Wasn’t that awesome! Let’s give it up for Wade…giving us a little Valentines Day serenade. So we have a lot to celebrate today, but first things first. How about last Sunday…Denver Broncos World Champions? That’s what I’m talking about. Thank you Lord Jesus for great defense amen. Feels good to be a World Champion doesn’t it? Yes it does. So there is that, and today is Valentines Day, so happy Valentines Day to you and thanks for being willing to start that day with us. Having said that while this is a day where love is in the air and that’s all good for some of us today, for some of us today is a reminder of what once was, what’s been lost, or brings thoughts of what may never be or never be again. So, let’s pray before we roll into this today.
That’s better. Okay, so hey good morning and welcome to this place that we call DCC it really is great to have you with us especially if you are new. If that is you we want to make sure that you know that all of your story is safe and welcome here regardless of how it reads, you belong with us regardless of what you believe and you really are in a room full of people just like you. We mean that, hope you feel that and experience that in your time with us today and that you want to come back. So special shout to you if you are new, and to all of our friends out there who can’t be here but are tuning in to watch us online right now too, it is so good to have you with us.
If you haven’t been around we are in a series called Ransomed Heart and the simple tag line of the series is Love God – Live Free. That makes it sound like it is a simple two step process, if only it were that easy. There are lots of us in the room who have loved God for a long time and yet when we are honest…living alive and free would not be the way that we would describe our lives. The truth is for most of us there is this feeling that something is still missing in all of this, that we were made for so much more and we know it. So we have spent the past several weeks searching for what may be missing for that something more that we created for. We have talked about our invisible lives, some things that are going on beneath the surface that we may not be paying attention to. We have talked about the importance of understanding the larger story that we find ourselves living in. We have talked about the uniqueness of the masculine heart and the feminine heart and explored what we are doing with the deep desires of our hearts. All great stuff, so what’s next? What’s left to talk about? Great question. So let’s jump back into this today with this…
***************ROLL TAKEN CLIP*******************
If that doesn’t get your heart beating I don’t know what will. In the movie Taken 17 year old Kim Mills is the pride and joy of her father Bryan’s heart. If you don’t know the story she tricks him into a trip to Paris with a friend and when she arrives she is kidnapped by an Albanian gang of human traffickers. It’s a story of rescue. I mean, it’s Hollywood, it’s fiction, it’s not our personal story, but something about this scenes stirs something in us. If we were able to help we would all certainly do that. So, what is that? Where does that come from? Taken is the story of a father who will stop at nothing to rescue his child. Here is the part that we often miss, that is the story that every single one of us find ourselves living in too. This rescue thing is a big deal in all of our lives, it’s a big deal in this place we all find ourselves sitting in today and that’s why I want us to spend the rest of our time together today talking about it.
If you have a Bible we are ultimately going to be in Mark chapter 10 today. If you don’t have a Bible we would love to give you one. They are back on the back tables that you can grab right now if you would like if you close or on you can always grab one on your way out. As always you can hit our app or the You Version app too. Or you can ignore all of that and read along with me on the screens. So as we jump into this today we are actually going to start about 2/3rds the way through and then back track. Hopefully by the time we are finished it will all make sense. Mark chapter 10 beginning with verse 46…
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. 51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
So here is this blind man Bartimaeus doing what he has done for so long now in his life, hopelessly sitting alongside the road begging. Think about his life for just a second, day after day, month after month, year after year this is his life. Conclusion, this is just the way that life is going to be for me. So, he hears Jesus is walking by and suddenly there is a glimpse of hope, even if there is not what does he have to lose, so he calls out to Jesus. The crowd around Jesus tells him to be quiet, he refuses and calls out even louder. Jesus stops and calls him over and his life will never ever be the same. This moment is a beautiful illustration of something I think that we really need to get back to today…
JESUS’ HEART IS FOR RESCUE. Why doesn’t Jesus just give this man what he needs most forgiveness for his sins, salvation, and send him back to his seat? Well, while that does tend to be our focus in the church, it is not what Jesus does here. Jesus stops to talk with this man and leads with the question what do you want me to do for you? The man says I want to see…makes sense…never mentions eternal life and Jesus heals him. This moment lines up with a moment from week 1 of this series when Jesus was beginning his ministry and stood up in church and read from Isaiah 61. This is what I came to do to heal, to redeem, to restore, and to set captive hearts free.
So, did Jesus forgive his sins? Not really clear, not first and not in this moment. Jesus asks what do you want me to do for you and I think somehow someway in the church we have convinced ourselves that there really is only one appropriate answer to that question…forgive my sins and give me eternal life. That is the way that church people tend to think but is that the answer that would first come to mind in the minds of people around us who don’t know Jesus? No. I think sometime we miss this. People in the world around us are less concerned about eternal life than they are the destruction, challenges and problems that are occurring in their marriages, jobs, finances, relationships, and addictions. When we are honest we are too. When you think about it it really is no mystery that our faith is not all that appealing. We often present a Jesus that is not really all that interested in or concerned about life today. It’s not true. Jesus is very concerned about today. He is very concerned about the heart brokenness you feel on this Valentines Day. Whether your valentine has passed away, walked away, or you really haven’t ever had one, what breaks your heart breaks Jesus’ heart too. He never stops asking this question…what do you want me to do for you? His heart is for rescue.
ILLUST> Several years ago I went to a Ransomed Heart Boot Camp and was given a postcard of this painting. John Eldredge talked about when he saw this painting “My Bunkie” for the very first time in a Western Art Store. He was drawn into this image…there is Jesus on the horse swooping in to rescue us as the war rages around us. Our immediate conclusion is okay, yeah that makes sense, rescue me from Hell. It is so much bigger than that. What do you want me to do for you? How can I help you with what is going on in your life right now? That question is on the table for Bartimaeus and for every single one of us too. Jesus is pointing to something beyond heaven someday. How can I help with your grief, your pain, your addiction, your hopelessness? So a lot of us yeah we’ve been saved, but have we been and are we continuing to be rescued? There’s a difference.
When we read through the life of Jesus we see that Jesus often told stories to help his followers understand what he was trying to teach them. This is even better. Jesus is illustrating something here that his disciples desperately need to see. Now, let’s back up and read and I think that’s going to make sense. VERSE 35…
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?” 39 “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, 40 but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.” 41 When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John.
Did you see that? Jesus two of his disciples the exact same question word for word that he asks Bartimaeus. What do you want me to do for you? Here is why this is so important. This is not just a question for people who haven’t decided to follow Jesus. It is a question that he asks and continues to ask his closest followers too. So James and John ask for the special seats to the right and left of Jesus. In other words, really appreciate you choosing us Jesus to be in the inner circle of 12, that is awesome but do you think that you could slide us up a notch or two? Seriously guys. We understand why the rest of the disciples are angry. It’s easy to think these guys are way out of line, I feel that, I get that, me too, but here’s a question. When we really think about it, is this really all that far off of what we do? I think this is a question we have to ask ourselves…
ARE WE ADVANCING THE KINGDOM OR OUR OWN PLACE IN IT? See, I can’t prove this but I think that Jesus has to be disappointed in their question. I mean guys here we are on a mission to rescue lost, broken, hurting, and hopeless people and you are worried about your place in this. Who is at the center of the story you are living in? It is so easy to get stuck in our own rescue. It is easy to get stuck in our own comfort. It is so easy to get laser focused on what we teach to be most important in the church, things like knowledge. Is knowledge a good thing, of course it is. The problem is that it often gets misplaced in our order of priorities in the church.
Knowledge has its place and is important but I often wonder how impressed Jesus is with all that we know? Here is the conclusion that I have come to, very little. I think that what Jesus is pointing us to here is this, and this is so important. What I know is only important to the extent that it changes who I am, who I am becoming, and what I do? It is so easy to get stuck in our own stories and miss what Jesus is trying to do in the larger story that intends to tell through us.
ILLUST> I was talking with Andrew, our XP a few weeks ago and told me a stat about our city that I hadn’t heard before. A little of the back story first, so Andrew moved here about 10 years ago with a heart and passion not for maintaining a church, or growing one by warehousing more and more people who already know and love Jesus. He came here with a heart for reaching people far from God and helped start a new church on mission to do just that. So we were talking the other day when he gave me this stat. He said when I moved here 18% of the people in Colorado Springs were actual church attenders today that number is 17%. My response was wow, your ministry has obviously made a big difference. Look I have been here for almost of those years now too. It on me too, it’s on all of us.
What is going on? Just like James and John in this moment too many people inside the church are less concerned about advancing the Kingdom, about rescuing others, than they are about their own place in it. Jesus’ heart is for rescue. That’s never been in question, the question is, are our individual hearts, is our collective heart for rescue?
ILLUST> This past week I had the privilege of spending a few days in Vegas investing in about 75 young leaders of churches and non-profit ministries around the country. Ministry is really hard it is not uncommon for guys and gals in ministry, for leaders, especially young leaders to find themselves losing heart. I can relate to that and loved the opportunity to encourage them. One of the most common and biggest challenges that they face is that they themselves have huge hearts for rescue and for change but they lead churches full of people who like things the way that they are. They are okay with rescue as long as it doesn’t disrupt things for them or make them uncomfortable. Do you see it? It is our tendency to focus on ourselves and our own kingdoms. My friend Don Wilson leads CCV a huge church of about 27,000 people in Phoenix. He planted that church with about 6 people in his living room over 30 years ago. You know why he planted it? He planted it because the church he that he led from about 60 to 500 that was meeting in a double wide trailer decided that it was too big and no longer wanted to grow. The leaders much preferred the ways thing felt when the church was 200 people.
How does that happen? What is that? Jesus’s heart was for rescue We don’t intend to do it but the truth is it is so easy for us to lose that heart.
ILLUST> I’ve been in the church my entire life. Here’s the truth about my life in the church. I spent about 30 years of my life saved before I was rescued. I never really knew that there was a difference. I accepted Jesus and received eternal life when I was 11 but this life to the fullest thing that Jesus says he came to bring me continued to elude me for a long time. There was nothing like when I began to realize all that Jesus came to do for me, when he began to dive into my story with me and heal and redeem and restore all the broken places in me, when he began to rescue me. When you experience it you want more, as you experience more, you want even more. It’s amazing and it’s addictive and the danger is that it is so easy to get stuck in that. I see it happen all the time.
Here’s a question. What do you think people outside the church think is most important to church people? Can I tell you what it’s not, it’s not them, it’s not people. I have a quote taped to the top of my computer monitor that is right in front of me as I type my message every week. It is from C.T. Studd and it says “Some want to live within the sound of church and chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of Hell.” It keeps me centered. I never want to lose that heart. Jesus’ heart was for rescue, am I more about advancing his Kingdom or my own place in it? So, what’s it look like, to have Jesus heart for rescue? It’s one thing to hear about it and even better to see it. Watch this…
**********ROLL NARNIA PART 1 ***************
Aslan will stop at nothing to rescue Peter, and while Peter is free it is obvious from the look on his face that it has cost him something. Jesus is getting ready to describe for James, John, and the rest of his disciples. Let’s wrap this us verse 42…
42 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
So the moment that we started with today, the rescue of Bartimaeus comes right on the heels of this. Jesus makes the point and then here it is fellows, now watch closely, I am going to show you in living color what it looks like, bring him to me. Bartimaeus what do you want for me to do for you? And we know the rest of the story. If you want to find life now, find greatness, become a scholar, become obedient, learn the original language, play the rules, become a pastor or a missionary or a professor in a Seminary…no, follow in my footsteps and become a servant, the slave of all. That’s what it looks like. Somehow, someway here it is…
WE MUST SHIFT OUR FOCUS FROM SAVE TO SERVE. Am I saying salvation and evangelism is not important, of course not. I am saying this the path to saving is serving.
ILLUST> So the truth is that when John Eldredge found himself staring at this image years ago, he didn’t initially see Jesus on that horse rescuing him. When he saw the painting his heart jumped inside his chest and his immediate prayer was Jesus make me that guy. That’s who I want to be swooping in to the midst of the battle to rescue others. In that moment he said that he believed that God was said to him John, before you can be that guy you must first allow me to be that guy for you. That story moved me. About three weeks later I preached a message here and coined the phrase to be rescued, then to rescue. It stuck, rescue would ultimately became one of our 6 core values in this place. What does it look like? Watch this…
***************ROLL NARNIA PART 2****************
So much for love, if the story ended there it would be a very sad moment, but the story is not over. Aslan is killed, he is resurrected from the dead, the white witch is defeated and His Kindgom is restored. Something in that scene moves us, it touches something deep inside of all of us. The story feels familiar. It is the story we find ourselves living in. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. It’s the greatest rescue story that has ever been told.
Why do we partner with Exodus Road, because of their commitment to getting kids out of human sex trafficking around the world. Why do we partner with Ransomed Heart, because of their commitment to freeing people of religion and the religious spirit and introducing people to this Jesus. Why do we partner with Ywam, because of their commitment to providing sustainability for people around the world. Why do we partner with Crossfire, because they provide food, clothes and supplies for people in our city. Why do we partner with Mercy’s Gate, because they provide rent and utility assistance for people in our city in need. Why do we partner with Musana, because they provide hope, education, and training for the people of Uganda. Why do we partner with Grace Abounds, because they help women here in the Springs overcome substance addictions. Why do we partner with Springs Rescue Mission, because they provide showers, food, and beds for the homeless of our city. Why do we provide backpacks for kids in need heading back to school, adopt families and foster kids at Christmas, why do we own a food truck and get out on the streets every week feeding disadvantaged and homeless people and kids before school? What drives every single thing that we do in this place? There is a one word answer to every single one of those questions…rescue. To be rescued, then to rescue. Jesus says let me continue to rescue you while you do what you can to help me rescue others. That’s the path to the life that every single one of us came in here looking for today. Let’s pray.
