Our Independence

We often look at others asking the question, why are they so caught up in the things they are caught up in? Most of the time this focus is directed at those who are on drugs, or alcoholics, or kids who get glued to video games. However, we hardly ever look at the person who works more than they should. We will look at the person who is caught in their cellphones most of the day scrolling their social media pages, but not the person who has their nose in a book. We will hear the songs from today and cast judgment, all the while listening to the songs from our high school glory days. We won’t hear the same hidden message being spouted while we say “they don’t write music like this anymore.” This is a new realization for me, I like most music pre 90’s, and recently I have begun to realize that the messaging is the same. We get so caught up with looking at others' faults that we don’t recognize the similar patterns playing over and over again throughout time. We don’t recognize that reading on our cellphones and reading the same content in a book can deliver the same knowledge. We also don’t seem to recognize that reading a book can be unhealthy if it takes priority over certain things like God and family. But we will call out people who may be reading the same content on their cellphones, tablets or e-readers. We refuse to recognize that popular music tends to have the same messages within its lyrics, either explicitly or implicitly. Nikki Minaj in our current era, the Bloodhound Gang in the 90s, or even Chantilly Lace (oh baby you know what I like) by Big Bopper back in 1958 are seemingly singing about the same thing, or one of my favourite songs, a Hank Williams Sr. classic it goes like this

“Say hey, good lookin', what you got cookin'?

How's about cookin' somethin' up with me?”

She must be some good cook, they’re probably cooking some good cabbage roll or something, huh?

The only difference between today’s popular culture message and yesterday's popular culture message is one is explicit and one was implicit. The message is all the same. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy listening to music as much as the next guy. In my case, I will turn on classic rock, or some good old country and listen to some great artists gone by. But it seems to me sometimes we get so caught up in what the kids are doing nowadays that we forget to look at ourselves. Now let me slide a disclaimer in here. Youth the music that the likes of Nikki Minaj put out is not women empowerment as some articles would have you believe, her music and others similar to her music is nothing short of encouraging dangerous, toxic, and unhealthy relationships. If a man (or a boy) is trying to treat you the way that this music is suggesting a relationship should look, you should be evaluating this relationship. Let me say this one thing and then we will carry on, young men look to Godly men as examples of how to be husbands. If you’re not sure what that looks like look to Jesus’ example in the Bible on what he does for the church. Young women, get so lost in God that if a guy wants to be in a relationship with you he’ll need to find Jesus first before he can find you.

So back to my main message. Why did I choose such a hard one? Because through the ages it's been the same thing over and over again. Last generation finding fault with the next generation while ignoring the faults that they were a part of. This doesn’t excuse the upcoming generation, like the last generations they are prone to becoming a slave to what's popular in their generational context. We all need to re-evaluate the things we are tied to, whether books, music, movies, shows, etc. We like to say that we are a free people. But are we truly independent? Or are we slaves to the things we love? What would happen if you took the one thing you like doing every day and you didn’t do it for a whole month? And during that time you dedicated your time to furthering God’s kingdom? Only you know what you like doing.

Do you think you could do it?

Are you truly independent?

I know for some this doesn’t even sink in because books, music, movies, shows, etc are not a problem for you. But you do have something else that is getting in the way of your relationship with God and that is your worries. You get so worried and anxious about who likes you, and who doesn’t. You get worried about your job security, or maybe your lack of having a job at all. Sometimes worrying enters your dreams.

Chelsea used to strategies through different scenarios as a child about what to do in what instance. If the house was on fire she would do this, but if the fire was over here she would do that. If one of the planes at the airforce base would slam into their little PMQ home she would do this, that or the other thing (this would of course be dependant on her survival, obviously) then after and only after she had strategized through every possible scenario of saving her family from their theoretical impending doom she would be able to go to sleep. This can be rather unhealthy as well. Don’t get me wrong, it can be a great thing to have someone in your life with a contingency plan for everything, but if you are heavily dependent on your contingency plan covering every possible outcome, what happens when you aren't able to plan for the unexpected? What happens when you're worrying about everything? In the end, did it protect you from the impending doom you thought you had strategized for? Well, now next time you will be even more prepared because now you are just going to worry more. Question. Are you independent? Are you free? Do you feel free? Or are you a slave inside your own mind?

Here is the thing. The things that occupy your time may very well be a blessing from God. But when you hang onto them and don’t give them up to the glory of God to further his kingdom, they only become weights that hold you down and in the end, wear you out.

Imagine for a second you are making your way through this hectic life, and things are spinning around, your life feels so out of control you grab at anything that gives you familiarity, the problem is these things start weighing you down, but you don’t want to let go of them because they provide you so much familiarity that you don’t want to put them down. Then as you are clinging to these things you find Jesus. He leads you to the closest safe place, which happens to be the eye of the storm, he encourages you to put these down and instead follow Him. You have a choice, hang onto the things that are familiar to you and try to find security in that, or let go of everything you know and love, trusting it to the care of God and following Jesus. What would you do? Are you a slave to the things you find familiar or are you independent enough to let it all go before you have to re-enter the storm? Let's look at

Matthew 19:16–30 NLT

Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “ ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is very hard for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. I’ll say it again—it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?” Jesus replied, “I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.

With hearing this I ask you again, are you prepared to give up everything you find security in to follow Jesus? When we accept Jesus into our hearts we must be willing to let go of everything that may get in the way of our relationship with him.

Matthew 6:19-34 says this

Matthew 6:19–34 NLT

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. “Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is! “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

We can’t serve two masters. We can’t love money and serve God, and we can’t worry about tomorrow and seek the Kingdom of God. We must let go of the things that are weighing us down and cling to our Lord and Saviour who is Jesus Christ. We must be willing to forgive others and move on, we must be willing to look past the things that we may see as “unclean” but others see as perfectly fine. We must avoid falling back into our own vices in the name of our own sanctification. We are warned in

Galatians 5:13–15 NLT

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.

We even see Peter being warned not to hurt his relationship with others because of his lawful opinion on other people's faith in

Acts 10:28–29 NLT

Peter told them, “You know it is against our laws for a Jewish man to enter a Gentile home like this or to associate with you. But God has shown me that I should no longer think of anyone as impure or unclean. So I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. Now tell me why you sent for me.”

We don’t have a foot to stand on when looking at others as impure or unclean, we are not the judge of others as we see Peter proclaim in

Acts 10:42–43 NLT

And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

We as humans tend to judge rather quickly, and it places a wedge between us and those who God has called us to serve. If you know this story well you will remember that God had said to Peter in verse 15 But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” Paul even warns us from getting so caught up in acting out against each other that we forget about who we are really following in 1 Cor. 3. I want to make this clear. I have said it in the past and I will say it again, if a brother or sister in Christ is sinning we should approach them in Christ and address that sin. It says as much in

Galatians 6:1–2 NLT

Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.

But when calling out the sin becomes our goal in life, and living for Christ begins to take a second place to your self-righteousness, you are no longer productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Don’t believe me? ... read

2 Peter 1:8–9 NLT

The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins.

So are you independent? Are you Independent from yourself? Are you independent from judging others, from worrying about things you shouldn’t worry about, or even from clinging to things that just weigh you down?

Jesus makes this unique judgement and prayer in Matthew 11 at the end of the chapter. He passes judgment on the cities that he had done the most work in but they refused to repent, letting go of their ways that they found the most comfort in. Let's turn there to wrap this up

Matthew 11:20–30 NLT

Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead. For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.” At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

We tend to come into situations with our elbows out impacting as many people as we can, not considering the consequences of that person's relationship with Jesus because of how we acted. Most times we don’t care about forming a relationship with the person, we just speak acidic “truth”. Jesus speaks truth in love, and through love speaks the truth. We as Christians need to do the same, we need to form a relationship with those around us, and only after we form that relationship will we know how to speak the truth in love to that person.

If you have been hurt by the church, I pray you would recognize that the church is made up of hurting and imperfect people, I pray you would allow Jesus to tell you who Jesus is, and recognize that we cannot get it perfectly right every time in our human ways. I pray that you would recognize a need to know this Jesus who can give you rest and make your burden light. This Jesus who can forgive your past transgressions and give you eternal life. I pray that this day as you have been listening to these words I have been speaking you have heard his calling on your heart. Jesus is calling. Come to this Alter with me. Find freedom from the things that weigh you down, through the blood of Jesus Christ.

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