Tag: Sermon

How Do You Respond to Jesus?

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The message comes from all of John chapter seven, but on Sunday we read only John 7:40-52.

The Feast of Tabernacles looked back to Israel’s journey through the wilderness, and looked forward to the promised kingdom of the Messiah. The Jews lived in these booths (or tabernacles, or shelters) made of branches to remind them of God’s providential care of the nation for nearly 40 years of wandering in the wilderness (Leviticus 23 33-44).

Following the Feast of Trumpets and the solemn Day of Atonement, Tabernacles was a festive time for the people. The temple area was illuminated by large candlesticks that reminded the people of the guiding pillar of fire, and each day the priest would carry water from the pool of Siloam and pour it out from the golden pitcher, reminding the Jews of God’s miraculous provision of water from the rock.

The feast may have been an exciting time for the people, but it was a difficult time for Jesus because it marked the beginning of open and militant opposition toward him and his ministry. Ever since he had healed that paralytic on the Sabbath day (John 5:1-15), Jesus had been targeted by the Jewish leaders who wanted to kill him, so he remained in Galilee, where he would be safer, but he could not stay in Galilee and observe the feast.

1. Before the feast there was DISBELIEF (John 7:1-10)

The first 10 verses in chapter 7 reveal a little bit about the family life of Jesus. Mary, the mother of Jesus, had other children with Joseph, so Jesus would have been their half-brother. It seems incredible that his brothers could have lived with him all those years and not realized the uniqueness of Jesus. Certainly they knew about his miracles because everybody else did. They had the closest contact with him and had the best opportunity to watch him and test him, yet they remained unbelievers.

These men were going up to a religious feast, at the same time rejecting their own promised Messiah. But before we judge them too quickly, think about how easy is it to follow religious tradition and miss an eternal truth? In John 7, the common people were rejoicing at the message of Jesus, but his own half-brothers were making fun of him (see John 7:3-5).

These men certainly have the world’s point of view, if you want to get a following; you take opportunities to do something spectacular. Jerusalem would be crowded with religious pilgrims, and this would give Jesus the ideal platform to present himself to the public and win disciples. No doubt the brothers knew about all those disciples who had deserted Jesus back in John 6:66, so going to Jerusalem was his opportunity to recoup his losses.

Jesus was exercising caution because he knew that the Jewish leaders wanted to kill him (John 7:1). Although they were religious leaders, they were a part of the establishment that hated Jesus because he exposed their evil deeds. By his character and by his ministry, he revealed just how shallow and empty the existing religious system was. But Jesus did not go up with his brothers, his time had not yet come (John 7:6, 8) so he stays in Galilee (John 7:9).

Interestingly enough, Jesus immediately goes up to the feast anyway, but in secret, he did not go publicly as the brothers recommended (John 7:10).

2. In the midst of the feast there is DEBATE (John 7:11-29)

While in Jerusalem, at the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus gets involved in various debates with three different groups of people.

1) First, there were the “Jewish leaders” who lived in Jerusalem and were involved in the temple ministry. This would include the Pharisees and the chief priests as well as the scribes. While these men differed theologically, they agreed on one thing, they opposed Jesus and were determined to get rid of him. The only known exceptions were Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.

2) The second group of people would be the “festival crowd” who traveled to Jerusalem to worship. Many of these would NOT be influenced by the attitude of the religious leaders in Jerusalem. In John 7:20, the people were amazed that anybody would want to kill Jesus. They were not up-to-date on all the gossip in the city and had to learn on the streets that Jesus was considered a law breaker by the religious officials.

3) The third group of people was composed of Jews who actually lived in Jerusalem. They would have likely sided with the religious leaders.

The debate begins even before Jesus arrives in the city, and it is centered on his character (John 7:11-13). The religious leaders kept seeking Jesus, but the crowd kept arguing 1) whether he was a GOOD MAN or 2) a DECEIVER who was leading the multitudes astray (John 7:12). In their minds he would have to be one or the other, because a truly good man would not deceive anybody. Jesus is either who he claims to be, or he is a liar.

When Jesus began to teach openly in the temple, the debate shifted to his doctrine (John 7:14-19). It is interesting how character and doctrine go together. It would be foolish to trust the teachings of a liar. The Jews were amazed at what Jesus taught, because he didn’t have any credentials from their approved rabbinical schools (John 7:15). Since he lacked this proper accreditation, his enemies must have said that his teachings were nothing but private opinions and not worth much of anything (but Jesus responds in John 7:18, Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies).

It is interesting to note that it was often said that “Jesus taught with authority,” while all the scribes and Pharisees “taught from authorities,” quoting all the famous Rabbis.

The first debate was with the Jews, but then the visitors to the city entered into the discussion (John 7:20). Jesus boldly announced that the leaders wanted to kill him because he had violated the Sabbath (back in John 5:1-9) and then he claimed to be God (John 5:10-18). But look what Jesus says in John 7:23, the Jews would break the Sabbath laws when they had their sons circumcised on the Sabbath Day, so why could Jesus not heal a man on the Sabbath? So, “Why do YOU lawbreakers want to kill ME?” (John 7:19)

But the visitors to the city did not know that the religious leaders were out to kill Jesus, so they challenged Jesus in his statement. Their response contained a serious third accusation, 3) that Jesus had a DEMON. This goes way beyond debating whether he was a good man or a deceiver. But it was not a new accusation, because the leaders had said it before (Matthew 9:34, 11:18, John 8:48-49). I’m not sure if they actually believed Jesus had a demon, or if the people were simply saying, “You must be crazy to think that anybody wants to kill you.”

The residents of Jerusalem entered into the conversation in John 7:25, Some of the people who lived in Jerusalem started to ask each other, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill?

They knew that the rulers wanted to kill Jesus, and they were amazed that he was teaching openly and getting away with it. Maybe they thought, “Perhaps the religious leaders are now convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, sent from God, but then WHY were they not worshiping Him and leading others to worship Him?”

3. The end of the feast brought DIVISION (John 7:40-52)

So, here, at the point of debate, is the main point, exactly WHO is Jesus and how will YOU respond to him? Jesus mentions that he is the living water that springs up from our innermost being (John 7:38). He give them an opportunity to respond to his claims, but what was the result of his declaration and invitation? The people were divided. Some defended him and some wanted to arrest him. Let’s review a few possibilities, and then add a few more.

  1. Is he a good man? (John 7:11-12a, 43-46)
  2. Is he a deceiver? (John 7:12b-13, 47-48, 52)
  3. Is he demon-possessed? (John 7:20)
  4. Is he an ordinary man? (John 7:25-27, 41b-42)
  5. Is he a promised prophet? (John 7:40, Matthew 16:13-14)
  6. Is he the Christ, the Messiah? (John 7:31, 41a)

If only they had honestly examined the evidence, they would have discovered that indeed, he was the Christ, the Son of the living God.

The leaders refused to face these facts honestly, but passed judgment on the basis of their personal prejudices and their superficial examination of the facts.

Is that not human nature? It is much easier to label people than listen to the facts they present. It’s like the Pharisees were saying, “Have you been led astray? Some other people have believed in Jesus, but these common people know nothing about the law anyway! Have any important people like US believed in him?” (John 7:47-49)

Then Nicodemus spoke up. This man is found three times in John’s gospel, and each time he is identified as “the one who came to Jesus by night.” No doubt Nicodemus had been doing a great deal of thinking and studying since that first interview with Jesus in John 3, and he was not afraid to take a stand for truth.

Nicodemus was sure that the council was not giving Jesus an honest hearing. The rulers had already passed judgment and they were trying to condemn him before they even gave him a fair and lawful trial.

WHAT did Nicodemus want them to consider about Jesus? Examine his words and his works. It was Jesus 1) the teacher and 2) Jesus the miracle worker who has attracted people in the first place. In fact, Jesus previously pointed to his WORKS as proof of his DEITY. He also repeatedly urged people to pay attention to his WORDS. John 5:36 says, But I have a greater witness than John—my teachings and my miracles. The Father gave me these works to accomplish, and they prove that he sent me.
The two go together, because the miracles point to the messages, and the messages interpret the spiritual meaning of the miracles. The miracles were signs; they were events that pointed to something greater than the miracle itself.

In John 7:52, you can almost hear the sarcasm in the reply of the Pharisees, “Are you a lonely and despised Galilean, too?” They refused to admit that Nicodemus was right in asking for a fair trial, but the only way they could answer him was by means of ridicule. This is an ancient debating trick that is present today (especially during an election year), when you cannot answer the argument because of the facts, you attack the speaker.

You cannot help but feel sorry for the people described in this chapter, people who responded to Jesus in the wrong ways. His half-brothers responded with disbelief, various people in Jerusalem responded with debate, and the result was division.

Had they willingly received the truth and had they acted with sincere obedience, they would have ended up at the feet of Jesus, confessing him as Messiah and the Son of God.

As you can see, people today commit the same mistake and permit their personal prejudices and superficial evaluations to blind them to the truth. Don’t let this happen to you.

So, what about YOU? Who is Jesus to YOU? Will you examine the evidence and come to the same conclusion as believers throughout the centuries; just like Peter in Matthew 16:13-16…

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

Is Jesus Christ a Legend, Lunatic, Liar, or Lord?

You see, there really is only one choice when we think about this logically. It may be a surprise to many people but you actually DON’T put your brain in neutral when you come to faith in Jesus Christ. Christianity knows NOTHING about BLIND FAITH, and let me tell you why…

Jesus claims to be God, this is an unmistakable fact in the gospels, the local people and religious leaders understood his words and wanted to kill him for blasphemy, making himself equal with God. There was no confusion about Jesus claiming to be God.

So, there are only two options, his claim was either TRUE or it was FALSE. Let’s assume for a moment that the claim was false. There are also only two options, he either KNEW the claim was false or he did NOT KNOW the claim was false.

If Jesus KNEW his claim to be God was false, that would make him a LIAR. Remember the character issue that a good man would not deceive anyone, so this does not match the Jesus of the gospels.

If he knew the claim was false, that would also make him a HYPOCRITE since he taught people to be honest, and even worse, this would make him a DEMON because he was telling people to trust their eternal destinies to him. So practically, it makes him a FOOL for dying for a claim that he knew was not true.

Let’s assume he claims to be God and he DOESN’T KNOW that his claim is false. This would make Jesus a LUNATIC, on the level of a crazy man on the street saying that HE is Jesus.

If Jesus’ claim of divinity was false, there is absolutely NO REASON for us to pay any attention to him, he would NOT be a 1) good man, or 2) a great moral teacher, or 3) the founder of a new religious movement. He should be dismissed.

Since the claim of divinity being false is absurd, let’s agree that his claim to be God is TRUE. Then there are really only two choices, we either ACCEPT that fact, which makes Jesus our LORD, or we REJECT that fact, which makes us LOST.

For you visual learners, it looks like this:

Liar Lunatic LordIn his famous book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis makes this statement, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg–or he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher.”

As we are reading through the Bible, this is the chapter that God has placed in front of us for this weekend; it is unavoidable that we will be confronted with the claims of Christ, whether we do it in THIS life or in the NEXT life. If we wait until the next life, it is too late; there is no second chance because Hebrews 9:27 tells us that, each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment,

  • Are you ready to meet God? Don’t put it off, any decision to wait or put it off is a decision to reject his invitation.
  • Where do you stand with Christ?
  • Who do you say that he is?
  • Maybe you have received him as your Savior, but you are asking yourself why you live as though he doesn’t exist.

Today is the day to make things right, to set things in order, to lay a foundation upon which you can build your life, build your family. You are here for a reason today. What commitments are you going to make now that we have opened up John 7 this morning?

The end of your outline has several questions to consider, and I hope that you get with a couple of friends to talk about these. They are designed to help you chew on what we learned in the Bible today. Those questions are to help you grow in your faith and have spiritual conversations this week.

As we sing this last song, what decisions are you going to make? Maybe you have never officially come to faith in Christ, today is the day to get this nailed down. Let me talk with you after the service, come find me!

Perhaps you have been attending for a while, so there is a reason you keep attending King’s Grant, why not officially join the church? You can do that today. Let’s talk about it.

Maybe you are going to take this information you learned today and have decided to live boldly for the cause of Christ. We can help with your relationship with God, knowledge the Bible, and how to make an impact on those around you. Jesus uses the terms of being SALT and LIGHT in the community, the idea is to make a difference in the lives of those around us.

Father, you know our hearts, you know our thoughts, you know whether we are serious about our faith and our relationship with you, or if we are playing church games. Give us wisdom to take an honest assessment of where we are in Christ and the courage to make necessary changes, in Jesus name, Amen.

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What’s New?

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What’s New, According to the Bible?

We like new stuff… new cars, new homes, new gadgets like computers, cell phones and iPads, new shoes, new large screen HD TVs, make new friends, need new ideas, have a new attitude, new wave, newfangled, new day, new dawn, the New Deal, turning over a new leaf, the new kid on the block, new baby in the family, ring out the old and bring in the new, Happy New Year, brand spanking new, something old something new something borrowed something blue, a brave new world, new and improved, looking for that new workout, that new diet, a new recipe, a new direction, and we even have the emperor’s new clothes.

It was Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, who said that there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

2 “Everything is meaningless,” says the Teacher, “completely meaningless!”

3 What do people get for all their hard work under the sun? 4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth never changes. 5 The sun rises and the sun sets, then hurries around to rise again. 6 The wind blows south, and then turns north. Around and around it goes, blowing in circles. 7 Rivers run into the sea, but the sea is never full. Then the water returns again to the rivers and flows out again to the sea. 8 Everything is wearisome beyond description. No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content.

9 History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. 10 Sometimes people say, “Here is something new!” But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. 11 We don’t remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.

He refers to his observation of the effects of repetitious, persistent activity in God’s creation over many generations compared to the brief, comparatively profitless activity of one person which fails to produce lasting satisfaction, so he concludes that all of life is wearisome. He sees life as offering nothing new, and over time nothing will be remembered… so life is futile, it is like chasing after the wind.

But when you read through the Bible, you find A LOT of information on the topic of newness…

New Jerusalem – Revelation 21:2

New Heaven and Earth –

  • Isaiah 65:17 (Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore)
  • Isaiah 66:22 (As surely as my new heavens and earth will remain, so will you always be my people, with a name that will never disappear)
  • 2 Peter 3:13 (But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.)
  • Revelation 21:1 (Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared.)

New Creation –

  • 2 Corinthians 5:17 (if any person is in Christ, they are a new creation…)
  • Galatians 6:15 (It is not about religious ritual. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation)

New Song – Ps 33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1, Isaiah 42:10, Revelation 5:9, 14:3

New Branch – Isaiah 11:1 (Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.)

New Strength – Isaiah 40:31 (But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.)

New Path – Isaiah 64:16 (I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way. I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them.)

New Name –

  • Isaiah 62:2 (The nations will see your righteousness. World leaders will be blinded by your glory. And you will be given a new name by the Lord’s own mouth.)
  • Isaiah 62:4 (Never again will you be called “The Forsaken City” or “The Desolate Land.” Your new name will be “The City of God’s Delight” and “The Bride of God,” for the Lord delights in you and will claim you as his bride.)
  • Revelation 2:17 (To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.)

New Heart and New Spirit –

  • Ezekiel 18:31 (Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.)
  • Ezekiel 36:26 (And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.)

New Patch and New Wine – Matthew 9:16-17 (no one puts new wine into old wineskins)

New World – Matthew 19:28 (Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Mansits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.)

New Tomb – Matthew 27:60 (Jesus was placed in a new tomb)

New Covenant – Luke 22:20, 1 Corinthians 11:25, 2 Corinthians 3:6, Hebrews 8:13, 12:24 (there’s way to much theology to even comment right now, but the rest of the message will unpack this new covenant)

New Commandment – John 13:34 (love one another)

New Life – Romans 5:18, 1 Corinthians 15:22, 2 Corinthians 5:15, Galatians 3:21, Colossians 3:1, 11, Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 1:23, 3:7 (this is the essence of the entire New Testament)

New Person – Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Galatians 6:15-16

New Bodies – 1 Corinthians 15:38, 2 Corinthians 5:4

New Way – 2 Corinthians 3:7-12 (the glory of the new covenant)

New Nature – Colossians 3:10 (Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.)

New Birth – Titus 3:5 (he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit.)

New Everything – Revelation 21:5 (And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”)

Wow, so much newness. So on this last Sunday of 2013, and as we launch into a new year, let’s take another look at the passage from Jeremiah 31:31-34…

31 “The day is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the Lord.

33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the Lord.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the Lord. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.”

This passage is actually the longest Old Testament passage quoted in the New Testament, and it is applied to the church (2 Corinthians 3:5-18, Hebrews 8:8-12, 10:16-17).

The word “new” is described as “different from one of the same which existed before; made fresh.” There is a larger concept of newness where Scripture expresses God’s concern for people and the creation in four broad categories.

1. God’s New Act: Scripture often calls for us to remember his past activities, such as creation and the exodus, which reveal God’s care for God’s world and God’s people. Although faith is rooted in God’s acts in history, biblical faith does not leave God in the distant past. Time and again writers of Scripture called for God’s people to anticipate God’s new intervention in their lives.

In Isaiah 43:14-21 God promised Babylonian exiles that he was now “doing a new thing” which paralleled God’s acts of saving Israel from Egyptian slavery. It would be THAT big.

By the time we get to the New Testament, God again acted in a new way in Jesus Christ, who offered a new teaching with amazing authority (Mark 1:27). His ministry would be compared to new wine bursting old expectations of God’s involvement in human salvation (Mark 2:22).

There would not only be God acting in a new way, there would be the building of new relationships.

2. New Relationships: The Bible records how God acted in the past to establish relationships, primarily with the descendants of Abraham and the people of Israel at Sinai. Jeremiah anticipated God’s establishing a new covenant with God’s habitually faithless people. This new covenant would make knowledge of the law a matter of the heart, something internal rather than external (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-13).

Take a look at Luke 22:20, After supper he took another cup of wine and said, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.

Luke points to the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross as the basis for this new covenant. In Jesus Christ the believer experiences newness of life (Romans 6:4; 2 Corinthians 5:17) and this renewed life is characterized by new relationships with God and with other people (Ephesians 2:15-16; Colossians 3:10-11). So, we have God’s new acts, bringing new relationships, which leads to new birth.

3. New Birth: Out of the concept of new relationships comes the term, new birth, which refers to God’s gift of spiritual life to undeserving sinners. It is synonymous with regeneration and finds its origin in John 3:1-10, where Jesus told Nicodemus, “Unless someone is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Jesus indicated that the idea of the new birth is rooted in the OT when he scolded Nicodemus for not remembering his seminary Old Testament classes: “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” (John 3:10; cp. Ezekiel 36:26-27).

The new birth is caused by the gracious and sovereign act of God apart from human cooperation or effort (John 1:13; Ephesians 2:4-5). We cannot earn our salvation. God brings this new birth through the preaching of the word of God (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:18).

So, today, you must ask yourself these questions, “Have I experienced this new birth? Am I in a new relationship with God through Jesus Christ?” If you are not sure, or know that you have never taken that step of faith, today is the day that you can nail down your destiny.

The result of the new birth is a changed life; a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17) which includes saving faith, repentance (Ephesians 2:8; Acts 11:18; 16:14) and obedience to God’s law (1 John 3:9). With God’s new acts, and new relationships, and new birth, this all leads us to this new covenant.

4. New Covenant: This New Covenant is all about the unity of five divine covenants we find in the Old Testament: Despite their differences, these covenants reveal a structural and thematic unity of grace that is found throughout all the Scripture. It is NOT simply a matter of Law versus Grace, so let’s take a quick look at these previous covenants.

The Noahic covenant preserves the human race from destruction so that the Messiah might be born. It demonstrates the grace of God in that he promises to patiently put up with the human race until the coming of Christ (cp. Acts 17:30).

The Abrahamic covenant follows the covenant of grace as well, creating a historical lineage or family through which the promised Messiah would come.

The Mosaic covenant, too, is part of the covenant of grace and is an extension of the Abrahamic covenant. The Scriptures specifically says that the Mosaic covenant is established because God “remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” (Exodus 2:24). By delivering Israel from Egypt and forming them into a nation by giving them the Law, God established an arrangement in which all of mankind might see that they cannot live up to the covenant of works, and then they will realize their need for a Savior.

Within the context of the nation of Israel, God founded the Davidic covenant that provided the divine monarchy through which God would govern his redeemed people for all eternity. God also kept this covenant unconditionally, preserving the rebellious Hebrew nation and bringing them back from exile “for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake” (2 Kings 20:4-6 NASB).

This New Covenant brings the covenant of grace to fulfillment with the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ who is the promised Messiah of the covenant of grace. So, in the progressive revelation of these covenants, we can see one unified, unfolding story of God’s plan.

Let’s get back to the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31, which lists four provisions, or “I Will” statements, which indicate what God is going to do:

  1. I will make a new covenant; here God is taking the initiative in making this covenant, this is renewal (v.31)
  2. I will put my instructions deep within them, writing it on their hearts; this is regeneration. (v.33)
  3. I will be their God and they will be my people; this is restoration of relationship. (v.33)
  4. I will forgive their sins and remember them no more; this is removal, complete justification, wiping the board totally clean. (v.34)

This is a profound Word of Hope is for a hopeless people who are alienated from God by their own sin. They have a broken relationship and they are a disobedient people, yet God has not abandoned them. Like the parent of a prodigal child, God longs to gather his people back into his arms again. We know that Jeremiah’s mention of this New Covenant is fulfilled completely in Jesus Christ.

The New Covenant is established by the blood that Jesus shed on the cross. That blood, which guarantees to Israel the New Covenant, also provides for the forgiveness of sins for the believers who are the church. Jesus’ payment for sins is more than adequate to pay for the sins of the whole world.

So, as we make New Year’s resolutions, all these promises that we intend to keep yet faithfully forsake by the end of January, remember this: any plan for the betterment of humanity or society that ignores the sin problem is destined for failure.

It is not enough to change your environment; we need to change our heart problem. God wants to change the hearts of his people so they will WANT to love him and follow him. God initiates a new covenant to replace the old one. Ever since the time of Moses, this old covenant would direct their conduct but did precious little to change their character.

Have you ever wondered why you fail in the Christian life so often? You have been working on your conduct, to adhere to some external list of rules and regulations, do’s and don’ts. What you need is a new heart whereby God will begin to change your character.

Hear the words of the prophet Ezekiel, I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. (Ezekiel 36:26)

Where are you in this new covenant? Have you recognized your alienation from God? Do you understand that Jesus Christ is the only solution to the sin problem and gaining access to the Father? (John 14:6).

God’s new covenant is offered to all those who receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. As the writer of Ecclesiastes tells us, that there is nothing new under the sun, today we see that there is plenty of newness in the Bible and in a relationship with God.

What is holding you back from being ALL IN? You have tried to change your behavior, failing year after year. Now it is time for a new heart, a heart transplant. God’s Word can be written to your heart where he can effectively change your character that will eventually change your conduct.

Perhaps without knowing it, maybe this is what you have been seeking all these years, to see God acting in human history, to experience a new relationship with God and with other people, to understand and accept this new birth (receiving forgiveness and power to live a life pleasing to God), and to embrace the new covenant of which Jesus speaks during the last supper, this new covenant in his blood.

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Minding Your Mind and Emotions

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The counseling process has been around a long time, and there are a lot of different methods, theories and procedures that are as different as night and day. Many begin with how the therapist views the nature of mankind, others focus on:

  1. The psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud, understanding the Id, Ego and Super-ego and the role of the subconscious in our mental functioning, and using dream analysis to discover both manifest and latent content (hidden symbolic disguised messages);
  2. The transactional-analysis of Eric Berne tells us that life and relationships are full of scripts that run through our minds and these transactions are sent and received by the scripts of the parent, adult, or the child inside of us;
  3. Or the use of behavior modification techniques to increase or decrease the likelihood of a certain behavior;

There are so many directions one can take:

  1. The Rational-Emotive Therapy of Albert Ellis which focuses on how beliefs influence our behavior;
  2. The Client Centered Therapy of Carl Rogers which focuses on the belief that all people possess a strong drive toward personal growth, health, and adjustment (which he calls self-actualization);
  3. The Reality Therapy of William Glasser which focuses on the three Rs of facing reality, doing right, and being responsible;
  4. The Logotherapy of Viktor Frankl which focuses on mankind’s search for meaning in life.

Dr. Page Huff would be able to tell story after story of people suffering through life and the need for help in coping with stresses, hurts, pain, self-image, neuroses, psychoses, relationships, decisions…

The passage in Romans 12:2 challenges us to have a renewed mind. We are human and live in a fallen world so when Paul tells us that anyone in Christ is a new creation, the old is passed away and all things become new, we wonder why we continue with the same struggles, experience the same pains, and give in to the same vices as we did before we were saved. We are desperately seeking for a renewed mind, but how can we do it?

That which was available in the first century is still available to us today. With all of the science, technology, and counseling theories to help explain our thoughts and behaviors, sometimes getting back to the basics of Scripture can help a huge percentage of what ails us. Psychology has a definite place in our society, and is a great tool for helping people gain insight and awareness into the reasons for their behavior and thinking, but if we can get back to the time of the Bible to see how the spiritual side of mankind can help us cope with developing a renewed mind.

Why is it so important to renew your mind? Because of Proverbs 23:7 – “As a man thinks within himself, so is he.” NASB

Skip has mentioned this before, but today I want to expand on the idea that emotions respond to a signal sent to them by the mind.

Here is a wife and mother:  “Why do I feel so much resentment toward Harold every time he comes into the house?”  Her life and marriage were being destroyed because of the powerful emotion of resentment.  Her emotions were being produced by the thoughts within her mind.

Or how about you driving down highway when suddenly a glance into the rear-view mirror reveals that a highway patrol car is closing on you with its blue lights flashing.  Your heart leaps into your throat.  You feel nervous, uncertain, and the palms of your hands begin to sweat (perspire).  You begin to pull over, all the time wondering what you did, and contemplating receiving a ticket.  As you begin to pull over, the patrol car pulls on around you and keeps going.  Then you realize that he is not after you and your emotions return to normal.  What has just happened?

  • You thought you were going to be stopped and issued a ticket.
  • Your emotions responded to that thought.

You placed a wrong interpretation on one fact, the patrol car coming up behind you with its blue lights on. You did NOT think of other reasons why it was happening.  (Maybe the car ahead of you was his target . . . maybe he had received a call and was being dispatched to an accident scene . . . Maybe the Krispy Kreme doughnut sign was flashing hot and ready . . .)

  • Your distorted view and interpretation of that one fact produced your emotion.
  • Your emotions responded to the signal that your mind sent them.

Listen Carefully:  It is not the actual event but your perception of the event that results in changes in your moods . . . your emotions.

  • You determine your emotions by the choice of thoughts you hold and believe. Something happens and then you THINK before your FEEL.
  • Emotions are not external entities which enter our bodies arbitrarily like a germ. They are a part of our makeup form the very beginning and rise up within us because of what we THINK.
  • So, your emotions, regardless of their nature, are the product of your thoughts.
    • You re in the driver’s seat . . . You select your emotions when you select your thoughts.
    • You feel the way you do right now because of the thoughts you are presently thinking.
    • The bottom line: change your thinking and your will change your emotions.

The Five Senses:  (Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell) These are the doors to the mind . . . especially the eyes and the ears.

This is why we must be very careful as to what we allow to enter our minds through our eyes and ears. There is an old computer phrase that is very applicable to human beings… “GIGO” which stands for Garbage In Garbage Out.

The band Casting Crowns took that little children’s song and challenged the dads in our generation to stay pure by guarding ourselves from the negative things that enter our lives through the senses, “be careful little eyes what you see…” Garbage in, garbage out.

Let’s look at some biblical support for this concept:

  • Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.”
  • Galatians 6:7 – “Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows he will also reap.”

We must be diligent to lean toward purity, righteousness, and thinking, because sowing negative thoughts produce negative emotions, and negative behaviors and consequences.

Think Right to Feel Right:

Look at Proverbs 23:7 again – “As a man thinks within himself, so is he.” NASB

“How do you feel?”  The answer to this question depends on what you are thinking at the moment.

  • If you are thinking positive thoughts your response may be, “I feel great!” or “I have a positive outlook.”
  • On the other hand, if your frame of mind is negative you may say:
    • “I don’t feel so hot.” “I feel lousy.” Or “I’ve felt better.”
    • Like the old song, “Everybody hates me, nobody likes me, I think I’ll go eat worms…”

If you think negative thoughts, you WILL reap a crop of negative emotions.  If you think positive thoughts you will reap a crop of positive emotions. So, WHY do we dwell on the negative when there is an alternative?

Feelings Aren’t Facts!

In the police illustration at the beginning, the blue lights were NOT intended for you.  You felt at the moment that they were, but the true fact was that they were NOT for you.  Feeling they WERE for you did not make them be FOR you. Feeling are not facts.

Bill Bright, with Campus Crusade for Christ, developed a graphic called FACT, FAITH, FEELINGS Train. The fact is the engine, your faith is the coal car and the caboose is your feelings. Many times we reverse the order; we put our faith in our feelings. We say things like, “I just don’t feel saved” and we live in ambiguity and fear rather than conviction and assurance. The challenge is to change your thinking. Put your faith in the facts that we find in the Bible, and the fact that you have committed yourself to Christ. So when you don’t FEEL saved, it’s because of your improper thinking. Dwell on the FACTS so that you KNOW you are saved whether you feel like it or not.

Emotions respond to feelings whether the feeling is factual or not. Our minds will respond to the FACTS whether they feel like it or not.

Twisted Thinking:

Twisted thinking produces emotions that are also twisted. I worked with a fellow, a professional counselor, years ago and he told me about his philosophy of counseling. He mentioned that people with emotional problems will often listen to negative self-talk, which is rarely based on facts. They will play this tape over and over about how bad they are, how worthless they are, how trapped they are, how pointless life is for them. His goal was to help them to understand the truth (the facts) no matter how they feel. He needed them to get rid of their twisted thinking.

Twisted thinking is your mind processing thoughts, not actual facts or events, and producing emotional responses such as fatigue, nervousness, anxiety, depression, loss of appetite, and a host of others ailments.

Twisted thinking can create problems for people. We move out on what we FEEL is true rather than letting the facts guide us.

Ever heard the phrase, “Just follow your heart?” I sense that following your heart is the single worst piece of advice that someone can give to another person. Now that I have you thinking differently, and you have the emotional response to support it, let me explain. Check out Jeremiah 17:9, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?” So, when you follow your heart, you will end up with heartache.

Failure and negative thoughts, which produce twisted thinking, need to be ejected from our mind. Let me give you a biblical example. Saul, before his conversion, is a great example of twisted thinking.

In his defense before King Agrippa, he acknowledged the results of his twisted thinking.  Acts 26:9-10 – “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them.”

The prime motivation behind Paul’s actions against the church, Christ and his followers, AND his emotions, according to his OWN confession, was his thinking.  “I thought to myself that I had to do. . .”

He was the product of what he permitted to enter his mind, the negative and false teachings about Christ and Christianity.

  • He thought both were wrong and needed to be eliminated.
  • Later, through proper instruction which he accepted, he was able to straighten his twisted thinking.

Apply this principle to people in a denomination and you will better understand that their feelings and emotions are based on what they THINK is right, even if it isn’t according to biblical instruction.  Churches may adopt unbiblical stances on hot topics and politically correct issues, but deep down that position cannot be condoned or supported through proper exegetical Bible investigation.

When people’s thinking is changed, their feelings and emotions will also be changed.

People’s thinking is NOT changed by dealing with feelings, but dealing honestly with their thinking.  You are not going to change their feelings until you change their thinking . . . perceived facts. This is why it is so important to have a renewed mind (Romans 12:2).

My friend’s counseling goal was helping them to hear positive, rather than negative self-talk. Stop playing the tapes of the lies we tell ourselves about us, the world and other people, and the world around us. So, the discipline of counseling helps correct their stinkin’ thinkin’.

Sometimes we need help to understand why we have this negative self-talk, or what triggers the negative thinking, but you know, all of us can search for the truth to know exactly what the Bible says about us, our behavior and the world around us.  This is why the matter of biblical authority is so profoundly important.

  • John 8:32 – “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
  • John 17:17 – “Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.”

What About the Truth?

  • Romans 1:28 – The truth can be suppressed.
  • Romans 1:25 – The truth can be exchanged for a lie.
  • Romans 2:8 – Truth that is not obeyed leads to unrighteousness.
  • Romans 9:1 – Truth can be told and taught to others with the authority of the Holy Spirit.
  • 1 Corinthians 13:6 – Truth can be rejoiced in.
  • Galatians 2:5 – The truth continues, remains or preserves.
  • Galatians 3:1 – Truth will not be obeyed by foolish people.
  • Colossians 1:5 – The truth is the gospel of Christ.
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:12 – Condemnation comes where the truth is not believed.
  • 2 Thessalonians 2:13 – The truth is involved in salvation.
  • James 3:14 – People lie against or cover up the truth.
  • 1 John 2:21 – The truth can be discerned from lies.
  • 3 John 3 – The truth can be confirmed to others and people can live by the truth.
  • 3 John 4 – The truth can be walked in . . . and lived.

It has been proven over and over again that the emotions do not know the difference between an established fact and an erroneous fact.

Illustration: Man received a phone call and thought the caller said his father was dying with a heart attack.  He got into his car and drove as fast as he could to his father’s house, only to be greeted by his father at the door.  The son almost had a heart attack himself.  His emotions were responding to thoughts the mind were holding as true, but were not actually true.  In his mind he believed his father was dying, thus his body acted accordingly.  Later he learned the caller had said “John,” instead of “Don.”  John was a friend of the family.

The Keys to Winning Over Stinkin’ Thinkin’ or the meat of the message, to Find God in Psychology.

We need to recognize that our thought patterns and habits can be changed for the better and we can experience release from twisted thinking, reactions and responses that eventually will defeat us.

1. Recognize that YOU are in control of your thoughts.  God created you with this wonderful ability to take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

2. Don’t try to suppress your thoughts. Burying thoughts only reinforces the negative response demonstrated by your emotions. We must be alert to these thoughts as they come into our minds and say “NO” to them, and saying “YES” to a positive replacement.

3. When you are challenged by a twisted thought, ask yourself, “Why am I thinking this way?  What has triggered this negative thought?”  Determining the stimulus or root of the thought is a key to victory.

4. At the very suggestion of a defeating thought, eject it from your mind with a positive Bible verse. I don’t suggest this lightly, or because I’m a pastor. The New Living Translation of Philippians 4:8 reads:  “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

Isn’t that a wonderful piece of advice  . . . It came from God through the Holy Spirit as penned by the apostle Paul. As a matter of fact, I plan to preach this passage on Sunday October 13, How to Fortify Your Mind.

5. Changing your thinking is an act of the will.

  • Colossians 3:2 – “Set your mind on things above.” Now are you beginning to see why the Bible teaches this? This imperative statement involves an act of the will . . . Who sets your mind . . .  YOU set your mind.
  • Colossians 3:5 – “Therefore, put to death whatever in you is worldly: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry.”
  • Colossians 3:8 – “But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language…“
  • Colossians 3:12 – “Put on or clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

6. You cannot control what others say about you or think about you, but you can control how you react to it. If I’m having a bad day it is because I choose to allow the circumstance of that day to bring me down.

  • Proverbs 25:28 – “A man who does not control his temper is like a city whose wall is broken down.” Question:  What can happen to a city whose wall is broken down? It will be overrun by the enemy.

Our desire is not to rid ourselves of our emotions, but rather, learn how to control them with God’s help.

7. Pray to God for wisdom and strength.

We need to face life in the spirit of a man who lost his eyesight.  He rushed to the doctor.  The treatment by the physician made it possible for him to see again, but the return of his sight caused him to lose his memory.  He returned to the doctor.  This time he was treated for a loss of memory.  The man regained his memory but lost his eyesight again.  “Well,” said the physician, “we can’t cure both of them together, so you’ll have to choose between sight and memory.  Which will it be?”  The man answered, “Eyesight!  I’d rather see where I’m going than to know where I’ve been.”

It doesn’t matter that you have been plagued in the past with twisted thinking or warped emotions; the next step you take to handle it is what counts.

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Sermon-Based Small Groups

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I’ve been thinking about how we can get more people involved in smaller communities without loading down already busy families. I also sense there are only so many truth units that a person can absorb each week… Sunday School, the pastoral message, Wednesday night meeting, any devotional book someone may be reading, and perhaps a Christian living book from your local Lifeway store.

All that spiritual activity is likely pretty optimistic on MY part, but the reality is, a Sunday class and the Sunday sermon may be all that people are taking in each week (or twice a month, or once a month). So, what do you think about designing groups that meet during the week, NOT for additional truth units, but to focus on application and clarification of something already heard last Sunday… like the pastor’s message? I thought of a few questions on the topic:

1. How can sermon-based groups be used for God’s glory, for the good of the local church, and for the good of the community?

Anything that brings glory to God is used by God to glorify Himself, and any time He is glorified the local church is better for it. Anytime the local church is known as being focused on bringing glory to God, the community is enhanced.

I like that! These groups can help our church to be “a city on a hill,” (Matthew 5:14) and a light shining brightly for Christ on the street or cul-de-sac where believers live. They can function as a mission of our church which they represent, in the community where God has placed them for his own glory.

2. How can sermon-based groups “remember” their leaders (Hebrews 13:7) rather than forget what their leaders spoke?

One of the most positive aspects of sermon-based groups or Bible studies is that group members are reminded of the main points of the sermon. Imagine how God will be glorified in the lives of the participants! These groups would study the passage more fully and strive for clarification, questions and application. After reviewing the main points of the sermon, group members should then process what they heard in the sermon then make commitments to live out what was preached.

3. How can I lift up the name of Jesus above all names and respect my pastor?

Humankind will instinctively worship that which they can seen and touch, so there is potential for the pastor to become the focus of attention rather than Jesus. In order to overcome this, small group leaders should be trained to elevate the words found in the Bible above the teaching, clichés and phrases spoken by the pastor in the sermon. Then, consistently during the Bible study time, leaders should point people to Jesus and his word rather than focusing on the teaching pastor and his words.

4. How can people move beyond the after-service surface-level comments like  “Great sermon” to significant conversations?

A very short answer ought to do it… GREAT discussion questions that are placed in the right order. When this happens a transformational conversation will be experienced. Our need is to develop capable of creating these kinds of experiences. This is where most sermon-based groups fall very, very short.

5. What are some upsides of sermon-based small group studies?

  • The pastor is happy with the small group pastor knowing he or she is working in tandem to establish the principles and practices that were unearthed during the sermon.
  • Small group members are reminded of the main points of the sermon which helps establish the truths that were taught.
  • Sermon based Bible studies make more time to discuss application. Since the principles and practices that would normally be unveiled as group members discussed the passage are already established, (since the pastor took care of this when preaching) the group can climb immediately into discussing how these principles and practices are to be lived out.

While God’s Word is sufficient, we must caution that group discussion and attempting to determine what God is saying is vital as group members learn how to interpret Scripture without an official “teacher.” Many people may never learn to think on their own or use their Bibles or interpret Scripture apart from someone telling them what it means.

The Downside of Sermon-Based Groups:

I am a proponent of any small group experience that lifts the name of Jesus above all other names, creates a safe place for everyone involved, and produces an environment where unbelievers feel as though they are equals on a spiritual journey so they attend consistently.

I recently spent some time reading about the sermon-based small group experience, and not everything is positive. These are some concerns I discovered.

1. Elevating the pastors words while inadvertently diminishing God’s Word: When utilizing biblically based, well-done discussion guides, the conversation must be strategically turned toward what the Bible is saying. When discussing the weekend sermon, the conversation can be built around what the pastor said. The primary voice in the Bible study wouldn’t be God and his Word, but the pastor and his words. Instead of hearing phrases like, “The Bible says,” or “Jesus told us,” or “God’s Word instructs us,” small group members hear phrases like, “The pastor told us,”or “If the pastor was here he’d probably say,” or “I’ll check with the pastor and see what he meant.” The pastor’s voice may inadvertently become known as the ultimate truth source rather than the Bible being the only source of all truth.

2. Senior pastor worship: Sermon based small group experiences can easily lead to high levels of senior pastor worship. My research on this topic has indicated that the senior pastor’s name is brought up (and he is held in awe) at least six times during each group gathering. Jesus’ name and his personality are discussed much less than the pastor’s personality and the senior pastor’s name. In some pastor-driven high-power church, Jesus is subconsciously established as the senior pastor’s sidekick, the secondary personality in church life. Before long, many believers speak more of their pastor and his great sermons than their Savior and his redeeming power.

3. Those farthest from Christ won’t attend a small group – Those who are far, far from Christ are not going to attend church services which means they’ll never feel comfortable in a sermon based small group experience. The truth is, people who are far from Christ are NOT going to come to a group to discuss a sermon they haven’t heard. To expect a “not yet” follower of Christ (who didn’t hear the weekend sermon and never will because they are not going to attend a weekend worship service) to come weekly to a sermon based small group experience is like asking someone to come to a book club for a weekly meeting to discuss a book they refuse to read. They aren’t going to attend.

One way to combat this last observation is to invite unchurched friends for the fellowship and discussion on a certain topic (the sermon topic, for instance). Even though someone did not hear the message, in the conversation, the group can highlight the main points of the message as the evening progresses, and then the Bible is STILL the primary source of guidance and the one who missed church is not disadvantaged.

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