.... It is about self-denial, self-sacrifice, and total and complete commitment to Him, and to His Kingdom.
Christ is not looking for shades, or degrees, of commitment. He does not desire some "half-hearted," conditional faith. He will only accept complete and total commitment.
We must die to ourselves, and become His Disciples.
The result of that commitment is Glory....
You have a home.... But it is not in this world.... Your home…our home....the Home the Christ paid the price for is in His Kingdom....
Will you accept the invitation?
To Be, or Not To Be?
(altar call)
Will you bow your heads with me?
I know that most of us have accepted Christ into our hearts, but I want to ask you a question: “Have you committed yourself completely to Him?”
I’m talking about 100% commitment, nothing held back.... Your work… your family… your finances… your tithes.... Have you given it all to you?
If you haven’t, then you are missing out on His glory.... On His faithfulness to you....
Right now, I want to ask you two questions — I do not want you to get up, or to answer out loud — this is between you and God, I just want you to raise your hand....
1. Have you accepted Christ as your Lord and Savior, Have you asked Him into your heart? If not, are you ready today? (just raise your hand)
2. Is there something you are still holding back from God? Will you commit it to God today?
If you raised your hand, will you pray this with me today?
Lord Jesus, for too long I’ve kept you out of my life.
I know that I am a sinner and that I cannot save myself.
No longer will I close the door when I hear you knocking.
By faith I gratefully receive your gift of salvation.
I am ready to trust you as my Lord and Savior.
I commit to you my life, my family, my finances, and my tithe…all that I am is yours.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for coming to earth.
I believe you are the Son of God who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead on the third day.
Thank you for bearing my sins and giving me the gift of eternal life.
I believe your words are true.
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and be my Savior.
Help me to walk in your ways for the rest of my life. Amen.