His Passion For His People
The Passion Of The Christ – part 4
SHOW – the DVD of the passion…
The Passion of the Christ. I don’t know about you BUT – I never grow tired of seeing, hearing or reflecting about Christ’s passion… Without any doubt whatsoever… Jesus Christ was the most passionate man who ever walked the face of this earth.
AND - His passion; not only blows me away, BUT IT - comforts inspires, motivates, challenges, assures, stokes and energizes me!
TO KNOW – that Christ, that God the Son, that the KING of kings and LORD of lords loves me so much, wants to be with me so bad that… THAT - He left all the glories of heaven, put on flesh, and endured all the pain and suffering of the cross, just so that we can be together - gets me jazzed! Christ IS – passionate about me! AND – Christ is passionate about you…
CHRIST - loves you. Personally. Powerfully. Passionately. Others have promised and failed. But God has promised and succeeded. LISTEN - there is no price that Christ would not, and did not pay, just to with you…
AND – not only is Christ passionate about being with me, BUT – He is also passionate about my hurts… AND - when I hurt, when I am in pain… His passion for me is natural (because His God and I am his child) and it is near…
AND – let me tell you, nothing pumps me up more OR puts my life in perspective quicker, THEN - what we talked about last week… UNDERSTAND – Christ embraced the cross and the suffering that went with it because the cross has the power; to pay your debt, remove the distance, take away your guilt, bring people together, give you new life and guarantee your future.
Christ’s passion; for YOU, for the HURTING & for the CROSS… that’s where we’ve been the last 3 weeks… TODAY – we are going to talk about Christ’s passion for His people.
BUT – before we do, we need to answer this question first, who are Christ’s people?
LET ME – read a few passages and as I do, see if you can figure out who God’s people are.
To the church in Thessalonica…We know that God loves you, dear brothers and sisters, and that he chose you to be his own people. 1 Thess 1:1,4 (NLT)
You are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession. This is so you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. "Once you were not a people;
now you are the people of God. Once you received none of God’s mercy; now you have received his mercy." 1 Peter 2:9,10 (NLT)
WHO – are God’s people? The CHURCH! Christians….
Pray…
His Passion For His People – Is Intense
QUESTION – is there anything that you are intense about?
INTENSE – is me looking for; my keys, my cell phone, my checkbook or debit card… (in drawers, under beds, digging through garbage…
YES – intense people are easy to recognize. Some people are intense about; a job, a hobby. Their school work, the weekend, food or making sure everything is neat and in it’s right place…
CHRIST – is intense about His Church…
THERE – are 4 snapshots from Scripture that UNDERSCORE the intensity that Christ has for His people, for the church… THE FIRST….
“I Will Build My Church”
QUESTION - have you ever been involved in a project that was so important, that matter so much to you (you want it done and you want it done right), THAT – you just had to roll up your sleeves and jump in there (with great intensity) to do it yourself
I MEAN – it was far to meaningful and important for you to risk it not being done right…
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" "Well," they replied, "some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets." Then he asked them, "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Jesus replied, "You are blessed, Simon son of John, because my Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church… Matthew 16:13-18 (NLT)
CIRCLE - upon this rock
QUESTION – what is the rock that Jesus is referring to?
IT – is not Peter, AND – it not just the statement of who Jesus is. RATHER – it is people; men-women, young-old, rich-poor… believing in who Jesus is. UNDERSTAND – what Jesus is saying here, is that; the foundation, the walls, the roof… HE’S – saying that all the material He will ever need to build his church is people believing that is not just a great (man, teacher or prophet) BUT – the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!
NOW CIRCLE - I will build my church…
UNDERSTAND – Christ is so intense about the church, the church is so important to Him, so significant (He wants it built and He wants it built right) that he said that he is the one who is going to build it. YOU KNOW - I like that picture. YOU SEE - Christ is not sitting in an office somewhere when it comes to building His church.
NO – rolls up His sleeves; buckles His tool belt, puts on His construction hat.. AND – gets busy… I will build my church!
Snapshot #2;
“My Church Is Worth Dying For”
QUESTION – is there anything you are willing to die for?
This week on the history channel there was a show about soldiers in WW 2 and all that they went through. Landing on beaches engulfed in enemy fire, fighting for days and weeks without rest, only getting sleep when they were marching… The passion of men who are willing to die for their country is pretty intense (and we have people displaying that kind of passion even today)
Christ looked at the church and said, ”she’s worth dying for…” In Ephesians 5 we read;
Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it to make it belong to God. Christ used the word to make the church clean by washing it with water. He died so that he could give the church to himself like a bride in all her beauty. He died so that the church could be pure and without fault, with no evil or sin or any other wrong thing in it. Eph 5:25-27 (NCV)
CIRCLE - gave himself for it, He died, He died…
UNDERSTAND – the passion of the Christ, who was willing to die for His church is intense…
CHECKOUT – these words that Paul spoke to elders of the church in Ephesus. Paul had been there about 3 years and he was leaving them to go to Jerusalem… AND – Paul is pretty sure that he’ll never see them again.
Now it’s up to you. Be on your toes--both for yourselves and your congregation of sheep. The Holy Spirit has put you in charge of these people--God’s people they are--to guard and protect them. God himself thought they were worth dying for. Acts 20:28 (Msg)
YES – Christ’s passion for the church is intense…
“I’ll build my church”
“My church is worth dying for”
Snapshot #3;
“Don’t Mess With My Church”
IN – Acts chapter 9; Christ makes it perfectly clear that it is not a good idea to mess with His church… The church is undergoing some serious persecution… A guy named Saul according to Acts 8:3; going everywhere to devastate the church. He went from house to house, dragging out both men and women to throw them into jail.”
Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath. He was eager to destroy the Lord’s followers, so he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them--both men and women--back to Jerusalem in chains. As he was nearing Damascus on this mission, a brilliant light from heaven suddenly beamed down upon him! He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, "Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?" Acts 9:1-4 (NLT)
CIRCLE - Why are you persecuting me?
QUESTION – where was Jesus at this time? AS ALWAYS – the place to find the answer is in the word of God.
CHECKOUT these 2 passages and see if you can see where Jesus is.
But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God. Luke 22:69
After he died to cleanse us from the stain of sin, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God of heaven. - Hebrews 1:3 (NLT)
OKAY – so where has Christ been, ever since He rose from the grave? at the right hand of God… QUESTION – then how could Paul be persecuting Jesus? I MEAN – why didn’t Jesus say, “Saul, Saul – why are you persecuting the church?”
BECAUSE – as far as Christ is concerned you cannot separate Him from His church. LISTEN – what people do to the church, Jesus takes VERY personally! UNDERSTAND – as far as Jesus is concerned if you mess with the church, you are messing with Him! IF – you attack, neglect, slander or criticize the church - you ARE doing it to Christ!
AND FRIENDS – there is a serious warning for us here… UNDERSTAND – Christ died, he shed his blood, he endured the cross , just SO there could, be a church…. [get it?]
OKAY – if messing with the church is a dangerous thing. IF – it is in fact messing with Christ. I think it is important for us to define what we mean by the church… OR ELSE – like Paul we might find out that in our ignorance we have been messing with the Christ.
QUESTION - if we were to take a survey and add up all the different churches that the people in these room have been a part of over the years… What do you think that number would be… GO AHEAD – talk with your neighbor and give a guess… NOW – I happen to have access to some very special data… SO – I actually have the exact answer…to that question… The answer is (go ahead and put it on the screen…) ONE… UNDERSTAND – Christ only has one church… and one people. AND THAT – is why I am afraid that the Christ; would ay to some people the same thing he said to Saul…
Why are you persecuting me, the church?”
Oh, I’m not persecuting the church… I am not messing with Central, I’m just messing with (criticizing & slandering) the church down the road….
Oh, I’m not messing with you Jesus, I’m just attacking and criticizing a few people in the church (just a few not many), people that I don’t like, they’ve been mean to me… (and if you knew them you would not like them either…)
In Ephesians 4 God makes it clear that there is but one church…
We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future. There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.
Eph 4:4-6
AND – then God gives some great advise to keep us from messing with Jesus… (His people, His church)
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. - Eph 4:29-32
Snapshot #4;
I Am Always Watching Over My Church
QUESTION – have you ever been a part of a project, maybe even in charge of it, and it was so important to you that you found yourself constantly looking in on it, to make sure that things were going right?
This ‘new’ building was a project like that for me…
UNDERSTAND – Christ is very intense about His church. IN FACT - his eyes are constantly on it…
AND – John makes this point extremely clear, as he begins his book the Revelation of Christ. IN – chapters 2 & 3 John records 7 messages that Christ has for specific churches… AND – these messages clearly show that Christ is passionate, is intense about watching over… His church….
LET – me share few of His words and see what you think…
To the church in Ephesus;
I know all the things you do. I have seen your hard work and your patient endurance…You have patiently suffered for me without quitting. But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!
Rev 2:2-4 (NLT)
To the Church in Smyrna;
I know about your suffering and your poverty--but you are rich! I know the slander of those opposing you. Rev 2:9 (NLT)
To the church in Thyatira;
I know all the things you do--your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things.
Rev 2:19 (NLT)
To the church in Laodicea;
I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth! Rev 3:16,16 (NLT)
I know all the things you do
I can see your constant improvement in all these things
OKAY – I think I made my point, Christ’s passion for His people, For His church…
IS - Intense!!!
“I will build my church!”
“My church is worth dying for!”
“Don’t Mess with my church!”
“I am watching over my church!”
His Passion For His People – Is Justified
AND LISTEN - Christ’s passion for the church is MORE THAN justified, because of what the church is… FIRST…
The Church Is Christ’s Body
And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence. Eph 1:23
CIRCLE - the church is his body
QUESTION – how important is the body of Christ? How important was the body of Christ that walked this earth 2,000 years ago? Extremely important!
YOU SEE – among many others things, God is the flesh… Jesus – revealed to the world what God was like… LISTEN - Jesus reflected the character of God to a watching world and in so doing pointed the way back home to the Father… UNDERSTAND – the only way that the world, would ever know these things was through the body of Christ…
Christ’s passion for the church is justified… BECAUSE – it is now up to us the ‘body of Christ,’ to continuing the job of ‘fleshing out,’ Jesus… [Tim]… - it’s the only way the world will know what God is like and how to get back home to the Father.
SECOND – Christ passion for the church I justified, because…
The Church Is The Bride Of Christ
LISTEN – the most awesome relationship this side of heaven, the relationship that has the highest potential for intimacy and oneness is the marriage relationship. That is why a man is justified… in being passionate, in being intense about his marriage (his wife, his bride)…
In Ephesians 5; Paul after talking about how a husband is to love and care for his wife – AFTER commanding husbands to love their wives, the way Christ loves the church; he makes this statement…
This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. Eph 5:32
AND Paul writes in 2 Cor 11:2;
I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. For I promised you as a pure bride to one husband, Christ.
CHRIST – is passionate about the church because the church is His bride…
NEXT….
The Church Reveals God’s Plan
There is a fictional story about Jesus arriving in heaven after his ascension. He is greeted by a huge company of angels. The angels see Jesus’ nail scared hands and feet…as He lifts his arms in victory…
“It is finished… My mission is complete… Men can now be forgiven of their sins and be at peace with God.” The angels let out a huge roar… But – then they ask, Jesus if you are here with us now, how will men know of your great victory? Jesus said; “I’ve asked my disciples to take the message though out the world…” The angels again let out a huge roar… BUT – then they ask, “but Jesus what if they fail to do what you ask…” “I have no other plan…”
LISTEN – Christ’s passion for the church is justified; because it is the only plan his has for saving the world…
Through Christians like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels! Eph 3:10 (Msg)
UNDERSTAND – it is through the church, through Christians like you, gathered in places like this that people will find out about the plan to make them right with God (through the sacrifice of Christ). AND - it is through the church that people will find out about the meaning of life and discover true purpose and fulfillment. It’s through the church that they will discover what on earth they are here for!
Through Christians like yourselves gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known
NEXT – Christ’s passion for the church is justified BECAUSE….
The Church Is The Kingdom of God
The kingdom was the central focus of Jesus’ ministry. He taught about the kingdom, told parables to describe the kingdom and he came to establish the kingdom… CHECKOUT – these Scriptures;
“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.” Mk 1:15
“I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God come with power.” Mk 9:1
“I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” Jn 3:5
AND – Paul clear that the church is the kingdom of God…
For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves… Col 1:13
LISTEN – when Jesus says the kingdom of God is near, he’s not saying it’s just getting kind of close. He’s saying that it’s now available. UNDERSTAND - Jesus says to the church, to the Christian - to you and me – that it is now possible for to be a part of the kingdom of God. AND FRIENDS - this is the heart of the gospel message.
We ARE - citizens of a better kingdom, a new creation, children of God
We HAVE – a living hope, been born again, an inheritance that cannot spoil or fade away
Jesus offers us the opportunity to be a part of a kingdom that is unshakable, a kingdom that will never end, Think about that… A kingdom that will never end…Throughout human history many nations and kings have risen to power – and nearly every name is forgotten and nearly every is kingdom is mere dust in the wind…(even the great Pyramids in Egypt are nothing more then a monument to a past long since forgotten)
LISTEN – if you are looking for significance and permanence in this world you are wasting your time. AND UNDERSTAND - all those things we do to give ourselves significance – the degrees after our names; the house we buy, the money we save, the cars we drive, the physical beauty we seek, the business we build, the relationships we long for, the clothes we wear, the networks we create in the end those things will amount to nothing…IF you are living for this world, you are making a fatal choice… You are putting all your energy and effort into building a sand castle on the beach with tide coming in…
Jesus Christ offers us the opportunity of a lifetime - to a part of something better, something eternal, something that will out last time… AND to be a part of it now, today!!!
AND – during the last 2,000 years… when men and women heard it and understood it, they devoted their hearts to it, they sacrificed their possessions for it, they sacrificed their careers for it, they sacrificed their homes for it, they lived for it, and they died for it. And they did it with joy. They did it laughing, weeping and dancing, unable to believe their good fortune—that the kingdom of God was open to them.
NEXT – Christ’s passion for the church was justified, because…
The Church Is An Unstoppable Force
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. Matthew 16:19
LISTEN – nothing can stop the church, not even hell itself… AND – if you want to see a picture of this unstoppable church in action - you only have to turn to the book of Acts… FROM - 11 scared men behind locked doors – they formed a community of believers that literally turned the world upside down.
This church – these people, were radically devoted to God and his word. Whatever God told them to do, they did. Whatever God told them to stop doing, they stopped doing. Wherever God told them to go they went… AND – when the government told them to stop talking about Jesus or die – they literally choose death – and thousands died.
This church – these people, loved each other in radical kinds of ways. They took off their masks and shared their lives with one another. They laughed and cried, and prayed, and sang and served together in authentic Christian fellowship… Those who had more shared with those who had less until socioeconomic barriers melted away. People related to one anther in ways that bridged gender and racial chasms, and celebrated culture differences.
Acts 2 tells us that this community of believers, this church, offered unbelievers a vision of life that was so beautiful it took their breathe away. It was so bold, so creative, so courageous, so dynamic that they couldn’t resist and Acts 2:47 tells us that the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved…
This church – these people were an unstoppable force that transformed their world one life at a time…
WHICH – brings us to the most important point in your outline…
Your Response To His Passion – Go Nuts!
[Tim…] – IF, the church is;
• The body of Christ
• The bride of Christ
• If the church is God’s only plan for the salvation of the world
• If the church is both the kingdom of God and an unstoppable force…
AND – IF… Christ…
• Is building His church
• Always watching over His church
• If He is willing to die for His church
• AND – says don’t mess with my church….
THEN - there is only ONE appropriate response for you to make – in response to His Passion and that is to Go Nuts!
Prayer…
OKAY – let me explain what I mean by, going nuts…. I recently finished reading a book by Leonard Sweet. Called, “Jesus Drives Me Crazy…” It is an incredible book, the first chapter alone was worth the price of the book… it’s about going nuts for God. Sweet both embraces and expands on what Paul wrote to the church in Corinth…
Don’t fool yourself. Don’t think that you can be wise merely by being up-to-date with the times. Be God’s fool--that’s the path to true wisdom. What the world calls smart, God calls stupid 1 Cor 3:18,19 (Msg)
“We have become a spectacle to the entire world--to people and angels alike.
Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, 1 Cor 4:9,10 (NLT)
“If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God…” 2Cor 5:13
UNDERSTAND – everything that Jesus taught goes against how ‘normal’ people see and function in the world. YOU SEE – turning the other cheek, going the second mile, giving the spare coat, washing someone’s feet, heaping blessings on those who curse you, selling your possessions and giving them to the church, living with anger, denying your self, doing nothing out of selfish ambition… THESE – are things that ‘normal’ people (the people in the world) have a hard time understanding much less thinking and living…
LISTEN – the truth is, Jesus stood, ‘normal’ wisdom on it’s head. [Tim…] – Christians are called to be ‘abnormal’, they are called to see the world through the eyes of Jesus, and not from a ‘normal’ point of view…
NOW - the word N.U.T.S. stands for ‘now under the spirit’ AND – friends when someone is under the Spirit; they are a little odd, a little off – they are a little abnormal when compared to the world…
YES – Christ invites his people… IN FACT - He commands his people to live in ways that don’t make sense… To live in ways that when the world sees us – they think we are nuts!!!
AND LISTEN - Jesus is the crazy one of all…think about it…. THE CREATOR – leaving heaven to become one of us… THE KING - who came to serve and not be served,,, THE GOD - who died for a sinful people… UNDERSTAND – according to the wisdom of the world, according to what the world calls normal Jesus Christ was nuts, crazy, he was certifiable…
AGAIN – so much of what Jesus teaches is just nuts according to the world… he taught THAT…
• The way up is down
• The way in is out
• The way first is last
• The way of success is service
• The way of attainment is relinquishment
• The way of strength is weakness
• The way of security is vulnerability
• The way of protection is forgiveness (even to 7 x 70)
• The way of life is death – death to self, society, family
• Know your strengths. Why? Because that’s the only way that you can lay them down.
• God’s power is made perfect…where? In our weakness.
• Want to get the most? Go to where the least is.
• Want to be free? Give complete control to God.
• Want to become great? Become least.
• Want to find yourself? Forget yourself.
• Want honor? Honor yourself with humility
• Want to ‘get even’ with your enemies? Bless, love and pray for them
(Sweet)
And - Sweet writes;
Nietzsche was right. To a people clawing there way to reach the top of the their dung heap, this is nuts. The gospel presents crazy ways of thinking about power, crazy definitions of success, crazy ideas and images about the meaning and purpose of life, crazy story-lines that no author would plot…
LISTEN – according to the world Jesus was nuts! Even us own family tried to have him put away…. I MEAN… think about it;
• What good shepherd would risk the survival of 99 safe sheep to find the one sheep that was lost?
• What employer would pay last-minute workers the same wage as those who had worked all day?
• What father would throw a huge party to welcome a son who blew his entire inheritance?
• What bank would reward investors who risked their clients money in the futures market while rebuking those investors who played it safe, took no risks, but protected the money entrusted to them?
• What guest would wait until the end of the party to surprise the hosts with 180 gallons of the best wine they would ever taste?
• What kind of man would forgive & pray for men who were driving 7 inch spikes into their body…
Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah – CRAZY THE LORD!!!
AND LISTEN – not only is the Lord crazy… BUT – so are the people who followed him… UNDERSTAND – when you flip through the pages of Scripture you see a lot of crazy people… abnormal people….you see a lot of nuts!
• The disciples were nuts! UNDERSTAND - they were not normal as far as the world was concerned…Jesus in Mark 10 says that left everything to follow Jesus… They left their; houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, wives, children, careers, and property to follow Jesus - that’s nuts! That’s not normal…
• The apostle Paul was nuts! (certifiable!)… Paul traded in a great career as a respected teacher… FOR – shipwrecks, stonings, hunger, thirst, beatings with rods, muggings, thieves, betrayal, being lost at sea, being cold and naked and on 5 separate occasions receiving 39 lashes with a whip… what a NUT… what a man who is now under the spirit…
• During His final week, Jesus meets a couple of women who were nuts! One is a poor widow… this widow walks over to the collection box in the Temple… and she drops in all the money that she has (her checking account, savings account, and 401 k) as an offering to God… that’s nuts! And in Bethany while He is at the home of an x-leper named Simon, a lady comes in and pours a whole bottle of perfume worth a years wages (how much do you make in a year?) on the head of Jesus… She nuts!
• In the book of Acts – nuts are everywhere!! In chapter 4 Luke tells us that… ALL believers (a church in the 1,000)… Luke tells us that all the beleivers believers felt that the things they owned were not really theirs… and they kept selling land and houses and bringing the money to the church to help people… what a bunch of nuts!
• Everywhere you look – all you see is nuts; Luke – nuts! Timothy nuts! Barnabas – nuts! Lydia – nuts! Silas – nuts! Aquila and Priscilla – nuts!!!
AND – do you want else you see as you flip through the pages of Scriputre? YOU SEE – that God doesn’t use perfect people, that he doesn’t use normal people… INSTEAD – you see that God always uses nuts… LISTEN – you don’t have to be perfect to be used by God, you just have to be nuts!!!!
• Abraham wasn’t perfect – but he was nuts!
• Jacob wasn’t perfect – but he was nuts!
• Moses wasn’t perfect – but he was nuts!
• David wasn’t perfect – but he was nuts!
• John, Peter, Paul, John Mark - again not perfect – but nuts! Certifiable!!
AND – do you know what I have had the privilege of meeting many nuts over the years…
I have a friend named Mike who became a Christian on a Sunday and the very next week quit a high paying and went to bible college… Mike is nuts!!!
Judy was nuts… had all her prayers for healing turned down… had all her dreams for the future taken way from her.. yet as cancer ravage and her body and took her physical life… She had a joy and peace that was unmistakable and she brought glory to God… Judy was nuts!
Tim & Michelle Mason are nuts! - 3 children of their own… yet opening their home up to three more… they’re nuts! (now under the spirit)…
Ryckie Fernandez is nuts! The hours that he puts in each week on the phone, at restaurants, with students and on his Berean class for free… is crazy…. BUT –not when your nuts!!!
There are a lot of other nuts around here…. People who would rather give God his tithe then buy a new outfit or go on vacation… I MEAN – I have seen families at Central instead of buying Christmas gifts give the money to God – that’s nuts!!!
LISTEN – the only proper response to Christ’s passion for His church is to go nuts!!!!
NOW – I want to warn you… of something… I have prayed over this message…(hard, real hard) AND – especially over your response to Christ’s passion for the church, MORE than I have prayed for any other message I have ever preached…
OKAY HERE – is what a was praying so hard for… I asked God to move in a huge way so that NUTS (now under the spirit) will become the norm at central. LISTEN – I want the world to look at us and say those people… ARE …a little off, kind of odd, a bit kooky… they’re NUTS! REMEMBER….
“If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God…” 2Cor 5:13
YES – your response to Christ passion is to go nuts!
NOW – to go nuts… May mean…
That you have to change you spending habits so you can start giving God what’s belongs to Him.
It may mean that you have to re-organize your day planner so you have more time for the Christ…
It may mean that you totally change the direction in your life and go over seas to become a missionary…
Going nuts may mean that you have to change some of the things that you are doing and the places that you go.
It may mean using your vacation time to do a short-term mission trip..
[going nuts may mean all kinds of different things… BUT – one thing going nuts means for all of us is… what ever we do it is no longer about us..]
NUTS wisdom says it’s not about me. And it’s not about you, either. “It’s all about you, Lord,” as the praise chorus says. The gospel is not about you. The cross is not a big plus sign for your life. God didn’t send Jesus to please you, God sent Jesus to help you please God. Normal people define the good-life in self gratifying ways. NUTS people define the good-life in god pleasing ways… Sweet…
In 1904 William Borden, heir to the Borden Dairy Estate, graduated from a Chicago high school a millionaire. His parents gave him a trip around the world. Traveling through Asia, the Middle East, and Europe gave Borden a burden for the world’s hurting people. Writing home, he said, “I’m going to give my life to prepare for the mission field.”
When he made this decision, he wrote in the back of his Bible two words: No Reserves. Turning down high paying job offers after graduation from Yale University, he entered two more words in his Bible: No Retreats. Completing studies at Princeton Seminary, Borden sailed for China to work with Muslims, stopping first at Egypt for some preparation. While there he was stricken with cerebral meningitis and died within a month. A waste, you say! Not in God’s plan. YOU SEE – in God’s eyes William Borden was just plain nuts!!!
In his Bible underneath the words No Reserves and No Retreats, he had written the words No Regrets.
