THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF SPIRITUAL INTIMACY
Selected Scriptures
If we are going to develop an intimate relationship with Christ - we need to define what it looks like.
¡°IT IS THE LIFE OF CHRIST, REPRODUCED IN THE BELIEVER, BY THE HOLY SPIRIT THROUGH ABIDING IN THE WORD.¡±
Much of what is called Christianity is not ¨C it¡¯s a caricature of it - it¡¯s a distorted image. So distorted we have to use adjectives to describe a Christian. ¡®Spirit filled¡¯ ¡®carnal¡¯ backslidden¡¯ ¡®committed¡¯ ¨C Why not just be Christians?
➜ THE ENEMY OF INTIMACY IS NOT OUTSIDE - IT¡¯S INSIDE. It¡¯s a heart issue.
➜ OUR GREATEST HINDRANCE TO REVIVAL IS NOT THE DEVIL - IT¡¯S OUR EXCUSES.
Vance Havner ¡°How many times have I heard, upon arriving at a church, ¡®This will be a poor week for revival. On Monday night the circus is coming to town; on Tuesday the Sons and Daughters of ¡®I will Arise¡¯ are having a convention; on Thursday night the Garden Club will meet to discuss African violets; the ball game is Friday night. And there is always television.¡¯
Was there ever a good week for a revival? Must the church always take a back seat in favor of every sideshow that blows into town? Must we take the leftovers? Why shouldn¡¯t the other crowd do the worrying? Why shouldn¡¯t the church of Jesus Christ - with the answer to all the world¡¯s problems - make such an impact that the world, the flesh, and the devil would huddle in conversation, saying, ¡®This will be a poor week for us ¨C there¡¯s a revival in town!¡¯
I. INTIMACY IS A PROCESS.
Some people are looking for a magic formula - someone to wave a wand and make them instantly intimate with God.
Your Christian life BEGAN w/ an event - the moment of salvation - but it doesn¡¯t end there. Distinguish between cause & effect. We are born again ¨C but growing is a process.
2 Peter 3:18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
3 X in 2 Peter - he talks about diligence. Diligence & discipline both imply a process. He is writing to people he cares about. He wants the church - not only to grow, but the Xns to be healthy.
4 BELOVED STATEMENTS IN 2 PT. 3:
✔ "Beloved . . . be mindful" (3:1-2)
✔ "Beloved . . . be not ignorant" (3:8)
✔ "Beloved . . . be diligent" (3:14)
✔ "Beloved . . . beware" (3:17)
IF WE CARE ABOUT OUR WALK - WE¡¯LL FOLLOW HIS EXHORTATIONS.
Getting in shape physically is a process - the same is true in the Christian life.
¡ï Theme of 1 Peter is grace
¡ï Theme of 2 Peter is knowledge.
Peter is not just talking about knowledge of the Bible - he is talking about knowing Christ who is revealed in the Bible.
It is possible to have Bible knowledge - know facts -- and never grow in grace - never show truth in our daily lives. It is knowing and doing.
One of the great errors of many evangelistic strategies is to ¡®get ¡®em saved¡¯ but fail to feed and disciple the new believer, so they grow in the Lord.
Apostates and false teachers target young believers according to 2 Peter 2:18. If we are committed to evangelism, we must be equally committed to follow up. Failure to do so results in people who have ¡®made a decision¡¯ but not developed an intimate relationship. They¡¯ve taken a step, but they don¡¯t know how to walk.
LITERALLY IT READS, "But be constantly growing"
GROWTH IS NOT AN ELECTIVE ¨C discipleship is not an option.
¡®in grace¡¯
☛ We were saved by grace (Eph 2:8-9)
☛ We are to be strengthened by grace (2 Tim 2:1-4)
☛ Grace enables us to endure suffering (2 Cor 12:7-10)
☛ Grace is the motivation for giving ourselves to God (2 Cor 8:1 ff)
☛ Grace is the motivation to praise. (Col 3:16).
¡®in knowledge¡¯
some folks know more than they are living up to. Too many Xns who talk it but don¡¯t walk it.
Know the language - know how to sound spiritual - but walk doesn¡¯t match the talk.
KNOWLEDGE WITHOUT GRACE CAN BE MEAN.
GRACE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE IS SHALLOW.
¡®of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ¡¯
There is an intimacy here - a relationship built over time. This is discipleship ¨C it¡¯s not in the fine print. Every page of the N.T. deals with what it means to be a disciple of our Lord.
WILL BE SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS - BENCHMARKS - TIMES WHEN GOD BREAKS THROUGH ¨C BUT CHRISTIAN LIFE IS NOT A SOUND BITE
Our flesh longs for a ¡®once-for-all-experience - but that¡¯s not the way it works.
II. INTIMACY IS BASED ON OBEDIENCE.
God never reveals His will for you to consider it, but for you to obey it.
James 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
THAT VERSE ALONE WOULD WIPE OUT MOST BELIEVERS.
Gary Gulbranson ¡®One of the reasons people find it hard to be obedient to the commands of Christ is that they are uncomfortable taking orders from a stranger.¡¯
☛ The opposite of ignorance in the spiritual realm is not knowledge, it¡¯s obedience.
☛ BIBLICALLY - TO KNOW, IS TO DO.
☛ We are responsible, not only for what we hear, but for what we would have heard if we had been listening.
I will stand responsible for every Sermon, S.S. class, camp, Seminar, I¡¯ve attended.
IF I DON¡¯T DO WHAT I KNOW TO DO ¨C I HAVEN¡¯T LEARNED IT
I¡¯M DISOBEDIENT
We don¡¯t want to call it sin ¨C but that¡¯s what God calls it. Sin blocks my fellowship with God.
☛ GOD WILL FORGIVE SIN ¨C BUT NOT EXCUSES.
Aristotle ¡®Wicked men obey from fear; good men from love.¡¯
OBEDIENCE IS WHAT WE WERE MADE FOR .
Vance Havner ¡°God uses broken things; He wants our stubbornness broken into humble obedience.¡±
A.W. Tozer ¡®True faith commits us to obedience.¡¯
III. INTIMACY IS AN INSIDE JOB.
Intimacy is not legalism ¨C keeping external rules. It is the working out of what God has worked into me through the Spirit.
Gal 5:19- Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 21 envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
This is the stuff that rolls off the assembly line of our flesh. vs. 19-21 were not written to lost people, but to Xns.
There are similar lists in: 7:20-23; Rom 1:29-32; 1 Tim 1:9-10; 2 Tim 3:2-5
NOTHING IN YOUR FLESH CAN PRODUCE RIGHTEOUSNESS. You can divide the sins of the flesh into 3 categories:
1. sensual sins -v. 19, 21 b.
2. superstitious sins -v. 20 a. IDOLATRY
3. social sins -vv. 20 b-21
Grace should be a great motivator to avoid these sins.
IF DON¡¯T WALK IN THE SPIRIT - THESE WILL CROP UP ON OUR LIVES - SHORT CIRCUIT THE WORK GOD WANTS TO DO IN US.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
1 fruit ¨C 9 flavors ¨C the fruit of Spirit is nothing more and nothing less than the life of Christ in us.
☛ OUR INTERNAL TRANSFORMATION SHOULD LEAD TO EXTERNAL MANIFESTATION.
While a legalist will boast that he doesn¡¯t DO certain things -- the question is, do you see the fruit of the Spirit? Are you known by what you don¡¯t do or by who you know?
The contrast between deeds and fruit is the key.
A machine works, and turns out a product. The word ¡®deeds¡¯ makes me think of effort, labor, told.
Fruit grows out of life. The word ¡®fruit¡¯ makes me think of abiding, a process. The seed matures, the branches grow, the result is fruit.
In John 15:2,5 Jesus clearly wanted us to produce "fruit .. more fruit .. much fruit" - so that we would glorify Him.
¡ï My old nature cannot produce fruit; only new nature can
IV. INTIMACY IS CULTIVATED.
☛ IN REALITY ¨C WE ARE AS SPIRITUAL AS WE WANT TO BE.
Never met anyone who was deeply spiritual who didn¡¯t want to be - I didn¡¯t want to be this close to God¨C it just happened.
☛ MOST CHRISTIANS AIM AT NOTHING AND HIT IT.
Fact ¨C some folks have a more intimate relationship than others.
HEAR PEOPLE SAY:
✖ I wish I knew the Bible like so and so.
✖ I wish I could pray like...
✖ I wish I could be closer to God...
WISHING AND HOPING WON¡¯T GET YOU CLOSER TO GOD.
Go to O.T. to Exodus and see an experience of God¡¯s people that illustrates what it means to cultivate a relationship with God.
A. THE CROWD WILL NEVER GET CLOSE TO GOD.
Many churches today are filled with crowds - but they aren¡¯t congregations. No commitment beyond occasional Sun. a.m.
Ex 19:11 and let them be ready for the third day, for on the third day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. 12 "You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, ’ Beware that you do not go up on the mountain or touch the border of it; whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death.
Ex 24:2 "Moses alone, however, shall come near to the LORD, but they shall not come near, nor shall the people come up with him."
¡®Come near¡¯ ¨C Hebrew means to approach, to be near enough to touch. 125X in O.T.
The people had to worship at a distance ¨C they could observe - they were spectators - but not participants like Moses was.
Included in the divine plan ¨C in God¡¯s economy - but like many Xns, they had little appreciation for all God was seeking to do.
THEY REALLY HAD NO BURNING DESIRE TO MEET GOD - PLEASE GOD.
The crowd will never do the right thing - they are fickle - they live on an emotional level ¨C they¡¯ll come to be entertained but not to learn the deeper things of God.
Remember story of woman w/ issue of blood. She touched the hem of Jesus¡¯ garment, he turned and said, ¡®Who touched Me?¡¯ The disciples said, ¡°Master the crowd is thronging you and you ask who touched you?¡± SOMEONE TOUCHED ME FOR I PERCEIVE THAT POWER HAS GONE OUT OF ME.
Majority folks coming to church are thronging Jesus - few are touching Him. That¡¯s why they have no power.
Phil 3:18-For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.
THIS DESCRIBES THE AVERAGE CHURCH MEMBER - THEY CALL THEMSELVES XNS BUT THEIR GOD IS THEIR APPETITE - They may want what God can do for them - but aren¡¯t interested in doing anything for God.
B. THE CROWD THAT WILL NOT SELL OUT.
Ex 24:9-Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11 Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank.
Moses took a group of folks on a retreat - to get away & meet w/ God ¨C they ¡®saw¡¯ God ¨C word means to behold - to discern. Used 50X in O.T.
They were aware of a divine presence - they were conscious of the nearness of God - but they weren¡¯t changed!
A short time later ¨C these same folks would be raising money to build a golden calf.
YOU CAN BE IN THE MIDDLE OF REVIVAL - Be in a service where God is all over the place, and walk out without it making a life changing impact.
¡ï GOD WORKS THROUGH WILLING HEARTS.
¡ï HE GOES WHERE HE IS INVITED.
¡ï YOU CAN DIE FULL OF GOOD INTENTIONS.
Some folks are satisfied with the emotional experiences - some want a glimpse of God, but they don¡¯t really want to change.
Some Xns have a life long goal to have a life long goal ¨C but never do anything w/ their Xn life.
C. THE CONGREGATION OF THE COMMITTED. The remnant.
Ex 24:12-Now the LORD said to Moses, "Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction." 13 So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God.
Joshua wanted more ¨C he was so insignificant at this point, that he isn¡¯t even counted in the # that ascended w/ the elders - He was Moses errand boy ¨C but he had a heart for God.
WHY JOSHUA?
Ex 33:10-When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would arise and worship, each at the entrance of his tent. 11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses returned to the camp, his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
He wanted to hang around ¨C maybe catch some of the overflow.
Josh. knew there was more ¨C wanted more - had a HOLY DISSATISFACTION.
MOST OF THE MEN OF GOD I¡¯VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF MEETING, I¡¯VE MET, BECAUSE I WAS HANGING AROUND.
You never meet anyone if you are the last one in and the first one out.
☛ Billy Graham/ Cliff Barrows - hanging around FBC Jackson when everyone else had left for lunch.
D. THE CONGREGATION OF ONE. Moses.
YOU DON¡¯T GROW IN GROUPS - GROWTH AND INTIMACY IS INDIVIDUAL.
Ex 24:15-Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16 The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17 And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.
Six days ¨C waited/ prayed - on 7th day, God called to Moses.
☛ WAITING TIME IS NEVER WASTED TIME.
Why Moses? God had broken him on the backside of the desert.
On the mt., Moses got God¡¯s perspective on life - worship - sacrifice.
AFRAID WE AREN¡¯T WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE FOR INTIMACY. We tend to want convenience Christianity - cafeteria Christianity - where we can take what we want and leave the rest.
When the story of Christianity in Communist China is finally written, it will record the life of Watchman Nee.
Nee was a Christian scholar, writer. He was told to flee as the Communist were taking over. They would never allow Him to live because he was such an outspoken leader. He stayed & was arrested.
While he was imprisoned, he led many guards to Christ and continued to write. The communist didn¡¯t want to kill him and make him a martyr, so out of desperation they brought him to a city square for public display.
There, w/ an ax, they cut his arms off at the elbow so he could no longer write...
The story goes, that he held up his bleeding stumps to heaven and said, ¡°Thank God for the marks fo the cross...Lord, I offer up these bleeding limbs to you in praise.¡±
