Monday, October 21, 2013

The Christian Atheist, part 6

This is the final sermon in our series, the Christian Atheist. Yesterday was an awesome day on the Ridge, you really should come check us out. Sunday at 11 :) Enjoy the sermon.


The Christian Atheist, part 6
When you believe in God but don’t want to go overboard
Sunday, October 20th, 2013- MRWC

 

            We are concluding our 6 part series today called the Christian Atheist.

            As this series has progressed, we’ve learnt that a Christian Atheist is someone who believes in God, but lives as if He doesn’t exist. It may sound like an oxymoron, but unfortunately it’s true.

            Many people believe in God; they believe that He is all powerful and all knowing, but they also live as if He doesn’t exist.

            Oswald Chambers once said: “Beware of worshipping Jesus as the Son of God, and professing your faith in Him as the Savior of the world, while you blaspheme Him by the complete evidence in your daily life that He is powerless to do anything in and through you.” (Christianity today, Vol. 37, no.11)

            Chambers was telling us not to be Christian Atheists. He was reminding us to live in such a way that Christ is honored at all times in our lives.

            God isn’t looking for people who know about Him—as I know about Third day; surface level—God is looking for people who are fully devoted followers and are willing to be led by the Holy Spirit.

            I hope that this series has caused you examine your walk with the Lord and helped you determine if you are a Christian; someone who believes in God and lives has if He exists, or this series has revealed to you that you are a Christian Atheist: someone who believes in God but lives as if He doesn’t exist.

            Please know that you don’t have to be a Christian Atheist for the rest of your life.

        If you make it your heart’s desire to seek after God, and allow Him to transform you, He will be found by you:

God said in Jeremiah 29 that: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13, NIV)

If we are serious about becoming a fully devoted follower of Christ; of believing in God and living as if He does exist, it will involve us turning to God with all our heart and trusting in Him alone.

The last lesson in this series is, like the 5 before it, an interesting one.

A Christian Atheist is someone who believes in God but doesn’t want to go overboard.

If you have a Bible with you, I would like to have you turn to Revelation chapter 3, we will begin reading in verse 14.

This is the 7th church that received a message from Jesus, and it’s an interesting one.

Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation:” (Rev. 3:14, NLT2)

I want to stop here and describe the kind of place Laodicea was, as I believe it will provide important context as to what Jesus had to say to this body of believers.

Laodicea was located in modern day Turkey and in bible times it was an important city, by important I mean wealthy.

One of its claims to fame was glossy black wool which was used to make black coats and carpets.

Laodicea was also the home to a medical school and manufactured ointment for eyes and some scholars even believe they also produced ear ointments.

People were able to see better and hear better because of the medical advancements from Laodicea.

As I mentioned, Laodicea was a wealthy city that benefited from being in the middle of a trade route, and after an earthquake ravaged the city in AD 60, they were able to completely rebuild without help from Rome, which was quite an accomplishment and a testament to their affluence.

Even with all of its advancements, water was scarce in Laodicea.

It had to be piped in from 10 kilometers away and when hot water left for Laodicea, it often arrived lukewarm, making it bad-smelling and awful tasting.

Jesus had a specific message for the body of believers in the Laodicean church: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

17 You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.

18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.” (Rev. 3:15-19, NIV)

I’ll have you notice a few things that stand out from this passage, the first being: The people thought they had it all!

The people in Laodicea were relying on what they had to keep them, instead of relying on God.

They put their trust in their material possessions, and in so doing, it handicapped their spiritual lives.

They relied on what made them happy instead of relying on the One who could make them Holy.

They were Christian Atheists: they believed in God, but didn’t want to go overboard.

Life was good for them, they had all they needed! They had acquired great wealth! They had a form of godliness, but they denied its power.

Jesus had a message for these Christian Atheists; to the ones who thought they had it all He said: You’re poor! 

Look at verse 17: “You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realize that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.” (Rev. 3:17, NLT2)

These Christians thought they had it all, but according to Jesus, they had nothing.

I wonder if we can be that blind. I wonder if we, who have just as much as the Laodicean’s had, can be guilty of thinking that we have all that we need.

We have money in the bank, we have health care, we have, we have, we have; but next to Jesus, we actually have nothing that really matters.

These folks placed greater emphasis on what they had and what they could acquire than WHO they needed—Jesus Himself.

Even though they had all they thought they needed, Jesus still said to them: “I advise you to buy gold from me—gold that has been purified by fire.Then you will be rich.

Also buy white garments from me so you will not be shamed by your nakedness, and ointment for your eyes so you will be able to see.” (Rev. 3:18, NLT2)

Jesus was inviting the Laodicean’s to return to Him and receive what truly mattered: Life with the King of Kings.

What these folks had was an empty relationship with God, they believed in Him, but they lived as if He didn’t exist.

They believed in God, but they didn’t want to go overboard in their faith with God and because of this, I’ll have you notice The Warning- which is found in verses 15-16:

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!

16 So, because you are lukewarm-- neither hot nor cold-- I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16, NIV)

Because the Laodicean’s believed in God, but didn’t want to go overboard, God was going to—literally vomit them out of His mouth.

God didn’t want them trusting in what they could manufacture, God wanted them trusting in Jesus.

This church had trusted in what their hands could produce; they trusted in their wealth, they trusted in their medical improvements, more than they trusted in God.

They believed in God, but they didn’t want to go overboard.

They wanted enough of God to get them into heaven and keep them out of hell, but they didn’t want enough of God to be transformed.

Because this was the case, God was going to vomit them out of His mouth.

I don’t know of a clearer picture of how God wants us to live—either boiling hot, or freezing cold. God does not have an appetite for middle of the road Christianity.

You see dear friend, God doesn’t want part-time followers.

He doesn’t want people who pick and choose when to follow Him, He doesn't want people who read the Bible once in a while, nor does God want people who pray only when they are in a mess.

God wants fully devoted followers of Christ; people who are willing to place their trust in Him.

The apostle Paul said: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20, NIV)

Paul no longer lived for himself, and the life that he did live was for Jesus who gave His all for him.

Paul jumped in head first and gave his all for the cause of Christ.

How about you?  How about me? Are we like the folks in the church of Laodicea, having just enough of Christ to save us but not enough of Him to transform us?

Or do we identify with Paul who said I’m all in with Jesus, what happens to me happens to Jesus because we are one in the same?

Are you giving your all to Jesus?

Maybe I can illustrate it with this video:


            God is not looking for lukewarm Christians, people who only follow Him when it’s convenient or easy.

        God is looking for people who are willing to dive in head first, people who are willing to put Him first above everything else. God wants you to give Him the stool…

            Dr. Charles Stanley said that: “If your relationship with the Savior is tepid, your Christian experience will be lack luster, impotent and uncompelling to a world awash with mediocrity….

But…you can find a new passion for God and fulfilment in His service if you desire.” (Stanley, 2002, 152)

This new passion for God begins as we give Him complete access to the stool.

In Revelation 3:20 Jesus said: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”(NIV)

ILLUSTRATION- I have a ceramic depiction of this verse on a shelf in my office.

            Upon closer inspection, you will notice that there is no doorknob on the outside of the door that Jesus is knocking at.

This leads me to believe that the doorknob is on the inside…

            So is it with our lives.

            Jesus will not open the door of our lives; this is something that only we can do.

        So the question that I want us to consider this morning is: Are you going to give Jesus the stool?

         Doing so represents your willingness to open the door of your heart and let Jesus come in and fellowship with you.

            Giving the stool of your life over to Jesus is your choice; it’s not something anyone else can do for you, you must decide if you will believe in God and live as if He exists.

        Only you can chose to give Jesus your all.

            So as we prepare to enter into a time of reflection, I’m going to ask those who want to go all in for Jesus, to stand and make your way to the front.

            By doing so, you are telling Jesus that He can have His way with you. You will allow Him to make the decisions; you will open the door of your heart and give Him the stool.

            If you are unsure if you want to make this step, I want you to know that no one will judge you for not coming to the front.

I would ask however, that you spend that time in prayer asking Jesus to help you come to the place where you can give Him the stool of your life.

            So the choice is up to you, will you open the door of your heart and allow Jesus to have all of you? Or will you remain a Christian Atheist?

            If you want to give Jesus the stool of your life, then I invite you to come as we stand and sing this song.

 

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

The Christian Atheist, Part 3

Here is week three of our current sermon series. I pray it speaks to you as it did me.


The Christian Atheist, part 3
When you believe in God but aren’t sure He loves you
Sunday, September 29th, 2013-MRWC

 

Show video- “God loves you”

 

ILLUSTRATION- Remember this song… “Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so, little ones to Him belong, they are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so.

            Many of us learnt this song when we were very small; probably in our Sunday school classes. It underscores and highlights a very important truth: Jesus loves us!

            Christian Atheists have a hard time with this truth. Christian Atheists believe that God loves people; but they don’t believe God could ever love them.  

            Christian Atheists struggle with knowing the love of God personally:

Ø How could God love someone who worries all of the time?

Ø How could God love someone who swears all the time?

Ø How could God love someone who steals, lies, gossips and hates other people?

Ø How could God love someone who looks at porn, or love someone who drinks too much…

Christian atheists struggle with the Love of God; more specifically does God truly love them.

I would like to suggest to you 2 examples that demonstrate God’s love for us, but before I do that, I want to give you our key scripture verse and our key thought. Both of these truths will hold our message together.

The key scripture verse comes from 1 John 4:16b, and it says: “God is love” (NIV84)

Notice what John didn’t say. He didn’t say God does love; although God does love.

John didn’t say that God has love, although God certainly has love.

John is very clear to tell us that God is love. It’s who He is; He is Love. It’s what makes Him God: God is love.

Go ahead and write this down: “Love isn’t just what God does; love is who God is.

Now look at 1 John 4 starting at verse 8: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” (8-10, NIV84)

Because God is love, He sent His one and Only Son to this earth to die the death that we were supposed to die, and His love makes it possible for all people- especially Christian Atheists—to know this God who is love.

When we were unable to love, He first loved us, because God is love.

There is nothing that you can do to make God love you anymore than He does at this moment, nor is there anything that you can do that will make God love you less than He currently does.

God is love. It’s who He is and what He does.

Christian Atheists need to understand that God loves them, not because of who they are, or what they have done--or what they haven’t done--but because He is love.

This is how God can love us when we think we are unlovable, because He is Love!

Let me share with you one more Scripture verse that will hopefully reinforce this truth. Paul wrote in Romans 5 that:

“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” (Romans 5:6-8, NLT2)

God demonstrated His love for the 7.13 billion people in the world by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us. He did so, because God is love.

Dear friends, let’s remember our key verse: “God is love” (1 John 4:16b, NIV84) and our key thought: “Love isn’t just what God does; love is who God is.

If we grab hold of both of these truths, they have the power to change our lives!

Because God is love, we are on the receiving end of at least 2 benefits, the first being: God’s love covers our sins

1 Peter 4:8 says: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” (NIV84)

When we surrender our lives into the hands of God and ask Him to forgive us of our sins, He does something incredible: He removes them from us.

He removes them, as David wrote in Psalm 103: “as far as the east is from the west...” (103:12, NIV84)

God is love and because He loves us He has removed our sins from us, so that they will never be seen again.

God doesn’t bring up our sins when we mess up, nor does God haunt us with memories of our sin; when we come to Him with a truly repentant heart, He takes our sins and removes them from us, never to be seen again.

God’s love covers/cancels/blots out our transgressions and even though we’ve done countless things wrong; He still loves us and His love makes it possible for us to come to Jesus Christ and fix the relationship that is broken because of sin.

John reminded us that: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9, NIV84)

God is love and because love is who He is, He will cover—not overlook—but cover your sins with the blood of Jesus.

Have you asked God to cover your sins with the blood of Jesus? If you have then regardless of what you think, you’re forgiven!

Jesus said: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36, NIV84)

If you’ve asked Jesus to cleanse your heart from sin, He has forgiven you, and nothing you could ever think can ever change this truth.

If you’ve never asked Jesus to cleanse your heart from sin, He is waiting to forgive you. Nothing you could ever think can ever change that truth!

Not only does God’s love cover our sins, but God’s love makes us feel significant!

Life has trained many of us to think of love as temporary and conditional.

ILLUSTRATION- It’s like the story of a young girl who gave her boyfriend a picture of herself in a frame.

On the back of her picture, she wrote him a short note: “I love you more than life itself. I am yours forever. Love always, Ashley.”

Her unconditional commitment contained this postscript at the bottom: “P.S. if we ever break up, I want this picture back. It’s the only one I have.” (Groeschel, 2010, 69-70)

God’s love is not temporary nor is it conditional. God’s love is permanent and unchanging.

Jeremiah 31:3 describes it in this way: “Long ago the Lord said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” (NLT2)

“While others may love you today and abandon you tomorrow, God’s love never changes. And because of that you will always be a valuable and significant individual.” (ibid)

Paul asks a question in Romans 8:35: “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?” (Romans 8:35, NLT2)

Without giving us time to answer this question, he goes on to say: “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.

39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:37-39, NLT2)

There is nothing that could ever happen to you that would make God stop loving you.

He is madly in love with you and to prove how much He loves you, He sent Jesus to find, redeem and bring you back to God.

The book of Titus reminds us that God: saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:5, NLT2)

God says that you are significant! You are dearly loved! You are prized among all that He has created and He is your Father and you are His child and He loves you with an everlasting love.

So, how could God love a sinner such as I? Let me illustrate it in this way

ILLUSTRATION- I have a drawer in my office that holds things that are dear to my heart.

            In this drawer, I have pictures that my children have colored, cards they handcrafted for me and stories they’ve written.

            They gave these things to me, because they love me.

            What’s also in the drawer in my office are letters… letters from Elizabeth Brown.

            These were the letters that Elizabeth wrote to me when we first started dating, and they are letters that she wrote to me when I was working in Norton and she was in Woodstock, and they are letters that she wrote to me when we were engaged to be married.

            Each letter reveals a common tread. This woman is madly in love with me, her Mega Man!

            Whenever I’m having a bad day, all I need to do is open this bottom drawer and look at and read the love letters that my daughters—and my wife—have written me.

            In God’s love letter to us, He reminds us that He is Love. He reminds us that His love covers a multitude of sins, and His love makes us feel significant.

            Love isn’t just what God does; love is who God is.

            It’s my prayer today that we would understand that God is love, and no matter what we’ve done, He loves us more than we can ever know.

        This same love compells us to leave our life of sin and follow after Him.

ILLUSTRATION- John 3:16 is probably one of, if not the most famous verse in the world.

       There was a time that if you attended a sporting event, you would see someone in the crowd holding up a “John 3:16” sign…

It’s a very powerful verse, and it says: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (NIV84)

Some of us have memorized this verse and we can recite it backwards and in our sleep.

What I would like for us to do, especially the Christian Atheists among us is to replace the words: “the world” with our name…

It looks something like this: “For God so loved NICK that he gave his one and only Son, that when NICK believes in him, NICK shall not perish but have eternal life.”

For God so loved MIKE that he gave his one and only Son, that when MIKE believes in him, MIKE shall not perish but have eternal life.”

I want to encourage all of us to take a second this afternoon, or on Wednesday morning, to practice this word replacement therapy. It will remind us of the Love God has for us.

As we allow the truth of God’s word to sink into our lives, we will be changed by the God who is love.

As the band comes back to lead us in our last song, I pray that we would let the truth of this song remind us of God’s love for us, because Love isn’t just what God does; love is who God is.

If you’ve never received the Love of God, I would love to talk to you about this love and how it can change your entire world.

If you struggle with knowing whether God loves you and you would like to come up and have someone pray with you, please feel the freedom to come and pray.

Love isn’t just what God does; love is who God is.