"Heart Hurdles" 4th message in series Dinner with a Perfect Stranger

Here are the notes from the message at New Life Community Church for Sunday, April 6, 2014.  Fourth in series DINNER WITH A PERFECT STRANGER, entitled "Heart Hurdles".  If you desire to listen to this message, you may do so by going to our website at www.newlifesite.com.  God bless!

Dinner with a Perfect Stranger, 4                                                                  Sun., Apr. 6, 2014

 “Heart Hurdles”

Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, … and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’  Matthew 22:4 (ESV)

² Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  James 1:2-4 (NIV)

Blaise Pascal:  “The heart has reasons that reason cannot know.”

²¹ And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” ²³ But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶ And he answered, “It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷ She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.  Matthew 15:21-28 (ESV)

1.     God KNOWS.

The story of Hagar and her son Ishmael.  She was badgered by Sarah and finally driven out into the desert.

She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”  Genesis 16:13 (NIV)

One of the worst parts of any trial is ISOLATION.

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”  Job 1:8 (NLT)

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”  Job 2:3 (NLT)

2.     God LIMITS the TRIAL.

“All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.  Job 1:12 (NLT)

“All right, do with him as you please,” the Lord said to Satan. “But spare his life.”  Job 2:6 (NLT)

No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.  I Corinthians 10:13 (Message)

3.     Seek to GROWTH not VINDICATION.

E.M. Bounds:  “The Church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men.” 

One of the hardest lessons is to be MISUNDERSTOOD.  Job had 3 “miserable counselors” (Job 16:2).

4.     The “WHY” isn’t always clear.

C.S. Lewis:  “That is what mortals misunderstand. They say of some temporal suffering, "No future bliss can make up for it" not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory.” 

5.     We EMERGE when we LEARN what God is teaching.

I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.  Job 42:5 (NLT)

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.  Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

The Best People in Town

One Year Bible
New Testament passage for Sunday, April 6, 2014:  Luke 11:37-12:7

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like graves which are not seen, and the men who walk over them are not aware of them.”  Luke 11:44 (NKJV)

Jesus' Strongest Rebukes

Jesus was unrelenting and unflinching in His negative evaluation of outward, hypocritical religion.  His words are scathing.  The strongest rebukes of Jesus' ministry do not go to the Roman invaders, nor to the prostitutes and thieves.  They go to the best people in town -- at least by outward appearance.

It's a warning to us.  The Pharisees started out as sincere as anyone can be.  They fell into a spiritual trap.  They knew their Bible.  They had spiritual mileage under their belts.  They even felt they had sacrificed for their relationship with God.  

The Fatal Flaw

But Jesus exposed their fatal flaw.  They ceased trusting God and began trusting their own pedigree.  As a result, they majored on...

...the SHOWY

Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.  Luke 11:43 (NKJV)  The admiration of others became everything to them.  

...the SINFUL (hidden)

Then the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness.  Luke 11:39 (NKJV)  While looking pure on the outside, they carried dirt on the inside.  

...the SECONDARY

“But woe to you Pharisees! For you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass by justice and the love of God. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.  Luke 11:42 (NKJV)  In Matthew 23:24, Jesus said it another way.  The Pharisees "strained a gnat but swallowed a camel."  It's called selective obedience.

...the SYMBOLIC

When the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that He had not first washed before dinner.  Luke 11:38 (NKJV)  Ceremonial washings were symbolic of something deeper.  If you separate the ritual from what it stands for, you are left with lifeless religion.

Religion Stinks

Clean and unclean were huge in Old Testament Judaism.  In an endeavor to be the cleanest people in town, the Pharisees became the dirtiest.  It was not outwardly obvious, but underneath the slick exterior was a stinky interior.  Jesus said it was like an unmarked grave.  

Old Testament law (Num. 19:11-22) stated that anyone touching a dead body or a grave became unclean -- unable to enter worship until ceremonially cleansed.  The Pharisees were like a walking graveyard, defiling everything they touched.

We Need Cleansing

Have you ever stepped in dog dookie and didn't know it?  The smell follows you around.  That's something like the Pharisees' condition.  They carried to stink of religion -- the smell of "unclean" -- all the while thinking they were the best people in town.

The answer to hypocritical religion is heart-felt relationship with God.  Like David, we pray, "Cleanse me, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow" (Ps. 51:7)

Nature Abhors a Vacuum

One Year Bible
New Testament passage for Saturday, April 5, 2014:  Luke 11:14-36

24 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ 25 And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. 26 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.”  Luke 11:24-25 (NKJV)

"Nature abhors a vacuum."  So postulated the ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle. If this is true in the natural world, it is also true in the spiritual.  Nothing is as dangerous as an empty soul.

Jesus tells the tough story of a man who only majored in the NEGATIVES.  First off, the poor guy is under demonic attack.  A bit of good news comes his way.  He gets set free.  Delivered!

The expelled demon wanders aimlessly around for a while but decides to re-visit his old home.  The demon finds the former house "swept and in order."  EMPTY!    With delight, the demon decides to throw a party -- a house warming (no pun intended), and invites seven of his fellow demons.

In the end, the man is worse off than at the start.  Even though he had a powerful deliverance and, for a while, was FREE, he ends up more demonized than ever.

The man is a picture of people who go HALF WAY.  They only deal with getting bad things OUT OF their life, but never go on to getting good things INTO their life.

True Christianity is not built on NEGATIVES.  It is not a matter of what you stop doing.  It is a matter of what you start doing.

Paul addresses this in Ephesians 5:18 when he says, "And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit."  The first part is NEGATIVE:  don't get drunk!  But the more important instruction comes next:  Be filled with the Spirit.  That's POSITIVE.

Nothing is as dangerous as an empty soul.  Men and women everywhere are constantly striving to fill the void (vacuum) inside.  Life can be a succession of swapping one addiction for another.  The end result is never satisfying.

It really doesn't matter how many wonderful spiritual experiences you have had in the past.  What is filling your soul today?  If you fill it up with the love of God, with truth and light, with peace like a river, God says He will give you more of the same.  If you remain empty, just remember: nature abhors a vacuum.

Jesus sets a table before us and invites us, "Come, eat and drink to the full!"

Distracted or Devoted

One Year Bible
New Testament passage for Friday, April 4, 2013:  Luke 10:38-11:13

38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’[a]feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”  41 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”  Luke 10:38-42 (NKJV)

Priorities are a constant battle. Books and seminars abound helping us sort out the best use of time, talents, and treasures. The complexity of life can leave us confused, disjointed, and disconnected.  Our frenetic, frantic pace takes its toll.

By definition, a priority is something that ranks above all others in terms of importance. It comes first. Because of the pressures of job, finances, or obligations, many people feel they no longer get to choose their time. It's one unbending demand after another.

The Bible speaks a lot about priorities. If ever it were so, we need now to hear God's wisdom about this. Luke gives us a marvelous story about two women who are really one -- Martha and Mary.  I say they are one because I find something of Martha and something of Mary in each of us.

Jesus arrives in Bethany to be welcomed by these two sisters.  With enthusiasm, they receive Him into their home.  Two different personalities immediately arise within these sisters. Martha is a blur of activity preparing the house -- preparing the meal -- making sure everything is right.  Meanwhile, her little sister is sitting over to the side doing a little Bible study.  Mary is engaged in prayer time and spiritual enrichment while her sister is busting a gut trying to pull off a decent supper.

The obvious lesson Jesus teaches out of this story is that Mary, not Martha, has her priorities straight.  He actually scolds Martha for being so "worried and troubled" (vs. 41).  He commends Mary for choosing "the good part" (vs. 42).

What does this mean? Martha's diligence is certainly commendable. She is a WORKER. Without her, there is no meal.  Nothing gets done. The issue, however is not her ACTIVITY, but her ATTITUDE.  Thank God for the folks who "find a need and fill it."  Praise God for those responsible individuals who don't wait to be commanded what to do, but instead grab hold.

Martha's trap, however, was a "martyr complex."  She got angry because "Miss Spiritual" (Mary) was over there enjoying sitting on her blessed assurance while she (Martha) was working her head off.

I find in the story of Martha and Mary a picture of the church today. One part (some say 20%) are doing all the work.  Meanwhile, the other part (perhaps 80%) are enjoying the music, amen-ing the preaching, and getting their spiritual needs met. The truth is that there MUST be something of Martha and something of Mary in every one of us.

A simple description of this short story is DEVOTED OR DISTRACTED. Martha got so "distracted" (vs 40) by her activities that her attitude went sour. She became so tied up in making the meal, she forgot Who it was for.

Mary comes off looking good in this story. She sat "at the Lord's feet, listening to His word" (vs. 39). She is an example to us of laser focus on seeing and savoring the Savior. She could say with David, "One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord  all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord" (Psalm 27:4).  She was a sponge in Jesus' presence.

We need a combination of Mary and Martha.  This cannot be either/or but rather both/and.  To Martha, Paul speaks in Colossians, "And whatever you do, do it HEARTILY, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward..." (Col 3:23-24).  To Mary, Paul speaks in Titus: while we gaze upon the blessed hope and enjoy His grace, realize that Jesus saved us "to purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works" (Titus 2:14).

Our first priority is to the Lord. He really wants us to sit at His feet. This does not mean that we leave needed jobs undone. It means we tithe of our time, we step aside for a moment, we calm down long enough to love Him and hear Him. We listen.

We are all called to do far more than is humanly possible.  We need to power of God to perform at the level needed. The attitude of Martha will only lead to defeat or cynicism. If you and I will get into the presence of Jesus to "behold the beauty of the Lord", it will be power to prepare the best meal we ever cooked. That's the way Jesus wants it. Martha and Mary are really one person -- you and me.

"Hard to Believe" 3rd message in the series DINNER WITH A PERFECT STRANGER

Here are the notes from the message at New Life Community Church, Sunday, March 30, 2014.  Third message in the series DINNER WITH A PERFECT STRANGER.  Entitled "Hard to Believe".  If you would like to listen to this message, you may do so by going to our website at www.newlifesite.com.  God bless!

Dinner with a Perfect Stranger, Part 3                                                                     Sun., Mar. 30, 2014

 “Hard to Believe”

Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, … and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.”’  Matthew 22:4 (ESV)

“Questions”

1.     The Offer of FORGIVENESS.

2.     The PERSON of JESUS.

3.     RELATIONSHIP rather than RULES.

4.     DO vs. DONE.

“Good Enough”

Question No. 1: What’s the problem?

Question No. 2:  How can BAD be made GOOD?

Question No. 3:  Who measures up?

Question No. 4:  What must I do?

Hard to Believe

Next week:  Heart Hurdles

²³ Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  ²⁴ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”  Mark 9:23-24 (NKJV)

Chair No. 1:  CONVINCED – “I believe”

Chair No. 2:  QUESTIONING – “I don’t know”

Chair No. 3:  CYNICAL – “I don’t believe”

Movie Clip:  The Bucket List

Convinced

For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.  II Timothy 1:12 (NASB)

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,  I Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Questioning

Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.  I Kings 18:21 (NLT)

²⁵ But Paul said, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus, but I am speaking true and rational words. ²⁶ For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner. ²⁷ King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you believe.” ²⁸ And Agrippa said to Paul, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” Acts 26:25-28 (ESV)

Cynical

P. 61.

I leaned back and folded my arms. 

Nick:  “And to be honest, I really don’t believe that God asks people just to take a blind leap of faith about him.”

Jesus:  “You’re right.  He doesn’t.  That’s what the world’s religions do.”

Nick:  “What’s the difference between them and what you’re saying?”

Jesus:  “About one hundred eighty degrees.  In this case God gives proof before he expects faith. ….”

Nick:  “But Jesus is the same.  What evidence is there that Jesus was God?”

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, ² which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, ³ concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh ⁴ and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,  Romans 1:1-4 (ESV)

¹⁶ For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.  II Peter 1:16 (NKJV)

Top 10 Objections:

1.      Christians are hypocrites.

2.      What about all the atrocities Christians have committed?

Religious wars, crusades, Spanish Inquisition, condoning slavery, burning witches, colonialism, repression, genocide…

P. 68

Nick:  Why has Christianity been such a mixed bag?

Jesus:  Several reasons.  Most of the people who have done these things didn’t really know me.  They have been outwardly religious, but they weren’t mine.

3.      Religion is a crutch.

Karl Marx:  Religion is the opiate of the masses. 

4.      Believing Jesus is the only way is narrow-minded.

5.      Being a good person is all that matters anyway.

6.      What about the millions who have never heard about Jesus?

7.      The Bible is full of contradictions and errors.

8.      If God is so good, why is there so much evil in the world?

9.      Why is there suffering?

10.  How can a loving God send people to an eternal hell?

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”  ²⁸ “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.  ²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”  John 20:27-29 (NLT)

³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; ³¹ but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.  John 20:30-31 (ESV)

Casting Out Demons

One Year Bible
New Testament passage for Saturday, March 29, 2014:  Luke 8:22-39

26 Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs.  Luke 8:26-27 (NKJV)

The Need of Our Day

Casting out demons is one of the most dramatic aspects of Jesus' ministry.  It is also one of the most controversial.  Doubters relegate it to the realm of myth citing psychology and antiquated culture.  Even believers wonder why demon activity is rarely seen or addressed in the church today at the level of the New Testament.  When it is addressed, the surroundings seem far from the objective glare of public accountability.  It tends toward the hidden weirdness of backstreet hucksters.  "Come out, foul demon of nicotine!"

We look for a modern equivalent of the ministry we see in Jesus and the apostles.  I believe a public demonstration of validated deliverance ministry lies ahead .  And when it hits, it will be as dramatic as it was in the days of Jesus.

Jesus' Most Powerful Deliverance Story

One story stands out from all the rest in terms of the power of Jesus' ability to deliver men from the grip of Satan.  It is the Gadarene demoniac.  After enduring a life-threatening sea-voyage, Jesus and the twelve arrive on the east shore of the Sea of Galilee. Out of a graveyard runs a naked crazy man shouting at Jesus. The ensuing power encounter verges on the bizarre.  It includes a relatively lengthy conversation with a demon who gives his name and negotiates an exit strategy into a herd of pigs.  It is one of the most dramatic "before-and-after" stories in Jesus' ministry. The crazy man is set free from demonic bondage and we find him "sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind." (Luke 8:35)

You would think such a miracle would sky-rocket Jesus' popularity.  Instead, He is feared and ostracized to the point that residents of the region demand He leave their country.

Some Observations...

This incredible story deserves careful analysis, but space only allows a few observations here:

1.  Demons are real.

This should not seem strange or wacked-out.  It is not only a biblical reality, it is a spiritual force that confronts each of us regularly.

2.  Demonic activity, at times, concentrates and intensifies in certain individuals.  

Satan does not play fair.  This unnamed man was the object of almost unbelievable personal attack.  The lead-demon's name was Legion (we never learn the name of the man).  Most commentators agree the name Legion indicates a Roman military legion which numbers between 2 and 6 thousand!  Since the pig herd was "about two thousand" (Mk. 5:13), it is safe to assume this poor man was inhabited by multiple thousands of demonic beings!

Why does one human being become the magnet for massive attack, while others seem unaffected?  We have no simple answer, but we must acknowledge the reality.

3.  Satan's objective is human destruction.

Just look at the condition of this man.  It had been "a long time" since he had put on any clothes. Nakedness is always associated with shame.  Since Eden, human beings have felt the need to cover themselves (Gen. 3:7).  Nakedness also speaks of sexual sin which is always the result of unbridled lewdness.

This man lived in a graveyard.  He was more at home among the dead than the living.  He cut himself with sharp objects and lived in constant torment.  Not natural restraints (chains) could hold him.

He is a description to us of what Satan wants -- death, misery, and pain upon all those who bear the image of God.

4.  Deliverance always has an environment.

We cannot here answer all the questions about the pig herd and why Jesus negotiated with the demons.  We can however say that the deliverance of this one man was somehow associated with an entire region.

When one man or woman gets truly set free, it can change a city.  When a husband or father finds liberation in Christ, his entire family will feel the reverberations.  When anyone breaks rank with the kingdom of darkness, the shock waves can rumble through the neighborhood with surprising results.

We Win!

One last point, Jesus never ran after demons.  He simply went about His duties of serving the Father, and demons cried out in His presence.  We do not need to become demon hunters.  But, we must be ready for their reality -- and not surprised when they show up.  This is not fascinating stuff -- it is warfare stuff -- and we win!

In Jesus' name, all demonic activity must cease and desist -- even the most dramatic.  It must go.  This is the authority of the Name of Jesus, and it has been given to us, the church of the living God.