Eternity Is Now In Session - Purgation Series

we are in the third week of a series called “eternity is now in session.” Essentially worth talking about the fact that eternal life doesn’t begin “out there” when we get to heaven, it begins now in God’s purpose is to get heaven into us.

It starts with following him. Leaving behind all other idols, all other Masters and following him alone.

Last week Eric talked about how we have these awakenings in our life when we suddenly see things differently.

Today I want to talk to you about an old familiar saying; God loves you just as you are but he loves you too much to let you stay that way!

We’re going to tackle word this morning and then in our small groups tonight, the word is “purgation.” Purgation means that God is going to ruthlessly go after the things in your life that are keeping you back.

We start with this story when Peter is called by Jesus to follow him.

Luke 5:1 On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret, 2 and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. 3 Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat. 4 And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” 6 And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. 7 They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” 9 For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men.” 11 And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.

That wouldn’t be the last time Peter became undone and knelt before Jesus. There would be the time when Jesus told Peter that he was going to be put to death and Peter aggressively responded, “that will never happen to you.” Jesus then said, “get behind me Satan, those are the words and the thinking of men…” And then there would be the time when Peter was walking on the water and took his eyes off of Jesus and plunged beneath the waves while crying out to Jesus to help him. And there would be the times that Jesus would tell him he had little faith. And of course there would be the time that Peter, right before the crucifixion, denied that he even knew who Jesus was three times in a row. Later peters racist views had to be dealt with when he questioned whether God’s power could save a Gentile.

It seems that Peter was full of defects… And guess what… So my and so are you - we have a lifetime full of them.

Peter needed purging or purgation.

Purgation. It is the removal of sinful actions or sinful thinking from our system. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”

There was something in Peter that needed fixing.

There was something in Peter that wasn’t pleasing to God.

There was something in Peter that if, it was allowed to exist, would cause him to become the wrong person.

There was something in Peter that Jesus had to shine his light on in order for Peter to be set free from it.

There was something in Peter that was clogging up the works.

What is it that’s in Peter? What is it that is in us? “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” It is called sin. And when sin is exposed in our life it always hurts. It’s always embarrassing. It always causes shame. And we don’t like it.

We don’t like getting exposed. We don’t like getting exposed. It’s why men don’t go to the doctor are always afraid that something is going to be found. And we live in a world where media types love to dig around and expose a politician or a celebrity. I bet you expose the sin in my kids lives before and they can get ugly. But the worst is when I get exposed!