Archive for November, 2004

How to Sustain Spiritual Momentum

Sunday, November 21st, 2004

Read at beginning of service:

1 Corinthians 15:50-58 (NIV)

50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed– 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

INTRODUCTION

This morning I want to start by just asking you a question – if you could have been around for any single event in the life of Jesus, what would you choose? Now I am sure there are some in the room today who would love to have been there on that day in Bethlehem when God became flesh and Jesus was born. There might be some in the room that who would say, “I would love to have been there when Jesus stood outside the tomb of his friend Lazarus and called him forth and Lazarus came back from the dead.” Or maybe someone would say, “I would love to have been there on that early Sunday morning when Jesus Himself, after dying on the cross, raised Himself from the dead.” I know that’s what a lot of us would say. Perhaps there is even someone here today who would say, “I would have liked to have been there when Jesus turned water into wine.”

However, if I could have tagged along with Jesus, there’s another event that I would have chosen. I would have loved to be a part of the day where Peter, James and John accompanied Jesus and hiked up to the top of the mountain. And the Bible says that in Matthew 17, that when they got to the top of the mountain something happened, and the Bible describes it like this: it says that Jesus was transfigured. That word, if we go back to the original language is really the word “metamorphosis.” It means a change in form. And the Bible says that in that moment that He was transfigured, His face shone like the sun and His clothes were light as the light. And for one brief, fleeting moment, the glory of God, which had been contained there by the flesh of Jesus leaked out. What an unbelievable experience. And if that were not enough for Peter to get to witness, the Bible says that out of heaven appeared Elijah and Moses there in that scene. And then, out of the cloud comes a loud voice and God says, “This is my son, whom I love. With Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him.”

Have you ever been in those moments that are so majestic that you just have to soak it in? Well this is one of those moments. Peter has a kind of personality that he just can’t be quiet. He has to say something. And so Peter in all of his profound eloquence says, “It’s good to be here.” No kidding, Peter. Talk about a spiritual high. It doesn’t get any more spectacular than this. And then Peter turns to Jesus and says, “Let’s just stay here. In fact, I’ll go and build kind of a makeshift shelter for the three of you and wouldn’t it be great if we could just stay here?” What a great picture for how some of us are feeling coming out of 40 Days of Purpose. God showed up. And like Peter we say, “It’s good to be here.” And we’ve witnessed something pretty special and something maybe far more eternally significant than we even fully understand. And our natural response is to say, “Let’s stay here.” But the reality is, you don’ t live on the mountaintop. Life is lived down below where people, stress, pressures and jobs are found. It’s great to go to the mountaintop and the experience is wonderful, but the Bible says in this passage after Peter says, “Let’s stay here,” Jesus almost ignores his statement and in the very next verse it just says, “They came down the mountain.”

We’ve had a great mountain experience in our Church, and now we’re coming down. And though we can’t replicate what’s happened in the last two months, we do want to sustain the momentum that has started in many of our lives. But I also want us to know there is a danger about which we need to be honest tonight. Some people’s feelings and commitment only last as long as the emotion of the experience. And for some, when the feelings of a spiritual high begin to fade, so does their interest. And for others, when following gets hard, or when a crisis hits or some unexplained circumstance comes, rather than go on, they will choose to pick a seat on the sidelines.

Now let me see if I can help us get a picture of this in our minds. I want you to imagine every person in the room tonight wearing running shorts. Those little nylon running shorts. Not a pretty picture is it? But imagine all of us standing together at a starting line and the gun goes off and with one big surge, we take off in a sprint. You’re feeling strong, your legs are turning, life is good, the wind is in your face and you’re moving as fast as you can and everybody is going with you. But somewhere along the way, you begin to get exhausted and weary. Fatigue, probably about a hundred yards in for most of us. Your legs get heavy and your side hurts and it’s not as much fun and some people have already dropped out. So do you push through? Do you go on in spite of the strain and the pain, or do you say, “You know, it’s just not worth it.” And you pull out and you quit.

You see, during 40 Days of Purpose a lot of us got off to a fast and wonderful start in the Christian life, but as someone who has now walked with the Lord for about 15 years, I can tell you that the Christian life is not a 100 meter dash. It’s a long journey. And what we want to focus on this weekend is we want to begin to explore what it means to sustain what God started in us over the last 40 Days for the long haul. And to do that, I want to take a look at a group of people who are in a very similar situation that we find ourselves in tonight. We find them in the New Testament and we find them in the book of Hebrews.

Now these first century Christians came from a Jewish background. But they have met Christ and they have gotten off to a great start. In fact, the writer at one point says to these Christians, “Don’t ever forget those early days when you first learned about Christ.” Remember how you remained faithful even though it meant terrific suffering. He says, “Don’t forget.” But now, they were in danger of going back. They were considering walking away. Things had gotten hard. There was pressure from the outside to go back and embrace Judaism and to turn their back on Christ. So the writer of Hebrews pleads with them not to go back. It may be hard for us to really capture the emotion of his urging in Hebrews 12, but I want you to imagine that this is a pastor, a preacher, a prophet who is imploring these people, begging with them, “Please don’t quit.”

Now, go to the passage we want to focus on today in Hebrews 12: 1-2.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress, and let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy that He knew would be His afterward. Now He is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in Heaven.”

I think this passage becomes for us a great template for how we can sustain healthy longevity in our walk with Christ over the years.

So let’s look at what we can learn.

HOW DO I SUSTAIN SPIRITUAL MOMENTUM?

1. I WILL FIND STRENGTH FROM THOSE WHO HAVE GONE BEFORE

Number one, if I am to run a good race and finish well, I will find strength from those who have gone before. You know the Bible is not just a history book. It’s not simply meant to be a record of all that has happened in the past. It is not meant to simply be moral teachings that we admire and respect. No, it’s for us. Look at Romans 15:4, “Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it’s written for us.” So these are words for us tonight about how to endure, how to persevere and how to keep going in the race. Now when the writer starts off, he says, “Therefore we are surrounded by this huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith.” Now in order to really grasp what he’s talking about, we have to go back. And he’s pointing us back to chapter 11. And if you would go through chapter 11 in Hebrews, you would find that it’s sort of like the All Star Team of Christianity. It contains a long list of some familiar names and some not so familiar names of people who have one thing in common. They have an unswerving faith and belief in God. They would never quit or walk away from their commitment to follow God. Sometimes they were ridiculed for their beliefs. Sometimes they were mistreated. God called some of them to leave their families and go to a foreign land. Some of them paid ultimately the price of giving their own lives in order to follow God. It says of them, in chapter 11, that all of those who were listed, were still living by faith even when they died. They ran with endurance, and even when they died, they were still clinging to a firm commitment to follow God.

Now for most of these courageous men and women, there was no outward or visible reward for their faith in this life. In fact, just because they followed God, didn’t mean they were going to live a life of comfort or a life of prosperity. In fact, quite the contrary. Their faith often meant sacrifice and hardship. God thinks so highly of these people that He listed in Hebrews 11, that He says of them, “The world was not worthy of them.” They were such another caliber in their faith and commitment and perseverance that He says, “The world was not worthy of them.” And He says all of those listed in Hebrews 11, are this great crowd of witnesses that the life of faith is the only life worth living. They’re witnesses.

I have this picture in my mind of the author of Hebrews addressing these Christians who are considering turning back and if he pleads with them and challenges them he stops and says, “Can I get a witness? Is there anybody here who can testify? Is there anybody in the room that has found the courage to stay faithful, even when it’s hard?” I can picture hands going up all over the room. People who are listed in Hebrews 11 I know would step forward and say when you are tempted to throw in the towel, I endured for 120 years. And it was long and hard, but it was worth it. When you feel yourselves spiritually drifting, read about the passion of David because David could testify it’s worth it. And when you are fearful to obey God, read the story of Abraham and Isaac. They are witnesses to the life of faith and perseverance. You know what? The great people of faith are not just limited to Hebrews 11. You can read the biographies of great men and women of the faith. Well let me take it a step further. If you want to grow in faith and perseverance, hang around men and women who have a passion for God. Now think about this for just a minute. Who do you know that when you’re around them, your faith soars? And your passion for God heats up. Does a name come to mind? Who do you know has a strong will for Christ? You want to stay on fire for God? You want to come out of 40 Days and sustain a passion for following God? Hang around other people who are on fire. Now take your outline and just fill in this question. What person of faith and godliness can strengthen my walk? I want you to write in a name. Maybe it’s your small group Host or somebody in your small group. It’s a friend or somebody that when you’re around them, your faith expands.

I WILL PUT OFF THAT WHICH TRIPS ME UP

Let’s move on to number two. If I am to finish well, I will need to put off that which trips me up. He says, “Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.” In virtually every kind of athletic event, excess weight it not good, unless you are a sumo wrestler, then it’s fine. A while back, there was a man in London who participated in the London marathon and history records that it was the slowest marathon ever in history. Lloyd Scott finished in 5 days, 8 hours, 29 minutes and 46 seconds. Unlike other runners who were wearing running shoes, nylon shorts and a tank top. he was wearing a diver’s suit with a full, metal helmet. He did it as a fundraiser. What a great picture of many of us in the race of the Christian life. We’re in the race, but we’re weighted down.

In this verse, he says there are two kinds of things that we may need to let go of what trips us up or slows us down.

Let go of the ungodly

Number one, let go of the ungodly. Let go of sin. One of the things that happens when I read the Bible is that it brings me face to face with my own feelings and shortcomings. It is like a miracle of my soul. And when I read scripture, often, I see the darkness and ugliness that is in me. Sometimes it’s painful, but it is for my own good. He says to let go of those things that you know are wrong. Some of us took significant steps over the last 40 Days; however, some of us have also come under significant conviction. As we read Pastor Rick’s book, or we sat through a small group lesson, or we listened to somebody share, or we came to a weekend service, the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit pointed out areas in our lives that weren’t pleasing to the Father. In fact, right now, I am convinced there a number of us who are feeling a bit uncomfortable because we know exactly what that area is and the Holy Spirit is bringing it to our mind even now. We know it’s wrong. We know it hinders our growth. But we haven’t let go. Can I ask you this morning, is there some area, right now, that the Holy Spirit is calling your attention? Maybe it’s some addiction, or deceitful practices, or you have a heart that is hard to those in need. Or maybe you’re entertaining a improper flirtatious relationship and you need to let go. Those things will hinder your relationship with God. And the reason He said to let them go, is not to try to hold back from you life’s pleasure, but He knows that those things will destroy you. So, let go of the ungodly.

Let go of the unnecessary

There’s a second kind of weight and that is to let go of the unnecessary. Now this one’s a little more subtle, cause it’s not necessarily sin. It may not be a moral compromise, but it just keeps us weighted-down from our spiritual progress. It could be something as simple as that your life is so full, that there really is no time or energy left to pursue your relationship with Christ. It could be that by having your kids in six different extra-curricular activities, there’s no time for spiritual instruction in their lives. It could be hours wasted in front of the TV unless it’s something spiritually enlightening like Survivor. I can?t believe they voted him off!! But that’s all right. As I emphasized during the campaign – when you live a purpose-driven life, you no longer live for your own agenda, but you now live for God. And part of what it means to persevere over the long haul, is that you are ruthless about getting rid of things in your life that weigh you down and distract you, and steal the passion that you had for Christ. Look at that verse in 2 Timothy 2:3. He says, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs – he wants to please his commanding officer.” He gets rid of anything that is unnecessary. All the civilian affairs that distract him from being the kind of soldier that God wants him to be. So to fill in the statement – in order to finish well, I need to let go of what? What is it, right now, that God brings to mind?

3. I WILL CHOOSE TO PERSEVERE UNTIL I CROSS THE FINISH LINE.

Third, to run a good race, I will have to choose to persevere until I cross the finish line. Notice back in the passage of Hebrews 12 he says, “let us run with endurance this race that God has set before us.” Down through the ages, and its no less true in our generation, greatness has often been defined by the ability to persevere and overcome obstacles.

I have several examples just from history. Did you know there was a memo that came from MGM shortly after Fred Astaire took his first screen test? And here is the memo that came out about him. “Can’t act, slightly bald, can dance a little.” Some one said of Vince Lombardi. “He possesses minimal football knowledge.” The parents of Enrico Caruso believed his teacher who said, “He has no voice at all. He just cannot sing.” Walt Disney was once fired by a newspaper for lack of ideas. Thomas Edison’s teachers gave up on him and here was their evaluation: “He is too stupid to accomplish anything.” Henry Ford, before he succeeded, failed and went broke 5 times. Beethoven handled the violin awkwardly and his teacher called him hopeless as a composer. Albert Einstein performed so badly in high school courses, except in mathematics, that his teachers encouraged his parents to pull him out of school. In the race of life, God is far more interested in how we finish than how we begin.

Eugene Peterson has written, “There’s a great market for religious experience in our world, but there is little enthusiasm for the patient acquisition of character and virtue.”

Look at the next verse in your outline, “Therefore my dear brothers stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Another translation says, “be steadfast, be immovable no matter what the hardship.” So no matter how long the storm lasts, no matter how dark and scary things get, no matter what wave batters against your life, stay with it. Can I get a witness? The apostle Paul says, you bet. Paul says I can testify. In fact he does in 2 Corinthians. He says, “I’ve been in prison. I’ve been flogged. I’ve been exposed to death time and again. Five times I was beaten with 39 lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I’ve been shipwrecked. I’ve had to constantly stay on the move because of being in danger in every city I went to. I’ve been deprived of sleep. I’ve gone without food. I’ve been cold and naked.”

Then I love this part in the passage. It’s like Paul who then says, “And you know, all that’s bad and let me tell you what’s even worse, I had to take care of the churches.” It’s one thing to be beaten and it’s another thing to have to deal with people in the Church. Paul says, “I can testify that I never gave up.” In fact, none of the hardships had the power to make Paul quit. None of it dissuaded him from pressing on. And none of it quenched his passion for following Christ. Paul says you make a decision in advance that you’re going to be steadfast and immovable and you’re going to keep abounding in the work of the Lord, no matter what hardship may come into your life. Make the decision in advance, friend, that you are going to keep showing up and keep serving, and keep proclaiming the gospel and keep going and keep going as long as the Lord gives you breath. Because there will be some hard days. There will be some valleys. There will be some times when God seems distant and there will be some circumstances that you can’t explain and don’t make sense. It is not in those times that you need to decide, “Am I going to follow or not?” Decide now. And the writer said to these Christians, “Do not turn back, keep pressing on.”

So let me ask you this third statement. Fill this out if you would. Coming out of 40 Days of Purpose, I know God wants me to keep on what? Where’s an area that you need to persevere? Where is there an area that you need to keep pressing on?

4. I WILL KEEP A SINGLE-MINDED FOCUS

If I am going to run the race well, I’m going to keep a single-minded focus. He says in the passage we do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. Now before we go any further, I want you to notice what he doesn’t say there. What he doesn’t say is that you ought to keep your eyes on your small group. Or on your small group host. Or on your pastor or even on Hanover Pentecostal Church. All of those things and all of those people will eventually let you down and disappoint you along the way. It is only when the Lord Jesus becomes the centerpiece of your focus that you’ll find strength to endure this marathon called the Christian life. If through 40 Days of Purpose you didn’t come to love Jesus more, then we have failed. It was not intended to point you to this Church, or to point you to people, but rather to point you to Jesus Christ.

Now it sounds really spiritual to say keep your eyes on Jesus, but how do you do that? In my every day life, what would that look like? I want to take a few moments and drill down on that question. We’ve just come through this very relaxing season called 40 Days of Purpose, where there was no stress, no pressure on anybody’s life, but we’re about to move into Christmas. And the pace is going to pick up. So how do you find the ability, in supposedly a season dedicated to Jesus, focus on Him? Well this much I know; it won’t happen by accident. In fact, implicit in the word “focus” is the idea of concentration and intention. While life is a race, you cannot develop spiritual intimacy on the run. And the pace of life around us continues to accelerate and we are addicted to speed. We cram everything we can into every hour we have. I think of the little clip from Steven Wright, who said, “I put instant coffee in my microwave and almost went back in time.” You’ll get it in a minute.

We live in that kind of hurry sickness that hinders our focus. Always in a rush. Did you know that when you get on the elevator and you push the door-close button and that in almost all elevators, it really doesn’t do anything. Its only function is to give you the distraction of thinking you’re making progress because 10 seconds is an eternity when you’re standing in the elevator. There’s now a restaurant in Tokyo that doesn’t charge you for food. They only charge you for the amount of time that you’re at your table. We’ve now moved into a generation where we embrace this thing we love called “multi-tasking”. And now, as a result of our commitment to multi-tasking, there are now some homes built with phones right next to the toilet. My friends, is that a room where we really need to multi-task?

We live in a country that moves fast. We live, work and attend a church that moves fast. I confess to you that I’m a hurrier. I wish I had a dollar for every time I said to my kids, “Hurry up.” Or for all the times, walking with my wife, I’ve left her behind. Can I get a witness?

You see, worse than my hurried step, is my hurried spirit. We hate bedtime. We don’t like it when it’s quiet and silent. If you don’t believe that, just ask a question in your small group and let there be 30 seconds of silence. People start squirming and moving. You see, this insatiable need for speed is setting us up for a monumental spiritual struggle. Because speed, hurry and activity drain our souls. But when you study the life of Jesus you discover that He was not in a hurry. He always had time for the Father and time alone. And there were carefully guarded moments where He had dead time just to be alone with His Father. Here’s a truth I don’t want you to miss; if you’re going to keep your focus on Jesus through this Christmas holiday season (or through any day in your life), you will have to make some time to be alone in His presence, to slow down long enough to hear Him. Because God speaks in the margins of life. To hear God and know God, you must create space in your life. You must create margin moments in your day, when you can be alone, undistracted in His presence. Those times will not only help you grow, but they will replenish and nourish your soul.

Look at that next verse in Philippians 3. He says, “What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake, I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” Paul says that nothing, nothing is more important than pursuing a relationship with Christ.

Here’s what I?d love for you to do. Tonight, go home, or maybe the last few minutes of this service, would you mark off a day, an evening, a Saturday afternoon and just say, I am dedicating that time right now just to be with my Father. Maybe you need to mark off some time with your family, just to slow down long enough so you can with intention and concentration focus on Jesus.

5. I WILL ENDURE THE SUFFERING TO SEE THE SMILE.

Well let me give you this last one very quickly. I will endure the suffering to see the smile. In Hebrews 12 we read, “He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy He knew would be His afterwards.” The writer of Hebrews uses Jesus as an example of some one who kept an eternal perspective. He looked past the suffering of the cross to the joy that would be His when some day He would be united with those that He’d redeemed and He would be in the presence of His Father. And the author seems to be saying that on the other side of the finish line is the smiling, heavenly Father. And in this race called life, we need to regularly look up, lift our heads and look ahead to the finish line. When life gets hard and when the race gets tiring, look up and you will see your heavenly Father cheering you on. When you are committed to living a purpose-driven life, you can endure difficulty and pain because you know this life is not all there is. You know that you were created for God’s pleasure.

Would you look with me at this verse, where Paul writes, “These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing.” Sometimes that’s hard to believe. Some of you are now going through a difficult time and you wonder where’s God in all this? Don’t give up. Keep going. Keep one eye on heaven. The writer says, “Look past the obstacle to the finish line and the joy that will be yours.” Paul says in Philippians 3, “I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God through Christ Jesus, is calling us to heaven.” Maybe you should fill in that next statement. I am able to endure the present because I know some day what? The pain will be gone. The relationship will be restored. I’ll be with my Father. What will it be?

CONCLUSION

Well, as I conclude today, I want to leave you with this final thought. In the sixth chapter of the Book of John, we read of a miracle that is recorded in all four of the gospels and you are probably familiar with the story. It’s the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes. In fact the Bible says there were 5,000 men there, not counting women and children. And on that day, Jesus took a little boy’s lunch of 5 small barley loaves and two small fish. Jesus took it, blessed it and they began to pass it out. And the Bible says everyone ate until they were completely full. Well the Bible says the next day the crowds tracked Jesus down again and they said, “Do another miracle for us.” And Jesus, knowing what was in their hearts said to them, “The only reason you’re seeking me is because yesterday I fed you.” He goes on to tell them that life is just more than food and physical provision and blessings. He then goes on and teaches them about life. When He was done, a lot of those gathered around Him concluded and said, “This is a hard teaching.” And then in verse 66, there are some tragic words because listen to what it says in verse 66: “From this time, many of His disciples turned back and no longer followed Him.” And as these people turn and walk away and go back to living for the here and now, Jesus looks at the twelve disciples that He has called and He looks at these guys and with wonder in His voice he says to them, “Are you guys going to leave Me, too?” I love Peter’s response. Peter looks at Jesus and says to Him, “Where else would we go? You alone have the words to eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.”

I believe that for all followers of Christ, there comes a day and a point of life where every person who follows Christ needs to drive a stake down in the ground. Because people will walk away and you will be let down in life and sometimes, life will become overwhelming. But at some point, you have to step up and say, I am casting my lot. I have made my choice. With this one and only life, I am following Jesus Christ. And I’ll stay at it until I reach the finish line. I’m not following because of the blessings. I’m not following because He fed us. I’m not following because I think it’s the formula for the good life. I follow Jesus because He is who He says He is. And where else would we go? He alone has the words of life. And like Peter we would say, “I believe and know that you are the Holy One of God. Where else would we go?”

I hope that you walk away today having decided that no matter what comes, you come down from that spiritual high, that you have made up your mind that you will follow. He gives us this one more reminder in Hebrew 12:30, “Keep your mind on Jesus, who put up with many insults from sinners. Then you won’t get discouraged and give up.”

Let’s pray together.

Lord I pray for every person who is in this room today. Help us not to give up. Help us to do what it takes to stay close to you. When the feelings fade and the emotions go, Lord let us stand firm on our commitment. It’s worth it. We want to persevere to the finish line. We know that’s what you want. We know that’s what makes you happy and we live for that day when we will be with You and You will say to us, well done, good and faithful servant. May that be true of us. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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How to Safely Land after a Spiritual High

Sunday, November 14th, 2004

Read at beginning of service:

Philippians 3:7-16 (NIV)

7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ–the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

INTRODUCTION

Today we are beginning a new two-week teaching series all about getting started and continuing on your spiritual journey. Now for those of you who have been part of a 40 Days spiritual journey that we?ve just completed here at Hanover Pentecostal Church, we?ve just come out of an incredible experience. But I understand there would be some of you here that are maybe here for the first time and when I talk about the 40 Days that we?ve just experienced ? you don?t know what we?re talking about. That?s okay, too. Because everybody could be at a starting point. You may be just at the beginning of the road of your spiritual journey ? that?s a starting point. You may be somewhere in the middle. You start where you are. And those of you who have been on a spiritual high, well you do know what that?s all about and we?re glad that you are here, too.

How do you start on the next leg of your spiritual journey, especially, if you have been on a spiritual high? Let me ask you a question ? what?s the highest point on earth? Mount Everest. 29,035 feet. Did you know that 1,300-1,600 people have summited Mt. Everest? They?ve made it all the way to the top. People have been attempting it since 1921. During that period of time, 160 plus people have died trying to summit Mt. Everest. That means that 1 in 8 die. And for that privilege, they pay about $60,000; 90 days of their lives and 1 in 8 don?t make it back. What do you think that is about? Now certainly it?s the attraction; it?s saying I am in a small group of people that did something unique. But there?s something about getting to the highest place that?s compelling.

Let me ask you a question. Is it more dangerous to climb Mt. Everest, or to descend down the slope of Mt. Everest? More people have died descending than they did trying to summit. And there?s a spiritual application to that. You have to be extra careful coming off of a high place. Let me ask you another question. In weather patterns, would you rather have a high-pressure system or a low-pressure system? You?d rather have a high-pressure system. That?s where stable air is. It is the low-pressure systems that bring the unstable stormy kind of weather.

You know, if you?re not ready for the inevitable lows of life, spiritually and emotionally, you?re going to be in trouble. But isn?t that true of life? Life is a series of ups and downs. Life is a series of highs and lows. In life you?re going to find both the good and the bad.

Did you hear about the guy who?s talking to his buddy and he said, “Hey, did you hear that John fell out of an airplane?” His buddy said, “Oh, that?s bad.” The first guy said, “No, he had a parachute.” The other guy said, “Oh, that?s good.” The first guy said, “Well, the parachute didn?t open.” The other guy said, “Oh, that?s bad.” The first guy said, “No, there was a haystack.” The other guy said, “Oh, that?s good.” The first guy said, “No, there was a pitchfork in it.” The other guy said, “Oh, that?s bad.” The first guy said, “No, he missed the pitchfork.” The other guy said, “Oh, that?s good.” The first guy said, “No, he missed the haystack.” Now, that was bad. That was really, really bad.

You know the highs are so good and the lows are so painful that there is something within us that just wants to hang on to the highs. We want to capture as much of heaven on earth, as we possibly can. There?s a story in the Bible of Jesus on the mountain with his disciples and they had this unique, spiritual and I believe emotional experience. And then when Jesus was getting ready to descend, the disciples begged, “Could we just please stay here for a little longer?” We just want to hang on to the pieces of heaven on earth that we get.

Here?s a story I came across in preparing for this message.

It?s the story about a little boy. He had his pet turtle, Albert, and all of a sudden the pet turtle Albert turns pale and falls on its back and it lays motionless. Here?s this little guy and tears are streaming down his face and he carries this little turtle to his dad. His dad is the ultimate salesman and he knows, “I?ve got to do a sales job on my heart-broken kid,” so he takes the little turtle, puts it in a shoebox and he says, “Let me tell you son, this is the best thing that?s ever happened. This turtle now is just walking around up there in heaven. It is just so great. And I?ll tell you what we?re going to do. We?ll have a little funeral party and you invite all your friends. After we have the little funeral, we?ll have cake and ice cream and games for all your friends. It will be great.” This kid started to smile. So the dad knows, I need to really close the sale. He said, “Okay, so let?s go outside now, let?s have a little burial in the backyard.” So they carried the shoebox out into the backyard. And just at the last moment, the little boy opens the lid, peeks inside and Albert is walking around like nothing had happened. With a little disappointed look on his face he looks up at his dad and says, “Dad, can we kill him?”

You know there is a spiritual point to that story. I?d better hurry and get to it. We want spiritual highs at any price. We do. We want to stay spiritually high, but let me ask you. Is it possible to stay on a spiritual high? No. No, it?s not. If you read the Bible, what you?ll find is that the Bible is a parade of highs and lows, one right after another. Just take some examples. You know the story of Daniel, perhaps, in the Bible? Some of you don?t. Daniel was very, very faithful to God. That?s a high. But because of his faithfulness to God, he was thrown into a den of hungry lions. That?s a low. But the lions didn?t eat him. That?s a high. You see the pattern? There?s the story of Jonah. He runs away from God. That?s a low. He is swallowed by a great fish. That is a low. But the fish vomits him up on dry ground?is that a high or a low? It?s a high ? there are only two ways out of a fish!

Go to the New Testament. You have Jesus, and He?s at His baptism and His Father?s voice is heard from heaven,”This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” That was a high. What happened immediately after that? He?s in the desert for 40 days being assaulted with temptation by the devil himself. That was a low. But what happened after that? He began His ministry of teaching about the Kingdom of God and transforming lives and performing miracles. That was a high. But then what happened? He?s crucified. That was a low. But then what happened? He rose from the dead. And that was a high. Here?s what I know: because Jesus stayed faithful to God in the highs and the lows, it is in the highs and the lows that we will learn to become like Jesus.

You say, “Darren, how will I know if I?m on the right road? How do I get started down this journey?” Here?s a passage of scripture that I would like to spend a few minutes on, that describes a group of Christians that obviously had had some spiritual highs in their lives. Take a look at it there in Revelation 2. I hope you have your outline in front of you. I think it will help you as we kind of walk through this. Revelation 2, beginning with verse 2. Jesus is talking to these Christians and He said, “I know your deeds and your toil and your perseverance and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles and they are not, and you found them to be false; and you have perseverance and have endured for My name?s sake, and have not grown weary. But, I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first?”(NAS). Notice the description of these followers of Jesus. They?ve grown in their faith. It?s obvious they had a clear sense of their purpose. They had served the Lord with gratitude and emotion and joy and diligence, but something had happened. Somewhere along the way, in their journey with Jesus, something had changed. Now it wasn?t a work problem. They were working along just fine. As a matter of fact, the Bible says, “You?re great at work, you?re great at perseverance, you?re great at endurance.” They were doing the right thing. So it wasn?t a work problem. I don?t believe it was an information problem. I don?t believe it was thinking wrong things. They had the right information. Their problem was a love problem. They were suffering from what can adequately be described as heart-drift.

Let me ask you a question. Have you ever experienced heart-drift? Where your heart use to be just inflamed with passion and now it?s cold? I mean this happens in male/female relationships all the time. Let me use a prop to illustrate what I mean. [I used two couples from the congregation to help illustrate this point]. This couple helps us capture a picture of what first love really looks like. How many of you remember that sick at your stomach, giddy, jumpy, wide-eyed, enthusiastic passionate, can?t stop touching kind of love? Do you remember? Some of you don?t remember this, do you? It?s been a long, long time. Let me give you some attributes of what first love looks like.

WHAT IS ?FIRST LOVE LIKE??

There is an insatiable desire to learn about the other person!

Number one, you have an insatiable desire to learn all you can about the other person. I want you to imagine this couple. They are no longer dancing, but now they are at a romantic dinner. Out to eat at a restaurant. Do you remember what that was like? He?s not even touching his food. He?s not. Do you know what he?s doing? He?s talking to her. Yeah, that?s amazing. Having live conversation. “Tell me about your past. Tell me about your pain. Tell me about your parents. Tell me about your present. Tell me about your plans for the future.” But do relationships stay like this? [I went over to the other side of the stage and pointed out the second couple]. Somewhere along the road, I don?t know when it happens, something happens to love. Imagine them out to dinner. He?s looking at his plate. He?s eating with both hands. Stuff?s falling on his shirt. He?s complaining about the price. And they?re not talking to each other at all.

There is a heavy investment in the relationship

A second attribute of first love, there?s a heavy investment in that love relationship. You?re willing to invest heavily. Hey, you want to spend some time together? No problem, you have all the time in the world. You could imagine that in this couple [couple #1] couldn?t you? We can dance all night. You can see this guy saying to her, “Could I just drive by where you work and wave? Could I come in and watch you work? Could I watch you watch your watch while you work?” Money? Not a problem. They?re out to dinner ? “Honey, order anything you want.” They go to the mall together and he says, “Baby, buy whatever you want.” That was back when he would actually go to the mall with her. Can you imagine him [pointing to couple #2] going to the mall with her? No. First of all, he aged a little better. He doesn?t want to do that. But second, if he?s at the mall, it?s like he?s doing time. Hard time. He?s looking at the watch ? okay.

There is an intense preoccupation of the heart

A third attribute of first love, you?ve got this insatiable desire and this heavy investment, but then thirdly, there?s an intense preoccupation of the heart. See, over here, this couple , there?s no one or nothing else catching their eye. Nothing else is grabbing at their heart. Why? Because there is no room in their heart for anything else. They are full of love for one another. This was the person to whom you were willing to give reckless abandon. This was the person who got your full devotion. All your affection. Every bit of your esteem. This person was your treasure. And this person, do you know what they?re dancing to? “Ain?t no mountain high enough, ain?t no valley low enough?” You know that song, don?t you? Nothing is going to keep her. But this couple [couple #2], what?s going through their head? The Carpenter?s song ? “I?ll say goodbye to love?” and that?s what?s going on over here. Something happened and it?s sad.

What can happen to love? Look on your outline. Revelation 2:4 says something very insightful about love. It does not say, “You have lost your first love.” It says, “You have left your first love.” It was a choice. Actually, it was a small series of choices. Now some of you have just come through this incredible 40 Days. Right now, you are on a high in your relationship with God. Others of you, you?re just observers here today. This is may be your first time here and again, thanks for coming. Let me tell you what the Bible says to you. “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” And I?ll tell you what. Once you do, you will hunger and thirst for more of God. Because he?s not only desirable, he?s reliable. And for those of you who have thirsted for righteousness and you hunger for God, it?s as if your hunger and thirst seem unquenchable. You cannot spend enough time. You can?t leverage enough of your resources. You can?t offer enough of your life to Him. Love has captured you and you are a willing captive. It?s a spiritual high. Bible study being held, you?re there. Worship service going on, you?re there. Scripture memory, you?re doing it. I mean if there was baptism bubble bath, you?d be using it. There is no place you?d rather be. Nothing else you?d rather give yourself to. Jesus Christ is the full focus of your heart and your devotion.

This is the spiritual high weather system. It?s providing sunshine and stability to your life. If you?ve lived and you?ve paid attention, that jet stream is still blowing and soon a low-pressure system builds. Clouds and storms cover the weather map of your soul. Rain and coldness blow across your heart and over a series of small choices, you?ve left your first love. What are you going to do when that happens? What do you do if it?s already happened? How do you get started on a new place in the spiritual journey that you?ve been taking? What steps do you take through a spiritual low place?

FIRST STEPS ON THIS JOURNEY

Remember

Well Revelation 2 also gives the answers. Step one ? the first step in this journey ? in verse 5, Jesus said, “Remember“. Can some of you remember when you were so spiritually hungry that you couldn?t stay away from this place? You didn?t care if the service lasted an hour, or an hour and half, or two hours. It didn?t matter to you. You were just willing to hang out. But what?s happened? You know, 15, 20, 30 minutes late. You come strolling in.

Long services? How many of you were here last weekend? If you noticed, my message was a little shorter than usual. I?ll tell you why. Something happened last week ? very unusual. I was at his house and I was looking for something in my bedroom and I looked under the bed. On my wife?s side of the bed, I saw a shoebox. That in and of itself wasn?t unusual, but in her handwriting on the top of the shoebox, it said, “Do Not Open.” Now I, being like most curious men, peeked inside and I was even more confused by what he saw. Inside were three hand-sewn, lacey doilies. You know what I?m talking about ? those little lacy, cloth things that go on the table ? and $27,000 in cash. I didn?t know what to do. I thought, “If I ask about it, she?d know I looked.” But because of my curiosity, I confessed. I said to my wife, “Hey, I know it said don?t look, but I looked. So now you?ve got to tell me, what?s that about?” She told me, “We?ve been married so long and I?ve listened to lots and lots of your sermons. Every time you went really long on a sermon, I?d go home and deal with the stress of that and I?d just sew one of these doilies and put it in the box.” Now I was feeling good about that. I mean in all those sermons, only three had really gone really, really long. So I said, “What about the $27,000 in cash?” “Well, every time I got a dozen doilies, I?d sell them.” Note to self ? write resignation letter?hehe just kidding folks, just kidding.

You know, when you were first in love with Christ, you?d come early, and you?d stay late. You were more like this couple [#1] than this couple [#2]. Like first love, maybe there was a time when you had an insatiable desire to learn about him. You made whatever investment in the relationship. He was the intense, preoccupation of your heart. All you wanted to do was love him and please him. Do you remember? Let me tell you something. God remembers. He remembers feeling the thrill within you the first time that the Bible really spoke to you. Remember that? I mean the Bible is so pregnant with truth, it was like it gave birth while you read it. You couldn?t read fast enough. It wasn?t because of dry habit. It was a thrill for you. God remembers. He remembers your courage the first time you talked to someone else about how much Jesus meant to you. He was so proud of you. He felt your heart beating so fast in your chest that you thought it was going to burst. He knew how surprised you were that your words and your efforts were making a difference in someone else?s life. It wasn?t because of duty; it was because of courage and passion. He remembers. God remembers each time in worship where you would lift your hands and surrender to Him. Or you?d hold them up like an empty cup and say, “God, would you just fill me again.” He remembers when tears would easily come to your eyes because you were so filled with gratitude and wonder and amazement and grace. He remembers. He remembers when you pursued Him like no other. When He was the object of your deepest affection. And you know what? He misses that. This isn?t about trying to create guilt. Because if the truth were told, you miss that, too. You do.

Some years ago, there was a singer, Larnell Harris, who wrote a song where God is the singer and what God says to the listener is, “I miss my time with you. Those moments together. I need to be with you each day and it hurts me when you say you?re too busy. Busy trying to serve me. But how can you serve me when your spirit?s empty?” You know, more than anything, as one of your pastors, I just want to plead with you. Do not let your work for God destroy the work of God within you. This is supposed to be about a love relationship with the very One who made you. So could you take time this week and maybe take the Bible out and maybe thumb through the pages, and maybe there was a time you wrote something in the margin when God spoke to you from these pages. Or maybe you?ve written something in a journal, or something like a spiritual diary and what you do then, you just read a former time in your faith, where your intense love for God was red hot. Or maybe this week, you just come into this building and maybe a spot in this building has become special to you. Or maybe you just find a quiet place in your heart and you say, “God, I miss you too. I remember, and I?m coming back.”

REPENT

Now look at verse 5 again. Notice the next step you take. When you?ve allowed love to slip, verse 5 says, “Repent.” Now that is a heavy, heavy word. What does repent mean? I mean you think about preachers screaming that word with a lot of fire in their voice. The real definition of repent is, “I recognize that where I am is not where I am supposed to be. So, I turn and move toward where I am supposed to be.” That?s what it is. The same truth is found in Lamentations 3. The Bible says, “Let?s take a good look at the way we?re living and reorder our lives under God.” How do you move to the place that you want to be with God? First, you remember. Second, you repent.

DO WHAT YOU USED TO DO

And number three, and this is right out of verse 5, you do what you used to do. So what do you do? You take one step at a time. You do the next right thing. You know what? You don?t get to a spiritual mountain top in one step. And you will not get through a low valley in one step. So what do you do? You put one foot in front of the other. You take one right step a time and you will successfully make your way through the low places.

Some of you at the beginning of the 40 Days of Purpose said, “I am going to attend all six weekends for the 40 days.” Some of you did that and I want to commend you on that. Some of you made all six. You know what? It would be overwhelming to say, “I?ll make a church service on a weekend, every weekend, for the rest of my life.” That would be overwhelming to most of us. But there are only five weekends, after this one, until Christmas Eve. Kind of bums you out, doesn?t it? But you say, “Yeah, I can make five.” How about Bible reading? You know the daily reading we were doing during the 40 Days? A lot of scripture in that book. We were reading a lot of scripture. You say, “I don?t know if I can read that much.” How about this? Before beginning your day or before closing your eyes for the night, how about five minutes with the Bible? Just 5 minutes. How about scripture memory? Some of you are memorizing one verse of scripture every week. Just one verse of scripture. So maybe from your daily Bible reading, you pick one verse of scripture, just one, that you?ll memorize that week and you put it on your refrigerator door and you make the commitment, “I will not open this refrigerator door until I can say this verse with my eyes closed.” Think of the weight you?ll lose in the Holidays!!

Being right, and doing right doesn?t always feel right. But it doesn?t have to. More is going to be said about that next week. Don?t worry about feelings. Write this down: “Motion will lead to emotion.” You take the next right step. Let me give you just two more practical steps. During the 40 Days you learned the importance of a church family. In the new year we are going to be holding our Membership Class. Before you leave today, you can sign up for this class out in the foyer. Some of you, during the 40 Days, said, “I want Jesus to be the forgiver of my sins and the new leader of my life.” And one public way you express your new life in Christ is to be baptized. We are also planning a baptism service in January that you can sign up for in the foyer. It?s not every step you?ll need to take, but it is one step.

I want to be very clear. The goal is not just to keep you busy. The goal is not just a bunch of activity. This is all about real change. The expectation is that you start becoming like Jesus. Becoming the person God created you to be. This is not just about attending, or reading, or memorizing, or buying or doing. It?s about really being like Jesus. And when you boil it right down, our character is developed through our obedience and through our trust in God during the highs and during the lows. We trust Him when we?re up, and we obey Him. We trust Him when we?re down, and we obey Him. Will you choose to love the Lord through trust and obedience? Will you choose to obey all that God teaches you to do? It?s not about I?ll obey this part, but I?m not going to obey that part. Selective obedience is not obedience at all. That?s just called convenience. I?m talking about true obedience to God.

Following Jesus from the mountain into the valley is a series of small steps, small choices all in the right direction. Look at Philippians 3:16. Let?s read this out loud together. “Now that we are on the right track, let?s stay on it.” One step, one choice at a time. And in that journey, God by His spirit in you, forms Jesus in you a little bit at a time. You become more and more like Jesus. You say, “Darren, how do I know? How will I ever know that I?m becoming more and more like Jesus?” In Galatians 5, the Bible says, “Live by the Spirit.” That means let God the Spirit work within you and then He?ll produce some fruitfulness in that kind of work. And He describes it here. “The fruit of the Spirit is love (you?ll be more loving), joy (you?ll be more joyful), peace (you?ll be more peaceful), patience (you?ll be more patient), kindness (you?ll be kinder), goodness (you?ll be better), faithfulness (more faithful), gentleness (self-controlled).” That?s what happens.

2 Corinthians 8:11 says this: “Having started the ball rolling so enthusiastically, you should carry this project through to completion just as gladly?Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equaled by your realistic action now.” Say “Okay, Pastor, okay. I am willing with God?s help to try to follow Him, step by step, obedience and trust through the highs and through the lows. But I have one question.” Okay, ask. This is your question, I suspect . “What if I trip? You already said coming back down Mt. Everest is way more dangerous, so as I am into a low period, what if I fail?” It?s a great question. Here?s the answer. Even when you fail, God never does.

WHEN YOU FAIL, GOD NEVER DOES

When you fail, God never does. Can I personalize that? When I fail, God never does. Can we say it personally together? When I fail, God never does.

Let me tell you what I mean by that. God?s care for you will never fail. He?ll never stop caring. Has there ever been a time in your life when you needed God?s encouragement? You just needed to know He was there and that He cared for you? He will care for you in the highs and I am glad to report, He is there in the lows.

One final thought, and then we?re done. God?s love will never fail. Even when you get messy in life, His love for you is never in question.

Several years ago, Jeanette George wrote about a flight she had from Tucson to Phoenix. It?s not a long flight at all. Seated next to her was this young woman with a small, little baby girl. Jeanette describes the little baby, says she was beautiful. She was wearing this white dress. Her hair was fixed with a little pink bow. This baby was smiling and she kept saying “Dada, dada” during the first part of the trip. And the woman explained, “we?re going home to her daddy. We?ve been away for 24 hours and he?s going to meet us at the airport.” Everybody was just enjoying this adorable little girl. Well the mom had a thermos bottle and she?s feeding this baby juice and fruit, juice and fruit. And the baby started crying. I guess the ears, or something, as they?re flying. And the more the baby cried, the more juice and fruit. Then the flight got turbulent. Oh, yeah. She had more came up than had gone down. It was just a huge, huge mess. This baby?s face is blotted with red from the crying. Her hair, her white dress, just everywhere. People were assuring this young mother that it was okay, handing her tissues while running for cover.

When the plane landed, the little girl was fine again. She started saying, “Dada, dada” again. Nobody else was fine, but that little girl, she was fine. Jeanette George says when they got off, she spotted the daddy. She spotted him. She said there he was standing in white pants, in a white shirt, holding white flowers. As he walked to embrace his wife, she just handed him the child, as she?s on the way to the bathroom to cleanup. And Jeanette George said, “I thought when he looked at how nasty that little girl had gotten, he would say, “She?s not my baby. I don?t know whose baby she is.?” That?s not what happened. That daddy took that little girl in his arms and he started kissing her, stroking her hair and saying over and over again, “Daddy?s baby came home.” I just want to read to you two brief sentences that Jeanette George says: “I watched him all the way to the baggage area. He never stopped kissing that baby and I thought, ?Where did I ever get the idea that Father God is less loving than a young daddy in a white shirt, in white pants with white flowers who doesn?t care what his little girl looks like, or what she smells like? He?s just glad she?s home.?”

Maybe you?ve blown it ? really messy. You thought, “God would never want me like this.” You could not be more wrong. Whoever you are, whatever you have done, God wants you to come to Him. It?s like coming home. For those of you who are wanting a relationship with God, start the journey today. For those of you who are on your journey, stay steady. Remember His love. Take the next right step. Just keep moving in His direction. Just keep making your way home to Him. He wants you in His arms, no matter what. Why? Because His love never fails.

Let?s pray together?

“Heavenly Father, if I?m honest, I?d have to admit that you?ve been pursuing me with Your love for a long time now. You proved Your love by letting Your Son, Jesus die instead of me for my sins. He paid the price. And God you raised Him from the dead ? why? All because You love me. Father, I want to start a love relationship with You. Or some of you will pray?Father I want to stay in a love relationship with You. And though the feelings come and go, they rise and fall, I commit today, by faith and simple trust that I will make my journey home to you. And thank you, Father, for letting me know that when I arrive, you?ll be there to enfold me in Your arms and to welcome me into Your presence forever. Amen.

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