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"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

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Doubts. Luke 7:19

November 18, 2018 /

 “John called two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are You the Expected One (the Messiah), or should we look for someone else?”

 

Nothing was turning out as John the Baptist had hoped. He had some questions…

He has been imprisoned by Herod Antipas. Roman reign is still as exacting as August’s humidity despite all the good that this Jesus was doing. And, more, Jesus—his relative, the one he once pointed towards and declared to be, “the Lamb of God” has yet to deliver their people from their enemies. How could this mild man who instructs all those who follow him to, “love their enemies” be their long-awaited Messiah? He is no David. No mighty warrior. And where is his army? How does he plan on crushing Rome and freeing his people?

John’s discouragement has blinded him to the Truth he’s recognized since he was in his mother’s womb. A Truth that had wooed him into the Judean wilderness then, inescapably, to the banks of the murky waters of the Jordan where he’d baptize his people—and Jesus.

He has done everything he knows to do and yet nothing has changed…

Have you ever felt like that?

Have you ever waited and waited for Jesus to move in a specific way in your life; all-the-while nothing is happening the way you expected it would? You place check mark after check mark on your proverbial calendar—marking the passing of days so similar that if not for the big red checks next to each—you wouldn’t be able to distinguish one from the other. Vanilla days that run into vanilla nights—day after day after day. Rather than moving forward, you feel as though you’ve gone backward! Your feelings of discouragement—disillusionment, and frustration are as near to you as the air of your next breath. Take heart beloved, you’re in good company…

This man John was exactly that—a mere man. Fragile. Sinful. One minute on fire the next wrestling with his doubts. We forget that. After all, he was John the Baptist. Yet, his deep questioning, his wresting with his faith reveals a certain fragile humanity to us. This same one who would later humbly confess that he wasn’t even worthy to untie the straps of Jesus’ sandals though a prophet, and Jesus’ forerunner, was nonetheless a man like you and me. Though he avowed that he must decrease that Jesus may increase—nevertheless, he was a man. Bold in his doubt. He too had the same sinful predispositions as you and I. He faced the same temptations. He too lost patience, and he, like us, acted inappropriately at times also. Yet, this reverential mere-man is the one to whom the honor of recognizing Jesus as Messiah was given!

“But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being  might boast in the presence of God” 1 Corinthians 1:27-29.

Yet despite all of this, John had momentarily lost sight of who this Jesus truly is. Something that’s easier to do than we’d care to admit. It is for me at least. If I take my eyes off Him for too long, wham, I’m underwater! We who follow and serve our Lord often have the propensity to take ourselves a bit too seriously…

In reading Luke’s biblical account, it’s obvious Johns disciples had told him all about Jesus having healed a Roman Centurions valued slave, saving him from near death. And, then, how He did in fact raise a widow’s dead son back to life in the village of Nain. Add this knowledge—these miracles, to everything else John had seen and heard tell of Jesus and one must wonder if Johns question wasn’t meant to force Jesus into declaring publicly what John himself believed, yet wanted assurance of; is Jesus Israel’s Messiah? John appears to have lost sight momentary, of this sure knowledge, a fixed Truth he had openly professed not so long ago… “Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One” –John 1:32-34.

John had openly testified that this Jesus he’d baptized—this same one he’d declared to be the Lamb of God is in fact, God’s Chosen One. Israel’s Messiah. Yet, even in his knowing, disillusionment had momentarily stolen this truth from him. Sound familiar? Have you, like John, become so disillusioned with how Jesus has chosen to move in your life or circumstances, or, in the events of the world in which we live, that you’re trying to force Jesus’ hand? Are you trying to spur Jesus along too, challenging Him to “show Himself? Are you trying to force Him to move as you think He should? Expected He would?

Johns provocative question concerning Jesus’ being Israels Messiah is in essence saying, “if you don’t do things the way I believe they should be done, then I think I may have to start looking toward someone else, following after another.”  Things just weren’t lining up for John. Jesus was not acting anything like what John anticipated a warring deliver should. From the onset of his ministry he’d been proclaiming Jesus would come in judgement of the world—bringing fire with Him. Yet this Jesus spoke mostly of forgiveness and love. John didn’t realize that this judgement would in fact come later on–at Jesus’ Second Coming. For now, Jesus was here to offer the world salvation. John had quickly forgotten the prophecies of the Old Testament. He’d forgotten Jesus couldn’t announce Himself as their Messiah. Only the Spirit of God could make that pronouncement —not flesh and blood. Jesus’ works and Words would do the testifying as to who He was. These would be His proofs… “If I am not doing the works of My Father, then do not believe Me. But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works themselves, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I am in the Father” — John 10:37-38.

We must remember that, as it was with John so too it is with you and I…

The most devout among us is a mere man. And, at any moment we will fall to our fears and doubts if we aren’t watchful. We mustn’t allow ourselves to become blinded by what we know to be right or true.  Rather, we must keep our eyes fixed on the One with whom God declared He was well pleased. Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith. When we, like John, allow ourselves to become disillusioned and disappointed, blinded to the Truth of who Jesus is—and who we are in Him, when we confuse feelings, and opinions  with faith, and, it will happen somewhere in our walk with Him, then we too will question His Truth living inside of us. On that day may He have the same great mercy and compassion He showed towards John on us—on me.  May God always send us a messenger, One who will re-mind us of all that He has done in our lives. “So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor” –Luke 7:22.

In plain speak, “Johns been momentarily blinded. Go, remind him of what He already knows.  And, remind Him too of the blessing that comes to those who are faithful until the end—despite their challenges, disappointments, and set-backs.”

“Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me” –Luke 7:23.

I have been sent today to remind you beloved brothers and sisters of what it is you already know. Trust Gods ways and His timing. They don’t have to make sense to you. You are Gods chosen. He has not forgotten you. He sees you and is on His way. Hang on just a little longer. You’re not forgotten. Gods got you! Look up, look up, your time is at hand…

And friend, if you’re here today and have yet to ask Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior, then I’m believing that today is day God has ordained for that to happen! Won’t you ask Jesus to come into your life as Lord and Savior? Confess your need for Him; your sins to him. He is faithful and waiting for you…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Crushed” Luke 14:33

October 29, 2017 /

 “So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple.”

Before we jump in to this week’s message, my prayer for you, for me, is this:

That we will give our will’s, our want’s, what may seem ‘right’—sound right to us, over to the will and calling of Jesus. That we will trust Him above all else. Putting to death all the internal chatter that clamors for answers to the life-robbing, peace stealing, ‘why’s’. May the exhale of our every breath be, Thy Will be done. Whether we understand it—or not. Whether it makes sense—or not. Even if we must say yes with wobbly knees and a trembling voice—yes. We say yes. I say yes, to His will, His way, and, yes to His Divine timing… Amen and Amen.

Following Jesus will cost you. A price must be paid—a sacrifice given.  And there is no one in all of Scripture who knew this principle of cost better than Jesus Himself…

He paid the ultimate price for obeying the Will of The Father. Yet He tells us that to do His will—God’s will, is why He came at all. In other words, He specifically came to pay God’s required price. Jesus, while having one of His infamous conversations with the Jews, said it like this: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does” (John 5:19). And if the teacher—the One we, as Christians, follow, profess, came to do the will of God—how much more His students? Who are we to feel that because we are followers of Jesus, we’re exempt?That it—our lives, should go off without a hitch?

Unlike Jesus, God may never ask you and me to give up our lives—at least not physically speaking that is.

Yet we are asked to give them up, our lives—to give them back,as a love offering. In faith believing that the One who gave them to us knows far better than we ever could just what to do with them. He knows the ‘when’, and the ‘how to’s’ of us—His plan for us, the purpose, destiny, we were brought into this life to fulfill. And so, He asks us to trust Him completely—to surrender, in faith, to His will and this plan He has for us. Listen to how God said it while talking to the Prophet Jeremiah: “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome” (Jeremiah 29:11). We forget—I forget, that we are not here, were not created to just, ‘hang-out’ on planet earth, feet up, feel’n good. Doing as we please, when we please, for as long as we please. One glimpse of where that thinking got Nebuchadnezzar should dispel any desire for that life (Daniel 4:1-33)!

No!

Just as Jesus was not sent, didn’t come into this world to do His own thing—act on His will, on His desires, rather, to do the will of the One that sent Him—The Father. So too it is with us, if we are connected to Him. “In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (John 14:20).

The moment you said—I said, we, collectively said yes to God’s call on our lives, yes to His loving offer to return Home to Him—back into a restored relationship with Him, we in fact released our will’s, our plan’s, desire’s, dream’s, destiny’s, children, spouse’s, ministry’s, mother’s, father’s—our very lives, into His Hands that He might fulfill in us His desires for the advancement of His Kingdom through us. “Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever” (Hebrews 13:20-21; emphasis my own).

Even when we feel as though, like Jesus apparently did in Gethsemane, that what is being asked of us is more than we can handle—can bear, survive under the weight of, like Him also, we must come to the place of complete surrender. And we must do it repeatedly. Even if it kills us… “And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to show grief and distress of mind and was deeply depressed. Then He said to them, My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me. And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire. And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, What! Are you so utterly unable to stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour? All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. Again a second time He went away and prayed, My Father, if this cannot pass by unless I drink it, Your will be done. And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed down with sleep. So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, using the same words” (Matthew 26:37-44).

Gethsemane is a place where a seed, a hope, a ministry, a man, hits the ground as one thing and leaves as another. It’s simply the nature of the place…

It’s a place of extraction, of refinement. People become, things become, a purer version of themselves— after having their life blood separated from their husk’s. Gethsemane is a place of crushing. A place where the last ounce of our humanity—His humanity, was extracted, so that only the Divine, The Pure Will of the Father, may remain. There is a cost to following Jesus. It may very well kill you— actually, it’s meant to. Over, and over, and over again. Until, as with Jesus, the last drop of your humanity is extracted—and all that’s left of you is the shining, Pure Image of Jesus pointing all who witness it, back to The Father. “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:15-16).

There is a cost to following Jesus—always has been, always will be. Love costs us something. Jesus knew that better than anyone…

So, the question is not, is there a cost? The real question is, if asked, are you willing to pay it? “But Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a seed; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life… (John 12:24-25).

Are you willing to endure the crushing that takes place in Gethsemane so that what is most precious in you may be brought out of you for the glory of God? “So that [the genuineness] of your faith may be tested, [your faith] which is infinitely more precious than the perishable gold which is tested and purified by fire. [This proving of your faith is intended] to redound to [your] praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:7).

The pressing, His pressing, isn’t intended, was never meant to harm you. It has always been intended as a reward for those who, by faith, trust in the exacting process, painful as it may be. Following Jesus will always cost you. But oh what a gain! “But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him [out]” (Hebrews 11:16).

 If God is knocking on the door of your heart, won’t you say yes to Him now—even if it hurts? 

“Yet now has [Christ, the Messiah] reconciled [you to God] in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and faultless and irreproachable in His [the Father’s] presence. [And this He will do] provided that you continue to stay with and in the faith [in Christ], well-grounded and settled and steadfast, not shifting or moving away from the hope [which rests on and is inspired by] the glad tidings (the Gospel), which you heard and which has been preached [as being designed for and offered without restrictions] to every person under heaven, and of which [Gospel] I, Paul, became a minister” (Colossians 1:22-23).

 

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