There are two life changing events in every person’s life.
The first is birth.
The second is death.
Birth always leads to death. Estimates of how many people who have ever lived on planet earth range from 56 billion to 108 billion. Only two people of the billions who have ever lived have not died.
According to Genesis 5:24 Enoch walked with God, then he was no more because God took him.
And according to 2 Kings 2:11 Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.
So whether it is 56 billion or 108 billion, our chances of not dying are not very good.
Birth is how we enter the world. It is usually against our will.
Death is how we leave the world. It is usually against our will.
Birth is someone else’s choice - mom and dad.
When and how we die can impact others greatly.
Do you remember from your study of American history Nathan Hale? He was an American soldier who was executed as a spy during the Revolutionary War. He is known for the last words he spoke before his death. He said, “I regret that I have only one life to give for my country.”
What we remember about him was how and why he died.
Do we know who his parents were?
Do we know what colony he was born and raised in?
Do we know how old he was when he died?
Do we know what his occupation was?
Most people don’t, but we know why he died - serving his country - and how he died heroically.
Luke 2:1-20 records Jesus’ birth. It is a wonderful story. If the story were to end there, then Christianity would be:
Nice
Sweet
A Great Story
Even Heroic
But it would not be life changing.
In the movie Talladega Nights the main character Ricky Bobby is sitting down with his family for a meal. He prays before the meal to baby Jesus. His wife reminds him that Jesus grew up. But Ricky Bobby says that he likes the baby Jesus best.
Many people like to keep Jesus a baby because:
Baby Jesus isn’t dangerous.
Baby Jesus isn’t challenging.
Baby Jesus is controllable.
People, have you noticed the cradle is EMPTY!
Jesus’ death is recorded in all four gospels (his birth in only two).
The description of Jesus’ death is:
Painful
Bloody
Disturbing
But Jesus’ death gives meaning and purpose to His birth.
The cradle has to lead to the cross.
The cradle has to lead to the cross because we need to be forgiven of our sins.
We all have sinned.
Romans 3:23
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
If there is no shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.
Hebrews 9:22
Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
For our sins to be eternally forgiven there had to be perfect blood, innocent blood shed. The only perfect innocent blood that would do was Jesus’ blood.
1 Peter 1:18-19
Live in this way, knowing that you were not liberated by perishable things like silver or gold from the empty lifestyle you inherited from your ancestors. Instead you were liberated by the precious blood of Christ, like that of a flawless, spotless lamb.
The cradle has to lead to the cross because we need to be made righteous.
None of us is righteous on our own.
Romans 3:10-12
As the Scriptures say: “There is no one who is righteous, no one who is wise or who worships God. All have turned away from God; they have all gone wrong; no one does what is right, not even one.”
We can only be made righteous by Jesus’ blood.
Romans 3:25-26
God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood - to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished - he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
We are declared righteous through our faith in Jesus so we can live out that righteousness daily.
The cradle has to lead to the cross because we need to be transformed from enemy to friend.
We are naturally enemies of God.
Colossians 1:21
Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior.
Jesus desires that we become His friends.
John 15:13
There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
Jesus lay down His life for us so we could become His friends.
The cross is what reconciles us (makes us friends with God).
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
Jesus was born to be your Savior.
Matthew 1:21
She will give birth to a son, and you will call him Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.
Jesus died to be your Savior.
1 John 2:2
Christ is the sacrifice that takes away our sins and the sins of the world’s people.
1 John 4:10
Real love isn’t our love for God, but his love for us. God sent his Son to be the sacrifice by which our sins are forgiven.
Jesus is returning as The King.
Revelation 19:13-16
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and clean, were following him on white horses. Out of the rider’s mouth comes a sharp sword that he will use to defeat the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will crush out the wine in the winepress of the terrible anger of God Almighty. On his robe and on his upper leg was written the name: King of kings and Lord of lords.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about celebrating Christmas not as the coming of a cute lovable baby into the world. It is about celebrating the coming of our Savior and King into the world.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about acknowledging Jesus as our Savior and submitting to Him as our King.
With the Cradle Leading to The Cross Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Monday, December 9, 2013
The Crisis of Christmas
There is a crisis this Christmas! A crisis of faith.
You see, if Jesus is really Lord of my life, then He is Lord of my:
Priorities
Family
Relationships
And Christmas
My relationship with Jesus has to be the most
intense & intimate
relationship I have.
And I have to submit EVERYTHING to Him!
Let me encourage you to ask yourself two questions:
First, what has power over me?
Do People?
Do Things?
Do Problems?
Second, how would my life be different if JESUS had power over me?
Christmas has to be more than:
The Finale to a Frantic Shopping Season
Sentimental Music
Tinsel on a Tree
A Children’s Pageant
Boozy Good Will to the World
Christmas, like Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls, is staking your life on the revelation of God in Jesus.
Christmas, like Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls, requires the Necessity of Faith.
There is a great picture of faith in Matthew 13. Jesus tells the story of a farmer who is out planting his crop in His fields. After Jesus tells the story, His disciples come and ask why He teaches the way He does, in parables. They were really asking what this story meant. Jesus tells them in verses 19-23.
Matthew 13:19
Someone who hears the word about the kingdom but doesn’t understand it. The evil one comes at once and snatches away what was planted in him. This is what the seed planted along the road illustrates.
This is a picture of the INSENSITIVE.
They hear the word but it doesn’t speak to them interiorly (in their spirit). For them, the word is meaningless.
They are like the people that God speaks to in Isaiah 29:13. The Lord says, “Since these people turn toward Me with their mouths, and honor Me with lip service while their heart is distant from Me, and their fear of Me is just a human command that has been memorized.”
Matthew 13:20-21
The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it at once. But they don’t have deep roots, and they don’t last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.
This is a picture of the SUPERFICIAL.
This people are open - too open! They are ready to receive everything, but nothing takes root.
They are like Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8:13, 18-19. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Simon was open, but he didn’t get it. He was focused on the things of faith, not the object of faith - Jesus.
Matthew 13:22
And what is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching but lets worries about this life and the temptation of wealth stop that teaching from growing. So the teaching does not produce fruit.
This is a picture of the DEFEATED.
They have fought long and struggled for their faith, but their passion for Jesus has gotten swallowed up in trivial concerns.
In Revelation 2:4 Jesus shares a concern with the Church at Ephesus. This church has so much going for them. They are hard working, preserving, right believing, but Jesus says, “You have forsaken the love you had at first.”
They had lost their passion for Jesus.
Matthew 13:23
The seed that fell on the good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s Word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.
This is a picture of the VICTORIOUS.
Now, even among the victorious there are levels of submission to Jesus and in surrendering to do His will, His way.
The 30% are the pillars of the church. They are nice, with good morals, and helpful people. They like their church and serve because it is a good thing to do. They produce some fruit. They, however, shirk back from the radical demands of the Gospel.
The 60% are genuinely others-centered. Some focus on relationships. Others are social activists. Others are just people persons. They want to help and make a difference. They produce much fruit.
The 100% are totally surrendered to the person of and will of Jesus. They are surrendered to doing what Jesus says no matter what the circumstances are. They are submitted to following Jesus no matter where He leads.
These people show the attitude that Paul shares in Philippians 3:8-9. More that that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things - indeed, I regard them as dung! - that I might gain Christ, and be found in Him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.
Yes, Paul says that compared to knowing Jesus and serving Jesus, everything else in his life is animal poop.
The beginning of Christmas is Jesus.
Luke 2:9-11
The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you - wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your Savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord.”
It was at Christmas that God became human. It was at Christmas that the Kingdom of God came to the earth.
Christmas, just as Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls, means we are to drop everything and run to Jesus.
We are not to be intimidated by the cultural patterns of doing Christmas.
We are to celebrate Christmas as though Jesus is REAL - He is!
We are to celebrate the realness of Jesus with our:
Motives
Speech
Behavior
The way that we celebrate Christmas will reflect our faith in Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about celebrating Jesus 365 days of the year. It is about making Christmas about the birth of Jesus our Savior.
In Celebration Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
You see, if Jesus is really Lord of my life, then He is Lord of my:
Priorities
Family
Relationships
And Christmas
My relationship with Jesus has to be the most
intense & intimate
relationship I have.
And I have to submit EVERYTHING to Him!
Let me encourage you to ask yourself two questions:
First, what has power over me?
Do People?
Do Things?
Do Problems?
Second, how would my life be different if JESUS had power over me?
Christmas has to be more than:
The Finale to a Frantic Shopping Season
Sentimental Music
Tinsel on a Tree
A Children’s Pageant
Boozy Good Will to the World
Christmas, like Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls, is staking your life on the revelation of God in Jesus.
Christmas, like Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls, requires the Necessity of Faith.
There is a great picture of faith in Matthew 13. Jesus tells the story of a farmer who is out planting his crop in His fields. After Jesus tells the story, His disciples come and ask why He teaches the way He does, in parables. They were really asking what this story meant. Jesus tells them in verses 19-23.
Matthew 13:19
Someone who hears the word about the kingdom but doesn’t understand it. The evil one comes at once and snatches away what was planted in him. This is what the seed planted along the road illustrates.
This is a picture of the INSENSITIVE.
They hear the word but it doesn’t speak to them interiorly (in their spirit). For them, the word is meaningless.
They are like the people that God speaks to in Isaiah 29:13. The Lord says, “Since these people turn toward Me with their mouths, and honor Me with lip service while their heart is distant from Me, and their fear of Me is just a human command that has been memorized.”
Matthew 13:20-21
The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it at once. But they don’t have deep roots, and they don’t last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.
This is a picture of the SUPERFICIAL.
This people are open - too open! They are ready to receive everything, but nothing takes root.
They are like Simon the Sorcerer in Acts 8:13, 18-19. Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles performed, he was amazed.
Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
Simon was open, but he didn’t get it. He was focused on the things of faith, not the object of faith - Jesus.
Matthew 13:22
And what is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching but lets worries about this life and the temptation of wealth stop that teaching from growing. So the teaching does not produce fruit.
This is a picture of the DEFEATED.
They have fought long and struggled for their faith, but their passion for Jesus has gotten swallowed up in trivial concerns.
In Revelation 2:4 Jesus shares a concern with the Church at Ephesus. This church has so much going for them. They are hard working, preserving, right believing, but Jesus says, “You have forsaken the love you had at first.”
They had lost their passion for Jesus.
Matthew 13:23
The seed that fell on the good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s Word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.
This is a picture of the VICTORIOUS.
Now, even among the victorious there are levels of submission to Jesus and in surrendering to do His will, His way.
The 30% are the pillars of the church. They are nice, with good morals, and helpful people. They like their church and serve because it is a good thing to do. They produce some fruit. They, however, shirk back from the radical demands of the Gospel.
The 60% are genuinely others-centered. Some focus on relationships. Others are social activists. Others are just people persons. They want to help and make a difference. They produce much fruit.
The 100% are totally surrendered to the person of and will of Jesus. They are surrendered to doing what Jesus says no matter what the circumstances are. They are submitted to following Jesus no matter where He leads.
These people show the attitude that Paul shares in Philippians 3:8-9. More that that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things - indeed, I regard them as dung! - that I might gain Christ, and be found in Him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness.
Yes, Paul says that compared to knowing Jesus and serving Jesus, everything else in his life is animal poop.
The beginning of Christmas is Jesus.
Luke 2:9-11
The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you - wonderful, joyous news for all people. Your Savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord.”
It was at Christmas that God became human. It was at Christmas that the Kingdom of God came to the earth.
Christmas, just as Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls, means we are to drop everything and run to Jesus.
We are not to be intimidated by the cultural patterns of doing Christmas.
We are to celebrate Christmas as though Jesus is REAL - He is!
We are to celebrate the realness of Jesus with our:
Motives
Speech
Behavior
The way that we celebrate Christmas will reflect our faith in Jesus.
Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is about celebrating Jesus 365 days of the year. It is about making Christmas about the birth of Jesus our Savior.
In Celebration Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Christmas Is Christ's Mission
CHRISTMAS
Greatest Time of the Year
Most Stressful Time of the Year
A Great Spirit of Love & Peace
Totally A Spirit of Commercialism
A Great Time for Family
A Time of Family Conflict
Christmas seems to be many things to people. Some of those things are good and some are bad. Some of those things bring joy and some bring sadness and even anger.
What is Christmas supposed to be?
We are told what Christmas is to be in the name - Christmas.
Christmas means Christ’s Mass.
Oh, ok, but since I’m not Catholic, then I don’t go to mass. So what does mass mean for me?
The word mass has its origin in the word - Mission.
Christmas is Christ’s Mission.
What is Christ’s Mission?
Luke 19:10 says, “The Son of Man came to look for and to save people who are lost.”
Jesus’ mission was to look for the lost.
Jesus’ mission was to save the lost.
Christmas is celebrating Jesus’ mission of looking for and saving the lost.
How do we do that? We do it by joining Jesus in His mission.
Jesus’ mission is looking for the lost.
We as people who celebrate Christmas (Christ’s Mission) need to be where lost people are. Lost people are part of our everyday life. They are all around us.
They are at our work.
They are at our schools.
They are in our neighborhoods.
They are at the social events we attend.
They are even in our families.
Jesus didn’t spend that much time with the religious people of His day. We have only a few recorded times that Jesus was in the synagogue. Most times when Jesus did go to the synagogue He just ticked off the religious leaders.
When Jesus taught in the temple, He taught in the outer court (the Court of the Gentiles). He taught there because everybody could go there, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, believers and nonbelievers, good people and bad people.
Jesus spent most of His time out with the public in public places. He reached out to prostitutes, tax collectors, and other kind of “sinners”.
Many Christians just want to spend time with other Christians. We have made our church buildings strongholds to keep us from the “sinners” of our world. The only stronghold we should have and need to have is Jesus.
Jesus has called His followers to be fishers of men. You can catch fish unless you go where the fish are. And they are not in the baptistry.
The concept of Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is to get the church, the Body of Christ, the people on mission with Jesus, out in the world being transparent so we can show our awesome Lord Jesus to a world (people) that desperately needs Him.
Jesus calls us to be IN the world but NOT OF the world.
So let’s celebrate Christmas, Christ’s Mission differently than the culture celebrates.
Let’s celebrate Christmas 365 days a year by:
- Feeding the Poor
- Refreshing the Thirsty
- Befriending the Strange
- Clothing the Naked
- Serving the Sick
- Connecting with the Prisoners
Let’s celebrate Christmas by sharing day in and day out our Jesus Story (the gospel) with anybody and everybody.
Let our celebration not be about:
- Black Friday
- Decorations
- Family
- The Season
- Religious Traditions
Let our celebration of Christmas be about what the celebration was about when Jesus came into the world.
Luke 2:8-11
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”
The angels weren’t announcing an event. They were announcing a person, the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord - JESUS!
Jesus really is the reason for the season. Without Jesus there would be no Christmas. Without Christmas there would have been no Cross. Without the Cross there would have been no Resurrection. Without Christmas, the Cross, and the Resurrection there would be no SALVATION and we would be lost.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about celebrating Christmas (Christ’s Mission) by connecting with God through a relationship with Jesus and joining Jesus in His mission to look for the lost and share the Person of Salvation - Jesus.
Joining Christ’s Mission Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Greatest Time of the Year
Most Stressful Time of the Year
A Great Spirit of Love & Peace
Totally A Spirit of Commercialism
A Great Time for Family
A Time of Family Conflict
Christmas seems to be many things to people. Some of those things are good and some are bad. Some of those things bring joy and some bring sadness and even anger.
What is Christmas supposed to be?
We are told what Christmas is to be in the name - Christmas.
Christmas means Christ’s Mass.
Oh, ok, but since I’m not Catholic, then I don’t go to mass. So what does mass mean for me?
The word mass has its origin in the word - Mission.
Christmas is Christ’s Mission.
What is Christ’s Mission?
Luke 19:10 says, “The Son of Man came to look for and to save people who are lost.”
Jesus’ mission was to look for the lost.
Jesus’ mission was to save the lost.
Christmas is celebrating Jesus’ mission of looking for and saving the lost.
How do we do that? We do it by joining Jesus in His mission.
Jesus’ mission is looking for the lost.
We as people who celebrate Christmas (Christ’s Mission) need to be where lost people are. Lost people are part of our everyday life. They are all around us.
They are at our work.
They are at our schools.
They are in our neighborhoods.
They are at the social events we attend.
They are even in our families.
Jesus didn’t spend that much time with the religious people of His day. We have only a few recorded times that Jesus was in the synagogue. Most times when Jesus did go to the synagogue He just ticked off the religious leaders.
When Jesus taught in the temple, He taught in the outer court (the Court of the Gentiles). He taught there because everybody could go there, Jews and Gentiles, men and women, believers and nonbelievers, good people and bad people.
Jesus spent most of His time out with the public in public places. He reached out to prostitutes, tax collectors, and other kind of “sinners”.
Many Christians just want to spend time with other Christians. We have made our church buildings strongholds to keep us from the “sinners” of our world. The only stronghold we should have and need to have is Jesus.
Jesus has called His followers to be fishers of men. You can catch fish unless you go where the fish are. And they are not in the baptistry.
The concept of Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is to get the church, the Body of Christ, the people on mission with Jesus, out in the world being transparent so we can show our awesome Lord Jesus to a world (people) that desperately needs Him.
Jesus calls us to be IN the world but NOT OF the world.
So let’s celebrate Christmas, Christ’s Mission differently than the culture celebrates.
Let’s celebrate Christmas 365 days a year by:
- Feeding the Poor
- Refreshing the Thirsty
- Befriending the Strange
- Clothing the Naked
- Serving the Sick
- Connecting with the Prisoners
Let’s celebrate Christmas by sharing day in and day out our Jesus Story (the gospel) with anybody and everybody.
Let our celebration not be about:
- Black Friday
- Decorations
- Family
- The Season
- Religious Traditions
Let our celebration of Christmas be about what the celebration was about when Jesus came into the world.
Luke 2:8-11
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior - yes, the Messiah, the Lord - has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David!”
The angels weren’t announcing an event. They were announcing a person, the Savior, the Messiah, the Lord - JESUS!
Jesus really is the reason for the season. Without Jesus there would be no Christmas. Without Christmas there would have been no Cross. Without the Cross there would have been no Resurrection. Without Christmas, the Cross, and the Resurrection there would be no SALVATION and we would be lost.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about celebrating Christmas (Christ’s Mission) by connecting with God through a relationship with Jesus and joining Jesus in His mission to look for the lost and share the Person of Salvation - Jesus.
Joining Christ’s Mission Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, November 24, 2013
The God of Surprises
Jesus is the God of paradoxes and surprises.
Paradoxes:
- you have to die to live
- you have to give to get
- you have to humble yourself to be honored
- you have to be last to be first
Surprises:
- Jesus’ grace to the woman caught in adultery in John 8.
- Jesus’ power in raising the Widow of Nain’s son in Luke 7.
- Jesus’ glory in His transfiguration in Matthew 17.
- Jesus’ love as He died for us on the cross.
The biggest surprises come in how Jesus deals with death.
Mark 5:35-42
While He was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with Him except Peter, James and John (the brother of James). When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at Him. But He made them all leave, and He took the girl’s father and mother and His three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, He said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.
Luke 7:11-16
Soon afterward Jesus went with His disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed Him. A funeral procession was coming out as He approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” He said. Then He walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. Great fear swept the crowd and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited His people today.”
John 11:39-44
“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank You for hearing Me. You always hear Me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
There are several surprises in these three miracles.
First, Jesus is not intimidated by death.
Death brings fear to most people. Even people who know that they will go to heaven to be with God are a little frightened by death.
Jesus is not frightened by death. He is not intimidated by death.
Why?
Jesus knows that He Is More Powerful than death.
And Jesus proves His power over death by bringing the young girl, the young man and Lazarus back to life.
Second, Jesus is control in each of these situations.
Jesus doesn’t let the crowd’s emotions dictate what He does or how He does it.
The crowds were:
- grief stricken
- hopeless
- unbelieving
Jesus confronts these emotions with:
- confidence
- compassion
- anger
- tears
Jesus knows what He is going to do and how He will do it, so He has confidence.
Jesus understands the pain and hurt of those who love the people who died, so He shows great compassion.
Jesus hates death because He sees it as the mark of sin. He sees it as the result of sin.
Paul tells us that death is the result of sin in Romans 5:12. He says, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”
Jesus shows anger and tears as He confronts death.
Third, Jesus follows the Father’s schedule for doing these miracles.
He follows the Father to Nain at the exact time when the funeral procession was leaving.
He follows the timing of the Father to first help the woman with the blood disease before He raises Jairus’ daughter.
He waits two days before He goes to the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
Jesus could have let the urgency of the families and crowds determine when He dealt with each situation.
He didn’t! Jesus always let the Father’s will determine the what when, and how of His life.
The fourth surprise in these three miracles is that He raises these three people in different ways.
With Jairus’ daughter He goes into her room and physically touches her (holds her hand). She is a young girl and needed Jesus’ loving touch to give her comfort.
With the Widow of Nain’s son, He has the men lower the coffin and, looking the young man in the face, gently tells him to get up. The first thing the young man needed to see was Jesus’ face to give him peace as he came back to life.
With Lazarus, Jesus stands outside the tomb and shouts out for him to come out. The crowd needed to see Jesus’ authority and power.
The last surprise is that Jesus views death as only temporary. Jesus tells the Widow of Nain not to cry. He refers to Jairus’ daughter and Lazarus as sleeping.
Jesus saw death as a temporary thing. He knew that He would restore life to each of these people.
Jesus is the God of surprises.
He surprises us to show us that we can’t put Him in a box.
He surprises us to show us that we can’t figure Him out.
He surprises us to show us that He is not nice and tame.
Jesus is the wild, untamed, undomesticated God. His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways.
Jesus surprises us so that we have to stay connected with Him and focused on Him.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about:
- Letting Jesus conforms us to Him, not Him to us
- Not following religious rules but following Jesus
- Staying connected with and focused on Jesus
- Letting Jesus interrupt our lives with His awesome surprises
May Jesus the God of surprises fill your life with His surprises of
- Grace
- Power
- Glory
- Love
Surprisingly Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Paradoxes:
- you have to die to live
- you have to give to get
- you have to humble yourself to be honored
- you have to be last to be first
Surprises:
- Jesus’ grace to the woman caught in adultery in John 8.
- Jesus’ power in raising the Widow of Nain’s son in Luke 7.
- Jesus’ glory in His transfiguration in Matthew 17.
- Jesus’ love as He died for us on the cross.
The biggest surprises come in how Jesus deals with death.
Mark 5:35-42
While He was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.” Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn’t let anyone go with Him except Peter, James and John (the brother of James). When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing. He went inside and asked, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn’t dead; she’s only asleep.” The crowd laughed at Him. But He made them all leave, and He took the girl’s father and mother and His three disciples into the room where the girl was lying. Holding her hand, He said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.
Luke 7:11-16
Soon afterward Jesus went with His disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed Him. A funeral procession was coming out as He approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, His heart overflowed with compassion. “Don’t cry!” He said. Then He walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” He said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. Great fear swept the crowd and they praised God, saying, “A mighty prophet has risen among us,” and “God has visited His people today.”
John 11:39-44
“Roll the stone aside,” Jesus told them. But Martha, the dead man’s sister, protested, “Lord, he has been dead for four days. The smell will be terrible.” Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” So they rolled the stone aside. Then Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, thank You for hearing Me. You always hear Me, but I said it out loud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they will believe you sent me.” Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in grave clothes, his face wrapped in a head cloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
There are several surprises in these three miracles.
First, Jesus is not intimidated by death.
Death brings fear to most people. Even people who know that they will go to heaven to be with God are a little frightened by death.
Jesus is not frightened by death. He is not intimidated by death.
Why?
Jesus knows that He Is More Powerful than death.
And Jesus proves His power over death by bringing the young girl, the young man and Lazarus back to life.
Second, Jesus is control in each of these situations.
Jesus doesn’t let the crowd’s emotions dictate what He does or how He does it.
The crowds were:
- grief stricken
- hopeless
- unbelieving
Jesus confronts these emotions with:
- confidence
- compassion
- anger
- tears
Jesus knows what He is going to do and how He will do it, so He has confidence.
Jesus understands the pain and hurt of those who love the people who died, so He shows great compassion.
Jesus hates death because He sees it as the mark of sin. He sees it as the result of sin.
Paul tells us that death is the result of sin in Romans 5:12. He says, “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.”
Jesus shows anger and tears as He confronts death.
Third, Jesus follows the Father’s schedule for doing these miracles.
He follows the Father to Nain at the exact time when the funeral procession was leaving.
He follows the timing of the Father to first help the woman with the blood disease before He raises Jairus’ daughter.
He waits two days before He goes to the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus.
Jesus could have let the urgency of the families and crowds determine when He dealt with each situation.
He didn’t! Jesus always let the Father’s will determine the what when, and how of His life.
The fourth surprise in these three miracles is that He raises these three people in different ways.
With Jairus’ daughter He goes into her room and physically touches her (holds her hand). She is a young girl and needed Jesus’ loving touch to give her comfort.
With the Widow of Nain’s son, He has the men lower the coffin and, looking the young man in the face, gently tells him to get up. The first thing the young man needed to see was Jesus’ face to give him peace as he came back to life.
With Lazarus, Jesus stands outside the tomb and shouts out for him to come out. The crowd needed to see Jesus’ authority and power.
The last surprise is that Jesus views death as only temporary. Jesus tells the Widow of Nain not to cry. He refers to Jairus’ daughter and Lazarus as sleeping.
Jesus saw death as a temporary thing. He knew that He would restore life to each of these people.
Jesus is the God of surprises.
He surprises us to show us that we can’t put Him in a box.
He surprises us to show us that we can’t figure Him out.
He surprises us to show us that He is not nice and tame.
Jesus is the wild, untamed, undomesticated God. His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways not our ways.
Jesus surprises us so that we have to stay connected with Him and focused on Him.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about:
- Letting Jesus conforms us to Him, not Him to us
- Not following religious rules but following Jesus
- Staying connected with and focused on Jesus
- Letting Jesus interrupt our lives with His awesome surprises
May Jesus the God of surprises fill your life with His surprises of
- Grace
- Power
- Glory
- Love
Surprisingly Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, November 17, 2013
Bowing Down
God has called you to be His children.
God has called you to be His servants.
God has called you to be His disciples.
God has called you to be His followers.
What characteristics do all these callings have in common?
Humility and Submission!
A child has to humbly submit to the authority of the parent.
A servant has to humbly submit to the authority of the master.
A disciple has to humbly submit to the authority of the teacher.
A follower has to humbly submit to the authority of the leader.
God has given us a beautiful discipline to help us as Christians to show our humble submission to Him.
Worship
The word translated worship in Hebrew means to bow down.
The word translated worship in Greek means to kiss the hand out of reverence.
Worship is to bow down and kiss the hand out of reverence.
The bowing down and kissing the hand out of reverence shows a humble submission. If my worship is truly bowing down and kissing the hand out of reverence, then I have really worshiped.
So how do I really worship God?
We really worship God by bringing the first and best to God.
Deuteronomy 26:10
And now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me. Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before Him.
God doesn’t want leftovers. He wants the best and He wants it off the top, not the bottom.
We really worship God by leading our family to honor God.
Psalm 22:27
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
I cannot make my family worship and honor God. I can set an example of worship and create an atmosphere for worship in my family.
We really worship God by praising His name.
Psalm 138:2
I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your unfailing love and Your faithfulness, for You have so exalted Your solemn decree that it surpasses Your fame.
I praise God’s name. That means I praise God for who He is, not just for what He has done for me.
We really worship God by acting justly, by loving mercy, and by walking humbly.
Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I act with justice and honesty in my dealings with others. That is true worship.
I show mercy to others, because God shows me mercy. That is true worship.
I walk humbly before others and with God. That is true worship.
We really worship God by acknowledging God as who He is - God.
Romans 14:11
It is written: “As surely as I live“, says the Lord, “every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.”
Referring to God as:
- The Man Upstairs
- The Big Guy
- The Good Lord Up Above
- The One Who Snatches My Butt Out of Trouble
- The Religious Santa Claus
- The Provider of All My Desires and Wishes
- The One I Blame When I Don’t Get What I Want
That Is Not Acknowledging God!
Because that is NOT who He is.
When we acknowledge God, we recognize Him for who He is:
- Lord
- Savior
- Father
- Creator
- The Only Ruler of All Creation
Why do I really worship God?
I really worship God because of His awesome power.
2 Kings 17:36
But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To Him you shall bow down and to Him offer sacrifices.
I really worship God because of His great unconditional love.
Psalm 5:7
But I, by Your great love, can come into Your house; in reverence I bow down toward Your holy temple.
I really worship God because He is my Creator.
Psalm 95:6
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
I really worship God because He cares about me.
Exodus 4:31
And they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
I really worship God because He saved me.
Exodus 12:27
Then tell them, “It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when He struck down the Egyptians.” Then the people bowed down and worshiped.
God emphasizes that we are to worship, bow down and kiss the hand out of reverence. He tells us to do that only to Him.
Exodus 23:24
Do not bow down before their gods or worship them
or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces.
Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, “Away from me Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”
We are not to bow down and kiss the hand out of reverence to anyone but God.
An awesome picture of not bowing down and kissing the hand out of reverence is found in the lives of three Jewish young men. These three young men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are told along with thousands of other officials of the Babylonian Empire to bow down and worship a ninety foot tall gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Their answer to the king is found in Daniel 3:16-18, “Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then He will. But even He doesn’t, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.”
They said, “NOT GOING TO BOW!”
If we are children of God, servants of God, disciples of God and followers of God, then we are to humbly submit ourselves to God. We are to worship, bow down and kiss the hand out of reverence. We are to do that to God and no one else.
If we really want God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls, then we will humbly submit ourselves under God’s authority. We will do that by worshiping and serving God, and God only.
Humbly Submitting to God Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
God has called you to be His servants.
God has called you to be His disciples.
God has called you to be His followers.
What characteristics do all these callings have in common?
Humility and Submission!
A child has to humbly submit to the authority of the parent.
A servant has to humbly submit to the authority of the master.
A disciple has to humbly submit to the authority of the teacher.
A follower has to humbly submit to the authority of the leader.
God has given us a beautiful discipline to help us as Christians to show our humble submission to Him.
Worship
The word translated worship in Hebrew means to bow down.
The word translated worship in Greek means to kiss the hand out of reverence.
Worship is to bow down and kiss the hand out of reverence.
The bowing down and kissing the hand out of reverence shows a humble submission. If my worship is truly bowing down and kissing the hand out of reverence, then I have really worshiped.
So how do I really worship God?
We really worship God by bringing the first and best to God.
Deuteronomy 26:10
And now I bring the first fruits of the soil that you, Lord, have given me. Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before Him.
God doesn’t want leftovers. He wants the best and He wants it off the top, not the bottom.
We really worship God by leading our family to honor God.
Psalm 22:27
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before Him.
I cannot make my family worship and honor God. I can set an example of worship and create an atmosphere for worship in my family.
We really worship God by praising His name.
Psalm 138:2
I will bow down toward your holy temple and will praise Your name for Your unfailing love and Your faithfulness, for You have so exalted Your solemn decree that it surpasses Your fame.
I praise God’s name. That means I praise God for who He is, not just for what He has done for me.
We really worship God by acting justly, by loving mercy, and by walking humbly.
Micah 6:6-8
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
I act with justice and honesty in my dealings with others. That is true worship.
I show mercy to others, because God shows me mercy. That is true worship.
I walk humbly before others and with God. That is true worship.
We really worship God by acknowledging God as who He is - God.
Romans 14:11
It is written: “As surely as I live“, says the Lord, “every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.”
Referring to God as:
- The Man Upstairs
- The Big Guy
- The Good Lord Up Above
- The One Who Snatches My Butt Out of Trouble
- The Religious Santa Claus
- The Provider of All My Desires and Wishes
- The One I Blame When I Don’t Get What I Want
That Is Not Acknowledging God!
Because that is NOT who He is.
When we acknowledge God, we recognize Him for who He is:
- Lord
- Savior
- Father
- Creator
- The Only Ruler of All Creation
Why do I really worship God?
I really worship God because of His awesome power.
2 Kings 17:36
But the Lord, who brought you up out of Egypt with mighty power and outstretched arm, is the one you must worship. To Him you shall bow down and to Him offer sacrifices.
I really worship God because of His great unconditional love.
Psalm 5:7
But I, by Your great love, can come into Your house; in reverence I bow down toward Your holy temple.
I really worship God because He is my Creator.
Psalm 95:6
Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.
I really worship God because He cares about me.
Exodus 4:31
And they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
I really worship God because He saved me.
Exodus 12:27
Then tell them, “It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when He struck down the Egyptians.” Then the people bowed down and worshiped.
God emphasizes that we are to worship, bow down and kiss the hand out of reverence. He tells us to do that only to Him.
Exodus 23:24
Do not bow down before their gods or worship them
or follow their practices. You must demolish them and break their sacred stones to pieces.
Matthew 4:10
Jesus said to him, “Away from me Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”
We are not to bow down and kiss the hand out of reverence to anyone but God.
An awesome picture of not bowing down and kissing the hand out of reverence is found in the lives of three Jewish young men. These three young men, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are told along with thousands of other officials of the Babylonian Empire to bow down and worship a ninety foot tall gold statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Their answer to the king is found in Daniel 3:16-18, “Your Majesty, we will not try to defend ourselves. If the God whom we serve is able to save us from the blazing furnace and from your power, then He will. But even He doesn’t, Your Majesty may be sure that we will not worship your god, and we will not bow down to the gold statue that you have set up.”
They said, “NOT GOING TO BOW!”
If we are children of God, servants of God, disciples of God and followers of God, then we are to humbly submit ourselves to God. We are to worship, bow down and kiss the hand out of reverence. We are to do that to God and no one else.
If we really want God to Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls, then we will humbly submit ourselves under God’s authority. We will do that by worshiping and serving God, and God only.
Humbly Submitting to God Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, November 10, 2013
I'm Not a Good Person
I am not a good person.
I share this with a lot of people.
These are some of the responses I get:
Oh, now don’t say that you aren’t a good person.
Why, look at all the things you’re doing for God.
I know you don’t think you’re good but we do.
Oh, you are really deep down a good guy.
So let me repeat: I am not a good person!
When Jesus is called good, listen to how He responded in Matthew 19:17, “Why ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good.”
The One Jesus is referring to is God. Jesus is saying that only God is good.
What does God say about our human goodness? What does He say about the human’s natural state of goodness and righteousness?
Isaiah 64:6
We are unfit to worship you; each of our deeds is merely a filthy rag.
Our natural human goodness is like a dirty rag.
Matthew 5:20
But I warn you - unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
We have to have a goodness or righteousness at the very center of who were are, not just doing “good things” when people are watching.
Romans 3:10-12
As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous - not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not one single one.”
I believe that God in His Word makes it very clear that the natural condition of people is NOT good.
So at the core of who were are, we are dirty rotten sinners.
How can a Holy God accept dirty rotten sinners?
How can a Perfectly Good God accept people who are not good?
He does it through grace.
Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:5
God extends grace.
God saves us by grace.
God relates to us by grace.
So a holy God can accepts dirty rotten sinners like us because:
#1: Because It is Not Based on Our Works
But now God’s way of putting people right with Himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it. Romans 3:21
Our human effort in keeping the law was never intended to be what made us righteousness. The law was given to show us what God wants and that in our own ability we can’t do it. The law was given to show us our sin and draw us to God.
#2: Because God Makes Righteousness Available to All
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:22-23
Since every one is a sinner we are all in the same situation. We all need righteousness, and to receive this righteousness we have to put our faith in Jesus. Jesus is not just for the bad guys: He is for all guys (cause we are all bad without Jesus).
#3: Because Jesus is the Source of Forgiveness and Healing
And all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood - to be received by faith. Romans 3:24-25a
God justified us (releases us from the penalty of sin) freely.
God redeemed us (bought us back).
God provided a sacrifice for us.
God did all that through the blood of Jesus.
Jesus’ blood justifies us.
Jesus’ blood redeems us.
Jesus’ blood is the sacrifice for our sins.
#4: Because the Cross is the Place of Our Salvation
He did this to demonstrate His righteousness in passing over sins that happened before, during the time of God’s patient tolerance. He also did this to demonstrate that He is righteousness in the present time, and to treat the one who has faith in Jesus as righteous,.
Romans 3:25b-26
God demonstrates His love.
God demonstrates His justice.
The cross shows both God’s love and justice, His love for us and His judgment of sin.
Through God’s grace we can have God’s righteousness.
We do this not by:
Inviting Jesus into our lives
Accepting Jesus as Lord
Making a commitment to God
But by:
Surrendering our lives completely to Jesus and submitting to His authority to direct and control our lives.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is not about:
Being Good (we can’t without Jesus)
Being Nice (nice is overrated)
Being Religious (lot of religions)
Being Spiritual (many different spirits)
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about surrendering all that you are, all that you will ever be, all that you have and all that you will ever have to Jesus.
Revival will come to America when we stop making following Jesus about:
Rules
Rituals
Regulations.
And
Make following Jesus about relationships.
Relationship with Jesus as our Savior, Lord and Friend.
Relationship with each other as God’s Family.
I am not good.
Jesus is perfectly good.
I am made good by Jesus through grace by placing my faith in Him. Then Jesus can Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls of my life.
Through Grace and By Faith Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
I share this with a lot of people.
These are some of the responses I get:
Oh, now don’t say that you aren’t a good person.
Why, look at all the things you’re doing for God.
I know you don’t think you’re good but we do.
Oh, you are really deep down a good guy.
So let me repeat: I am not a good person!
When Jesus is called good, listen to how He responded in Matthew 19:17, “Why ask me about what is good? There is only One who is good.”
The One Jesus is referring to is God. Jesus is saying that only God is good.
What does God say about our human goodness? What does He say about the human’s natural state of goodness and righteousness?
Isaiah 64:6
We are unfit to worship you; each of our deeds is merely a filthy rag.
Our natural human goodness is like a dirty rag.
Matthew 5:20
But I warn you - unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven!
We have to have a goodness or righteousness at the very center of who were are, not just doing “good things” when people are watching.
Romans 3:10-12
As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous - not even one. No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not one single one.”
I believe that God in His Word makes it very clear that the natural condition of people is NOT good.
So at the core of who were are, we are dirty rotten sinners.
How can a Holy God accept dirty rotten sinners?
How can a Perfectly Good God accept people who are not good?
He does it through grace.
Even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:5
God extends grace.
God saves us by grace.
God relates to us by grace.
So a holy God can accepts dirty rotten sinners like us because:
#1: Because It is Not Based on Our Works
But now God’s way of putting people right with Himself has been revealed. It has nothing to do with law, even though the Law of Moses and the prophets gave their witness to it. Romans 3:21
Our human effort in keeping the law was never intended to be what made us righteousness. The law was given to show us what God wants and that in our own ability we can’t do it. The law was given to show us our sin and draw us to God.
#2: Because God Makes Righteousness Available to All
This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:22-23
Since every one is a sinner we are all in the same situation. We all need righteousness, and to receive this righteousness we have to put our faith in Jesus. Jesus is not just for the bad guys: He is for all guys (cause we are all bad without Jesus).
#3: Because Jesus is the Source of Forgiveness and Healing
And all are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of His blood - to be received by faith. Romans 3:24-25a
God justified us (releases us from the penalty of sin) freely.
God redeemed us (bought us back).
God provided a sacrifice for us.
God did all that through the blood of Jesus.
Jesus’ blood justifies us.
Jesus’ blood redeems us.
Jesus’ blood is the sacrifice for our sins.
#4: Because the Cross is the Place of Our Salvation
He did this to demonstrate His righteousness in passing over sins that happened before, during the time of God’s patient tolerance. He also did this to demonstrate that He is righteousness in the present time, and to treat the one who has faith in Jesus as righteous,.
Romans 3:25b-26
God demonstrates His love.
God demonstrates His justice.
The cross shows both God’s love and justice, His love for us and His judgment of sin.
Through God’s grace we can have God’s righteousness.
We do this not by:
Inviting Jesus into our lives
Accepting Jesus as Lord
Making a commitment to God
But by:
Surrendering our lives completely to Jesus and submitting to His authority to direct and control our lives.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is not about:
Being Good (we can’t without Jesus)
Being Nice (nice is overrated)
Being Religious (lot of religions)
Being Spiritual (many different spirits)
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls is about surrendering all that you are, all that you will ever be, all that you have and all that you will ever have to Jesus.
Revival will come to America when we stop making following Jesus about:
Rules
Rituals
Regulations.
And
Make following Jesus about relationships.
Relationship with Jesus as our Savior, Lord and Friend.
Relationship with each other as God’s Family.
I am not good.
Jesus is perfectly good.
I am made good by Jesus through grace by placing my faith in Him. Then Jesus can Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls of my life.
Through Grace and By Faith Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Following Jesus is Not for Wimps
Following Jesus is not for wimps.
Eleven of the twelve apostles died as martyrs. The twelfth, John lived out the last years of his life in exile on the island of Patmos.
James Jesus' half brother was beheaded.
In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul gives a long list of things he endured because of his faith in Jesus and his service to Jesus Nothing of them are anything I would want to experience.
We have a theology in the church today that says if:
- your not healthy
- you not wealthy
- your church is not growing
- your church has issues or struggles
- you have issues or struggles
then you are not following Jesus like you should. You are not spiritual and you don't have enough faith.
There is a Greek word for this kind of theology - Baloney!
The time to stop being "plastic Christians" is now.
The time to stop playing religious games is now.
The time to be honest is now.
Jesus wants honest, transparent, real followers. Followers that are like the father of the boy Jesus encountered when He came down from the mountain after He was transfigured. The boy had a demon and the disciples couldn't do anything so the man ask Jesus, "But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." Jesus then says, "If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes." Then the man cried out, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
I want to see Jesus work in my life.
I want to see Jesus work in my family.
I want to see Jesus work in my faith family.
I want to see Jesus work in my community.
I want to see Jesus work in my nation.
I want to see Jesus work in the world.
I want to believe. But at times I doubt. I struggle with trusting Jesus and really believing that He will work in and through me. I want to be real, but I also want to be transformed and made to be like Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Eleven of the twelve apostles died as martyrs. The twelfth, John lived out the last years of his life in exile on the island of Patmos.
James Jesus' half brother was beheaded.
In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul gives a long list of things he endured because of his faith in Jesus and his service to Jesus Nothing of them are anything I would want to experience.
We have a theology in the church today that says if:
- your not healthy
- you not wealthy
- your church is not growing
- your church has issues or struggles
- you have issues or struggles
then you are not following Jesus like you should. You are not spiritual and you don't have enough faith.
There is a Greek word for this kind of theology - Baloney!
The time to stop being "plastic Christians" is now.
The time to stop playing religious games is now.
The time to be honest is now.
Jesus wants honest, transparent, real followers. Followers that are like the father of the boy Jesus encountered when He came down from the mountain after He was transfigured. The boy had a demon and the disciples couldn't do anything so the man ask Jesus, "But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us." Jesus then says, "If you can? Everything is possible for one who believes." Then the man cried out, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"
I want to see Jesus work in my life.
I want to see Jesus work in my family.
I want to see Jesus work in my faith family.
I want to see Jesus work in my community.
I want to see Jesus work in my nation.
I want to see Jesus work in the world.
I want to believe. But at times I doubt. I struggle with trusting Jesus and really believing that He will work in and through me. I want to be real, but I also want to be transformed and made to be like Jesus.
Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls
Joe
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)