The Power of the Kingdom (Matthew 12.15-28)

Introduction

I once asked a friend who had been reading Tolstoy’s epic novel War and Peace what the book was all about. And he replied to me “Well, it’s about… war and peace really.” Ask a silly question…

In the same way the Gospels are basically about the gospel, meaning good news. But in Matthew 24.14 Jesus didn’t call the gospel “the gospel”. He called it the gospel of the kingdom. If ever you read the four Gospels looking out for what it says about the kingdom of God you see immediately that it is a major, major theme.

It was, in fact Jesus’ first ever message. At the beginning of his public ministry Matthew 4.17 says “Jesus began to preach, ‘Repent, [do a U-turn in the way you’re living your life] for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’”

It wasn’t just his first ever message, it was also Jesus’ favourite subject of all. In Matthew 13.34 it says “Jesus… did not say anything to them without using a parable.” And those parables began with these words: “The kingdom of heaven is like… a net, buried treasure, a mustard seed, a sower, a pearl, two sons…”

When the disciples asked him how to teach them to pray he said, “Pray this; Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven.”

How do you get into the kingdom of God? Well, he told us. He said it is easy if you are humble and have simple faith. “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom.”

What stops you getting into it? He talked about that too. He said that the kingdom is tricky to get into if you are consumed by wealth and possessions. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

So the kingdom of God was Jesus’ first message, his favourite subject - and his last word. In Acts 1.3 it says this; “After his suffering, [Jesus] presented himself to [his disciples] and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about… the kingdom of God.”

If the kingdom is important for Jesus it better be important to us too.

The kingdom of God basically means wherever God reigns, wherever God rules. Where God’s will prevails, his kingdom is present.

Where God’s standards are upheld his kingdom is present.

Where society is blessed by Christians living like Jesus bringing justice and healing and peace the kingdom has come.

Two Kingdoms, Not One

But what today’s reading tells us is that there is not just one kingdom, but two – and that one is much more powerful than the other. There is a kingdom that is just and that brings life to the dying and release to the oppressed. And there is another kingdom, or realm, that is evil and dark and which is implacably opposed to God. These kingdoms are in opposition to one another, they clash and collide.

Next weekend Kathie and I are going down to London for a memorial service for the vicar who married us; Owen Thomas. He was a really godly man and he went to be with the Lord in December.

We had a friend for supper on Friday who we know from our time in London. We were talking about Owen and she told us a story that remains the most vivid memory she has of him. Her flatmate’s parents had been to the Far East on holiday and had brought her back a religious charm, a prayer wheel, as a gift.

It became clear to them quite soon that, for reasons they couldn’t explain, the room in which the prayer wheel was placed began to have the feel of a cold, evil presence. They were both intelligent, rational trainee doctors. But there was a feeling of oppression and darkness which quite scared them.

They phoned Owen to ask him to come and do something – and to show you that it wasn’t just a whim, it was 11:30 at night. You don’t phone someone to come out at midnight unless you’re sure something is serious. Owen picked up the phone, said he was in bed but awake and would come as soon as he could.

When he arrived he was shown to the room. He knew immediately what it was, picked it up and said “This is nothing. The blood of Jesus is stronger than all other spiritual authority and power.” He opened the prayer wheel and took out a small parchment on which something was written.

He burned the parchment, prayed around the room, and immediately the sense of the presence of evil lifted. He put the prayer wheel back on the mantelpiece and said “that’s just a wooden object now, nothing more, nothing less.” My friend and her flatmate never felt that evil, cold, oppressive presence again.

I’m telling you that story because it shows quite eloquently that evil spiritual forces are not just in the imagination; they are absolutely real. We can become quite sceptical about the paranormal – and it’s true that there are plenty of dubious frauds out there. I mean, think about it, why do you think you never see the headline Psychic Wins Lottery?

But the Bible teaches that evil spiritual powers are quite real. I don’t think you can adequately explain the horrors of paedophile rings, human trafficking, black magic rituals or tragedies like the school siege in Beslan or Jamie Bulger’s murder any other way.

I’ve personally witnessed several cases of demon possession and deliverance in my time as a church leader - five since I’ve been here - and unless there are some really talented amateur actors in the general public, it is all absolutely authentic.

The Incident with the Pharisees

Nevertheless, when we read passages like the one in Matthew 12 it seems strange to us doesn’t it? What does it mean when it says “a bruised reed he will not break”? Who’s Beelzebul? What’s all this about Satan driving out Satan?

It is strange to us. We are separated by 2,000 years of elapsed time and 2,500 miles distance; we have a vast cultural gulf (even today between the Middle East and Middle England there’s not much in common) and some things get lost in translation because this has come to us from Aramaic to Greek to English. No wonder it feels a bit otherworldly.

So let me try and explain the context here so we can understand the situation better.

We’re following Jesus through the Galilee region, surrounded by crowds wherever he goes, and heading south towards Nazareth, the town where he grew up. His twelve disciples have been with him a while now and you’ve got to feel sorry for these blokes. I bet when Jesus said in chapter 4, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men and women,” they probably thought, “Oh, fishing; this sounds good.”

But it didn’t take long for them to realise that Jesus’ idea of a fishing trip is a bit different to theirs. They’ve had little but confrontation, trouble and danger and now there’s a dispute about demon possession and who’s allowed to do what.

This might surprise you but exorcisms were quite common in the Holy Land in the 1st Century. It wasn’t just Jesus and his entourage who cast out evil spirits. There were Jewish exorcists who successfully drove out demons too.

Historical research shows that they used incantations, or formulas of words, that featured the names of illustrious or revered people. So they never did this under their own authority. The Jews, for example, sometimes used Solomon’s name or Jonah’s name when they dealt with incidents such as this. (That’s probably why Matthew quotes Jesus comparing himself to both Jonah and Solomon later in this chapter - affirming that he is greater than both. It’s worth reading up on that when you get the time).

Anyway, in the culture of Jesus’ day, to act directly against evil spirits without invoking the name of someone illustrious or revered, greater than yourself, was considered to be witchcraft or sorcery. The punishment in the Law for witchcraft and sorcery was death.

So when it says in v14 that the Pharisees started to plot amongst themselves about how they might assassinate Jesus you can see that this whole dispute was part of their conspiracy to get Jesus killed; they were falsely accusing him of a capital crime.

Why were they so ticked off with Jesus? They can see the writing on the wall. They are agitated because Jesus is such a threat to their system; he isn’t like anybody else. He’s pulling crowds that are no longer listening to them very much. People are listening to him and not them because he speaks with authority and they don’t.

So they accuse him publicly of being an agent of the devil and of working counterfeit miracles. Jesus easily exposes the deficient logic of their argument.

Verse 25: Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom [there it is, Satan has a kingdom too] stand? And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, [that is, another name for the devil himself] by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

What does that mean? Let me try and explain by telling a little joke that will make you groan. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were getting cold, so they lit a fire in their boat. Not surprisingly it sank, proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

All right, terrible pun, but Jesus is making the same point really. Why would anyone light a fire in a boat they are sitting in and thus sink it? Nobody! And why would Satan, dull though he is, shoot himself in the foot? By attacking his own troops he’s only weakening his army. What would be the point of that?

“But,” says Jesus, “if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come among you.” Or, in the Message version, “if it's by God's power that I am sending the evil spirits packing, then God's kingdom is here for sure.”

1 Corinthians 4.20 says that the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. The kingdom advances with power when God brings healing, deliverance, when he unties the bonds of sin and oppression and sets people free. The kingdom of God does not advance by endlessly talking in circles in committees.

Bruised Reeds and Smouldering Wicks

But the might and strength of the awesomely great kingdom of God are not just about power encounters against strong forces of evil.

Verses 18-21 show that the way the kingdom comes in power, not talk, is sometimes surprising. Verse 20 says this about Jesus:

“A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.”

A bruised reed is a picture of brokenness and powerlessness – it’s about people who have been beaten up and damaged by the effects of sin. They are broken by life, crushed in heart and mind; hopeless and lost in their own wrong choices and traumatised by the sins of others.

Jesus doesn’t just say “there, there, cheer up” to bruised reeds. He doesn’t break bruised reeds, he mends them. Because the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

Sin slowly saps the life out of us. In the end it separates us forever from the love of God. That is Satan’s agenda for your life and mine. A bruised reed is a picture of something that is not just fragile but beyond repair. It is useless. You can’t make music with it. You can’t build anything with it. You can’t bind it and hope that it will grow solid again.

Jesus doesn’t just say “look, you’re beyond the pale now” to bruised reeds. He doesn’t break bruised reeds, he restores them. Because the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

The bruised reed is a picture of damaged lives – but it’s also a picture of each and every one of us apart from Christ. All of us, without Christ, were lost, broken, and without hope. We cannot repair ourselves or save our own souls.

The second picture is of a smouldering wick. A candle wick that smoulders is not completely dead, but it is dying. A smouldering wick no longer produces much light. The flame it once held is almost gone. What is left is only a pale reflection of the glory it once had. A little smoke and a faint flicker of light are all that remain.

It’s an image of a heart that has lost its passion, a soul that was once glowing with faith, a life that was burning brightly with the radiance of Christ – but now that first love for the Lord has dimmed.

The smouldering wick is someone who has become sidetracked by the business of life and has drifted away from God. All that holiness and devotion of young faith has diminished and now the full flame has all but gone out. Now there’s doubt and discouragement.

Smouldering wicks can burn again, but they need a bit of attention. They need a re-kindling. They need the breath of the Spirit to blow once again upon them to fan into the flame the light that once burned more brightly.

Jesus doesn’t just say “look, this candle has had it” to smouldering wicks. He doesn’t snuff out dying lights, he rekindles them. Because the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

Ending

Every person we meet in the street also could be described as a bruised reed or a smouldering wick. Life beats you down, and sin snuffs out the life of God. Some of us here this morning feel that they are bruised reeds and smouldering wicks.

In fact, in a sense, we all are. Everyone starts out lost in their sins and dead to God. And all of us who have put our trust in Christ battle sometimes against a diminishing of the flame of our faith. These verses are about you and about me.

And Jesus will not break a bruised reed. He comes to bind up the broken hearted. He will not snuff out a smouldering wick. He comes to bring new life and spiritual renewal.

It is not a matter of talk, but of power. So why don’t I stop talking and let’s make plenty of space for prayer ministry after Communion…


Sermon preached at All Saints' Preston on Tees, 27th February 2011

Faith (Romans 4.17-22)

As we were praying last Sunday afternoon, I felt that God directed me to a passage in Romans 4. It’s about Abraham and how God did amazing things in his life. It basically says at the lowest point in his life, at the moment when he felt more hopeless than any other, at the time when his outlook was most gloomy and bleak, something happened that turned his world around. I want to read the passage to you now.

[Abraham] is the father of us all. As it is written [in Genesis 17.5]: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him [in Genesis 15.5], “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.”

Sometimes people say “I haven’t got very much faith,” or “I haven’t got a strong faith.” Have you ever said that? There have been times when I have felt like that especially when I have really big challenges before me. Some people say that they don’t have any faith at all.

But in fact, everyone has faith. Do you agree with that?

Think with me a moment…

· Some people have faith in themselves. They have incredible self-belief and assurance in their own abilities. We call that egoism.

· Some people have faith in human progress. They say that humanity is constantly evolving and improving. We are attaining an ever-increasingly sophisticated level. We call that secular humanism.

· Some people have faith in science and rational logic. They say that everything can be explained by scientific enquiry and some of them ridicule faith in God as childish and superstitious - like belief in Father Christmas and fairies. We call that atheism.

· Some people, believe it or not, have faith in politicians. This is usually strongest during an election campaign or when an election has just been won and optimism is high. Remember the wave of euphoria when Tony Blair and Barack Obama came to power. Look at them now. Faith in politicians usually morphs into cynicism.

Everyone has faith in something. The question is this; is your faith the right kind of faith?

The kind of faith the Bible talks about in Romans 4 is a particular type of faith. In Greek, the word translated “faith” basically means a conviction about or a confidence in the truthfulness of God. A conviction about or a confidence in the truthfulness of God.

There’s a story about a Baptist, a Catholic and an Anglican arriving at heaven's gate, and they ask if they can come in. Peter says, "Yes, you can come in if you can answer one question: I want to know who you think Jesus is."

So the Baptist says, "Well, Paul said in Ephesians 1 that Jesus is..." and Peter interrupts, "I didn't ask you what Paul thinks. I'm sorry but you can't come in."

The Catholic goes next, "Who is Jesus? Well, Papal encyclical of 1598, n°64b says that Jesus is..." and Peter stops him again, "Ah, ah, ah; I didn't ask you what the Pope thinks. Sorry, you can't come in."

So it's the Anglican's turn and he says, "I think that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God..." "Great!" says Peter, "you can come in!" Then the Anglican continues his sentence, "...but on the other hand..."

None of the three had a conviction about or a confidence in the truthfulness of God.

In Romans 4 Abraham is called the father of all who believe. What does that mean? It’s a bit like calling a really bad pile up on the motorway “the mother of all road accidents.” It sort of means that Abraham is the epitome, the essence, the example par excellence of what faith is about.

A conviction about or a confidence in the truthfulness of God means having the kind of faith that God has. Did you know God has faith? Sounds a bit strange doesn’t it?

But when you read Romans 4.7 I think you’ll see what I mean.

Verse 17 talks about the God who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that were not. That’s God’s faith. God calls into existence things that were not. That means that God speaks out, by faith, and something which didn’t exist, which wasn’t there, comes into being so it is there and does exist.

Let’s think about that for a moment. You could say that the chair you’re sitting on is red. Well, let’s say I call it green. If I did that you’d probably ignore me for a while, but when you realised I was serious, you’d probably get a bit annoyed and say, “Look, John, it’s a red chair. Don’t be silly.” And I could still say, “I don’t care what you think, I am telling you that I call it green, so it’s green.” You’d probably conclude that I needed a long lie down - and you’d be right.

That’s not faith. That’s folly. Faith isn’t the same as folly. But when God calls a red chair green, it is green. His word actually effects change.

Check that out. Remember Genesis 1? God says “Let there be light,” and instantly the universe is born in a spectacular bang. In a fraction of a second there are galaxies forming everywhere in a rapidly expanding cosmos and there really is light.

Here’s another example. In Matthew 8, Jesus looks at a leper, covered in sores and with skin flaking off in lumps, with dirty bandages holding disintegrating limbs together. But when Jesus says “Be clean, be healed” then instantly, by his powerful word, the leper’s skin becomes clean, soft, smooth and healthy.

God’s word, spoken in faith, effects change.

In the story referred to in Romans 4, Abraham, a nobody from a nowhere place at a nothing time in history, was getting on in years when God said these words to him,  

"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

When God said that Abraham was 75 years old and his wife Sarah was decades beyond the menopause. And yet he believed that he would start a family with her and that that family would have many, many, many descendants.

What did that faith look like? Well, let me tell you a little story to show what it didn’t look like.

A young woman is introducing her new fiancé to her wealthy parents. After eating together, her father invites the young man to have a private chat.

“Now then,” he says, “what are your plans as you start out together?” The young man says “Well, I really want to go to Bible College for three years and study theology.”

So the father says, “That’s great, but what plans have you made about where you’re going to live so you can provide for my daughter a comfortable home?” “Oh,” he says, “I’ll be too busy studying the Word of God to go out to work, but we’ll live by faith. Don’t worry, God… will… provide.”

“I see,” says the father, “but how are you going to afford to do that if children come along?” “Oh, I haven’t thought about that, but I don’t think that will be a problem, God… will… provide.”

A little later his wife asks him what she thinks of their future son-in-law. “Well,” he says, “he’s got no job, he’s got no money and he thinks I’m God!”

The sort of faith God is looking for is not presumption based on vague hopes. God is looking for faith that is anchored and rooted in the promises of his Word.

Faith is not a feeling either. With Abraham, it wasn’t “I know, it might be nice to be a dad one day so I’m believing God for a miracle.” No, this was a measured, calculated response to a promise from God.

In Genesis 17.5 God says to him “I have made you a father of many nations.” It is interesting that God says “I have made you” because, at that time, his son had not yet been born or even conceived.

For God the promise is so certain, so sure, so guaranteed, that it was as if it had already happened. So Abraham believed. Three times in our short little passage it talks about the reliability and the trustworthiness of what God says.

So faith isn’t presumption. It’s not a feeling. It’s not a fantasy either. It says here that “Abraham faced the fact that his body was as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.”

With faith you don’t close your eyes to the facts around you. You don’t go around saying, “I haven’t got cancer” when the doctor says you have. You don’t say, “My bank account is looking great” when your statement tells you that you’re overdrawn. It’s not mind over matter. It’s not fantasy. You face facts.

Think about an impossible situation in your life...

Julia was saying last week that she had three weeks to find £1,800 to attend a Christian children’s conference in the USA. She felt that God had spoken to her about going so she signed up in faith. She was settled, at peace, and just knew in her spirit that God would provide. Within a week, all the money she needed for travel, for lodgings, for food and for the conference fee had come in – and with no cake sales, bingo evenings, concerts, car washing, sponsored walks or any other kind of fundraising.

It started with a conviction from God, it continued with a step of faith, a practical action that built on what she believed and she was at complete peace about it.

What’s impossible in your life? Could it be about money? Or about a relationship? Or about a job? Or about a health issue? Or about a mess you’ve got yourself into?

The Yorkshire plumber and evangelist Smith Wigglesworth once made a vow to God that he would not sleep at night unless he had won a soul for Christ that day.

One night he couldn’t sleep at all – he just kept tossing and turning. Then it occurred to him that he hadn’t led anyone to Jesus that day, so he got dressed and went out into the night. After a while, he saw an alcoholic man so he walked up to him and spoke to him about Jesus. He told him that Christ has power to deliver men and women from the grip of addiction and the man fell on his knees and gave his heart to the Lord.

Wigglesworth went back home to bed and slept like a log!

But Smith Wigglesworth once said this “Great faith comes only from great fights, great testimonies only from great tests, and great triumphs only from great trials.”

Some of you may have heard of Tom Rees. He was an evangelist. And he was looking to buy a mansion near Tonbridge in Kent for a Christian conference centre. He saw a large house which was absolutely perfect for what he needed. He believed, in faith, that it was for him. He felt that God spoke to him about it and was settled at peace about it.

The owner was a man named Lyle, a sugar millionaire from the company Tate and Lyle. But Lyle held out for £10,000 more than Tom Rees could afford. So Tom Rees said "I can’t go any further" but Mr Lyle insisted on the sum in full.

So Tom went and prayed about it, and a short time later a farmer from Yorkshire with a small holding phoned and said "Tom, I feel the Lord has been saying you need some money." and Tom replied "Well I do but I’m quite sure it’s more than you could give me"

He knew that property prices are considerably higher in southern England than in the north. And the farmer said, "Well, how would a loan of £10,000 suit you?" And Tom said "That’s just what I need, but I didn’t think you were worth that, are you sure you can?" So the farmer said "Well my brother just died, the farm came down to me, and I’m prepared to lend you 10,000 from the sale of the farm. So Tom said again, it’s incredible it’s the exact sum needed to buy this house.

But a few days later the man rang and said "Tom, the loan is off." Tom said "Well thank you very much for considering it." And the man said, "No, I mean the loan is off because now it’s a gift." So Tom said, "But how? I mean, don’t you need the money?" The man said "my brother’s home has just been sold for £10,000 more than it was valued at. So I feel that’s a windfall from God and I’m going to give you it." So Tom said "How come the house sold for that much more than its value?"

So the farmer replied "Well it was sold to a large firm instead of a private individual so it was easier to get an inflated price." So Tom said "what commercial firm?" And the man said "Tate and Lyle!"

That’s how faith works. God speaks a promise. We hold on to that promise and we don’t let go until we see it accomplished.

“Great faith comes only from great fights, great testimonies only from great tests, and great triumphs only from great trials.”

I believe that God is speaking to us about the outreach to the parish in our vision.

I believe he has spoken to us about blessing the parish.

I believe he has spoken to us about a river of life flowing out from here.

I believe he has spoken to us about praying every Sunday at 5:00pm.

I believe he is saying to us that it is time to enter a season of growth and blessing.

You might say, “Well I can’t see much evidence of that yet.” Yeah? So what? What has that got to do with anything? How much evidence did Abraham have when he was 75 that he was ever going to have even one child, let alone a great multitude of descendants? Absolutely none. Seeing is not believing. Faith in the promise of God is believing.

Verse 19: Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.

Let’s pray…


Sermon preached at All Saints' Preston on Tees, February 20th 2011

Grander Vision Living (Luke 5.1-11 and 27-32)

This is my adaptation of Bill Hybels' teaching series "Just Walk Across the Room" (week 4).  

Introduction

Three weeks ago, we began exploring a new paradigm for sharing faith. We asked the question, what if it was as simple as taking a “walk across the room?”

We were reminded that the single greatest gift we can offer the people around us, is an introduction to their creator and lover of their souls. We explored what it means to “live in 3D.” Develop friendships. Discover people’s stories and discerning appropriate next steps. These three things are what we think about, pray about, and act on when we’re in the Zone of the Unknown. It’s about taking things slowly, giving the other person space to open up and letting the Holy Spirit lead.

Then, last week, we looked at the power of story. How critical it is that we learn to tell God’s story and our own faith stories simply and non-threateningly.

I would guess that for some of us this series has been a wake-up call. Jane Harmer sent me in her 150 word faith story this week and said (and I quote with her permission) “This has been such a good exercise to do; it's moved me from being something of an avoider… to a more confident evangelist ready to share the life saving and heart transforming power of Jesus.” I expect others of us have been similarly impacted. But today I want to address the question, “How do we maintain the momentum?” How do we keep the fire burning so that instead of it being a one-off, this four-week series can serve as a catalyst for long-term change?

Let me try to answer that by taking you on a short fantasy holiday. Anyone in need of a break around here?

Imagine you are transported to the Bahamas. You find yourself all decked out in your snorkelling mask and fins and your swimsuit - which fits perfectly, ladies … this is an imaginary holiday remember!

Once in the water, you relax on your back, floating on the beautiful deep, blue ocean. The sun is high; the sky is cloudless, it’s 25 degrees.

There you are just taking in the serene, lapping of the waves … the bright rays of sunshine bouncing off the ocean’s surface … a bliss that you’ve never known before.

Is there anything wrong with this picture…?

Of course not! You have landed a free trip to a holiday paradise; it’s a beautiful day and you’re unwinding under the warm sun. Sounds good!

But what if I were to tell you that just under your back you were missing out on an unbelievable underwater universe, teeming with vibrant life? You finally put your mask and breathing tube on, roll onto your belly and dip your face into the water. Ahhh … can you feel that?

Where did all these fish come from? Wow! They are this close! Right before your eyes is a huge school of neon blue and yellow angelfish. There are starfish, reef sharks (they’re harmless) and green morays. The bright gold reef below you looks like it’s waving as its fingers reach up from the ocean floor.

The ocean floor! You can see all the way down! Has the water been this clear all this time?

This is life … from a different perspective … discovering that there’s much more than what appears on the surface. This is what I’d like to call “Grander Vision Living.”

I’d like to take a look at Luke chapter 5 perhaps from a point of view you haven’t considered before. I’d like to offer two observations … and an challenge.

We had the story read to us just now: the miraculous catch of fish. Can you just imagine how elated Peter, James, and John that morning? They’d never seen a haul like it! They’d never before had to call in reinforcements to gather in a catch - ever. The nets were tearing. The boat was sinking; it was so full of fish.

There’s nothing wrong with catching fish. But consider what Jesus said.

“Peter. James. John. So far, you have spent all your days as career fishermen. But what I’m inviting you to do - starting today - is to become fishers of men and women. Instead of investing your precious time and energy in catching six-inch fish, let’s go after the six-footers! I’m asking you to give up everything you have and everything you are for the sake of people’s souls. Come with me, and you’ll see what real living is all about!”

Here’s what I think is one of the most crucial aspects of Jesus’ teaching: the idea of small fish versus big fish.

Think about this with me. From the moment he arrived on the scene … all the way up until today, Jesus has been asking not only fishermen …
but businessmen
and bus drivers
and artists
and stay-at-home mums
and hairdressers
and health professionals
and kitchen chefs
and retail managers
and teachers… and all the rest - this one question: Are you going to invest your one and only life into pursuing small fish, or will you throw your net out in anticipation of catching the people-sized ones?

Have you settled for the lesser vision or are you going for the grander one? Here’s the first observation I want to make.

Observation 1) The Priority Is People

Jesus wanted these three career fishermen - as well as the fine people of All Saints’ Church - to understand that this life is all about people.

In Grander Vision Living, above everything else that calls for our attention, the number one priority is always people.

We take walks across rooms for people. Our goal is to care more about other people than about ourselves even if they look different to us, talk differently, act differently and so on.

You can either spend your life catching little fish or, by the grace of God, you can become fishers of men and women.

In Matthew 5:16, Jesus said, “Let your light shine before others in such a way that they may see your good works and then glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

Let your light shine in such a way … Let me stop there. “In such a way” implies that there must be more than one way, doesn’t it?

I think what Jesus is saying is that we can choose whether our “light” will impact people or not.

• Our light will either shine on others and point them toward God, or
• We’ll keep it to ourselves, and in essence, as far as we are concerned, deny others the chance of knowing God.
“Make sure your light shines in such a way,” I think Jesus is saying, “so that people can come to know my Father because of how you treat them, how you prioritize them.”

“You can spend all your life catching those scaly, slithery sub aqua creatures and take them to market for a sale. It’s a perfectly acceptable occupation. But you could become fishers of men and women … concerning yourself not with cod and herring but with eternal destinies!”

Letting your light shine is not rocket science; it’s simply doing small things for the watching, waiting world around you.

Let me read a brief quote from Just Walk Across the Room that sums up this idea well.

“You don’t have to be any more talented, any richer, any slimmer, any smarter, any more or less of anything to partner with God. All you have to be is willing to be used by him in everyday ways.”

And when we all let our light shine in a way that lets the people around us know they matter, then the kingdom grows!

But that’s not all. Why is Jesus so concerned that we should get this the Grander Vision thing? Not only because this is how the kingdom grows, but also because this is how our souls become satisfied.

Jesus knows that if you and I build a lifestyle around accepting people, getting to know people, caring for people, serving people, listening to people, befriending people, exposing people to spiritual things … prioritizing people, we would never crave our old ways again.

Here’s how Bill Hybels explains how he’s come to think about this “people priority” in his own life. Let’s watch this brief video segment together.

Video Clip ...

“Never just means ‘no’ for now.” Isn’t that a good perspective to have when sharing your faith? It’s the second vital part of Grander Vision Living.

Observation 2) The Focus Is On Potential

Observation number two is that the focus is always on potential. It didn’t seem to matter to Jesus that his soon-to-be disciples’ first response to his commands was less than promising. Jesus asked them to put out their nets to catch some fish.

“But we’ve been fishing all night! And we’ve caught … nothing!” (By the way, how useless were these guys? Not once in the whole Bible do we ever hear of them catching one fish without Jesus doing a miracle).

But I think their insinuation was, “Who do you think you are? We’re the experts! We were the ones slogging it out all night at sea, while you were in bed counting sheep! And now you want us to take a lesson from you about fishing?”

These men were hardly challenging for the Obedient Disciple of the Year award. They weren’t the most promising candidates for the one and only Messiah’s inner circle. But Jesus saw what these guys could be like once they got hold of the Grander Vision.

This same ability to see beyond someone’s “no” or “never” and dream of them coming to Christ one day is what the video clip was alluding to just now.

To look past self-centeredness … and see the potential for serving
To look past rebelliousness … and see the potential for righteousness
To look past a quick temper … and see the potential for peacemaking

Aren’t you glad Jesus did this with you? I am.

We looked at our before-and-afters last week … I wonder, what was your “before” like? What was it that Christ looked beyond in your world to accept you and enfold you in grace?

Before I was a Christian, for example, I was pretty self-absorbed and self-seeking. God has removed the apathy and indifference I once felt toward other people, especially those of a different background to my own.

And this is just one example. I could give you dozens … all from my own personal life.

I hope we all approach people with the same eye for potential that we are so grateful God had for us.

Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. Luke 5.27 says that Jesus went out one day, saw a tax collector sitting at his booth - someone obviously outside the family of faith - and said, “Follow me.” Why would a successful businessman ditch his career and tramp around with a itinerant rabbi?

Well, Matthew soon discovered that choosing the Grander Vision over lesser visions leads to wealth that the world only dreams of.

“Follow me!” And in a flash, that crooked tax collector left everything - including his open cash register - to go after Christ.

What did following Jesus mean to Matthew? Walking away from his comfortable routine … and his financial security. But what else did it mean? It meant that Matthew would be prizing - and prioritizing - the people he once swindled.

I promised you a challenge in addition to my two observations today. And here it is: start small!

The Challenge: Start Small … But Start!

When Matthew was newly converted he had a deep desire to expose his friends and family to the grace that he’d found in Jesus Christ.

He hadn’t had time for any official Evangelism for Beginners Course. But all of his old mates were sitting there in their tax-booths - where he had worked … just days ago.

Their lives would be so blessed by knowing Christ, but how do you go about it practically? There he stood in his new Circle of Comfort with Jesus and the other 11. And then, he decided what to do. You won’t believe what he decided to do!

Keep in mind that Matthew was a brand-new Christian. And remember that “giving” isn’t exactly a taxman’s natural impulse. He may not have had the whole Christian thing sorted yet. But Matthew was good at one thing: throwing parties!

Matthew hatched a plan to throw a party: a party where he could stick the old rat pack from the tax office in a room with his new Christian friends and just see if some of the good stuff might rub off on those who had yet to experience grace.

“What if a few of my new friends actually take a walk across my living room and stretch out a hand to my old colleagues?” thought Matthew. What if seeds are planted in minds and hearts? Wow! What if some actually come to faith as a result of one, simple party? That would be amazing!

As I read this fascinating story in Luke 5, here is what occurs to me: Matthew could have got so enamoured with how much of his own life was changing for the better that he just left everyone else behind. He could have ditched his old friends and clung to his new ones. Remember that place we visited four weeks ago, the “Circle of Comfort?”

But Matthew chose differently, didn’t he? He chose to see the potential in his tax-collecting friends … the same way Jesus had spotted potential in him. I mean, really, who would have given Matthew half a chance of ever coming to faith in Christ? Probably made the front page of the Capernaum Chronicle.

You might sum it up this way: Matthew knew that Jesus had chosen him for a purpose … a purpose that included more than his own salvation. A purpose that included being salt and light in his world. A purpose that centred around having a Grander Vision … by making people his priority and their potential his focus because people were the only thing he’d be taking with him to heaven one day. The same is true for us.

Can I share one story from Just Walk Across the Room that was especially impactful to me as I peeked ahead at this week’s reading?

Bill describes a time when he was sitting in a meeting and all of a sudden the speaker unfurled a roll of stickers in his hand.

“There is something we must all understand,” the speaker said as he walked along the front of the platform. Periodically, he would stop and put a red sticker on a tiny replica of a house, and a red sticker on a Hot Wheels car, and a red sticker on a dollhouse-sized desk that represented career pursuits.

“You may not be able to tell from where you’re sitting, but each red sticker has a single word on it,” he said. “The word is ‘temporary.’ And these things I’m putting them on are all temporary. They will fade away, turning cartwheels like leaves in the wind when this world ends.

“If you are living for these things, then you are living a life of temporary pleasure, temporary satisfaction, and temporary fulfilment.”

The speaker continued walking around the room, the audience now completely silent as he labelled everything in sight with red stickers. Bill watched the man’s hands declare the fate of the very best this world has to offer as those stickers made their way to the goods in front of everyone.

Temporary. Temporary. Temporary. Temporary. Temporary. Temporary.

“There is only one thing in this room that is not temporary,” the speaker continued. “There is only one thing that you can take with you into the next world.”

He called someone up to join him on the stage, and he placed a blue sticker on her lapel. “When you get to the end of your life and take in your last breath,” he said, “what do you want your life to have been about?”

And in that moment, Bill says, his heart stilled as one thought stemmed all others in his mind.

It really is all about people, he thought.

He continued on in his thoughts: No earthly commodity is going to make it from this world into the next. Not land, not homes, not bank accounts, not titles, not achievements. Only souls.

Jesus taught that every human being will be resurrected to spend an eternity in community with God in heaven or in isolation from God in hell. And because Jesus understood these eternal realities, he focused his attention on the only thing that will extend into the next reality: people.

Ending

Will you opt into Grander Vision Living, or have you settled for your lesser visions?

The way I understand things, Jesus came to bring abundance … salvation … transformation … to anyone who will accept his way of living. He came to bring not tranquillity, but utter upheaval to the world!

And this, friends, is why we take walks across rooms … in order to share this beautiful upheaval with people who don’t yet have the hope or assurance of heaven.

What a magnificent gift we have to give a waiting world! The gift of a relationship with the One who is like no other. The One who saw faithful disciples in the smelly clothes of a band of fishermen. The One who saw a passionate follower in the booth of a wretched tax gatherer.

Here’s my challenge to you: throw a party!

What might happen if, as a congregation, each one of us threw a “Matthew party” before the summer holidays? Just put a few of your Christian friends in a space with some of your unconvinced friends … and trust God with the results.

Let me give you a few tips.

First, keep it simple. Your “Matthew party” does not have to be elaborate or expensive.

Next, do what makes sense for you. A barbecue, a bloke’s beer and curry night, or a fancy dress or a dinner party… think about what works best in your environment.

Finally, get the ratio right! Be sure there are fewer Christians at your “Matthew party” than nonbelievers … otherwise, your unbelieving friends will feel ganged up on and no one likes to feel like that.

Get into people’s lives, and trust the Holy Spirit to navigate. Once you start living the Grander Vision I don’t think you will never go back to little fish and small visions again.

Let’s stand to pray…


Sermon preached at All Saints' Preston on Tees, 13th February 2011

The Power of Story (Acts 26.1-32 and Luke 5.12-16)

This is my adaptation of Bill Hybels' teaching series "Just Walk Across the Room" (week 3). 

Introduction

Good morning! Is everybody awake? Is anybody awake? Good! Because we’re going to start with a little word association brain-stretcher.

Here’s what we’re going to do. I will say a word or phrase, and then you just tell the person sitting next to you the first thing that comes to mind. Your response can be anything… anything that comes to mind. But the key is to go quickly. You don’t give this a lot of thought. The idea is to capture what immediately comes to mind when prompted. Are you ready?

All right, here’s the first word …

Mona! …Any “Lisas” here today? Okay, so some of you are getting the hang of it. Are you ready for the next one? How about … FA Cup! … Ready for the next one? Holiday … And the next one; Diet … And the next one; Strictly … And the next one; Prime … And the last one; Born-again Christian …

Okay, let’s stop there for a moment. Wouldn’t it be interesting if we could display everything that was said after “born-again Christian” appeared on the screen? Personally, I think the results would be fascinating.

And what do you think would happen if we showed the same screen to a hundred people who are not believers and have never set foot inside a church? If we said, “Do you know any born-again Christians? If so, what are they like? What are your general impressions of them?”

We might get quite a reaction, don’t you think? What if their perceptions included things like these:

“I’ve come across a few Christians, and the ones I know are … hmmm, how do I describe them … they’re … a bit intense … they need to loosen up a bit.”

Or “I don’t know any. They probably wouldn’t rub shoulders with the likes of me.”

Or what about … “I know one born-again Christian at work… No thanks!”

I hope those opinions are rare. But in just in case they are widely held views, why don’t we think of ways to reverse the trends and give the watching world something good to say about Christians.

I wish that whenever I asked someone to tell me what they think of the Christians they know, the first thought that would come to mind would be something like, “Christians? Can’t say it’s true for them all, but the ones I know are good, trustworthy people.”

Or “The Christians I’ve come across are just so kind!”

Or “Christians? They tell you the truth … they are always straight with you.”

Or “Christians? They have concern for the poor - no one cares for the disadvantaged like Christians do.”

And I wish that whenever Christians talked about their faith, they were clear and credible - and interesting. Am I alone in this or is this what you wish for too?

I hope your answer is yes. Because that is what we’re devoting our time to this week. Primarily, we want to answer two questions:

• How do we talk about God with clarity and passion?
• How can we share our personal faith stories in a way that’s both modest and engaging?

1) Stories Are Powerful

The power of story - and of words - is undeniable throughout the Bible. Let me remind you how supremely useful and supernaturally empowered, words can be.

Psalm 119:130 says that words can actually give light. They can give insight to those who don’t yet understand.

Proverbs 16:24 says that pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Isn’t that a beautiful image?

Ecclesiastes 10:12 says that although a fool is consumed by his own lips, the words from a wise person’s mouth are … gracious.

Deuteronomy 32:2 says words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.

Humble words. Healing words. Grace-filled words. Aren’t these the types of words you want to speak and be known for?

If your closest friends or the family members who live under your roof were polled anonymously about this, would they say that in the course of normal, everyday life, you can be counted on to speak words of encouragement and grace?

Think about the last thing you said before you left for church today for example. Do you remember who you were talking to? Do you remember what you said?

Were the words you spoke life-giving and grace-filled? Or were they, well … not?

Interesting, isn’t it, that God allows such power to inhabit our words - for good and for ill? I think there are two areas where effective words could massively improve the way people see Christians:

1. The first area is how we talk about God … explaining who he is and what he does.

2. The second is how we explain our personal experience of God … the main thing he’s done in our lives.

What is God’s story? What is your story? And how can you tell them well? (So well that your listeners walk away saying, “Now that I understand! That I enjoyed listening to! That I long for in my own life!”)

2) God Has a Story - Learn to Tell It Well

Last week, we discovered that it’s important to focus on developing a friendship instead of just using people as an evangelistic project. It’s really important to discover the other person’s story instead of imposing your own agenda. And it’s absolutely critical to listen for the Spirit’s promptings about suitable steps you might take to meet a need for the person you’re talking with.

I have a hunch … I have a hunch that once you commit yourself to engaging with people, living in 3D, the whole bit - God is going to blow open some doors, spiritually speaking. He is going to give you opportunities to speak about him or tell someone how your faith journey started.

For example, Deb Hird shared this with me this week and I quote this with her permission:

“I had a kind of Just Walk Across the Room experience last week. I was steered out of my comfort zone in a conversation that ended up about faith, with a bloke whose standing with God has been a mystery to me! What I found amazing was how he told me his story, where he's at with God and the church and why he feels the way he does! Not only has God put me into this situation but he has blessed me with a conversation that has now inspired me as to what to pray about for this man. It was amazing that once this person started talking and I just listened, giving him my whole attention, his story just 'poured out' in conversation. Praise God for that 10 minute encounter out of my circle of comfort last week. I'm keen for the next one now! Bring it on!”

God has a story. A powerful story. And part of your job - and mine - is to learn to tell it well.

Let’s just test your current comfort level for telling this story.

What would you say if someone you know were to come to you today and say this: “You know, Joe (assuming your name is Joe), we’ve been friends for a long time. And you’ve been really good not to force your God-thing on me, even though you probably think my life would change hugely for the better if I’d give it a chance. Well, anyway, you could say things have gone a bit pear shaped in my life, and … well, I was thinking about maybe trying out church … Basically, it’s my last resort. So I just wonder if you could sort of explain the whole God thing to me.”

That is what we call, in sophisticated theological terms, a wide-open door.

Can you feel a lump forming in your throat, your shoulders tightening, your palms getting sweaty and your heart starting to thump?

There are many ways you could set about explaining God’s story. One is called “The Bridge” - some of you may be familiar with it. It’s simple, really, but it is an effective and visually compelling way to illustrate precisely what Jesus has done.

If ever you find yourself in a conversation where the person you’re talking to really does want to understand more about your faith, grab a piece of scrap paper and ask their permission to sketch this out. Here’s how it goes.

All right, for starters, we have to establish two realities: people and God.

Between people and God is a great chasm - a division that exists because of people’s inclination to prefer their ways to God’s ways. The Bible calls this chasm “sin.” The dilemma we face is that whenever we want to get to God we can’t just leap over the chasm. It’s too big. That’s why people often say that God seems far away.

So people try to build bridges. They try to be as good as they can be, donating money to charity, giving up chocolate, visiting an elderly neighbour or lighting a candle in a church. There’s nothing wrong with those things – but they just can’t get you to God. The chasm is too wide.

All the effort in the world is not enough to build a bridge that gets us to the other side. But thankfully, God saw our dilemma and he did something about it. Because he loves us so much, he provided a way of getting close to him. His solution was to send his Son, Jesus, to be the bridge.

If you remember nothing else about this illustration, remember this: Christ came to earth to be our bridge, and whoever makes the decision to cross the bridge will live with God forever. John 5:24 puts it this way, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life”.

You may choose to use a different way to explain this, and that’s fine. But please find one, good explanation of who God is and what he has done, so that when someone asks you, you’re 100 percent ready to give a clear answer.

Whatever illustration you use, keep in mind the types of words we looked at earlier. Humble words. Healing words. Grace-filled words. Let your speech be well-seasoned with these things.

You are not responsible for transforming a human heart … that is the role of the Holy Spirit. But you are responsible, when prompted to do so, to open your mouth and give a loving, clear, and humble account of who God is, and what he’s done for the world in Christ. That’s all. Nothing more, nothing less.

1 Peter 3.15 puts it this way: “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.”

3) You Have a Story – Learn to Tell It Well

Not only does God have a story, but you have a powerful story as well. And your job is to learn to tell it well!

Do you believe what I just said … that you have a powerful story to tell as well?

You do. If you have come into relationship with God through Jesus Christ, then you have a wonderful, inspirational story to tell. Here’s why that’s true … Regardless how old you were when you came to faith, hopefully grace and mercy and love have made a difference to your life.

Take the man from Luke 5 who once had leprosy. It says that “one day in one of the villages there was a man covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus he fell down before him in prayer and said, ‘If you want to, you can cleanse me.’ Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I want to. Be clean.’” Then and there his skin was smooth, the leprosy gone.

Can you visualize what that must have looked like? What do you think he told every single person who would listen from that point forward? “I was a leper, an outcast. But then I met Jesus! And now I’m totally and completely new.” How did he feel in the hours following his healing?

“This is unbelievable! Just this morning, my skin was so flaking off in lumps. But now look at it! It’s clean. It’s smooth. It’s healed! Everything about me was rotting, mouldy, diseased … but I’ve been recreated. It’s as if I were never sick! This is unreal. Where did my despair go? It’s vanished. Jesus fixed all of that. I want to live! I finally feel … alive.”

Do you see a before-and-after here?
I was sick. But now I’m well.
I was diseased. But now I’m healthy.
I was an outcast. But now I’m accepted.
I was defiled. But now I’m good as new.
I was tarnished. But now I’m clean.
I was left for dead. But now I have … a future.

But here’s the point: for the vast majority us here today, we also have a before and an after.

What were you like before you came to Christ? What was the experience of embracing faith in Jesus like? And what you are like now?

“I was striving … but now I’m grateful.”
“I was self-destructive … but now I’m healthy.”
“Guilty, but now liberated.”
“Fear-stricken, but now confident.”
“Despairing, and now hopeful!”

Your own before-and-after story doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. It just has to be clear, easy to understand and most of all… real.

1 Corinthians 14:9 says, “If you speak in a way no can one understand, what’s the point of opening your mouth?” I like the way God says it as it is.

So testimonies go wrong for several reasons. Firstly, when Christians just won’t shut up. They go on and on and on … and even when the victim who’s listening sends all sorts of warning signals of disinterest and irritation, they just keep wittering on. Please don’t bore people by talking too much!

Secondly, testimonies go wrong when Christians are fuzzy about their story’s main point. They get all tangled up in a dozen story lines and leave their listeners frustrated and confused. Please don’t bewilder people with tortuous details and rambling sidetracks!

Thirdly, testimonies go wrong when Christians pile on the jargon. Please don’t baffle people with language from Planet Zion or obscure Bible quotes that no one normal would understand. Like this exaggerated example… (25 second video exerpt)

And fourthly, testimonies go wrong when … please hear me on this … your testimony will derail, blow up, and leave a trail of smoke if you play the superiority card. If you claim you have your act together and the listener is somehow inferior to you, you’re heading for the ditch … and fast. Please don’t belittle people. Here’s a flesh creeper for you… (15 second video exerpt)

Closing

Yuck! If that posture is ever true of me, I hereby give you all permission to take me out the back and put me out of my misery.

Okay, so here’s what we’re going to do as a congregation this week: we’re going to write down our individual before-and-after faith story… in 150 words or less.

But wait, there’s more! If you’re thinking “I need somebody to read my testimony and give me some feedback” … then this is your lucky day!

Because not only do you have the opportunity to write it down but you also have the opportunity to email it to the address that’s up on the screen … and receive a candid thumbs-up or thumbs-down, courtesy of me! The address is also on the bottom of your pew sheet. There’ll be a box on Sandra’s desk over the next three weeks if you haven’t got e-mail.

How does that sound? Something brief, (no eighteen-page epics please), something clear and straightforward, jargon-free and humble. I am looking forward to hearing from you and I hope you have an open heart toward a little constructive feedback.

Wouldn’t you love to have a simple testimony, all ready to face the world, and to go and tell it confidently as often as God gives you opportunity?

Once again, can I encourage you to read chapters 6 to 8 of the book in order to apply this to your own life? There are some great examples of well-told faith stories, there’s more on the bridge illustration, there’s another one called the ladder illustration which is really good - and a lot more too. Karen Snowden was telling me on Friday how inspirational she found it those chapters. She gets extra points for doing the reading before the sermon! There are still a few copies available on the bookstall if you want to buy one.

We might not manage to reverse all of the negative perceptions that are out there about Christians, but we can do our part to ensure that as far as this church is concerned, we have our act together on God’s story and our story.

And I would love the people of this parish to say, “The Christians over there at All Saints’ - when they talk about God it’s actually really interesting. It’s crystal clear and, you know what, there’s zero cringe factor. And when they start to talk about what God has done in their lives … it’s amazing really, it makes you want to know more!”

Is that what you want too?

Let’s stand to pray…


Sermon preached at All Saints' Preston on Tees, 6th February 2011