Count for Zero: A Story to Be Told

I love to hear people’s stories because though them I see how God really works. These stories challenge me to pay attention to what story my life is telling. Many of life’s stories that I have had the privilege to hear contain times of focusing on the wrong things. This leads to arriving at the wrong places. Thankfully, many stories do not end there but continue on to a refocus and renewed direction.

God’s story, as told in the Bible, is full of accounts where the people of God focused on the wrong things and arrived at an unintended location. However, throughout God’s story, He directed and re-directed His people to the focal point that is Jesus and the reality of His resurrection. This story, with this focal point is the story that is not only God’s story to tell, but it is ours as well.

Main Point: The Resurrection Story Needs to be Told

I.                 Two stories were told. Matthew 28:1-15

A.               The story of the two women. V.1-10

1.               Imagine how frightening this was:

a)               They had seen Jesus beaten, crucified, buried and a large stone rolled in front of the tomb.

b)               They go to the tomb expecting it to be guarded. Instead they find an empty tomb and an angel.

c)                They are wondering what happened? What happened to the guards? Where was the body of Jesus? Had it been stolen?

2.               Imagine what they must have been wondering…

a)               Did this really happen?

b)               What if the rest of the disciples think we are crazy?

c)                What if they don’t believe us?

d)               Was that really an angel?

B.               The story of the Romans Guard. V.11-15

1.               They had to tell some kind of story because the ramifications of the true story were unbearable to them. Therefore…

2.               They told the one they hoped would be true. 

3.               The one the wanted to be true.

II.               Jesus’ disciple had to decide which story to tell. V.16-20

A.               The story they heard was hard to believe because it was being told by women and went against anything that they had believed and experienced.

B.               They heard a story that was confusing.

1.               Was it possible?

2.               What did it mean?

3.               Where was Jesus now?

C.               They heard a story that took and encounter with Jesus to convince them.

III.         The story of the resurrection was the beginning and is the foundation of the Great Commission.

A.               The ministry of the disciples was the telling of the real, true story. Acts 2:22-36.

B.               The story that needs to be told is not just of Jesus’ birth, his remarkable life, or his brutal death….it’s about the resurrection!

C.               This is the story that was written down to be passed ob to us.

Application:

1.               Now it’s your turn to tell the story. Which story of Jesus will you tell?

2.               Consider where we are in telling the story and where this story is heading.

3.               We should no longer have to ask “Who has been reached” we should start asking

4.               “who hasn’t been reached?” “Who hasn’t heard the resurrection story?”

5.               Let THIS church decide that ZERO people around us have not heard the story.

6.               Let THIS church decide to partner with those who are telling the story worldwide.

Opposed #3: "Our Service is Opposed" Daniel 6

     One of the foundational purposes of my life is to serve God by using what He has given me to glorify Him and assist others. This seems like a lofty goal, however, there is much within me that opposes that goal and purpose. In other words, I am human and I would much rather use what I have to glorify myself and be self-serving. I am a huge opposition to myself. There are also aspects of life that come against me that temp me to move off course and chase after other goals. Finally, I experience periods when I would rather be lazy than put forth the necessary energy to glorify God and help others.
     No matter how you phrase it, I am confident that each one of us desire to serve God within the capacity of the talents and resources that He has given us. The desire to serve God is not the issue because I believe that each one of us has that. However, will we push through what opposes us in order to fulfill this desire? With that in mind, this message speaks to the fact that…

Our continual service to God is continually opposed. Daniel Ch. 6

1. Our Christianity is seen as a fault by many. Daniel 6:1-9

A. Daniel’s opposition came from those who were trying to find fault in him. V. 1-4

B. The fault that they proclaimed was that he worshiped God. V. 5-9

2. Opposed Christians…

A. Don’t change course V. 10-13

B. Win the respect of the opposition. V. 14-18

C. Set positive behavioral goals. V. 19-23

          1. Seek to be found blameless before God.

          2.Seek to be found blameless before others.

          3. Trust in God. 
Note: To be blameless means that no accusations will stick. In this context, the opposed do not seek revenge nor do they response irrationally to opposition.   

D. Understand that the power of God will be seen through their faithful service of God in the face of extreme opposition. V. 24-28

Conclusion: Fear God and do what He says. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

“13 The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (ESV)

Opposed #2 - "Our Worship is Opposed"

     While planning any endeavor is it wise to understand what will oppose its success. I have not always done this well and many points of opposition have caught me of guard. When I take notice of an opposition I attempt to learn as much as I can about it before attempting to overcome it. With my relationship with God, it is no different.

      We all face opposition in our relationship with God if for no other reason there is one who opposes all that God and His people are attempting to do. However, we also face opposition from our own nature. All of us who are following Jesus, find ourselves somewhere in the process of maturity. In Daniel chapter three, we discover an opposition that at first seem to be limited to those who do not believe in God. However, upon further reflection, we come to understand that each one of us are opposed by the temptation to worship that which is not God.

1. Opposed by Self-worship – Daniel 3:1-7

We are tempted to define God in our own way. (King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of himself to be worship.) V.1

We want to be worshiped. (King Nebuchadnezzar assembled people to dedicate his image of himself.) V. 2-3

We threaten people when they don’t worship us. (King Nebuchadnezzar demanded worship and threatened those who would not.) V. 4-6

We tend to worship blindly. (The people worshiped that which was set before them due to the threat.) V. 7  

2. Opposed Maliciously – Daniel 3:8-30

Check your intentions when in disagreement. (The opposition was with malicious intent.) V. 8-12

Share truth with humility and respect. (The opposition was arrogant.) V. 13-15

Opposition reveals the character of our faith. (Seen in the three Jewish men.) V. 16-18

The greatness of God is seen in that He accompanies us in our opposition. (The fourth in the fire) V.19-30  

Application

1. Take an honest look at what you truly worship as God

    (As suggested by Nick Straw at http://inspiregod.com/5-choices-we-make-instead-of-god/)

- Pleasure

- Attention

- Money

- Control

           

2. Keep watch for what tempts to take God’s place in our church.  

Opposed #1 "We Are Spiritually Opposed"

Words that describe me when I am opposed are, withdrawn, stubborn, miss-directed, and short.

However, through the Holy Spirit I can be made patient, see the big picture, considerate. Though we experience and respond to opposition in different ways, it is vitally important that we understand that our opposition is spiritual. What follows is the outline to a message preached on January 1^st 2017.  

1. Daniel refrained from eating the King’s food because it would have defiled him spiritually. Daniel 1

A. Daniel’s opposition was the attempted removal of his national and spiritual identity. V. 1-7

- We was removed from his native culture.

- His name was changed from representing his spiritual identity to one representing the worship of a false God.

- His natural temptations would have been to enjoy the benefits of being in a privileged position at the expense of His spirituality.

B. Daniel’s opposition was self-defilement. V. 8-21

- Daniel risked his physical life for the sake of his spiritual.

- God honored him for his stance. 

2. Daniel adjusted his diet as a means of mourning the spiritual condition of His people. Daniel 10.  

A. The spiritual condition of others was at the forefront of Daniels heart. V. 1-3.

Note: “Was mourning - Because he foresaw the many calamities that would befall the Jews for their sins, especially for destroying the Messiah, and rejecting his gospel.” (John Wesley)

B. The humility of Daniel is seen in his response to Lord. V. 4-11

C. The Lord revealed to Daniel the spiritual realities of His current condition. V.12-21

Personal Challenge: Fight on the spiritual level. Ephesians 6:10-18

Ephesians 6:10-18

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might.

11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

Corporate Challenge: We fight from a position of victory. Colossians 1:11-14

Colossians 1

11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Rescue - Part 1 "Ready for Rescue" Exodus 1-12

I have heard so many say that they were not ready to be rescued until they hit rock bottom. I am not absolutely sure why this happens but I suppose there have been times in my life when I really was not ready to be made healthy. Perhaps I had lessons to learn by being in a mess. We have all been in messes but I would assume that sooner or later we would want to be rescued. So how do we get ready for rescue?

Being ready for rescue is a willingness towards obedience and faithfulness. As we look at the period of history most commonly known as the time if the exodus we can learn several ways to prepared ourselves for the freedom that comes from being rescued by God through others. First, I belive that we should recognize that oue mess has become unbearable. That it what the Israelites felt in Exodus chapter one. Here that had experienced population explosion and not everyone was thrilled at the rate by which God was blessing them. One of those not so thrilled was the Pharaoh who oppressed them greatly (Ex. 1)

A few things that we can learn from this begin with the fact that problems can become unbearable when others mistreat us as God is blessing us. This helps us understand that the existence of problems does not mean an absence of God. These types of problems are not because we have not anything wrong, but they become unbearable none the less. It is at those point when we must put our hope in the reality that God hears us as He heard the Israelites.

This leads us to our second thought on being ready for rescue. Believe that God will send a rescuer. The Israelites need a rescuer and God was raising up Moses for the job. Moses went through unimaginable difficulties as God matured him for his role in the work of God (Exodus 2-4). The account in these few chapters, reveal to us the reality that those God uses to help others often move through unimaginable difficulties themselves. These soon to be rescuers often have made huge mistakes. How they rebound from these mistakes through a willing to be used of God makes all the difference. This is what Moses did at his calling.

As God connects us with those He intends to use in our lives, we must realize that there may be moments when all is in the balance. This was true as Moses confronts Pharaoh in Exodus 5:1–11:10.  At this point in the story everything was at stake and God was working through Moses. For the majority of this account, things did not seem to be going very well at all. We even read of God hardening the heart of Pharaoh which seems to be counter-productive to what He had called Moses to do. Do you ever feel like God is working against what He called you to do? From this we learn that faithfulness is required as God works the hearts of those who don’t believe in Him.

Finally, in order to prepare ourselves to be rescued, we need to accept our invitation to participate. In Exodus 12 we see God requiring participation from the Israelites.  This participation in our own rescue is not without difficulty and faithfulness. Knowing that our rescue will positively affect the future generations of our families, will propel us to action.  The bottom line is, if you are not moving forward check your level of obedience and faithfulness to God’s process. As you prepare for your rescue, you may be becoming someone’s Moses.