“How can I be happy in God?”
some dislike this approach

some say seeking happiness in God
is selfish,
–we are to seek what is good for us in Jesus Christ, this is the offer of salvation that he makes

some say we should seek God’s will
not our happiness
–what pleases God is what is good for us, they are the same
the one who is happy in Christ will obey and love Christ more than any other

some say God never promised us to be happy in this life
–God never promised that our circumstances would be happy in this age
but he did promise us happiness in Jesus Christ and God’s love for us

some say God called us to sacrifice and deny self not be happy
–we give up what we once thought would make us happy
but will never make us happy
we give up a false happiness
for real happiness

1 Corinthians 7:20-24
in order to serve God
nothing needs to change in your situation
the only thing that must change is your mind and heart
in your heart there is a room for fullness of God, the joy of the Spirit, the love of God
no matter what is happening in your life

in a difficult “unhappy” situation
you can obey and love God
if your mind and heart are set on happiness in Christ and obedience to Christ

a slave does not need to get free to serve Christ
find happiness in freedom in Christ
and serve Christ there

a freeman does not find happiness in being free and doing what he wants
but in being a slave in Christ
in belonging to Christ

1 Corinthians 7:29a
not meaning there are only a few days or weeks left
means Jesus has come, died and been raised, and the last days have begun
now we live looking to Christ’s return

1 Cor 29b-31a
five examples of many more
“live as if you have no wife?!”
can’t be taken literally: powerful rhetoric

we are not to separate from the world, escape, reject
We are NOT to stop using the things of the world.
do everything we do “as if not”
rejoice as if not rejoicing
use things as if not using them
“huh?”

Use them but not like other human beings use them.
Use them but not like they are of great importance.
Use them but not like they are forever.
Use them but don’t let them define you.
Use them but not as your happiness.

wife — sexuality or romantic relationship or comfortable home not your happiness
you can serve Jesus by serving your wife but don’t let her become your happiness

mourn — in bad circumstance not devastated because your happiness is in Christ, feel the sting but it is seen as small and temporary

rejoice — take temporary fleeting pleasure in something as a small thing,
give thanks to God for it, but don’t let that be your life or happiness

buy something — but what you buy and own should be little to you, not your happiness

use the things of this world but not engrossed– like other human beings

it does not mean what you do in this world in the body is unimportant!!!

a person writes a book, or cuts a lawn,
or cooks a meal, or makes money, or tries to do well on a test
what is important is they are done to God,
for God, out of love for God
such a person is happy in Jesus Christ
but all those things are passing away
and not important in themselves

31b
the present form of this world is passing away, fashion, show,
the physical, created world is not passing away, it is being recreated, renewed

but many details and situations will soon be gone, not the people, not creation
live as if this is the last day, many things are transient and passing away

***
the things that make you happy
are the things keeping you from being happy
the ways you think you are obeying
are the things keeping you from obeying

many of us are very engrossed in the things of this world,
and lacking happiness in Christ and obedience to Christ

we do it to ourselves!! by focusing on and making these things our happiness

what we need
boot camp: to get us in shape to serve
drug rehab: to get us free to serve
spa treatment: to get us heathy to serve
the Church had just such a treatment but we seemed to have lost it/ forgotten it
fasting and retreat

fasting is the setting aside of all food
retreat is leaving behind anything that you use for happiness– going away
for a short time (not forever! we should use them!)
for this purpose:
to find your true happiness in Jesus Christ
fast and retreat for the purpose of prayer, worship, meditation on word

“fasting is feasting”

our problem:
We are using dozens of things every day to keep ourselves happy on those things.
if you take away everything you are using for happiness, it shows you how engrossed you were in those things
it frees you of those distractions in order to look only to Jesus for happiness

many protestant are suspicious that is a Catholic thing, old fashioned thing,
or a crazy legalist Christian thing

but in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus links fasting with prayer and giving to the poor
Why do we two of those and ignore fasting?

In Acts the church fasts and retreats for worship and prayer
Jesus retreats and fasts for prayer

Paul is not teaching rules only
but teaching them to think with the logic of salvation/gospel

1 Corinthians 6:12
maxim – Paul or Corinthians

not freedom to do anything bodily
freedom from all masters

whatever your desires make you do
that is your master

look at las week
How did you spend your time?
What did you use your body to do?
not in love to God
but because your desires commanded you to do it?

13a
DIFFICULT to understand sentence
possibly: this reflects the wrong idea of the Corinthians that you can eat whatever you want because the body and food will be destroyed so not important

13b
The body has been made holy
by the Lord to serve the Lord
NOT to serve its appetites as master

14
Jesus gave his body to sanctify your body

Raised Jesus’ body and will raise your body
(important because it will be raised– reverse of Corinthian thinking)

Not spiritual salvation
body salvation, physical or material salvation

15a
because of what Jesus did
your body is a member of Christ (joined, united to him)

15b
extreme example
possible that some Corinthian Christians did this
an approved part of their culture
how stupid! yet we do the same things

take your body away from Christ
and give it away to be used for something else many hours a day
because we believe in spiritual salvation
we think what we do with the body doesn’t matter much

16
being united to a prostitute physically means
she has mastery over your body

before married — same for girlfriend or boyfriend
after married – same for adulterer

what you body does every moment matters
what masters it is important

17
already said united to body in Christ
also in Spirit (by faith)

spirit and body together is the way it should be
separated at death temporarily at death but reunited at resurrection

18
flee immorality (first command)

not saying a sin against your self
but a sin against your body
holy to Christ
misusing it and desecrating it
(taking it from Christ)

19a
see how important the body is!
temple of the Holy Spirit
received from God by grace because of the work of Jesus
received for a special purpose
the Spirit is in you to show you what God wants and empower you to do it

19b-20a
Your body was purchased by Christ – blood, death

your body belongs to Christ, a slave of Christ

not your own master, Christ is your master

20b
use your body only to do what honors God (second command)

other Scriptures about the body
Romans 6:12-14, 19; 12:1
Gal 2:20
Phil 1:20; 3:19-21
1 Thess 4:3-4
Heb 10:10
1 Pet 2:24

Judges 13

Samson is a Nazirite which means holy, set apart for God’s work.
could have used this text last week

verse 13:25; also read 14:5-6, 19; 15:9-15

The Spirit of the Lord came to him at certain times to empower him to do the work God had given him to do.
Destroy Philistines singlehandedly.
Not fight a war or lead an army.

The Spirit gives people what they need to do what God has for them to do.

Numbers 11:16-17; 24-29
the prophesy just evidence–
the Spirit given to enable them to lead the people

Mark 1:8 John the Baptist: “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4-5 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

John 7:39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

Jesus did not give the Spirit until he had died, been raised, was glorified and ascended to the Father.

But now all that has been done!
Q: Can we receive the Spirit like Samson and the elders to do the work of God?
If so, how do we receive him?

What do you do to receive the Spirit?
What is the secret?
What steps do you take?
What do you do?
Nothing.

If you have faith in Jesus, there is nothing to do to receive the Spirit. You have already received the Spirit.

Acts 19:1-2

These men were thought to be Christians
so Paul examines them, tests them to see what the are. He is not convinced.
Notice the question he asks them.
“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
Imagine if we asked this of people coming for membership?
what would you have said?

it is doubtful they never heard of the Spirit
“we had not even heard that the Spirit is now given!” (likely meaning)

since they had not received the gift of the Spirit, they can’t be Christians.
Paul said “when you believed” but he learns they never did believe

Jesus had now given the Spirit to all who believe– if they had not received there was a problem.
Paul knows they did not hear and believe the full message about Jesus and get baptized in it.

verse 3-4
baptism of repentance preparing for the one
they need to believe in Jesus the one that is now giving the Holy Spirit

verse 5
we are not told they believed in Jesus but it must be assumed
they were baptized into Jesus name
because they had believed in Jesus

verse 6-7
since they have believed in Jesus they also receive the baptism with the Spirit
tongues and prophesy were not the main point, they were just evidences they had received the Spirit, main point=Spirit

some misconceptions from this passage
Spirit baptism follows water Baptism– not in other places
someone must lay his hands on you to receive the Spirit– not in other places
you must speak in tongues and prophesy– not in other places

So what do you to get the Spirit? nothing

If you believe in Jesus,
You have already been baptized by Jesus with the Spirit.

If you don’t believe, then you must put your faith in Jesus and look to him to give it.

some think the baptism of the Spirit comes at a second point after conversion–
rather it is necessary for conversion… that is why Paul asked the question

Which means you already have everything you need to do the work that God has given you to do.

What does the Spirit do to you?
in order to prepares you to do the work of God?

There are many different things we could discuss.
Talked about “making you holy” last week– that is important
Want to focus on another thing this morning.

Romans 5:5
“…God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with an experience of the love of God for us
(not our love for God first)

feel like you have lost that experience and sesnse? Pray.
You have the Spirit who can pour it out.
Ephesians 3:19 – Paul prays for Christians that they will be able “to know this love that surpasses knowledge”

We will not be able to do the work of God
until we know and experience the love of God shown for us through Jesus Christ.

This is one main difference between a person with the Spirit and without the Spirit.

How do I find happiness in God?
in another h word, a strange word, holy
a word many people don’t like

What does holy mean?
holy means “separate” or “set apart”
it is THE attribute of God, THE God quality
shows the difference between creator and creature, between those who sin and the one who does only good

Jesus Christ is holy. “Holy One of God”
Jesus Christ is the anointed one, different from all other men, God and man, sinless

but here is the surprising word of the gospel

Christ make unholy people holy
You are holy. (if you have faith in Jesus)

since only God and Christ are holy in themselves, he makes us holy by connecting us to him

Hebrews 10:10 …we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (sanctified)

Jesus made us holy through his death.
Already done. Done by Christ. Not a process as we usually speak about it.
(true: we need to grow in acting holy)

1 Corinthians 1:2
To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy.. (saints)

sanctified means “made holy”
saint means “holy person”
even though there is sin in Corinth (read the letter!), he calls them holy, already done, this is their starting point, their position

1 Corinthians 6:11
But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Already done. Done by Christ on the cross and the Spirit’s work in us.

Colossians 1:22
But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight…

1 Pet 2:9
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God…

What does it mean that we are holy now?

Exodus 30:22-33; 40:1-11
This is you!

1 Corinthians 3:17
God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. (tabernacle precursor to temple)

you have been anointed and made holy
set apart for God just as the tabernacle and all of its furnishings were
you were common and not used for God but instead for sin
Jesus separated us from unholy use to holy use by his death on the cross.

set apart as God’s person for God’s service
cleansed of sin and dedicated or consecrated to God

2 Timothy 2:20-21
In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.

You are now ready to be used by God for his work. You must be holy first.

2 Timothy 1:8-9
…God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.

This is done by Christ before you have done anything holy. You can’t become holy by trying to do good things.
You are made holy when you are unholy.

Ex 40:12-15
This is you! You are priests.
What does a priest do? He offers sacrifices to God.

1 Peter 2:5
you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Now that we have been made holy (that had to happen first) we are able to offer spiritual sacrifices to God.
Which means acts and thoughts of love and obedience and service directed to God.

Ex 40:(16-33) 34-35
This is you!
You are filled with the Holy Spirit and the glory of the Lord.

1 Cor 3:16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

Can you believe this? that is you!

I am preaching this sermon so that you Christians will find your happiness in being holy and God’s Spirit in you
and go from here rejoicing.

I am also hoping that some who don’t know this will want it. turn to Jesus in faith to be made holy and used for his purposes.

***Because we are now holy already…
(that fact is very important and primary)
we are now free to do holy work.

first the tool is made holy and then used for holy work
first the man or woman is made holy and then he does holy work

if you are holy then 2012 can be a holy year

1 Peter 1:15
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Col 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

Luke 2:1-20 verses 10-11
“gospel of great joy”

hymnal #211
400+ year old British carol (published 1700s) — sang and danced to this (not allowed in church)

“God rest you merry, gentlemen”
(not God give rest to you merry gentlemen, not about rest)
God make you or keep you in your heart joyful/cheerful: you gentlemen (and gentlewomen of course)

What is there to be merry about?
“A Savior has been born to you” (Lk 2:11)
“Remember Christ our Savior was born on Christmas day
to save us all from Satan’s power when we were gone astray”
(“to free all those who trust in him from Satan’s power and might”)

many say “keep Christ in Christmas”
let’s keep Satan in Christmas as well
new figure in the Nativity scene: big dragon
Revelation 12:1-10

Luke 13:10-17
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
 14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”
 15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
 17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.

Acts 10
37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Today in this world
do you see Satan’s power?
do you see Satan’s tyranny?
the horrors of this world show us that human beings desperately need to be saved

men who have lost to death the person they were closest to in the world
parents who have lost little children
children born with terrible illness and lived a few years and died
children who were physically abused by cruel adults
families who had members raped and shot by soldiers
families whose homes were destroyed and members killed by storms
people who live in a prison of their own minds– mentally handicapped, mentally ill
people who are sold into slavery as children and beaten to death
people who are imprisoned and die in prison
this is the power of Satan
this is his rule and tyranny

people look at the horrors of this world
and say “there can’t be a God”
we should look at the horrors
and say “there must be a Savior” because if there is not there is nothing else for all these people only misery and early death

1. Merry because this is the Savior who will end the horrors of this world

Hebrews 2
14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

My son, Jack, has Down Syndrome and Autism, mind in shackles
but that is not the last word on him
that is not all he gets
Why? because Jesus Christ was born and he shall save us all from Satan’s power

Jesus came to save those whose lives are short and miserable and imprisoned
he will set us free from the horrors of this world– under Satan’s tyranny/ power

some have sought a human salvation
through reason and technology and education
we have gone far with that
but we have not been saved from misery and death, we have not conquered

For those of you going through bitter suffering now– rejoice in your Savior.
Your Savior will save you and give back.

1 Peter 5
8 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Do not be overcome by the suffering and give in to Satan– instead continue in faith and obedience– God will make you strong and mighty again

2 Corinthians 12
7 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

his suffering comes from Satan
Christ’s grace and power make us strong when we are weak in sufferings

2. Merry because Jesus has set us free from slavery to Satan to live a new life.

John 13:2
The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.
Acts 26:15-18
15 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’
   “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. 16 ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. 17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
1 John 3:8
8 He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

set free from living as a slave to Satan and living rather in love for God and Christ
now you can have a merry life in the present
even with all the pain of this life

as people pursue what they want
they find neither happiness
nor meaning
isn’t it strange? they find only slavery

Ephesians 6
 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

John 20:1-23

At Christmas we celebrate Jesus coming.
he was sent to us for our salvation.
Jesus was sent by the Father,
but now Jesus sends us.

We don’t have missionaries that we send.
We are missionaries and we are sent.
You are a missionary.
Not you pay others to be missionaries.

a man works at a shop
owner tells him to open up the store, sweep up, unload the deliveries that came yesterday, and run the cash register
when the boss comes back he asks how did it go? I did the first three but I never had time to run the register
well nothing was sold that day
we have been told to
receive teaching and sacrament from our leaders, love one another in the church and family and neighbors, be a missionary to those outside the church
can we just say: I never did the third one

You think the mission field is overseas, but it is all around you everywhere you go everyday.

You are sent to cross the barrier from church to non-church to represent Jesus.

The church is not to simply to wait for them to show up here in a worship service.
We are to go to them.

NOT THE OLD WAY: accost a stranger, make a presentation, ask for an instant conversion, if we don’t get it, move one, if we do get it, tell them to go to church

verse 22
Jesus gives them the Spirit to help with the mission. How does the Spirit help?

1. the Spirit works in you love for Jesus

Jesus is Lord and has won the victory for us is the essence of our message

to present Jesus as a fact or object or belief
does not touch people
he must be presented as one you adore and love and worship, you have experienced his love for you– this is authentic and personal and experiential

2. the Spirit works in you happiness in Jesus

people must know that Jesus has transformed your life and given you real happiness and fulfillment
people are looking for happiness and spiritual fulfillment– they want to know if you have found that in Jesus

if you are not happy in Jesus
then people will smell a rat
they will not care what you have to say and see you as fake

your mission will be weak because
you yourself will doubt and mistrust that Jesus has life to give

3. the Spirit works in you love for those you are trying to reach

people do not listen to those they don’t have a relationship or connection with
you must first love them and establish a real relationship with them
people must know that you love them

4. the Spirit works in you membership in a community

if someone is not a Christian then his community is likely not Christian either.
Most people do not want to convert and be estranged from their old community and join a strange and scary new community.

you must be in a community of people loving each other and welcoming outsiders

loving community is part of our witness to the world — they must see better community in your life, your community should attract
John 13:35 “by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

loving community draws others into it
many people are lacking loving community
do you have such community?

they need to be welcomed into community before they are Christians
as Jesus welcomed people into community before they were disciples and then challenged them to repent and follow

conversion is a long process 99% of the time (not instantaneous)
they can’t move through the conversion process with out being in a community
that guides them along
until they make a full commitment

*This is what the Spirit must do in you.
You must seek the Spirit from Christ to change your life
and then go on mission.

Who should you target?
1. people you already love
People to whom you are attached and have a relationship. People don’t convert who have no Christian friends.

2. people already like you — shared interests, lifestyle, background — easy to connect with people from your cultural circle. People do not often cross cultural barriers to join a community or convert.

3. people already near you — you see them every day at home, work, school — Many opportunities to connect and love them.
People do not listen to strangers.

4. people the church is already reaching — Join others in this church already reaching certain group of people.
Cara Childers is working with middle school children at ER Middle (in the building)
Ben P and David P are working with boy scouts
Heather Prettyman/ Terry Turner work with people struggling financially in East Ridge
Catherine and Susan want to start an ESL/tutoring ministry with kids
Also you could band together with others to reach a certain group that someone in the group already has a lead on
(don’t do it alone)

5. people a local ministry is already reaching

volunteer– there are hundreds of ministries in Chattanooga

6. people who are unloved

they may be very different from you
loving them will be the only connection
but if no one else loves them that may be enough to establish a bond

if they are lonely and without community, you can bring them into community, your family and small group

7. people who are unhappy

their emptiness and sadness may be enough to get them listen to you

if you have a real happiness in Jesus Christ offer them and show them what Jesus has done in your life

stay in relationship with them
bring them into the community of your brothers and sisters in Christ

How do you love God?

Romans 12:9-21: 25 or so commands
grab bag of maxims

“Love must be sincere.”
1. stop pretending to love people

love should not be a show or play acting
a performance

Fake versions of Christian love (imitations)
politeness, niceness
making conversation
holding in what you really think
saying you love someone
saying something nice about someone
feeling soft spot for someone
volunteerism

common problem in churches that everyone is very nice and welcoming but no one wants to be intimate and share real life
love someone through their real problems

a man asked who his friends are
and he mentions men he hasn’t seen in 20 years

Shonda spoke at the women’s retreat about baring your burdens in order to bear one another’s burdens
don’t let the retreat be a flash in the pan

most of us only have friends in our own culture, the church calls us to make friends across cultural barriers
Christians outside this one little church who are part of THE ONE church

“Hate what is evil.”
2. Stop being easy on yourself and excusing yourself.

very strong word: despise, loathe, abhor
God does not overlook or ignore evil
he hates it and we should as well

hate what is evil in you, evil you do
take it to God, turn from it
don’t hate yourself
too many people hate themselves

so much of the counseling I have done has gone nowhere because the person does not hate the evil in himself, evil he has done

*hate what is evil in others, not hate the person in your heart, not take a superior position, not gossip to others, rage,
not pick on the things you don’t like or agree with– confront in love/forgiveness

“Cling to what is good.”
3. Give God honeymoon focus.
strong word used for clinging to your wife or husband in intimacy
people are focused on their husband or wife on the honeymoon, narrow focus

are you as devoted to God as you were to your wife on your honeymoon?
after a few years some switch that honeymoon focus to their children, or exercise, or job, or beauty, or sports, or art.

“In brotherly and sisterly love, have tender family affection for one another.”
4. Don’t show up for an event, but live daily like a family.

this is about family relationships inside the church
showing up for the worship service is not living as a family
the worship service is about being ministered to by Christ in the scripture, sermon, singing and the supper

family life takes place the rest of the week

join a small group that already exists
or start a small group (home or anywhere)
like house churches, mini-churches
small groups are do-it-yourself, grass roots
not managed by the elders/pastors
this is YOUR ministry
the way you participate in a small group is by loving the other people in the group
(don’t work for me— missing the point)

some of you have an aversion to small groups. I think it is a cultural thing.
didn’t grow up with it, uncomfortable
but could it be for some of you an attempt to avoid family life? I think so.
you will not be in a small group. fine.
you still must love like family people in this church during the week, find some way to do so, informally and daily

3 ways you are member of a church
gather for sacrament/sermon,
under care of leader, live like family with your brothers and sisters

what if all my Christian friends are from other churches?
let me propose something radical: start a small group with people from different churches and invite some from this church

“Honor one another above yourselves.”
5. Defeat each other at showing the honor.

Beat everyone else at the game of showing honor. Win the victory of showing the most honor. Honor him before he honors you.
Treat even the least visible, least noticed in the family as the father or mother. Honor your father and mother.

Rather than achieve honor for self, show honor to others.
Not fake showy honor, but honor in your heart.
You are not the guest of honor here this morning… you should seek him or her out and show honor.

We honor people we revere. People who have done something.
But we should honor people for what they are: created in God’s image and temples of the Holy Spirit. We honor God by honoring them.

*At the Supper Jesus is offering you this kind of life.

Are you happy?
Why not? What is missing?
If so, what is making you happy?
How long will it last?

Everyone pursues happiness.
A million different ways they try.
How are you looking for it?

blessed: “happy”/“carefree”/“prosperous”

Jesus is teaching us how to be happy.
life can be good now
happiness can be now

BUT his teaching is heading upstream
counter-intuitive
uncommon sense

5:3
the one who is a big man, impressive, important, self-reliant, self-confident
is not the happy man/woman
(he will fail himself)

the one who is needy is happy
needy in the sense of living dependent on God: this is how to be happy

(notice the present tense)
happy because he is already under the rule of God, which means under the direction and care of God, experiencing his love

5:4
the one who is enjoying his pleasures and living the good life and is not bothered by the misery and suffering in this world
is not the happy man/woman
(eventually suffering will strike him and there will be no comfort then)

the one who mourns over this broken world and mourns the sin in his life is happy

happy because he finds comfort in God
God has an answer for sin and suffering in Jesus Christ

5:5
the one who wins and conquers others
the one who beats others to get what he wants is not the happy man
(he is fighting God and God will defeat him)

the one who is not trying to be a big man
or beat someone else is happy
the one who does not push others around and run over others to get what he wants
the one who does not promote himself and push himself on others is happy

the one who does not conquer others will be victorious, who does not take will be given
happy now knowing that the victory of the proud and evil is temporary
and enjoying the goodness of the creation knowing it will never be taken from him

5:6
the one who knows what he wants and goes after it with all he has
is not the happy man
(what he wants will not satisfy)

the one who desires to love God and see others love God is happy

happy because loving God is what we were made to do
he knows that God is working in him, changing him into love

5:7
the one who focuses on the things he loves and enjoys
is not the happy man
(this is an empty life when there is so much need in the world, he will receive no help for his sufferings)

the one who focuses on the suffering and misery of others is happy
mercy relieves the consequences of sin in the live of others (both sinners and those sinned against)

happy because God loves him and God will rescue him from all his sin and sufferings one day and finish the work of mercy for the world

5:8
the one who has many plans and aspirations he is pursuing
and has it all planned out carefully
and pursuing them all with diligence
is not the happy man
(all those plans will come to ruin even if they succeed temporarily, he will never have the one thing worth more: God)

the one who is single-minded, has a one track mind, a simple heart desiring one thing is happy
loving God is plan A and there is no plan B

happy because he will see the beauty of God in Jesus Christ now, he will see more of the God he already loves
and will see him fully when Jesus returns

5:9
the one who is a competitor and knows how to climb higher and fight his way past people who get in his way
is not the happy man
(he is an enemy of God the source of all good, he will be cut off from all good)

the one who works for peace is happy
peace for other people with God
and peace between people

happy because she is a child of God and so is doing the very work of God in the world

5:10
the one who has many friends and is liked and admired by everyone is not the happy man
(all of that is short lived and God’s opinion of him is the only one that matters)

the one who is hated and opposed by people is happy
if you love God you will be hated

happy because he knows God loves him
and he is pleasing God in the way he lives

*
the message is not
if you do these eight things
you will get blessings from God

the message is this is the one life that Christ came to give you
he accomplished it by his effort
and it is a gift he gives you (grace)

look to Jesus Christ to do this work in you

this is what it means to be saved, redeemed, sanctified, etc.
to be this one person described here

Luke 15

How do you love God?

15:1-2
Bike week in Myrtle Beach
one persons party can be annoying to others

Jesus is explaining why he has been partying with people who seem to be not the right kind of people

15:3-10
main theme rejoicing and celebrating
over something that had been lost but is now found
God’s love seen in his rejoicing over someone who had rejected him
but has now returned

15:11-12
1/3 given to younger son
eldest son gets a double portion
younger son turns his share into cash
shame to the Father
abandoned his duty to care for his father and family, breaks up family estate

to ask for his share was to reject the Father
I don’t want you, I want your stuff
(shocking to their culture)
human Father would beat or drive the boy out (shocking to their culture he does not)

15:13-16
this is the part seen as sin: wild living
but not the real sin
rejecting of Father– this is what sin is
one stayed and did responsible things
one left and lived wild and irresponsible
both rejected the Father

15:17-19
everything he had in this world came from his father and his only hope is his father
confesses his sin, repents

I will serve you– pay you back and make restitution
do good and pay back for his rejection
this offer is refused
loving God is not paying him back for what you did wrong

15:20
Fathers do not run, undignified
also undignified to welcome such a child
God not like normal human Fathers
his love and sacrifice much greater

15:21-22
cover my son with the robe of honor
he had done nothing to receive this honor
not worthy– you don’t come to God worthy

15:23-24
fatted calf was a delicacy reserved for the biggest, most important parties

God missed those who rejected him
welcomed those who returned to him
and parties over their return
this is love! God is partying over you!

how do you love God?
i. party with God

is your life a party with God?
You can’t love God without the joy of the party of God.
party over being loved by God and finding a new life

The Tree of Life– father of a family
“I wanted to be loved because I was great. A big man. I am nothing. I could not see the glory around me. I lived in shame. I dishonored it all and didn’t notice the glory. A foolish man.”

we are not seeing the glory– we don’t party
our own shame and sadness and anger at not getting what we wanted– keeps us from partying with God over new life in him

we wonder why we never see anyone converted? One reason is our sour and depressive and somber disposition.
They don’t see joy in us so why would they have what we are having.

only those who are mourning can really party with God (younger brother)
mourn over sin then you party over the forgiveness of sin and the new life in Jesus
mourn over troubles in this life
party in the face of your troubles because you know the Father will save you from them

how do you love God?
ii. party with other believers

the worship service is a party
Lord’s Supper is a party
a smaller gathering is a party

worship services are dull gatherings when the people are not partying with God

two buildings next to each other
on a Sunday night both have people
both have a church sign out front
one has a group of people studying the Bible, very serious, somber, dry
second is a party with eating, drinking, music, and dancing
the second one was loving God because they were partying– celebrating God’s love for a man who had come to faith
the first one had no joy so no love

Lk 15:25-32
both sons rejecting the Father
older thinks he is good and obedient so he rejects the party of salvation for sinners
pursuing his own good and what he wants through work and being good

older son does not want to party in the love of the Father over the younger brother

your religion and moralism can make you distance yourself from people and God’s party– as the Pharisees did

iii. party with those who are not yet believers
(join in the party not the sin)
Jesus taught in synagogues
and did outdoor preaching
he also partied with people
Lk 5:29-30; 7:33-34

Jesus partied with people before they repented
and called them to repentance

We are holding services and having sermons.
Waiting for them to come here.
We should be going out there and partying with them.

what if someone would never go to church, read a religious book, or watch a religious show?
you must take the party to them

if you are waiting for the pastor to do it
I am the one least likely to do it
an unbeliever does not want to talk to a pastor, they run from me

this is your job
I am here to help you party with God and believers but then you must take the party out there into the city!!

a stranger will not listen to you (999 times out of 1000)
the only one who will listen to you is people who are friends
the people you party with, the people you share things with, share your lives with

You are going to have to make some new friends and party with people you don’t know right now

invite them to God’s party

iv. party with new believers

imagine if on Sunday we were partying with new believers?
imagine if we were baptizing adults and teens who has just repented and believed?
imagine if people stood up and said this is what Jesus did in my life!
the party in heaven would be in here

“How do you love God?”
this is the question we will be asking for several weeks
first we will be bringing the question to Jesus in the gospel of Luke

if you are not interested in this question
that is very serious matter

Luke 14:7-11
i. Do what is disrespected by everyone

girl not attractive, not nice clothes, not good at sports, not good grades, boys calling out her name and laughing, tears in her eyes
I remember wanting to beat those boys to a bloody pulp, but I did nothing out of fear
the culture tells you what you must look like, and do, and have in order to be important, and God have mercy on the one who doesn’t fit
Jesus is calling you to rebellion against the culture, to spitting in the face of this,
to breaking the rules of society

calling you to do what is disrespected
what is considered unimportant

loving God is
doing the dirty work no one else will do

(read account) Floyd Lee — not in charge of food service but morale.
This perspective makes all the difference.

We are called to do common things and dirty things and ugly things
but we are not cleaning toilets/ digging ditches — we are loving God.
Some of you have empty lives/no sense of direction. This will give you sense of real meaning in your life.

God’s spy– no one knows who you are,
you look like nothing special, the people around don’t look twice or think much of you, but you work for God

the unimportant infantry man grunt standing post in the cold
while the important people sleep in warm beds

a great bishop in the early church had a dream of Jesus coming to see him
“I want to show you the most important person in your city”
he took him to an old woman who lived alone and barely existed but occasionally was able to serve a bowl of soup to someone less fortunate than herself

Luke 14:12-14
ii. Do things with no benefits

Do what you do for no reason except love for God

like the intern who took a job with a great journalist for no pay and no benefits
because he wanted to work with this man…
no benefits except the privilege of working for God

old man: someone hit his neighbor’s mailbox while he was out of town
and he fixed it before the neighbor returned and the neighbor never even knew
a third neighbor had seen the mailbox broken and then later fixed and wondered what had happened and he asked around until he got the admission from the old man
“but no one even knew?”
the old man shrugged: “God knew”
serve people who make you feel uncomfortable

everyone is more comfortable with a certain kind of people, race, culture, education
nothing wrong with that
but serving the people in this group benefits you because it is your people and you are maintaining your position in that society

loving the “other” people from outside your group is loving God
however you draw the lines
wherever you draw the lines
loving God is loving the one on the other side of the line

Luke 14:1-6
they were willing to rescue their own child or what belonged to them
but not this woman because she was “other”

Luke 14:33
iv. Give up anything not done out of love for God

“give up everything” = either do it out of love for God or give it up

we get distracted by silly things
the man who loved college football
and his team Tennessee
spent money and hours on it
and one year after looking forward to the season after the first game he decided it was not done out of love for God
so he gave it up

but we also get caught up in important things that distract us from the essential thing
the essential thing is loving God

the man who realized his daily workout was not out of love for God
the woman who realized she was not pursuing her career out of love for God

cut out everything that is important
in order to do what is essential (loving God)
take away everything that is not necessary but nothing that is

there should be no division in your life
not a holy part and an unholy part, all holy
not two pieces sewed together, one piece
not two modes, but only one mode
like a cop, on duty and off duty
soldier, in uniform and out

have you seen the show Hoarders?
people with rooms stuffed with junk
they can’t give up anything, piled high
barely room to live, beds and chairs and tables engulfed in junk
many of us are hoarders by all the activity we put it in our lives (taking up our time)
we need someone to come with a big dumpster and throw away most of what we are doing
so we have time and space to love God

drink your coffee from love for God
if you can’t, give it up

a man has a job he hates
it is not important and no one respects it
he is low on the totem pole
he does it because he feels he has to
he complains about it and his coworkers all the time
his family knows he hates it
then one day he realizes he must do his job out of love for God
he goes back to the same job and nothing has changed by everything has changed
he now serves the company, his employers to the best of his ability
out of love for God

v. be ready to give up anything out of love for God

tell God you can take anything because what I want above all of it is to love you

Luke 14:28-32
Jesus is saying this is what it means to follow me, this is what it means to love God
are you prepared for this?
there is so much you will have to give up
do you understand what you are getting into? and how far it will go?

Luke 14:15-24
Why? because they would not come when they were called
they had things they could not give up

end on this note:

you can’t love God if you have not experienced God’s love for you
what he has done for you through Christ and the Spirit

go back to the gospel message in the NT
and read and listen and believe