Be the Church
Notes
Transcript
Ive decided I’m not wearing glasses anymore, Ive seen enough.
I’d love to get paid to sleep. It would be a dream job.
I dig, you did, she digs, he digs, its not a long poem, but its deep.
Pause Last Week.
7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.”
We constantly live in a context of fear in this life. We really realize how out of control we are in when things start to go wrong we let that spirit of fear creep in. We have fear in our life usually because we have no control and we are trusting in something other than Jesus to be our savior. Is our marriage, finances, and kids going to be okay?
And Jesus says, have no fear…and some of you need to hear that in your life right now… and you are just functioning in anxiety… have no fear.. Greek Phobas… where we get Phobia… he has have no fears… not because it will all work out in your life… but the reason we should not fear...
Remember a couple of stories ago, Peter is walking on the water… you of little faith… why does he say that.... the point of why he doesn't need to fear is because we are safe even in our drowning… we are going to be okay even if we are drowning in our life… and some point we are all going to die… and you are going to lose the job and the point of Christianity isn't that you aren't going to have the drowning moments, but even if you do, you're going to be fine, because you will have him.
We are all going to drown at some point, so we don’t need to be afraid.
The last battle… You’re all dead… you died.... and thats why you’re here...
And Aslan goes on to say...
“The things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them. And for us this is the end of all the stories, and we can most truly say that they all lived happily ever after. But for them it was only the beginning of the real story. All their life in this world, and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page; now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read; which goes on for ever; in which every chapter is better than the one before.”
CS Lewis
Thats what Christianity offers… we will drown, but it will be okay. And he looks at them and says have no fear… because even dying is gain… every chapter is better than the one before… and that will change how you live right now… Dont be afraid… he knows all these guys are going to get killed but dont be afraid, because I’ve got you.
Once you realize this is how life is there is a boldness.... and it changes you...
Not only have no fear… but rise… get up and go...
They just want to hang out on the mountain… in the experience… he says go and do something with it… When did the doctrine of forgiveness just become I am good I dont have to go to hell woohoo
That’s what so awesome about baptism… you dont just die… you are risen from death...
The problem with Christianity is yes there is a place where his burden is light… but he also told us told us to rise… it doesn’t mean you get to be passive your whole life you have to take this new life and do something with it… church is not the purpose of christianity… but you have to do something with it..
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Not just teach them… you can teach a parrot that… not just to know what Jesus commanded… but to observe it… thats really different… my job with you is not to just to give you information… its to get in teh mode where you can actually do it… and thats hard, but thats why Jesus lays out.
When he tells us to rise we have to hit that with fervency we have to get us to work… we can’t be passive and lazy and just bask in his awesomeness..
Dont just sit in your house… or in this building.... get up… lets not be passive… challenge you to try it once this week and tell me what happened...
8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.
9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”
They see it and then he tells them go back down the mountain.. I know it is great here… but go back out there… go back into the difficulty… go back into the pain and sorrow
Now some of us have learned that lesson really well… and hear this.. some people never go back down… and Jesus is like go back down there… and some people have just hung out in the world because thats what Jesus would do… I hang out in the parties.. I drink thats what he would do… but the world starts to influence them instead of the other way...
And when Jesus went to the parties and clubs he either turned people into himself, or they kicked him out because he offended them
Maybe not day one.. but if youve been doing it for 5 years and he has never come up you may be there for you and not him...
HE says go down the mountain.. but what is the point? The next story he casts out the demon… he wants you to go down the mountain to affect the world not let the world affect you… and some of you when you hear go down the mountain you want to check the box… throw it away.. the reason you go down there is because the people around you need the freedom....
Your weaknesses he can use for his glory… its not about checking a box… think about someone you know that doesnt know Jesus pray for them right now.... you go back down because they need him… not to check that box off..
9 And as they were coming down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Tell no one the vision, until the Son of Man is raised from the dead.”
Why would he do that? becasue he realizes that some people wouldnt get it yet… and sometimes people need some time… and we try to dive in too deep too soon with people… Creation fall redemption.... New Creation.. thats it… the other stuff isnt as importation....
As I read this, I dont want to be the type of people where he says, we arent ready for that yet… I want to be in a place where I can handle everything that Jesus wants for me and my life.... it would kill me if the total of your christian life was this church service...
The image of Jesus is we become the church and be the disciple
My dream is that one day we get to a place where God can just give us anything he wants for us...
10 And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”
11 He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.
12 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”
13 Then the disciples understood that he was speaking to them of John the Baptist.
They had all expectations… present age and age to come… and this has already happened… and some of you are waiting for something to happen so you can really make an impact… then you can say sorry… and you are waiting for elijah to come and Jesus says he is already here.... and some of you are here this morning because the time is now…not to put the decision to follow Christ off in the future but for a time such as now...
God orchestrated my pain and brokeness so I can hear him… and had it come any other time I would have said I already got it.. and my hope is you can hear through the noise… elijah has come.. there is no next thing...