The Clue to Living Well
February 11, 2024
Last week I told you I had something big to tell you this morning . . . and I do! I’ve wrestled all week with how to present this so I don’t have to say it over and over again and hope you get what I’m saying.
What I’m going to say may not even be as big a deal to you as it is to me, but in the midst of a conversation with a good friend, this theme just jumped out and overwhelmed me. So, my hope is that this will have the same impact on you.
When Zachary asked me back in December ‘why we’re not more serious about the seriousness of God’ I really couldn’t get that thought out of my head.
It’s become a driving question for me, and it may turn into a life long quest, and I hope it is and I hope it will be for you as well. The point to the question is the basis for the series - - -
ARE YOU SERIOUS ABOUT GOD?
It’s a straight forward question. No strings attached. Are you serious about God? And if you are, then you should be different.
If we’re serious about God, then we’ll do things to DEMONSTRATE TO GOD the fact that we’re serious. We should read the Bible, pray, serve, give offerings; and not commit a myriad of sins that are too long to mention. We’re called to do all of this and it’s not easy!
And living this way doesn’t sound like a lot of fun. Live life so I don’t sin. Try to be a good person, which isn’t bad, but I want more than that.
So, what do we do when something’s not easy or we really don’t want to do it . . . we force ourselves to do it. For example - - - -
You’re here this morning, even though you really didn’t want to get out of bed. Or someone made you come. Or quite possibly, you believe you’re supposed to be here, so you’re here, and being here is more out of obligation, than desire.
Maybe going to work is more of a pain than a source of happiness. Maybe it’s the same with school.
Maybe you need to call a family member, but you’re procrastinating, because you anticipatie it’s not going to be a fun call.
In other words, we do lots of things because we feel obligated!
So, think about coming here. When you come because of feeling obligated, it’s more difficult to get your heart, spirit and mind into it. Worshiping God becomes more of a chore than a joy.
Most of us have been there. If we don’t want to do something, we struggle getting excited about it. I don’t want to do things out of obligation.
If I want to do them, I’ll put more of myself into that venture.
Whether it’s work, worship, play, reading, praying, being with family — — whatever it is . . . . . it will be more heartfelt, enjoyable, passion-filled and rewarding.
That’s what I’ve been wrestling with? I haven’t found books that talk about being serious about God, but books that talk around it. The main topic of these books is holiness. And I’ve been wrestling a lot with God about what this means. It comes, in part from 1 Peter 1 - - -
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,
16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:13-16
I want to quickly unpack this, and then get very personal.
Verse 13 is really strange in the Greek and has been translated so we can understand it, because if it was in it’s original form, it would state this - - -
13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, instead, we have ----
13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action
Frankly, I’ve never heard anyone told to gird up the loins of their minds. That makes no sense to us, but to the people of the early church it made sense.
This is what it means - - -
In the Middle East a man’s long outer shirt or cloak went down to his ankles, which prevented him from quick motions and strenuous work. As a result, when needed, they would tuck their shirts into their belts, which girded them for action.
Peter is applying this metaphor to mental behavior by adding the words “YOUR MINDS.”
In other words, have our minds prepared for action. Roll up the sleeves of our minds and get ready to work or learn.
Peter also tells us to be sober-minded, which means, be sober! But more than that have a rational mind which is able to process information to make a good decision.
And your focus is to be on the hope that is yours in God’s revelation of Jesus Christ.
We are to be obedient, and not return to the ways of life before becoming followers of Christ. And Peter gives us the command - - - -
15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “YOU SHALL BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY.” - 1 Peter 1:13-16
So, the ultimate call is for you and I to be holy and in part we do it through obedience. Now, here’s where it gets difficult for so many of us and this is the beginning of the revelation I had 10 days ago. Peter is calling us to leave our old lives of sin, and be obedient to God. We’re called to be holy.
But, let’s be real! I’ve never been called holy! When’s the last time someone called you holy?
If we are to be obedient, which is what most books on holiness call for, then it’s got to be something we want to do.
And this is where for me it got really, real! The best way for me to try to explain this is to get on a very personal level - - -
I’ve spoken a bit about my relationship with my father. He died in 2010 at the age of 92. His upbringing wasn’t ideal. His family was poor and he was the oldest with immigrant parents. His mom never really spoke English. His image of his father was not good either. As I matured, I came to understood life was hard for him. That was his reality, but it’s not an excuse.
As a parent, he was not the nicest of guys. He provided for his family, didn’t drink, gamble or have affairs. But he was either emotionally absent or emotionally abusive. When emotions were shown, they weren’t love, it was anger, which led to conflict and confrontation.
Home life wasn’t terrible, but there was always this tension, this cloud which hung over everything in the home. You never knew what was going to cause a random explosion, which were normal. Five minutes later, all was quiet, but then you had to deal with the mess.
Nor was he affirming. I don’t say that to disparage my father, it’s an honest assessment, and I’m leaving out a lot of details.
So, with that in mind, how willing do you think I was when he asked me to do something?
I was not! My father came home and sat on his throne. That’s what we called his la-z-boy, and he barked orders. I didn’t want to do what he asked, and often times to be honest, I acted like I didn’t hear his commands to serve him.
Maybe you’ve been there. You’ve been in an abusive relationship, you’ve been there as a child or spouse, maybe with a friend. Ultimately, once you gain wisdom, you set up boundaries, so you can’t get further hurt.
I didn’t want to obey my father. I frankly didn’t like him or respect him.
Now . . . put this on hold for a bit. We’ll come back.
Let me move to happier times - - - - and if you stick with me, I’ll get you to where my revelation and what changes life for us, so that we can live well and serve well.
I met this gal at a hospital. She was and still is absolutely gorgeous. There’s nobody in my life who is kinder and more generous than this woman. She knows it, she knows all she has to do is give me that goofy smile and I melt. I’m like putty in her hands . . . . and that’s not a good thing! Well, it is, really, don’t let me fool you! I could go on, but to save her from further embarrassment I won’t even say her name, but you all know who I’m talking about.
She’s put up with me for over 28 years.
Here’s the revelation . . . . when this woman, I’ll call her Debbie . . . . asks me to do something.
Hey, can you get me some more coffee!
Can you help me fold clothes! Would you do the laundry?
Can you take out the garbage? Can you call so and so for me?
I know what’s behind every request . . . . even if I don’t really want to do it . . . . it’s LOVE! She loves me. I’m still not sure why, but I know she loves me, and she knows I love her.
So, when Debbie asks me to do something, I want to please her. Sometimes I even drive her crazy asking her what can I do for you?
But I do that, not because I’m hoping she’ll love me back, I do it because of the relationship we share with one another.
You see, the relationship we share is based on love and more than just plain old love, it’s based on UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
That’s the basis of our relationship. That’s why I want to serve her and please her. I’m not obligated. I want to. I want to see that goofy smile, to hear her laugh.
You see, most of us try to live our lives trying to be obedient to God as best (WHICH IS FINE, IT’S GOOD)
But we do it because we’re afraid, we fear the retribution of God Almighty. We believe that if we screw up, God’s going to smite us. So, I better gird up the loins of my mind and heart . . . .
. . . . so I’m not smitten by this angry, somewhat capricious God, who has His good and bad days, and hopefully I don’t mess up when he’s having a bad day. It’s the image of God being my father. And for many Christians that’s their view of God.
We are obedient and serve God out of obligation, not love.
And that is exactly why I served my father. Out of obligation that he very well may smite me. With his volcanic emotions, I didn’t know what was going to happen next, because my sense was that his love was conditional. Which is often how we face God.
If I mess up, God’s going to do me in
If I sin again, God is going to excommunicate me.
If I swear again, God is going to send His angels to pound me
We have the sense God is always looking to do me in.
Those thoughts flow through us and paralyze from having
a relationship with God which is healthy.
But I want you to understand - - - - that’s not who my God is! My God is not looking to beat me up and destroy me.
My God is filled with grace and mercy and love.
My God declares He won’t fail me nor forsake me.
My God says He will forgive me of my sinfulness. In fact,
He will forgive me so much, that He causes Himself to forget my sins.
My God has declared to me that He is in me and I am in Him, which is an entirely different sermon, because that thought is filled with more power and intimacy, than we have the capacity to understand, yet, we all crave this intimacy.
My God was willing to die for me. Even though He knew I would sin again, and again and again. He declared to me that I would find life because of His death. I would not have to face the judgement seat of God because of what He did for me.
He declares to me that I’m no longer a servant to Him, but I’m a friend. He’s my friend. He’s my God and my friend. He sent the Holy Spirit so that I would never be alone, so that I could experience the power and presence of God at all times
He even prays for me, intercedes for me, along with the Holy Spirit. And He broke the power of death, so that when that day comes, I have nothing to fear. I know when I come before Him at judgement day, He’s going to look at me with tenderness and love.
The evil one, satan, is going to try to condemn me, he’s going to try to lead me astray in this life, but I have a power within me which helps me to defeat that evil, those old passions and desires, those old habits that are destructive. I know I can move past them because of the power I have from God. I don’t have to do it on my own.
Not only do I have God on my side, but I have Debbie, Joshua and Zachary and Taylor to support me. Then I have my friends and I have an incredible church family who will walk with me through the trials and fires of life. We’ll grieve and weep together AND we will celebrate and praise together. That’s what I have from this God who loves me with an intense and power-filled, powerful love.
So, here’s the thing . . . . this is all long winded, but if I don’t explain it, then it’s not really going to make sense.
If I seek to be holy towards Debbie, to be obedient, I’m doing it all based on love. Even those things I sometimes don’t want to do, I do, because I love her and love being with her. I can’t think of anything greater than to please her. And it grieves me when I disappoint her.
Now, if I was asked to do this for my father, I would do it out of obligation. I would do it out of obligation for one reason only . . . . not love, but fear!
I would do what my father wanted because I was afraid of his wrath. I would do it because I didn’t want to face the repercussions.
So, here’s the point I want you to get. And this is where I’m going to lead us to the end of the message - - - -
why do you do what you do? Is it out of fear or love?
This is a rhetorical question
Why do I serve God? Why do I worship Him? Is it because He holds the keys of heaven and hell and I’m afraid of hell?
Or is it because I love Him and believe that He loves me . . . . and we have this relationship which is based on love. And as John told us “PERFECT LOVE CASTS OUT FEAR.”
So, is your relationship with God based more on the hope of a
GET OUT OF JAIL CARD = FEAR
GOD’S VALENTINE CARD = LOVE
I serve God because He loves me and died for me. And if I do everything for that reason, it changes my relationship with Him and others. I become more loving, more filled with grace, because I just don’t understand His love better, but I experience the power of His love.
And that is the bottom line. I know about His love, but more than that, I have experienced His love and because I experience His love, I now want to follow Him and honor Him. Not out of obligation, but out of love and desire.
So . . . . if we’re really going to be serious about God, then it must be based on His love! We can’t do it out of obligation and fear.
This week, consider your relationship with God. Is it based on love or fear? If you need help moving out of the fear area, come and talk to me.
So many of us are there or have been there. That’s the beauty and power of the church, an ability to walk with one another without casting judgement on one another.
Let me say these final words about my story. PLEASE do not walk out the doors this morning and tell me I’m sorry for what you endured as a kid and adult. Don’t tell me that.
Because really, I wouldn’t be the person I am, if I didn’t go through that. It’s not that I’d want to, but that’s not the point. Don’t give me your sympathy. I don’t want it . . . .
What I want is for you to answer this question.
Because I want you to have an intense, passion filled, and deep love for Jesus Christ that leads you to become a different person. A person who is more willing to give and serve, a person who is filled with this amazing power from God, that you can love others and extend grace. A person who can say with a smile,
“Yup, I’m super serious about my God and I’m having the time of my life with my Lord and Savior, Jesus!”
