The Gift of Limits

Prayer

Resisting Limits

Movie came out a number of years ago, Bruce Almighty.

Main character, Bruce, is frustrated with God. Bruce’s life has not been turning out the way he wants it to - biggest issue is that he wants to be the lead anchor for the news station, instead he’s stuck doing human interest stories.

So, he expresses that frustration (and a lot more) with God. And God (Morgan Freeman) responds by giving Bruce his divine power. Bruce can do whatever he wants - no limits.

How amazing, how perfect. He can give people anything they need or want. He can take care of the gang that’s threatening him. He can manipulate events so that he finally gets the lead anchor job. It is a life without limitations - which seems like that would so much better, if we weren’t hampered the way we are.

We resist limitations, always have - true from the very beginning.

Adam & Eve. God gave them the entire garden of Eden to cultivate, take care of, all the trees and their fruit to enjoy. Except one - Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. God put the limit there - you shall not eat of this tree, it’s not for you. They pushed back against the limitation and ate the fruit of that tree.

It’s very much a part of our cultural ethos - we are a “can do” culture. You can do anything you set your mind to. Don’t let anybody tell you no.

I saw part of an interview with Mike Rowe (cable TV show called “Dirty Jobs”), fascinating comments, he actually speaks against the culture on this, saying folks should not pursue their passions, that following our passion is often terrible advice.

He points to American Idol as perfect example. He points out how telling it is that the show is called American Idol, inviting people to pursue becoming idols, objects of worship, gods (instead of American Icon).

The first episodes of any season, when they show open auditions, are proof positive of how bad advice can be - thousands of people show up who clearly have a passion for singing, but clearly not the talent (and are absolutely in shock when told they don’t).

But we resist limits in all sorts of ways in life

Regular battles between children and parents - kids wanting to push the limits (what they can eat, how late they can stay up, what they’re allowed to do), and parents saying, “no” - it’s too much, you need your rest...

We do it as adults - take on too much responsibility. Think we can manage things on our own, without help from others.

Consider our resistance to Sabbath (and I wrestle with this). I’ll manage fine without a day of rest. I’ve got too much work to get done to stop and be with God for a while.

In a sense, we are doing what Bruce did in Bruce Almighty - we take on God’s role, we want to be gods, we want to be people without limits.

As we continue our Deeper Still series, our move from shallow Christianity to deep discipleship, one of the things that is essential is to embrace the gifts of limits.

That God, in his goodness, has given us limitations. To grow in a deeper trusting and abiding life in Jesus requires us to embrace those limits, to receive them as gifts. This is our main point this morning - embrace God’s gift of limits.

We’ve shared Scazzero’s definition of success for a follower of Jesus - note how it assumes limitations: Success is becoming the person God calls you to become, and doing what God calls you to do - in his way, and according to his timetable.

So we’re going to dive deeper into what it means to embrace God’s gifts of limits.

Gift of Limits

Do so by looking at John the Baptist in John 3:22-30...

After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. 26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” 27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

It’s helpful to understand here how popular John the Baptist was in his day. In spite of how oddly he lived his life (lived out in the Judean wilderness, desert, wearing camel coat robe, eating locusts and honey - very odd, even for back then), John the Baptist had people coming by the thousands to hear him preach.

People from all walks of life - regular Jews, tax collectors, Roman soldiers. John was stirring up such a commotion that religious authorities sent teachers of law to check up on him.

Herod Antipas considered him such a threat that he had him thrown in prison when John kept speaking out about his adulterous marriage to Herodias’, his brother’s wife. Josephus, the 1st century Jewish historian writes several paragraphs about John the Baptist and how many Jews believed that the destruction of Herod’s army was divine punishment for what he had done to John the Baptist by imprisoning and beheading him.

All that to say that John the Baptist was a big deal at the time.

So you can imagine the panic of his followers when they see that crowds are beginning to shift from following him to following Jesus. “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan - everyone is going to him.” We’re losing our followers! Our movement is shrinking!

Anything that’s important to us (group we’ve been a part of, our church, our state) - we don’t want to see it shrinking, diminishing in size or importance.

But notice John’s reaction here - it speak powerfully about what we might call a theology of limits: “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.”

John is speaking to a tremendous truth here…a person can receive only what is given them from heaven.

I can only receive what God has given me. Which immediately begs the question, what has God given me? What am I to receive from him? AND - just as important, what hasn’t he given me? What do I have no business trying to take?

Remember the definition of success - is becoming the person God has called me to become and doing what God has called me to do - in his way, and according to his timetable.

And there are always limitations here - on what God has given me, what I am to receive, as far as who I am and what I am to do and how and when I am to do it. Embracing God’s gifts of limits demands that I have an understanding, an awareness of what those limits are.

Limitations have to do with our unique personalities and temperaments (extrovert or introvert, more quiet and reflective or folks who need to be hands on, active).

Limitations of season of life you’re in, our marital status - Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians, Limitations of our gifts - our emotional, physical and intellectual capabilities.

He even suggests limits of our family of origin, because that has a profound impact on my life. Limits of our time…Psalm 90:12…So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

John understood all this. He received what God had given him - with all its limitations, and had received it as a gift. He reminded his followers of that: “Remember what I told you - I’m not the Messiah, that’s not what God has given me. I was sent ahead, to prepare the way, to get things ready - that’s what I received from heaven.”

John likened his role to that of the friend of the bridegroom - a role similar to being the best man at a wedding today.

I’ve had the honor of being the best man for two of my brothers. You know it’s their day. He’s the groom. You want them to be honored and celebrated. There’s great joy in that role, to stand by their side through it all.

That’s what John is relaying here. In those days, one of the primary duties of the friend of the bridegroom was to present him to the bride. John saw that as his role: the gift God had given him was to present the bridegroom to his bride. To tell the people of Israel, here he is, your Messiah. The bride doesn’t belong to friend, but to the bridegroom.

Then, John’s final statement, He must become greater, I must become less. Wow. Talk about embracing your God’s limits as a gift. Of course they’re going to start following him, that was God’s plan from the beginning. I’ve had a great role in this, one that has brought me great joy.

Which is pretty remarkable thing to say - crowds are leaving him. His movement and influence are shrinking.

I think most of us are onboard with the “he must become greater” part. It’s the “I must become less” that’s a harder pill to swallow. But it’s all a part of embracing God’s gift of limits.

Challenge here, I think, is to see limits as a gift. God’s good for us.

I love the scene at the end of Bruce Almighty. Bruce has received all this divine power, but as he uses it, everything goes awry - he doesn’t have the wisdom, understanding to know what to do with it.

He ruins the relationship with the woman he truly loves.

Because he’s been given the divine power, God passes onto him prayer requests people pray - Bruce just answers “yes” to everything. No limits, give people whatever they want. Everyone wants to win the lottery - so lots do. In no time at all, everything starts going awry - literally rioting in the streets.

Bruce breaks down, falls to his knees and cries out to God, “I don’t want to do this anymore. I don’t want to be God. I want you to decide what’s right for me. I surrender to your will.” Bruce discovers the gift of limits (then he gets hit by a truck because one of our limits is that you can’t kneel down in the middle of a highway on a dark, rainy night and not experience some consequences).

God’s limits are gifts. They protect us and others.

Think about how much evil is perpetuated by those seeking to go beyond their limits. I steal from others because I’m not content with what God has provided for me. Jealousy, same dynamic.

I abuse alcohol or drugs because I rebel against the limits of my body. Same thing with trying to do too much - stress we experience is body telling us - too much! You’re going beyond your limits!

I coerce or manipulate, guilt people into doing what I want because I refuse to accept the limitations of allowing people to choose freely. Or I enable bad behaviors because I rebel against letting people take responsibility for their own lives and actions.

Embracing limits grounds us, humbles us. I don’t know everything. I can’t do everything. It breaks our self will.

It gives us direction - I receive from God what he has for me - and I don’t have to take on things he doesn’t have for me.

Of course, all of this requires great discernment. Scazzero provides great insight here when he speaks about how we must discern two types of limits, two questions we must ask.

First, what limits do I need to receive and submit to joyfully?

this was the heart of John the Baptist. A person can only receive what is given them from heaven.

This is an invitation from God to trust him, to surrender ourselves to his will, his wisdom and goodness. He knows what is best for our lives. What limits do you need to receive and submit to joyfully?

Limits of rest, self-care? Freedom to say “no”? Limits on evasive people? Healthy boundaries (what others need to do for themselves, what help should I give them)?

Second question has to do with overcoming limitations - because some limits are for breaking through. Scazzero asks it this way: “Which limits is God asking me to break through by faith for the sake of his name in the world? What are the limits of immaturity that God is asking me to break through in my personal life? These limitations are the obstacles in life where we experience the power of God in our lives.

Bible abounds in stories of people living within limits - and watching God’s power manifest.

When God called Moses to lead his people out of slavery, out of the land of Egypt, Moses kept throwing up his limitations: what if they don’t listen to me, I stutter, I’m no public speaker! Through God’s power, he broke through those limitations.

Disciples - not-good-enoughs, uneducated men, yet Jesus chose them to be his apostles, those who would go out in his name

There are places in our lives where we feel hampered by our sinful habits, we don’t think we have anything to offer. In essence, what we’re saying is that we haven’t received anything from God. But God has called of us for something. Limitation to break through.

Move toward someone who’s difficult (I can’t change them, but I can love them)

Ministry toward people or being in situations that make us uncomfortable. Capernaum is one of those places. Caring for people, especially in heavy emotional situations - that’s still hard for me, prefer to avoid it.

Never see yourself in a place of leadership (statistics - 15% are natural leaders, but most of us can develop skills to lead)

I could never share the Gospel, I don’t know what to say - leave it to professionals

Difference between embracing God’s gift of limits and putting limits on ourselves (and God) because there are things we’d rather avoid because they’re difficult or painful - learn the difference. Discernment is so important.

Spiritual Disciplines Lived Obedience to Jesus

Engage in act of self-care this week

Keep the Sabbath (Sabbath was made for man, it’s God’s gift of rest for us): Stop. Rest. Delight. Contemplate.

Another option for self-care: Take time to do something you delight in, brings you joy

Time of discernment, reflection, be attentive to Jesus as you bring before him question of limits

Are there emotional or physical cues that you are taking on too much? Stress, aggravation, overly tired? Is there something you need to give yourself freedom to say “no” to?

Maybe there’s a limit God’s calling you to break through - Holy Spirit is nudging you in direction, to take something on, challenge yourself but you’re resisting it. There’s a sinful pattern in your life, an immaturity, that through God’s power, is a limitation for you to break through.

I hope you’re seeing more and more why we need to be before we do (first aspect of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship) - to slow to be with Jesus, to dig deep beneath the surface of our lives to be transformed by Jesus, in order to offer our lives as a gift to the world for Jesus.)

Inspiration

One of the signs of spiritual maturity (emotionally healthy disciple) is that we live joyfully within our God-given limits

We see that in John - while his disciples are anxious and panicking over what’s happening as people are leaving them, John is living in joyful contentment that he has been doing what God called him to do - be friend of bridegroom.

See it in Bruce Almighty, when God reminds Bruce that he has gift of bringing joy to others (I know, I created you). Bruce goes back to doing human interest stories for the news station - joyfully living in what God has for him. God’s gift of limits.

Reminder that limits are God’s good gifts. Best thing to do with any good gift is grab a hold of - embrace it wholeheartedly. My hope and prayer for you is that you might learn to embrace God’s gifts of limits.