The day everything changed

1 Corinthians 15:1 – 22

“The day everything changed”

 

The resurrection of Jesus is THE single most important event… ever.  The resurrection proved who Jesus is, it provided focus for the disciples’ preaching, it is the power of God to transform daily life.

 

 

I.          Why is the resurrection so influential?

 

            A.        The resurrection’s impact.

 

                        1.         PAST: as an historical event it shows us God did something great.

 

“And who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” [Romans 1:4]

 

                        2.         PRESENT: the power is available for us today.

 

“I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” [Philippians 3:10]

 

                        3.         FUTURE: God will do something greater in the future!

 

“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable.” [1 Corinthians 15:42]

 

            B.        The resurrection’s importance.

 

                        1.         The resurrection is the foundational Christian belief.

 

                        2.         The resurrection is the ultimate source of hope.

 

3.         The resurrection is the guarantee for power in our current life and our future resurrection.

 

II.        Why is the resurrection so critical?

 

            A.        If no resurrection then faith is useless.

 

“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” [v 14]

 

1.         The resurrection separates Christianity from every other religion.  You can go to their founders’ occupied graves.

 

2.         Christianity celebrates life, not death.

 

            B.        If no resurrection then we are false witnesses.

 

“More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.” [v 15]

 

                        1.         The core of being a follower of Jesus is to continue the witness.

 

                        2.         The witness is of the living Jesus.

 

            C.        If no resurrection then there is no salvation.

 

“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” [v 17]

 

1.         “Faith” as a general thing is pointless.  People can believe in anything but that does not make it real.

 

2.         “Faith” must be specific and life changing for it to have any effect.  Otherwise it is “futile.”

 

            D.        If no resurrection the “lost” is forever.

 

“Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.” [v 18]

 

1.         “Lost” is a technical word that means separated from God, like a lost sheep.

 

2.         The state of being “lost” is permanent unless something more powerful than death intervenes… the resurrection!

 

            E.         If no resurrection then we are pitiful.

 

“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” [v 19]

 

                        1.         Without the reality of what is promised then everything is empty.

 

                        2.         So Christians would deserve contempt for holding to empty myths.

 

III.       How can we be so sure?

 

            A.        Scripture.  (Prophecy: Predicted before it happened.)

 

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, [4] that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” [vv 3 – 4]

 

            B.        Eye witnesses. (Legal “proof”)

 

“… He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. [6] After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. [7] Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.” [vv 5 – 7]

 

            C.        Paul. (Personal experience)

 

“And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” [v 8]

 

IV.       What should be our response?

 

            A.        Hope.  (NOT wishful thinking… confident expectation.)

 

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.” [vv 20 – 21]

 

            B.        Celebrate life, both spiritual and eternal.

 

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” [v 22]

 

            C.        Be transformed.

 

For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. [10] But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” [vv 9 – 10]

 

1.         God took someone who was actively seeking to destroy Christianity and transformed him into an apostle!

 

2.         God can take you, from whatever place you find yourself and transform you.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

Introducing the King

Mark 1:14 – 34

Introducing the King

One of the major themes in Jesus’ life was “the kingdom of God.” It was His first sermon and the basis of everything He did.

 

I.         The Kings’ argues His case.

 

            A.        There is a King.

 

                        1.         This is not a matter of self government. (Jude 4 speaks of people who “deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” The word Sovereign means “absolute ruler.”

 

                        2.         Jesus’ further words and actions will demonstrate that He is the King in the kingdom of God.

 

            B.        Because Jesus is the King we need to repent.

 

                        1.         Wesley’s ideas

 

                                    a.          “And until we do so (repent), we can go no further. For, till we are sensible of our disease, it admits of no cure.”

 

                                    b.         Repentance is “a conviction of our utter sinfulness and guiltiness and helplessness; and which precedes our receiving the kingdom of God.”

 

                                    c.         “Repentance disclaims the very possibility of any other help; faith accepts all the help we stand in need of.”

 

                        2.         Repentance involves changing the mind and changing the behavior.

“Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” [Matthew 3:8]

 

                        3.         Repentance is not “being sorry” it is being “in sorrow.”

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” [2 Corinthians 7:10]

 

            C.        We need to believe Jesus is King.

 

                        1.         That’s the choice we are left with.

 

                        2.         That’s the choice Jesus’ words and actions seek to impress.

 

II.       The Kings’ authority to command our lives.

 

            A.        The claim: “Follow me.”

 

                        1.         Following Jesus is the only way to become what we think we are (in our idealization).

 

                        2.         Following Jesus is “absolute” in that it requires all our time, all our stuff, all our energy... [Ill. You are standing on a road and a truck is speeding toward you. Why do you move out of its way? Answer: because you believe.]

 

            B.        “Fishermen” become “fishers of men.”

 

                        1.         Fishing is a very dark image in Scripture... the image is of judgement.

“The nations heard about him, and he was trapped in their pit. They led him with hooks to the land of Egypt. ... [9] With hooks they pulled him into a cage and brought him to the king of Babylon. They put him in prison, so his roar was heard no longer on the mountains of Israel.” [Ezekiel 19:4, 9]

“But I will put hooks in your jaws and make the fish of your streams stick to your scales. I will pull you out from among your streams, with all the fish sticking to your scales.” [Ezekiel 29:4 A prophecy of judgement against Egypt]

“The word of the LORD came to me: [2] "Son of man, set your face against Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; prophesy against him [3] and say: `This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. [4] I will turn you around, put hooks in your jaws and bring you out with your whole army--your horses, your horsemen fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields, all of them brandishing their swords.” [Ezekiel 38:1 – 4 A prophecy concerning a world war against Israel.]

“Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous? Why are you silent while the wicked swallow up those more righteous than themselves? [14] You have made men like fish in the sea, like sea creatures that have no ruler. [15] The wicked foe pulls all of them up with hooks, he catches them in his net, he gathers them up in his dragnet; and so he rejoices and is glad.” [Habakkuk 1:13 – 15]

“The Sovereign LORD has sworn by his holiness: "The time will surely come when you will be taken away with hooks, the last of you with fishhooks.” [Amos 4:2]

“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. [48] When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. [49] This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous [50] and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” [MT 13:47 – 50 an image of the final judgement]

 

                        2.         Please note, fishing is never good for the fish.

 

                                    a.         If the image of fishing is dark and painful judgement and fishing is never good for the fish...

 

                                    b.         Why do we apply this verse/idea to evangelism?

 

III.      The Kings’s ability to create understanding.

 

            A.        The people were amazed... they knew something was different.

 

                        1.         Understanding does not mean agreement!

“All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. [29] They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.” [Luke 4:28 – 29]

“Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” [John 19:19]

 

                        2.         Sometimes understand brings a violent reaction... the reaction of the demon possessed man.

 

            B.        They recognized the authority in Jesus’ teaching.

 

                        1.         Authority carries the sense of ability/power.

[Ill. The police have the authority to do their work and they have been trained and equipped to with the ability to do their work.]

 

                        2.         The people saw this was not just another teacher. This was someone who had the ability to command through relationship.

 

IV.      The Kings’ absolute power over spiritual forces.

 

            A.        In spiritual confrontation Jesus’ practice was “total resistance,” “no grace, no possibility of reconciliation” [Leighton Ford, Transforming Leadership, 258, 270]

 

                        1.         In other words, when it involved “loyalties, values, and beliefs” [Ford, 255] Jesus fought.

 

                        2.         The King does not compromise and goes to battle when necessary.

 

                                    a.         His words and actions could be “violent.” [e.g. driving out demons, making a whip and driving out the merchants and money changers from the temple, and calling leadership ugly names like “white washed tombs filled with dead man’s bones.”

 

                                    b.         The “real” Jesus is far from the peace loving one that is often thought of in American Christianity.

“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. [12] His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. [13] He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. [14] The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. [15] Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.” [Revelation 19:11 – 15]

 

            B.        Notice the King provided freedom and release from the one held captive by the demon!

 

V.        The King admits the hurting and helpless.

 

            A.        Jesus heals Peter’s mother in-law and others who were sick and demon possessed.

 

                        1.         Life can hurt and be miserable... some of that is self-inflicted, some of it is imposed on us.

 

                        2.         Here is another demonstration of Jesus’ power, but physical healing was only temporary (the people still, eventually, died).

 

            B.        King Jesus’ goal was not simply the hear and now physical relief. King Jesus’ real purpose was eternal.

 

                        1.         Repent and believe... this is the gateway to the kingdom of God.

 

                        2.         Accepting Jesus’ rule as your King... this is the daily walk in the kingdom of God.

 

                        3.         Allowing King Jesus to “destroy the devil’s work” [1 John 3:8] and “demolish strongholds” [2 Corinthians 10:4] in your life... this it the freedom of the kingdom of God.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

When faith doesn't make sense

Joshua 5:13 – 6:16, 20

When faith doesn’t make sense.

Bill Cosby: “Okay, Joshua, let me be sure that I’ve got this straight. You say that for six days we’ll walk around the city of Jericho carrying the ark of the covenant (the Canaanites want to know what’s in that box), saying absolutely nothing, with seven of our priest blowing the ram’s horn trumpets? Then we go back to camp to sleep every night. Then on the seventh day we walk around seven times silently? Then all at once, when the trumpets start blowing, we all start shouting, and those double, twenty-five foot high walls are going to fall down? Come on, Joshua, that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.”

 

I.         What Joshua learned:

 

            A.        God is not on “our” side.

“Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies? [14] "Neither," he replied, "but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." Then Joshua fell face-down to the ground in reverence, and asked him, "What message does my Lord have for his servant?” [Joshua 5:13 – 14]

 

                        1.         We like to think in terms of “sides.” (“Who’s side are you on?” “Pick a side right now!” etc...)

 

                                    a.         Current “war on terrorism”

 

                                                1.)       One pastor publically curses America by wishing God’s damnation upon it...

 

                                                2.)       Other’s will declare America to be blessed by God... God’s on “our side.”

 

                                    b.         “If God is for us, who can be against us?” [Romans 8:31b]

 

                                                1.)       It is a comforting thought... image... to think of ourselves as invincible because God is on “our side.”

 

                                                2.)       However, this is not the same as the exchange between God and Joshua.

 

                        2.         Joshua does not, when he challenges the man, recognize God.

 

                                    a.         Joshua is out scouting... planning the attack, when he meets a soldier with a drawn sword.

 

                                    b.         Joshua’s question is meant to clarify what he needs to do at that point.

 

                        3.         God’s answer is to turn the question around.

 

                                    a.         You see the real question is not if God is on “our side” it is are we on God’s side.

 

                                                1.)       Are we going to submit to God, allow God to take charge?

 

                                                2.)       Are we going to resist God, not allow God to take charge?

 

                                    b.         Reality check: there is no “our side.”

 

            B.        Consistent waiting is the key to faith.

 

                        1.         The first issue is “duty.”

 

                                    a.         Israel had just renewed a broken covenant and celebrated Passover.

 

                                                1.)       They were not going to allow the sins of the past generation to rule them.

 

                                                2.)       “We may then expect the discoveries of the divine grace when we are found in the way of our duty and are diligent and sincere in our attendance on holy ordinances.” (Matthew Henry)

 

                                    b.         Joshua is doing what it is expected.

 

                                                1.)       He was near Jericho... thinking? Praying? Planning? Observing? Mapping?

 

                                                2.)       It is in this warrior mode, that God appears to him. Remember Joshua had been commanded to be “strong and courageous.” [see Joshua 1:6, 7, 9] That’s exactly what Joshua was...

 

                        2.         The plans were spiritual not military.

 

                                    a.         Remember the spies that discouraged the people 40 years ago?

“But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. [27] You grumbled in your tents and said, "The LORD hates us; so he brought us out of Egypt to deliver us into the hands of the Amorites to destroy us. [28] Where can we go? Our brothers have made us lose heart. They say, `The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large, with walls up to the sky. We even saw the Anakites there.” [Deuteronomy 1:26 – 28]

 

                                    b.         God wants to demonstrate that walls are not a problem... lack of faith is the real problem

 

                                                1.)       God has to undo the image of the damage planted by the past generation into this one...

 

                                                2.)       The image of the walls falling was to be a picture that with God, we are not to lose heart... regardless how hard this looks.

 

II.       God’s ways are not our ways!

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. [9] "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” [Isaiah 55:8 – 9]

 

            A.        Basic fact, God is God.

 

                        1.         When we make God to act like us, we have created a false god. God’s “weakest” action is way above our strongest ones.

 

                        2.         When we make God to think like us, we have created a false god. God’s “dumbest” thoughts are way wiser than our best and smartest ones.

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.” [1 Corinthians 1:25]

 

            B.        God’s “foolishness” is our power!

 

                        1.         Imagine providing salvation by sacrificial death? Jesus did that on the cross.

 

                                    a.         Think about how smart it was to die for people, the vast majority would, and still do, reject and mock that sacrificial death.

 

                                    b.         We could think that the walls of man’s stubborn, rebellious hearts are to high and think for God’s love to get through...

 

                        2.         “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” [1 Corinthians 1:18]

 

                                    a.         And God uses preaching, of all things... foolish ways on top of foolish message.

 

                                    b.         “but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” [1 Corinthians 1:23]

 

            C.        It’s all about who gets the glory.

 

                        1.         “Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” [Exodus 15:11]

 

                                    a.         Fact is that only the Lord is worthy of glory...

 

                                    b.         When we make a grab at glory, we are in serious trouble.

 

                        2.         “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” [Psalm 19:1]

 

                                    a.         Even creation points to God’s glory.

 

                                    b.         Did you know that God knows how many stars they are, and what their names are? [see Psalm 147:7]

 

                        3.         “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” [Revelation 4:11]

 

                                    a.         Irony, this the “411” (phone number dialed for information) that everyone should know.

 

                                    b.         Only God is worthy of glory, honor, and power!

 

III.      What does it take today?

 

            A.        You must stand on holy ground.

 

                        1.         Holy ground is in the presence of God.

 

                                    a.         When God calls you, you have the opportunity to respond or resist.

 

                                    b.         When you respond to God, you are changed.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” [2 Corinthians 5:17]

 

                        2.         You must seek a life changing encounter with Jesus...

 

                                    a.         If God is calling you, then effort is required... because effort gives and creates value.

 

                                    b.         “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” [Matthew 6:33]

 

                                    c.         “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” [Matthew 7:7]

 

                                    d.         “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” Acts 17:27]

 

                                    e.         “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” [Hebrews 11:6]

 

            B.        You must set aside fear, comfort, selfishness, and other like things as you carefully prepare and wait for God’s time and God’s work.

 

                        1.         Another way to say this is focus.

 

                                    a.         The plans God gave Joshua were to “try their faith, obedience and patience.” [Matthew Henry]

 

                                    b.         “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. [8] But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” [Romans 2:7 – 8]

 

                        2.         God could have taken the walls down on the first or second day.

 

                                    a.         Throughout the Bible there seems to be a heavy emphasis and value placed on constructive waiting. (Like the 10 days between Jesus leaving earth and the day of Pentecost. The 25 years Abraham waited for the promised child, Isaac. The 40 days Jesus spent in the desert between His baptism and His first sermon.)

 

                                    b.         Your timing must match God’s timing... “Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. [9] Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” [2 John 1:8 – 9]

Blogged with the Flock Browser