Meeting Jesus - Jesus heals the leper
Perhaps like me, you had an abusive, alcoholic parent who was mean and hurtful to you, or maybe somebody betrayed your trust and took advantage of you. Maybe you were neglected and abused by a spouse, or grew up in a violent and dysfunctional home. The world has been broken by sin. That means that bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. And, bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people. A newsflash for all of us: Life is not fair! Nothing in life seems to be consistent and fair because the world has been broken by sin.
Some people believe Jesus is a republican, a democrat, or an independent. Some people believe that Jesus is like a Genie in a bottle–if you rub the lamp through prayer, you get whatever you want. Still, some view Jesus like a Mascot the church rallies around once a week.Over this next year, we are going to seek to understand who Jesus really was,what he was really like, and how you and I can become more like Him.
Here at Beach Church, we believe if we read God’s Word and apply his Word, he Will change our lives.Last week we talked about the importance of continuing to surrender to Jesus in our lives, and this week we are taking a look at Luke 5:12-16 when Jesus changes another man’s life.
The majority of us have experienced something traumatic in our lives, that we had to learn to deal with.
Maybe it was an unexpected layoff. Maybe a spouse filing for a divorce you did not want. Maybe your child was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease.
Some trauma comes to us through no fault of our own.
Perhaps like me, you had an abusive, alcoholic parent who was mean and hurtful to you, or maybe somebody betrayed your trust and took advantage of you. Maybe you were neglected and abused by a spouse, or grew up in a violent and dysfunctional home. The world has been broken by sin. That means that bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. And, bad things happen to bad people and good things happen to good people.
A newsflash for all of us:
Life is not fair! Nothing in life seems to be consistent and fair because the world has been broken by sin.
When my teachers would punish the whole class for something one person did, I would stand up, interrupt the class and shout: “That’s not fair.”
If my brothers or sisters received a toy, and I didn’t - I would say, “That’s not fair.”
Today, we read about a man dying a slow, painful death through no fault of his own…and nothing could be done to help him. I am sure he mumbled many times, “Life’s not fair.”
Luke 5:12-16
In one of the villages, Jesus met a man with an advanced case of leprosy. When the man saw Jesus, he bowed with his face to the ground, begging to be healed. “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. 14 Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” 15 But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.
It is important to understand this incident in the proper context. Leprosy was a terrible disease. The moment it was discovered a person had leprosy, their clothes, possessions, and bedding were destroyed through fire. Then, their family disowned them and shunned them for the rest of their lives. Even if they had wealth and money – they lost it all. A person never asked for Leprosy, but they got it. Like Covid, a virus, cancer, or the common cold, a person contracted Leprosy through no fault of their own. Whether old, young, rich or poor, a leper was shunned by friends, family and the community.
As a leper traveled and walked along the road or trails, they had to yell “Unclean! Unclean!” and ring a bell to make sure people knew they were diseased and for all to stay clear. And, their condition grew worse and worse. They grew a bit more grotesque and diseased every day. In their leper colonies, they watched each other literally rot away, losing fingers and toes, losing limbs, going blind, horribly disfigured they would eventually die…of either starvation or rot.
Can you imagine that life? To be grouped together with a group of diseased people and watching them one-by-one die a painful death, knowing that one day, you would also meet that same fate. And – the psychological consequences of Leprosy were as damaging as the physical. They carried SHAME and GUILT even though they were innocent victims of the disease. Historians tell us that they often blamed themselves.
This man HATED himself and all that he had become.
This man had become the most grotesque version of himself he could possibly be. I believe He Hated who he was and what he had become. And maybe that’s where you are today.
Maybe somebody hurt you as a child, and you blame yourself. Maybe you were in an abusive relationship for years, and you blame and shame yourself for not getting out sooner. You were hurt. Your kids were hurt. You are weighed down by guilt you should not be carrying. Maybe you have an eating disorder, an addiction to drugs or alcohol, and you have hurt people who loved you. Maybe you were the abuser, you have deep regrets about the pain you caused. Maybe you just can’t look at yourself in the mirror any longer because you hate the person. you are today.
EVEN WHEN WE HATE OURSELVES, JESUS REACHES OUT
As Jesus is moving about in the village – this diseased leper hobbles to Jesus, bowing down to the ground in shame and pleads: “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean!”. Without hesitating, drawing back in horror, or recoiling, Jesus takes a step toward the man and said, “I am willing – and he TOUCHES the man!”
The day he was diagnosed, people stopped touching him.
No handshakes.
No hugs.
No pat on the back.
No stealing kisses from the woman he loved.
No butterfly kisses on his cheek from his children or grandchildren.
NOTHING.
Then – this stranger reaches out his hand and TOUCHES the Leper. BEFORE he healed him!
The touch came first, then came the healing.
If you are a follower of Jesus, you came to a moment that you understood that you NEEDED the cleansing power of Jesus to change your life, too. You understood the ugliness of your sin. That your sin separated you from God. But Jesus death on the cross paid the price for your sin and through his blood, you were cleansed from sin and made new. You Surrendered your life to Jesus and committed your life to following him.
If you are a follower of Jesus – understand if we want to make a difference in this broken world, we must reach out with a compassionate TOUCH before we can make a difference.
If people around you are broken – reach out with compassion.
Be willing to meet them where they are. Show them uncomfortable grace. Some people are so broken they hate themselves and they are ready to give up – show them the compassion of Jesus. Your character and beliefs are never compromised by showing compassion to people overwhelmed by sin.
And, if you are at the place that you hate yourself because of choices you made, things you have done, words you have said, and hurt you have caused to others…JESUS is still reaching out to you.
You may hate yourself – but God loves you
He knows how you feel about yourself…
He knows what you think about yourself…
But he will never stop reaching out to you.
Jesus will never ever stop reaching out to you. So reach back out to Him. Surrender control of your life to Him.
Tell Him you are tired of making up the rules for your life. Tell Him you are ready to live by his rules. Beginning this moment, get clean on the inside.
Surrender your life to God and receive forgiveness for sins. Just simply say to God, “I believe Jesus paid the price for my sins, and I surrender to you. I will stop living by my own rules, and begin following you.”
Now, for all of us, it is important that we understand:
SOMETIMES HEALING IS INSTANT, SOMETIMES A PROCESS
In verse 13, we see that this man was healed immediately by Jesus. I have heard of those miraculous moments in people’s lives when they struggle with anger, or addiction, or they have been diagnosed with cancer – and they are healed instantly!
I have seen the before and after of medical ultrasounds of tumors that are suddenly gone. I have spoken with men and women who had their desire for drunkenness and getting high instantly disappear. I praise the Lord for those sudden, dramatic, healings that demonstrate God’s power.
But, sometimes healing is a process that takes time.
PTSD healing takes time.
Overcoming depression and anxiety takes time.
Overcoming abuse, church hurt, and sadness can take time.
Much of the hurt you and I have experienced in life requires us to process through prayer, reading the Bible, counseling, and programs like Celebrate Recovery.
If you have any hurt, habit, or hangup that you wrestle with – Invest in healing for yourself by attending Celebrate Recovery and be open and honest about what you are hoping to recover from…Jesus heals today instantly, and he also heals through a process of time, prayer, conversation and understanding.
Wherever you are at, and whatever you need healing from, you are worth beginning the process and the journey.
Then, as you grow to a point of change and transformation…
ANNOUNCE CHANGE THROUGH BAPTISM
Luke 5:14
…He said, “Go to the priest… Take along the offering … This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.”
Jewish Old Testament Law required that those cured of an infectious disease receive permission to re-enter society from the Priests. This man with the advanced case of leprosy must have hungered for years for a priest to say, “You are clean!” Being healed from the disease would mean that he could return to his family, return to an occupation, and from that point on – he would never be alone, lonely, or by himself again because of his disease!
No more watching families from a distance. No more watching Father and Sons go to the synagogue together…and wishing that was him. Now he could be hugged! Now he could hug others! Now he could love and be loved by others…Through the touch of Jesus – he got a second-chance at life!
But before he could live in the NEW – the change had to be announced.
Some of you have experienced the life-changing power of forgiveness in your lives…It is time for the PUBLIC TESTIMONY of Baptism to let your world know that you are now a follower of Jesus. It is time to let your family, friends, coworkers, neighbors celebrate the change you have experienced. Baptism is an outward declaration of the inward change you have experienced…is it time you have stopped holding back?
When you announce, others can celebrate and God is glorified.
It is time to let your world know you are now a follower of Jesus. You have been forgiven for your sins. You are not the same person you once were.
Let your world know.
Meeting Jesus - Walking Away From Religion
Some people believe Jesus is a republican, a democrat, or an independent. Some people believe that Jesus is like a Genie in a bottle–if you rub the lamp through prayer, you get whatever you want. Still, some view Jesus like a Mascot the church rallies around once a week.Over this next year, we are going to seek to understand who Jesus really was,what he was really like, and how you and I can become more like Him.
We mention week after week that our mission as a church is to to become a connected people, captivated by Christ, whose changed lives are changing lives. Have you ever wondered why we mention our purpose as often as we do?
See, if Beach Church as a gathering of believers, or as individuals, if we ever forget our purpose and our mission – we will become nothing more than a country club. I know this might sound ridiculous to even mention – but sometimes churches forget “who they are” and “why they exist” so instead of having an outward focus to reach people, they develop an inward focus.
They focus on the comfort, care, and preferences of those inside the church.
Instead of valuing and pursuing people to see them surrender to the life-changing power of Jesus, they began to value the things that matter to the majority of the people inside the church and cater to each other.
They have forgotten their purpose.
They engrave names of people on buildings…Sunday school rooms get nicknamed after the leaders of their classes. Nobody else is allowed to use that room during the week because “it’s theirs.” Inward focused churches focus on things NOBODY else cares about. Inward focused churches argue about paint, the color of the carpet, choir robes, translations of the Bible, and the qualifications of Deacons. They become known as a church you would rather not visit than one you would.
That is one of the reasons why it is important that we talk about our purpose so much. If we don’t, we will slowly begin to drift and become more focused on property and possessions rather than people. Inward focused people focus on the surrender they made to Jesus in the past – but they no longer live surrendered lives to Jesus. People who become “Followers of Jesus”.
Meaning they have come to a point that they believe that God sent his son into the world to save the world, not condemn the world…They have had a moment that they surrendered their lives to God by trusting in Jesus as their savior – and they have been changed from the inside out…In that moment of trust, they became a follower of Jesus through surrender.
But it is interesting that some people become followers of Jesus, people become Christians through SURRENDER…and yet never surrender anything to God again!
And if you and I want to continue to live surrendered lives to Jesus it is important that we as a church and as individuals, apply these lessons to our lives.
Luke 5:1-11
One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” 5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. 8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.
One of the ways that you and I can continue to live surrendered lives can be drawn out from verse one. Verse one tells us that as Jesus was teaching – great crowds were pressing in to hear him. The crowd was so big – Jesus had to get on a boat in the water…far enough away that he could speak to the crowds – but not so far away that people could not hear him.
Why were these crowds pressing in to hear from Jesus? One of the reasons, is because they understood what he was saying!
JESUS SPOKE PLAINLY TO PEOPLE, SO LET’S DO THE SAME
Luke 5:1
One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.
The reason why great crowds were gathering to hear Jesus teach is because they understood what he was saying. Have you ever met somebody that used large complicated words to communicate to you, and you had no idea what they were saying?
Maybe you have watched a TED talk. They were speaking about technology, medical breakthroughs, research…and even though they spoke in your native language – you had no idea what they were talking about. I have sat in classes in college and in seminary and I could tell that the teachers in charge of the class really loved to hear themselves talk.
They used big churchy elaborate words.
They used religious words. They used words like:
Justification.
Sanctification.
Incarnation.
Transfiguration.
Hypostatic union.
Atonement.
EXEGESIS…
When I first heard the word exegesis, I thought it was another name for Jesus…And then the Professor started saying things like “exegetical” and I knew I was wrong. I had to look the word up and read that it simply meant “an explanation of what a bible passage means.” Why didn’t he just say that?
And I guess that’s fine in a seminary classroom environment, but then Seminary trained pastors use “Christianese” language in their pulpits, then the members of their churches use that language as well. Then what happens is the people who need Jesus, those outside the walls of the church, have KNOW idea what we are talking about, so they seldom surrender their lives to Jesus. Just like Jesus taught plainly – you and I, if we use “Christianese”, need to surrender our language to Jesus so people can understand and experience the life-changing power of Jesus in their lives. Jesus taught plainly, large crowds gathered, and after Jesus used Peter’s boat, through a miracle of Jesus, Peter and the others caught such a large haul of fish, the nets were tearing and both boats were filled to the verge of sinking.
I LOVE the response of PETER.
He said, “Lord please leave me. I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.”
That response is one I have heard a hundred different ways from people.
People say things like, “If I were to walk into a church, the church would catch on fire.”
Or
“If you knew what I have done in life, you wouldn’t be talking to me about God.”
Please understand this…
JESUS PREFERRED RELATIONSHIPS WITH SINNERS, NOT THE RELIGOUS.
If you came to church today, and you are under the impression that God only wants to connect with “churchy” people, you are wrong.
Way wrong!
Two thousand years ago, the God-Man entered the world…and even though he went to the temple on a regular basis – Jesus seemed to prefer hanging out with sinful people. We read in scripture that “as was his custom” Jesus went to the synagogues for worship…yet he didn’t seem to hang out with the people he went to church with. He was always with the people OUTSIDE the temple. He connected with the people that DIDN’T necessarily fit in with the churchy people.
In fact, the “churchy people” called the people that Jesus connected with and hung out with, “SCUM.”
Later on in Luke Chapter 5:30 the RELIGIOUS leaders complained about the people that Jesus and his disciples hung out with…they said, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?”
So if you feel like scum.
If you feel rejected.
If you feel like you don’t fit in at church.
If you feel like you are too much of a sinner to be here…I have good news!
You are right where you belong!
Jesus came to “take away” your sin. (1 John 3:5)
He takes away your sin when you stop trying to be good enough on your own to connect with him, and surrender your life to God by trusting Jesus as the one who takes away your sin and makes you a new person.
RELIGIOUS people think God is blessed to have them church…
BUT Jesus preferred the presence of sinners, scum, and low lifes.
You don’t have to impress Jesus. You just have to surrender to him.
The building has not caught on fire. You have not been zapped with lightning. God loves you, in fact, he prefers to hang out with you because he loves you. So, just take a moment and tell God you SURRENDER to him and trust Jesus as the one who took away your sin. Take that moment right now – even while I am talking. Let the Love of God fill your heart and flood your mind and surrender to Him.
FOLLOWING JESUS REQUIRES SURRENDER OF MORE THAN SIN.
Jesus invited Peter to follow him – and he and his brothers left everything to follow Jesus. Verse 11 says, “As soon as they landed they left everything and followed Jesus.”
These were fishermen. They surrendered more than sin…and they surrendered their occupations that were not bad! It is not as though they were strip club owners or pornographers. They weren’t cheating people out of their money. They walked away from their boats. Their nets. Their source of income. Because they wanted to follow Jesus.
Now, I am not suggesting that you walk away from your jobs. And I am not suggesting that surrendering your life to Jesus requires you to change your occupation…But it might.
If you earn a living cheating people out of money – God is calling you out of that occupation. If you earn a living harming other people…God is calling you to surrender that and walk away from that lifestyle. God may desire that you sell off land, houses, cars and give it all away. I don’t know what God is calling you to surrender when it comes to your possessions, but I do know that God is calling you to surrender your time by loving your neighbor as yourself.
I believe God is calling you to walk away from Christianese. I believe God is calling you to walk away from Religion. I believe God is calling you to live a surrendered life through Jesus.
A person who lives a surrendered life is more concerned with people than property. So love surrendered. A church that lives surrendered understands that God has called us to lead people into a relationship with Him, not to become a religious hypocrite. Jesus told Peter from now on he would be fishing for people. That purpose must shine in all we do. Fish for people.
Invite your neighbor to church.
Invite your spouse to church.
Invite your children to church.
Invite your coworkers to church.
Invite your Barista, your lawn care worker, and the person that cuts your hair to church.
God is doing a new thing at Beach Church. He is leading us to walk away from religion and make everything about our relationship with God, and real relationships with others.
What else besides sin, do you need to surrender today? What else is getting in the way of your relationship with God?
Ask God to show you, and He will.
Meeting Jesus - Purpose and Rejection
Look at one of the moments in the life of Jesus where He was rejected...and learn how we can Deal with rejection we receive as followers of Jesus.
Some people believe Jesus is a republican, a democrat, or an independent. Some people believe that Jesus is like a Genie in a bottle–if you rub the lamp through prayer, you get whatever you want. Still, some view Jesus like a Mascot the church rallies around once a week.Over this next year, we are going to seek to understand who Jesus really was,what he was really like, and how you and I can become more like Him.
If you are at the end of your rope…If you feel broken, crushed and misunderstood…
I want you to know if you begin to read God’s Word and Apply it to you your life, your life is going to change!
If you have ever interviewed for a job and you thought it went well, but never heard back from the employer, you know that feeling of rejection.
In today’s passage we are going to look at one of the moments in his life that Jesus was rejected...and learn how we can Deal with rejection we receive as followers of Jesus.
If you are a follower of Jesus. Meaning, if you had a moment when you understood that God created you to have a relationship with Him. If you believe that the penalty of sin separated you from God. If you believe that Jesus death paid the penalty for sin and through Jesus death and resurrection, you have been forgiven for your sins…and you had that moment when it all clicked and you surrendered your life to Jesus and now have a friendship with God then most likely you have had to deal with rejection because of your faith in Jesus at some level. Maybe you have been rejected by friends, family, or neighbors because of your commitment to follow Jesus.
But maybe you have had to deal with rejection at a different level. Maybe your husband or wife has rejected you and abandoned you. They divorced you when you did not want to divorce them. Maybe the pain of that rejection still lingers. Maybe your adult or teen children have rejected you. You love them. You care for them. But right now, they have rejected you. No returned phone calls or text messages for years…
Even if you are not yet a follower of a Jesus – I think you will discover some heathy ways that you are able to overcome the feelings that rejection can bring in your life.
At this point in his life, the ministry of Jesus was just beginning. People were just beginning to talk about him. He had been baptized. As we looked at last week, he had faced 40 days of temptation and fasting in the desert. Then he returned to Galilee, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and reports about him began to spread quickly through the region. The people were excited and there was a “buzz” about him wherever he went and as Jesus traveled, he came to Nazareth, the town he grew up in. Initially people spoke well about him – but after he began telling the churched-Jewish people that God loved those outside the Jewish faith – he experienced rejection.
Luke 4:16-30
When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: 18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, 19 and that the time of the LORD’s favor has come.” 20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!” 22 Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” 23 Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ 24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown. 25 “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. 29 Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, 30 but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.
This passage of scripture prophesied or predicted the purpose of the life of Jesus. It predicted his mission. It summed up what his life was going to be like. After he read this passage and began to explain his purpose – the people – his friends and family from his hometown – rejected him.
REJECTION HAPPENS TO THOSE LIVING WITH PURPOSE
Jesus said: I have come to open the eyes of the blind, set captives free, bring Good News to the poor, and set the oppressed free…
But then he said to the “churched people” – not just for you! God wants people outside the walls of the Jewish faith to experience hope! He loves and cares for ALL people – including the broken, the blind, the oppressed and the rejected outside the walls of the church.
That’s what made the Jewish people so upset!
There are many churches that say they want to reach those without Jesus, but they don’t want “those types” of people in the church!
Now, rejection still happens to all of us whether it is because we are a follower of Jesus or because of our occupation:
If you are a Real Estate agent, rejection is going to happen.
If you are a mechanic, people aren’t always going to be satisfied, rejection is going to happen.
If you sell insurance, cars, and are self-employed – you know rejection is going to happen.
If you are going to live with purpose, not everybody is going to like it and some people will reject, you. If you are wondering about how people will continue to react to you if you do continue to live with purpose, look at how people reacted to Jesus. The very same people that spoke well of Jesus in one moment, were ready to throw him off the cliff the next moment.
PEOPLE ARE FICKLE – THEY CAN BE FOR YOU, THEN AGAINST YOU
Luke 4:22
Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”
Luke 4:28-29
When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff.
Because you and I are broken – sometimes we treat people wrong. Sometimes we are like this group of people that rejected Jesus.
After I had surrendered my life to Jesus, was baptized, reading my bible and growing in my faith, I sat down with my grandmother to explain what had happened to me and how I had surrendered my life to Jesus. My Nana looked at me and said, “You have been brainwashed.”
She was FOR me if ever a person was! When I was going to be sent to a boys home after I had run away from home, Nana opened up her home to me and let me live with her for four years throughout high school. She fed me and clothed me and supported me. Then she didn’t like what I had to say about Jesus changing my life – and she said I was brainwashed.
You may hear this and think that I am suggesting we should not trust people. That is not even close to what I am saying, I am saying that when people are fickle about supporting you – it hurts. So don’t be like that!
Do you like it when people are for you, or against you?
It is always better to be like Jesus and be FOR others than AGAINST others. Sadly, it is in our sinful nature to fail other people and sometimes the same people who are for us one moment, can be against us the next moment. That’s what happened to Jesus. The same people who were pleased with him one moment tried to push him off a cliff and stone him the next – not because of what he did, but because of what he said.
So how do we deal with rejection?
How do we deal with rejection when we know sometimes people will be for us and against us, because they are human sinners too?
Be CONFIDENT IN YOUR CALLING AND IDENTITY
If you are going to live in this world for any period of time, you will be rejected.
Your ideas will be rejected.
Your presence will be rejected.
Your personality will be rejected.
If you are convinced that your calling is to sales – be confident in your calling to sales, and in your identity as a salesperson.
If you are convinced that your calling is to cook great food, be confident in your calling to cook, and in your identity as a chef.
And...if you are a follower of Jesus – your main calling and your main identity is not found anywhere else but in Jesus.
Remember, your calling is to be the salt and light of the earth.
Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
You are called to bring flavor and preservatives to this world by following Jesus – others are not like you and the world needs your flavor mixed in with it!
You are God’s PARTNER.
2 Corinthians 6:1
As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.
You are a partner with GOD! You can be confident that He is your Co-Worker and you are His. He is working right alongside you caring for others, ministering to others, and loving others.
You are God’s masterpiece.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
When you feel like more of a MESS-terpiece than a masterpiece, be confident that you may have messed up and sinned, but sin has not ruined your story. God calls you a Masterpiece of Grace, mercy, and forgiveness. You are beautiful and wonderful, a work of art.
You God’s child and the evil one cannot touch you.
1 John 5:18
We know that God’s children do not make a practice of sinning, for God’s Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them.
If you are a follower of Jesus, the devil cannot touch one hair on your head. You are protected, cradled, loved, and guarded by Jesus Christ – Live confidently in that truth!
Jesus was confident in his calling and in his identity. He knew what his purpose was and even when people rejected him and rejected his message – he kept on going. He kept on moving forward – because his calling compelled him and his identity strengthened him.
Meeting Jesus - The Word & Temptation
Some people believe Jesus is a republican, a democrat, or an independent. Some people believe that Jesus is like a Genie in a bottle–if you rub the lamp through prayer, you get whatever you want. Still, some view Jesus like a Mascot the church rallies around once a week.Over this next year, we are going to seek to understand who Jesus really was,what he was really like, and how you and I can become more like Him.
Luke 4:1-13
1 Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, 2 where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. 3 Then the devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, change this stone into a loaf of bread.” 4 But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone.’” 5 Then the devil took him up and revealed to him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 “I will give you the glory of these kingdoms and authority over them,” the devil said, “because they are mine to give to anyone I please. 7 I will give it all to you if you will worship me.” 8 Jesus replied, “The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the LORD your God and serve only him.’” 9 Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of the Temple, and said, “If you are the Son of God, jump off! 10 For the Scriptures say, ‘He will order his angels to protect and guard you. 11 And they will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.’” 12 Jesus responded, “The Scriptures also say, ‘You must not test the LORD your God.’” 13 When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came.
The Devil saw this as an opportunity to stop the ministry of Jesus before it even started. This was a no-holds barred attack on the character of the Son of God.
JESUS EXPERIENCED TWISTED TEMPTATION
When God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt and they wandered in the desert for 40 years…and the Israelites and their animals were thirsty, Moses hit a rock with a stick and water came pouring out. Every single morning, so they didn’t go hungry, God gave the Israelites food they called, “Manna”.
The temptation that Jesus faced was twisted – it was reminiscent of how God had worked in the past among the Jewish people.
Then the devil resorted to using scripture. “For the scriptures say – “God will protect you.” So jump off this cliff and you will float safely to the ground.” Jesus knew God was going to raise him from the dead – but not this way and not this time.
This entire attack of temptation was twisted and manipulative. And if somebody has manipulated you with partial truths, I am sorry. That is the worst kind of hurt because you trusted them, and they manipulated you.
But make no mistake about it – Jesus WAS tempted to sin! If Jesus did not have a desire to DO these things – then Jesus wasn’t really tempted.
As LORD and GOD – Jesus never knew what it was like to hunger – he was always satisfied. He never got hangry. When the devil tempted Jesus – a full stomach must have appealed to him.
And, Jesus knew what it was like to have AUTHORITY. All things were created through Him. Authority and power in this world was a temptation for Jesus because he Knew what it was like to have power and control.
Jesus was tempted by these things because he remembered what it was like to never be hungry, have ultimate authority, and never be in danger.
JESUS OVERCAME TEMPTATION THROUGH TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD
Jesus overcame the temptation to live selfishly and live for his own pleasure through the truth of God’s Word, and…
YOU CAN TOO
Psalm 119:11
I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Sometimes I convince myself that every other follower of Jesus has it together and I am the only one that struggles with the temptation to sin. I know others struggle with temptation to sin – but I sometimes convince myself that others don’t struggle like I DO.
I remember many times sitting in church and thinking, “They read their bibles every day, they don’t struggle like me…Something must be wrong with me…”
Have you ever felt like that?
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man.
Man, woman, or child, temptation is something we all experience.
Memories of experiences that appealed to us in the past, can stir up temptation in our present and future. If we liked it in the past, our flesh tells us we will like it again. We may have messed up in the past – but we know if we give into those pleasures in the future, it could damage those around us, and hinder our relationship with God.
THE DEVIL STILL WANTS TO DEVOUR YOU
1 Peter 5:8
Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
Homecoming - The Prodigal Son
Prodigal: /ˈprädəɡ(ə)l/ adjective
1. spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.
2. a person who spends money in a recklessly extravagant way.
“The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’’
Luke 15:12 NIV
“A man’s worst difficulties begin when he is able to do just as he likes…”
~ Thomas Huxley ~
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.”
Luke 15:13 NIV
When we declared our independence from God, we began to live in a foreign place.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.”
Luke 15:13-16 NIV
We waste our life… seeking what can no longer be found.
“After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.“
Luke 15:14 NIV
When we venture out on our own, we end up in a foreign land, left to our own devices outside of life with God.
“So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs.”
Luke 15:15 NIV
“He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.”
Luke 15:16 NIV
“We often meet our destiny on the road we take to avoid it”…
~ Jean de La Fontaine ~
We can’t run from ourselves…We can only run so far until we come to the end of ourselves.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’’
Luke 15:17-19 NIV
Hope begins with coming to our senses…
“The meaning of the younger son’s return is succinctly expressed in the words, “Father, …I no longer deserve to be called your son.” On the one hand the younger son realizes that he has lost the dignity of his sonship, but at the same time that sense of lost dignity makes him also aware that he is indeed the son who had dignity to lose. When he found himself desiring to be treated as one of the pigs, he realized that he was not a pig but a human being, a son of his father. This realization became the basis for his choice to live instead of to die.”
~ Henri Nouwen ~
“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”
Luke 15:20-21 NIV
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.”
Luke 15:22-24 NIV
God as our Father will welcome us with mercy and restore us.
homecoming - Heart vs. Appearance
• God Is Love
• God’s Love is Gracious
• God’s Love is Steadfast
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
Luke 15:25-27
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
Luke 15:28-29
But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
Luke 15:30
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Luke 15:31-32
Your Heart is More important than your Appearance.
Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:23
Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.”
Genesis 22:2
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!
Genesis 22:9-11
We place what we love the most on the alter but we pray for God to come so we can have both.
What we need is for Him to be the thing we need.
As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.
Luke 10:38-39
But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
Luke 10:40
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:41-42
We can be so busy doing good deeds that we miss the one thing we need the most.
Is there anything in your life right now that you love more than God?
Where is God leading you?
Will you be too busy, or will you follow him?
homecoming - a father’s love
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
Luke 15:11-12
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need.
Luke 15:13-14
So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
Luke 15:15-16
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.
Luke 15:17-18
I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
Luke 15:19
So he got up and went to his father.“ But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
Luke 15:20
“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
Luke 15:21
“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:22-24
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’
Luke 15:25-27
“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends.
Luke 15:28-29
But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
Luke 15:30
“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”
Luke 15:31-32
• God Is Love
• God’s Love is Gracious
• God’s Love is Steadfast
Have you experienced God’s love?
Have you experienced forgiveness and Healing?
Anticipation… - Herod
In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah…
Luke 1:5a
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Matthew 2:1-2
When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
Matthew 2:3-4
King Herod was disturbed because he wanted no other King.
Do you find it difficult to let Jesus be King of your Life?
“In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Matthew 2:5-6
Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.”
Matthew 2:7-8
After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.
Matthew 2:9-10
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
Matthew 2:11
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:12
When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
Matthew 2:13
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Matthew 2:14-15
When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
Matthew 2:16
Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Matthew 2:17-18
After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”
Matthew 2:19-20
So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee…
Matthew 2:21-22
How we respond to Jesus’ kingship affects everyone around us.
Who is sitting on the throne in your life?
Anticipation… - Joseph
• Just
• Righteous
• Good
“This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Matthew 1:18 NLT
Engagement:
…can be broken off at any time, without penalty
Betrothal:
…morally & legally binding
1) Get better acquainted
2) Give families time to prepare
3) Confirm chastity
“Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.”
Matthew 1:19
“Joseph, son of David, ” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:20-22
God was asking Joseph to raise the Savior as his own son.
RIGHTEOUSNESS
…love God’s Law and desire God’s will.
COMPASSION
…give priority to love and mercy as opposed to judgment and retribution.
FAITH
…trust God and make the difficult decisions.
How different would the Christmas Story have been, without Joseph…?
Who would have raised Jesus?
How would the prophecies have been fulfilled?
YOU MATTER TO GOD AND HE HAS PLANS FOR YOU!
The Lost Sheep
Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! So Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!
Luke 15:1-7 (NLT2)
LIFENOTES:
• RELIGIOUS PEOPLE FOCUS ON SINS RATHER THAN FORGIVENESS. (v. 1-3)
• ALL PEOPLE BELONG TO GOD, BUT WANDER
• GOD SEARCHES RELENTLESSLY BECAUSE HE LOVES. (v. 4)
• LET’S GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING UNCOMFORTABLE. (Col 3:13)
Anticipation… - The Mysteries of The Magi
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.
Matthew 2:1-12
GOD CAN USE ANYTHING
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
Romans 1:20
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalms 19:1
GOD IS NOT LIMITED BY OUR IMAGINATIONS AND UNDERSTANDINGS.
GOD USES EVERYTHING TO GET OUR ATTENTION AND ALWAYS POINTS US BACK TO THE FEET OF JESUS.
Something to be Thankful for: Mercy
Thanks:
\THaŋ(k)s\
noun
An expression of gratitude.
Giving:
\ˈɡiviŋ\
adjective
providing love or other emotional support; caring.
• Forgiveness
• Grace
• Mercy
What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath—prepared for destruction?
Romans 9:22
What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory?…
Romans 9:23
“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”
~ Abraham Lincoln ~
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness…
Exodus 34:6
…maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”
Exodus 34:7
And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Exodus 33:19
“I think that is a better thing than thanksgiving: thanks-living. How is this to be done? By a general cheerfulness of manner, by an obedience to the command of Him by whose mercy we live, by a perpetual, constant delighting of ourselves in the Lord, and by a submission of our desires to His will.”
~ Charles Spurgeon ~
Something to be Thankful for: grace
Thanks:
\THaŋ(k)s\
noun
An expression of gratitude.
Giving:
\ˈɡiviŋ\
adjective
providing love or other emotional support; caring.
• Forgiveness
• Grace
• Mercy
Grace:
\ɡrās\
noun
Unmerited favor of God towards man.
“Grace is the very opposite of merit… Grace is not only undeserved favor, but it is favor shown to the one who has deserved the very opposite.”
~ Harry Ironside ~
For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.
Titus 2:11-12
Are YOU Thankful For God’s Grace?
The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.”
Jonah 1:1-2
But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.
Jonah 1:3
Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
Jonah 1:4-5
The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.”
Jonah 1:6
Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.
Jonah 1:7
So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?”
Jonah 1:8
He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.”
This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.)
Jonah 1:10
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”
Jonah 1:11
“Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.”
Jonah 1:12
This is the proclamation he issued in Nineveh: Do not let people or animals, herds or flocks, taste anything; do not let them eat or drink. But let people and animals be covered with sackcloth. Let everyone call urgently on God. Let them give up their evil ways and their violence. Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”
Jonah 3:7-9
But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.
Jonah 4:1
If I’m not showing grace… have I forgotten the grace I’ve been shown?
Are YOU Thankful for the grace you’ve been shown?
Is there someone in your life that needs to be shown Grace?
Something to be Thankful for: Forgiveness
Thanks:
\THaŋ(k)s\
noun
An expression of gratitude.
Giving:
\ˈɡiviŋ\
adjective
providing love or other emotional support; caring.
Thanksgiving:
\thaŋ(k)s-ˈgi-viŋ\
noun
the expression of gratitude, especially to God.
• Forgiveness
• Grace
• Mercy
Forgive: stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake.
Forgiveness: the action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.
Ephesians 1:7
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Four conditions of Forgiveness
• humble yourself by admitting your sins;
• praying to God – asking for forgiveness;
• seeking God continually;
• and turning from sinful behavior.
Are you Thankful you have received forgiveness?
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Matthew 18:21-22
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
Matthew 18:23-25
“At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
Matthew 18:26-27
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
Matthew 18:28
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.
Matthew 18:29-30
What Is Forgiveness?
Psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness.
When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
Matthew 18:3
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’
Matthew 18:32-33
In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
Matthew 18:34
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
Matthew 18:35
Unforgiveness is choosing to stay trapped in a jail cell of bitterness, serving time for someone else’s crime.
“Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resentment and the handcuffs of hatred. It is a power that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.”
~ Corrie Ten Boom ~
Are you thankful for forgiveness?
Have people in your life experienced the same forgiveness you received?
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32
Not A Fan. - am i just following the rules?
Fan:
\ˈfan\
noun
an enthusiastic admirer
Follower:
\ˈfälō(ə)r\
noun
an adherent or devotee of a particular person, cause, or activity.
ADAPTIVE SELF
FALSE SELF
HYPOCRITE
hyp·o·crite:
\ˈhipəˌkrit\
noun
An interpreter from underneath.
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.
Matthew 23:1-3
PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH
• You could not spit on the Sabbath because it would disturb the dirt and you would be guilty of plowing.
• You could not swat a fly on the Sabbath because you would be guilty of hunting.
• If your house was burning down on a Sabbath, you could not carry clothes out of it. However, you were allowed to put on several layers of clothes as the house was burning down. You could leave without breaking the law because you were wearing them instead of carrying them.
They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.
Matthew 23:4
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
Matthew 23:13
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
Matthew 23:23-24
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
Matthew 23:27-28
When we aren’t willing to share our brokenness, we never get to share our witness for God’s grace and mercy.
Not A Fan. - knowledge about him or intimacy with him?
Fan:
\ˈfan\
noun
an enthusiastic admirer
Follower:
\ˈfälō(ə)r\
noun
an adherent or devotee of a particular person, cause, or activity.
Are you a Follower of Jesus?
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:23
These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.
Matthew 15:8
When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table.
Luke 7:36
A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume.
Luke 7:37
As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
Luke 7:38
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
Luke 7:39
Do you do what you do for God out of duty?
or
Do you do what you do out of a desire to honor Him?
Do not confuse Knowledge about Jesus for intimacy with Jesus.
A Biblical word for intimacy is “Know”
And Adam knew Eve his wife
Genesis 4:1 (KJV)
Now the man was intimate with his wife Eve
Genesis 4:1 (ESV)
YADA (Hebrew Word for Knew)
To Know completely and to be completely Known
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.
Psalm 139:1-4
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.
Luke 7:44
You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.
Luke 7:45
You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet.
Luke 7:46
Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”
Luke 7:47
Who are you most like in this Story?
Do you know about Jesus, or do you Know Jesus?
Not A Fan. - Do you believe or are you committed?
Fan:
\ˈfan\
noun
an enthusiastic admirer
Follower:
\ˈfälō(ə)r\
noun
an adherent or devotee of a particular person, cause, or activity.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.
Luke 9:23
• So how do you start determining if you really are a follower of Jesus?
• How do you decide if this is even something you would want to consider?
We must define the relationship.
Have you made a DECISION for Jesus, or Have you COMMITTED to Jesus?
Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
John 3:1-2
Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
John 3:3
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
John 14:6
“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
John 3:4
Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
John 3:5-6
You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.
John 3:7
The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
John 3:8-9
“You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.
John 3:10-11
I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
John 3:12-13
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
John 3:14-15
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:16-17
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:18
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
John 5:19
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
John 5:20-21
Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
John 5:22-23
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
John 5:24
Not A Fan. - The Cross
Fan:
\ˈfan\
noun
an enthusiastic admirer
“Jesus never asked us to sit on the sidelines and cheer for His cause…”
~ Craig Groeschel ~
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 9:23
“No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord…”
John 10:18
What have we sacrificed in return???
“When Christ calls a man, He bids him-Come and Die…”
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer ~
“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
Why would God use a symbol of torture, of death, of weakness to save the world?
Does the cross represent WEAKNESS or does it represent STRENGTH …?
“Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles… for the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”
1 Corinthians 1:22
Who else but God…
• …could take a cross that represented defeat-And turn it into a symbol of victory?
• …could take a cross that represented guilt-And turn it into a symbol for grace?
• …could take a cross that represented condemnation-And turn it into a symbol of freedom ?
• …could take a cross that represented pain and suffering-And turn it into a symbol of healing and hope?
• …could take a cross that represented death-And turn it into a symbol of life?
When you are at your weakest - you are exactly where you need to be for God to be the strongest!
“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
1 Corinthians 1:27
“I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why for Christ’s sake, I delight in…” (and Paul gives us this list of “not so comfortable” things) weakness, insults, hardships, persecution and difficulties) and he concludes–“For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Strength comes when we realize our weakness.
Will you, like Christ did before us, trust God enough to let your weakness be His strength, will you trust Him to make all things new for you???
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”
Colossians 2:13-15
There’s no comfortable way to carry a cross…
“For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him…”
Philippians 1:29
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
James 1:2-4
Christ says, “Give me all. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don’t want to cut off a branch here and a branch there. I want to have the whole tree down. I don’t want to drill the tooth, or crown it, or stop it, but to have it out.”
~ C. S. Lewis ~
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.”
Matthew 16:25
