This is the slideshow of Ghana pictures that was shown at church on Sunday.
If you were not there, make sure to get the cd so you will know the stories behind the pictures.
I hope this blesses you!
Eileen
July 19: Whispers and Shouts
What Matters Most
If you have been reading this blog from week to week, you have probably detected a little repetition, a little recurrence, a little reiteration of a fundamental truth: Any endeavor that you undertake in your Christian walk depends entirely on your having a dynamic, personal, and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Each week’s message has hinged on this foundation. As the weeks of the summer have gone by and as messages and ideas have accumulated in this blog, those messages have continued to tie back to Jesus and our relationships with Him. For our church, last week represented a culmination of sorts. With the return of the Ghana mission team, we were able to see the result of something we had long prayed for and expected. The team of missionaries that went to Ghana had spent hours, weeks, and even months praying and preparing for the trip. Likewise, those of us at Mountain East who did not go to Ghana had invested much time into the team’s preparation. Sunday’s service, which included a report from three of the missionaries, represented a culmination and a product of this summer’s labor. And, it should be no big surprise that their testimonies echoed the same theme that this summer’s sermons have been speaking all along: the single most important thing in this life is having a real relationship with Jesus.
Before Kathy, Courtney, and Heather spoke about their most recent West African experience, Nancy read from Matthew 10:27-39, a passage in which Jesus instructs his followers on how serve Him in the world. This passage gives us an idea of what we can expect in our own relationships with Jesus today.
A Relationship with Jesus: What is it like?
It involves communication
The scripture gives many indications that the Lord speaks to those people who belong to Him. Before sending his disciples out to serve people, Jesus said to them, “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops” (Matthew 10:27). We can expect Jesus to tell us things too. Moreover, we can expect for Him to tell us things that are meant for us individually. When someone whispers in your ear, he or she is sharing something with you that no one else is hearing. Likewise, Jesus has specific things to share with us as individuals, things to whisper into our ears. A relationship with Jesus is one involving communication.
It is life-preserving
Matthew 10:28 indicates that Jesus saves us from the destruction of our soul. We should therefore hold our relationship with Him in high regard and cherish it as much as we cling to our lives themselves. He brings life to our soul and rescues us from certain destruction.
It means you are cared for and regarded as important
From some of Jesus’ words, we understand that in His time, sparrows were not worth very much to men. In fact, in the marketplace, a person could buy two sparrows for a cent. “And yet,” Jesus said about these sparrows, “not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father” (10:29). Sparrows are so numerous and worthless to men that they are worth a half of a cent, but God values each one of them. He is so concerned about them that if something happens to alter their life, He is aware of it and cares. Jesus uses this example to make the point that our Heavenly Father cares even more about us and will protect us. “Therefore, do not fear,” Jesus reassured his followers, “you are of more value than many sparrows” (10:31).
It is a relationship with One who knows you better than you know yourself
Not only does God protect and care for us; He knows us intimately. In verse 30, Jesus says to his followers that in contrast to the sparrows that are sold for half a cent, “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” In other words, if God pays enough attention to us to know how many hairs are on our head at any given moment, He certainly knows what is going on in our lives and is looking out for our well being. How lucky are we to have a relationship in which we are so highly regarded!
It requires things of us
A relationship with Jesus cannot be taken lightly. Jesus does require things of us if we follow Him. Jesus explains, “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (10:32-33). In order for Jesus to claim us as His own before God, we must be willing to claim Him as our Lord before people. Our relationship with Him cannot be a secret that we keep from others. We must be willing to openly express how we feel about the Lord. If we are ashamed to acknowledge that we know Him, He will not acknowledge that He knows us when we are brought before God in judgment.
It divides people
In verse 34, Jesus states, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” This statement can be hard to reconcile in our minds, since so many other passages in scripture talk about Jesus bringing peace. The truth is that Jesus brings peace and division. Before we are in a relationship with Jesus, we are divided from God and belong to the world. Once we give our lives to Jesus, we have peace with our Heavenly Father and are no longer separated from Him by sin. This means that we shift our allegiance from the world and its systems to God and His kingdom. Our hearts change, our values shift, and everything is different because we have a new owner to whom we are devoted. This upsets family members sometimes, especially if they are not devoted to God themselves. So within a household of people who love one another, you could have two very different allegiances represented – one to the world and one to God. This is a type of division. Jesus doesn’t want us to be unaware of this. When we have a relationship with Him, it sometimes separates us from other people because we no longer have some fundamental things in common.
We must value it above all other relationships
Jesus goes on to explain that if we truly desire to have a relationship with Him, we cannot be afraid of the division that this relationship may cause. Ultimately, we must trust Him and know that He loves us enough to work out all of those things that concern us, even family relationships. If we would follow Him, we have to love Him and be devoted to him even more than we are to our own family members: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (10:37). In her message, Nancy said that Jesus was trying to make a point about the devotion that we should have for Him. We all understand being devoted to our family members. For the most part, they are the people we hold dearest. In this passage, Jesus is saying that we should love Him even more than this.
It requires us to pick up our own cross
Having a relationship with Jesus will cause us to suffer sometimes, but it is not without reward. Jesus explained to his disciples, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (10:38). Just as Jesus suffered in doing His Father’s will, we will sometimes be required to suffer in order to do what is right. But Jesus Himself did not suffer without purpose. His death on the cross brought all of us eternal life, and He was resurrected after He died in obedience to God’s will. Likewise, we will experience new life after our suffering, and it will bring good to other people. At the end of this passage, Jesus promises new life to those who lay down their lives to follow Him: “He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it” (10:39). Jesus’ resurrected life is a promise to us that when we suffer in order to follow Him, the suffering will not last forever, and it will be followed by renewed hope and life.
Ghana Team: Fruit from a Real Relationship with Jesus
As she introduced the Ghana missionaries on Sunday, Nancy returned once again to Matthew 10:27, in which Jesus tells his disciples to shout and “proclaim on the housetops” what they “heard whispered in secret.” Each one of the team members has a personal relationship with Jesus, and for each of them, the desire to go to Ghana started with God whispering in their ears. So what ended as a very visible, widely followed mission trip started out as private word whispered in their hearts individually by God. Along with the desire to go to Ghana, God also gave each person an idea of what they had to offer to the people in Ghana. Their “offerings” in Ghana were as unique and as individual as their relationships with their God. But each was needful and vital to the team’s work as a whole.
Courtney: God Gives Us Our Own Identities
Courtney’s testimony on Sunday began with an explanation of how she had been approaching the trip to Ghana prior to leaving. She explained to us that when she went to Ghana a year ago, she was one of three teenagers on a team mostly made up of adults. On this trip, however, God made sure that she saw herself not as a teenager, but as an adult. For some time before the trip, Courtney said, God had been teaching her about having her own walk with Him. She was a little nervous about this trip because she would be the only younger person going, and, in her own words, she couldn’t “go there and be a teenager.” She went on to explain some of her prior apprehensions: “John and Rich and Kathy had been walking with the Lord for much longer than I had, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to measure up.” On this trip, God made Courtney understand that she has a special relationship with Him, one that is as valuable as the ones He has with those adults she looks up to. God encouraged Courtney to recognize that she hears from Him, and He also showed her that her individual relationship with Him benefits others: “When it came time to pray, [God] was giving me his words, the things he wanted me to pray. . . I didn’t have to worry about what Ruth needed because [God] knew what she needed and he knew what I needed to say.” Courtney came back to the U.S. with a number of things, but perhaps the most important is the knowledge that God does not see her as just a teenager. As she concluded her testimony, she explained that she came away from the trip understanding this: “I shouldn’t feel like my walk with God should look like Heather’s or Kathy’s or Rich’s because it’s not theirs; it’s mine and God’s and it’s good for it to be that way.”
Kathy: God Changed my Life
If Courtney’s testimony spoke of God’s ability to define a relationship with Him, Kathy’s testimony spoke of His power to redefine a relationship with Him. On Sunday morning, Kathy testified of the great work that God did in her leading up to the Ghana trip. She explained that before she began preparing for Ghana, she was a Christian, but she didn’t have a close, personal walk with the Lord like she does now. In order to draw her closer to Him and show her the big plans he had for her, God had to take her through a “wilderness” of sorts by allowing her to suffer some losses, such as the loss of her job. While it may have looked like a horrible situation at the time, losing her job was pivotal in Kathy’s relationship with God. In dealing with her fearful situation, she was forced to relate to Him without the security of her own self-sufficiency to fall back on. “To prepare me for the good things that God was about to do in my life, I had to leave behind the familiar, the comfort of past successes, and bag of tricks that got me through anything. I had to surrender everything. I surrendered my life,” Kathy told us. As an encouragement to us, she concluded by saying, “My God is faithful. He will do what he says He will do. And when he wants to take you into the wilderness to get the Egypt out of your heart, surrender and let Him. You will never regret it.”
Heather: Passionate Devotion to Christ
As Heather prepared for the Ghana trip, she began asking the Lord what she was to do in Ghana. Where would she serve? Whom would she serve? What would her service be? As she continued asking these questions, Rich told her that one of the focuses of their ministry to the pastors in Ghana was defining discipleship – explaining what it means to follow Christ. Taking this topic into consideration, Heather began to search and ask the Lord to speak to her about what discipleship meant, all the while asking Him for direction on what to “do” while in Ghana. One day, while reading a daily devotional, God whispered into her ear: “Heather, it’s not what you do; it’s who you are. It’s who you are in Christ. It’s not what you do for Him”
These whispered words became the basis of what Heather proclaimed to the Ghanaian pastors and what she testified to us. She explained to us that following God lies not in our actions but in our heart’s devotion. If we are devoted to the person of Jesus, she explained, the actions and the service of a disciple will naturally follow. Our “doings” will be an overflow of our love and passionate devotion to Jesus. “To me,” Heather said, “THAT is what makes a disciple – a REAL relationship with Christ, and He wants that for each of his children. No matter where you are, He wants to speak to you; He wants to pour His life into you.”
Conclusion: Is It Worth It?
Jesus’ explanation of discipleship in Matthew 10:27-37 contains some difficult statements: following Jesus will bring us trouble with those around us, following Jesus will bring suffering, and following Jesus means we have to surrender all that is dearest to us. These promises can be hard to accept. Giving our lives to Christ will cost us something, and we shouldn’t be naive about that. But for anyone who has ever looked into Jesus’ eyes and seen His love there, for anyone who has experienced the thrill of hearing God’s voice call his or her name, the rewards far outweigh the costs. Walking with Jesus Christ and having a REAL relationship with Him changes a person and works wonders in his life that are inexplicable to those looking on. We saw a little of the “wonder” that God works in the returning Ghana team. In her statement below, Nancy describes that inexplicable touch of Christ that she saw on the faces of Courtney, Heather, Kathy, and Rich when they arrived home from West Africa:
Let’s talk about how exciting and glamorous a mission trip to Ghana is – 10 hour trips in a hot crowded truck on slow roads with many delays and no fast food along the way. Food and water that might make you sick. Poverty that will break your heart to see. Losing sleep. Working hard. Serving many people with few resources. Little privacy. Sacrificing pleasure, vacation time, money, and recreation to do it. But this team has this reality: God’s rewards are better than earthly pleasures. Experiencing His power and His presence and watching Him in real, tangible ways. That is a great reward!
How else can someone spend thousands of dollars and two weeks time to be hot, sick, uncomfortable, tired, and used, and then come home with a glow on their faces, excitement in their hearts, a strong peace, increased faith, a sense of wonder, and great satisfaction in what they have done?
Scriptures Referenced in the Sermon and Testimonies
Matthew 10: 27-39
Psalm 32:7-8
Habakkuk 3:17-18
John 21:16
John 12:24
If you have been reading this blog from week to week, you have probably detected a little repetition, a little recurrence, a little reiteration of a fundamental truth: Any endeavor that you undertake in your Christian walk depends entirely on your having a dynamic, personal, and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Each week’s message has hinged on this foundation. As the weeks of the summer have gone by and as messages and ideas have accumulated in this blog, those messages have continued to tie back to Jesus and our relationships with Him. For our church, last week represented a culmination of sorts. With the return of the Ghana mission team, we were able to see the result of something we had long prayed for and expected. The team of missionaries that went to Ghana had spent hours, weeks, and even months praying and preparing for the trip. Likewise, those of us at Mountain East who did not go to Ghana had invested much time into the team’s preparation. Sunday’s service, which included a report from three of the missionaries, represented a culmination and a product of this summer’s labor. And, it should be no big surprise that their testimonies echoed the same theme that this summer’s sermons have been speaking all along: the single most important thing in this life is having a real relationship with Jesus.
Before Kathy, Courtney, and Heather spoke about their most recent West African experience, Nancy read from Matthew 10:27-39, a passage in which Jesus instructs his followers on how serve Him in the world. This passage gives us an idea of what we can expect in our own relationships with Jesus today.
A Relationship with Jesus: What is it like?
It involves communication
The scripture gives many indications that the Lord speaks to those people who belong to Him. Before sending his disciples out to serve people, Jesus said to them, “What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops” (Matthew 10:27). We can expect Jesus to tell us things too. Moreover, we can expect for Him to tell us things that are meant for us individually. When someone whispers in your ear, he or she is sharing something with you that no one else is hearing. Likewise, Jesus has specific things to share with us as individuals, things to whisper into our ears. A relationship with Jesus is one involving communication.
It is life-preserving
Matthew 10:28 indicates that Jesus saves us from the destruction of our soul. We should therefore hold our relationship with Him in high regard and cherish it as much as we cling to our lives themselves. He brings life to our soul and rescues us from certain destruction.
It means you are cared for and regarded as important
From some of Jesus’ words, we understand that in His time, sparrows were not worth very much to men. In fact, in the marketplace, a person could buy two sparrows for a cent. “And yet,” Jesus said about these sparrows, “not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father” (10:29). Sparrows are so numerous and worthless to men that they are worth a half of a cent, but God values each one of them. He is so concerned about them that if something happens to alter their life, He is aware of it and cares. Jesus uses this example to make the point that our Heavenly Father cares even more about us and will protect us. “Therefore, do not fear,” Jesus reassured his followers, “you are of more value than many sparrows” (10:31).
It is a relationship with One who knows you better than you know yourself
Not only does God protect and care for us; He knows us intimately. In verse 30, Jesus says to his followers that in contrast to the sparrows that are sold for half a cent, “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” In other words, if God pays enough attention to us to know how many hairs are on our head at any given moment, He certainly knows what is going on in our lives and is looking out for our well being. How lucky are we to have a relationship in which we are so highly regarded!
It requires things of us
A relationship with Jesus cannot be taken lightly. Jesus does require things of us if we follow Him. Jesus explains, “Everyone therefore who shall confess Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven” (10:32-33). In order for Jesus to claim us as His own before God, we must be willing to claim Him as our Lord before people. Our relationship with Him cannot be a secret that we keep from others. We must be willing to openly express how we feel about the Lord. If we are ashamed to acknowledge that we know Him, He will not acknowledge that He knows us when we are brought before God in judgment.
It divides people
In verse 34, Jesus states, “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” This statement can be hard to reconcile in our minds, since so many other passages in scripture talk about Jesus bringing peace. The truth is that Jesus brings peace and division. Before we are in a relationship with Jesus, we are divided from God and belong to the world. Once we give our lives to Jesus, we have peace with our Heavenly Father and are no longer separated from Him by sin. This means that we shift our allegiance from the world and its systems to God and His kingdom. Our hearts change, our values shift, and everything is different because we have a new owner to whom we are devoted. This upsets family members sometimes, especially if they are not devoted to God themselves. So within a household of people who love one another, you could have two very different allegiances represented – one to the world and one to God. This is a type of division. Jesus doesn’t want us to be unaware of this. When we have a relationship with Him, it sometimes separates us from other people because we no longer have some fundamental things in common.
We must value it above all other relationships
Jesus goes on to explain that if we truly desire to have a relationship with Him, we cannot be afraid of the division that this relationship may cause. Ultimately, we must trust Him and know that He loves us enough to work out all of those things that concern us, even family relationships. If we would follow Him, we have to love Him and be devoted to him even more than we are to our own family members: “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me” (10:37). In her message, Nancy said that Jesus was trying to make a point about the devotion that we should have for Him. We all understand being devoted to our family members. For the most part, they are the people we hold dearest. In this passage, Jesus is saying that we should love Him even more than this.
It requires us to pick up our own cross
Having a relationship with Jesus will cause us to suffer sometimes, but it is not without reward. Jesus explained to his disciples, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me” (10:38). Just as Jesus suffered in doing His Father’s will, we will sometimes be required to suffer in order to do what is right. But Jesus Himself did not suffer without purpose. His death on the cross brought all of us eternal life, and He was resurrected after He died in obedience to God’s will. Likewise, we will experience new life after our suffering, and it will bring good to other people. At the end of this passage, Jesus promises new life to those who lay down their lives to follow Him: “He who has found his life shall lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it” (10:39). Jesus’ resurrected life is a promise to us that when we suffer in order to follow Him, the suffering will not last forever, and it will be followed by renewed hope and life.
Ghana Team: Fruit from a Real Relationship with Jesus
As she introduced the Ghana missionaries on Sunday, Nancy returned once again to Matthew 10:27, in which Jesus tells his disciples to shout and “proclaim on the housetops” what they “heard whispered in secret.” Each one of the team members has a personal relationship with Jesus, and for each of them, the desire to go to Ghana started with God whispering in their ears. So what ended as a very visible, widely followed mission trip started out as private word whispered in their hearts individually by God. Along with the desire to go to Ghana, God also gave each person an idea of what they had to offer to the people in Ghana. Their “offerings” in Ghana were as unique and as individual as their relationships with their God. But each was needful and vital to the team’s work as a whole.
Courtney: God Gives Us Our Own Identities
Courtney’s testimony on Sunday began with an explanation of how she had been approaching the trip to Ghana prior to leaving. She explained to us that when she went to Ghana a year ago, she was one of three teenagers on a team mostly made up of adults. On this trip, however, God made sure that she saw herself not as a teenager, but as an adult. For some time before the trip, Courtney said, God had been teaching her about having her own walk with Him. She was a little nervous about this trip because she would be the only younger person going, and, in her own words, she couldn’t “go there and be a teenager.” She went on to explain some of her prior apprehensions: “John and Rich and Kathy had been walking with the Lord for much longer than I had, and I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to measure up.” On this trip, God made Courtney understand that she has a special relationship with Him, one that is as valuable as the ones He has with those adults she looks up to. God encouraged Courtney to recognize that she hears from Him, and He also showed her that her individual relationship with Him benefits others: “When it came time to pray, [God] was giving me his words, the things he wanted me to pray. . . I didn’t have to worry about what Ruth needed because [God] knew what she needed and he knew what I needed to say.” Courtney came back to the U.S. with a number of things, but perhaps the most important is the knowledge that God does not see her as just a teenager. As she concluded her testimony, she explained that she came away from the trip understanding this: “I shouldn’t feel like my walk with God should look like Heather’s or Kathy’s or Rich’s because it’s not theirs; it’s mine and God’s and it’s good for it to be that way.”
Kathy: God Changed my Life
If Courtney’s testimony spoke of God’s ability to define a relationship with Him, Kathy’s testimony spoke of His power to redefine a relationship with Him. On Sunday morning, Kathy testified of the great work that God did in her leading up to the Ghana trip. She explained that before she began preparing for Ghana, she was a Christian, but she didn’t have a close, personal walk with the Lord like she does now. In order to draw her closer to Him and show her the big plans he had for her, God had to take her through a “wilderness” of sorts by allowing her to suffer some losses, such as the loss of her job. While it may have looked like a horrible situation at the time, losing her job was pivotal in Kathy’s relationship with God. In dealing with her fearful situation, she was forced to relate to Him without the security of her own self-sufficiency to fall back on. “To prepare me for the good things that God was about to do in my life, I had to leave behind the familiar, the comfort of past successes, and bag of tricks that got me through anything. I had to surrender everything. I surrendered my life,” Kathy told us. As an encouragement to us, she concluded by saying, “My God is faithful. He will do what he says He will do. And when he wants to take you into the wilderness to get the Egypt out of your heart, surrender and let Him. You will never regret it.”
Heather: Passionate Devotion to Christ
As Heather prepared for the Ghana trip, she began asking the Lord what she was to do in Ghana. Where would she serve? Whom would she serve? What would her service be? As she continued asking these questions, Rich told her that one of the focuses of their ministry to the pastors in Ghana was defining discipleship – explaining what it means to follow Christ. Taking this topic into consideration, Heather began to search and ask the Lord to speak to her about what discipleship meant, all the while asking Him for direction on what to “do” while in Ghana. One day, while reading a daily devotional, God whispered into her ear: “Heather, it’s not what you do; it’s who you are. It’s who you are in Christ. It’s not what you do for Him”
These whispered words became the basis of what Heather proclaimed to the Ghanaian pastors and what she testified to us. She explained to us that following God lies not in our actions but in our heart’s devotion. If we are devoted to the person of Jesus, she explained, the actions and the service of a disciple will naturally follow. Our “doings” will be an overflow of our love and passionate devotion to Jesus. “To me,” Heather said, “THAT is what makes a disciple – a REAL relationship with Christ, and He wants that for each of his children. No matter where you are, He wants to speak to you; He wants to pour His life into you.”
Conclusion: Is It Worth It?
Jesus’ explanation of discipleship in Matthew 10:27-37 contains some difficult statements: following Jesus will bring us trouble with those around us, following Jesus will bring suffering, and following Jesus means we have to surrender all that is dearest to us. These promises can be hard to accept. Giving our lives to Christ will cost us something, and we shouldn’t be naive about that. But for anyone who has ever looked into Jesus’ eyes and seen His love there, for anyone who has experienced the thrill of hearing God’s voice call his or her name, the rewards far outweigh the costs. Walking with Jesus Christ and having a REAL relationship with Him changes a person and works wonders in his life that are inexplicable to those looking on. We saw a little of the “wonder” that God works in the returning Ghana team. In her statement below, Nancy describes that inexplicable touch of Christ that she saw on the faces of Courtney, Heather, Kathy, and Rich when they arrived home from West Africa:
Let’s talk about how exciting and glamorous a mission trip to Ghana is – 10 hour trips in a hot crowded truck on slow roads with many delays and no fast food along the way. Food and water that might make you sick. Poverty that will break your heart to see. Losing sleep. Working hard. Serving many people with few resources. Little privacy. Sacrificing pleasure, vacation time, money, and recreation to do it. But this team has this reality: God’s rewards are better than earthly pleasures. Experiencing His power and His presence and watching Him in real, tangible ways. That is a great reward!
How else can someone spend thousands of dollars and two weeks time to be hot, sick, uncomfortable, tired, and used, and then come home with a glow on their faces, excitement in their hearts, a strong peace, increased faith, a sense of wonder, and great satisfaction in what they have done?
Scriptures Referenced in the Sermon and Testimonies
Matthew 10: 27-39
Psalm 32:7-8
Habakkuk 3:17-18
John 21:16
John 12:24
July 14: Whatever
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” (Philippians 4:8)
Peace and Joy are Linked to a Healthy Thought Life
The book of Philippians, from which this week’s sermon was derived, is often referred to as “The Book of Joy.” Written by Paul during a brief stint in a Roman prison, this beloved letter teaches believers how to find joy and contentment in any circumstance, even the most daunting and distressing ones. Having joy and peace, Paul suggests, is largely determined by what we allow our minds to dwell on. Unfortunately, so many of us don’t experience the peace and joy that God wants us to have because we are burdened, worn out, and even tormented by toxic thoughts. In her message on Sunday, Nancy gently reminded us that our hearts and minds belong to the Lord and that we need to be diligent in watching over the thoughts that we allow to prosper there.
Food For Thought
In teaching us about our thought life, Nancy used an analogy that all of us readily understood: food. Food nourishes and feeds our bodies so that we can function both mentally and physically. In the same way, our thoughts nourish our minds. God intends for us to think on things that are “true. . . honorable. . . right. . . pure. . . lovely. . . [and] of good repute” (Philippians 4:8). Dwelling on these things will strengthen us and give us energy to function properly as believers. On the other hand, constantly ingesting and meditating on things that are not so can have harmful effects on our souls.
To continue the food/thought analogy, Nancy brought up her three-year-old grandson, Cody. Cody has severe food allergies, and his mother, Eileen, has trained him to be extremely discriminating when choosing what to eat. Even though he does not comprehend all of the science behind his body’s reaction to peanuts, soy, and other allergens, Cody does understand that some foods are “safe” for him to eat and others are not. So when he is unsure about a food’s safety level, he goes to his mother and asks her, “is this safe?” For Cody, unsafe food can result in a variety of physical ailments, ranging from an itchy, irritating rash to his throat closing up. Even in its mildest form, Nancy noted, eating unsafe food eventually makes Cody pretty miserable. Likewise, when it comes to our thought lives, entertaining thoughts that are harmful to us can result in as much misery as Cody’s ingestion of allergens.
The Origins of Thoughts
As we watch over our thoughts, it is important to understand that not every thought that we have originates from our own hearts. Thoughts come from different places. For example, sometimes, the Holy Spirit can place thoughts in our minds. This is one of the ways God communicates with us. The world around us also influences us and offers us attitudes, ideas, and thoughts. Of course, we do have some original thoughts ourselves, which probably comprise much of what goes through our head. But we also have an enemy, Satan, who offers us thoughts that usually serve to tempt us and torment us in some way. For example, in the Garden of Eden, Eve did not come up with the idea to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan very persuasively offered her that idea. Unfortunately, even though Satan’s idea was not her own, Eve chose to believe his words and to act on them, and we know what resulted from that. The point here is that sometimes, our thoughts do not originate within us. This leads to a question: if we cannot control which thoughts are offered to us, how can we be held responsible for our thought lives? The answer is simple -- we are not necessarily responsible for every thought that drifts through our mind, but we are responsible for whether or not we choose to entertain those thoughts and to dwell on them. I once heard someone say that we cannot control the birds that fly over our head, but we can make sure that those birds don’t build a nest in our hair. It is the same with our thought life. We may encounter many things and people in the course of a day, and several thoughts may be introduced to us that we cannot control. But we can control which thoughts we choose to hold onto and which thoughts we throw out. When sifting through those varying thoughts, attitudes, and ideas, we can apply the Philippians 4:8 litmus test: Is it true? Is it honorable? Is it right? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it of good repute? If not, it may be an unsafe thought which, if dwelt on, could make you pretty miserable.
It All Comes Down to This
Lest we become legalistic, Nancy was quick to point out that we should not approach our thought life as something that we can regulate on our own. “I don’t know about you,” she said, “but the more I try to capture and control my thoughts, the more ‘out of control’ they seem.” Having a fruitful thought life is not something we can do apart from our relationship with the Lord and with other believers. Only the Lord can determine what thoughts are beneficial for us to dwell on. Ultimately, as with any other spiritual endeavor, having a productive thought life requires a personal relationship with Jesus.
You Are What You Think
Continuing the food analogy, Nancy reminded us of the familiar expression, “you are what you eat.” While this classic adage most certainly did not come from the Bible, there is a Proverb that suggests we are what we think: “As he [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (KJV, Proverbs 23:7). If we are what we think, shouldn’t we be more selective of our thoughts? Dieticians advise us to eat healthy portions from each of the basic food groups, so as a guide to healthy thinking, Nancy shared with us a list of “seven basic thought groups.”
Nancy was quick to add that this list is not exhaustive or all inclusive; good thoughts are certainly not limited to the categories on this list. After all, Paul told us to dwell on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable. . . ,” suggesting a vast horizon of thoughts that are safe for us. This list merely offers suggestions of safe thought categories. It is a helpful guide that will hopefully point us in the right direction as we endeavor to put Philippians 4:8 into practice.
Seven Basic Thought Groups for Healthy Thinking:
Peace and Joy are Linked to a Healthy Thought Life
The book of Philippians, from which this week’s sermon was derived, is often referred to as “The Book of Joy.” Written by Paul during a brief stint in a Roman prison, this beloved letter teaches believers how to find joy and contentment in any circumstance, even the most daunting and distressing ones. Having joy and peace, Paul suggests, is largely determined by what we allow our minds to dwell on. Unfortunately, so many of us don’t experience the peace and joy that God wants us to have because we are burdened, worn out, and even tormented by toxic thoughts. In her message on Sunday, Nancy gently reminded us that our hearts and minds belong to the Lord and that we need to be diligent in watching over the thoughts that we allow to prosper there.
Food For Thought
In teaching us about our thought life, Nancy used an analogy that all of us readily understood: food. Food nourishes and feeds our bodies so that we can function both mentally and physically. In the same way, our thoughts nourish our minds. God intends for us to think on things that are “true. . . honorable. . . right. . . pure. . . lovely. . . [and] of good repute” (Philippians 4:8). Dwelling on these things will strengthen us and give us energy to function properly as believers. On the other hand, constantly ingesting and meditating on things that are not so can have harmful effects on our souls.
To continue the food/thought analogy, Nancy brought up her three-year-old grandson, Cody. Cody has severe food allergies, and his mother, Eileen, has trained him to be extremely discriminating when choosing what to eat. Even though he does not comprehend all of the science behind his body’s reaction to peanuts, soy, and other allergens, Cody does understand that some foods are “safe” for him to eat and others are not. So when he is unsure about a food’s safety level, he goes to his mother and asks her, “is this safe?” For Cody, unsafe food can result in a variety of physical ailments, ranging from an itchy, irritating rash to his throat closing up. Even in its mildest form, Nancy noted, eating unsafe food eventually makes Cody pretty miserable. Likewise, when it comes to our thought lives, entertaining thoughts that are harmful to us can result in as much misery as Cody’s ingestion of allergens.
The Origins of Thoughts
As we watch over our thoughts, it is important to understand that not every thought that we have originates from our own hearts. Thoughts come from different places. For example, sometimes, the Holy Spirit can place thoughts in our minds. This is one of the ways God communicates with us. The world around us also influences us and offers us attitudes, ideas, and thoughts. Of course, we do have some original thoughts ourselves, which probably comprise much of what goes through our head. But we also have an enemy, Satan, who offers us thoughts that usually serve to tempt us and torment us in some way. For example, in the Garden of Eden, Eve did not come up with the idea to eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Satan very persuasively offered her that idea. Unfortunately, even though Satan’s idea was not her own, Eve chose to believe his words and to act on them, and we know what resulted from that. The point here is that sometimes, our thoughts do not originate within us. This leads to a question: if we cannot control which thoughts are offered to us, how can we be held responsible for our thought lives? The answer is simple -- we are not necessarily responsible for every thought that drifts through our mind, but we are responsible for whether or not we choose to entertain those thoughts and to dwell on them. I once heard someone say that we cannot control the birds that fly over our head, but we can make sure that those birds don’t build a nest in our hair. It is the same with our thought life. We may encounter many things and people in the course of a day, and several thoughts may be introduced to us that we cannot control. But we can control which thoughts we choose to hold onto and which thoughts we throw out. When sifting through those varying thoughts, attitudes, and ideas, we can apply the Philippians 4:8 litmus test: Is it true? Is it honorable? Is it right? Is it pure? Is it lovely? Is it of good repute? If not, it may be an unsafe thought which, if dwelt on, could make you pretty miserable.
It All Comes Down to This
Lest we become legalistic, Nancy was quick to point out that we should not approach our thought life as something that we can regulate on our own. “I don’t know about you,” she said, “but the more I try to capture and control my thoughts, the more ‘out of control’ they seem.” Having a fruitful thought life is not something we can do apart from our relationship with the Lord and with other believers. Only the Lord can determine what thoughts are beneficial for us to dwell on. Ultimately, as with any other spiritual endeavor, having a productive thought life requires a personal relationship with Jesus.
You Are What You Think
Continuing the food analogy, Nancy reminded us of the familiar expression, “you are what you eat.” While this classic adage most certainly did not come from the Bible, there is a Proverb that suggests we are what we think: “As he [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he” (KJV, Proverbs 23:7). If we are what we think, shouldn’t we be more selective of our thoughts? Dieticians advise us to eat healthy portions from each of the basic food groups, so as a guide to healthy thinking, Nancy shared with us a list of “seven basic thought groups.”
Nancy was quick to add that this list is not exhaustive or all inclusive; good thoughts are certainly not limited to the categories on this list. After all, Paul told us to dwell on “whatever is true, whatever is honorable. . . ,” suggesting a vast horizon of thoughts that are safe for us. This list merely offers suggestions of safe thought categories. It is a helpful guide that will hopefully point us in the right direction as we endeavor to put Philippians 4:8 into practice.
Seven Basic Thought Groups for Healthy Thinking:
1. Confession (safe) / Hiding Sin (unsafe)
Many of us spend a lot of time deceiving ourselves about our own sin. We try to cover it up and tell ourselves that it is not a problem. When we live in a “confession frame of mind,” we are aware of our shortcomings and quick to recognize them when they are pointed out. If we cultivate an attitude of confession, we will continually hold our shortcomings before the Lord and say, “God, I do not want this in my life; please help me.” Sometimes, it can even help to confess our sins to one another and receive prayer (James 5:16). Having a mindset of confession rather than of deception reminds us that we need a savior and keeps us dependent on Jesus and close to Him always. Living in this frame of mind is a safe, fruitful place for us.
2. Forgiveness (safe) / Resentment (unsafe)
Another safe “place” for our minds to dwell is forgiveness. Remembering that God has forgiven our sin is an uplifting thought that will bring us freedom and gratitude – gratitude that we have been forgiven and the freedom to generously give that same forgiveness to others. Of course, the unsafe counterpart for forgiveness is resentment. Resentment is unsafe because it ends up hurting the person holding on to it more than it hurts the person who is resented. Emil often says, “Holding onto a grudge is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” Nancy explained that when she is having trouble forgiving someone, it always helps her to remember how much God has forgiven her. “It’s hard to resent someone else when you are appropriating the forgiveness that God has given you,” she pointed out.
3. Cleansing (safe) / Worldliness (unsafe)
When God rescues us from our sin through our belief in Christ, we are made clean. But there is day-by-day sanctifying process that continues to take place as we walk with Him after that point. As we get to know the Lord through reading His Word and through the Holy Spirit, He changes us, cleansing us of our sin and making us more like Him. The opposite of this cleansing process is worldliness. The Scriptures says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing (or you could say cleansing) of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Our minds are transformed by God’s Word, which is like water that washes us clean. Meditating God’s Word and choosing to think scripturally instead of with a worldly perspective is safe for us.
4. Freedom to hear (safe) / Bondage (unsafe)
The truth is always a safe place to let our thoughts dwell. When we believe that God loves us and wants to communicate truth to us, we extend to Him the freedom to speak to us. Hearing Jesus’ truth sets us free (John 8:31-32). If we are unwilling to hear the truth, then we are essentially shutting our ears to the Lord Himself and we will not be open to hearing Him. In this condition, we will be susceptible to the lies of the enemy, which always lead to fear and bondage, freedom’s antithesis.
5. Praise (safe) / Complaining (unsafe)
Praise is simply telling God what he has done that is good. God loves to hear praise, and it an opportunity for us to recognize the part He plays in our circumstances. Recognizing Him in any situation always makes me feel loved and secure and chases away feelings of loneliness.
6. Worship (safe) / Addiction (unsafe)
Worship takes praise a little further. With worship, you are not only recognizing God; you are consumed with Him. You are showing Him your complete, undivided devotion. In worship, you serve God with a united heart, and nothing else has priority over Him. The negative counterpart to worship is addiction, which means that you are so consumed with something that it controls you. In contrast to the worship of God, which is always an edifying experience, addictions enslave people and can wreck both their bodies and minds.
7. Fellowship (safe) / Isolation (unsafe)
What are thoughts of fellowship? To have thoughts of fellowship is to maintain a mindset that you are part of the Body of Christ. Remembering that you belong to and are loved by the family of God is a healthy, beneficial thought to ponder. The opposite of this mindset is isolation. Thoughts of isolation tell you that you are sufficient on your own and don’t need anyone else. While isolation may seem appealing at times (after all, a life without relationships means a life without annoyances and conflict), isolating yourself can be a dangerous thing, making you more vulnerable to deception, loneliness, and the torment of the enemy. God doesn’t want us to have the mindset that we are all alone in the world.
Conclusion: Don’t Forget God’s Love for You
Embedded somewhere in Nancy’s message was a statement that seemed paramount. At some point, Nancy reminded us that we cannot try to apply this teaching without love. “This process [of disciplining your thoughts] must be combined with love,” she said. “It is a part of your relationship with God and the body of Christ.” We have to believe God sets boundaries for us because He loves us and wants only what is good to us. If we approach this message without understanding God’s love for us, it can just seem like a bunch of suffocating, restrictive rules designed to ruin our fun and limit us. But that is not who God is. He loves us and does not want to make us miserable. Rather, He designed our hearts and minds and knows what will make them thrive and what will make them sick. Just as Eileen watches over Cody’s diet because she loves him and knows what is best, God wants to help us watch over our thought diet. To draw a picture of the tender love that God has for us, Nancy shared a story about Cody and a cupcake:
Yesterday, I decided to make cupcakes. The cupcakes were in the oven when Eileen and Cody showed up at my house unexpectedly. Coming into the kitchen, Eileen asked, “are those cupcakes safe for Cody?” She looked at the box and determined that they were. Cody and Eileen stayed and visited for two hours while the cupcakes baked and cooled. Finally, the cupcakes were ready, and I’m over there preparing Cody’s cupcake, and I am so happy because I know this is going to make him happy. So I spread icing on the cupcake and put on the special star-shaped sprinkles; I put it on a plate, sit Cody at the table, and set the cupcake in front of him. And he’s sitting there with that cupcake, and I go back to the kitchen and am icing the rest of the cupcakes, and I looked at him, and God just spoke to me. And He said, “Nancy, the joy, the pleasure that you feel right now, knowing that you have given Cody something that is safe for him that he is just loving, that’s the joy that I take in preparing safe thoughts for you to think.”
Nancy ended her message with this encouraging reminder: “Your heavenly Father rejoices when you think about the things He wants you to think about and they bring you pleasure.”
Scriptures Referenced in Sermon
Romans 12:2
2 Corinthians 10:5
Philippians 4:6-9
Proverbs 23:7
1 John 1:9-10
James 5:16
James 4:17
Many of us spend a lot of time deceiving ourselves about our own sin. We try to cover it up and tell ourselves that it is not a problem. When we live in a “confession frame of mind,” we are aware of our shortcomings and quick to recognize them when they are pointed out. If we cultivate an attitude of confession, we will continually hold our shortcomings before the Lord and say, “God, I do not want this in my life; please help me.” Sometimes, it can even help to confess our sins to one another and receive prayer (James 5:16). Having a mindset of confession rather than of deception reminds us that we need a savior and keeps us dependent on Jesus and close to Him always. Living in this frame of mind is a safe, fruitful place for us.
2. Forgiveness (safe) / Resentment (unsafe)
Another safe “place” for our minds to dwell is forgiveness. Remembering that God has forgiven our sin is an uplifting thought that will bring us freedom and gratitude – gratitude that we have been forgiven and the freedom to generously give that same forgiveness to others. Of course, the unsafe counterpart for forgiveness is resentment. Resentment is unsafe because it ends up hurting the person holding on to it more than it hurts the person who is resented. Emil often says, “Holding onto a grudge is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” Nancy explained that when she is having trouble forgiving someone, it always helps her to remember how much God has forgiven her. “It’s hard to resent someone else when you are appropriating the forgiveness that God has given you,” she pointed out.
3. Cleansing (safe) / Worldliness (unsafe)
When God rescues us from our sin through our belief in Christ, we are made clean. But there is day-by-day sanctifying process that continues to take place as we walk with Him after that point. As we get to know the Lord through reading His Word and through the Holy Spirit, He changes us, cleansing us of our sin and making us more like Him. The opposite of this cleansing process is worldliness. The Scriptures says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing (or you could say cleansing) of your mind” (Romans 12:2). Our minds are transformed by God’s Word, which is like water that washes us clean. Meditating God’s Word and choosing to think scripturally instead of with a worldly perspective is safe for us.
4. Freedom to hear (safe) / Bondage (unsafe)
The truth is always a safe place to let our thoughts dwell. When we believe that God loves us and wants to communicate truth to us, we extend to Him the freedom to speak to us. Hearing Jesus’ truth sets us free (John 8:31-32). If we are unwilling to hear the truth, then we are essentially shutting our ears to the Lord Himself and we will not be open to hearing Him. In this condition, we will be susceptible to the lies of the enemy, which always lead to fear and bondage, freedom’s antithesis.
5. Praise (safe) / Complaining (unsafe)
Praise is simply telling God what he has done that is good. God loves to hear praise, and it an opportunity for us to recognize the part He plays in our circumstances. Recognizing Him in any situation always makes me feel loved and secure and chases away feelings of loneliness.
6. Worship (safe) / Addiction (unsafe)
Worship takes praise a little further. With worship, you are not only recognizing God; you are consumed with Him. You are showing Him your complete, undivided devotion. In worship, you serve God with a united heart, and nothing else has priority over Him. The negative counterpart to worship is addiction, which means that you are so consumed with something that it controls you. In contrast to the worship of God, which is always an edifying experience, addictions enslave people and can wreck both their bodies and minds.
7. Fellowship (safe) / Isolation (unsafe)
What are thoughts of fellowship? To have thoughts of fellowship is to maintain a mindset that you are part of the Body of Christ. Remembering that you belong to and are loved by the family of God is a healthy, beneficial thought to ponder. The opposite of this mindset is isolation. Thoughts of isolation tell you that you are sufficient on your own and don’t need anyone else. While isolation may seem appealing at times (after all, a life without relationships means a life without annoyances and conflict), isolating yourself can be a dangerous thing, making you more vulnerable to deception, loneliness, and the torment of the enemy. God doesn’t want us to have the mindset that we are all alone in the world.
Conclusion: Don’t Forget God’s Love for You
Embedded somewhere in Nancy’s message was a statement that seemed paramount. At some point, Nancy reminded us that we cannot try to apply this teaching without love. “This process [of disciplining your thoughts] must be combined with love,” she said. “It is a part of your relationship with God and the body of Christ.” We have to believe God sets boundaries for us because He loves us and wants only what is good to us. If we approach this message without understanding God’s love for us, it can just seem like a bunch of suffocating, restrictive rules designed to ruin our fun and limit us. But that is not who God is. He loves us and does not want to make us miserable. Rather, He designed our hearts and minds and knows what will make them thrive and what will make them sick. Just as Eileen watches over Cody’s diet because she loves him and knows what is best, God wants to help us watch over our thought diet. To draw a picture of the tender love that God has for us, Nancy shared a story about Cody and a cupcake:
Yesterday, I decided to make cupcakes. The cupcakes were in the oven when Eileen and Cody showed up at my house unexpectedly. Coming into the kitchen, Eileen asked, “are those cupcakes safe for Cody?” She looked at the box and determined that they were. Cody and Eileen stayed and visited for two hours while the cupcakes baked and cooled. Finally, the cupcakes were ready, and I’m over there preparing Cody’s cupcake, and I am so happy because I know this is going to make him happy. So I spread icing on the cupcake and put on the special star-shaped sprinkles; I put it on a plate, sit Cody at the table, and set the cupcake in front of him. And he’s sitting there with that cupcake, and I go back to the kitchen and am icing the rest of the cupcakes, and I looked at him, and God just spoke to me. And He said, “Nancy, the joy, the pleasure that you feel right now, knowing that you have given Cody something that is safe for him that he is just loving, that’s the joy that I take in preparing safe thoughts for you to think.”
Nancy ended her message with this encouraging reminder: “Your heavenly Father rejoices when you think about the things He wants you to think about and they bring you pleasure.”
Scriptures Referenced in Sermon
Romans 12:2
2 Corinthians 10:5
Philippians 4:6-9
Proverbs 23:7
1 John 1:9-10
James 5:16
James 4:17
July 5, 2009: Freedom
Saturday was the Fourth of July, a day traditionally set aside to celebrate the freedom that we enjoy here in the United States. As Rich reminded us on Sunday, we are fortunate to have the freedom to receive an education, to vote, and to worship God. In so many other nations, people are denied the freedom that we get to experience every day. However, as monumental as the freedom that we enjoy as citizens of the United States is, there is still a greater freedom available to us. In his message on Sunday, Rich talked about the freedom that Christ brings to the person who is willing to throw down everything – especially fear – and follow Him wholeheartedly.
To demonstrate this greater freedom, Rich used an unlikely character – Zaccheus. Zaccheus is described by Luke as a “notorious sinner” (NLT, Luke 19:7). A tax collector by trade, Zaccheus most likely made his money by extorting innocent people in the name of the government. Rich theorized that because Zaccheus was the chief tax collector, he was probably quite skilled at preying on the innocent. In short, Zaccheus was a scoundrel. When he encounters Jesus, however, a transformation takes place.
Rich explained that by the time Zaccheus encountered Jesus, Jesus was at the height of his public ministry, so Zaccheus had probably seen him from a distance or heard about him from someone else before that encounter. Perhaps Zaccheus had been convicted by the words of Christ, or perhaps he was beginning to be saddened and repentant over his devious actions of late. Either way, by the time we meet him in Luke 19, something is happening inside of his heart. The narrator explains that when Jesus entered Jericho, Zaccheus “was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature” (19:3). There is nothing unusual about Zaccheus’ wanting to see Jesus. An entire crowd of people was trying to do the same. What is unusual, Rich noted, was Zaccheus’ subsequent action: “he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him” (19:4). Rich explained that most men of Zaccheus’ age and social status would have been concerned with their image. Wealthy men did not typically run and climb trees, Rich pointed out. That would have been behavior reserved for children or madmen. But in this instance, Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus so much that he was willing to risk his reputation and image. This risk hints at the change taking place inside of Zaccheus.
When Jesus passed by Zaccheus’ tree, He did something that deeply touched Zaccheus: He called him by name. In his sermon, Rich noted the significance of this act. When someone calls us by name, we feel special. Immediately, our ears perk up and we listen more intently than before because someone has addressed us personally. We have been singled out of the multitude to receive a message that has been tailor-made for us. Zaccheus received this individualized treatment from Jesus. Though the space around Jesus was packed with needy people, all calling to Him and demanding His attention, Jesus’ focus was intently on Zaccheus: “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (19:5). This must have astounded Zaccheus and made him feel loved all at once. Of all the people in the town of Jericho, Zaccheus had been singled out. Jesus had the choice to spend time with almost anyone in the city, but He wanted to spend time with him.
When the crowd saw this exchange, they “began to grumble, saying, ‘He [Jesus] has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner’” (19:7). It is interesting to note that when Zaccheus hears the crowd calling him a sinner, he does not become defensive or angry. Rather, in the new light of Jesus’ love for him, he is free to admit he was wrong. In the next line of the passage, Zaccheus both admits to his sin and turns from it. Rich pointed out that there can be such freedom in admitting that we are wrong. Some people spend a very long time in the prison of pride, unwilling to admit their mistakes and wrongdoings. But when we are willing to acknowledge our wrongdoings and be sorrowful over them, we avail ourselves to God’s forgiveness and grace, which in turn changes our hearts: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret” (NIV, 2 Cor. 7:10). In Zaccheus’ case, his heart was truly sorry over his actions. He had been hurting others and hurting the God who loved him. Zaccheus turns from his ways at that point, stating to Jesus, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much” (19:8).
Rich explained to us that in his response to Jesus, Zaccheus not only had the freedom to admit that he was wrong; he also had the freedom to give. Zaccheus’ encounter with Jesus made him free. “Freedom,” Rich said, “means that we fear less and love more.”
Rich ended the sermon with a prayer. I was so touched by his prayer. I felt like it contained more truth than twenty sermons, so I wrote it down:
“Father, we thank You for your incredible love. Thank You that when we encounter that, it makes a radical difference. We are then free to look at some people and say, ‘you are forgiven,’ even when they don’t deserve it (but then again, neither do we [deserve forgiveness]). When we encounter Your love, we have the freedom to say, ‘Lord, it all belongs to You.’ We have the freedom to stretch ourselves and say, ‘I know my neighbor needs my time. My schedule’s so full, but he needs a gentle touch from You, Lord. I need to go and help him work on that project.’ When we encounter Your love, we have the freedom to live with a higher calling, a calling that You have for us. Father, thank You for all the freedom that You give to us.”
There is much that we can learn from Zaccheus’ story. Most importantly, though, we can get a picture of how Jesus feels about us. Ostensibly, it seemed like Zaccheus was pursuing Jesus. After all, he ran in Jesus’ direction and scaled a tree to see Him. Then he gave everything he had in order to follow the Lord. In reality, however, Jesus had been pursuing Zaccheus long before Zaccheus began pursuing Him. Jesus knew Zaccheus’ name long before He saw him up in that tree and long before the citizens of Jericho began calling Zaccheus a crook. Jesus knew Zaccheus before he was born and had been beckoning to him since day one, even when Zaccheus was steeped in the thickest mire of his sin. At all points during Zaccheus’ life, Jesus was there and loved him. He had been longing for the day that Zaccheus would finally turn from the behavior that was hurting him and others. In precisely the same way, Jesus longs for a relationship with us – one that is not hindered by our fear of looking foolish or our attachment to our possessions. He wants to make us free even more than we want to be free.
Scriptures Referenced in Sermon
Luke 19:1-10
2 Corinthians 7:10
To demonstrate this greater freedom, Rich used an unlikely character – Zaccheus. Zaccheus is described by Luke as a “notorious sinner” (NLT, Luke 19:7). A tax collector by trade, Zaccheus most likely made his money by extorting innocent people in the name of the government. Rich theorized that because Zaccheus was the chief tax collector, he was probably quite skilled at preying on the innocent. In short, Zaccheus was a scoundrel. When he encounters Jesus, however, a transformation takes place.
Rich explained that by the time Zaccheus encountered Jesus, Jesus was at the height of his public ministry, so Zaccheus had probably seen him from a distance or heard about him from someone else before that encounter. Perhaps Zaccheus had been convicted by the words of Christ, or perhaps he was beginning to be saddened and repentant over his devious actions of late. Either way, by the time we meet him in Luke 19, something is happening inside of his heart. The narrator explains that when Jesus entered Jericho, Zaccheus “was trying to see who Jesus was, and he was unable because of the crowd, for he was small in stature” (19:3). There is nothing unusual about Zaccheus’ wanting to see Jesus. An entire crowd of people was trying to do the same. What is unusual, Rich noted, was Zaccheus’ subsequent action: “he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree in order to see Him” (19:4). Rich explained that most men of Zaccheus’ age and social status would have been concerned with their image. Wealthy men did not typically run and climb trees, Rich pointed out. That would have been behavior reserved for children or madmen. But in this instance, Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus so much that he was willing to risk his reputation and image. This risk hints at the change taking place inside of Zaccheus.
When Jesus passed by Zaccheus’ tree, He did something that deeply touched Zaccheus: He called him by name. In his sermon, Rich noted the significance of this act. When someone calls us by name, we feel special. Immediately, our ears perk up and we listen more intently than before because someone has addressed us personally. We have been singled out of the multitude to receive a message that has been tailor-made for us. Zaccheus received this individualized treatment from Jesus. Though the space around Jesus was packed with needy people, all calling to Him and demanding His attention, Jesus’ focus was intently on Zaccheus: “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (19:5). This must have astounded Zaccheus and made him feel loved all at once. Of all the people in the town of Jericho, Zaccheus had been singled out. Jesus had the choice to spend time with almost anyone in the city, but He wanted to spend time with him.
When the crowd saw this exchange, they “began to grumble, saying, ‘He [Jesus] has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner’” (19:7). It is interesting to note that when Zaccheus hears the crowd calling him a sinner, he does not become defensive or angry. Rather, in the new light of Jesus’ love for him, he is free to admit he was wrong. In the next line of the passage, Zaccheus both admits to his sin and turns from it. Rich pointed out that there can be such freedom in admitting that we are wrong. Some people spend a very long time in the prison of pride, unwilling to admit their mistakes and wrongdoings. But when we are willing to acknowledge our wrongdoings and be sorrowful over them, we avail ourselves to God’s forgiveness and grace, which in turn changes our hearts: “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret” (NIV, 2 Cor. 7:10). In Zaccheus’ case, his heart was truly sorry over his actions. He had been hurting others and hurting the God who loved him. Zaccheus turns from his ways at that point, stating to Jesus, “Behold, Lord, half of my possessions I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will give back four times as much” (19:8).
Rich explained to us that in his response to Jesus, Zaccheus not only had the freedom to admit that he was wrong; he also had the freedom to give. Zaccheus’ encounter with Jesus made him free. “Freedom,” Rich said, “means that we fear less and love more.”
Rich ended the sermon with a prayer. I was so touched by his prayer. I felt like it contained more truth than twenty sermons, so I wrote it down:
“Father, we thank You for your incredible love. Thank You that when we encounter that, it makes a radical difference. We are then free to look at some people and say, ‘you are forgiven,’ even when they don’t deserve it (but then again, neither do we [deserve forgiveness]). When we encounter Your love, we have the freedom to say, ‘Lord, it all belongs to You.’ We have the freedom to stretch ourselves and say, ‘I know my neighbor needs my time. My schedule’s so full, but he needs a gentle touch from You, Lord. I need to go and help him work on that project.’ When we encounter Your love, we have the freedom to live with a higher calling, a calling that You have for us. Father, thank You for all the freedom that You give to us.”
There is much that we can learn from Zaccheus’ story. Most importantly, though, we can get a picture of how Jesus feels about us. Ostensibly, it seemed like Zaccheus was pursuing Jesus. After all, he ran in Jesus’ direction and scaled a tree to see Him. Then he gave everything he had in order to follow the Lord. In reality, however, Jesus had been pursuing Zaccheus long before Zaccheus began pursuing Him. Jesus knew Zaccheus’ name long before He saw him up in that tree and long before the citizens of Jericho began calling Zaccheus a crook. Jesus knew Zaccheus before he was born and had been beckoning to him since day one, even when Zaccheus was steeped in the thickest mire of his sin. At all points during Zaccheus’ life, Jesus was there and loved him. He had been longing for the day that Zaccheus would finally turn from the behavior that was hurting him and others. In precisely the same way, Jesus longs for a relationship with us – one that is not hindered by our fear of looking foolish or our attachment to our possessions. He wants to make us free even more than we want to be free.
Scriptures Referenced in Sermon
Luke 19:1-10
2 Corinthians 7:10
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