"Life-Changing Pictures"
Notes
Transcript
Who knows what this that I’m holding up? It’s a photo album.
For the young people in the room, this is what iCloud, Google Photos, and Instagram has replaced. This particular photo album is one that is all about me. It has all my cute baby and toddler pictures in it.
I have told most of you before that in the last few years, I came to know with certainty that I was adopted by my parents, and while there were specific events that made that information certain to me, it was actually this photo album that first gave me the suspicion that I was adopted when I was about eleven or twelve.
In its very front is a picture of a sonogram and in the first few pages that follow are pictures of me from about as early as three months. Probably nothing too suspicious in and of itself, but when I compared my album with my brother’s, I discovered that his had more pictures than mine. Like pictures from his delivery room. It made me do a double-take between my photo album and his. Like I got a little jealous and so I flipped through all the pages of my album, thinking that maybe my newborn pictures were in the album and they were just out of order. I looked outside of the album at all the other places I knew my parents kept photos, but none of them had an eight pound, six ounce, newborn Baby Dan.
After all my searching that didn’t get me anywhere, I had both my album and my brother’s album side-by-side, open to the first page with our sonogram photos. I was just staring at mine, then at his, and it occured to me that the pose the baby is striking in the sonogram picture in my album is exactly the same pose that the baby has in the sonogram picture in his. Now, I was young and I didn’t know a thing about babies, but I did know this: lightening doesn’t strike in the same place twice. Adding up all the evidence, I also knew that something wasn’t right about this. Most frighteningly, I felt like there was something different about me.
What made matters worse was that when I asked my parents about my missing newborn pictures, they told me that they were lost in a basement flood. That might seem like a reasonable explanation for the missing photos, but I knew that it wasn’t true. I knew it wasn’t true because I had done all that searching through the piles of pictures my parents had and I knew they had a million that were older than me. It didn’t make sense that of all the pictures missing prior to me being about three months, the only ones apparently lost in this supposed basement flood were mine.
I would be exaggerating if I told you that the realization that my parents lied to me sent me into some tailspin in life. I did ask those deep, self-searching questions from time-to-time, like “Who am I?” and “Where am I from?” but for some reason, I never got weighed down by those questions. Most of the time, what I actually did was buy in to the lie that my parents had spun. I ignored the reality that I didn’t look like or act like anyone else in my family. But do you know what I could never do? I could never convince myself that the sonogram in my album was actually me.
And it occurs to me, the way we most often use pictures today is hide the truth, right? I mean, take the guy on the screen who’s taking a selfie. I don’t know who he is, but I imagine that he’s taking that selfie to post it on his Facebook or Instagram, and with that ear-to-ear smile that wants to have us believe that everything is heavenly. But we don’t know what he’s actually dealing with, do we? He could post that in an attempt to show everyone that he’s doing well, masking his real feelings about a terrible medical diagnosis or he’s posting this to cover up his depression from the end of the relationship that he once thought would go the distance.
If we most often use pictures to convince others, or even ourselves, of something that’s not true, I have to wonder,
Can pictures ever tell the truth?
Can pictures ever tell the truth?
Let’s hold on to that question and remind ourselves of where we’ve been, now that we come to the last message in our series we’ve called Living Differently. Since we started Luke 6, we have seen Jesus taking steps to prepare for and to launch his ministry. We saw Jesus declare that he is Lord of the Sabbath and, if we understand who Jesus is, that he is the Law Giver himself. With respect to the subject of Sabbath, we learned that Sabbath rest is a gift from God given for our good, commanded by God for us to observe and to not just dismiss it as suggested.
Following this, we saw that while he never stopped being God, Jesus was very much human and he would retreat to be alone with his Father for solitude and prayer. Luke recorded for us that in silence, Jesus heard the Father leading him to call a certain twelve men to be apostles out of the group of disciples who had been following him. These apostles will serve Jesus’ kingdom as heralds or announcers of the kingdom that has arrived and is arriving in Christ.
Then Jesus told us about how when we become citizens of his kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ, then our understanding about wealth and comfort and popularity and fun are flipped right on their head, leading us to see that as this King of the kingdom of God calls sinners to become citizens, he is doing a marvelous work of transforming hearts so that our passions and lives honor him by looking less and less like the way this world works.
Coming to last week, this transformed life that Jesus has been preaching about in the Sermon of the Plain is stretched beyond just how we relate personally to things. As if what Jesus had already said wasn’t difficult enough, he shares that in his kingdom, the way that his citizens live with and relate to other people will be absolutely changed, too! He told us that liking and loving and doing for the people who we can tolerate is normal, even among the people who have rejected God. A godless person can still work at a soup kitchen. A godless person can lend their tools to their friends. But a citizen of God’s kingdom is given the supernatural ability to love even their enemies. To serve the need of those people who would steal from us or strike us, because as the people of God, we come to understand that we ourselves were once enemies of God and yet God loved us sacrificially. See, God in the Person of Jesus Christ added to himself humanity by not only humbling himself to add humanity to his existence, but he humbled himself by taking the place of the enemies of God. That’s the essence of what the Apostle Paul tells us:
Philippians 2:8 (ESV)
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
So we concluded then that as citizens of God’s kingdom, Jesus is calling for the lives of his followers to be marked by the same sacrificial love of God shown in the cross of Jesus himself where we who have be washed by the blood of Jesus consider it a great joy to join our Savior in the fellowship of his sufferings as we serve even our worst of enemies.
Whether you’ve heard all four of the previous messages or not, you gotta admit that individually, each of these bottom lines from the sections of Luke 6 are incredibly challenging to either believe or live out. Skeptics out there might dismiss the idea that there is a God, let alone a God that loves his creation without demanding we work to earn that love. In the hurried pace of life, the suggestion of slowing down to get into the quiet and listen for God’s voice sounds so…unreal to people like you and me with brains, right? Surely there are more productive things we could be doing. Like maybe seeking to satisfy ourselves by chasing our dreams, not buying into this idea that a person we have never seen in the flesh would provide us a completely satisfying life. And just forget about that loving enemies and forgiving and not judging stuff. Maybe someone thinks all of this is dumb. Maybe some of you have heard all four of those messages and realize that put together, these four subjects are next to impossible.
Imagine the souls who are hearing this from the lips of Jesus then for a minute. I mean, I’ve seen some of the reactions on your faces over the last few weeks and I know this has been challenging stuff to chew on, but imagine hearing all of this in one sitting. I know Jesus is well aware of how incredibly other-worldly his kingdom is and how other-worldly lives that live for him will look to this world. I know Jesus is aware of how radical all of this sounds, so that’s why he ends this sermon in this way, with life-changing pictures that when you envision them with yourself in them, the pictures produced cannot contain anything but truth about you. These pictures will each, in their own way, also answer how everything that we might now think is impossible, that came before in this chapter, is actually made possible.
We look at the first picture Jesus paints with words by his asking:
Luke 6:39 (ESV)
Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?
I think we can sort of understand a little of what Jesus is saying. Certainly, if a blind person follows another blind person, there is a great risk to both of those people due to their disability that they won’t see what’s coming their way, that they could fall into a pit, trip over a curb stop, or whatever would endanger someone with vision impairment. But Jesus isn’t talking about vision impairment, that’s why Luke introduces these questions as a parable, in other words, to illustrate a point. All that Jesus has been preaching about in this chapter brings into focus things internal to us. They’re matters of our heart. They are spiritual matters. So what is the point Jesus is making? It’s not a point that Jesus is making, he’s actually giving a warning:
Watch who you follow
Watch who you follow
This warning cuts two ways. The first way is to say that everyone follows someone on spiritual matters and the second way this cuts is this: if you try to lead yourself and others spiritually, you are in danger. It is Jesus who will go to a cross to die as an enemy of this kingdom that he’s proclaiming, even though he is its King and he is innocent, but he does so so that when sinners come to him in faith, they can receive his righteousness, or saying that another way, they can receive his right-standing to be restored to God the Father. And the warning is that if you think you can make yourself right before God, your arrogance will see you lead yourself to hell. Watch who you follow, because then Jesus adds
40 A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher.
In that relationship of following someone, the follower cannot grow beyond their teacher and at the end, the follower will be like his or her teacher. So, this is another picture that produces a warning from Jesus that says
Watch who you follow, because you will become like them
Watch who you follow, because you will become like them
I’ve got to tell you, when I was dragging my feet with God over whether he was calling me to ministry, it was this very point that I struggled with. For a season, I was paralyzed with the fear of the darkness of my own heart and how it could lead others, but by the grace of God I came to understand that what Jesus is pointing out is that if someone is teaching you from their wisdom or experience, the limit of that experience will be what they know and you will be shaped by that person. But, if the teacher doesn’t go beyond what Jesus taught, then those that follow are invited to see that Christ is the only one who can truly navigate the darkness of this fallen world because Jesus is the Light of the World.
Jesus makes this point by bringing back to us the subject of judging others. Let’s remember that Jesus said in
Luke 6:37 (ESV)
Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven
And following this, Jesus goes on to explain further the trap that we fall into with judging others, that I’ll put overhead for our benefit.
41 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.
As these pictures begin to come together, Jesus is warning about following a spiritually blind person, and he’s especially warning about thinking too much about our own ability to get things right with God. Do you know what spiritually blind people always think? They always think they can see. They always think they’ve got it figured out. Spiritually blind people may think they know where they’re going but they actually don’t and those who are judging the specks in others’ eyes are too blind to see their own faults correctly.
That’s why I have to say right now, as a quick aside, that in light of the fact that we have heard a report from our Deacon Screening and Canvassing Committee, I hope you haven’t spent the time between that announcement and now making a list of specks from the eyes of those brothers whom the Lord has brought before us. They’ve each expressed a sense of call to this. They’ve each committed themselves to the expectations of serving this church as a deacon. The question is not whether they’re sinless, they wouldn’t need a Savior if that were true. Between today and when we gather on October 8th to vote on them, the question before us is to each discern by the Holy Spirit whether God has in fact called them to be deacons.
Calling us back to Jesus’ focus on who we are following, let’s look at this third picture that Jesus paints for us in
Luke 6:43 (ESV)
For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit
Remember, Jesus still has this issue of judging others in scope here and he’s driving home the importance of looking at the life of those who we have been following. Why? Jesus is saying that the fruit a teacher produces will reflect what is at the core of who they are. Orange trees don’t produce apples and apple trees don’t produce avocados. Likewise, good trees don’t bear bad fruit and bad trees don’t bear good fruit.
So many hearts want hard and fast rules, to judge whether if someone is in or out. They want to find faults in others but never find any in themselves. And if you are following someone…of if you are a self-made person who is following yourself...and you love to point your finger at others but won’t ever look inwardly, then that’s a terrible place to be. Don’t leave here and tell the person you wish was here, “He was talking about you today.” That’s not true. God brought you here so he has me talking to you.
Because, Jesus warns
What a teacher produces...is who they are.
What a teacher produces...is who they are.
Let’s do a quick assessment… I am going to invite all the pastors in the room, along with the Bible teachers we have between our classes on Sundays and Wednesdays, along with all our parents, whether your children are little or grown…because each of those are examples of leadership roles. Now, consider your fruit. Don’t go counting their specks, but ask yourself, are these people who I lead, be them my flock, my class, or my children…are they God-fearing people? Because here’s a picture that tells some truth that some of us may not like to hear this morning:
Luke 6:45 (ESV)
The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
What some of us may not be ready to hear is that in the lives we are influencing, be them lives we influence because we are parents or Bible teachers, if we don’t see God’s goodness in those lives, it’s because God’s goodness isn’t in us. The fruit we bear in the way we lead others reveals our own spiritual condition.
Someone says, “How does this reveal my spiritual condition? I’ve heard the gospel. I’ve heard the teachings of Jesus. I’m find no disagreement with Jesus, his cross, or what he taught. That’s why I’m a Christian and I belong to a church.”
In other words, what’s the problem? Here’s the warning Jesus is driving home: It’s not enough to hear about and agree with Jesus and teachings. This must be lived out! And it can only be lived out if Jesus has transformed your heart. And he hasn’t transformed your heart if you’re producing worthless fruit and you’re producing worthless fruit because you haven’t believed! Sure, you agree, but you haven’t believed! And because you haven’t believed, Jesus is not your Lord.
That’s the truth that these pictures reveal to us. And frankly, the picture might be shocking for some. It had to be for those who were listening to Jesus. I mean, why else would Jesus say this?
Luke 6:46 (ESV)
Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?
You cannot even begin to battle a judgmental spirit if Jesus hasn’t transformed your heart by the faith given to you in God’s grace. Neither can you forgive. Neither can you inherit God’s kingdom perspectives about wealth and comfort and popularity and fun. You cannot agape love your enemies.
Friends, this entire chapter that we have been studying, Jesus has been preparing to and has begun to announce his kingdom. He’s given to us a clear description of what the actions, attitudes, and loves of those who are citizens of his kingdom will look like. And for as radical as all of this is, Jesus isn’t even calling people to try to just curb their judgmental nature or to simply forgive and forget. No! Jesus is saying that the kingdom he’s announcing, the kingdom that he has appointed twelve men to proclaim with gospel trumpets, RESTS IN HIM.
These pictures are life-changing and truth revealing because we cannot help but come to see our spiritual condition. The way you live and the way your life affects everyone else all comes back to this question:
Who has your life been built upon?
Who has your life been built upon?
If the pictures show that the answer is anyone but Jesus Christ, repent! Repent because the life you’re leading is a life that is sure to lead to destruction! It’s a life that will not withstand what this world will send your way nor is it a life that will carry a hope into eternity.
I pray that each of you here this morning are actually Christian. I cannot make you one, that’s a work of the Spirit of God. The Holy Spirit can give you the understanding and conviction that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, as he did Peter. The Spirit does this by bringing you to faith, to trust, as you hear the Word of God. Hear this, please! It’s not enough to agree with Jesus. The gospel transforms us so that we do live differently. This is possible, because God so freely gives us what we do not deserve when we
Believe Upon and Follow the King
Believe Upon and Follow the King
Let me exhort you, friends. Believe upon and follow this King, Jesus. Genuinely kneel before the King and your life and indeed your eternity, will be built upon the firmest of foundations. If you follow anyone less than Jesus, you will have a life and eternity of ruin.
This hope that only Jesus offers is why as God’s people, we sing. In our singing, we celebrate this gospel of grace that transforms us.
I was ministered to by a song this week titled, “Firm Foundation.” It ministered to me as I thought about my life in the sense that so much of my initial story was rooted in a lie, a picture given to me that was anything but truth. I love my parents, they provided a roof over my head and if you look at some of these pictures, you will come to see that I never missed a meal, but yet, for reasons I will never really understand, they let me down by laying a foundation with lies and distrust.
I don’t know if that’s related in any way to your story. You know your story best and whether you are living a lie or not. I want to ask you, who has your life been built upon? I’m asking you because I have witnessed how Jesus has changed my life. I’m not perfect, but he’s began a work in me and he’s molding me to look more like him with each day of life that he gives me. I cannot thank him enough and I’ve committed my life to living for him and this kingdom he is bringing to earth. And in that, I have cause to celebrate that even when I’ve realized my parents have lied to me or people I thought I could count as friends have become my enemies or whatever it is the world may try to hit me on the chin with, I can say with a great confidence, as the song goes:
Christ is my firm foundation
The rock on which I stand
When everything around me is shaken
I've never been more glad
That I put my faith in Jesus
'Cause He's never let me down
He's faithful through generations
So why would He fail now?
He won't
I've still got joy in chaos
I've got peace that makes no sense
I won't be going under
I'm not held by my own strength
'Cause I've built my life on Jesus
He's never let me down
He's faithful through every season
So why would He fail now? (Shout it out)
He won't
He won't
He won't fail
He won't fail
Lyrics from Maverick City Music’s “Firm Foundation (He Won’t)”
He cannot fail. The cross he was nailed to and died upon, by all appearances, looked to be the failure of God. They thought that this so-called God-Man, Jesus, failed. They wrapped his body, laid him in a tomb, and sealed it with a huge boulder.
But let me leave you with one final picture of an event that changed the world and if you believe, will begin to change you.
Jesus cannot fail.
Jesus cannot fail.