DESTINY #5: REDISCOVERING YOUR HEART SONG
(June 2010 – Beausejour Church – Pastor Chris Jordan)
OPENING STORY:
Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over. The problems began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean his cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. Then the phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said "Hello" when sssopp! Chippie got sucked in. The bird owner gasped, dropped the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie, still alive, but stunned.
Since the bird was covered with dust and dirt, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the cold running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do...she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air. Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.
A few days after the trauma, the reporter who had initially written about the event contacted Chippie’s owner to see how the bird was recovering. "Well," she replied, "Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore, he just sits and stares." It’s not hard to see why. Sucked in, washed up, and blown over...that’s enough to steal anybody’s song. (Max Lucado, In the Eye of the Storm).
INTRO TO TOPIC: How’s your heart song? Is there a bounce in your step, or a twinkle in your eyes? Are you full of joy unspeakable and full of glory, experiencing fullness of joy and rivers of pleasure? If not, then today’s message is for you. I want to talk to you about how you can rediscover your heart song. Because God wants you to sing!
TIME FOR A NEW SONG!
Some of you, the only song you’ve been singing is:
“Gloom, despair, and agony on me… deep, dark depression, excessive misery…
If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all… Gloom despair, and agony on me.”
• If that’s your song, it’s time to get set free in Jesus!
REVIEW WEEKS #1-4: Our Destiny Series in Ephesians.
• Chapters 1-3 (Destined to BE). Chapters 4-6 (Destined to DO).
• REVIEW LAST WEEK’S TEXT: “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called.” (Ephesians 4:1).
• 4:1-6 = UNITY; 4:7-16 = MATURITY; rest of chapter = PURITY.
OPENING TEXT: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16:11).
THE BIG IDEA: God’s destiny for every one of us includes great joy. We will experience this when we throw off the old nature, renew in our minds, and live a new life.
I. THROW OFF YOUR OLD NATURE:
“17 With the Lord’s authority let me say this: Live no longer as the ungodly do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their closed minds are full of darkness; they are far away from the life of God because they have shut their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They don’t care anymore about right and wrong, and they have given themselves over to immoral ways. Their lives are filled with all kinds of impurity and greed. 20 But that isn’t what you were taught when you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard all about him and have learned the truth that is in Jesus, 22 throw off your old evil nature and your former way of life, which is rotten through and through, full of lust and deception.” (Eph. 4:17-22, NLT).
• The ungodly have lost their heart song. Confused, dark minds, hard hearts, immoral lives.
• The ‘old nature’ that God wants us to throw off is a set of smelly old grave clothes!
• There’s no life in that life – it is death! Night of the living dead! Zombies walking!
• You don’t want that – a rotten, lust-filled, deceived life. That’s no life at all.
• John 10:10 – the old life leads to death and destruction, the new life = abundant!
II. CHANGE YOUR STINKIN’ THINKIN’!
“Instead, there must be a spiritual renewal of your thoughts and attitudes. You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness -- righteous, holy, and true.” (Eph. 4:23-24).
• QUOTE: “Sow a thought, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny.” But how do we renew our minds and change our thinking?
• “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Romans 12:2). We need to let the Word renew our minds.
• “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Abiding in Jesus means spending time with Him in prayer. We can’t do it in our own strength.
III. LIVE A NEW LIFE:
“24 You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness -- righteous, holy, and true. 25 So put away all falsehood and "tell your neighbor the truth" because we belong to each other. 26 And "don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you." Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.
• Why is it important to guard against anger? It gives the devil place in your life.
• Then he comes in with his one-two punch – temptation (gets you to sin) and accusation (condemns you for sinning). Then he steals your joy and your heart song!
28 If you are a thief, stop stealing. Begin using your hands for honest work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he is the one who has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.
• Another reason we want to live a new life is so we don’t grieve God’s Holy Spirit.
31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:24-32).
• When life is hard, you can choose to be bitter or get better, be a victim or a victor.
• The old life is bitterness and anger. The new life is joy and peace in Jesus!
LIVE THE NEW LIFE CONTINUED:
“1 Follow God’s example in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love for others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God was pleased, because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him.
• Why should we live the new life? To imitate God, and bring Him joy!
3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes -- these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world.
• Why should we live the new life? Because those trapped in the rotten old life won’t inherit the Kingdom of God!
6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the terrible anger of God comes upon all those who disobey him. 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do. 8 For though your hearts were once full of darkness, now you are full of light from the Lord, and your behavior should show it! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 10 Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, rebuke and expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But when the light shines on them, it becomes clear how evil these things are. 14 And where your light shines, it will expose their evil deeds. This is why it is said, "Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light." 15 So be careful how you live, not as fools but as those who are wise.
• God is calling us to wake up and be wise (new life) and not foolish (rotten old life)
16 Make the most of every opportunity for doing good in these evil days. 17 Don’t act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you.
• In the new life, we’re not controlled by drugs or alcohol, we’re controlled by the Spirit!
• Finally, what will be the result of living the new life?
19 Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And you will always give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 5:1-20).
• You will rediscover your heart song, fullness of joy in the Lord Jesus!
CLOSING TEXT:
“1 A psalm of David. Oh, what joy for those whose rebellion is forgiven, whose sin is put out of sight! 2 Yes, what joy for those whose record the LORD has cleared of sin, whose lives are lived in complete honesty! 3 When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. 4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude 5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, "I will confess my rebellion to the LORD." And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone… 10 Many sorrows come to the wicked, but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the LORD. 11 So rejoice in the LORD and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!” (Psalm 32:1-5, 10-11, NLT).
• There are many reasons to live the new life – pleasing God, shutting the door to the devil, and inheriting the Kingdom of God which is righteousness, peace and JOY!
PRAYER: For those who’ve lost their joy – REPENTANCE AND CONFESSION.
“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11).
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
