Life on Life
Notes
Transcript
Abundant Life
Our mission is to lead others into the abundant life that is available through Jesus
In this sermon series, we’ve been talking about how we ourselves come to know the abundant life that Jesus came to give us, life both in terms of quality (Zoe) AND quantity (eternal, everlasting)
We’ve talked about finding this abundant life, Zoe, through the grace of Jesus, through his power, and through hope in Jesus.
Last week we started talking more about the process of how that happens in us - process of joining Jesus in death, being crucified with him, in order to live into abundant life he has for us, to be saturated with Jesus, with his presence and power
This morning, I want to talk about how this requires moving with greater openness, vulnerability, that all of this happens through relationships, idea of “life on life”
Prayer / Scripture - Matthew 16:13-28
Feeling Exposed
I think most of us have some recurring theme that shows up in our dreams
Some people will talk about dreams where they’re endlessly falling, like they’ve fallen into bottomless pit.
For others its the dream where all of sudden they’re in classroom, teacher is passing out a test - and they are totally unprepared. Panic ensues.
Not me. Particularly when I was younger - it was dream of find myself naked in public area. No matter what I did, couldn’t find clothing. All I wanted to figure out was someway to cover up. Can you blush while dreaming?
Here’s thing - and you may never have realized this - but life in Christ is about moving us toward nakedness.
What the heck am I talking about? Let me explain. It’s about moving us toward our true, authentic selves. Everything about us, open, exposed, genuine.
And its absolutely vital, because this is the only way we can experience abundant life of Jesus.
God’s whole intention, his purpose for us, is for us to be in perfect loving relationship with him - and with each other.
That can’t happen if we aren’t our true selves - it’s impossible. Genuine love is to be for other person, who they are. Otherwise, we’re loving (or trying to love) false images of one another.
We were made to be naked, in sense of having full openness toward each other, Genesis 2:24-25
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
Perfectly open and vulnerable to one another - and to God.
No hesitation or worry about sharing any thought, any emotion, any idea, any desire - no fear of being body shamed, or really, shamed in any way. Beautiful, innocent vulnerability.
It’s hard to fathom that level of openness and freedom.
That all came crashing down when they turned away from God
Story is in Genesis 3, they disobeyed God’s one restriction, that they not eat of the fruit of tree of knowledge of good and evil.
As soon as they ate it, immediately - they experienced shame and guilt. Their first instinct was to cover themselves and to hide (which is exactly what they did).
God comes looking for them - God’s never had to search for them before because it never would have dawned on them to hide from God...”Where are you?” God asks.
Listen to Adam’s response, it’s so telling - “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”
There’s something about me that I didn’t want you to see.
Afraid you would condemn me. Mock me. Wound me. Belittle me. Dismiss me.
This is devastating impact of the fall, of our turning away from God and his rule over our lives - deep recognition of our guilt, shame, we feel deeply vulnerable.
Natural reaction is to cover, to hide - and so we do, in all sorts of ways.
Our coverings
Every relational engagement we have, that’s question lurking in our minds and hearts…can I trust you? How much of myself can I reveal to you? Are you safe?
Which is why we all wear masks. Why we reveal only bits of ourselves at time. Why we work so hard to show our good side, parts of us we think people will like and accept. Why we stuff painful experiences, minimize our grief and loss.
Why we hide dirty stuff. Why we keep family secrets.
God’s Uncovering Work
But God is looking for us! He doesn’t want us hiding from him or each other, either!
One of central aspects of the Kingdom of God coming is the great uncovering. Everything hidden brought into the open, Luke 8:17
“For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.”
1 Corinthians 4:5: “The Lord will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart.”
There are no secrets in the Kingdom of God. God’s light shines in every dark corner. No hiding. No masks. Nothing false. We will all be exactly who God made us to be. And everyone will see it.
Albert Brooks made a movie called “Defending Your Life” - comedy about dying, and facing judgment for how you lived your life.
After death, there’s place you go to while you wait for your final review. Review involves sitting in room with judges as scenes from throughout your life are shown onscreen. Not just parts you want seen. Everything. It’s a great uncovering.
Honestly, that would be terrible. There’d be a lot I’d be absolutely cringing over. Sinking down way low in that chair, wanting to hide. Weeping over. Over things that I had done. Thinks I’ve thought. Or things that have been done to me, wounds I don’t want to think about anymore.
The only thing that would make this OK, tolerable, was if I knew, absolutely knew, that no matter what showed on that screen - that I was still absolutely and fully loved. Embraced. Forgiven.
And if knew this wasn’t all for me. That I could be made new.
This is process God wants to work in us now
Vanderstelt - “Become our true selves in the light of God’s grace”. Brokenness covered up is still brokenness. God’s not satisfied with the cover-up. He wants us restored to his original design.
Discipleship is process of restoration.
Bit by bit, as I trust more fully the grace of Jesus, that I will not be rejected or shamed or condemned, but steadfastly loved - I can shed coverings, take the fig leaves off, come out of hiding and stand naked, my true self, before Jesus.
Goal of Jesus is to make me like him, to have heartfelt love for him and for others, to live in his life and love. That’s original design. That can’t happen in secret and with a false front.
This process of restoration happens through relationships - with Jesus and with one another, life on life. We see it in life of Jesus and his disciples.
Life on Life
Jesus and disciples have traveled to area of Caesarea Philippi to get away, this is Gentile territory.
Jesus asks disciples a question - Who do people say the Son of Man is? In other words, who do people think I am?
Jesus begins with a safe question here, it’s easy for us to discuss what others think about something.
Do it all time - it’s removed. We can agree with them, critique their viewpoints. Doesn’t involve us personally.
But then Jesus takes it a step deeper, peeling a layer off, uncovering - who do you say that I am?
That’s a lot more personal. Think about this for disciples - their master, their Rabbi, is asking them, who do you think that I am?
What if I get it wrong? What if I say something that makes me look stupid? There’s risk here when we have to put out our thoughts, our feelings.
As it turns out, Peter answers beautifully, You are the Christ, you are the Son of the Living God.
Jesus affirms his response, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.
But what Jesus does here next is so crucial - because he’s taking disciples deeper, uncovering another layer. He’s never revealed this to them before - what it means for him to be Messiah, True King.
Tells them that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of religious leaders and that he must be killed, put to death, and then, on the third day, raised to life.
It’s hard to imagine how hard this must have been for them to hear - must have been terrible. Jesus was going to be rejected by their Jewish leadership? Not just rejected but executed? That can’t be right.
Not only would this be painful on personal level, but it flies in face of their whole understanding of who the Messiah - the King God had promised to save his people -would be.
In their minds the Messiah was going to be a victorious leader, great king who would conquer their enemies, overthrow the Roman oppressors, restore Israel as a great nation!
The Messiah isn’t supposed to suffer and die!
Peter’s knee-jerk reaction reveals exactly where they are at
You gotta give credit to Peter - he’s bold here. Foolish, but bold. Never, Lord, this will never happen to you! We would never allow that!
In that moment, he thought he was being as faithful and good a disciple as there could be - ready to defend his Master!
Jesus’ rebuke must have been devastating - Get behind me, Satan! Satan means adversary - you’re not being for me, you’re being against me!
And then Jesus really exposes him…You’re not concerned with what God wants, you’re only concerned with what people want. Ouch!
Peter’s mind and heart are a long way off.
Jesus is using this moment to do that uncovering work. He’s got to confront some of that pride Peter is hiding behind. Peter doesn’t know how little he understands.
Peter doesn’t know himself - but Jesus is helping him to see, however difficult that may be.
Life on Life process
This is process, life on life, letting Jesus come more fully into our lives, letting him peel those layers off. Uncover us. All that falseness.
And do you know where this mainly gets revealed? In our relationships with one another.
If sin, fear of exposure is what drives us away, makes us want to hide from others, cover ourselves
then way out of that is to come out of hiding, to move toward others, to uncover
This is what I mean by life on life with Jesus - and with one another. And this is messy and scary part.
Easy to be Christian in my own head. I can worship God alone, out in nature. So much easier.
Problem is, all that stuff inside can stay hidden. I don’t have to deal with it.
It’s in moving toward others, loving real people - your grumpy neighbor, person at church who makes a lot of promises but really is unreliable, family member who has to win every argument, that’s where stuff comes out.
Vanderstelt: “Conflict pushes what’s already in the heart to surface.” Removes facade.
All that junk gets exposed, my impatience. I discover reason I’m so annoyed with that person is because, if I’m honest, they’re a little too much like me, reveal what I don’t like about myself.
Jeff Vanderstelt tells story of time he decided to do a major remodeling project for his house - and decided to ask his missional community (small group) if they would be willing to help out. Turned out to be a much bigger project than he anticipated.
Lots of enthusiasm, but only one person showed up consistently over the next several months - Randy. One time, when it was - again - just Randy and Jeff working. Randy was angry.
Jeff asked, why are you angry? Because no one else is here. Jeff pressed on - why does that make you angry? Because they said they’d be here and they’re not. So you’re angry they didn’t keep their word?…Well, I don’t think that’s it.
Jeff was giving Randy chance to peel through layers, in graceful and loving way. Randy made discovery. The real reason he was angry was that no one was there to notice him. To see all work he was doing.
Jeff used that opportunity to speak truth of who Jesus is to Randy. God notices. He sees your good work. And even if you weren’t here doing this, he still loves you. You don’t have to do good work to gain God’s love. You already have it.
What a great moment of just being exposed, but not for shame or condemnation, but to move more fully, as your true self - with all your brokenness, into love and grace of Jesus.
And these opportunities come all time! I’m on our Board of our Homeowners Association - we have to deal with snow removal for our neighborhood.
Guy we hired was late in coming - didn’t show up until late Thursday afternoon. One of guys on Board, he was frustrated. He’s sending flurry of texts…I’m trying to work on my sermon - he’s ready to act and act now. So, I check the texts, and he’s worked out with another guy on Board that they’re going to fire this guy and hire another one. Done deal.
Now I’m irritated. Wait-a-minute! You can’t just run off making those decisions. My turn to send text. I’m ready to defend our snow plow guy. He’s late one time!
Thankfully, I didn’t. I just expressed fact that we needed to discuss this. We put together a quick conference call - and it soon became evident that we did need to swap services. There was a lot I didn’t now.
I know it was Spirit, slowing me down, down act out of that irritation. But even more so, prompting that question in me…why I was wanting to defend the original guy? Pride. I didn’t like feeling pushed so I got defensive.
Had a conversation next day with guy who was pushing for change - he admitted he was frustrated that I wanted him to slow down. I had to admit I was glad he pushed for change.
This is process of restoration - if we’re willing to open our lives up, to Jesus, to one another.
It’s painful process. Which is why Jesus describes it as death for us.
Whoever wants to be my follower must deny themselves and take up their own cross and follow me.
I think, when Jesus is speaking of denying ourselves, he’s reflecting the fact that in so many ways we are living false selves. Layer of layer of coverings.
But God wants to restore us to our true selves, who he made us to be. In so many ways, we don’t know what that looks like.
St. Augustine has beautiful prayer: “Grant, Lord, that I may know myself in order that I may know you.”
It’s really prayer that God would uncover us. Show us who we really are. Which means showing us all junk, all brokenness we’ve covered over.
But what an amazing thought - that we could stand completely open before God and others, vulnerable - naked - and experience his love and life. Our true selves in light of God’s grace.