They finally made it. It had taken a while. By the time they had prepared the stretcher for their friend and gathered the necessary items for the journey the morning had nearly passed. They had hurried as fast as they could but their speed was hampered somewhat by the condition of their friend. As the four men hoisted their friend laying on the stretcher onto their shoulders each one of them could see the look of hope in his eyes. How could anyone resist that look? Indeed as they began walking each one of them was filled with their own version of that hope.

They passed others on the way: a blind man, someone with a bandage around his head, and there was a woman carrying a child with open infected sores on its arms. As they got closer to the house, more and more people were walking beside them. Finally they got to a point where they could go on no more because of the size of the crowd. They set down their friend on a shaded place by the steps of a porch. One of the friends got on the shoulders of another and looked over the heads to see what was happening. As he got down the man on the stretcher looked up with a questioning look.

“Sorry, I don’t know if we’re going to get in there – there’s just too many people surrounding the house. We’ll have to try and get to Jesus another day.”

The men looked at their friend on the mat and he shrugged his shoulders, “oh well, thanks guys for making the effort!” Valiant words, but they could see the disappointment in his eyes. Something seized them in that moment and they looked at each other while their friend lay down on the mat. One of men peered down the alleyway behind the stretcher and noticed that there was a ladder leaning against the wall that reached the roof. He stepped out into street a bit and gauged the distance between the houses lining the street leading up to the house where the master was. He quickly gathered the rest of the men together and began pointing as he explained his plan. They nodded in agreement, it was worth a try.

Their paralytic friend was startled out of his rest as the men picked up the mat and moved toward the ladder. It wasn’t easy getting up the ladder and required some rather uncomfortable positions. There were a couple moments where the paralytic man almost slid out of his stretcher – but his friends were careful and they made it to the roof safely. One of the men pulled up the ladder and it became a makeshift bridge between the roofs of the remaining houses. As the men moved from rooftop to rooftop people in the streets began pointing and murmuring among themselves, wondering what these men were up to and what kind of predicament they were putting their friend in.

As the group of men and their paralytic friend approached their destination they began to hear the voice of the one they sought. They could hear Him speaking and teaching and the closer they got the more they began to make out what He was saying.

Then as they crossed over the improvised bridge one last time they set down their friend on the roof. The paralytic looked with love to his friends and said, “Thank you my friends, It is good that at least I can hear His voice and drink in His words.”

His friends simply smiled and said, “We’re not done yet!” Each of them took off their cloaks and their shirts and two of them began weaving them into makeshift ropes while the other two began to remove the thatch from the roof and work their way through the sturdy material. The paralytic man, propped up on an elbow began to wonder if His friends had gone mad, the owner of the house would not be happy or what if the roof of the house gave way?

The people in the house had heard the initial footsteps on the roof but many of them were simply listening too closely to the teacher to give any thought to why there might be that sound. But then, eventually their attention became distracted by the falling debris from the ceiling and the ray of light when the men on the roof poked through. By the time the hole was big enough to accommodate the stretcher the crowd below were watching with puzzled looks. The teacher was watching as well. Having stopped speaking when the first small hole appeared, he now looked, not with a puzzled gaze, like the others, but instead with expectation. He knew what these men were up to.

Then the men on the roof went to their friend on the stretcher and attached their makeshift ropes and lowered him to the feet of the teacher. Peering through the hole in the ceiling with sweat dripping from their faces and their chests heaving, they watched, hoping, waiting to see what Jesus would do. Finally they had made it. Then Jesus spoke…

PRAY

In the gospel according to Mark we find the account of an incredible blessing in the life of a young man who was paralyzed. A blessing that occurred in his life because He had friends who didn’t let a crowd, or a roof get in the way of bringing their friend to Jesus. It is significant that scripture records the first action of Jesus in response to the efforts of these men is to commend them for their faith – a faith that led them to even bring down a roof to get help for their friend.

Now there are a lot of things that stand out in this story, but today I want to ask one question that I believe the Holy Spirit would have us ask this morning. “What roofs is in your way?” I believe that God desires that every single one of us would not only know great blessing in our lives but also be agents of great blessing in other people’s lives.

Jesus himself said once, “I have come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
John 1:16 (NIV)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.
Ephesians 1:3 (NIV)

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
1 Peter 3:9 (NIV)

The thing about God’s blessing is that scripture teaches the principle that living in God’s blessing for your own life involves God blessing others through you. That is what happened in this story.

Blessing is one of those words that can have any one of a dozen meanings depending on your perspective. Generally speaking though, when we think of blessing we think of something that is good – something that is beneficial – and something that is a realized desire.

In scripture, blessing is always connected with God. God is the source of every good blessing – his very presence is a blessing. More specifically the New Testament teaches us that the greatest blessing is life found in Jesus Christ. That’s the significance of the story this morning. What consumed the thoughts and actions of these men was getting their friend to Jesus. Jesus is the source of the blessing.

So if it is God’s desire that we experience His blessing and that He blesses others through us, what are the roofs in your way? What keeps people from living in the blessing of God? There are far too many people (some of you who are sitting here today) who are not living in God’s blessing let alone being a blessing to others.

The thickest roof that stands between man and God is the exaltation of self. That is, when the Almighty “me” is placed on a pedestal of necessity. Friends the Bible doesn’t speak against loving who you are, or loving the way God has made you, or thinking good about yourself. But the Bible does have much to say against those who worship themselves. That is they are consumed with the preservation, the pleasure, and the promotion of themselves.

Jesus, in a conversation one day with a man shared the two greatest commandments. Commandments that shatter this humanistic idolatry of self.

- two greatest commandments Love God with all your heart….
- Love your neighbor as yourself.

What stands out about the paralytic man and his friends is that the roof between them and Jesus was torn apart by a faith carried by selflessness. These men were doing what they did out of a love for their friend and were not thinking of what they could get out of it. And so they entered into the blessing of Christ.

Now I want to help you with answering the question, “what roof is in your way?” this morning. I believe that scripture can help us answer that question. On principle, most of us will vehemently deny we worship ourselves! But then, can you confidently say you are living in the blessing of God? Can you most assuredly say that the full blessing of God is working through you? If so, then that’s awesome! Feel free to tune out and spend some time thinking about what you’re going to do after the service. I suspect, though that some of you are interested in knowing what roofs are in your way this morning.

The worship of self is exhibited in many symptoms but I’m just going to mention a few this morning.

1. The pursuit of comfort

The pursuit of comfort is illustrated by the thought, “I’ll just pass on the pain”. This pursuit is directed by the path of least resistance. Self-worshipers don’t like being uncomfortable, and will avoid any discomfort at all costs and do whatever it takes to remain in the place of comfort. Decisions and choices are made with the consideration of whether it will contribute to their comfort or will make things uncomfortable. These people don’t like feeling uncomfortable let alone being uncomfortable.

Now, don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that it’s wrong to want a little comfort in your life. After all, it’s nice to have a roof over our heads and food in our bellies, and clothes on our backs. It becomes a problem when an individual sees pain as an enemy and is constantly looking for ways to increase their comfort with the least amount of effort.

What does this lead to?

a. Rebellion and Disobedience

Take the example of Jonah in the Bible. God wanted to bless him and make him a blessing to the people of Nineveh. Because of the evil lifestyle and actions of the people of Nineveh, God was about to pour out the wrath of his judgment on them. But because of God’s grace and mercy He wanted to give them a chance to repent first. So, God decided to send the prophet Jonah. To this preacher God said one word, “GO”! That is a small word, but it carried with it a big blessing. But Jonah’s reply was “NO”! That is a small word, too, but it cut off the blessing.

Jonah didn’t go to Nineveh for two reasons – he didn’t want the Ninevites to be rescued from God’s wrath and it would mean leaving the comfort of His current life. The ironic thing about people who pursue comfort is that they don’t ever reach that place of comfort! There came a time when God conquered Jonah’s rebellious spirit, but the Lord had to send Jonah through a terrible storm, where he was tossed overboard, swallowed by a whale, lived in the belly of a whale for three days, and spit up on dry land before Jonah learned his lesson.

b. Resistance to Change

Another fruit of this pursuit is that there will be a resistance to change. Granted, not all change is good – but healthy growth always involves positive change. And change always means some degree of discomfort as we learn to adapt to that change. A common saying of the self-worshiper is, “but that’s the way it’s always been done.” What they’re really saying is, “that’s all I’m comfortable with”.

c. Indifference

Another fruit of this pursuit and one that is more social in nature is the indifference it creates towards any discomfort among our fellow man. “Well I’m okay, that’s all that matters”. Indifference can not only affect how we care for others but it also can affect our attitude towards opportunity. Opportunities to experience God’s blessing and for God’s blessing to work through you will come and go because of the indifference towards what might bring discomfort into your life.

Dig through the roof…

What roof is in your way? Is it the quest for comfort? Do you think the friends of the paralytic man would have even carried him as far as they did up that street if they were only concerned for their comfort? If comfort was their pursuit, then forget about them carrying their friend to a roof and digging through to get Him to Jesus!

But we know that they did carry their friend to Jesus because of their love for their friend and because they were not worshippers of self. Selfless people don’t see pain or discomfort as something to be avoided but instead as something that contributes to the significance and value of their end goal. Sure those men were dripping sweat and probably had raw hands and sore muscles from carrying their friend and getting Him to Jesus. Then of course there wasn’t only the physical cost of their actions but there is also the discomfort that they probably faced after when the owner of the house sent them the bill for the hole in his roof! But here’s the thing, as those guys were looking down at their friend and Jesus reaching out to Him, were they thinking it was worth it?

If we’re going to dig through the roof of the pursuit of comfort we have to realize that true comfort from this world is an illusion. Such a pursuit will lead to a hollow, meaningless, and yes even comfortless existence. True comfort is only obtained outside of this world and finds it’s source in God.

2. The pursuit of pleasure

A close cousin to the pursuit of comfort is the pursuit of pleasure. Not everyone who is a worshipper of self is in pursuit of comfort. In fact there are many in the world today that practice the mantra of “no pain, no gain”. But everyone who is a worshipper of self is in pursuit of pleasure.

The pursuit of pleasure comes in a myriad of shapes and forms and manifestations but it nearly always is best expressed in the question, “What’s in it for me?” – “What do I get out of this?” The pursuit of pleasure is also one of those insidious symptoms of self-worship that isn’t always easy to spot – especially in the seemingly charitable actions of others. Yet there are many self-worshippers in our world who give money or even volunteer for a “good work” after first evaluating what they will get out of it. How many people in churches today evaluate what the church does in terms of how many people come into the church as a result of that activity? How many people in churches today ask before doing anything, “what’s in it for us?”

Again, like the pursuit of comfort, it’s not wrong to want a little pleasure in your life! But the problem is that when pleasure becomes a driving force in your life you end up cutting yourself off from the blessings of God. Instead of allowing God to grow and lead us to the good pasture of pleasure, a self-worshipper grazes on the putrid ground of rotting thrills.

Self-Worshippers get caught in a pursuit that never satisfies them. And the saddest thing? The saddest thing is that there are so many Christians caught in the consumerist mindset arising from this pursuit. A calamity that has left much of the western church with a Christianity that bears little resemblance to the church of Acts and a lifestyle that has little to offer that’s different from the world.

Demas is an illustration of this point. He was a young man who heard Paul preach one day. He was drawn by the Holy Spirit in the truth that God spoke through Paul. Every word was a challenge to this young man’s heart. In a great moment of spiritual ecstasy he cried out, “I will leave everything and go with this man in the service of Jesus Christ”. Such a great decision! There is little greater than someone who will willingly commit themselves to God and God’s work. Demas was right by Paul’s side. He was a joy and a help to him. But they journeyed to the great city, and attraction of the pleasures the world offered him blinded the eyes of Demas (2 Timothy 4:10). Demas deserted Paul and the calling God has placed on his life and cut off every blessing for himself and for others whom he might have served.

There is an article I came across once by George Barna who has been researching the North American church for many decades. In the article, he describes that most Christians and non-Christians have the same values, the same wants and desires. He went on to say that many Christians believe what they want is Biblically accurate, even though what they believe is more in line with what our western culture promotes than what the Bible teaches. Here’s a couple he listed:

i. Acquisitions: Our culture defines happiness in terms of what we have: bank accounts, homes, clothes and cars. Or, happiness is defined by experiences: fine restaurants, sporting events, skiing trips, and tours of Europe.
ii. Merit-based: Our value and position depend in some measure upon our parents status and in great measure upon our accomplishments.

This even happens in the church. When I was a youth pastor I would sometimes receive from well-meaning Christians the question, “So when are you going to become a real pastor?”

Dig through the roof…

What roof is in your way? Is it the pursuit of pleasure? Were the friends of the paralytic man thinking about what was in it for them when they lifted up his stretcher and carried him to the house where Jesus was? Were they really thinking about what benefit they would get when they dug through the bird crap, dirt, mud and thatch to poke a hole through the roof of the house? Here’s the thing, they weren’t doing any of this for their own pleasure and no doubt it wasn’t a very pleasurable experience! But still, they were looking to bless their friend. And in the process they were blessed too.

If we are to break through the roof of self-worship then we need to recognize the symptoms of the pursuit of pleasure and eradicate that pursuit from our life. We need to realize that healthy pleasure isn’t so much a destination as it is the result of a process. When pleasure is viewed merely as a destination it results in an unhealthy pursuit. It results in the accumulation of things or the chasing of experiences to satisfy that lust for pleasure.

When we understand that pleasure is the result of process we discover it in places we never thought of before. How many young people dream of the day they get married. They pursue the ideal mate and that romantic “happily ever after” vision promoted by the fairytales of their childhood. Then they meet the person and complete the ceremony and, well that’s it. They’ve reached the destination – but it doesn’t seem to be all that it’s cracked up to be. The pleasure in great marriages isn’t the destination, it’s the process. So many marriages are falling apart today because marriage is viewed as a destination rather than a process. If you enter marriage thinking you’ve achieved everything you need to make a great marriage work and pleasurable then you are deluded.

Now in saying this, I don’t mean that there is never pleasure in the destination. But what I am saying is that merely pursuing pleasure as a destination will result in a continual dissatisfaction.

Another important thing to remember that will help us dig through this roof is that the pleasure of this world is temporary and fleeting. Christ offers us a pleasure that is eternal and lasting. Jesus himself said,

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV)

What are treasures in heaven? They are the things that last beyond this world. The things that bring pleasure on an eternal scale rather than limited to the time we have here on earth.

One of the greatest of these eternal treasures is the pleasure of being a vehicle of blessing to others. In fact, God has wired us so that our greatest pleasure comes from loving and serving others. The path to being fulfilled and satisfied in life is found not in the accumulation of things and the amassing of accolades but is instead in the living out of God’s command to love your neighbor as yourself.

What roof is in your way?

(…the third symptom of those who worship themselves is…)

3. The pursuit of self-righteousness

Self-righteousness is best exemplified in the statement, “I have my rights”. In other words that either there are good things that I deserve because of what I’ve done or by virtue of who I am or there are things that should happen to you because of what you’ve done or by virtue of who you are.

A self-righteous person is also concerned most about appearances. It doesn’t really matter what they are thinking or storing away in their hearts or their minds but they are concerned about what others are thinking about them and how they appear to those of influence and other people who “have it all together”.

The pursuit of self-righteousness is like the pursuit of pleasure in that it is often insidious in character. Nevertheless it will rear it’s ugly head in several noticeable areas.

What does it lead to?

a. Unforgiveness

When offended the self-righteous will grab a hold of that offense, claim it, and nurture it. The offense will grow into bitterness and it becomes an inalienable “right” that they feel this way towards the one who offended them. In this climate of hurt and malicious feelings it is no wonder that forgiveness is far from their mind. This lack of forgiveness will always be a barrier to receiving and passing on blessing from God.

b. Critical Spirit

The pursuit of self-righteousness will also lead to a critical spirit.

A learned man said to D.L. Moody one day, “You made 38 grammatical errors in your sermon today.” Moody replied, “I am quite sure that I must have made even more than that. I have not had the educational advantages that you have had, but I am trying to use all that I have for the glory of God, are you?” (illustration quoted in “Barriers to Blessing” by Ed Wood)

I wonder how much the man got out of Moody’s sermon that day? The man who looks for only the mistakes of others finds little in life with which to enrich himself.

In their critical way, the self-righteous often judge men by what they have seen, when really and truly no one knows another’s heart. We throw self-righteous robes around us, we flash our critical eyes upon others and say, “Thank God, I’m not like these other men.” Yet, we do not know the things that are deep down in their hearts.

Why did Jesus first say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven”? Do you really think that’s why his friends went through all that effort to bring him to Jesus? To simply hear that his “sins” are forgiven? I don’t want to minimize the importance of those very words being spoken. For indeed Jesus, does have the authority to speak them and there is a necessity for every single one of us to hear those words. But I believe that Jesus chose those words to be the first out of His mouth because He wanted to call out the self-righteous arrogance in that room – the self-righteous arrogance that would be appalled at the actions of those who dug through the roof and even more so at the way in which this teaching was interrupted; the self-righteous arrogance producing the judgement that this paralytic was responsible for his own condition by his sins – let alone the indignation that Jesus would could forgive them! The self-worshipers in that room were so wrapped up in their self-righteousness that they missed out on the blessing of God’s righteousness in that room that day. Instead of leaving blessed they left condemned.

c. looking for the line of least responsibility and culpability

When looking at their relationship to the world around them, the self-righteous are always looking for the line of least responsibility and culpability. That is, what is the minimum I need to do to keep up appearances and make it. You can apply this to any situation but it is terribly sad when so many Christians live like this. When an unmarried person asks a question like, “How far can I go and still be a virgin?”, or others ask “Have I prayed enough to look spiritual?”, “Should I tithe off my gross income or my net income?”. The Pharisees and Sadducees in Jesus’ day became experts at drawing the line. The thing is, no matter where you draw the line, God sees right through to your heart. And your heart is what matters to God.

What roof is in your way?
My heart aches, when I think of how much of God’s blessing we miss out on because we draw a line of minimum responsibility and effort. When instead, we should be looking at the limitless gifts God has already given us – gifts equipping us to pass on His blessing to others in fulfilling the greatest commandments: Love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind – and to love your neighbor as yourself.

CONCLUSION

In some ways, the actions of those men taking friend to Jesus is a prelude to the very action of Christ in bringing the lost to his Father. Imagine, God Himself, in Christ choosing to leave the comfort and limitless pleasure of His eternal throne to take on the humble mantle of humanity. Not only that but what was the roof Jesus broke through? Jesus dug through the roof of sin which kept a poor and crippled world from the presence of the Father.

In the ultimate pain of the cross and the ridicule of the very men and women he came to save – in the pain of being rejected by those who called Him master and friend, Jesus clawed his way through that roof and in doing so granted every single one of us access to the great blessings of the Father. Through Him we are blessed and Him through us is the opportunity to be a blessing to others.

This thought brings new meaning to the passage in Hebrews,

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2 (NIV)

What was the joy set before Him? I believe it was the same joy set before the men hanging over the edge of the tattered and broken roof, gazing upon their friend who they loved, receiving healing and forgiveness from the lips of the master.

What roof is in your way? Have you detected any self-worship in your life this morning? Have you become aware of the pursuit of comfort, the pursuit of pleasure, or the pursuit of self-righteousness in your life? I invite you to allow the Holy Spirit to help you break through that roof this morning.

As a church, if we are going to fulfill God’s purpose for us – then there are a few roofs that are going to be torn down along the way. There are times where God may ask us to do things that don’t seem to bring any benefit – but it is the doing that matters.

What roof is in your way this morning?

Read John 1:1-18For the past three weeks I’ve been sharing with you a series of messages entitled Christmas Potential. I began the series by talking about how we can learn to recognize this potential by focusing on Jesus Christ. It is a potential that was created in the incarnation – when God sent His son to earth to dwell among us, “God with us” so that the possibility of having a one on one relationship with Him would be initiated.

In the following week I then talked about how the incarnation occurred in the perfect timing of God and that embracing God’s pace (or timing) in your life involves patience. Embracing the potential of Christmas produces the test of trust in us as we learn to be patient in living at God’s pace. As our priorities become realigned there will be times where we simply have to trust Him for the outcome.

Last week we visited the story of the Shepherds, the Wisemen and King Herod to learn about the different responses that existed during the events of the incarnation. Compared to today there are similar responses found among people during the Christmas season. There are those who will reject the potential Christmas brings, those who will ignore it, and then of course those who will believe and receive the good news Christ brings. Embracing the potential of Christmas will result in a change of identity because you become a child of the King and Christ is your life.

The thing about potential is that the word describes something that could be but not necessarily something that is. In other words, potential can be lost if it is not enabled. If I held up a match and a candle I could describe the match as having the potential to ignite something. I could describe the candle as potential energy in the form of light and heat that could be released if it was ignited. However the potential will mean nothing unless it is enabled. Once I strike the match and light the candle then the potential that was in each becomes something real.

We enable Christmas potential when we receive the gift God sent to this world and when we embark on the journey of becoming more like Christ. Today I want to conclude this series by describing the outcome of that potential. What happens when Christmas potential is allowed to run its’ course in individual lives? What happens when Christmas potential is enabled and curried in the life of the church?

REAL FORGIVENESS

The first real outcome of enabled Christmas Potential is forgiveness. The angels announced to the shepherds,

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.
Luke 2:11 (NIV)

John in the introduction to His gospel presents Jesus as the Word becoming flesh and as one who “came from the Father, full of grace and truth”. The nature of grace is that it is expressed regardless of whether the recipient deserves it. Because of God’s grace Jesus came as the Saviour of mankind!

Why do we need a Saviour anyway? Well let’s think about the word saviour for a minute. A Saviour is someone who saves or rescues someone from something. That means that if Jesus is given that title he must be rescuing people from something. What is it He’s rescuing us from? The Bible teaches us that He rescues us from the penalty of Sin which is death. In the eyes of God, death is so much more than mere physical destruction. Death is existing apart from Him. Those who exist apart from God have no contact with Him who is the source of life, love, joy, peace, and every good thing. Jesus was sent to rescue mankind from that existence which the Bible describes as Hell – a literal place that’s defining characteristic is the absence of God.

Jesus came so that it may be possible for us to be connected to the one who is our source of life and to be reconnected in relationship with our Heavenly Father who wants that connection to happen in the first place. He wants us to rescue us from the penalty of sin and restore us to a right relationship with our Creator. Here’s the thing, you can only be in right relationship with God when you are perfect before Him. Jesus took care of sin so we could be perfect before God.

A little boy wrote a letter to Santa Claus that said, “Dear Santa: There are three boys living at my house. Jeffrey is two, David is four, and Norman is seven. Jeffrey is good some of the time, David is good some of the time, and Norman is good all of the time. I am Norman”

You know the problem with that? Not one of us is a Norman. None of us bats a 1000. None of us are always perfect or right. In fact, if we were somehow able to project on the screen behind me everything we’ve ever though, said, or done, most of us would be extremely embarrassed. We all live with a sense of regret because none of us are perfect. That’s why we need a saviour.

“If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so He sent us a Saviour” (source unknown)

Enabling the potential of Christmas unleashes the forgiveness of God in your life. The most priceless gift anyone could receive is the gift of a clear conscience.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.
Isaiah 1:18 (NIV)

We enable this potential by having a right relationship with Jesus Christ. The declaration is in John 3:16…

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NIV)

…and the explanation is in the next two verses…

17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
John 3:17-18 (NIV)

Enabling the potential of Christmas produces forgiveness. A forgiveness that is made possible not because of anything you and I have done but because of everything Christ has done.

REAL PEACE

Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.
Psalms 119:165 (NIV)

Peace is a word that our world uses a lot, but most people do not have the foggiest idea of what real peace is like.

• For some peace of mind means drinking until they’re so drunk and numb that they can no longer feel the pain in their hearts.
• For some, peace means hopping from one relationship to the next, to the next, to the next, hoping that somebody will fill the void in their life. But nobody ever does.
• For some, peace means staying busy all the time so that at night they just kind of collapse into bed and do not have to think. Because anytime they are quiet, those haunting thoughts, those fears, and that terrible loneliness come caving in, and they do not like that feeling.
• For other people peace means working and working, becoming a workaholic and overachieving, so they can get all these attributes of success to prove to the world that they are somebody! But inside they’re saying, “I don’t’ really feel like somebody.”
• For other people peace means trying New Age gimmicks, like gazing at crystals, or using aromatherapy, or sitting in a lotus position and going, “Ommmmm.” But that’s not peace either

Real peace is having a relationship with Jesus Christ, God’s Son, and becoming friends with God. Once Christmas potential is enabled…

• Real peace is knowing that no matter what I do, God will not stop loving me.
• Real peace is knowing that no matter what happens, God will never leave me alone, He will always be with me.
• Real peace means that no matter what happens in the New Year, or in the years to come, I know that God is going to be my strength in the midst of it.
• Real peace is living by God’s Word so I can avoid a lot of the needless hang-ups, hurts and habits that mess up my life.
• Real peace is teaching my children God’s Word as a foundation of life, so as they grow I can see them make decisions that build their lives rather than tear them down. That is real peace.

Real peace is knowing I have a right relationship with God.

There are four things that rob us of this peace and all four are glaringly obvious during our society’s Christmas season:

1. Guilt
Good guilt helps us recognize something that’s not right with us in what we said, or did. Bad guilt is accepting blame for something we had no control over.

Good guilt motivates us to change – bad guilt keep us locked in a cycle of feeling sorry for ourselves.

Good guilt is dealt with – bad guilt is dwelt on.

The thing about guilt is when it we dwell on “being guilty” rather than dealing with it – we’ll be without peace.

When it comes to our position with God we don’t have to walk around with guilt.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
Psalms 103:11-12 (NIV)

2. Grief
Grief is another robber of peace. Some people are be in major pain right now, because Christmas brings up all kinds of hurtful memories. You may remember the loss of a loved one, or a parent who abandoned you, or a divorce you went through, or the death of a spouse or child. You have grief that robs you of joy and peace of mind. If that is the pain that you’re carrying then understand this morning that God cares about your hurt. He sees it, and He knows all about it. You were never meant to carry that grief all on your own. God says to cast all your cares on Him, and He will care for you. Give Him your worries and troubles, and receive the gift of peace.

13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.
Psalms 103:13-14 (NIV)

God knows our limits, as a compassionate god He is willing to lift our burdens if we have a relationship with Him.

3. Grudges
Grudges also rob us of peace. Grudges cause us to be resentful. We feel guilty when we hurt others, but we become resentful or grudging when others hurt us. The truth is – you will be hurt in life, whether its’ intentional or not. How you respond to that hurt will determine your level of peace in life. For your own sake and your own peace of mind, you’ve got to let go of those hurts because resentment and grudges hurt you more than the other person.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Romans 12:17-18 (NIV)

4. Greed
Finally, there’s greed. When what you have just isn’t enough compared to what you want – discontent will forever be your friend. How do you counter this? Two ways – be content and be generous. Remember that God will always bless us with what we need and with what we can use to help others. It is a principle of the kingdom that our giving should always outdo our getting. The truth is that when you are bit by the greed bug you will always find yourself wanting more than what you have.

But just as you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us–see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV)

REAL LIFE

Here are some facts of life:

1. We’re all going to die someday
Of course, that isn’t a very pleasant thought but it’s true. We don’t need to be morbid about it, or always be worrying about it, but the fact is that all of us, each one of us, is going to die someday. Tomorrow, next year, ten years from now – we don’t know – but we do have the certainty that it will happen.

2. We are going to spend more of our life on the other side of the grave than on this side.
We may get sixty, seventy, eighty or even 100 years her on this earth. However, on the other side of the grave time loses meaning because there simply is no measure for “everlasting”. Now, only a fool would go through life unprepared for something he knows is inevitable. It does not make sense to know that someday you are going to die and not be prepared for it!

Friend’s you are not ready to live until you are ready to die. Fortunately, the good news is, God sent His son Jesus Christ so that we could be ready. When we put our faith and trust in Christ we will find life…

For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Romans 1:17 (NIV)

God, in Christ clears up my past, takes care of my present, and secures my future. You will never find that in anything or anyone else anywhere.

In light of the everlasting life promised to us by Christ (for those who believe in Him), and the fact that we’re going to be spending more and that side of physical death than on this side – wouldn’t it make more sense that we invest in things that have eternal value than those that have temporal value? Probably one of the closest illustrations to the reality of this question is the demonstration of gift giving and gift value we see in today’s Christmas gift exchange. How many gifts given during the Christmas season have worn out, or been tossed out by the time Christmas rolls around again the next year? Canadians will spend over $20 billion dollars during the Christmas season. That’s a whole lot of money isn’t it? Imagine what a difference could be made in our world if instead of spending our money on gifts that won’t last we invested in things that actually made a difference. The potential list for those kinds of gifts is virtually limitless.

The truth is Christ has come that we may have life and have it more abundantly but we only experience that abundant life when we allow Him to transform what we live for and how we live!

CONCLUSION

Christmas is really the celebration of an invasion. God invaded earth over two thousand years ago as a human being. If God had wanted to communicate to cows, He would have become a cow. If God had wanted to communicate to ants, He would have become an ant. If God had wanted to communicate to dogs, He would have become a dog. But He wanted to communicate to human beings, so He became one of us – a human being. We can look at Jesus and say, “That is how God wants me to know and live life. That is what God is like.” By getting to know Jesus, I understand it is not about a religion, but a relationship with God. The Bible says Jesus came to seek and to save. You are the target of His pursuit. You matter to God. Your problems matter to God. Your pain matters to God. Your potential matters to God.

I challenge you this Christmas to recognize and discover the inherent potential God has created for you to find.

We are still over a month away from Christmas but already the decorations have shown up in the stores, banquets are being planned, lights are going up and Santa Claus parades have started. It’s clear that we entered into Christmas season.I’ve got confess this morning, that when this time comes around each year, I find it harder and harder to know what it is I should speak about. I mean it’s not as if the “story” of Christmas changes – it’s the same – and really, it’s not like people don’t know about the baby the manger, the shepherds, the wisemen and what not from the traditional manger scenes that show up this time of year. And so, I reread the gospel accounts of the incarnation story, hoping and praying for some fresh insight that will have relevance to where we are today.

It’s remarkable that no matter how many times I read the story of the incarnation – you know, what Christmas is really about…God taking on flesh, the immortal being clothed in mortality, and laying as a baby in a manger – no matter how common the story has become – I can never get over the incredible contrast between the incarnation as we read about in scripture and today’s Christmas which is supposedly a celebration of that event. It is this contrast which is frankly the fuel for many sermons and messages that are preached across North America every year during this time of year. And rightly so! We should be reminded of the most significant event in history, next to the creation of the Earth and the fall of man. Of course, the events of Calvary, and the empty tomb on Easter are important in their own right but neither would exist nor matter if it weren’t for the truth of Jesus Christ – fully God – becoming fully man.

So this year, I am once again motivated to speak out of an awareness of the contrast between the incarnation (which really wasn’t the first Christmas…it is the inspirational event that Christmas is supposed to honour and celebrate) and today’s seasonal frenzy. But, in the course of observing these contrasts there is something common between the events that happened in Judea over 2000 years ago and the events happening today in the 21st century. You see, I believe that Christmas holds incredible potential. Now potential, left alone, is a neutral word. Potential can refer to something that could be good or could be bad. The reality is that the potential outcome of our lives is really something that depends on the choices we make in response to the environment we encounter. The more right choices we make the more positive potential our lives will have, the more wrong choices we make the more negative potential our lives will have. In both case, potential becomes reality, as we act upon the choices we make.

Four the next four weeks, I want to share with you the potential that Christmas holds for every single one of us. Yes, at the heart of it all, Jesus really is the reason for the season. Christmas wouldn’t even be existing if it weren’t for the reality of the miraculous baby laying in a manger. Yet I think we can all agree that in our commercialized society, that sentiment is often an add-on thought rather than the primary motivating factor behind what happens with Christmas today. Still, even in the midst of this commercialization there is incredible positive potential for this seasonal event to be a catalyst for good. That’s what I want to focus on. Hopefully, these series of messages will give you glimpse into a way of doing Christmas that will inspire you to seize the potential!

I want to start today by declaring that what influences the choices we make the most is the perspective we hold in life. What is it that our focus is on? What is it that we dwell on? What is it that we value? What is it that we believe in? It is important that we start here this morning because this will lay the foundation for embracing
the positive potential Christmas has to offer.

Let’s read what Matthew wrote in the first chapter of His gospel (1:18-25)

18 This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”–which means, “God with us.” 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.
Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV)

PRAY

I want to read again verse 23 (reread). God…with…us. I really think, sometimes we miss the significance of those words. The key to discovering and unleashing the positive potential of Christmas is to have the right focus in this season. The angel Gabriel announced to Mary the incredible news that the baby she was going to carry would be like no other baby ever born. His name would be Jesus which means, “God saves us” which is ultimately possible because He is also Immanuel which means “God with us”.

The right focus of Christmas is not presents, it is one person. It is not what we get but on what God gave. It is not the coming of Santa Claus but the coming of God. In order to understand the potential of Christmas we must focus on the person of Jesus Christ – because ultimately He is the source of that potential.

So let’s zero in on the person of Jesus Christ for a moment. The first important observation we need to make is that there is an incredible change of location.

God’s change of location

I want you to understand this morning. That Christmas is a celebration of the first coming of Christ. Whenever I hear the song, “Santa Claus is coming to town” I can’t help but think to myself…”ahh, it’s a cute song – but come on…where is he? He’s been coming for 34 years of my life and he still hasn’t arrived” The thing with Jesus though, is He has come. Max Lucado remarked,

Let’s not lose the majesty of Christmas, somehow the God who created everything, allowed His son to become a baby. -Max Lucado

The one with unlimited power, became powerless in the form of a baby. The One who was wrapped in radiance more piercing that the brightest supernova was wrapped in swaddling cloth. The One who walked the streets of Heaven, would now be born in a cave. The One who had no needs, was now dependant on a young mother.

It’s remarkable to me that God would undergo such an incredible change of location! There are three words that describe the significance of what “God with us” means.

A. Humility
Thinking about the birth of Christ, I can’t help but marvel at the incongruity between who He was and what He chose. No earthly royalty would ever show their humility. That would be too human, too common. Kings have parades & entourages to draw the focus toward them.

Have you ever seen news coverage of Royal Visits (such as Queen Elizabeth II) to a country? They are always characterized by pomp and splendour. There are grand dinners where no expense is spared on dress and entertainment. When the Queen comes to town, everyone knows.

In meek contrast, God’s visit to earth took place in an animal stable, no attendants were present, there was no place for the baby to lay down except in a feeding trough known as a manger. In fact, the event, which divided history and our calendars, went by unnoticed except for a few shepherds who came by for a visit.

Not is that a contrast to the presentation of Earthly royalty in our world but is also a contrast to the circumstances that take place in the celebration of Christmas today. Although sometimes people wish too, you really can’t escape Christmas in today’s society. Yet on the morning of the incarnation, the world had no idea what was happening.

Why did God choose to come to this planet in such a humble way? He did it because He was creating potential.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9 (NIV)

B. Approachability
It’s hard to comprehend, that God would be laying in a manger. But in doing so, He became accessible and approachable in a way that hadn’t been experienced by any human since creation. In the Old Testament God was anything but approachable:

• When Moses came upon the burning bush, he was commanded to remove his shoes for he was on Holy ground.
• Isaiah tells us that when he was brought into the throne room of God he cried “Woe is Me I am undone” fearing that death was at hand
• The Jewish children knew the lessons well, “Touch the Ark of the Covenant and you die”, “Enter the Holy of Holies and won’t come back out alive”.

However, in this amazing scene of the incarnation there is a new born baby? What could be more approachable? Have you ever noticed how people react when a baby is in the room? People have a desire to touch, hold and talk to a baby. The baby becomes the centre of attention.

I wonder what it must have been like for the shepherds when they first saw Jesus? When they arrived at the stable, they find no sentries to guard the entrance, no one to announce their present to the king. All they find is a father, a mother and the baby – waiting to greet the world.

Christmas is the time when the Son of God became man so, that men may become the Sons of God. – CS Lewis

For thousands of years it was understood that sinful man and a Holy God could not exist together, but on this special morning God was teaching us once again He was approachable.

The potential of Christmas is that you can approach the King of the Universe, that He is accessible to anyone who will come to Him.

The third word that describes the significance of what “God with us” means is…

C. Courage
Have you ever noticed the courage that was displayed during the events of the incarnation?

• Mary – she would give birth to the Messiah, as a virgin, having never slept with a man. Her only explanation? An angel told her this would happen. God had not spoken directly to Israel for 400 years and now He was speaking through a young unwed mother… Mary displayed incredible courage in her obedience.
• Joseph – He would take care of Mary – he would make her his wife, and he too would have only the word of an angel for assurance. Joseph demonstrated courage and stood by Mary regardless of public opinion or scandal.

The most courageous person had to be Christ Himself. Listen to how Paul described the life of Jesus…

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!
Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV)

I wonder what it must have been like when Jesus experienced hunger, pain, or rejection. The Christmas carol “Away in the Manger” gives us the idea that the manger was a safe place for a baby, but in truth, by becoming a baby he exposed Himself to all the frailties of a human, including that of death. Why was Jesus so courageous? Because of His love for you and for me. Because He wanted to create potential.

Christmas is a celebration of God changing His location for this brief time in history (compared to His eternal existence) so that the potential for His greatest desire could be birthed. His change of location created the potential of our change of position. Let me explain

Potential: Our change of Position

In the Garden of Eden at the beginning of History there is perfect harmony. The first man and woman are enjoying fellowship with their creator. Yet in Genesis 3, harmony quickly changes to chaos. Sin, introduced by the serpent brings about changes in the relationship between God and His creation. One word defines the change – separation. This separation brought several consequences:

A. Physical Death
First, Adam and Eve experienced the aging process that would eventually lead to their physical death. In their perfect state, they knew no pain, but because of sin their bodies began to deteriorate. There would be aging and suffering. Soft skin would give way to wrinkles, eyes would dim and eventually death would come.

B. Curse on creation
Secondly, because of sin, all of creation was affected. In the first two chapters of Genesis 1 there is a phrase that God speaks repeatedly, “It is good.” God’s creation was good; God designed a perfect creation for His servant Adam – no shortcuts, no leftovers. Yet when sin was introduced – all of creation was affected. Thorns and weeds started growing next to flowers and fruits. Animals began to hunt each other. It took incredible effort for the ground to bring forth a harvest. Storms and natural disasters wreaked havoc on the planet.

C. Spiritual Death
The third result of sin was the severance of the relationship between God and man. Before sin, Adam and God enjoyed an intimate relationship – even walking in the garden together. Adam and Eve’s spirits were alive to God and they were able to connect and communicate with Him hindrance free. But sin severed that connection. After the introduction of sin, throughout history God appeared in many forms from a burning bush to a small voice whispering in the quiet but sinful man would never walk with God again on this planet.

D. Sacrifice
Finally, the fourth result of sin was one of sacrifice. After God had banished Adam and Eve from the garden, he replaced their leaf clothing with animal skins. God was teaching Adam and Eve that they could not cover, atone or pay for their own sins. It was a debt they could not pay. In replacing their feeble attempts to cover themselves with leaf clothing with animal skins God had to shed the blood of an innocent animal. Thousands of years before Jesus was born, God was giving a lesson on the importance of innocent blood to be shed to atone for the debt of sin. While the shed blood of pure animals was practiced throughout the Old Testament as the way of covering sin it was only a temporary remedy that always pointed to the permanent remedy affected by the Messiah. The one that the angel Gabriel announced to Mary,

She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”
Matthew 1:21 (NIV)

Friends, there are many consequences that resulted in creation because of the introduction of sin. As a result our position when we are born into this world is that of death and separation from God. However, God does not want us to stay there. He wants to more than anything else for every single person in His creation to be repositioned from sinfulness to righteousness, from death to life, from separation to restoration, from brokenness to wholeness.

The corruption of sin in our world compelled Jesus to come to this planet as a baby to grow up into a man and face the cross at which His own blood would be shed in order that the potential for our change in position might be created. You change your eternal position through Jesus Christ. This is the focus we must have in this season, This is the perspective we must embrace. We can let many perspectives shape what potential we’ll embrace this season but I encourage you to focus on the person of Jesus Christ. Celebrate the incredible potential that was created by God choosing to courageously humble Himself, and become approachable in the incarnation that His greatest desire might be possible. That our positions would change from being children of a lost world to citizens of the Kingdom!

When a man says, “I will” it doesn’t necessarily mean much. I don’t think I’d have to listen long to people responding to the question, “Has anyone ever told you they were going to do something and then didn’t follow through?” before hearing tales of broken promises and unfulfilled intentions. In fact, we very often say “I will” when we don’t even mean to do what we say.But when we come to the places where Jesus Christ said “I will”, He means to do what He says. Everything He promised to do, He is able and willing to accomplish. You can go through all of Scripture and not find any place where He says, “I will” do this or “I will” do that and not trust that what He says He did, is doing or will do. God keeps His promises and what He sets out to do by His will, He does.

Today, I’m going to take a few minutes to share with you seven places in the New Testament where Jesus indicates what He wills.

The “I will” of Salvation

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.
John 6:37 (NIV)

Some people say of themselves, “If I had my act together, I would come to Christ. But when I think about all the stuff that’s happened in my life, things that I’ve done myself…I’m just not good enough.”

Then too, some people say of others, “Their life is so messed up, they’ve done such despicable things, there is no way they could ever change – there’s no way they will know Jesus Christ even if they wanted to – they aren’t good enough.”

However, I must emphasize this morning that Jesus Christ came to save not good people, not the upright and just, but sinners like you and me who have gone astray and sinned and come short of the glory of God. In fact, it is often those who think they have it all-together, and who don’t see anything wrong with their life, who think they are basically good people that are in danger of being the farthest from Christ.

When the kings and princes of this world issue invitations, they send for the rich, the mighty, the powerful, the honorable and the wise; but Jesus, when He was on earth, invited the vilest of the vile.

That was the principal fault the people found with Him. Those self-righteous Pharisees were not going to associate with harlots and publicans. The principal charge against Christ was: “This man hangs out with sinners and eats with them!”

Listen to what Jesus is saying here, “…whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” There are no exceptions in that statement. There are no escape clauses to the verbal contract. I don’t care who the man or woman is or what his or her trials, troubles, sorrows or sins are. If that one person will come to Jesus, to the Master, He will not turn them away!

Come then, friends, come as you are and take Jesus at His word.

So compassionate and focused is He in His mission and desire to save sinners that Jesus will take everyone who comes to Him. He will take those who are so full of sin that they are despised by all who know them; who have been rejected by their fathers and mothers; who have been tossed out by their spouse. He will take those who have sunk so low that no one even looks at them with pity. Jesus will take any who come to Him! That is why He left Heaven and came into the world; that is why He left the throne of God – to save sinners.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”
Luke 19:10 (NIV)

Jesus didn’t come to condemn to the world but to save the world.

For those who are not believers this is a very important message to hear. But it is also a very important message for Christians to hear as well. One of the devils tricks is to try and fill people with doubts that God accepts them completely. The devil tries to convince people that just coming to Jesus isn’t enough. He tries to lure them onto the guilty broken stones of self-righteous works and doubts. Whenever the devil whispers in your ear that you aren’t good enough, that you’ve failed one to many times, that your sin is a permanent stain you speak to Him the “I will” of Christ, “Whoever comes to me, I will never drive away”.

The “I will” of Cleansing

12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, “Don’t tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
Luke 5:12-16 (NIV)

If there is any man or woman here today who is full of the leprosy of sin, if you go to Jesus and present your sin to Him, he will speak to you as He did to that poor leper. “I am willing, be clean!” and the leprosy of your sins will be gone.

The Lord and the Lord alone can forgive sins. If you say to Him, “Lord, I am full of sin; You can make me clean”; “Lord, I have a terrible temper, you can make me clean”; “Lord, I have a deceitful heart, cleanse Me, grant me a new heart.”; “O Lord, give me the power to overcome temptation and the snares of the devil!”; “Lord I am full of unclean habits…” – if you come to Jesus with a sincere spirit, you will hear the voice, “I am willing, Be Clean!” It will be done.

If God, who created the world out of nothing, who by a breath initiated life in the universe says, “Be clean”, do you think it’s not going to happen?

Today, you can make a wonderful exchange. You can have spiritual health in the place of sin sickness. You can get rid of everything that is vile and hateful in the sight of God. Jesus is here, speaking through scripture, and saying, “I will take away your leprosy and give you health instead. I will take away that terrible sin disease that is ruining your body and soul and give you My righteousness in its stead. I will clothe you with the garments of salvation.”

Now that, friends, is something to get excited about! That’s what He means when He says, “I will!” Are you going to receive His invitation this morning?

The “I will” of identification

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.
Matthew 10:32 (NIV)

It’s one thing to come to Jesus, it’s one thing to be cleansed by Him – to believe in His death and resurrection to believe that He did it for you and that through His sacrifice your sin is dealt with. But it’s another thing to take it the next step further and identify with Christ. In other words, is your life defined by what He did? When you think about who you are, do you consider yourself belonging to Him?

Or, are you ashamed of being a follower of Christ? How do you know? Do you talk about Christ’s love to others?

In our world today, much is made of the achievement of individuals who receive accolades in the form of a medal, a front page article in printed media, or a crown of celebrity status. People fawn over the times their names get mentioned in newspapers, TV, or radio. People will go to great effort to associate with the popular or the well-known in the attempt to have their own name known. In our consumer and self-conscious society our identity is too often tied up in what we wear, who we know, what we eat, and what we do rather than who we are.

The truth is every person who has come to Christ is now a child of God. We are no longer know by our sin, but we are known by His righteousness. This reason alone should give cause for us to be jubilant of our identity in Him and to confess Him wherever and whenever we can! The wonderful truth of scripture is that when we acknowledge Christ before our fellow man, He mentions our name in the kingdom of Heaven! To acknowledge Christ before men is to accept who you are in Him, your identity in Christ, and to not be ashamed of it!

Many Christians go groping about in darkness and never get into the clear light of the Kingdom of God because they are ashamed to confess the Son of God and haven’t truly embraced who they are in Him. One of the worse states for a person to be in is that of being ashamed of who they are. An even worse state is for a person to be ashamed of who they are when their identity is that of greatness. Yet that is exactly how many Christians live today.

Don’t be ashamed! Acknowledge Christ before men in your speech, in your deeds, in your life and rest assured that Christ is speaking your name in the throne room of heaven in the familiar recognition of someone who is one of His! On the other hand, heed the warning of Christ as well,

But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Matthew 10:32-33 (NIV)

The “I will” of Service

18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” 20 At once they left their nets and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-20 (NIV)

There are many Christians who come to the place where they declare, “I want do serve Christ in some way”. Jesus is saying to us as He said to His first disciples, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

There is no Christian who cannot help to bring someone to the Saviour. Christ says,

But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”
John 12:32 (NIV)

In the context, he is of course talking about his imminent journey to Calvary and His being lifted up on the cross. But in a prophetic way Jesus was also talking about the reality of what occurs when His followers lift Him up to the world around us. Our business as believers is to lift up Christ.

Jesus said, “Follow me, Peter, and I will make you a fisher of men”; and Peter simply obeyed. On the day of Pentecost we see the result of that obedience. I doubt if Peter ever caught so many fish in one day as he did men on that day. It would have broken every net they had on board if they had to drag up three thousand fish!

I came across a story about a man who took passage in a stagecoach. Now granted, we’re in a day and age where the humble beginnings of the automobile and the transition from horse and buggy to motorized vehicles are being lost to the passage of time. But in those early years these horseless stagecoaches’ worked great on flat roads and gentle inclines but when they came upon a hill they would need assistance getting to the top.

Well this man was in this stagecoach and there were first, second, and third-class passengers. But all the passengers were sitting together without distinction. He could not understand it.

Eventually they came to a hill. The coach stopped. The driver called out, “First-class passengers keep your seats. Second-class passengers get out and walk. Third-class passengers get behind and push.”

Friends, in the church we have no room for first-class passengers – people who think salvation means an easy ride all the way to Heaven. There is little place for second-class passengers – people who are carried most of the time, and who, when they should be showing their faith by their works, go trudging on giving no thought to helping others along. All church members ought to be third-class passengers – ready to dismount and serve willingly.

I came across this neat definition of a church by John Wesley, “All at it and always at it” Every born-again believer is to be a worker. You don’t have to be a preacher, or and evangelist to be useful. You can serve and should serve God wherever He has placed you! A person can be as useful in a business sphere as in another. A person can be as useful in the marketplace as in the church.

20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.
1 Corinthians 1:20-25 (NIV)

There is one reason – and a great reason – why so many do not see fruit in Christian service. Good people have asked, “Why is it we don’t see any results? We work hard, we pray hard, we preach hard, yet why are there no results?”

The answer is this, We spend so much time mending nets that no wonder we never catch anything. We must invite and be persistent in inviting people to come to Jesus and thus pull the net in and see if we’ve caught anything. It’s all fine and dandy to cast the net, to plant seeds or whatever analogy you want to use, but at some point we’ve got to pull the net in! If you are always mending and setting the net, you won’t catch many fish! It’s time that we stop worrying about what people might think, and worrying about our reputation, and start inviting people to Jesus – offering people a chance to make a decision about Christ.

God uses the weak things of this world to confound the might. God’s promise is as good as a bank note. And here is one of Christ’s notes: “If you follow Me, I will make you fishers of men.”

Can you not lay a hold of that promise, trust it, and follow Him right now? If a man shares the Gospel faithfully, he ought to expect results then and there. It is the privilege of God’s children to reap the fruit of their labor three hundred sixty-five days in the year.

We must lift Christ up, then seek men out and bring them to Him. This poor world needs a Saviour, and if we are going to be successful in catching men, we must preach Christ crucified – not His life only, but His death. And if we are faithful in doing this, we shall succeed. Why? Because there is His promise: “If you follow Me, I will make you fishers of men.”

The “I will” of presence.

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
John 14:18 (NIV)

It is comforting to know that Christ has not left us alone in this dark wilderness here below. Although He has gone up and taken His seat by the Father’s throne, He has not left us as orphans.

He did not leave Joseph. When they cast Joseph (remember the guy with the coat of many colors) into prison, “God was with him.” When Daniel was cast into the den of lions, they had to put the Almighty in with him. They were so bound together that they could not be separated.

If we have Christ with us, we can do all things. Let us not be thinking how weak we are. Let us lift our eyes to Him and let us see Him as our King, our Lord, who has all power in Heaven and on earth. He says to us as He said to His disciples before ascending to His throne,

…And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)

Some of our children and friends leave us, and it is a very sad time when that happens. But the believer and Christ shall never be separated! He is with us here, and we shall be with Him in person one day. We shall see Him in His beauty. But not only is He with us, but He has sent us the Holy Spirit. Let us honor the Holy Spirit by acknowledging that He is here in our midst. He has power to give sight to the blind, liberty to the captive, and to open the ears of the deaf that they may hear the glorious words of the Gospel.

The “I will” of Resurrection

For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”
John 6:40 (NIV)

I’m excited when I think of my Saviour who has power over death. My blessed Master holds the keys of death and Hell. I fell sorry for the poor unbeliever who has no hope in the resurrection. But every child of God can open this chapter in God’s book and read the promise and have their heart leap within him for joy!

When you walk past shop windows you usually find the shop owners putting the best specimens of the items they sell in the window to show us the quality of their stock. When Christ walked the earth, He gave us glimpses of what He could do. He raised three from the dead, that we might know what power He had – Jairus’ daughter, the widow’s son, and Lazarus of Bethany. He raised all three so every doubt might be swept away from our hearts.

Friends, this world would be a dark and gloomy place indeed if we had no hope in the resurrection! But when we Christians lay our loved ones down in the grave, it is not without hope. We have seen them in the terrible struggle with death; but there has been one star to illumine the darkness and gloom – the thought that though the ties of presence with them have been broken on earth – they shall be joined once again in the world of heavenly light.

You how have lost a loved one, rejoice as you read this “I will!” Those who have died in Christ shall be made alive again! The darkness will flee away, and the morning light of the resurrection shall dawn upon us. It is only a little while, and the voice of Him who has said it shall come, shall be heard most powerfully in the grave – “I will raise him up at the last day”

This is the blessed hope and joy of every believer!

The “I will” of Glory

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
John 17:24 (NIV)

This was Jesus, last prayer in the guest room on the last night before He was crucified on Calvary. Many believer’s faces light up at the thought that he shall see the King in all of his majesty and beauty one day.

Yes, there is a glorious day before us in the future. Some think that on the first day we come to Christ that we have everything. To be sure, we receive salvation and peace – but there is a glory for the future yet to come. That’s what kept Paul rejoicing. He said,

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
Philippians 3:7-8 (NIV)

And so, when things go against you, cheer up! Remember that the night will soon be done, and the morning will appear quickly. Death never comes there. It is banished from that beautiful land. Sickness, pain and sorrow come not there to mar that grand and glorious Home where we shall live with the Master. God’s family will be all together there!

What an incredible future friends! And it may be a great deal nearer than many of us think. During these few days we are here on earth, let us stand steadfast and firm, and eventually we shall be in that place of eternal light and joy in the midst of the King!

CONCLUSION

Remember the “I wills” of Christ – and be encouraged!

1. “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away” – Jesus says, “I will save you”
2. “I am willing, Be Clean!” – Jesus says, “I will cleanse you”
3. “Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.” – Jesus says, “I will identify you as one of my own”
4. “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” – Jesus says, “I will work through you to reach others who are lost”
5. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” – Jesus says, “I will always be with you”
6. “I will raise him up at the last day” – Jesus says, “I will be your life”
7. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory…” — Jesus says, “I will show you my glory”

– Charles Spurgeon, 19th century British Baptist pastor.