All Our Needs

New Sermon Series: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Let’s just admit it - 2020 has been a tough year. I think many of us will be really glad when 2021 hits.

That said, my hope and prayer is that we might end this year well. Today marks the first Sunday of season of Advent. Advent means coming. Time to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ at Christmas.

Over last four Sundays, we’ve laid out new vision for PCC, rooted in becoming a church that leads others into the abundant life that is available through Jesus Christ.

Core conviction for us is that this happens through our own growth as followers of Jesus through spiritual disciplines, as enter more fully into abundant life of Jesus, we can lead others as well.

Advent is perfect opportunity to put that into practice - whole intention behind it, to mark off this period of time to focus attention on Jesus (why Advent, Lent exist, as seasons to set our mind and hearts toward Jesus.

So through these four weeks, we’re going to be doing exactly that, talking about how we can grow to become like Jesus during this time, ways we can train to become like him.

Challenging part - going to require us to think differently, to be counter-cultural in many ways, to go against so much of way that our culture celebrates Christmas.

God has so many great things for us - but they come in unexpected ways (theme you see so much in Christmas story). Trust that Jesus shows us way.

If we take this seriously, engage it - we really will have ourselves a Merry Little Christmas.

Prayer

Issue of Stuff

I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts last week, Unbelievable (so good!). It featured a Christian and an Atheist talking about moral teachings of Jesus.

Atheist, of course, doesn’t believe that Jesus is who he claimed to be, God in human flesh, he rejects the redemptive story of cross.

But he’s deeply impressed with what Jesus taught ethically. Wrote a book about what we can learn from Jesus.

One of things that surprised him as he studied about Jesus was how challenging his moral teachings were. He described them as not being for weak-hearted. He’s right, they aren’t.

Especially teaching on material wealth. Based on his study of Gospels, this man came to conclusion that Jesus lived an ascetic lifestyle, renunciation of wealth and material goods. And only was that the lifestyle that he lived, but it was what he taught. He pointed to story of Jesus and rich young ruler (go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor and then come follow me). Wondered why so many Christians today don’t follow Jesus’ teachings on this point, why we haven’t renounced wealth and embraced ascetic lifestyle.

I have to say I was quite glad when Christian on program offered correction on the atheist’s viewpoint of Jesus’ teaching - that what Jesus taught wasn’t against wealth per se, but against our hearts treasuring wealth.

Jesus was very serious about dangers of material wealth - that wealth is an enticing idol, one that poses great spiritual danger - desire for money and what it can provide for us has captured heart of many Christians. And we’d be foolish to think that we are not prone to give into that temptation.

Hugely important reminder for us, especially during Christmas season - because a huge part of what Christmas is all about for our culture is “stuff”. Gifts, and lots of them.

My email box has been inundated with emails announcing Black Friday specials. And I’m sure they’ll be filled with Cyber Monday specials today and tomorrow.

I have a question for you…what do you think is the average spending for Americans for Christmas? Total per person?

About $1,000 (that includes gifts, food, other spending…but that’s per person).

Budget for Christmas spending nationwide was $1 trillion last year!

In 2019, parents spent average of $422 per child for gifts.

Here’s thing…it seems totally normal to us. Very much part of our culture, we’re all decorating for Christmas, getting our Christmas shopping done.

We’re buying more stuff to bring into our houses that are already filled with stuff - closets, attics, basements, garages. And if there’s not enough room there, we rent storage units to store more stuff.

I’m not trying to blast spending or induce guilt here. I’m trying to help us be honest about our mindset. We live in consumerist culture. We consume. A lot. We buy lots and lots of stuff.

Reasons why we buy lots and lots of stuff…we think it will make us happier. We think it will make our lives better. Let’s be honest, we get little of that dopamine kick when we order something new, package comes in mail. It is exciting.

But this is absolutely unique in human culture. There’s never been another time in history when average citizen has had so much wealth and so many things (pairs of shoes, average is 12 for men, 27 for women - 469 over lifetime). I want us to be mindful of fact that though it seems normal to us, it may not be best way to live life.

Here’s question we really need to consider…does Jesus know better way? Why is Jesus so insistent on warning us about spiritual dangers of wealth?

Remember, growing to become like Jesus begins with embracing mind of Christ. As James Bryan Smith describes it, adapt narratives of Jesus - the stories that shaped his thinking. Can Jesus teach us what will really help us to have a merry little Christmas, particularly when it comes to stuff, material wealth?

Share with you this funny little story in Matthew 17:24-27...

As Jesus and disciples return to Capernaum, Peter is asked by tax collector whether or not Jesus pays temple tax.

It’s important to know that this was a Jewish tax, not Roman one. Every Jewish male was required to pay two-drachma (about two days wages) every year for support of the temple.

You get sense from story that Peter doesn’t really know if Jesus pays it - they certainly haven’t paid it that year. But of course he doesn’t want Jesus to look bad so Peter says yes, absolutely his teacher pays temple tax.

As Peter returns to house, Jesus doesn’t wait to be asked. Through the Holy Spirit, he knows why Peter is troubled and so he asks him a question about from whom kings of the earth collect taxes.

Here’s what I want you to see here - Jesus is using this opportunity to teach Peter. Train him to have same mind, share his narratives. Simplest thing Jesus could have done was to just give him the money and tell him to go pay.

But Jesus is always looking to teach us truth. To grow us in love and trust of him.

And it’s only after this teaching lesson that he gives instructions to Peter to put that lesson into practice.

Tells Peter to go fishing and when he catches a fish, the money will be in its mouth. Crazy little story!

Two points I want to make about what Jesus is teaching Peter, opportunity to put it into practice.

First, what Jesus is teaching is all about identity - who he sees himself to be - and therefore who Peter should see himself to be.

Jesus feels no obligation to pay the temple tax because he is the Son. Not just the Son, but the Son of the King. The temple is his Dad’s house! True sons don’t pay taxes, they are exempt!

And he includes Peter in as one of children of King! He doesn’t owe the tax either. They only pay it so as not to offend.

This is problem with atheist’s attempt to separate out Jesus’ moral teaching from who he is, to ignore that he is Son of God. You can’t do it. God’s commands come out of his character, who he is.

Reason we don’t have to look to money and wealth and stuff for happiness and security and significance (nor should we) because of who God is!

He is King. He rules over everything. It belongs to him. Everything you see around you are the glorious riches of his kingdom. He created it all.

Why would sons and daughter of King ever have to worry about such things? Why would they ever seek after gifts when the great Giver of gifts, our Father, is right there? He is source!

And if that’s not true, then go ahead, get what you can, cause then you’re just fighting for your little kingdom.

That’s what Jesus is teaching Peter - and us - in this crazy little story. Peter, your Father is king. You are part of his kingdom. Father says to us, “everything I have is yours.”

Second thing about Jesus’ teaching I want to point out is that Jesus gives Peter gets chance to put his faith into action. To exercise it. It’s a training exercise!

It’s important to note that neither Jesus nor Peter had the money. They didn’t have a shekel (4 days’ wages) between them. Now, they could have just ignored situation, avoided tax man (they travel a lot). Or gotten money from one of their supporters.

Jesus is clearly not worried about getting the money. He’s Son of the King. And he wants Peter to learn and trust that as well. So Jesus tells Peter to go fishing to get coin!!

This is honestly part of story where you go, is this real? Let’s be honest, it feels a little bit like fairy tale here.

That’s exactly what Peter had to trust. Is his Father really king over earth? Does he really provide for his children? Even in most likely of circumstances?

It’s interesting to note that this is the only time in Bible where we see pole fishing - go to the lake and throw out your line. Every other time we see fishing in Bible, it’s net fishing.

That would have made more sense for Jesus to tell Peter…get your boat out there, cast nets, catch fish, sell them for money. That’s how Peter made his living before he started following Jesus.

But he doesn’t. He wants Peter to experience faithful provision of Father. One line. First fish you catch. Right there in its mouth, exact amount you need. No more, no less.

By the way, it was fun to look up strange things that have been found in fish…one British man lost his Nokia mobile phone on beach - got a call from a fisherman a few days later, it’d been retrieved from a 25 lb. cod…and phone still worked!…Just last year, an Australian fisherman found a crumbled up $20 bill in a fish…one Bible commentary I read said that fish have been caught before in Sea of Galilee and coins have been found in them.

You know what this is?! Fishing as soul-training exercise. Peter is actively putting his faith in action by leaving the house, walking down to edge of sea, casting his line, in hopes that his Heavenly Father will faithfully provide.

It’s an exercise designed to give him opportunity to experience trusting that he truly is Son of King, that he has everything he needs, because he has entered into Kingdom of God.

Paul says it this way in Philippians 4:19: And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

All Our Needs

That truth, that singular truth…My God will meet all of your needs (all of my needs) according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

That’s what Jesus was trying to teach to Peter in Capernaum when he instructed him to go fishing.

This is my Father’s kingdom, you, too, are a son of the king. It is a kingdom full of riches of his glory.

He will meet all your needs.

Paul wrote that truth in his letter to Philippians because he was trying to teach them the exact same thing. They had just graced him with a generous gift to help take care of his needs and he wanted to encourage them that God would honor their generosity. He wanted them to know that they could continue to be generous and share because they, too, were sons and daughters of the King whose kingdom is full of the riches of his glory.

It was lesson Paul himself had learned - Philippians 4:11-13

Isn’t that exactly that kind of attitude that would enable you to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas no matter what the circumstances?! You don’t need all that stuff!

If you have plenty, great! Thanks be to God! If you don’t have much, if you are in need…that’s fine, too. I’m content. My God gives me strength. He has riches galore and he will meet all of my needs.

When I was back in Texas, I was talking to Alf about young couple they’ve become dear friends with, Jason & Tammy.

Jason & Tammy moved from Germany to study at seminary in Dallas area. When they came to the U.S., all they had was little bit of savings. No place to live. No car. Weren’t sure how they’d pay all their tuition. And because they’re here on a student visa, they can only work on campus, can’t get job off campus.

What they do have was a whole lot of faith. Faith that God will meet all of their needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Right after they moved here they got connected with Alf & Susan, who have long history of hosting people in their home. Boom, place to live.

Needed a car…word got out through Facebook…car found.

Jason will fly back to Germany for work as photographer as wedding…got a connection with travel agent to get tickets from Germany.

Ironic story, they went to Kenneth Copeland’s church (more on Pentecostal side, Alf & Sus warned them), apparently it’s smaller church, about 100 people. Elderly woman came up to them and told them that God had told her to give them money. $200, exactly what they needed for the rest of their tuition payment.

Just amazing story after amazing story…great couple, genuine, humble, generous (bouquet of flowers for Susan for her birthday).

But let me ask you this, Which do you think is better…having lots of stuff, happiness and sense of security through your stuff…OR…knowing, I mean truly knowing, that you have a God that so wonderfully meets all of your needs through the riches of his glory? Absolutely trusting that you are a child of King, and he truly is King over all? Which of those two would make you richer?

It would be a lesson we would be wise to learn as well.

Let me offer you three exercises to engage in this week…choose one, make commitment. This is what training is all about. Adapt narratives of Jesus (my God will meet all of my needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus). We change our thinking. Then we change our behavior.

Memorize and reflect on this verse. Philippians 4:19. “Memorizing Scripture allows God’s word to take root in your thought-life and in your inner heart.”

Memorize phrase by phrase, keep adding phrase throughout the day until you can repeat it from memory.

You might write it out (which would help in memorizing it), post it in several places you’re sure to see it.

Second option…Make Psalm 23 a daily prayer. This has been something I’ve been doing every night as I go to sleep, very last thing.

The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. This is an affirmation of God meeting all our needs prayer.

I’ll recite it as prayer, an affirmation, Lord, you are my shepherd...

You might need to print it out or write it out on a postcard until you can pray it from memory.

Third option…Make a point of looking for the glory of God. Isaiah 6:3, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

If the whole earth is full of God’s glory, we should be able to see it everywhere. The problem is we don’t have eyes to see it. Train ourselves to do so.

Take a walk. Lord, reveal to me your glory. As you read Scripture, Lord, reveal to me your glory (see it in Jesus. See it in this story, wisdom of Jesus, his playfulness!). Thank God when he does.

Idea is that more we recognize the glory of God, the riches of his glory, the more we will trust that God will meet all of our needs according to it.

So many other things you could do: Give generously…meditate on this story, imagining you’re Peter going fishing (maybe next time you’re fishing…seriously).

Let me just close with this. Here’s why we want to do this. So we can have ourselves a merry little Christmas. God has so many great things for us - but here’s thing about God, they come in unexpected ways.

We’re so tempted to find it in stuff…we gotta be honest that’s real temptation for us…that mindset is just thick in our culture…we’re not just swimming it, it’s a swamp! We’re mired in it!

Jesus wants to give us genuine joy and peace, freedom of knowing that we are sons and daughters of king. And our King will meet all of our needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.