Counting Steps

Announcements

gratitude and prayer…now go tell them

elder/deacon (Next week…then we will begin)

Next Sunday is also Spring forward…I keep hoping they’ll just agree to leave the clocks alone...

Thank you for helping Caleb and Rose, Kindness

service Saturday the 19 at 230

reception help

Intro

Mancini’s random questions:

Counting steps 51% - 49% yes wins

2 routes within 1 step…the other about 7 more

Important things we need to know

No Movement from one place to another happens without steps.

The truth: There’s always steps. We never move from point a to point b in one move. We move one step at a time.

I am in the process of building a fire pit. It wasn’t build a fire, then add rocks around it.

I dug out a section of my yard

leveled it

added gravel

put down the first layer

used liquid nails to put down the next layers.

added lava rock

I’ll add the steel ring after making some modifications

Then I’ll cut some granite tile and mortar that to the top.

Then I will light a fire.

Anyone who has been impacted by addiction knows you overcome addiction not in a moment, but through steps.

you admit you have a problem

That there is a need for a higher power

and so on...

If you’ve made a significant life change either positive or negative, it didn’t happen all at once, you took steps.

If you got in shape, it wasn’t in a moment. I joined a gym, I am getting stronger and fitter…but I didn’t walk into the gym and turn in to Dwayne Johnson.

In the same way I didn’t get out of shape one day when I walked into a McDonald’s. I did it one step at a time.

This basic premise, if applied to our spiritual life, maturity, our walk with the Lord would seem to indicate that we don’t “become” a mature follower of Jesus all at once either.

We take steps.

But logic shouldn’t be our guide to spiritual growth. The question, is what do we see in God’s word? In this story from the childhood of Jesus, I believe we see the logic confirmed.

It’s interesting, we don’t get much insight into Jesus as a child, just one story in Luke…today’s passage.

there are other childhood accounts of Jesus written…but all far after the fact and in otherwise theologically suspect writings. Not in anything the early church found faithful. but here’s a couple moderately amusing ones.

When Jesus was 7, he made clay animals and had them come to life. The other kids told their parents who wouldn’t let them play with the wizard. Apparently they were muggles.

Several stories about the child Jesus getting angry about other kids ruining his ponds, (as a pond builder, I get it) and causing them to dry out like his ponds. The parent’s complained to Joseph about his son killing their kids and in one instance, in obedience to his parents he kicked one of the lifeless boys in the rear and brought him back to life.

The best for workmen among us like Caleb, was a story of him helping Joseph to make a bed in his carpentry shop and finding the two pieces of wood unequal, (apparently Joseph didn’t measure twice cut once) he simple grabbed one and stretched it to match. That is where we get the california king size bed

The stories are interesting…but not reliable, and not helpful.

So Why did Luke include this one?

Real person: Luke wanted his readers to know with certainty that Jesus was real. He anchored the narrative with real places, real events, connections to real people and real history.

A real baby goes through a process to become a man. Luke is using this one recollection, probably of Mary to establish this reality about Jesus.

Clear identity: He also lets us know that even in his childhood, Jesus had a clear understanding of his identity. He needed to go through steps, like the rest of us, but he took those steps not from an identity he crafted for himself, but one given to him by the Father.

Even in this little story, this simple moment, the life of Jesus can change us. We can see truths for our life in his clarity of identity, how he prioritized his steps…because just like you and I, he had to grow and learn and make decisions.

Luke 2:41-52 Recap with comment

Terrified parents

Amazing kid

Some cheek to momma

But obedience and change

So the question for us is this. If Jesus needed to grow and learn, what guided the steps he took? What factors influenced the direction he would go as he took steps of growth?

Priorities that Led Jesus’ Steps

High Value on God’s Word

The panicked parents return to Jerusalem and where do they find him?

Luke 2:46 “After three days, they found him in the temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.”

The fact that his answers and understanding were astounding people is secondary. Yes, he was impressive. His knowledge was deep…but what was he doing?

Listening and asking questions.

Too often we hear a passage, decide what it means and then we lock in.

It’s like the story of the toddler who was about to hit her head on a bar at the playground. When her mom shouted “DUCK!” she turned around a quacked…then hit her head on the bar.

Or a story I’ve shared before of the day my friend Tommy Johannes asked me what his initials were when our first grade teacher asked us to write them down.

I told him his were TO…and when Mrs Jackson corrected her and said they were TJ, I argued. “My mom told me mine were SH…which are the first two letters of my first name…and the first letter of each…ooops...

I one time thought of writing a fictional story about a Mexican wrestler who vowed to fight against bible verse a day calendars and coffee cups with only one verse on them. I called him the Contextador.

Every time someone would say, don’t worry, God has plans to prosper you and not harm you, Jeremiah 29:11! He would pop in and save the day with an accurate understanding of the story, not a sentence out of place.

God’s word was not meant to be read a verse at a time, it was meant to be heard in full stories, more than once, in community, with reflection and meditation.

And I have never found a verse that when put in it’s context doesn’t become even more powerful…maybe not as easy to swallow…but actually powerful to change us.

But so often, we allow one idea we heard once about a passage of scripture, or God’s character to define how we think about it.

Jesus was astounding people with his understanding…and he was still listening and asking. We can learn much by doing the same.

Secondly,

Jesus Prioritized the Father over Friends or Family

intro

Luke 2:48-50 “When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” “Why were you searching for me?” he asked them. “Didn’t you know that it was necessary for me to be in my Father’s house?” But they did not understand what he said to them.”

Being with his father was the priority, follwoing him was what mattered most.

The number of times you haven’t shared the gospel because you were afraid of the reaction you would get from someone you care for.

The number of times you have failed to do the right thing because it would put you out of step with peers you respect. (YOU MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THEM)

We are exceptional at persuading ourselves our choices are right ones. No matter what.

We will see it throughout the life of Jesus and in his commands to his disciples...

you must hate...

do not fear those who ...

In the organic outreach…if you are going to love the lost, you have to be intentional about being with them.

The same thing is true if you are going to love God.

Are you intentional about time with the Lord, or only when you feel up to it?

Here’s an essential truth. Choosing to follow God, you will disappoint others.

There are two occassions in Monica and I’s married life where we were certain God was calling us to a task, and others told us we were wrong, they were disappointed, etc. Both of those times, we were blessed by our obedience. In one of those times, the disappointed party, seeing God’s hand, did an about face and encouraged us.

There have been other times when we let the noise change our course. We will never know what the result might have been if we had followed.

As we’ll talk about in a moment, Jesus did need to and did change course, but his priority is what I am concerned with here. The thing he was pursuing, even to his parent’s panic level was to be with and know the Father. If you are going to make a mistake…make a mistake trying to be obedient and know God.

Finally,

Jesus Learned and Corrected Course

Note the way this story ends:

Luke 2:51 “Then he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them. His mother kept all these things in her heart.”

Here’s the bottom line: He became aware that his behavior, no matter how good his intentions were, did harm to his mother and father. They could not handle him disappearing like that.

So he went, and he was obedient.

He grew.

Stop and process that…When God took on flesh, he took on all our issues…including our need to grow and learn.

There was a season he needed to be potty trained.

He had to learn to talk, and walk.

He had to learn etiquette, and the rules of games, and to not talk with his mouth open

Truth is, as a person grows and learns…we blow it. We charge headlong into what we are sure is the right course. Then find…if we are willing to humble ourselves, admit we might be mistaken, and seek the Lord…that we need to change direction.

CS Lewis noted that sometimes the most progressive thing we can do is turn around if we find that we are traveling the wrong way.

What do you do when you are wrong?

Are you willing to admit when you are?

More, are you willing to start from a posture of assuming you might be?

We won’t change what we won’t see. And we are good at not seeing. We are good at justifying our attitudes, anger, and every other sin in our lives as needed and necessary.

If we are going to grow like Jesus, we have to be willing to allow God to show us our weakness, our wounds, our failures and faults. Then as we’ll talk a lot about next week, we need to repent.

Did I mention this is hard? But again…not done in one movement. We take steps. A great place to begin is by praying Psalm 139:23-24 “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.”

let’s practice...pray

Conclusion

Let’s land the plane on this thing (worship team up)

1st: Grow. No matter where you are, recognize that if Jesus, the son of God, grew and learned…you should too.

And as you do, follow his priorities.

Make a decision to spend time with your Father. To prioritize deeper understanding of his word. Listen and ask questions.

Second, Give yourself grace.

If you know you need to grow…let yourself.

You can not jump from point a to z without all the steps in between. You see someone else who looks more like Jesus in their life, don’t be frustrated that you aren’t there yet. Take another step.

AT HCC, you are ALLOWED to be “In process”…repeat.

Mr Mancini noted three routes from his office to his car. Two within a step and one an additional seven. But Mr Chessin the choir teacher, who parks in the same lot? He starts from a different office. His step count and route might be entirely different. And, he walks to a different car in a different space.

We do not all start equally. Our value is equal, our origins are not. And God’s calling and design for our life is not either.

As we’ll see, God never called John the Baptist to be very gentle. But John the apostle, we see change over time from a son of thunder to the man who writes “Dear children let us love”

Wherever you are today, near or far from the Lord, I’m glad you’re here. You are welcome and I will not ask you to be farther along than you are in order to be loved and encouraged here.

we will always encourage you and challenge you to grow. But that’s not what makes you welcome. Listen, ask questions, grow…but know you can be where you are and that’s enough for this moment.

That leads to the third thought to take away

If you are allowed to be in process…you have to allow others to be in process too. This is often where the breakdown happens.

We want to see progress before we can give acceptance. Give real acceptance and see how much that breeds natural progress in another.

And we all struggle with this. We want others to live up to what we have acheived. Paul encourages the Philippians:

Philippians 3:16 “In any case, we should live up to whatever truth we have attained.”

You live up to where you have grown. Others will do the same.

So what do we do when we see someone struggle?

What do you do with a toddler struggling to stay a foot? When they fall and get frustrated?

Do you scold? Do you shake your head? Or…well, of course not.

There are times when you offer your hand and lovingly pull them back up.

There are times when instruction is needed.

And there are times when they will refuse or you maybe you recognize the need to just let them work it out. In which case you can encourage and praise the attempt.

The same is true for one another. I think close to no one was ever nagged, judged, begged or argued into meaningful heart-level change.

The author of Hebrews calls us to encourage one another as long as it called today. You and I need people to add courage to us as we grow in faith. You and I need people to pray for us, that God would do the growing.

You and I need examples to follow. So we can keep our eyes on Jesus and our own walk, being thoughtful about our steps of growth and what we are teaching those who are coming behind us about the importance not of perfection…but growth.

The last verse is my favorite.

Luke 2:52 “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with people.”

Jesus increased. He grew in his wisdom and understanding, he grew in physical maturity, and he grew in relationship with GOD and People.

What better example can we have? What better way can we pray for ourselves, our families, and our church? To be like Jesus and grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and people. a more Sound mind, a more sound body, and more sound relationships with God and others.

When God took on flesh, he chose to go through the process, same way we do. So we fix our eyes on him, He is our ultimate encourager, Hebrews 7 says he stands at the right hand of the father Praying on our behalf, and he set us the example to follow of growth, encouragement, and prayer.

PRAY