Is God in your heart or your hand? (Youth)

Announcements

This is the last week…our next meeting time will be June 5 for hiking and Ice cream.

Make sure your parents sign the waiver…that needs to happen before you can be involved in the summer events.

Games:

Face cookie game

Human shuffle board

Intro

Tonight I want to talk about control

Many of you are at the age where you are starting to have more freedoms, and you probably get annoyed when your parents tell you what to do!

Are you like that with God…is God in your heart or in your hand?

Scripture

Luke 8:26-37

Luke 8:26–37 (ESV)

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gerasenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 When Jesus had stepped out on land, there met him a man from the city who had demons. For a long time he had worn no clothes, and he had not lived in a house but among the tombs.

Jesus gets to this place where he meets this man that is crazy

Demon possession, much like we believe that God can live inside of us, demon possession is when you have an evil spirit that dwells in you and can control your actions.

Hadn’t worn clothes

He lived amoung the tombs (cemetery)

He didn’t have a home

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” 29 For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. (For many a time it had seized him. He was kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles, but he would break the bonds and be driven by the demon into the desert.)

Jesus comes in and he starts to speak to these demons to bring deliverance to this man

But it says something here I don’t want us to miss....he would be kept under guard and bound with chains and shackles

The townspeople knew something was wrong with this guy, but all they could do was try to manage him.

The couldn’t deliver him or help him

They just put him in chains, and even that at times didn’t work

30 Jesus then asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss. 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, and they begged him to let them enter these. So he gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned.

Admittedly, this is a really interesting passage.

This guy was delivered from demons, but the demons went into the pigs, and then the pigs went and drowned in the river.

What is going on here?

But here is where it gets interesting...

34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then people went out to see what had happened, and they came to Jesus and found the man from whom the demons had gone, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 36 And those who had seen it told them how the demon-possessed man had been healed. 37 Then all the people of the surrounding country of the Gerasenes asked him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. So he got into the boat and returned.

So Jesus does this incredible miracle, but what does the text say?

They were afraid and they asked him to leave

Tension

Let me ask you two questions:

What do you think the town missed out on when they asked Jesus to leave?

More people getting delivered

People getting healed from sickness

Hearing the good news that Jesus was the Savior of the world

What is scarier a man full of demons who torments people, or a man named Jesus who was going through the towns healing and delivering people?

Why did they ask Jesus to leave?

Main point - They would rather have limited control over a dysfunction, than lose control over a deliverance.

This demon possessed man was a problem…and even though they couldn’t completely control him, they could kind of control the situation.

They would bind him with chains…even though it didn’t really work.

They could avoid walking in the areas he was present

They had limited control....they didn’t like it, but they could live with it.

But with Jesus…here comes a man who has authority over demonic spirits, and had conplete control over what they didn’t

If Jesus can control this situation, he could also exercise complete control over us.

Or to say it in another way…I think they were afraid of surrender…the opposite of control

What would they have to surrender? What would it mean to keep Jesus around?

Jesus had already cost them a herd of pigs.

How would their lives and their neighborhoods change?

A man like this, was somethign special

They would rather play it safe....maintain limited control on what they knew, rather than to introduce Jesus into their society.

Lion witch and wardrobe

“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion." "Ooh" said Susan. "I'd thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion"..."Safe?" said Mr Beaver ..."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King.”

Application

I think this is what can scare some of us about God.

Losing control of something, or having to surrender doesn’t always feel safe.

This is especially true when submitting to a God who’s ways and thoughts are much higher than ours.

Instead of giving God complete control over my heart, I would much rather keep him in my hand…that way I have some kind of control.

I’ve asked Jesus into my heart, and I love him, and I live for him in many ways.....but I still need to hold on to things.

Our lack of surrender is motivated by fear:

Fear of future

I would rather have the typical American dream life with a nice home, nice family, and a couple of pets, two-car garage, good-paying job.

What if God calls me to something I don’t want or I didn’t feel equipped for?

What if my future doesn’t look the way I want it to?

What if God were to say to me what he said to Peter in John 21:18

John 21:18 (ESV)

Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

Fear of failure

What if I’m not capable of being a good Christian, and I’m just going to fail God…so I won’t even try.

What if I can’t live up to God’s calling on my life?

Fear of lonliness or abandonement

What if I completely open up to God, and then He abandons me like others have done in my life?

Fear of healing

We fear healing, because the initial healing process is often more painful than the wound itself.

Analogy of broken arm

Guard the pain in my heart, and don’t let anyone near it, not even God

Fear of consequences

What might I lose by living for Jesus in a world with opposite values?

I might lose some friends

I could be slandered for speaking truth

Fear of looking stupid

Rejected during evangelism

Crying

Main Point - The tragedy was, they were so focused on what they might lose, that they didn’t consider what there was to gain…or else they just didn’t care.

But what are you missing out on by trying to maintain control?

Analogy - Of the umbrella

God, I want to hear from you....but not now.

God, I want to live with purpose, and for you to use me....but not in that way

God, I need wholeness....but don’t go there.

God I want your will for my life....just not those things.

And I get it because surrending control to God is not “safe” in the sense that you are giving God free reign to do whatever He wants in your life, and it may look different than what you expected or wanted.

BUT.....He is the King....and HE IS GOOD.

Psalm 34:8 - Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

Story

Let me tell you a story of when I did this....the first time I can remember telling Jesus to leave.

My fear: being seen crying in public

When God wants to do something in your life, ask yourself, what you are missing out on when you try to maintain control.

Prayer (pray this in your heart, as I pray it out loud) Dear Lord Jesus I believe you're the son of God. I believe that on the cross you took my sin, my shame, and my guilt, and you died for it. You faced hell for me so I wouldn't have to go. You rose from the dead to give me a place in heaven, a purpose on earth, and a relationship with your father. Today Lord Jesus I turn from my sin to be born again. God is my father, Jesus is my savior, the Holy Spirit is my helper, and heaven is my home. In Jesus’ name, Amen.