1. Believe the Real Gospel
2. Really Love God
3. Really Love People
4. Are On a Real Mission
5. Really Pray
Really Love Missions (Roger Dorris, Guest Preacher)
6. Delight in God’s Word
7. Trust God in Times of Trial
8. Walk in the Light
9. Are In a Real Battle
10. Are In the World But Not Of It
11. Really Are the Church
12. Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return
Showing posts with label Real Christians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Real Christians. Show all posts
Monday, December 17, 2007
Real Christians
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Matt's Messages - Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ's Return
“Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return”
Real Christians
December 16, 2007
2 Peter 3:1-18
This is the 12th and last message in our sermon series on Real Christians.
For the last 12 weeks, we’ve been learning how to spot a Real Christian.
Like the license plate on the back of our bulletins, we’ve asked ourselves the question: RU4REAL? And how do you know?
How do you spot honest-to-goodness, authentic, bona fide, true Christians?
And how do you recognize a fake one?
Back at the beginning of football season, we learned that Real Christians Believe the Real Gospel.
There is only one message of good news that saves people from their sins: the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ.
That’s the first and most important mark of a Real Christian.
And after someone comes to believe this real Gospel, it create a real change within them.
Real Christians (begin to) Really Love God and Really Love People (even their enemies!).
And then God gives them a commission: Real Christians Are On a Real Mission – to make real disciples. Disciples with a real love relationship with Jesus Christ.
That relationship involves both talking to and hearing from Him.
Real Christians Really Pray and Real Christians Really Delight in God’s Word.
But they are not exempt from trouble. In fact, we are promised trouble.
We just react to trouble differently: Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
Because we know that we have enemies. The World, the Flesh, and the Devil.
The Flesh is our Internal Enemy. But Real Christians Walk in the Light. We are “simul justus et peccator.” Simultaneously righteous and sinful. But we confess our sins and are forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus.
The Devil is our Infernal Enemy. And we are in a war with Him. Real Christians Are In a Real Battle. But we have everything we need in Christ to stand firm in it.
And the World is our External Enemy. Real Christians Are IN the World but are NOT OF the World.
No, we are OF the Church. Real Christians Really ARE the Church. That’s what we learned last week.
Now, there are a lot of other things I could add to this series. We could go at least another year with marks of a Real Christian.
But I want to end today with one last major area of basic Christian teaching. I was encouraged that one of you wrote it down on your blue survey sheets for a message that you were hoping I would cover before the end of this series:
Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return.
Forty days after Jesus’ resurrection, He told His disciples that He was going to give them the Holy Spirit. And that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
And after He said this, He “was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”
“They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white (angels!) stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’”
Jesus is going to come back some day riding on the clouds.
And Real Christians Look Forward to His Return.
I invite you to turn with me to the second letter we have from Peter, the third chapter.
Real Christians
December 16, 2007
2 Peter 3:1-18
This is the 12th and last message in our sermon series on Real Christians.
For the last 12 weeks, we’ve been learning how to spot a Real Christian.
Like the license plate on the back of our bulletins, we’ve asked ourselves the question: RU4REAL? And how do you know?
How do you spot honest-to-goodness, authentic, bona fide, true Christians?
And how do you recognize a fake one?
Back at the beginning of football season, we learned that Real Christians Believe the Real Gospel.
There is only one message of good news that saves people from their sins: the gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ.
That’s the first and most important mark of a Real Christian.
And after someone comes to believe this real Gospel, it create a real change within them.
Real Christians (begin to) Really Love God and Really Love People (even their enemies!).
And then God gives them a commission: Real Christians Are On a Real Mission – to make real disciples. Disciples with a real love relationship with Jesus Christ.
That relationship involves both talking to and hearing from Him.
Real Christians Really Pray and Real Christians Really Delight in God’s Word.
But they are not exempt from trouble. In fact, we are promised trouble.
We just react to trouble differently: Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
Because we know that we have enemies. The World, the Flesh, and the Devil.
The Flesh is our Internal Enemy. But Real Christians Walk in the Light. We are “simul justus et peccator.” Simultaneously righteous and sinful. But we confess our sins and are forgiven and cleansed by the blood of Jesus.
The Devil is our Infernal Enemy. And we are in a war with Him. Real Christians Are In a Real Battle. But we have everything we need in Christ to stand firm in it.
And the World is our External Enemy. Real Christians Are IN the World but are NOT OF the World.
No, we are OF the Church. Real Christians Really ARE the Church. That’s what we learned last week.
Now, there are a lot of other things I could add to this series. We could go at least another year with marks of a Real Christian.
But I want to end today with one last major area of basic Christian teaching. I was encouraged that one of you wrote it down on your blue survey sheets for a message that you were hoping I would cover before the end of this series:
Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return.
Forty days after Jesus’ resurrection, He told His disciples that He was going to give them the Holy Spirit. And that they would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
And after He said this, He “was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”
“They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white (angels!) stood beside them. ‘Men of Galilee,’ they said, ‘why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.’”
Jesus is going to come back some day riding on the clouds.
And Real Christians Look Forward to His Return.
I invite you to turn with me to the second letter we have from Peter, the third chapter.
1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen. (NIV)
Two points this morning:
Number One. Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return...
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HIS COMING IS REALLY COMING.
We know that Jesus IS coming back.
Now, not everyone believes this! You won’t hear about it on tonight’s nightly news.
That’s why Peter writes verses 3 through 7.
He says that there are going to be “scoffers.” V.3 again.
“First of all, you must understand that in the last days [we’re living in the last days] scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’”
Have you ever heard anyone with that perspective? “Where’s Jesus? Did He forget about us down here? If He’s supposed to be coming back soon, where is He?! Nothing really changes.” Not true. V.5.
“But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. [Things have changed before and they will change again.] By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
His second coming IS really coming.
Why hasn’t He come yet? He is patient. V.8
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [He can afford to wait.] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
The scoffers are going to be surprised.
Jesus hasn’t been tardy. He’s been patient.
He’s waiting for the full number of His chosen ones to turn and to trust in Him.
But His coming IS coming! We don’t know when, but we know it is. V.10
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. [No warning!] The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.”
His coming IS really coming. We can count on it.
In fact, we’re supposed to look forward to it.
Did you see that in verse 12 and verse 13 and in verse 14?
Look Forward to the Day of God.
Look Forward.
Look Forward!
One of the key marks of a Real Christian is that he or she does not just live for today, but looks forward to “that day!”
Real Christians Really Look Forward to the Return of Christ.
The New Testament says that again and again and again.
One of the biggest problems I had this week in figuring out what to say was to pick just one passage to preach. This idea of looking forward to Christ’s return is all over the New Testament.
Jesus told His disciples to “watch” for Him.
Paul describes Real Christians as “waiting for” Jesus, and “eagerly waiting for Jesus,” and “longing” for Jesus’ appearing.
The book of Hebrews talks about a yearning for Jesus’ return when He brings salvation to His people.
Real Christians Really Look Forward to the Return of Christ.
Are you looking forward to Jesus coming back?
Let’s see what we have to look forward to.
The biggest thing is Jesus Himself. V.12 calls this return, “The Day of God.”
That’s because it’s all about Him!
Jesus is what makes Heaven Heaven!
If He wasn’t there, it wouldn’t be!
Do you look forward to being with Jesus?
1 Thessalonians 4 says, “the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
Does that thrill your heart?
Really Christians Really Love Jesus. And therefore, they really can’t wait to be with Him forever!
What else do we have to look forward to?
Well, verse 12 says that the day of God will be day of judgment. V.12
“You look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.” Verse 7 said, “the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
Now, that doesn’t sound “nice,” but it is really wonderful because it means that justice will be done and will be seen to be done.
Have you ever read the newspaper and wondered if justice will ever be done?
Maybe someone is treating you unfairly right now. And you wonder if there will ever be justice!
Listen to this: In the Day of God, every wrong will be made right!
And even Christians will be judged. 2 Corinthians says that we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and receive what is due us.
For believers, there will be no condemnation there. But there will be loss of reward for unfaithfulness and REWARD for faithful obedience!
That’s something to look forward to! Reward from the hand of Christ Himself!
More than that, verse 13 says that there is a whole new world coming. V.13
“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
A new heaven and a new earth!
Brand new. Fresh. Righteous. No sin. No sorrow. No tears. No suffering!
Everything right! Everything like it should be!
Do you long for that?
I believe it’s in the heart of every person to long for that!
God has put eternity in the hearts of men.
But Real Christians, even more, long for that New Heavens and New Earth because it is our Real Home!
The Home of Righteousness.
Do you ever feel like this can’t be your home?
Maybe your body is falling apart.
Or maybe your family is.
Or maybe everything is going great for you right now.
But it just doesn’t satisfy like you think it should.
That’s because this world is not the home of righteousness.
This world is fallen, finite, and fractured.
It’s not home!
“This world is not my home, I just a’passin’ through.”
I have a new home to look forward to!
A home where righteousness reigns!
Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing! Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns; Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy! No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found! He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love!
That’s what we have to look forward to!
Are you looking forward to that new world?
And, did you know that we will have a new body to live in that new world?
I think it was two weeks ago that I read to you Philippians 3:20.
“Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control [far as the curse is found!], will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
A New Body to Enjoy the New Heavens and the New Earth!
Are you looking forward to the Return of Christ?
Some people claim to be Christians, but don’t care a bit about the world to come.
I have to wonder if they really are Christians.
It’s like saying that, I love lunch, but that the smell of that Christmas dinner hanging around the corner, doesn’t do a thing for me.
It’s got to make you wonder.
Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return.
Because We Know that His Coming Is Really Coming.
And it’s going to be good!
Now, my second [and last] point is a point of application.
Number Two. Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return...
THEREFORE WE OUGHT TO LIVE HOLY AND GODLY LIVES.
That’s why Peter says (v.11). “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”
We ought to live holy and godly lives. And look at verse 14.
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”
We ought to live holy and godly lives.
Let me divide that up into 3 categories.
#1. Get Right With God. #2. Get Ready for Your New Home. #3. Get Busy Sharing Christ Until He Comes.
#1. Get Right With God.
This brings us back to the Real Gospel.
You absolutely cannot look forward to the Return of Christ if you don’t belong to Christ right now!
All of that stuff about rewards, and a new home, and a new body and being with Jesus doesn’t apply to you if you don’t belong to Jesus Christ.
Instead, you’re headed for the fire, for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
And you don’t know when it’s coming.
Life is a vapor!
Before I finish this sentence you could slip into eternity.
Get Right with God!
Right now, He is patient with you. Not wanting for you to perish, but for you to come repentance. That’s why you’re alive and listening to this appeal.
Get Right with God.
The way to do that is to turn from your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ and Him alone.
He died on the Cross to fully pay for the sins of all who really believe in Him.
Believe the gospel and get right with God.
That’s how you know you are (v.14) “at peace with Him.”
Don’t presume on His patience any longer. Trust in the Savior!
Second, Get Ready for Your New Home.
If we are going to live in the home of righteousness, we need to practice it right now.
That means that we need to re-prioritize our lives.
If you knew today that your funeral would be this coming Thursday, would you live any differently?
Any different priorities?
Knowing that Christ’s Coming Is Really Coming should change what is really important to us.
It should affect our giving. We would store up treasures in Heaven.
It should affect our use of time. We should study God’s word and meet with God’s people.
It should affect our choices. We should live holy and godly lives.
Getting ready means getting ourselves on guard. Look at verse 17.
“Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.”
Be on your guard!
Jesus said that in the last days, the love of many would grow cold and many would be deceived.
Well, the last days are here. Maybe the last of the last days! And many are being deceived.
Getting ready means being on guard. Knowing your Bible and being discerning so that you don’t lose ground.
Getting ready also means growing. Look at verse 18.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
I wanted to have a message just on this verse. Real Christians Really Grow.
Real Christianity isn’t just a destination, it’s a direction.
If we are going to the home of righteousness, then we should be growing in righteousness right now.
1 John 3 says, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)
Are you going to Heaven, but you are living like Hell?
That doesn’t work!
Are you harboring some sin? Some habit? Some relationship? Some secret in your life that would not fit in the “Home of Righteousness?” Are you walking in darkness? “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”
“Spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.”
Get ready for your new home!
And third, Get Busy Sharing Christ Until He Comes.
Did you catch that phrase in verse 12? “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”
Now, God has that day already set in His mind.
But, mysteriously, we can somehow help it get here faster (from our perspective!) by getting busy sharing the gospel until Christ returns!
This Friday, I was real close to writing the message a day early, which almost never happens! And I was just about to start writing, and the phone rang.
There was a trucker stranded at the Truck Stop, and would come up and help him get a meal and a night in the motel.
You know, I was so tempted to not care. And I admit, I struggled to get over there and help that guy when I could be getting my “work done.”
And I didn’t even have a gospel tract with me to give to him.
So, I didn’t even bring up the gospel with him. I just got him a room and left in defeat.
But yesterday morning, when things opened up for me to write my message in the morning when I didn’t think I would have time, I remembered that that guy was still up at the Truck Stop.
And I realized that I needed to take Him a copy of Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ and the Jesus Film.
My priorities needed to change right then and there. This was a real person who really needs Jesus! And I really needed to do a little bit to speed the coming of the day of God. So I did.
Are you looking for opportunities to share Jesus this Christmas season?
Are you looking forward, not just to Christmas, but to Christ? And His return?
Kids, are you looking forward to Christmas? Presents under the tree? Stockings full of good stuff? A family dinner? Lots of love?
That’s nothing compared to what is around the corner for all Real Christians!
The early Christians had a saying in Aramaic that appears in the Bible.
“Marana Tha!”
It means, “Lord, Come!” May that be our cry today and every day until He does.
Number One. Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return...
BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT HIS COMING IS REALLY COMING.
We know that Jesus IS coming back.
Now, not everyone believes this! You won’t hear about it on tonight’s nightly news.
That’s why Peter writes verses 3 through 7.
He says that there are going to be “scoffers.” V.3 again.
“First of all, you must understand that in the last days [we’re living in the last days] scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.’”
Have you ever heard anyone with that perspective? “Where’s Jesus? Did He forget about us down here? If He’s supposed to be coming back soon, where is He?! Nothing really changes.” Not true. V.5.
“But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. [Things have changed before and they will change again.] By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
His second coming IS really coming.
Why hasn’t He come yet? He is patient. V.8
“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. [He can afford to wait.] The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
The scoffers are going to be surprised.
Jesus hasn’t been tardy. He’s been patient.
He’s waiting for the full number of His chosen ones to turn and to trust in Him.
But His coming IS coming! We don’t know when, but we know it is. V.10
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. [No warning!] The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.”
His coming IS really coming. We can count on it.
In fact, we’re supposed to look forward to it.
Did you see that in verse 12 and verse 13 and in verse 14?
Look Forward to the Day of God.
Look Forward.
Look Forward!
One of the key marks of a Real Christian is that he or she does not just live for today, but looks forward to “that day!”
Real Christians Really Look Forward to the Return of Christ.
The New Testament says that again and again and again.
One of the biggest problems I had this week in figuring out what to say was to pick just one passage to preach. This idea of looking forward to Christ’s return is all over the New Testament.
Jesus told His disciples to “watch” for Him.
Paul describes Real Christians as “waiting for” Jesus, and “eagerly waiting for Jesus,” and “longing” for Jesus’ appearing.
The book of Hebrews talks about a yearning for Jesus’ return when He brings salvation to His people.
Real Christians Really Look Forward to the Return of Christ.
Are you looking forward to Jesus coming back?
Let’s see what we have to look forward to.
The biggest thing is Jesus Himself. V.12 calls this return, “The Day of God.”
That’s because it’s all about Him!
Jesus is what makes Heaven Heaven!
If He wasn’t there, it wouldn’t be!
Do you look forward to being with Jesus?
1 Thessalonians 4 says, “the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.”
Does that thrill your heart?
Really Christians Really Love Jesus. And therefore, they really can’t wait to be with Him forever!
What else do we have to look forward to?
Well, verse 12 says that the day of God will be day of judgment. V.12
“You look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.” Verse 7 said, “the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
Now, that doesn’t sound “nice,” but it is really wonderful because it means that justice will be done and will be seen to be done.
Have you ever read the newspaper and wondered if justice will ever be done?
Maybe someone is treating you unfairly right now. And you wonder if there will ever be justice!
Listen to this: In the Day of God, every wrong will be made right!
And even Christians will be judged. 2 Corinthians says that we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ and receive what is due us.
For believers, there will be no condemnation there. But there will be loss of reward for unfaithfulness and REWARD for faithful obedience!
That’s something to look forward to! Reward from the hand of Christ Himself!
More than that, verse 13 says that there is a whole new world coming. V.13
“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.”
A new heaven and a new earth!
Brand new. Fresh. Righteous. No sin. No sorrow. No tears. No suffering!
Everything right! Everything like it should be!
Do you long for that?
I believe it’s in the heart of every person to long for that!
God has put eternity in the hearts of men.
But Real Christians, even more, long for that New Heavens and New Earth because it is our Real Home!
The Home of Righteousness.
Do you ever feel like this can’t be your home?
Maybe your body is falling apart.
Or maybe your family is.
Or maybe everything is going great for you right now.
But it just doesn’t satisfy like you think it should.
That’s because this world is not the home of righteousness.
This world is fallen, finite, and fractured.
It’s not home!
“This world is not my home, I just a’passin’ through.”
I have a new home to look forward to!
A home where righteousness reigns!
Joy to the world! the Lord is come; Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare him room, And heaven and nature sing! Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns; Let men their songs employ; While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains Repeat the sounding joy! No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow Far as the curse is found! He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love!
That’s what we have to look forward to!
Are you looking forward to that new world?
And, did you know that we will have a new body to live in that new world?
I think it was two weeks ago that I read to you Philippians 3:20.
“Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control [far as the curse is found!], will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”
A New Body to Enjoy the New Heavens and the New Earth!
Are you looking forward to the Return of Christ?
Some people claim to be Christians, but don’t care a bit about the world to come.
I have to wonder if they really are Christians.
It’s like saying that, I love lunch, but that the smell of that Christmas dinner hanging around the corner, doesn’t do a thing for me.
It’s got to make you wonder.
Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return.
Because We Know that His Coming Is Really Coming.
And it’s going to be good!
Now, my second [and last] point is a point of application.
Number Two. Real Christians Really Look Forward to Christ’s Return...
THEREFORE WE OUGHT TO LIVE HOLY AND GODLY LIVES.
That’s why Peter says (v.11). “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”
We ought to live holy and godly lives. And look at verse 14.
“So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”
We ought to live holy and godly lives.
Let me divide that up into 3 categories.
#1. Get Right With God. #2. Get Ready for Your New Home. #3. Get Busy Sharing Christ Until He Comes.
#1. Get Right With God.
This brings us back to the Real Gospel.
You absolutely cannot look forward to the Return of Christ if you don’t belong to Christ right now!
All of that stuff about rewards, and a new home, and a new body and being with Jesus doesn’t apply to you if you don’t belong to Jesus Christ.
Instead, you’re headed for the fire, for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.
And you don’t know when it’s coming.
Life is a vapor!
Before I finish this sentence you could slip into eternity.
Get Right with God!
Right now, He is patient with you. Not wanting for you to perish, but for you to come repentance. That’s why you’re alive and listening to this appeal.
Get Right with God.
The way to do that is to turn from your sins and put your trust in Jesus Christ and Him alone.
He died on the Cross to fully pay for the sins of all who really believe in Him.
Believe the gospel and get right with God.
That’s how you know you are (v.14) “at peace with Him.”
Don’t presume on His patience any longer. Trust in the Savior!
Second, Get Ready for Your New Home.
If we are going to live in the home of righteousness, we need to practice it right now.
That means that we need to re-prioritize our lives.
If you knew today that your funeral would be this coming Thursday, would you live any differently?
Any different priorities?
Knowing that Christ’s Coming Is Really Coming should change what is really important to us.
It should affect our giving. We would store up treasures in Heaven.
It should affect our use of time. We should study God’s word and meet with God’s people.
It should affect our choices. We should live holy and godly lives.
Getting ready means getting ourselves on guard. Look at verse 17.
“Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.”
Be on your guard!
Jesus said that in the last days, the love of many would grow cold and many would be deceived.
Well, the last days are here. Maybe the last of the last days! And many are being deceived.
Getting ready means being on guard. Knowing your Bible and being discerning so that you don’t lose ground.
Getting ready also means growing. Look at verse 18.
“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.”
I wanted to have a message just on this verse. Real Christians Really Grow.
Real Christianity isn’t just a destination, it’s a direction.
If we are going to the home of righteousness, then we should be growing in righteousness right now.
1 John 3 says, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3)
Are you going to Heaven, but you are living like Hell?
That doesn’t work!
Are you harboring some sin? Some habit? Some relationship? Some secret in your life that would not fit in the “Home of Righteousness?” Are you walking in darkness? “Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.”
“Spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.”
Get ready for your new home!
And third, Get Busy Sharing Christ Until He Comes.
Did you catch that phrase in verse 12? “You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”
Now, God has that day already set in His mind.
But, mysteriously, we can somehow help it get here faster (from our perspective!) by getting busy sharing the gospel until Christ returns!
This Friday, I was real close to writing the message a day early, which almost never happens! And I was just about to start writing, and the phone rang.
There was a trucker stranded at the Truck Stop, and would come up and help him get a meal and a night in the motel.
You know, I was so tempted to not care. And I admit, I struggled to get over there and help that guy when I could be getting my “work done.”
And I didn’t even have a gospel tract with me to give to him.
So, I didn’t even bring up the gospel with him. I just got him a room and left in defeat.
But yesterday morning, when things opened up for me to write my message in the morning when I didn’t think I would have time, I remembered that that guy was still up at the Truck Stop.
And I realized that I needed to take Him a copy of Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ and the Jesus Film.
My priorities needed to change right then and there. This was a real person who really needs Jesus! And I really needed to do a little bit to speed the coming of the day of God. So I did.
Are you looking for opportunities to share Jesus this Christmas season?
Are you looking forward, not just to Christmas, but to Christ? And His return?
Kids, are you looking forward to Christmas? Presents under the tree? Stockings full of good stuff? A family dinner? Lots of love?
That’s nothing compared to what is around the corner for all Real Christians!
The early Christians had a saying in Aramaic that appears in the Bible.
“Marana Tha!”
It means, “Lord, Come!” May that be our cry today and every day until He does.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Matt's Messages - “Real Christians Are IN the World But NOT OF It”
“Real Christians Are IN the World But NOT OF It”
Real Christians
December 2, 2007
John 17:1-26
We only have three messages left in this Fall series on Real Christians.
This week, next week, and the following week.
This is the 10th message that I’ve prepared in the series.
The first was:
Real Christians Believe the Real Gospel. There is only one gospel that saves and Real Christians believe it and nothing else. A gospel of a wonderful, merciful Savior.
Second, Real Christians Really Love God. There is a change that happens inside of Real Christians that changes them from enemies of God to genuine lovers of God.
And that spreads to other people. Real Christians Really Love People. Even their enemies! Real Christians have tasted real love and want to pass it on to others.
And that forms the basis of their mission. Real Christians Are On a Real Mission–to make Real Disciples of Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors, sent with a message to those who need to hear it. And when they believe it, we baptize them and teach them to obey everything that Jesus has commanded us.
So Real Christians have a real relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The fifth message was Real Christians Really Pray. And the sixth was Real Christians Delight in God’s Word. We both talk to God and listen to God and love what He says to us.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that life is always easy. Indeed, it’s not. In fact, God has promised trials and tribulations to His Real Christians, not just good times in this life.
So, the seventh message was Real Christians Trust God In Times of Trial. We know that our suffering has a purpose and that it makes our faith proved genuine and it brings glory to God. So we trust Him through times of trial.
Now, in the last two messages, we’ve been talking about specific kinds of trials–the kinds that come from battles with enemies.
You know that we have 3 major enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
I like to call them our external enemy, our internal enemy, and our infernal enemy.
The world, the flesh, and the devil.
We talked about the flesh 2 weeks ago: Real Christians Walk in the Light. We strive to live holy lives like God wants us to. But we also sin because sin, for now, still dwells within us–the flesh. But when we do sin, we confess our sins, and He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all unrighteousness.
Last week, we talked about the devil. Real Christians Are in a Real Battle. But God has given us the resources we need–the armor of God–to stand in that battle and see Him win it for us.
You know, I told you about our van breaking down along in the Interstate? And I told you that it was a sign of spiritual warfare. Well, Jeff Banghart and I rode down there Sunday afternoon and it started right up and hasn’t acted up again. I’m not sure what that means, but I know that I’m in a real battle with the devil!
Today, I want to talk about our relationship with our third enemy: THE WORLD.
The world, I’m talking about here, is not the creation itself so much as the people in the world that are under the sway of Satan, united in rebellion against God and the culture that they create.
Sometimes we call the world “society” or “culture” or the “world-system.” The Gospel of John uses the Greek word: KOSMOS “world” to talk about this enemy.
And make no mistake, the world hated Jesus–that’s one of the reasons why He died.
And we should expect no less than the hate of the world ourselves.
Therefore, the world is our enemy.
And yet...there is more to it, isn’t there, for our relationship to the world.
The world hated Jesus, but God so loved the world He sent Jesus.
There is a tension here. A narrow road that we need to walk here and not fall into the ditch on either side.
In John chapter 17, the Lord Jesus is praying for His disciples and for us. And He uses a few little words that I think have a big impact for our understanding of our relationship to the world.
I’ll put it this way: “Real Christians Are IN the World But NOT OF It.”
I wish I had time to unpack this entire chapter. It’s one of Heather and my favorite chapters in all of the Bible. When we are lost for something to read, we almost always gravitate right back here.
But I just want to make three points from this passage and others like it about our somewhat paradoxical relationship to the world.
Real Christians Are In the World But Not Of It.
#1. REAL CHRISTIANS ARE IN THE WORLD.
Verse 11 says that. “[Jesus] will remain in the world no longer, but [His disciples] are still in the world...” And therefore, they need protection.
In verse 15, Jesus prays not that the Father would take His disciples “out of the world” right then and there but that they would be protected from the ruler of the world–the Evil One.
Real Christians Are In the World.
We are flesh and blood. We are here.
You don’t get saved and then float away to heaven!
There is no “instant rapture plan” for Real Christians.
No, we live here. And we live IN the world. With the world.
We work here. We have family. We have relationships. We do shopping. We do business. We do sports. We do school. We interact with non-Christians, as well, as Christians.
One of your blue survey questions asked “How are Real Christians to treat those who aren’t saved from a practical perspective in day-to-day interaction?”
That’s a great question! Because we aren’t hermetically sealed away from the world.
We are in the world!
At least, we should be!
V.18 said that we are SENT into the world.
Jesus prayed, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”
Real Christians Are Really Sent into the world.
Remember, we’re ambassadors of King Jesus!
Real Christians Are IN the world.
The opposite error, the ditch that we are tempted to fall into is to CHECK OUT of the world.
To withdraw. To isolate ourselves. To insulate ourselves. To stand-off. To check out.
One of the extreme examples of this is the Amish. It seems to me that they think that they can “check out?” of the world and therefore be protected from its dangers.
Does that work?
But it’s not just the Amish who check out. It’s also holier-than-thou Christians.
And Christians who protest everything that the world does. And who don’t form relationships with nonChristians.
And who try to isolate themselves from the world.
That’s one of the dangers of homeschooling. My wife and I have chosen to homeschool our children for a variety of reasons that we find compelling.
But one of the dangers of homeschooling, that we have to be aware of as we do it, is that we can check out of the world to some degree and insulate ourselves from relationships with nonChristians.
In my most recent article in EFCA Today, I wrote about our Leadership Board asking me at my last performance evaluation what was my plan to connect with our community, and I didn’t have a good answer.
Jack Kelly had driven school buses just to be in the world.
Jack had worked in the strippings just to be in the world.
Josh Perry works at Starbucks once a week just to be in the world (and to get the free coffee!).
What was my plan to be “in the world?” Because we are sent to be in the world.
One of the things I’m doing for that this Fall, is driving with Meals on Wheels. That’s giving me a chance to be out in the community, rubbing shoulders with the world.
We aren’t allowed to check out. We aren’t allowed to just circle the wagons and check out of the world.
Are you “in the world?” Do you have relationships with nonChristians?
I have a pastor friend who is part of a Bible study up at Cooneys.
Would you be seen having dinner there? I’m told they have excellent wings! And my pastor buddy eats some wings and talks about Jesus with some friends around the table...in the world.
Jesus was in the world. He ate with tax collectors and sinners.
Jesus was sent into the world. And so He sent us into the world, as well.
Check out, isn’t an option.
However, that’s not all there is to it, is it?
The world is still our enemy!
Even though we’re here, even though we are in the world, we are not supposed to be OF the world.
#2. REAL CHRISTIANS ARE NOT OF THE WORLD.
Jesus said it twice in one prayer! Look at verse 14.
“I have given them your word and the world has hated them [Don’t forget that. If the world seems to love you, beware!], for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.”
And then verse 16. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.”
We don’t belong!
We aren’t part of that club any longer!
Real Christians Are NOT OF the World. We are different.
If the world world is square, we disciples are round. If the world is green, we disciples are red. If the world is stripes, we disciples are pokadots. The world rejects, we disciples believe. We are at odds. Real Christians are not “of” the world–and the world hates it!
We have a different lifestyle.
We have different goals.
We have different values.
We have a different family now.
Real Christians are NOT OF the World.
So, as we are IN the world, we have to be careful to not fall into the ditch on the other side!
The ditch on this side is CHECKING OUT of the World.
The ditch on this side is CONFORMING to the World.
Acting like we belong.
Fitting in.
And settling in. As if this were (ultimately) home.
We call this “worldiness.” It’s that “love of the world” that 1 John 2 tells us to avoid like the plague.
John says there: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him [He’s not REAL]. For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
Remember, the world is our enemy. And it’s just temporary.
We need to focus on our future home.
The apostle Paul uses the imagery of citizenship.
He says in Philippians 3:20, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”
We may be living here now, but we don’t belong. We belong there.
And so, we can’t let ourselves get pressed into the mold of the world in which we now live.
Romans 12:1 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this....what? ...world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
We have to swim upstream.
Real Christians Are DIFFERENT.
We don’t value what the world values.
If you don’t stand out in your relationships with nonChristians, then you aren’t doing your job.
Now, we don’t want to be different for different’s sake! But we do need to be different for Jesus’ sake.
We should stand out at work.
We should stick out at school.
We should look different in our neighborhoods and at family gatherings.
Because we are not OF the world.
Jesus was like that. He was in the world but no of it.
Somehow, He managed to rub shoulders with nonChristians and not become like them.
To influence them positively without them influencing Him negatively.
And we need to do our best to do the same.
I think the other best example of this principle in the Bible is Daniel.
Daniel lived in the world. The worldliest of the world–Babylon.
And his job was to be a master of worldly information!
And he did it really well. He was in the world.
And sometimes, he had to exercise wisdom about where to draw lines when it wasn’t clear.
He let his bosses call him, “Belteshazzar!” Which was named after a pagan god!
And he didn’t say anything.
But he drew the line at the king’s food.
And he drew the line at bowing down.
And he drew the line at stopping praying 3 times a day at his window.
Where are you drawing your lines?
Are you different? I hope so.
Maybe right now you are being tempted to conform in a way that violates your conscience.
Don’t give in. You can still be saved, but there will be consequences.
The worst of example of this was a guy named, “Lot.”
Lot was a righteous man who loved God to some degree.
And he was pained by the world’s ideas of what should be. He lived in a place worse than Babylon! He lived in Sodom!
But he didn’t stand out. He didn’t stick out. He didn’t stand up.
And though he was saved, there were terrible consequences.
Don’t conform!
How can this be possible?
I don’t have time to unpack the whole chapter, but notice three things:
#1. The Protecting Name of Jesus. V.11
Jesus prays, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name–the name you gave me–so that they may be one as we are one.”
There’s a lot in this chapter about the name given to Jesus. Jesus has protected His disciples by that name. And He will continue to do it!
#2. The Sanctifying Word of the Father. Vv16&17.
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them [set them apart] by the truth; your word is truth.”
Right here in this book, we have our guide for living differently (set apart) from the world.
If we aren’t in this book, we will conform.
#3. The Indwelling Presence of the Spirit. Vv.20&21.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message [that’s us!], that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
There is a lot here in chapters 14 through 17 about Jesus and His Father’s mutual indwelling and how that indwelling now involves us! And the way that happens is through the Holy Spirit, the paraclete, the other comforter.
He is holy and will make us holy–different from the world.
Real Christians Are IN the World, but NOT OF the World.
And here’s why:
#3. REAL CHRISTIANS ARE SAVED OUT OF THE WORLD BY JESUS.
Look back at verse 6.
“I have revealed you [the Father] to those whom you gave me OUT OF THE WORLD (not physically, but spiritually). They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.”
Jesus is saying that Real Christians have been rescued from this world.
We may still be in it, but we are not OF it because we have been SAVED OUT of it.
In just a few short hours from when Jesus prayed this prayer, He hung on the Cross.
And on that Cross, He was completing the work that the Father had given Him to do.
He was rescuing us from the world!
He did that by rescuing us from Satan!
He did that by rescuing us from our own sin!
The Real Gospel is that Jesus Christ died on the Cross to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.
His blood is sufficient to pay for all that you and I have done to offend a holy God.
And when we turn from our own way and put all of our faith and trust in Him, we are forgiven and saved OUT of the World spiritually–so that we are no longer OF the World.
And one day, we will be saved OUT OF THE WORLD completely!
Verse 24 is our Lord’s prayer that would happen. V.24
“Father, I want those you have given me to BE WITH ME WHERE I AM, and to see my glory!”
Our citizenship is heaven. And soon, we’ll get to go there!
Worship at the Lord’s Table
This memorial meal celebrates the Lord Jesus’ death on our behalf.
He died to save us from the world.
And then to send us into the world to save the world!
As we eat and drink this meal together, I invite you to think about what He accomplished on the Cross, and to evaluate your current relationship with the world.
Do you love the world like you shouldn’t? Are you conformed?
Do you watch all of the same TV programs? All of the same movies, songs, bands, magazines as the world does?
Do you value money the way the world does?
Do you stick out? Do you stand up?
Or are you “conformed?”
Or, maybe, are you “checking out?”
Are you isolating yourself from nonChristians and acting “holier-than-thou?”
Evaluate yourself: Are you “in the world but not of it?”
What ditch are you tempted towards?
And ask the Lord to help you to get that difficult balancing act just right.
Like Daniel did. Like Jesus did.
So that the world may know that Jesus saves!
Real Christians
December 2, 2007
John 17:1-26
We only have three messages left in this Fall series on Real Christians.
This week, next week, and the following week.
This is the 10th message that I’ve prepared in the series.
The first was:
Real Christians Believe the Real Gospel. There is only one gospel that saves and Real Christians believe it and nothing else. A gospel of a wonderful, merciful Savior.
Second, Real Christians Really Love God. There is a change that happens inside of Real Christians that changes them from enemies of God to genuine lovers of God.
And that spreads to other people. Real Christians Really Love People. Even their enemies! Real Christians have tasted real love and want to pass it on to others.
And that forms the basis of their mission. Real Christians Are On a Real Mission–to make Real Disciples of Jesus Christ. We are ambassadors, sent with a message to those who need to hear it. And when they believe it, we baptize them and teach them to obey everything that Jesus has commanded us.
So Real Christians have a real relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The fifth message was Real Christians Really Pray. And the sixth was Real Christians Delight in God’s Word. We both talk to God and listen to God and love what He says to us.
Of course, that doesn’t mean that life is always easy. Indeed, it’s not. In fact, God has promised trials and tribulations to His Real Christians, not just good times in this life.
So, the seventh message was Real Christians Trust God In Times of Trial. We know that our suffering has a purpose and that it makes our faith proved genuine and it brings glory to God. So we trust Him through times of trial.
Now, in the last two messages, we’ve been talking about specific kinds of trials–the kinds that come from battles with enemies.
You know that we have 3 major enemies: the world, the flesh, and the devil.
I like to call them our external enemy, our internal enemy, and our infernal enemy.
The world, the flesh, and the devil.
We talked about the flesh 2 weeks ago: Real Christians Walk in the Light. We strive to live holy lives like God wants us to. But we also sin because sin, for now, still dwells within us–the flesh. But when we do sin, we confess our sins, and He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and the blood of Jesus purifies us from all unrighteousness.
Last week, we talked about the devil. Real Christians Are in a Real Battle. But God has given us the resources we need–the armor of God–to stand in that battle and see Him win it for us.
You know, I told you about our van breaking down along in the Interstate? And I told you that it was a sign of spiritual warfare. Well, Jeff Banghart and I rode down there Sunday afternoon and it started right up and hasn’t acted up again. I’m not sure what that means, but I know that I’m in a real battle with the devil!
Today, I want to talk about our relationship with our third enemy: THE WORLD.
The world, I’m talking about here, is not the creation itself so much as the people in the world that are under the sway of Satan, united in rebellion against God and the culture that they create.
Sometimes we call the world “society” or “culture” or the “world-system.” The Gospel of John uses the Greek word: KOSMOS “world” to talk about this enemy.
And make no mistake, the world hated Jesus–that’s one of the reasons why He died.
And we should expect no less than the hate of the world ourselves.
Therefore, the world is our enemy.
And yet...there is more to it, isn’t there, for our relationship to the world.
The world hated Jesus, but God so loved the world He sent Jesus.
There is a tension here. A narrow road that we need to walk here and not fall into the ditch on either side.
In John chapter 17, the Lord Jesus is praying for His disciples and for us. And He uses a few little words that I think have a big impact for our understanding of our relationship to the world.
I’ll put it this way: “Real Christians Are IN the World But NOT OF It.”
I wish I had time to unpack this entire chapter. It’s one of Heather and my favorite chapters in all of the Bible. When we are lost for something to read, we almost always gravitate right back here.
But I just want to make three points from this passage and others like it about our somewhat paradoxical relationship to the world.
Real Christians Are In the World But Not Of It.
#1. REAL CHRISTIANS ARE IN THE WORLD.
Verse 11 says that. “[Jesus] will remain in the world no longer, but [His disciples] are still in the world...” And therefore, they need protection.
In verse 15, Jesus prays not that the Father would take His disciples “out of the world” right then and there but that they would be protected from the ruler of the world–the Evil One.
Real Christians Are In the World.
We are flesh and blood. We are here.
You don’t get saved and then float away to heaven!
There is no “instant rapture plan” for Real Christians.
No, we live here. And we live IN the world. With the world.
We work here. We have family. We have relationships. We do shopping. We do business. We do sports. We do school. We interact with non-Christians, as well, as Christians.
One of your blue survey questions asked “How are Real Christians to treat those who aren’t saved from a practical perspective in day-to-day interaction?”
That’s a great question! Because we aren’t hermetically sealed away from the world.
We are in the world!
At least, we should be!
V.18 said that we are SENT into the world.
Jesus prayed, “As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.”
Real Christians Are Really Sent into the world.
Remember, we’re ambassadors of King Jesus!
Real Christians Are IN the world.
The opposite error, the ditch that we are tempted to fall into is to CHECK OUT of the world.
To withdraw. To isolate ourselves. To insulate ourselves. To stand-off. To check out.
One of the extreme examples of this is the Amish. It seems to me that they think that they can “check out?” of the world and therefore be protected from its dangers.
Does that work?
But it’s not just the Amish who check out. It’s also holier-than-thou Christians.
And Christians who protest everything that the world does. And who don’t form relationships with nonChristians.
And who try to isolate themselves from the world.
That’s one of the dangers of homeschooling. My wife and I have chosen to homeschool our children for a variety of reasons that we find compelling.
But one of the dangers of homeschooling, that we have to be aware of as we do it, is that we can check out of the world to some degree and insulate ourselves from relationships with nonChristians.
In my most recent article in EFCA Today, I wrote about our Leadership Board asking me at my last performance evaluation what was my plan to connect with our community, and I didn’t have a good answer.
Jack Kelly had driven school buses just to be in the world.
Jack had worked in the strippings just to be in the world.
Josh Perry works at Starbucks once a week just to be in the world (and to get the free coffee!).
What was my plan to be “in the world?” Because we are sent to be in the world.
One of the things I’m doing for that this Fall, is driving with Meals on Wheels. That’s giving me a chance to be out in the community, rubbing shoulders with the world.
We aren’t allowed to check out. We aren’t allowed to just circle the wagons and check out of the world.
Are you “in the world?” Do you have relationships with nonChristians?
I have a pastor friend who is part of a Bible study up at Cooneys.
Would you be seen having dinner there? I’m told they have excellent wings! And my pastor buddy eats some wings and talks about Jesus with some friends around the table...in the world.
Jesus was in the world. He ate with tax collectors and sinners.
Jesus was sent into the world. And so He sent us into the world, as well.
Check out, isn’t an option.
However, that’s not all there is to it, is it?
The world is still our enemy!
Even though we’re here, even though we are in the world, we are not supposed to be OF the world.
#2. REAL CHRISTIANS ARE NOT OF THE WORLD.
Jesus said it twice in one prayer! Look at verse 14.
“I have given them your word and the world has hated them [Don’t forget that. If the world seems to love you, beware!], for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.”
And then verse 16. “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.”
We don’t belong!
We aren’t part of that club any longer!
Real Christians Are NOT OF the World. We are different.
If the world world is square, we disciples are round. If the world is green, we disciples are red. If the world is stripes, we disciples are pokadots. The world rejects, we disciples believe. We are at odds. Real Christians are not “of” the world–and the world hates it!
We have a different lifestyle.
We have different goals.
We have different values.
We have a different family now.
Real Christians are NOT OF the World.
So, as we are IN the world, we have to be careful to not fall into the ditch on the other side!
The ditch on this side is CHECKING OUT of the World.
The ditch on this side is CONFORMING to the World.
Acting like we belong.
Fitting in.
And settling in. As if this were (ultimately) home.
We call this “worldiness.” It’s that “love of the world” that 1 John 2 tells us to avoid like the plague.
John says there: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him [He’s not REAL]. For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
Remember, the world is our enemy. And it’s just temporary.
We need to focus on our future home.
The apostle Paul uses the imagery of citizenship.
He says in Philippians 3:20, “Our citizenship is in heaven.”
We may be living here now, but we don’t belong. We belong there.
And so, we can’t let ourselves get pressed into the mold of the world in which we now live.
Romans 12:1 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this....what? ...world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
We have to swim upstream.
Real Christians Are DIFFERENT.
We don’t value what the world values.
If you don’t stand out in your relationships with nonChristians, then you aren’t doing your job.
Now, we don’t want to be different for different’s sake! But we do need to be different for Jesus’ sake.
We should stand out at work.
We should stick out at school.
We should look different in our neighborhoods and at family gatherings.
Because we are not OF the world.
Jesus was like that. He was in the world but no of it.
Somehow, He managed to rub shoulders with nonChristians and not become like them.
To influence them positively without them influencing Him negatively.
And we need to do our best to do the same.
I think the other best example of this principle in the Bible is Daniel.
Daniel lived in the world. The worldliest of the world–Babylon.
And his job was to be a master of worldly information!
And he did it really well. He was in the world.
And sometimes, he had to exercise wisdom about where to draw lines when it wasn’t clear.
He let his bosses call him, “Belteshazzar!” Which was named after a pagan god!
And he didn’t say anything.
But he drew the line at the king’s food.
And he drew the line at bowing down.
And he drew the line at stopping praying 3 times a day at his window.
Where are you drawing your lines?
Are you different? I hope so.
Maybe right now you are being tempted to conform in a way that violates your conscience.
Don’t give in. You can still be saved, but there will be consequences.
The worst of example of this was a guy named, “Lot.”
Lot was a righteous man who loved God to some degree.
And he was pained by the world’s ideas of what should be. He lived in a place worse than Babylon! He lived in Sodom!
But he didn’t stand out. He didn’t stick out. He didn’t stand up.
And though he was saved, there were terrible consequences.
Don’t conform!
How can this be possible?
I don’t have time to unpack the whole chapter, but notice three things:
#1. The Protecting Name of Jesus. V.11
Jesus prays, “Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name–the name you gave me–so that they may be one as we are one.”
There’s a lot in this chapter about the name given to Jesus. Jesus has protected His disciples by that name. And He will continue to do it!
#2. The Sanctifying Word of the Father. Vv16&17.
“They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them [set them apart] by the truth; your word is truth.”
Right here in this book, we have our guide for living differently (set apart) from the world.
If we aren’t in this book, we will conform.
#3. The Indwelling Presence of the Spirit. Vv.20&21.
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message [that’s us!], that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.”
There is a lot here in chapters 14 through 17 about Jesus and His Father’s mutual indwelling and how that indwelling now involves us! And the way that happens is through the Holy Spirit, the paraclete, the other comforter.
He is holy and will make us holy–different from the world.
Real Christians Are IN the World, but NOT OF the World.
And here’s why:
#3. REAL CHRISTIANS ARE SAVED OUT OF THE WORLD BY JESUS.
Look back at verse 6.
“I have revealed you [the Father] to those whom you gave me OUT OF THE WORLD (not physically, but spiritually). They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word.”
Jesus is saying that Real Christians have been rescued from this world.
We may still be in it, but we are not OF it because we have been SAVED OUT of it.
In just a few short hours from when Jesus prayed this prayer, He hung on the Cross.
And on that Cross, He was completing the work that the Father had given Him to do.
He was rescuing us from the world!
He did that by rescuing us from Satan!
He did that by rescuing us from our own sin!
The Real Gospel is that Jesus Christ died on the Cross to pay the penalty for the sins of the world.
His blood is sufficient to pay for all that you and I have done to offend a holy God.
And when we turn from our own way and put all of our faith and trust in Him, we are forgiven and saved OUT of the World spiritually–so that we are no longer OF the World.
And one day, we will be saved OUT OF THE WORLD completely!
Verse 24 is our Lord’s prayer that would happen. V.24
“Father, I want those you have given me to BE WITH ME WHERE I AM, and to see my glory!”
Our citizenship is heaven. And soon, we’ll get to go there!
Worship at the Lord’s Table
This memorial meal celebrates the Lord Jesus’ death on our behalf.
He died to save us from the world.
And then to send us into the world to save the world!
As we eat and drink this meal together, I invite you to think about what He accomplished on the Cross, and to evaluate your current relationship with the world.
Do you love the world like you shouldn’t? Are you conformed?
Do you watch all of the same TV programs? All of the same movies, songs, bands, magazines as the world does?
Do you value money the way the world does?
Do you stick out? Do you stand up?
Or are you “conformed?”
Or, maybe, are you “checking out?”
Are you isolating yourself from nonChristians and acting “holier-than-thou?”
Evaluate yourself: Are you “in the world but not of it?”
What ditch are you tempted towards?
And ask the Lord to help you to get that difficult balancing act just right.
Like Daniel did. Like Jesus did.
So that the world may know that Jesus saves!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Matt's Messages - Real Christians Are in a Real Battle
“Real Christians Are In a Real Battle”
Real Christians
November 25, 2007
Ephesians 6:10-20
We are continuing our series on Real Christians.
Last week, we learned that Real Christians Walk in the Light.
We are simul justus et peccator, simultaneously righteous and sinful.
We are saved sinners. Saints who still sin.
We are called to walk in the light and not in the darkness, but we still sin.
And when we sin, we confess. We completely agree with God about our sins and we receive forgiveness! He is faithful and just (because of our advocate!) to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness!
This week, we’re going to learn that “Real Christians Are in a Real Battle.”
Ephesians 6, starting in verse 10.
[scripture reading, prayer]
I have some bad news for you this morning.
If you are a Real Christian, you are in a war.
There is a battle raging. And there are only two sides. The stakes are higher than life and death. The stakes are eternal life and eternal death.
The battle rages all around. And no one is neutral.
If you are a Real Christian, you are in a war.
Not to scare you, but your enemy is fearsome.
You have a Real Enemy.
Your enemy is one of the most powerful created beings in all of the universe.
He is smarter than you.
He is more dangerous than you.
He is more experienced at combat than you are.
He is stronger than you.
And He hates you with a vengeance on a scale that you cannot imagine.
Your Real Enemy wants to utterly destroy you. He wants to rip you to shreds. He wants to devour you.
If you are a Real Christian, you have a fearsome enemy who hates you and wants to see you eternally dead.
You are in a war.
That’s the bad news.
Here’s the good news:
There are resources available to everyone who is a Real Christian that will enable you to withstand the onslaught of this fearsome enemy.
The good news is that there are resources available IN GOD to ever Real Christian that will enable you to STAND YOUR GROUND when this enemy attacks.
That’s the point of Ephesians 6:10-20.
There are resources available IN GOD to every Real Christian that will enable us to STAND OUR GROUND when this enemy attacks.
The Apostle Paul is saying in this passage that every Real Christian the possesses the armor God–the resources necessary to withstand the onslaught of Satan and his warhost.
And Paul is saying that God wants every Real Christiain to engage in spiritual warfare (this is not just for some special class of believers) every Real Christian to engage in spiritual warfare TAKING UP and PUTTING TO USE the resources of God Himself to fight spiritual battles.
Real Christians Are in Real Battle with Real Spiritual Weapons.
That is good news! Let’s see how Paul describes the battle. Look at vv.10&11.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.”
In other words, “Get ready for a fight.”
Paul says, “Get your strength up because you are going to need it.”
You are going to have to take your stand against the schemes of the devil.
Were you aware that Satan has schemes, battle-plans, tricks, plans of attack for taking you down? What he doesn’t have ready, he’s drawing up right now! Paul says, “Real Christian, get ready for a fight with Satan’s schemes.” Get your strength up because you are going to need it.
But notice. (And this is all-important.) Where does it say to get your strength?
It doesn’t say to pump iron. It doesn’t say to look deep within yourself. It doesn’t say to beef up your moral resolve and your will-power for defeating the enemy.
You haven’t got what it takes! You are going up against the most powerful weapons of mass-soul-destruction in the universe––where are you going to get strength to withstand the spiritual equivalent of the atom bomb?
What’s he say? V.10
“Be strong...IN THE LORD and IN HIS MIGHTY POWER.”
Get ready for a fight. But don’t think that you’ve got what it takes to stand up to Satan. You don’t.
But if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” (You should have that one memorized, again: 1 John 4:4!)
There is a fuel supply, an energy shield creating source, a spiritual armory that is more than able (more than able!) to successfully repel the attacks of the evil one.
God Himself. And God Himself has committed His own resources to fight your battles in this world.
Real Christian, get ready for a fight by drawing strength from God.
V.12 makes it clear who the enemy is.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
We often think of our enemies as being other humans. Flesh and blood. And sometimes, in some senses, they are: child abusers, murderers, thieves, rapists, hostile nations and so on. But, standing behind them and below them is a darker evil.
We sometimes think that our enemies are movie producers, pornographers, liberal theologians, dangerous politicians of certain political persuasions, magazine publishers, internet enemies. But standing behind them and below them is a darker evil. They are but puppets in the hands of these enemies: rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world, spiritual forces of evil.
Are you aware that Satan has a huge network of secret-agents? There are demons on every level with orders to attack, a “spiritual Mafia.” Behind the scenes, on different levels, joined together for a dark and dangerous purpose–the tearing down of human souls.
That’s who we battle. And where are they? Last phrase of v.12:
“...in the heavenly realms.” It means the unseen realm. The world that is more real, more concrete, more substantial than this one. But the world that is, for right now, unseen by human eyes.
Your Real Enemy is fearsome, in control of a huge army of fallen angels who are joined together to destroy you. And your human eyes cannot even see them coming.
So, Paul says, get ready right now by drawing on God’s power.
That’s what the “armor of God” is. The armor of God is the powerful resources of God to fight every spiritual battle we will ever face in this life.
So, Paul says (now v.13), “Therefore...”
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
What do you think is “the day of evil?” I don’t think it means just one day. I think it means the times when Satan seems to be really be on the attack.
Sometimes, he pulls away and retreats and re-groups and looks for an opening. He did that with Jesus. Do you remember that? Satan left Jesus after the temptation in the wilderness–not for good–but to wait for an opportune time to strike again.
So sometimes, Satan and his minions aren’t on “full attack mode.” But that doesn’t mean the war is over. It means, get ready because he’ll be back with a vengeance. I think that’s what the “day of evil” means. Those times when Satan seems to be coming on strongest.
Maybe you are in the midst of the “day of evil” right now.
Maybe in the midst of a trial. A loss. A relational problem.
Or maybe in the midst of a temptation. Some sin that keeps dogging your heels.
Or maybe in an accusation. Some sin you have been forgiven of that He keeps pounding on you. ["When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within!"]
Or maybe even some kind of a supernatural manifestation of his power. A paralyzing fear, or a demonic oppression, or something like that.
“The day of evil.”
But God has something for you on that day, in those times, to (v.13) “be able to stand your ground.”
Do you believe that this morning?
Do you believe that God has something for your every spiritual need?
Do you believe that God has purchased resources by the death of Jesus that will help you to not fall when “the battle presses in hard?”
That’s what this text says. And it’s the greatest news in all the world for living the Christian life!
We don’t do it on our own. We don’t have to muster up the courage. We don’t have to arm ourselves. We don’t have to find it in ourselves to live the Christian life and fight the daily battles with the Tempter, with the Accuser, and with his agents of darkness.
God will do it for us. God has done it for us. We have a Mighty Mighty Savior! And He has made it all possible (through His Holy Spirit) for us take full advantage of His mighty power for living.
That’s what it means to “take up” the full armor of God. I love that phrase, “full armor” of God. There are other words for “armor” in the Greek language. But this one means everything you need for success in battle.
So that when it’s strapped on, you’ve got everything you need to stand your ground.
And that’s exactly what Paul tells us to do in vv.14-18. We don’t have to retreat from Satan. And we don’t have to fear. We just have to, “Stand firm.” he says. God has an armor for you. Put it on. And stand firm. Put it on.
Vv.14-18 are a description of the armor of God and a call to put it on. To appropriate (by faith) the mighty, powerful resources of God.
There are 7 armor pieces (or weapons) here. Lots of imagery that is easy to remember.
There are 7 resources here from God for doing real battle with our Real Enemy. Let’s look at them one at a time.
First, the belt of truth. V.14.
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.”
The belt of truth.
Truth is pictured as a great belt tied around your midsection. And remember this is God’s armor that He is giving to you. Paul is saying, “Tie God’s truth around your waist.”
Let me give you a definition of biblical truth because there is a lot of misunderstandings about truth out there.
Truth is a description of what really is. Did you get that? Truth is real description of what really is. Truth is an accurate description of reality. When you go into battle, you want to know the true state of things. You want to know how bad the fighting is going to be. You want to know how strong your side is. You want to know if your weapons will do any good. You want to know if your armor will withstand the attacks of the evil one.
And you don’t want to be deceived about it. You want the truth.
And I think that the reason truth is pictured here as a belt is because everything else on your armor is attached to it.
The belt was more than just to keep up your pants.
On a Roman soldier (by the way Paul might, have a firsthand idea of what a Roman soldier wears. He might be writing this chained to one!) On a Roman soldier, the belt kind of hung everything together. It was the first thing you put on to get yourself ready to fight.
So the question is, do you know the truth of God?
Satan is coming to attack you. He might be doing it right now as I speak. And if you are deceived and don’t know the truth of God–what really is–how are you going to stand?
1 John 4:4 (that verse I quoted a couple of minutes ago). That’s the truth. “Greater is He that is in you than he that is the world.” That’s truth. It won’t feel like that on the day of evil! That’s why you’ve got to put on truth be ready for the fight.
Put on the belt of truth.
Second, the breastplate of righteousness. V.14 again.
“Stand firm...with the breastplate of righteousness in place.”
The breastplate of righteousness. Or the “body armor of righteousness.”
Holiness must be close to your heart.
God has provided righteousness, purity, holiness to you through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You need to put that on daily, practicing holiness, to be able to stand in the day of evil.
It’s another way of saying, “Walk in the Light.”
Satan is going to tempt you. And it’s going to be powerful. You are going to want to go his way, not God’s. But all the resources you need to say, “NO!” including holiness, purity, and righteousness, are available from God.
Did you know that you no longer need to sin?
You still have indwelling sin living inside of you. It will be an internal struggle all of this life. But sin’s authority over your life has been broken. You don’t have to sin any more! God’s righteousness is right at hand for you. And you can put it on any time.
It won’t feel like that on the day of evil! When Satan is attacking, it seems (sometimes) like sin is your only choice. But God has a breastplate, close to your heart that you can put on, any time, anywhere.
The breastplate of righteousness.
Third, the boots of readiness. See what Paul says in v.15.
“And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
The picture here is a soldier binding his feet up with leather boots or sandals so that his feet don’t twist and turn and lose their sure-footing. No teetering and losing your balance. Your feet being “readied” for battle.
Have you ever seen all the trouble that professional athletes go to to make sure that their ankles don’t pop out from under them? There, the stakes are just winning and losing a game. Imagine going into war without sure-footing!
And readiness (the surefootedness) for spiritual battle comes from the real “gospel of peace.” That is, the good news that Jesus Christ died for sinners like you and me.
Peace with God is possible because of Jesus.
You need to know that when Satan comes knocking! You need to know that no matter what accusation he tries to push you over with, you are accepted by God through the blood of Jesus and the gospel makes you untoppable.
“When Satan tempts me to despair...upward I look and see him there that made an end to all my sin!”
It won’t feel that way on the day of evil. If you aren’t prepared, it will feel like you have no place with God when Satan attacks. He’ll accuse you of being the worst sinner imaginable. Unworthy. Unacceptable. Wretched. And he’ll be half-right!
You are an unworthy, unacceptable, wretched sinner. But God has made you worthy, acceptable, and loved in Jesus. You have peace with God if you have come to believe the gospel. And that will keep you from tottering on the day of evil.
Stand your ground with the boots of readiness.
Fourth, the shield of faith. V.16
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
Do you see the picture here? Satan is attacking from a distance. He is dipping the tips of dangerous arrows in pitch and then lighting them on fire. And aiming them your way.
He has red-hot missiles of temptation, trial, and accusation flying through the air–with you in the cross-hairs. You are the bullseye for Satan’s fiery attacks.
But God has a shield for you. It’s called FAITH. Take it up.
Trusting the promises of God will extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.
One of you wrote on the survey, “Real Christians Believe God’s Promises.”
That’s what this is talking about.
The Roman shields were about four feet by two feet and often covered with leather. The soldiers, afraid of these kinds of blazing attacks, would soak their shields in water before battle.
So get the picture. You are in a fight. It has gotten hairy. The enemy is shooting the arrows at you. When they land, flames shoot up everywhere. But when they land on your shield .
That’s what faith does. God has a faith for you to use in spiritual warfare. Every one of His promises is true.
What if the flame is a temptation? “No temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. There is a way of escape.”
What if the flame is a trial? “Consider it joy when you encounter various trials because the testing of your faith will lead to maturity in Christ.”
What if the flame is an accusation? “There is now NO condemnation to those who in Christ Jesus.”
What if the flame is hardship? “And my God will meet all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus.”
What if the flame is demonic oppression? “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
Raise up the shield of faith. Trust God’s promises! And the arrows go out. They seem powerful on the day of evil. But not against the armor God has for you. Don’t fear! Trust God! He is powerful to save.
Fifth, the helmet of salvation. V.17
“Take up the helmet of salvation.”
No solider goes to battle without his helmet. This helmet is the reminder of the salvation that is to come. Elsewhere, Paul calls it the helmet of the HOPE of salvation (1 Thess. 5:8).
That’s because victory is certain for the children of God!
When Satan attacks, put your hope in God’s salvation which is ready for you, prepared for you by the death and resurrection of Jesus. The helmet of salvation.
Let me give you an idea of how that works. When you are in the midst of the war, it seems like the war will never end.
But you need to remind yourself DAILY that this war is already won!
It’s a Real Battle. Satan is a Real Enemy.
But Satan is a defeated enemy. The Cross took the fangs out of Satan. He tries to convince himself that that isn’t true. He is still fighting. But the decisive blow has been struck. And while God has some rescue missions to accomplish, we still have to fight with Satan. But he is a defeated enemy. “Lo! His doom is sure.”
And the “helmet of salvation” is our reminder to ourselves each day as he comes at us, that we have victory, we just have to wait for it.
Did you know that? You don’t have to win the spiritual battle!
It’s already been won.
You just have to stand your ground for Satan’s last ditch attempts to gain an upper hand in your life. Put on the helmet of salvation and remind yourself of the victory which is God’s for you.
Sixth, the sword of the Spirit. V.17 again.
“Take up...the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Sixty six books. Notice that this is your ONLY offensive weapon.
Learn this. Know this. Use this. The Spirit of God Himself has written it, preserved it, and put it in your hand. Get to know it. Whip it out and slash it at Satan. It’s powerful!
The word for “sword” here in v.17 is for the short-handled sword that Roman soldiers used for hand-to-hand combat. This is for the times when Satan and his soldiers get right up in your face. You can’t flee! You’ll want to. But there is no back to this armor. Don’t retreat. God calls you to stand your ground. James 4:7, “Resist the devil {slash back with the word of God} and he will flee from you!”
Are you strong enough to make Satan flee? No. But the word of God is.
Didn’t Jesus use this in the wilderness?
“It is written...It is written...Be gone, Satan for it is written.” Jab. Jab. Jab. And the devil actually has to run.
Take up the sword of the Spirit.
Seventh, and last, the walkie-talkie of prayer.
Okay. The words, “walkie-talkie” don’t appear in v.18. But Paul is still talking about spiritual warfare here. And if we were writing it today, it would be “walkie-talkie” or some kind of military communications device. V.18
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions (whenever Satan is attacking and all the time!) with all kinds of prayers and requests (praise, adoration, intercession, confession, thanksgiving). With this in mind (this war), be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
You are not in this war alone. If you are a Real Christian, you have fellow-soldiers, comrades-in-arms who need “air-support.” Call it down! That’s what prayer is. It is asking God to come and to win the battle for you!
And He wants to. He is ready to. He has provided everything that you need for success. A full-armor and all the air-support through prayer that you need.
He even wants to help you pray! It says, “Pray in the Spirit.” That means in the power of the Spirit. He’ll help you do it if you lean on Him!
Call on Him. Trust Him. Take up and put on his provision for your battles.
“So that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground.”
I don’t know what your battle looks like right now.
But I know that if you are a Real Christian, you are in a Real Battle with a Real Enemy.
But you don’t have to lose it. It’s already been won!
You just need to take up the Holy Spirit’s resources for you and stand your ground.
Real Christians
November 25, 2007
Ephesians 6:10-20
We are continuing our series on Real Christians.
Last week, we learned that Real Christians Walk in the Light.
We are simul justus et peccator, simultaneously righteous and sinful.
We are saved sinners. Saints who still sin.
We are called to walk in the light and not in the darkness, but we still sin.
And when we sin, we confess. We completely agree with God about our sins and we receive forgiveness! He is faithful and just (because of our advocate!) to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness!
This week, we’re going to learn that “Real Christians Are in a Real Battle.”
Ephesians 6, starting in verse 10.
[scripture reading, prayer]
I have some bad news for you this morning.
If you are a Real Christian, you are in a war.
There is a battle raging. And there are only two sides. The stakes are higher than life and death. The stakes are eternal life and eternal death.
The battle rages all around. And no one is neutral.
If you are a Real Christian, you are in a war.
Not to scare you, but your enemy is fearsome.
You have a Real Enemy.
Your enemy is one of the most powerful created beings in all of the universe.
He is smarter than you.
He is more dangerous than you.
He is more experienced at combat than you are.
He is stronger than you.
And He hates you with a vengeance on a scale that you cannot imagine.
Your Real Enemy wants to utterly destroy you. He wants to rip you to shreds. He wants to devour you.
If you are a Real Christian, you have a fearsome enemy who hates you and wants to see you eternally dead.
You are in a war.
That’s the bad news.
Here’s the good news:
There are resources available to everyone who is a Real Christian that will enable you to withstand the onslaught of this fearsome enemy.
The good news is that there are resources available IN GOD to ever Real Christian that will enable you to STAND YOUR GROUND when this enemy attacks.
That’s the point of Ephesians 6:10-20.
There are resources available IN GOD to every Real Christian that will enable us to STAND OUR GROUND when this enemy attacks.
The Apostle Paul is saying in this passage that every Real Christian the possesses the armor God–the resources necessary to withstand the onslaught of Satan and his warhost.
And Paul is saying that God wants every Real Christiain to engage in spiritual warfare (this is not just for some special class of believers) every Real Christian to engage in spiritual warfare TAKING UP and PUTTING TO USE the resources of God Himself to fight spiritual battles.
Real Christians Are in Real Battle with Real Spiritual Weapons.
That is good news! Let’s see how Paul describes the battle. Look at vv.10&11.
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.”
In other words, “Get ready for a fight.”
Paul says, “Get your strength up because you are going to need it.”
You are going to have to take your stand against the schemes of the devil.
Were you aware that Satan has schemes, battle-plans, tricks, plans of attack for taking you down? What he doesn’t have ready, he’s drawing up right now! Paul says, “Real Christian, get ready for a fight with Satan’s schemes.” Get your strength up because you are going to need it.
But notice. (And this is all-important.) Where does it say to get your strength?
It doesn’t say to pump iron. It doesn’t say to look deep within yourself. It doesn’t say to beef up your moral resolve and your will-power for defeating the enemy.
You haven’t got what it takes! You are going up against the most powerful weapons of mass-soul-destruction in the universe––where are you going to get strength to withstand the spiritual equivalent of the atom bomb?
What’s he say? V.10
“Be strong...IN THE LORD and IN HIS MIGHTY POWER.”
Get ready for a fight. But don’t think that you’ve got what it takes to stand up to Satan. You don’t.
But if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.” (You should have that one memorized, again: 1 John 4:4!)
There is a fuel supply, an energy shield creating source, a spiritual armory that is more than able (more than able!) to successfully repel the attacks of the evil one.
God Himself. And God Himself has committed His own resources to fight your battles in this world.
Real Christian, get ready for a fight by drawing strength from God.
V.12 makes it clear who the enemy is.
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
We often think of our enemies as being other humans. Flesh and blood. And sometimes, in some senses, they are: child abusers, murderers, thieves, rapists, hostile nations and so on. But, standing behind them and below them is a darker evil.
We sometimes think that our enemies are movie producers, pornographers, liberal theologians, dangerous politicians of certain political persuasions, magazine publishers, internet enemies. But standing behind them and below them is a darker evil. They are but puppets in the hands of these enemies: rulers, authorities, powers of this dark world, spiritual forces of evil.
Are you aware that Satan has a huge network of secret-agents? There are demons on every level with orders to attack, a “spiritual Mafia.” Behind the scenes, on different levels, joined together for a dark and dangerous purpose–the tearing down of human souls.
That’s who we battle. And where are they? Last phrase of v.12:
“...in the heavenly realms.” It means the unseen realm. The world that is more real, more concrete, more substantial than this one. But the world that is, for right now, unseen by human eyes.
Your Real Enemy is fearsome, in control of a huge army of fallen angels who are joined together to destroy you. And your human eyes cannot even see them coming.
So, Paul says, get ready right now by drawing on God’s power.
That’s what the “armor of God” is. The armor of God is the powerful resources of God to fight every spiritual battle we will ever face in this life.
So, Paul says (now v.13), “Therefore...”
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
What do you think is “the day of evil?” I don’t think it means just one day. I think it means the times when Satan seems to be really be on the attack.
Sometimes, he pulls away and retreats and re-groups and looks for an opening. He did that with Jesus. Do you remember that? Satan left Jesus after the temptation in the wilderness–not for good–but to wait for an opportune time to strike again.
So sometimes, Satan and his minions aren’t on “full attack mode.” But that doesn’t mean the war is over. It means, get ready because he’ll be back with a vengeance. I think that’s what the “day of evil” means. Those times when Satan seems to be coming on strongest.
Maybe you are in the midst of the “day of evil” right now.
Maybe in the midst of a trial. A loss. A relational problem.
Or maybe in the midst of a temptation. Some sin that keeps dogging your heels.
Or maybe in an accusation. Some sin you have been forgiven of that He keeps pounding on you. ["When Satan tempts me to despair and tells me of the guilt within!"]
Or maybe even some kind of a supernatural manifestation of his power. A paralyzing fear, or a demonic oppression, or something like that.
“The day of evil.”
But God has something for you on that day, in those times, to (v.13) “be able to stand your ground.”
Do you believe that this morning?
Do you believe that God has something for your every spiritual need?
Do you believe that God has purchased resources by the death of Jesus that will help you to not fall when “the battle presses in hard?”
That’s what this text says. And it’s the greatest news in all the world for living the Christian life!
We don’t do it on our own. We don’t have to muster up the courage. We don’t have to arm ourselves. We don’t have to find it in ourselves to live the Christian life and fight the daily battles with the Tempter, with the Accuser, and with his agents of darkness.
God will do it for us. God has done it for us. We have a Mighty Mighty Savior! And He has made it all possible (through His Holy Spirit) for us take full advantage of His mighty power for living.
That’s what it means to “take up” the full armor of God. I love that phrase, “full armor” of God. There are other words for “armor” in the Greek language. But this one means everything you need for success in battle.
So that when it’s strapped on, you’ve got everything you need to stand your ground.
And that’s exactly what Paul tells us to do in vv.14-18. We don’t have to retreat from Satan. And we don’t have to fear. We just have to, “Stand firm.” he says. God has an armor for you. Put it on. And stand firm. Put it on.
Vv.14-18 are a description of the armor of God and a call to put it on. To appropriate (by faith) the mighty, powerful resources of God.
There are 7 armor pieces (or weapons) here. Lots of imagery that is easy to remember.
There are 7 resources here from God for doing real battle with our Real Enemy. Let’s look at them one at a time.
First, the belt of truth. V.14.
“Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist.”
The belt of truth.
Truth is pictured as a great belt tied around your midsection. And remember this is God’s armor that He is giving to you. Paul is saying, “Tie God’s truth around your waist.”
Let me give you a definition of biblical truth because there is a lot of misunderstandings about truth out there.
Truth is a description of what really is. Did you get that? Truth is real description of what really is. Truth is an accurate description of reality. When you go into battle, you want to know the true state of things. You want to know how bad the fighting is going to be. You want to know how strong your side is. You want to know if your weapons will do any good. You want to know if your armor will withstand the attacks of the evil one.
And you don’t want to be deceived about it. You want the truth.
And I think that the reason truth is pictured here as a belt is because everything else on your armor is attached to it.
The belt was more than just to keep up your pants.
On a Roman soldier (by the way Paul might, have a firsthand idea of what a Roman soldier wears. He might be writing this chained to one!) On a Roman soldier, the belt kind of hung everything together. It was the first thing you put on to get yourself ready to fight.
So the question is, do you know the truth of God?
Satan is coming to attack you. He might be doing it right now as I speak. And if you are deceived and don’t know the truth of God–what really is–how are you going to stand?
1 John 4:4 (that verse I quoted a couple of minutes ago). That’s the truth. “Greater is He that is in you than he that is the world.” That’s truth. It won’t feel like that on the day of evil! That’s why you’ve got to put on truth be ready for the fight.
Put on the belt of truth.
Second, the breastplate of righteousness. V.14 again.
“Stand firm...with the breastplate of righteousness in place.”
The breastplate of righteousness. Or the “body armor of righteousness.”
Holiness must be close to your heart.
God has provided righteousness, purity, holiness to you through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. You need to put that on daily, practicing holiness, to be able to stand in the day of evil.
It’s another way of saying, “Walk in the Light.”
Satan is going to tempt you. And it’s going to be powerful. You are going to want to go his way, not God’s. But all the resources you need to say, “NO!” including holiness, purity, and righteousness, are available from God.
Did you know that you no longer need to sin?
You still have indwelling sin living inside of you. It will be an internal struggle all of this life. But sin’s authority over your life has been broken. You don’t have to sin any more! God’s righteousness is right at hand for you. And you can put it on any time.
It won’t feel like that on the day of evil! When Satan is attacking, it seems (sometimes) like sin is your only choice. But God has a breastplate, close to your heart that you can put on, any time, anywhere.
The breastplate of righteousness.
Third, the boots of readiness. See what Paul says in v.15.
“And with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”
The picture here is a soldier binding his feet up with leather boots or sandals so that his feet don’t twist and turn and lose their sure-footing. No teetering and losing your balance. Your feet being “readied” for battle.
Have you ever seen all the trouble that professional athletes go to to make sure that their ankles don’t pop out from under them? There, the stakes are just winning and losing a game. Imagine going into war without sure-footing!
And readiness (the surefootedness) for spiritual battle comes from the real “gospel of peace.” That is, the good news that Jesus Christ died for sinners like you and me.
Peace with God is possible because of Jesus.
You need to know that when Satan comes knocking! You need to know that no matter what accusation he tries to push you over with, you are accepted by God through the blood of Jesus and the gospel makes you untoppable.
“When Satan tempts me to despair...upward I look and see him there that made an end to all my sin!”
It won’t feel that way on the day of evil. If you aren’t prepared, it will feel like you have no place with God when Satan attacks. He’ll accuse you of being the worst sinner imaginable. Unworthy. Unacceptable. Wretched. And he’ll be half-right!
You are an unworthy, unacceptable, wretched sinner. But God has made you worthy, acceptable, and loved in Jesus. You have peace with God if you have come to believe the gospel. And that will keep you from tottering on the day of evil.
Stand your ground with the boots of readiness.
Fourth, the shield of faith. V.16
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
Do you see the picture here? Satan is attacking from a distance. He is dipping the tips of dangerous arrows in pitch and then lighting them on fire. And aiming them your way.
He has red-hot missiles of temptation, trial, and accusation flying through the air–with you in the cross-hairs. You are the bullseye for Satan’s fiery attacks.
But God has a shield for you. It’s called FAITH. Take it up.
Trusting the promises of God will extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one.
One of you wrote on the survey, “Real Christians Believe God’s Promises.”
That’s what this is talking about.
The Roman shields were about four feet by two feet and often covered with leather. The soldiers, afraid of these kinds of blazing attacks, would soak their shields in water before battle.
So get the picture. You are in a fight. It has gotten hairy. The enemy is shooting the arrows at you.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Matt's Messages - Real Christians Walk in the Light
“Real Christians Walk in the Light”
Real Christians
November 18, 2007
1 John 1:5-2:2
I want to thank everyone who turned in a Sermon Survey over the last several weeks. A number of you wrote me very helpful comments about what you would say to the community if you had the opportunity I have on Wednesday night to preach at the Community Thanksgiving Service.
I plan to work in as many of your comments as possible when I speak on Wednesday night.
Can I ask you to pray for me today, tomorrow, Tuesday, and Wednesday as I prepare? I hope to speak on 5 things I’m thankful for this year, and all of 5 of them are about the Main Character in our life-story: God! I’d appreciate your prayers.
The second question on the survey asked what aspects of being a Real Christian were you hoping that I would speak on before this series was over.
And there were a number of you who asked questions about a Real Christians’ present relationship to sin.
For example, one of you wrote, “Real Christians Face Temptations–How to Not Give In.”
Another one of you wrote, “What do ‘Real Christians’ do when they sin?”
Another one: “Real Christians stumble, please preach on where true and lasting mercy is found.”
And this one said, “Being a real Christian in today’s society means pressure to compromise. Please speak on how to recover when we blow-it.”
I like that: when we blow it.
And we all have, haven’t we?!
I think that one of the best places for us to go to to see how to answer these questions is the book of 1 John.
Turn with me, if you would, to John’s first letter, chapter 1.
I might be tempted to call 1 John, “The Real Christian Book of the Bible” because 1 John is all about real versus fake. Authentic versus counterfeit. How you can know if you are really a believer, if the Truth is really in you. Most of the things we’ve learned together this Fall can be found in 1 John.
Believing the Real Gospel
Really Loving God
Really Loving People
Really Praying, Really Delighting in God’s Word
1 John is all about Real Christians.
And after a short introduction about how Jesus Christ is real and how John really knew Him, he gets down to this message: Verse 5.
“Real Christians Walk in the Light.” Let’s see what that means.
In verse 5, John declares to us a message about the bright holiness of God. Verse 5.
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
God is light. In fact, He is so full of the radiance of glory and holiness that, “in him there is no darkness at all.”
In a few minutes, we’re going to sing, “There is no shadow of turning with Thee.”
God is holy, holy, holy. There is no darkness in Him at all.
He doesn’t do anything wrong. He isn’t tainted by sin in the slightest.
He is the brightest light, and there isn’t any darkness in Him!
Wow! We can’t really imagine how holy God is!
And we are called to “walk” in His light. To live in His light. To live like He does–in holiness and bright righteous living.
And Real Christians do.
John says that fake Christians claim to have a relationship with God but don’t walk in the light. Look at verse 6.
“If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.”
You see what he’s saying? God is light. So, if we claim to know God, we will walk in light. But some people claim to know God and walk in the darkness.
They live lives of unholiness. They habitually live in sin.
They claim to love God, but their life does not show it.
John says that people like that are liars and do not live by the truth.
We would say they are not Real.
This is a warning to each of us. If we claim to have fellowship/relationship with God, but walk in the darkness (and I think we all have an idea of what that means), then we are not Real.
Not that habitual sinning would cause us to lose our realness, to lose our salvation, but to show that the truth was never really in us.
Real Christians Walk in the Light, Not in the Darkness.
That’s what John says in verse 7.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
So, that’s application point #1 this morning: WALK IN THE LIGHT.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Walk in the Light.
What does that mean?
Well, partially, it must mean to walk in holiness.
To say “No” to temptation.
To do what is right and upright.
To live wisely and not like we used to live before we knew Jesus.
To walk in bright righteousness.
But I think a big part of the key to understanding this walking in the light is the little phrase that comes after it: “as he is in the light.”
It’s about our relationship with Him.
If we are close to Him, we’ll be walking in the light.
If we are distant from Him, we’ll be playing with the shadows.
“Walk in the light, as He is in the light.”
Are you close to the Lord right now?
Do you want to know how to say no to temptation?
A big part of it are these phrases, “walk in the light, as he is in the light.”
Are you driving down the middle of the road with the Lord right now?
I have a friend who talks about “riding on the rumble strips.”
Flirting with the darkness. Not going down the off-ramp, not yet.
But just riding on the rumble strips, coming close to the shoulder. Coming close to the shadow.
That’s not where God wants you. He wants you driving down the middle of the road, where He is.
That’s where the light is good. That’s where you need to cruise.
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light,” John says, “we have fellowship with one another [not just with God, but with one another–sin will separate us, too, but holiness will bring us together], and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Now, here we’re getting to the other side of the equation.
Some people claim to be Real Christians but they live lives of habitual unconfessed, unrepentant sin.
But other people claim to not sin at all! John has heard that one, too. Look at v.8.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
Real Christians still sin!
We’re called to walk in the light, but we don’t do it perfectly.
We all stumble. All of us.
One of you said it best, “Often, we blow it!”
I almost titled this message, “Real Christians Often Blow It!”
We just sang, “Prone to Wander, Lord I Feel It. Prone to Leave the God I Love.”
There are no perfect Christians. And those who claim to be, John says, are deceiving themselves and the truth is not in them.
It’s time now for our yearly lesson in Latin!
Can anyone pronounce these words and tell us what they mean?
“Simul Justus Et Peccator!”
This was one of Martin Luther’s favorite descriptions of Real Christians.
Simul = Simultaneously
Justus = Righteous
Et = And
Peccator = Sinner
Real Christians are simultaneously righteous and sinful.
Saints and sinners at the same time.
Real Christians are simultaneously righteous and sinful.
There are no Christians who are perfect.
We all lie in the tension between the already and the not yet.
Already saved and perfect in Christ’s righteousness.
Not yet perfected and still getting caught by temptation and sin.
Simul Justus Et Peccator.
If you claim to be sinless, you aren’t a Real Christian.
We all blow it.
So, what do we do? “What do Real Christians do when they sin?”
We confess our sins. V.9 It’s glorious. Everyone here should have this one memorized!
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Application Point #2. CONFESS YOUR SINS.
At least part of what it means to walk in the light is to regularly confess our sins!
What does it mean to confess?
It isn’t just to feel bad about being bad. That isn’t confession.
Confession means to completely agree with God about our sins.
It means to tell God that we have sinned, to name it, to own it, and to agree that it was wrong and an offense against Him.
Confession means to completely agree with God about our sins.
I say “completely” to stress that it isn’t, “Well God, the devil made me do it!”
Or, “She made me do it!” Like Adam did, “The woman you gave me, Lord, she made me do it!”
Or, “Lord, I kind of feel bad about that thing I’ve done, but if you knew the circumstances you’d have done it, too!”
That’s not completely agree.
Completely agreeing is, “Lord, what I have done here was wrong. I shouldn’t have done it. It was against your law. It wasn’t walking in the light. And I wasn’t glorifying you when I did it. It wasn’t sourced in love for you. And I’m sorry.”
Completely agreeing includes your emotions. Isn’t not just feeling bad about being bad, but it is not less than feeling bad about being bad.
True confession includes agreeing with your whole heart that what you did was sin.
And I don’t think that Christians practice confession enough.
I don’t know about you, but I’m often tempted to just say every once in awhile, “Lord, forgive me for the things I do that are bad.”
But it would be a lot more helpful to start listing them.
Even better would be to confess fast. To confess as soon as conviction comes.
To turn around and agree with God quick as you can.
That’s the goal. Not sinless perfection, but short accounts.
Real Christians keep short accounts with God.
Confess your sins.
Not just at night in general terms. But specifics and as soon as conviction hits.
Confess your sins.
And here’s the good news. V.9
“If we [Real Christians] confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
We don’t have to live in guilt and condemnation.
God forgives.
And more than that, God purifies. He makes us righteous.
He cleanses us from our sins and sets us on a new path.
Isn’t that good news?!
Here’s how to recover when we blow-it: confession. Because God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness.
I got the sense from some of these blue survey forms that a number of us are struggling with guilt, with feeling like we’ve blown it, and living under a cloud of condemnation.
The Bible is full of hope for sinners like you and me.
It doesn’t pretend that we’ve been or what we’ve done is good. We have to say that it was and is bad.
But when we do, we can experience the forgiveness of God! And purification for our sins!
We don’t have to live out of fellowship with God.
You understand that sin doesn’t destroy a Christian’s relationship with God, but it does hamper our fellowship with God.
If one of my sons disobeys me, he’s still my son. But a cloud has passed between us. Our fellowship has been hindered.
So, there needs to be confession and forgiveness for that full fellowship to be restored.
It’s the same with God.
Real Christians blow it. But God invites us to confess our sins and then promises to forgive us and to purify us from all unrighteousness.
How can He do that?
He must do that. It says that He is faithful to do it.
That means that He has promised forgiveness, and God always keeps His promises.
Are you worried that He doesn’t really forgive you? That maybe he’ll bring up your sin again and thrust in your face?
He won’t. He’s faithful to forgive.
And more than that, He would be unjust to not forgive.
What does that mean?
Why does it say, “faithful and just” to forgive?
What is it just, right, holy for God to forgive?
It seems like it should be just for God to punish! And it would!
The just punishment for our sins is God’s wrath!
He should bring wrath and punishment and condemnation for our sins, not forgiveness!
But, it says, that He is just. How is that just?
You probably know the answer. Let’s keep reading. V.10
“If we claim we have not sinned [again], we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. [God has said that all are sinners. No one consistently does what is right. And so we’re saying He’s a liar if we say that we have not sinned. Chapter 2, verse 1.]
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin [He’s not advocating sinning just because God forgives. The whole point of the letter is to help us to walk in the light.] But if anybody does sin [and we know that we will], we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One [our advocate!]. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
What’s he talking about?
He’s talking about Jesus and the Cross!
Jesus Christ died for our sins!
The Righteous One, the One in whom there is no darkness at all, took on our darkness and was crucified for it!
He bore the punishment that we deserved.
He became (v.2) the “atoning sacrifice.” The big word for that is “propitiation” for ours sins.
We just sang about it, “The Father’s wrath completely satisfied!”
Jesus died for our sins!
Real Christians are those who have put all their faith and trust in what Jesus did for them on the Cross.
And so now, Jesus is our advocate. V.1 “We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense!”
That’s what makes it “just” for Him to forgive!
Because that sin has already been paid for!
It would be unjust to not forgive.
That sin has already been paid for.
That’s why Real Christians don’t do “penance.”
As I understand it “penance,” is taking on a penalty or a punishment to help atone for a sin (at least, that’s how it seems to be practiced).
But our sin has already been paid for!
That’s what makes it “just” for Him to forgive!
That’s why John said in verse 7, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
The Cross is so powerful, brothers and sisters!
Sin is powerful. We almost always underestimate the power of sin.
But the Cross is so much more powerful.
Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Anyone, anywhere who puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice can be forgiven!
The Father’s Wrath Completely Satisfied.
No more condemnation...because of the blood of Jesus Christ.
Application Point #3 (perfect for Thanksgiving week).
THANK JESUS FOR HIS CROSS.
If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, your King and your Rescuer, I invite you to do so today.
He is the atoning sacrifice for all who believe.
He invites you to turn from your sins (to repent) and to put your trust in Him and Him alone and what He did for you at Calvary.
And you will be forgiven. The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, will purify you from all sin.
And you can begin to walk in the light!
I invite you to do that right now.
And all of us who have, need to thank Jesus every single day.
Your Blood Has Washed Away My Sin.
Jesus, Thank You!
The Father’s Wrath Completely Satisfied
Jesus, Thank You!
Once Your Enemy, Now Seated at Your Table
Jesus, Thank You!
You might have noticed that there is new white card in our fish bowl. A second one.
A number of you have been praying for my son Isaac this Fall.
His sister, Robin, has been praying for him every night. He was on her fish card this Fall.
Well, this week, Isaac seemed to come under conviction and understand the gospel in real way.
And Heather prayed with him, and he’s been telling everyone since then that God has given him a new heart!
And we’ve also seen a real difference in him this week, too.
I’m happy to believe that Isaac is now a found sheep.
And I thank Jesus for His Cross!
If you have never turned and come to trust in Jesus, today could be your day of salvation.
If he is dealing with you right now, don’t ignore Him.
Conviction is fleeting. Don’t ignore it.
Turn from your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ.
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Even you. Even you can say, “Jesus, Thank You!”
Real Christians
November 18, 2007
1 John 1:5-2:2
I want to thank everyone who turned in a Sermon Survey over the last several weeks. A number of you wrote me very helpful comments about what you would say to the community if you had the opportunity I have on Wednesday night to preach at the Community Thanksgiving Service.
I plan to work in as many of your comments as possible when I speak on Wednesday night.
Can I ask you to pray for me today, tomorrow, Tuesday, and Wednesday as I prepare? I hope to speak on 5 things I’m thankful for this year, and all of 5 of them are about the Main Character in our life-story: God! I’d appreciate your prayers.
The second question on the survey asked what aspects of being a Real Christian were you hoping that I would speak on before this series was over.
And there were a number of you who asked questions about a Real Christians’ present relationship to sin.
For example, one of you wrote, “Real Christians Face Temptations–How to Not Give In.”
Another one of you wrote, “What do ‘Real Christians’ do when they sin?”
Another one: “Real Christians stumble, please preach on where true and lasting mercy is found.”
And this one said, “Being a real Christian in today’s society means pressure to compromise. Please speak on how to recover when we blow-it.”
I like that: when we blow it.
And we all have, haven’t we?!
I think that one of the best places for us to go to to see how to answer these questions is the book of 1 John.
Turn with me, if you would, to John’s first letter, chapter 1.
I might be tempted to call 1 John, “The Real Christian Book of the Bible” because 1 John is all about real versus fake. Authentic versus counterfeit. How you can know if you are really a believer, if the Truth is really in you. Most of the things we’ve learned together this Fall can be found in 1 John.
Believing the Real Gospel
Really Loving God
Really Loving People
Really Praying, Really Delighting in God’s Word
1 John is all about Real Christians.
And after a short introduction about how Jesus Christ is real and how John really knew Him, he gets down to this message: Verse 5.
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.Here’s the title of today’s message. It comes right out of verse 7.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (NIV)
“Real Christians Walk in the Light.” Let’s see what that means.
In verse 5, John declares to us a message about the bright holiness of God. Verse 5.
“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”
God is light. In fact, He is so full of the radiance of glory and holiness that, “in him there is no darkness at all.”
In a few minutes, we’re going to sing, “There is no shadow of turning with Thee.”
God is holy, holy, holy. There is no darkness in Him at all.
He doesn’t do anything wrong. He isn’t tainted by sin in the slightest.
He is the brightest light, and there isn’t any darkness in Him!
Wow! We can’t really imagine how holy God is!
And we are called to “walk” in His light. To live in His light. To live like He does–in holiness and bright righteous living.
And Real Christians do.
John says that fake Christians claim to have a relationship with God but don’t walk in the light. Look at verse 6.
“If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth.”
You see what he’s saying? God is light. So, if we claim to know God, we will walk in light. But some people claim to know God and walk in the darkness.
They live lives of unholiness. They habitually live in sin.
They claim to love God, but their life does not show it.
John says that people like that are liars and do not live by the truth.
We would say they are not Real.
This is a warning to each of us. If we claim to have fellowship/relationship with God, but walk in the darkness (and I think we all have an idea of what that means), then we are not Real.
Not that habitual sinning would cause us to lose our realness, to lose our salvation, but to show that the truth was never really in us.
Real Christians Walk in the Light, Not in the Darkness.
That’s what John says in verse 7.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
So, that’s application point #1 this morning: WALK IN THE LIGHT.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Walk in the Light.
What does that mean?
Well, partially, it must mean to walk in holiness.
To say “No” to temptation.
To do what is right and upright.
To live wisely and not like we used to live before we knew Jesus.
To walk in bright righteousness.
But I think a big part of the key to understanding this walking in the light is the little phrase that comes after it: “as he is in the light.”
It’s about our relationship with Him.
If we are close to Him, we’ll be walking in the light.
If we are distant from Him, we’ll be playing with the shadows.
“Walk in the light, as He is in the light.”
Are you close to the Lord right now?
Do you want to know how to say no to temptation?
A big part of it are these phrases, “walk in the light, as he is in the light.”
Are you driving down the middle of the road with the Lord right now?
I have a friend who talks about “riding on the rumble strips.”
Flirting with the darkness. Not going down the off-ramp, not yet.
But just riding on the rumble strips, coming close to the shoulder. Coming close to the shadow.
That’s not where God wants you. He wants you driving down the middle of the road, where He is.
That’s where the light is good. That’s where you need to cruise.
“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light,” John says, “we have fellowship with one another [not just with God, but with one another–sin will separate us, too, but holiness will bring us together], and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Now, here we’re getting to the other side of the equation.
Some people claim to be Real Christians but they live lives of habitual unconfessed, unrepentant sin.
But other people claim to not sin at all! John has heard that one, too. Look at v.8.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”
Real Christians still sin!
We’re called to walk in the light, but we don’t do it perfectly.
We all stumble. All of us.
One of you said it best, “Often, we blow it!”
I almost titled this message, “Real Christians Often Blow It!”
We just sang, “Prone to Wander, Lord I Feel It. Prone to Leave the God I Love.”
There are no perfect Christians. And those who claim to be, John says, are deceiving themselves and the truth is not in them.
It’s time now for our yearly lesson in Latin!
Can anyone pronounce these words and tell us what they mean?
“Simul Justus Et Peccator!”
This was one of Martin Luther’s favorite descriptions of Real Christians.
Simul = Simultaneously
Justus = Righteous
Et = And
Peccator = Sinner
Real Christians are simultaneously righteous and sinful.
Saints and sinners at the same time.
Real Christians are simultaneously righteous and sinful.
There are no Christians who are perfect.
We all lie in the tension between the already and the not yet.
Already saved and perfect in Christ’s righteousness.
Not yet perfected and still getting caught by temptation and sin.
Simul Justus Et Peccator.
If you claim to be sinless, you aren’t a Real Christian.
We all blow it.
So, what do we do? “What do Real Christians do when they sin?”
We confess our sins. V.9 It’s glorious. Everyone here should have this one memorized!
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Application Point #2. CONFESS YOUR SINS.
At least part of what it means to walk in the light is to regularly confess our sins!
What does it mean to confess?
It isn’t just to feel bad about being bad. That isn’t confession.
Confession means to completely agree with God about our sins.
It means to tell God that we have sinned, to name it, to own it, and to agree that it was wrong and an offense against Him.
Confession means to completely agree with God about our sins.
I say “completely” to stress that it isn’t, “Well God, the devil made me do it!”
Or, “She made me do it!” Like Adam did, “The woman you gave me, Lord, she made me do it!”
Or, “Lord, I kind of feel bad about that thing I’ve done, but if you knew the circumstances you’d have done it, too!”
That’s not completely agree.
Completely agreeing is, “Lord, what I have done here was wrong. I shouldn’t have done it. It was against your law. It wasn’t walking in the light. And I wasn’t glorifying you when I did it. It wasn’t sourced in love for you. And I’m sorry.”
Completely agreeing includes your emotions. Isn’t not just feeling bad about being bad, but it is not less than feeling bad about being bad.
True confession includes agreeing with your whole heart that what you did was sin.
And I don’t think that Christians practice confession enough.
I don’t know about you, but I’m often tempted to just say every once in awhile, “Lord, forgive me for the things I do that are bad.”
But it would be a lot more helpful to start listing them.
Even better would be to confess fast. To confess as soon as conviction comes.
To turn around and agree with God quick as you can.
That’s the goal. Not sinless perfection, but short accounts.
Real Christians keep short accounts with God.
Confess your sins.
Not just at night in general terms. But specifics and as soon as conviction hits.
Confess your sins.
And here’s the good news. V.9
“If we [Real Christians] confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
We don’t have to live in guilt and condemnation.
God forgives.
And more than that, God purifies. He makes us righteous.
He cleanses us from our sins and sets us on a new path.
Isn’t that good news?!
Here’s how to recover when we blow-it: confession. Because God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness.
I got the sense from some of these blue survey forms that a number of us are struggling with guilt, with feeling like we’ve blown it, and living under a cloud of condemnation.
The Bible is full of hope for sinners like you and me.
It doesn’t pretend that we’ve been or what we’ve done is good. We have to say that it was and is bad.
But when we do, we can experience the forgiveness of God! And purification for our sins!
We don’t have to live out of fellowship with God.
You understand that sin doesn’t destroy a Christian’s relationship with God, but it does hamper our fellowship with God.
If one of my sons disobeys me, he’s still my son. But a cloud has passed between us. Our fellowship has been hindered.
So, there needs to be confession and forgiveness for that full fellowship to be restored.
It’s the same with God.
Real Christians blow it. But God invites us to confess our sins and then promises to forgive us and to purify us from all unrighteousness.
How can He do that?
He must do that. It says that He is faithful to do it.
That means that He has promised forgiveness, and God always keeps His promises.
Are you worried that He doesn’t really forgive you? That maybe he’ll bring up your sin again and thrust in your face?
He won’t. He’s faithful to forgive.
And more than that, He would be unjust to not forgive.
What does that mean?
Why does it say, “faithful and just” to forgive?
What is it just, right, holy for God to forgive?
It seems like it should be just for God to punish! And it would!
The just punishment for our sins is God’s wrath!
He should bring wrath and punishment and condemnation for our sins, not forgiveness!
But, it says, that He is just. How is that just?
You probably know the answer. Let’s keep reading. V.10
“If we claim we have not sinned [again], we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. [God has said that all are sinners. No one consistently does what is right. And so we’re saying He’s a liar if we say that we have not sinned. Chapter 2, verse 1.]
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin [He’s not advocating sinning just because God forgives. The whole point of the letter is to help us to walk in the light.] But if anybody does sin [and we know that we will], we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One [our advocate!]. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”
What’s he talking about?
He’s talking about Jesus and the Cross!
Jesus Christ died for our sins!
The Righteous One, the One in whom there is no darkness at all, took on our darkness and was crucified for it!
He bore the punishment that we deserved.
He became (v.2) the “atoning sacrifice.” The big word for that is “propitiation” for ours sins.
We just sang about it, “The Father’s wrath completely satisfied!”
Jesus died for our sins!
Real Christians are those who have put all their faith and trust in what Jesus did for them on the Cross.
And so now, Jesus is our advocate. V.1 “We have one who speaks to the Father in our defense!”
That’s what makes it “just” for Him to forgive!
Because that sin has already been paid for!
It would be unjust to not forgive.
That sin has already been paid for.
That’s why Real Christians don’t do “penance.”
As I understand it “penance,” is taking on a penalty or a punishment to help atone for a sin (at least, that’s how it seems to be practiced).
But our sin has already been paid for!
That’s what makes it “just” for Him to forgive!
That’s why John said in verse 7, “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
The Cross is so powerful, brothers and sisters!
Sin is powerful. We almost always underestimate the power of sin.
But the Cross is so much more powerful.
Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Anyone, anywhere who puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice can be forgiven!
The Father’s Wrath Completely Satisfied.
No more condemnation...because of the blood of Jesus Christ.
Application Point #3 (perfect for Thanksgiving week).
THANK JESUS FOR HIS CROSS.
If you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, your King and your Rescuer, I invite you to do so today.
He is the atoning sacrifice for all who believe.
He invites you to turn from your sins (to repent) and to put your trust in Him and Him alone and what He did for you at Calvary.
And you will be forgiven. The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, will purify you from all sin.
And you can begin to walk in the light!
I invite you to do that right now.
And all of us who have, need to thank Jesus every single day.
Your Blood Has Washed Away My Sin.
Jesus, Thank You!
The Father’s Wrath Completely Satisfied
Jesus, Thank You!
Once Your Enemy, Now Seated at Your Table
Jesus, Thank You!
You might have noticed that there is new white card in our fish bowl. A second one.
A number of you have been praying for my son Isaac this Fall.
His sister, Robin, has been praying for him every night. He was on her fish card this Fall.
Well, this week, Isaac seemed to come under conviction and understand the gospel in real way.
And Heather prayed with him, and he’s been telling everyone since then that God has given him a new heart!
And we’ve also seen a real difference in him this week, too.
I’m happy to believe that Isaac is now a found sheep.
And I thank Jesus for His Cross!
If you have never turned and come to trust in Jesus, today could be your day of salvation.
If he is dealing with you right now, don’t ignore Him.
Conviction is fleeting. Don’t ignore it.
Turn from your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ.
He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
Even you. Even you can say, “Jesus, Thank You!”
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Matt's Messages - Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial
“Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial”
Real Christians
November 11, 2007
1 Peter 1:6-7
This is the next message in our series on Real Christians.
We’ve learned:
Real Christians Believe the Real Gospel.
Real Christians Really Love God and Really Love People.
Real Christians Are on a Real Mission and Really Love Missions.
Real Christians Really Pray, and Real Christians Delight in God’s Word.
Today, “Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.”
1 Peter 1, starting in verse 3.
What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you?
The worst thing that has ever happened to me (so far) was in April of 1999.
Heather and I were expecting our first child, a baby girl.
And we had traveled out to Ashland, Ohio for the Allegheny District Conference. We were staying with my folks in nearby Shelby, Ohio.
And we came to realize that our baby had died.
No movement. No heartbeat. No life.
I’ve never cried like that before in my whole life. I wailed like a baby in the Emergency Room.
She was at 6 months gestation.
We drove all the way back to State College to deliver our little baby at Centre Community Hospital under the caring supervision of Heather’s doctor, Doctor Gary Schell.
And we got to her briefly, and say goodbye.
That’s the worst thing that has ever happened to me, so far.
What’s the worst thing that has ever happened to you?
Let me ask you another question:
What’s the worst thing that is happening to you, right now?
Are you going through a trial?
Are you having a struggle, a difficulty, a problem?
What’s the worst thing that is happening to you, right now?
And how are you responding to it?
I remember driving through the pouring rain on that wretched night in April 1999, and being confronted with a decision: How would I respond to God in this trial?
How would Heather and I cope?
What would Heather and I choose to think, to feel, to believe if our worst nightmare had come true? And it had.
Would we turn away from God–the very God that had called us into pastoral ministry?
Or would we trust Him?
The Bible teaches that Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
Let’s read verses 6 and 7 again.
He’s written this little letter to encourage them in their sufferings. And that’s why he begins with the gospel. He talks about God’s mercy, and a new birth, and living hope because of the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And he talks about an inheritance that never be taken away and a total salvation that is on the way.
That why he says, that these Christians greatly rejoice:
“In this you greatly rejoice,” that is, in this great gospel of salvation, you rejoice.
But right now, there is trouble.
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”
Peter knows that the Christian life is a life of painful joy.
We live in a world that is still under a curse.
There is a better day coming, but it is not yet here.
God has broken into this broken world with His Son and has broken the curse, but its effects remain.
So now, for a little while, we have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
All kinds.
For these Christians, it was persecution. Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
They were experiencing it, firsthand.
But it says, “all kinds” not just persecution.
This includes losing a daughter.
It includes cancer or heart trouble.
It includes divorce and family discord.
It includes losing a job or being robbed.
All kinds of trouble.
I look around this room, and I know a lot of the trials that you have faced or are facing right now.
Peter says that it will be just for a “little while,” but that little while could last 70 or 80 years! That’s not a long time compared with eternity!
Even though Real Christians Believe the Real Gospel and REJOICE IN IT, Real Christians also have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
But even so, they trust God.
Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
Fake ones don’t! When the going gets rough, the fake Christians lose heart.
But Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
I see 3 major reasons, in verse 7, why Real Christians Trust God when times are tough. Let me point them out to you.
#1. Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR OUR PAIN. V.7
“These [painful trials] have come so that....” Wait a second, stop there.
These are two of the most important words in this verse: SO THAT.
Why does he say, “So that?”
You only use the words “So That” when there is a purpose hiding somewhere in the sentence.
“I knocked on the door SO THAT she would open it.”
“I stole 2nd base SO THAT we just might win this one.”
“Teachers grade on the curve SO THAT some of the students can get a better grade.”
“Pastor Matt yells SO THAT everyone can hear him.”
Peter knows that there is PURPOSE, a PLAN, for our PAIN. Trials come for a reason! We don’t always know the reason. But we know that God has one.
God never wastes pain. He has a plan for it. There is a “so that” for every trial you have ever faced. Every one (if you are a Christian)! Even the ones that you can’t figure out yet.
There is a SO THAT, a plan, for our pain.
Many people don’t believe that. They think that God (if He exists) is just making things up as He goes along. And that maybe He isn’t strong enough (or heaven forbid!) good enough to keep bad things from happening to His children.
But that’s the not what the Bible says.
The Bible says that there is a plan for our pain.
God will use it to do what seems best to Him. And I can trust Him for that.
We don’t always know what the plan is for our pain.
One thing the Bible says is that we sometimes suffer so that we can offer comfort to others that are going to suffer in the same way.
You’ve experienced that, haven’t you? You went through something hard, and you didn’t know why, but then you met someone who had the exact same problem, and you could help them.
Another biblical reason is to provide a testimony to unbelievers.
When the world sees how we respond to our trials, they have to sit up and take notice.
Peter says in chapter 3 that we should be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us. When they see us suffering, and we don’t fall apart, they have to wonder where we get our hope.
I remember 6 and half years ago when Keith and Pennie lost their house in a fire, how they had a number of people ask them how they coped with it so well.
And they will them about the Lord and how He has a plan for their pain.
It blew some people away. And it was a great opening to share the Lord with others.
We don’t always know what God’s plan is. For some of our suffering, we may have to wait for heaven to find out the whys and the wherefores.
But God’s says, “So That.” There is a purpose. There is a plan. And we can trust Him.
#2. Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD PROVES OUR FAITH THROUGH FIRE.
“These [trials] have come SO THAT your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine...” Let’s stop there now.
One of God’s chief purposes of suffering in our lives is to refine us with something hot and hard so that we are shown to be genuine or [our word for this Fall] “real”–faith proved through fire.
God judges our faith to be a lot like gold but much more valuable. Gold, if fired in a furnace, can be refined to be costly, perfect pure gold. The more you heat it, the better it becomes. But even gold will perish in the end. So our faith is of greater worth than gold.
And like the gold, God brings fire (trials, pain, suffering, heart-ache, fire) into our lives to refine our faith. Did you ever think about that as we sing that song, “Refiner’s Fire?” We are basically asking God to bring us trials! Or at least, to use our inevitable trials to make us holy–“set apart for You, Lord–ready to do your will.”
If you want to know if something is real–you put it through the test. And if it comes out shining like gold–[guess what?]–it’s gold. If it doesn’t, you have something else on your hands.
And God does that to us. He lets the fire burn and the dross rises to the surface for Him to scrape off. And little by little, He perfects us. But only if we are Real. If we aren’t real, the fire just burns us up until there is nothing really there.
If you are fake, you completely fall apart and fall away in times of trial.
“Where is God now?” is your unbending, unbelieving question if you are fake.
If you are Real, your answer to that is “God is right here. And God is calling me to trust Him and to show with my words and actions and attitudes in this trial that I REALLY do believe that He exists and that He rewards those who come to Him. He is trying me by fire to show Himself and to show THE WORLD that I am real.”
When we respond in faith, we are shown to be real, AND we are made even more real. Our faith is purified–we are made holy, complete, lacking in nothing.
In fact, we begin to look like Jesus Christ.
You’ve probably heard how a refiner of precious metals can tell if the metal he is working with is being purified. Every time he heats up the metal, and the dross bubbles to the surface, and then he scraps off the dross–the refiner looks into the metal to see if he can see his own image. When he looks into the metal, and he can clearly see his own face–his work is done.
If you are real, your trials, your pain, your suffering, your heart-ache–the evil that comes your way–is God’s fire to refine you into the image of Christ.
So you can trust Him! Trials really hurt, but when you come out of the fire, your faith is proved genuine and your character looks like Christ’s.
And more than that, you experience a deeper fellowship with Christ when you trust Him through a trial. Paul calls it “the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings.”
I’m not sure I really know what that means, but it sounds worth it to me!
Real Christians know that God proves our faith through fire.
Are you trusting Him with that “worst thing” that is happening to you right now?
“When Through Fiery Trials Thy Pathway Shall Lie
My Grace, All Sufficient Shall Be Thy Supply
The Flame Cannot Hurt Thee, I Only Design
Thy Dross to Consume And They Gold to Refine.” (How Firm a Foundation v.3)
And #3. (and last) Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trials BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD WILL BE HONORED BY OUR HOPE IN HIM.
V.7 again. “These [trials] have come so that your faith...may be proved genuine and may result [there is a final purpose for this pain! May result] in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed!”
One day soon it will all be over!
And for those who trusted, God will say, “Well, done good and faithful servant! Well done, Real Christian,” and you will feel the pleasure of the Master wash over you in waves of endless grace and enjoy sharing and experiencing the praise, glory, and honor of the Lord.
And Jesus Christ will receive that praise, glory and honor! It is His work in you–His death, His resurrection, His Holy Spirit, His refining purposes, His New Birth, His Living Hope placed in your heart. Jesus Christ will receive honor as you hope in him through your trials.
If your faith is real–on that glorious (almost indescribable) day in the future when (v.7), “Jesus Christ is revealed” GLORY, AND HONOR AND PRAISE will rain down upon Jesus forever because of the reality of your faith and hope in Him.
And that, my friends, is worth the trial!
So a Real Christian can say, “It is worth it! I don’t understand why I have to hurt like this. But God has a plan, and God is refining me by it, and God will get the glory if I trust Him through it!”
Paul says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18)!!!
What a day that will be!
Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial Because They Are Living for THAT DAY.
They know that God will get the glory for their hope in Him and Him alone.
And they will get to enjoy that glory forever!
And that makes it all worth it.
That worst thing that has ever happened to you? Worth it! Not even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in you.
That worst thing that you are going through right now? Worth it.
Not even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in you!
Eight and half years ago, my wife and I chose to trust God with the death of our first child.
We named her, Charis, which means “Grace” in Greek because we looked upon her life and even her death as God’s grace to us.
That God had plan for our pain.
Both to comfort others and to give a testimony to others.
But also a plan to deepen our faith.
That God was proving our faith through fire. And making us more Real. More conformed to the Image of His Son.
We realized that if Jesus suffered, then why should we think that we would be exempt?
We trusted that God will be honored by our hoping in Him.
And that our loss was not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Are you a Real Christian?
Are you trusting Him?
If you are not yet a Real Christian, I challenge you and invite you right now to put your trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and the hope of His glory.
If you are not yet a Real Christian, then all of what I’ve said does not apply to you.
Your suffering does not necessarily a part of a divine plan for your good.
Your suffering will not show you to be real or make you more real.
Your suffering will never end in glory if you are not a Real Christian.
Your suffering will never end!
Jesus suffered the penalty for sin so that believers will not have to.
Put your trust in Him today.
Tell Him that you need Him and that you want to know Him as Savior and Lord.
And He will begin to bear your burdens for you. Not so that you won’t suffer, but tso that you won’t be crushed under them.
And He will come to get you. When He is revealed, you will enjoy His glory.
Praise, Glory, and Honor forever!
Real Christians, let’s trust Him!
Whatever you’re going through right now. Trust Him with it.
Don’t turn your back on Him.
Don’t cut out your prayer times.
Don’t give up on God.
Don’t give in to complaining.
Don’t seek comfort in all the wrong places.
Trust in God in your time of trial.
Later in this letter, Peter writes, “So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good...”
Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
Real Christians
November 11, 2007
1 Peter 1:6-7
This is the next message in our series on Real Christians.
We’ve learned:
Real Christians Believe the Real Gospel.
Real Christians Really Love God and Really Love People.
Real Christians Are on a Real Mission and Really Love Missions.
Real Christians Really Pray, and Real Christians Delight in God’s Word.
Today, “Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.”
1 Peter 1, starting in verse 3.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade–kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. [And here’s our text...] In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.Let me ask you a question:
What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you?
The worst thing that has ever happened to me (so far) was in April of 1999.
Heather and I were expecting our first child, a baby girl.
And we had traveled out to Ashland, Ohio for the Allegheny District Conference. We were staying with my folks in nearby Shelby, Ohio.
And we came to realize that our baby had died.
No movement. No heartbeat. No life.
I’ve never cried like that before in my whole life. I wailed like a baby in the Emergency Room.
She was at 6 months gestation.
We drove all the way back to State College to deliver our little baby at Centre Community Hospital under the caring supervision of Heather’s doctor, Doctor Gary Schell.
And we got to her briefly, and say goodbye.
That’s the worst thing that has ever happened to me, so far.
What’s the worst thing that has ever happened to you?
Let me ask you another question:
What’s the worst thing that is happening to you, right now?
Are you going through a trial?
Are you having a struggle, a difficulty, a problem?
What’s the worst thing that is happening to you, right now?
And how are you responding to it?
I remember driving through the pouring rain on that wretched night in April 1999, and being confronted with a decision: How would I respond to God in this trial?
How would Heather and I cope?
What would Heather and I choose to think, to feel, to believe if our worst nightmare had come true? And it had.
Would we turn away from God–the very God that had called us into pastoral ministry?
Or would we trust Him?
The Bible teaches that Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
Let’s read verses 6 and 7 again.
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.Peter knows that these Christians he is writing to are struggling.
He’s written this little letter to encourage them in their sufferings. And that’s why he begins with the gospel. He talks about God’s mercy, and a new birth, and living hope because of the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. And he talks about an inheritance that never be taken away and a total salvation that is on the way.
That why he says, that these Christians greatly rejoice:
“In this you greatly rejoice,” that is, in this great gospel of salvation, you rejoice.
But right now, there is trouble.
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”
Peter knows that the Christian life is a life of painful joy.
We live in a world that is still under a curse.
There is a better day coming, but it is not yet here.
God has broken into this broken world with His Son and has broken the curse, but its effects remain.
So now, for a little while, we have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
All kinds.
For these Christians, it was persecution. Today is the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church.
They were experiencing it, firsthand.
But it says, “all kinds” not just persecution.
This includes losing a daughter.
It includes cancer or heart trouble.
It includes divorce and family discord.
It includes losing a job or being robbed.
All kinds of trouble.
I look around this room, and I know a lot of the trials that you have faced or are facing right now.
Peter says that it will be just for a “little while,” but that little while could last 70 or 80 years! That’s not a long time compared with eternity!
Even though Real Christians Believe the Real Gospel and REJOICE IN IT, Real Christians also have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
But even so, they trust God.
Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
Fake ones don’t! When the going gets rough, the fake Christians lose heart.
But Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
I see 3 major reasons, in verse 7, why Real Christians Trust God when times are tough. Let me point them out to you.
#1. Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR OUR PAIN. V.7
“These [painful trials] have come so that....” Wait a second, stop there.
These are two of the most important words in this verse: SO THAT.
Why does he say, “So that?”
You only use the words “So That” when there is a purpose hiding somewhere in the sentence.
“I knocked on the door SO THAT she would open it.”
“I stole 2nd base SO THAT we just might win this one.”
“Teachers grade on the curve SO THAT some of the students can get a better grade.”
“Pastor Matt yells SO THAT everyone can hear him.”
Peter knows that there is PURPOSE, a PLAN, for our PAIN. Trials come for a reason! We don’t always know the reason. But we know that God has one.
God never wastes pain. He has a plan for it. There is a “so that” for every trial you have ever faced. Every one (if you are a Christian)! Even the ones that you can’t figure out yet.
There is a SO THAT, a plan, for our pain.
Many people don’t believe that. They think that God (if He exists) is just making things up as He goes along. And that maybe He isn’t strong enough (or heaven forbid!) good enough to keep bad things from happening to His children.
But that’s the not what the Bible says.
The Bible says that there is a plan for our pain.
God will use it to do what seems best to Him. And I can trust Him for that.
We don’t always know what the plan is for our pain.
One thing the Bible says is that we sometimes suffer so that we can offer comfort to others that are going to suffer in the same way.
You’ve experienced that, haven’t you? You went through something hard, and you didn’t know why, but then you met someone who had the exact same problem, and you could help them.
Another biblical reason is to provide a testimony to unbelievers.
When the world sees how we respond to our trials, they have to sit up and take notice.
Peter says in chapter 3 that we should be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us. When they see us suffering, and we don’t fall apart, they have to wonder where we get our hope.
I remember 6 and half years ago when Keith and Pennie lost their house in a fire, how they had a number of people ask them how they coped with it so well.
And they will them about the Lord and how He has a plan for their pain.
It blew some people away. And it was a great opening to share the Lord with others.
We don’t always know what God’s plan is. For some of our suffering, we may have to wait for heaven to find out the whys and the wherefores.
But God’s says, “So That.” There is a purpose. There is a plan. And we can trust Him.
#2. Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD PROVES OUR FAITH THROUGH FIRE.
“These [trials] have come SO THAT your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine...” Let’s stop there now.
One of God’s chief purposes of suffering in our lives is to refine us with something hot and hard so that we are shown to be genuine or [our word for this Fall] “real”–faith proved through fire.
God judges our faith to be a lot like gold but much more valuable. Gold, if fired in a furnace, can be refined to be costly, perfect pure gold. The more you heat it, the better it becomes. But even gold will perish in the end. So our faith is of greater worth than gold.
And like the gold, God brings fire (trials, pain, suffering, heart-ache, fire) into our lives to refine our faith. Did you ever think about that as we sing that song, “Refiner’s Fire?” We are basically asking God to bring us trials! Or at least, to use our inevitable trials to make us holy–“set apart for You, Lord–ready to do your will.”
If you want to know if something is real–you put it through the test. And if it comes out shining like gold–[guess what?]–it’s gold. If it doesn’t, you have something else on your hands.
And God does that to us. He lets the fire burn and the dross rises to the surface for Him to scrape off. And little by little, He perfects us. But only if we are Real. If we aren’t real, the fire just burns us up until there is nothing really there.
If you are fake, you completely fall apart and fall away in times of trial.
“Where is God now?” is your unbending, unbelieving question if you are fake.
If you are Real, your answer to that is “God is right here. And God is calling me to trust Him and to show with my words and actions and attitudes in this trial that I REALLY do believe that He exists and that He rewards those who come to Him. He is trying me by fire to show Himself and to show THE WORLD that I am real.”
When we respond in faith, we are shown to be real, AND we are made even more real. Our faith is purified–we are made holy, complete, lacking in nothing.
In fact, we begin to look like Jesus Christ.
You’ve probably heard how a refiner of precious metals can tell if the metal he is working with is being purified. Every time he heats up the metal, and the dross bubbles to the surface, and then he scraps off the dross–the refiner looks into the metal to see if he can see his own image. When he looks into the metal, and he can clearly see his own face–his work is done.
If you are real, your trials, your pain, your suffering, your heart-ache–the evil that comes your way–is God’s fire to refine you into the image of Christ.
So you can trust Him! Trials really hurt, but when you come out of the fire, your faith is proved genuine and your character looks like Christ’s.
And more than that, you experience a deeper fellowship with Christ when you trust Him through a trial. Paul calls it “the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings.”
I’m not sure I really know what that means, but it sounds worth it to me!
Real Christians know that God proves our faith through fire.
Are you trusting Him with that “worst thing” that is happening to you right now?
“When Through Fiery Trials Thy Pathway Shall Lie
My Grace, All Sufficient Shall Be Thy Supply
The Flame Cannot Hurt Thee, I Only Design
Thy Dross to Consume And They Gold to Refine.” (How Firm a Foundation v.3)
And #3. (and last) Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trials BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT GOD WILL BE HONORED BY OUR HOPE IN HIM.
V.7 again. “These [trials] have come so that your faith...may be proved genuine and may result [there is a final purpose for this pain! May result] in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed!”
One day soon it will all be over!
And for those who trusted, God will say, “Well, done good and faithful servant! Well done, Real Christian,” and you will feel the pleasure of the Master wash over you in waves of endless grace and enjoy sharing and experiencing the praise, glory, and honor of the Lord.
And Jesus Christ will receive that praise, glory and honor! It is His work in you–His death, His resurrection, His Holy Spirit, His refining purposes, His New Birth, His Living Hope placed in your heart. Jesus Christ will receive honor as you hope in him through your trials.
If your faith is real–on that glorious (almost indescribable) day in the future when (v.7), “Jesus Christ is revealed” GLORY, AND HONOR AND PRAISE will rain down upon Jesus forever because of the reality of your faith and hope in Him.
And that, my friends, is worth the trial!
So a Real Christian can say, “It is worth it! I don’t understand why I have to hurt like this. But God has a plan, and God is refining me by it, and God will get the glory if I trust Him through it!”
Paul says, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18)!!!
What a day that will be!
Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial Because They Are Living for THAT DAY.
They know that God will get the glory for their hope in Him and Him alone.
And they will get to enjoy that glory forever!
And that makes it all worth it.
That worst thing that has ever happened to you? Worth it! Not even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in you.
That worst thing that you are going through right now? Worth it.
Not even worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in you!
Eight and half years ago, my wife and I chose to trust God with the death of our first child.
We named her, Charis, which means “Grace” in Greek because we looked upon her life and even her death as God’s grace to us.
That God had plan for our pain.
Both to comfort others and to give a testimony to others.
But also a plan to deepen our faith.
That God was proving our faith through fire. And making us more Real. More conformed to the Image of His Son.
We realized that if Jesus suffered, then why should we think that we would be exempt?
We trusted that God will be honored by our hoping in Him.
And that our loss was not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us when Jesus Christ is revealed.
Are you a Real Christian?
Are you trusting Him?
If you are not yet a Real Christian, I challenge you and invite you right now to put your trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and the hope of His glory.
If you are not yet a Real Christian, then all of what I’ve said does not apply to you.
Your suffering does not necessarily a part of a divine plan for your good.
Your suffering will not show you to be real or make you more real.
Your suffering will never end in glory if you are not a Real Christian.
Your suffering will never end!
Jesus suffered the penalty for sin so that believers will not have to.
Put your trust in Him today.
Tell Him that you need Him and that you want to know Him as Savior and Lord.
And He will begin to bear your burdens for you. Not so that you won’t suffer, but tso that you won’t be crushed under them.
And He will come to get you. When He is revealed, you will enjoy His glory.
Praise, Glory, and Honor forever!
Real Christians, let’s trust Him!
Whatever you’re going through right now. Trust Him with it.
Don’t turn your back on Him.
Don’t cut out your prayer times.
Don’t give up on God.
Don’t give in to complaining.
Don’t seek comfort in all the wrong places.
Trust in God in your time of trial.
Later in this letter, Peter writes, “So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good...”
Real Christians Trust God in Times of Trial.
