Not Sinners, Than Who?
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Knowing Christ and Knowing You
Knowing Christ and Knowing You
I have had a message on my heart for many years now. I have wanted to develop and work through who we are called to be and what that means for us as Christians. Many of you know, over the last months my family has walked a road of long suffering. Really this road started some 8 years ago with some mountain top times in the middle. My family has had it’s share of victories and defeats. It’s had it’s share of good news and bad. There have been times we were on top of the world and times where we are being crushed by it and it’s expectations, but through it all God continues to be faithful.
This morning as we look at the world around us we are confronted with many fears demanding our attention. Gas prices on the rise, People declaring a housing market crash, wars, and rumors of wars. Sickness, disease, famine. Last week I made a prophesy I full heartedly believe in. I believe the world is in a time of judgement and famine. I don’t believe the world is in the Book of Revelation end times yet, although as we are told, it’s a journey that we are always toward.
5 For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.
6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet.
7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.
8 All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
There are two warnings and a promise in these verses. The first warning:
Many will come in my name- Understand this doesn’t mean that they will be named Christ.
24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
You see many people, those who call themselves Christians, will attempt to pull you away from Christ. They may sound good, they may look good, and they may even have a hint of truth to their message, but they are not from God.
Recently I have been studying in the book of Jeremiah and I was struck by
14 And the Lord said to me: “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.
At this point in History the Israelites were in a very good place. They were seeing times of refreshing, times of provision, and a time of blessing. In modern terms
They were living their best life
I can’t tell you the countless times I have herd this term today. People all over facebook showing the blessings without showing the struggles and stating they are living their best life. This week someone I know found a private Island. I’m not 100% sure if he purchased it or not, but he was definitely enjoying the blessings it gave him. In the comment section of the picture someone stated: Looks like you’re living your best life. As I began to ponder on this picture and the statement I began to wonder if the person knew the struggles before the blessing. This person, who I know, is wealthy. But they weren’t always wealthy. You see we see someone’s middle result of blessing and we begin to desire that, but what we don’t see are the struggles that led to the blessing and the choices that are sure to follow once we have reached “best life.”
Prior to the book of Jeremiah Israel was living their best life. They had it all because at one point they remembered who gave it to them. Israel lived blessed because they, at one point, lived obediently.
As I stated before I believe the world is going to see a time of famine. I believe things will get rough for many people, I believe crime will rise as desperation and hunger increase. The truth of the matter is as Gas prices rise so will the cost of very basic necessities, but we have a choice. Even after this time of famine passes I believe these truths that we will uncover in this series will still stand to be true.
I’ve named this series: Not sinners, than who? Knowing Christ and Knowing You because in order to tap into the unmerited favor of God, the blessings of God, the fearlessness and faithfulness of God we must first know who God is in this world, in the church, and in our lives. And then we must discover or redefine who we are according to who Christ is.
In the book of Jeremiah Israel lost themselves because they first Lost who God is in their lives. So in order to find ourselves, to embrace our calling, and to embrace our blessing we first must discover who God is.
The bible is full of the names of God. The names of God run a list more than a mile long and carry more understand than this series can uncover. First we know God to be our saving Grace.
As many of you here have already descided we know that Christ laid down his life for us.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This is one verse in a very big picture.
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Going backwards you can see 3 promises God gives those who follow Him.
Love v5
Hope V2
Peace V1
This term God’s love is interesting. If you’ve been with me before you understand that God is love. Love isn’t something God has. It’s who God is.
8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
Everyone here knows I am boy. I am the father of 6 Children. Now I can paint my nails, put on a skirt, and take hormone supplements, but no matter what I do or how I dress I am a boy. I cannot, and will not ever be able to naturally give birth. I cannot go through metapause.
Through research I ahve found that some men go through andropause, which is the male version of metapause and can be brought on by taking testosterone reducers, but I physically cannot change who I am. There will always be a sign of my maleness when I die.
The same is true about God. God is love. In everything he does he loves. I hear all the time that Jesus hated, and God hates, and blah blah blah. But if you go back through the bible you will notice that God’s hate (really true translation God’s displeasure) isn’t ever with humans it’s with sin and behaviors. And his hate, if you want to use that term, of those behaviors only derives out os his Love for his people. So much so that when it states that
Romans 5:5 (ESV)
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
God’s love has been poured into our hearts What he is actually saying is that he lives inside of us. God cannot be separated from His love so that the only way to pour out his love is to pour out himself.
Secondly
God is Hope
2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
One Scholar stated that hope is
Forward-looking faith
Many of you know that creation is the image of God.
I bring this up to bring up sharks.
Sharks cannot swim backwards. If they do they will die. Forward movements allows water to pass through the gills of the shark which produces oxygen. This action doesn’t happen when moving backwards. Only when going forwards.
I have read through the bible numerous times and the one thing I have figured out is that God is a forward moving God. He is the God of Yesterday yes, but God doesn’t live in the past. In fact it’s although God transcends time the world, and more importantly heaven haven never went in reverse for as far as I can research. God never restarted time. He is always moving forward. He is always pushing through.
18 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.
Why?
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.
9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.”
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
It’s why for those who are in Christ the sin of our past doesn’t define our future because God is faithful to forgive our sin.
18 Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love.
19 He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.
Micah says this about the character of who God is for those who follow Him.
Jeremiah 31:34 (ESV)
... For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
God purposely forgets the sins of those who are repentant and faithful.