Colossians 3:22-25: Why Work?

Why Bother Working? Colossians 3:22-25

Introduction

If I asked you which company had the most offices in the United States, what would you say?  Walgreens has 6,300. McDonalds has about 13,000. Starbucks has about 12,000. But KOG Enterprises has over 320,000 branches in the United States alone, with thousands being opened each year using a proven franchise model. Started by a Father and Son team in Asia, KOG falls squarely in the service sector, focusing on lifestyle modification and community development. Privately held, the finances for the latest calendar year are not available, but anecdotal evidence suggests KOG runs on low margins, high associate satisfaction and excellent long-term benefits. KOG’s mission statement is clear and unequivocal: world domination. What is KOG’s strategy? With intensive training, the local offices send associates to intern in other local businesses, in positions ranging from janitors, secretaries, nurses, students, engineers and CEOs, to infiltrate and eventually get them to sell out to KOG. Their CEO summarized their mission statement as follows: “Go and make associates world-wide, integrate them into the KOG family and train them like I trained you.”

One day, every knee will bow and every tongue agree that Jesus is the hand-picked boss of the Kingdom Of God, to the glory of his Father. Amen.

We don’t normally think of the kingdom of God like this, like a business.  In our minds, they are two separate categories.  We say, “There is my spiritual life stuff, the private stuff, like family and church and Bible studies and quiet times. Then there is my real life stuff, like work and business and commute.” We put them in different groups. But God doesn’t. He wants to take over your business, your office and your campus. But hostile takeovers aren’t his style.

That’s why Jesus talks so much about owners and bosses and managers and workers. In fact, the word “Lord” in the Bible didn’t usually refer to God. In fact, it usually meant something closer “boss” or “master” or, in some cases, “owner”. In the world of the Bible, it was as much a business term as it was a spiritual term.

And, as the kingdom of God (KOG) continued to grow, in different towns and cities, the relationship between a person’s spiritual life—the way they behaved at church--and the way that they behaved at work had to be dealt with. For example, look at this passage from Colossians 3:

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. – Colossians 3:22-25

Before we go any further, we need to talk about that first word: slave. Was Paul a supporter of slavery? No. In fact, Paul’s ideas were the very ideas that broke down the basis for slavery, saying that “In Christ, there is neither slave nor free” (Gal. 3:28). In the book of Philemon (1:1, 7, 16), he calls both the slave owner and the slave “brothers” saying that both owe the same debt to God. And, generally, people who are working today are not slaves. We may feel like wage slaves, but in Paul’s day slaves were equivalent to property. In the Roman Empire, 20% to 30% of the population was slaves. And they could be bought, sold, killed, just like furniture or chickens. Farmers, miners, household workers, tutors, gladiators, professors, accountants—they filled nearly every possible job sector niche. And it is important to understand that in this passage, as in others in the Bible, Paul is not writing to them concerning their attitude about slavery, but concerning their attitude about work. In many cases, their conditions were worse than ours and therefore, any guidance given to them about their work would be the minimum that God would expect from us, whose conditions are comparatively much better.

In fact, many of the complaints about bosses were similar to what we would say today:

1. Their boss would treat them badly.
2. Their bosses didn’t recognize their hard work.
3. Their bosses were stingy toward them, even when they were making big bucks.

And what was the reaction of the workers?

1. Complaining.
2. Kissing-up
3. Stealing.
4. Slacking off.

So, what do you do when your life is beginning to look like source material for Dilbert?

Here are four things to remember:

1. God Is Your Boss.
2. God’s Business Is Life Changing
3. God Does Performance Reviews
4. Your Job Is As Important As Every Other Job

God Is Your Boss

How many of you have seen The Office?

At the fictional company of Dunder-Mifflin, the office is dysfunctional, the employees are demotivated, inter-office squabbling, jockeying for position and titles, awkward moments. Why? The reason, is Michael, the boss. He's awful. He's incompetent. He's indecisive. He makes promises he can't keep. He hides in his office when things are going poorly. He calls women, "sir," he demeans his employees, and he buys himself a mug that says "World's Best Boss." It's hard to watch the show without wanting to strangle him, or to run out of the room screaming! The Office is the way it is because of the boss.[1]

In fact there is a whole movie, Horrible Bosses, talking about how people want to kill their managers.

But God has a different perspective:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men – vs. 23a

God is the one who hires you and fires you and transfers you to another position. Not your boss.

No matter what you do, where you do it, who you do it with or for, ultimately, you work for God. When you understand that, then the things you do everyday become acts of worship. Worship from Monday through Saturday has a name, and it isn’t music or sermons or prayer: it is work. Paul uses the language of worship: with all your heart, with reverence for the Lord, to describe our work.

Your job is one way that God infiltrates the world, transforming it by his presence in his people

Don’t be surprised if God says that your job is to make someone like Michael from the Office--the complete idiot or godless person--look good. The Bible is full of examples of amazingly talented people, strong believers in God, under the authority of someone who couldn’t care about God.

Daniel served the king of Babylon who liked to have people worship a statue of himself.  Joseph served the Pharoah of Egypt. One of Jesus’ supporters was the wife of Herod’s house manager. Esther was wife of the most powerful man in the world, but couldn’t even visit him at work. But, in each case, God uses us in 2^nd place.

…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant – Matthew 20:26

And that includes servant to some pretty undeserving people. As far as career advancement goes, this is not the usual path we see in most businesses today. But God clearly says that if you want to climb his KOG corporate ladder, you have to work at making other people look good, by serving them.

This past week, we had an all-hands meeting at which there were a number of performance awards: Above the Call, Innovation, Teamwork, etc. But the highest level of recognition was the CEO’s award. At the end of time we hope to hear the CEO of the universe say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." What get’s our CEO (God’s) attention is a servant attitude?

God’s Business Is Life Changing

(for you and for your boss)

Who you are is more important than what you do. Why? Because dead fish will eventually stink, no matter the perfume.  If who you are stinks, eventually your life will stink. But if you are a beautiful person inside, it will eventually show on the outside.

The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks. – Luke 6:45

Every child knows it is better not to judge a Christmas present by the wrapper.  That’s what we like to do, because we assume that it promises what we want.

So God’s plan is centered on changing who we are inside, because God knows that the eventual result will be a changed whole person. This is not just for people out “there” it is also for us right here:

Pastor Kent Crockett tells a story:

When I first enrolled in seminary, I made an appointment to talk to the dean of men to see if I could get a room in the dormitory. When I walked into his office, the first thing he asked was, "Are you applying for the janitor's job?" "No," I said. "I'm here to see if any rooms are available in the dorm."

"I'm sorry, the dormitory is full. We’ll put you on the waiting list. But if you know anyone who wants a job as janitor, please send him to see me."

I told him that I wasn't interested and thanked him for his time. When I left his office and walked outside, I prayed, Lord, please provide a room for me. God stopped me on the sidewalk and spoke to my heart, "Go take the job."

Take the job? I prayed for a room, not a job. But I knew in my heart I needed to obey. Immediately I did an about-face, walked into the dean's office, and said, "I'll take that janitor’s job." He hired me on the spot.

At first, I had to battle my pride. I thought about how over-qualified I was—I had a college degree and was working on my Master's. I was given a seminary janitor's shirt and a little pushcart stocked with soap, gloves, toilet paper, toilet bowl cleaner, and a brush. Every day I pushed that cart down the hallway, cleaned toilets, scrubbed showers, and emptied trashcans.

It wasn’t long before I discovered that cleaning those bathrooms in the men's dorm was part of my spiritual education. I learned to do those jobs that no one else wanted. As I cleaned those toilets every day, I made a surprising discovery. God spoke to my heart more clearly than I had ever heard Him before. I meditated on Scriptures as I worked, and God gave me insights into his Word. I then realized that cleaning toilets was part of my training for ministry. If I wasn't willing to serve God as a custodian, how could He trust me with other responsibilities?

I spent my entire three years in seminary cleaning toilets and attending classes. I'm convinced that half of what I learned in seminary was in the classrooms and the other half was in the bathrooms. I also learned to respect and thank janitors for the work they perform. God used that job to teach me that in whatever tasks He calls me to do in life, I am actually serving Him. (Kent Crockett, Making Today Count for Eternity, Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2001, pp. 144-145)

So the first person God changes you in your job is you. 

And then, through you, God changes your co-workers and your boss. Look at what the Bible says:

but to show that they [slaves] can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. – Titus 2:10b

The way you work sets up the word of God to succeed in your office. Your life plows the office harvest so that when God speaks, their heart is ready.

God Does Performance Reviews

(for you and your boss!)

Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism. – vs. 25

…since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. – vs. 23

If you are serving God, you aren't worried about office politics. You aren’t kissing up to your earthly boss, you’re not worried about what other people are saying, you are just doing your job because you want the job to succeed for God's glory.

Recently I met a man, Cid, who works on a cruise ship. In that closed environment, the relationships between the different parts of the crew are very important because of the closed environment. And he told me that there are two things that break up unity faster than anything else: putting down your co-workers and kissing up to the boss. 

Your Job Is As Important As Every Other Job

It is the Lord Christ you are serving. – Colossians 3:24

What do you call someone who serves? A servant. According to this verse, what do you call someone who flips burgers? What do you call the CEO of a company? What do you call a mom at home? What do you call a work-at home engineer? A servant.

Where ever you are, whatever your job, whoever your boss and no matter how much is your salary, you are a servant. And, if you are a servant of Christ Jesus while you are doing that, you are doing what God wants just as much as a pastor or a missionary. And if God doesn’t want you there, he’ll fire you and move you to do something else.  If he keeps you where you are, it means he has ministry for you to do there. Ministry that your pastor cannot do. Ministry that a missionary cannot do. Ministry that only you can do.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle…  – Romans 1:1

Notice Paul is a servant, just like you and me and then he is called to be an apostle. I am Tim, a servant, and I am called to be a computer programmer, to create beautiful code, like God creates beautiful things, to make him famous in my office, and bring people closer to him. In Exodus, there are two men listed where it says the Spirit of God gave them the talents that they used first, for their job and then, for the building of the tabernacle.

This is an area where I am still growing. But I know what I should be growing towards.

Conclusion

Maybe you have treated your job like a necessary evil.  But it isn’t: it is the place of necessary ministry. Jesus, when asked he why he was with all of the unbelievers, he told them: “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” (Matthew 9:12) God has placed you, his servant, right in the middle of the place where he wants to expand the kingdom of God.

Here are 4 things you can do to bring God into your work place.

1. Pray. Not just prayers of salvation. Think about your brother, or your sister, or your nieces and nephews. How would you  pray for them? How would you pray for their job? Their family? Because everyone there is a potential brother and sister to you, through Christ. I remember distinctly when I was working in San Jose that one of my co-workers, Jan, found out she had breast cancer and she was told to round up a group of supporters during her time of need, especially since she was older and lived alone: she asked me to pray for her.
2. Involve. Find a way to be involved. If you care about someone, you are involved in their life, and they are part of theirs. Two of my co-workers, one from Japan and one from Taiwan, needed to work with me, but we don’t have an office here, so they worked with me in my house. It so happened that one of them was here when it was Helen’s birthday and I surprised her with a limousine ride. He came along to dinner with us in the limo. Last time I was at another office, my friend invited me to hear his daughter’s piano recital. I was delighted that he would invite me so close to his family. Sometimes we are so busy that we think: do I have time or energy to do that? Let me challenge you: there is room for at least 1 more.
3. Invite. A natural extension of being involved is to invite them to visit your home, and your church. We hope that FCC is a place where, when a visitor comes in, they feel welcome by the people and challenged by God to take the next step.  Maybe its for a special event, like our Christmas service next week. When people asked you “what did you do this weekend?” do you reply with “Oh, nothing!” Really? Is that what church is to you: nothing.
4. Share. The Bible says to be always ready to give the reason for the hope that is within you. Friends, your schools, your groups of friends, your offices, are full of people who need that hope; who are drowning without that hope of rescue. Jesus died to rescue them, we can share that hope.

 

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[1] Bryan Wilkerson, The Job, Sermon

John 13:36 - 14:6: Going Home

[This sermon was first preached at the memorial service for Les Henry on 10 December 2011]
Going Home

John 13:36 – 14:6

Introduction

Psalm 139 ends with a plea by the writer, “Search me, God and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Anxious thoughts. When confronting the graduating class of Stanford University in 2005, Steve Jobs zeroed in on the discomfort we feel about the subject of death:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.[1]

Death brings about inevitable change over which no person has control. That lack of control brings anxious thoughts. We wonder if we should have lived life better. We second-guess our many choices in life. We wonder if there is anything after death and, if so, what it looks like. I mean, after I die, am I going to wake up in IKEA? I read an article recently in the Wall Street Journal where some people are just a bit too comfortable in the “home-like” environments inside the super store. One woman was sitting in an expensive recliner, watching a movie on her phone while child jumped on the bed and another man curled up under the covers. On Wednesdays, free coffee day, up to 500 senior citizens gather together to look for friendship and even romance.[2]

Good friends, comfortable place, someone else cleaning the toilets and free coffee. But really, IKEA knows something: we instinctively long for home: a place where we belong, a place of beauty, a place where we are accepted, a place of rest from our weary life. That longing for home is something that was built into us by God. But no IKEA can fulfill what only God can give.
That restlessness is a sign that you are spiritually alive; a sort of holy discontent; a yearning for something or someplace or someone that cannot be satisfied in the here and now. Even very spriritual people feel this. The Bible, after listing some of the greatest examples of faith ever, says: 

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. – Hebrews 11:13 

We were designed for heaven. So how do we get there?

The Death of Good Intentions (13:36-38)

Well, that is the subject of one of the most spectacular failures recorded in the whole Bible. Peter, one of Jesus’ closest friends, took a spiritual nose dive at one of the most critical points in Jesus’ life. Why? Why did that happen? Because he thought that his good intentions were enough to get him a spot in heaven, next to Jesus. 

During the final week of Jesus’ life, Jesus began dishing out hints that Jerusalem wasn’t going to be the party that they imagined it would be—that Jesus’ enemies were already orchestrating the events that would lead to his death. We pick up the story at the end of the book of John, chapter 13, where it says:  

Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! - John 13:36-38

Peter was determined to stay close to Jesus, no matter what. Peter was determined to go where Jesus went, no matter what. But Jesus promised failure. This was the death of good intentions. Peter wanted to be close to God. Peter wanted to go with Jesus. And I believe he really meant it, at that moment, that he was willing to die for Jesus. But when push came to shove, he didn’t. When questioned by a few servants, he didn’t admit he even knew Jesus or even that he came from the same part of the country. No matter how good his intentions, his will power was not enough.

When it comes to being close to God, or going to heaven, our will power is not enough. Real life contradicts our good intentions. The very things we say we believe—even the standards that we set up for ourselves about how we will live our lives, not even taking into account what God thinks—we can’t do it consistently. Just like Peter.

That means we will fail. That’s why, in the very next verse, in the face of the failure of Peter, Jesus brings these words of comfort, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” Why? Because the plan of God can encompass even our failures.

The Architect of Your Future (14:1-4)

Les knows the answer to a question. What is past death? What is on the other side? We don’t know. Perhaps there is nothing. Perhaps our consciousness just fades away into the darkness. Just like Jesus’ original audience, we view with skepticism anyone who claims advanced knowledge of the post-mortem. But one claimed to have personal knowledge of the place beyond death.

Jesus has the audacity to claim that he knows the answer and, even more than that, he architected the solution. He said:

Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. – John 14:1-3

There is a heaven. Heaven is home. Jesus draws upon the language of a first century marriage where a young man, after becoming engaged to his beloved, would set off back home where he would build the home for the future couple. But these homes were not stand-alone little bungalows. Rather it was common practice that the groom would extend the house of his father to accomodate the future married couple. And when that was complete and everything was ready, he would return to claim his bride and take her home to be with him.

That is what Jesus promises. In spite of our failures. In spite even of our betrayals. Jesus can overcome even our failures and our lies and bring us past death into eternal life.

The Way (14:5-6)

I fly a lot, often red-eye flights; often several hours. Generally I try to sleep on those flights as much as I can. Now, I have a friend who is a pilot for major airline. I travel a lot and often asked him where he was flying. One time, he asked my wife, “Why does he keep asking where I am flying? Does he want a tour of the cockpit or something?” When my wife told me this, I said, “No, I just like to know who is flying the plane.” If I’m going to sleep, I want to know that when I wake up, I’ll be in the right place. And since I can’t actually control where I’m going, I’d like to know that the pilot is someone I can trust.

Continuing his conversation with Peter and his other friends, Jesus said:

“You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:4-6

Not only does Jesus set himself up as the architect of his followers’ future, he also describes himself as the pathway, the road to get there. In other places, he describes himself as the gate, or the narrow road. But here he is the way or the path. And he clearly states that he is the only path.

You might call me narrow minded. But look carefully at whether these are my words or Jesus' own.

Because some of us mistake the way to heaven as some sort of method; a ritual; a 12 step program for the eschatologically-challenged. We want it to be a method or a program so that we can control our own destiny. But that avoids the clear point that Jesus is making to his friends. The pathway is not a plan or a procedure, but it is a person. You don’t go to heaven by passing the test, but by trusting the right person.

Let me give you another example:

The other night I was at the dinner table with some work friends. Come to find out they are all golfers. So they started swapping stories, talking about caddies and courses and clubs. I am not a golfer. The best I can say, when they ask, is that my brother is a golfer and that I can fall asleep watching golf on television.

But, no matter how many friends I have who are golfers, no matter how much I watch it on television, until I get out there on the course and play the game, I am not a golfer. The title golfer comes from personal experience. The same is true of Jesus Christ. No matter how many friends I have who follow Jesus, no matter how much I watch them, unless I meet Jesus for myself and have the personal experience, I cannot consider myself a Christ-ian. And that personal relationship with the person is the path past death into eternal life.

Conclusion

In that same speech at Stanford, Steve Jobs, said:

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything – all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked.

For those of you who know Jesus: What if we lived like we will live forever? What if the things we do now could have eternal significance? Are there things you are wasting your time with, because they are so temporary? Are you the kind of person you want to live forever with? Les was known as a merciful man. Eddy told me that God taught her so much about love by watching the way that Les was caring and merciful to others. One time, they were at the doctor's office and there was a woman there with a terrible cough. Eddye told me she is a germophobe. But this woman had no way to get home so, as was his character, Les offered her a ride home and Eddye endured the germ-laden woman all the way to her home. But in watching Les, she learned about the love of Jesus, who was willing to reach out to the sick, the hurting and the dying and love them.

Or, maybe you have never taken Jesus seriously. Ok. Let me tell you: take death seriously. And if you take death seriously, you need to consider whether there is something past death, some sort of life. Maybe there is nothing after death. But will you bet your eternity on that? Maybe Jesus died for nothing, went on a futile trip to the cross for your sins. But will you take the risk? What if you’re wrong? Or maybe he went through death, paid for what you did wrong, so that he could bring you through death to the other side. That is the audacious claim of Jesus. I believe he is listening now, if you want to tell him. Tell him you have a tough time believing. Tell him you’ve done stuff that would get you kicked out of heaven. Tell him that you want to live forever. Ask him to show himself to you in such a powerful, undeniable way, that your life will be changed. Ask him to carry you past death into eternal life. That is the courageous prayer; that is the kind of prayer that God answers.

A story is told of a professor, professor Carlisle who was extremely absent-minded, always forgetting the details of life. So when the time came for his family to move to a new house, his long-suffering wife began to prepare him early. “Now honey, in three weeks, we’re going to move. And when we move, you won’t take bus A, you’ll take bus B.” Then again the next week: “Honey, in two weeks, we’re going to our new house. And when you get done from work, you won’t get on bus A, you’ll get on bus B.” Finally the big day arrived, “Honey, today is the day. Don’t get on bus A. Get on bus B.” But, of course, being unreliable in these matters, professor Carlisle finished work and promptly caught bus A. Upon reaching his old neighborhood, though, he realized his mistake, got on bus A going the other way, and caught bus B. After he got off the bus, he realized to his dismay that he didn’t know which place was his. Wandering up and down the streets, it was getting dark when he saw a little girl. “Little girl, do you know the way to the Carlisle house.” The little girl grabbed his hand and said, “Come on, daddy, I’ll take you home.”

Death is not the end. It is a change of residence. But we will never make it home by ourselves, we need someone to save us from our own lostness and guide us. Jesus is that someone.

[1] Steve Jobs, Commencement Address, Stanford University, 2005 as cited on http://www.christianpost.com/news/remarkable-thoughts-on-death-from-steve-jobs-57468 (retrieved 4 December 2011)

[2] In China, IKEA Is a Swede Place for Senior Romance, Relaxation: Free Coffee, Empty Beds Set Intimate Tone; Retailer Struggles to Police the Unruly, Laurie Burkitt, Wall Street Journal A-1,December 1, 2001, retrieved December 3, 2001, http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203503204577037991554068290.html

[3] Steve Jobs, Ibid.

The Larger, More Disturbing, More Urgent Jesus

Currently, I am reading "Simply Jesus" by N.T. Wright. I have always been challenged by his writing, both as a scholar and as a pastor. In the introduction to his book, he challenges followers of Jesus like this:

"It is we, the churches, who have been the real reductionists. We have reduced the kingdom of God to private piety, the victory of the cross to comfort for the conscience, and Easter itself to a happy, escapist ending after a sad, dark, tale." (Simply Jesus, p. 5)

Why do we have such small expectations of God in our world and in our life? N.T. continues claims that we have the same issue as those 1st century listeners:

You see, the reason Jesus wasn't the sort of king people wanted in his own day is...that he was the true king, but they had become used to the ordinary, second-rate sort. (p. 5)

 It challenges me to think: Which part of "broken" do I think God isn't interested in transforming? Not my life (only), but the lives around me.  In fact, the whole world longs for freedom from the effects of sin and decay:

creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.  - Romans 8:21

So I wonder what sort of second-rate thinking and expectations I have for the God of the infinite imagination. This week I am wondering how that applies to my thinking about the churches I am actively a part of.

Mark 2: Thankful Heart, Abundant Life

[This sermon was first preached at Folsom Community Church on 27 November, 2011]

Thankful Heart, Abundant Life
Mark 4:2-8

Introduction

In Budapest, a man goes to the rabbi and complains, "Life is unbearable. There are nine of us living in one room. What can I do?" The rabbi answers, "Take your goat into the room with you." The man in incredulous, but the rabbi insists. "Do as I say and come back in a week." A week later the man comes back looking more distraught than before. "We cannot stand it," he tells the rabbi. "The goat is filthy." The rabbi then tells him, "Go home and let the goat out. And come back in a week." A radiant man returns to the rabbi a week later, exclaiming, "Life is beautiful. We enjoy every minute of it now that there's no goat -- only the nine of us." [1]

Who are we thankful to at thanksgiving? Thanks-giving requires an object. Thankful requires someone to be thankful to. Some people try to celebrate this holiday by essentially thanking themselves or else thanking some non-specific grandfather-like power.

Thanksgiving is not a natural habit of ours. Complaining, yes. Worry, yes. But giving thanks? Benjamin Disraeli, former prime minister of England, said:

I feel a very unusual sensation - if it is not indigestion, I think it must be gratitude. - Benjamin Disraeli

Who are we giving thanks to? Thanks – giving. Thanks to God for the blessings over the past year. Thanks must have an object. Here's what the Bible says:

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights… James 1:17a

What really produces a full life? Jesus said:

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. - John 10:10 (ESV)

Not just a stingy life. Not just a starving life. Not just a getting-by life. An abundant life.

But what is the abundant life? The abundant life is not the stuff. The abundant life is not the great experiences. The abundant life is the love, the joy, the peace with which we deal with the stuff and the experiences.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. - Galatians 5:22-23

The abundant life is God’s character and power in us every day.

And the key to an abundant life is your heart attitude toward God.

Jesus tells a story that lists 4 heart attitudes toward God.

1. We Refuse to Listen To God.
2. We Restrict God’s Access in Our Life
3. We Reduce God’s Influence in Our Life, or …
4. We Receive God In Our Life.

Jesus told a little story about the abundant life:

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.  

Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.  

Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.  

Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” – Mark 4:2-8

There are four keys to understanding what Jesus says in this story. You can find these a few versions down in the same chapter, because Jesus conveniently tells you what his whole story is about.

• The seed is God’s word—what he says to us.
• The soil is our heart. The condition of the soil reflects how we respond to God’s word.
• Our heart attitude toward God’s word reflects our heart attitude toward God.
• Our heart attitude towards God determines how abundant our life will be.

The story describes four completely different responses to what God has to say—but only one of those responses to what God has to say leads to the abundant life. Let’s look at each response.

We Refuse to Listen to God.

“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.” – Mark 4:3-4

 “As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.” – Mark 4:15b

There are a lot of reasons we might refuse to listen to God. Maybe…

1. We don’t listen because we don’t even believe in God.
2. We don’t listen because we don’t believe that God speaks, in the Bible or in voices or via tea leaves or any other way.
3. We don’t listen because we know people who claim to listen to God and they are real jerks.
4. We don’t listen because, based on what we know about God, we don’t really like Him (or Her or It).

So even if God were speaking to you, the attitude of your heart would prevent you from ever hearing him. Jesus called that “ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding.” (Mark 4:12a) So those seeds are just spilt, like grains of rice to feed the chickens. So, even if God was speaking, if you refuse to listen, then God’s word is just bird food.

The Bible has a word for refusing to listen to what God says: Sin. Sin, in the Bible, is not tied to chocolate. It is tied to a heart attitude that will not listen to God’s word. But if we will not listen to what God has to say, then we can never have the abundant life that he promised.

You have to be honest about it. God is speaking. God is a communicator. Jesus is the “Word” made into flesh. God is speaking. Be honest, we are not listening. If we want the abundant life, though, we have to allow at least a little crack so that the seed (God’s word) can make it down to our heart and start to make a difference.

If we don’t listen to what God says, we can never have the abundant life.

We Restrict God’s Access in Our Life

“Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.” – Mark 4:5-6

“Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.” – Mark 4:16-17

In this story, the seed is not just God’s word, it is life. Show avocado seed. Each seed carries within it life, and around the seed there is just enough sustenance to get that seed rooted and established. The soil, our heart, is really dead until the seed gets there. But when it gets there, the natural processes take over, the first sprout and first leaves reach up toward the sun and the first roots begin to quest downward into the soil. It is a time of rapid growth. But then the sun gets hot, like it does here in the Sacramento area. Or the wind begins to blow. And, as quickly as it grew, it now fades because its roots are limited by a layer of rock just underneath the surface.

Sometimes we don’t enter into the abundant life, because our roots are too shallow. You see, we wanted just a little bit of God. We want God in our life, but we have decided we want to restrict God’s access; we give him the stuff that’s easy to give, but not really give him control. We want the abundant life that God offers, but we aren’t willing to give God the access to our life that is necessary to make it happen. Maybe it is a relationship. Maybe it is our job. We say, “God I really want you; change my life, rock my world, but don’t change the real me, I’d like to control that part.”

Listen to this:

I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please, not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep, but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine. . . . I want ecstasy, not transformation; I want the warmth of the womb, not a new birth. I want about a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack. I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please. – Walter Rees, $3 Worth of God (Valley Forge, Penn: Judson Press, 1971)

With the “$3 worth of God”, when the tough times come (and notice that, in Jesus’ story, they will come), the seed has never really become established. The new life has never become viable, because it has not tapped into the life source directly. At some point, it must tap directly into God’s love and power—but, if the soil is rocky, it never can do that. If you want the abundant life, you must give God access to all of your life. Here’s what the Bible says: 

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.” – Ephesians 4:17b-18 

If we don’t give God full access, we can never have the abundant life.

We Reduce God’s Influence in Our Life
So, one response we can have to God, is we can refuse to listen to him. Another response is that we can restrict God’s access to our life. The third response is we can reduce God’s influence in our life. Look at what Jesus said:

“Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.” – Mark 4:7

Jesus explains this a little bit:

“Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.” – Mark 4:18-19 

God’s word needs enough space in your life to produce the big crop—the 30 times crop, the 60 times crop or the 100 times crop. God not only needs access to all of our life, he also needs you to not give access to other things that crowd out the abundant life. These other things, they are weeds! A weed is just a plant out of place. Sometimes, weeds look really beautiful when they are small, but soon they are taking up the space in your heart that should be reserved for God’s word.—taking up too much of our attention.

Recently I saw this article in the newspaper about Rishab Chatty in Folsom, CA, who was honored with a $1,000 savings bond for raising the largest cabbage, with a 30lb head. As you can see from the picture, it takes a lot of room. That cabbage is almost as large as he is! It takes a lot of room. Just like the work God wants to do in us. We need to make room.[2]

Jesus says there are three things—three weeds--that, if we let them in, can reduce God’s influence in our life:

• Worry. Rick Warren calls worry, “Stewing without doing.” Did you know worry is a form of meditation? It is meditation on what could go wrong. More and more of our mind is focused on a problem, and we stop thinking about God. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength.”
• Wealth. We try to use money to get the abundant life without being changed people. One time I bought two dozen roses and brought them home to Helen. And she said, “What did you do?” I was just being loving, but she thought maybe I was trying to buy love. We think if we had enough money, we would be joyful. Or if our savings account were large enough, we would have peace. But the abundant life is not purchased, it is given by God.
• Wishes (or Desires). “If only…” If only I could do this-I would be fulfilled. If only I could have that car, or experience, or concert ticket or iPhone, life would be so much better. If only he would like me. When we put our abundant life under the control of something or somebody else other than God, we fall into the “if only trap.” Because it is really squeezing out the changes that God wants to make in you, convincing you that your good life is somewhere out there.

Every time we allow something to be planted in our garden; every time we allow something else to take root in our hearts’ desire, there is less room for the changes that God wants to make—his influence becomes less and less. Take out the bolo! Take out the machete, the weedwhacker. If I were to ask you, what is taking up all of your time or your checkbook, those would be the things that threaten to compete with God in your life.

If we don’t give room for God to work, we cannot have the abundant life.

We Receive God in Our Life
So far we have looked at three negative responses to God. We refuse to listen to God. We restrict God’s access in our lives. We reduce God’s influence in our lives. But in this 4th response, Jesus tells us what we should do. Jesus says that the best response is when we receive God in our life. We need to welcome God into our lives.

“Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.” – Mark 4:8

“Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.” – Mark 4:20

Conclusion
Let me ask you a question: what is the condition of your heart?

• Maybe your heart is hard, asphalt-big do-not-enter signs posted-not giving God any chance to speak? Maybe now is the time to give Jesus the chance to speak. It is time to let him in.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. – Revelation 3:20

• Maybe your heart is like the shallow soil over rock. Just a little bit of God.
• Maybe your heart is so full of weeds and distractions that God doesn’t have room to work.
• Or maybe your heart is plowed and ready to grow. If you are ready to receive God’s word and act on it, he causes the growth.

You need to receive God-to welcome God. Jesus spent his life on the cross so that God would welcome you. Welcome you now and welcome you forever. Do you know why? Because when you receive God, he receives you as his children. Here is what the Bible says:

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. – John 1:12-13 (NIV)

If we don’t receive God in our life, we cannot have the abundant life.

If you need to do that, you can pray a simple prayer to God: “Dear God. I have been refusing you. I have been restricting you-reducing your influence. But now, as best I know how, I want to receive you into my life. I know that Jesus paid for all of my sin and stubbornness up until now, so that I can be welcomed by you. I want the abundant life, and, with your help, I will follow your plan—your words-to get there.”

If you prayed that prayer, would you tell me or Pastor Tito today? We would like to pray with you about it and help you take the next steps in learning how to live the abundant life.

Jesus says we can have the abundant life, full of the grace and mercy of God, full of the 30 times love, the 60 times joy and 100 times peace that only God can provide. That is worth thanks-giving.

---

[1] George Mike, How to be Decadent (Andre Deutsch: London) as cited on http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/t/thanksgiving.htm, retrieved on 11/25/2011.

[2] Seeds: Serious cabbage and good causes raising some green, Debbie Arrington, Sacramento Bee (26 November 2011), Home and Garden, pg. 3.

Joshua 4: Miracles: God’s Power To Move Us

[This sermon was preached on 30 October 2011 at Folsom Community Church]

Miracles: God’s Power To Move Us

Joshua 4

Introduction: What Does It Mean? (vs. 20-21)

 [Helen's Valentine’s Day Prayer and Unexpected Answer] This ring is a reminder of the way that God brought Helen and I together. If we sat down and asked each of the couples in this room how God brought them together, I think we would have a lot of stories. Stories of how God could bring together two completely different people, from completely different backgrounds, countries and cultures in marriage. And many times, over the past 20 years, my mind has wandered back to those events, reminding me: Yes, this was God’s plan and this is God’s plan.

But you know, the ring is not the thing. As pretty as it is, as much as it is worth (especially with the price of gold today), I don’t say that this ring holds my affections—I don’t say this ring has my heart. No, instead it is a reminder of my relationship with Helen and how God was miraculously involved.


USMC War Memorial, Photo by Catie Drew, Public Domain

I’ve seen a lot of statues in my time. Big ones, little ones. When I look at the statues of great men, if I spend all my time wondering about how it was made, what materials they used, who the artist was, but I miss the story that the statue is supposed to tell, then I’m missing the point.

Graves at Arlington on Memorial Day, Photo by Remember, Public Domain

I’ve seen a lot of grave markers in my time. Do you spend your time oohing and ahhing over the mausoleums? Or do you remember the life story of the one who it commemorates?

When we come to Joshua, chapter 4, the monument on the bank of the Jordan River was a pile of 12 rocks piled up.  Not very impressive. But let me tell you, the story is amazing, because it is the story of ordinary people, an miracle and the God behind the miracle.

I’m going to spoil it for you by starting at the end of the story and then we’ll work back and fill in the details as we go along. If you have your Bibles, please turn to Joshua, chapter 4, starting in verse 19:

On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan.

He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’  For the LORD your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over.

The LORD your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” – Joshua 4:19-24

Let me recap the big story. Some of you may know the story of how the nation of Israel was in Egypt for 400 years, oppressed by the Pharaohs. God sent Moses down to Egypt, hammers on the people and Pharaoh of Egypt until they let the Israelites go and then, after the Egyptian army chases them to the edge of the Red Sea, opens up a path through the middle of the sea so they can escape safely to the other side. On the other side is the desert.

They grab the 10 commandments from Mt. Sinai and then march through the desert until they arrive at the Jordan River. Now God has told them that, on the other side of the Jordan River, is the land he has promised long ago to Abraham, their ancestor and that it is a land so rich and fertile, they call it the land of “milk and honey”. So far, so good right?

So the Israeli nation sends out twelve spies to take a look at this Promised Land. They bring back a good news-bad news story. The good news is the land is incredibly rich, tons of grapes and olives. The bad news is: the Amorites already found it and moved into the neighborhood. And they are big (I mean really big, Goliath sized), mean, nasty people.

What do the people of Israel do when they hear the bad news? They do what we do. They forget the good news. They forget the promise of God. They whine and compliant and throw a tantrum. So God says, “Fine, you don’t want my promised land. Then don’t have it.” And sends them back into the desert and says that everyone over 20 years old will not see the “promised” land except for two people: Joshua and Caleb.

Fast forward 40 years. Moses just died after giving the longest sermon in the Bible (the book of Deuteronomy) and the people are ready to try again. There parents have all died in the desert. So they line up at the river, which is at flood stage, overflowing its banks. The priests walk to the edge of the river and step into the water. Except, as their feet come down, God does a miracle. He not only stops the water but dries up the ground underneath. The priests stand all day in the middle of what used to be a river while the people cross. Joshua tells 12 men, one from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, to grab a rock from the middle of the river. Then, after everyone is across, the priests come out, the river returns its normal floody self and they pile up the 12 rocks at the place they camp that night.

What Are Miracles For?

Now, let me stop right there and ask you a question: What are miracles for? [repeat] Does God do them for the entertainment value? What did they do before television and iPods? Oh, back then, son, they had miracles. Is that it? So that the Bible wouldn’t be boring?

To show off? Is that what miracles are for? Hey look at what I can do, a two headed albino alligator. 50,000 galaxies. Who does God show off to? That would be pretty pathetic if God was showing off, because there’s no one else whom God admires to show off to. There’s no audience capable of truly appreciating what God can do. I mean, look at his intended audience, the Israelites. Big river, flood stage, dry ground. And how did they applaud God? Great job, God, wanna rock?

God does miracles because he wants to motivate us. And God wants monuments because we tend to forget the miracles. Look at verse 21:

He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their fathers, ‘What do these stones mean?’….’ - Joshua 4:21

When God does a miracle, it is not a secret. If God does something amazing in your life, don’t keep it to yourself. Don’t let the story die with you. Instead, find opportunities to celebrate the miracles and tell the story. Those rocks next to the Jordan River were designed to be provocative. Those rocks were designed to generate questions. There was no way that you could stroll down the Gilgal promenade and miss these rocks.

If God has radically changed your life, if God has moved in a way that only God can, it should generate some comment—some questions-- from our friends, our families, our associates. Because if it doesn’t, it means that either it wasn’t a radical change or else you are really good at hiding it.

Sometimes you’ve got to pull the Ferrari out of the garage. You know, God has done amazing miracles around your life. He has changed you and is changing you. But you only bring the Ferrari out on Sundays and then you only show it to your Ferrari club friends. Then you tuck it back into the garage and the rest of the week you drive your lemon to work and school.

Jesus said:

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. – Matthew 5:14-15

God’s miracles are meant to be shared. They are meant to be remembered. They are meant to move us and motivate us, in four specific ways mentioned in the next few verses.

Miracles Are God’s Power In Our Lives (vs. 22-23a)

First, miracles are God’s power in our lives. Look at verses 22 and the first part of verse 23:

“Tell them, ‘Israel cross the Jordan on dry ground.’ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over.” – Joshua 4:22-23a

A miracle is God’s power for God’s plan with God’s people. God does things for his reasons and he involves us. So you don’t try the impossible because you like doing impossible things. In fact, Satan tempted Jesus “to try the impossible”, telling him to jump off the top of the temple and he would be rescued. And Jesus said, “No!” But, on the other hand, when God has a plan and you are involved in the plan, many times you will see miracles happen because God will use his power to make it happen.

Miracles require God-sized power. Miracles require God-accurate timing. Miracles require God-focus attention to details.  

Let’s look at God-sized power. If you go back one chapter, to chapter 3, verses 15-16 it says:

Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests carried the priests … reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away ... [and] was completely cut off. – Joshua 3:15, 16a

I have seen the Sacramento River overflowing into the Yolo Causeway over here on Highway 50. I have seen the Cagayan River, the longest river in the Philippines, at flood stage. If you have seen something like this, you know the tremendous amount of water involved. Now God just took his hand and stopped up the flow of the river, no leaks, and piled up the water, higher and higher. It took 5 years to build the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, but it took God 5 seconds.

Then, notice the God-accurate timing. It says that when the feet of the priest touched the water’s edge, the water started piling up in Adam—18 miles away—at the same instance.

Finally, notice the God-focused details. There were as many as 2 million people who had to cross. With flood-stage rivers, it’s not just the water but the mud. But it says, in verse 17 it says that by the time the priests got to the middle of the now-empty river:

The priests … stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground. – Joshua 3:17

When God does a miracle, it is something so incredible, so audacious, so big that the only rational explanation is God. He doesn’t want anyone else getting credit. He doesn’t want anyone coming up with a scientific explanation for what happened. He doesn’t want us to wonder whether we imagine it. Instead he wants to confirm his power for us in an unmistakable way. And he gets to choose the miracle, not you.

A miracle is God’s power for God’s purpose with God’s people. A miracle, it is God’s motivation for you to move. A miracle is telling you God’s direction to move. A miracle is telling you who to move with.

First, miracles are God’s power in our lives.

Miracles Are God’s Power in Our Lifetime (vs. 23b)

Second, we move because God is active now. Look at what it says in the second part of verse 23:

The Lord your God did to the Jordan just what he had done to the Red Sea when he dried it up before us until we had cross over. – Joshua 4:23b

What is he talking about? Well, if you remember, this isn’t the first time that Israel has cross over a big body of water on dry ground. Back when Moses led them out of Egypt, they came to the edge of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh’s army charging behind them, and God opened up a passage and the people escaped. Now, Joshua is leading them out of the desert, they come to the edge of the Jordan, and now God opens up a passage and the people enter the promised land. Why a second time?  Was God running out of ideas, like a bad miracle sequel?

No. It was important that the people know that God was with them, in the same way, with the same power, with the same commitment, as he had been when they left Egypt. None of them had been adults and many were not even born back in the big plague-and-miracle days. So they didn’t know personally the power of God.

We all need to personally experience the power of God. It isn’t enough that our parents saw the power of God. It isn’t enough that our friends had their lives turned upside-down by God giving them a new life. We need to experience that power first hand.

This was especially true of Joshua. You see Moses, his predecessor had been leading Israel for nearly 40 years. But just before they got to the Jordan River, Moses dies. People wondered, “Does he have what it takes to be the leader?” “Does he have what it takes for the job?” People wondered. Joshua wondered. Back in Joshua 1, God has to tell him several times, “Be strong and courageous.” “Be strong and courageous.” Why did God have to say that? Because Joshua was shaking in his boots. But by crossing in the same way as Moses it gave everyone confidence that God was with Joshua just like he was with Moses. In fact, that’s what it says in chapter 4, verse 14:

“That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they revered him all the days of his life, just as they had revered Moses.” – Joshua 4:14

Does God still do amazing, out-of-the-box, off-the-hook sort of stuff? Or is that only in the Bible? Do people get healed, lives get changed, additions overcome, cities repent and rivers open up? Or is that like Cinderella-a fairy tale?

The prophet Habakkuk asked the same question:

LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; - Habakkuk 3:2

I am convinced that God is still in the business of working miracles in this generation. The miracles of God are not just the miracles of the Bible—they are the miracles also of this time and this place.  Folsom is not forgotten. Sacramento did not slip his mind. Natomas is not an afterthought. God has not finished demonstrating his power right here.

But, when he moves, will you move? First, miracles are God’s power in our lives. Second, Miracles are God’s power in our lifetime, in our generation.

Miracles Are God’s Power for His Plans (vs. 24a)

Third, miracles are God’s power for His plans (not ours!). God has big plans and wants us to join him. Every wonder what’s on God’s day planner—on his calendar? “7:02am, cause the sun to rise. 11:00am, go to the dentist” No, God’s calendar is full of a much bigger plan.

Back in verse 24, we find out that the pile of rocks next to the Jordan was God’s announcement that He has big plans.

He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful… - Joshua 4:24

Did you know that a miracle is not just for you? God is not just giving you a private showing; he is starting a world tour. Through the power he is displaying, his target audience is the world. The gospel is the message. The miracles are the marketing plan. The world is his target audience.

Crossing the Jordan River with a miracle was not just about keeping your feet dry. It was not just about taking the Promised Land. Those rocks were a reminder to the people of God: You are a part ofhte process, but you are not the end of the process.

Sometimes people of God get comfortable, they get satisfied, even smug. They found the answer, now we can rest. They get so concerned about God’s people inside the holy huddle that they ignore the future team members. But the goal of the gospel is not a group hug. The goal of the gpsel is global domination. 

Miracles are not about you. They are about God. Do you remember the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer? Do you remember what you were asking?

Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven. – Matthew 6:10

When we pray the Lord ’s Prayer, we are really praying that God will take over Folsom, California, starting with me.  God’s kingdom expands, not by geographical or political or economic or ethnic boundaries, but in the hearts of men and women whose hearts are fully devoted to him.

[Folsom Lake College, 9K students, Folsom, 60K people, Sacramento Area, 2.5M[1], California, 30M people, the World: 7B]

What would it look like if God did a miracle right here? Marriages restored, the desperate given hope, the poor being fed, relationships restored, addictions cast off, lives transformed. Starting a church in Folsom is not starting a Rotary club. Starting a church in Folsom is starting a revolution. You are not residents, you are revolutionaries.

Does God dream small? No God dreams big. He loves the people here enough to spend the life of his son, Jesus.  He loves the people here enough to send us. He will back up his dream with miracles that you and I cannot even imagine. These miracles are the signs that point towards the day when every knee will bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  We can’t sit still. We can’t leave the world in the way it is. We have to move because God has big plans.

First, miracles are God’s power in our lives. Second, miracles are God’s power in our lifetime. Third, miracles are God’s power for His plans.

Miracles Are God’s Power to Change Our Heart (vs. 24b)

And finally, when God performs a miracle, one of the reasons he does that miracle is to change our hearts to that we focus on God, not ourselves.

Look at the second part of verse 24:

He did this ... so that you might always fear the Lord your God. – Joshua 4:24b

Sometimes we see that phrase, “fear the Lord” in the Bible, we can get confused. Why should I be afraid of God? Think about it in terms of your family. Did you ever do something, and you knew that if your father ever found out about it, you would be in big trouble. That is a part of the “fear of the Lord.” How about this, did you ever work really hard on something, because you knew that your parents would approve? That is a part of the “fear of the Lord” Did you ever do something that was a little bit risky, it required courage, but you knew that your parents would like that. That is part of the “fear of the Lord.”

There is only one opinion that matters. There are lots of people willing to tell you their opinion. Every piece of junk mail; every ad on TV; every billboard-they all try to get my attention so that they can tell me their opinion.  My boss, my kids, my in-laws, my friends, they all have an opinion for me. Buy this. Do this. Achieve this. Live like this. They all have something to tell me. Twenty some-odd years after I left home, my Mom lives three-hundred miles away, but I can still hear her voice in my head. But whose voice overrides all the other voices: God's.

When God pulls out the miracles and lets us see it, he has wants to change our opinion about Him. Is He the VIP in our life, or do we try to maintain ourselves as the most-important person In our world, we think we are the center of the universe.  So one of the reasons God does miracles is to take our focus off of us and put the spotlight on God. 

What God is doing is the most important activity. What God thinks about something is the most important opinion. What God cares about should break our hearts. That’s what it means to fear the Lord. That’s what it means to “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength.”

If God is going to change the world, he must first move you by changing your focus.

First, miracles are God’s power in our lives. Second, miracles are God’s power in our lifetime. Third, miracles are God’s power for His plans. Fourth, miracles are God’s power to change your heart.

Conclusion

Bertelsen Park, El Dorado Hill, Photo by Helen Lewis

Is that what life is about?

Go back to the River Jordan. It was just a pile of rocks. There was nothing special about the rocks themselves. If we saw one of those rocks today, we would not notice anything extraordinary about them. Their shape is normal. Their chemical composition is normal. Their flaws and coloration is normal. But their significance, their importance is amazing, because of what God did with them. They were ordinary, now they are extraordinary, not because of the “rock-ness” but because of God’s favor. They were just river rubble, but now they are the symbol of a miracle.

We are like those rocks. We are ordinary people.  We are look like ordinary people, we smell like ordinary people, we are flawed like ordinary people. But our significance is amazing because of what God did with us. He takes ordinary people and shapes us and forms us until, one day, we will be completely transformed into the person he has always wanted us to be.

And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. – Philippians 1:6 (NLT)

We have substituted cheap dreams for the dreams of God. What do I want at the end of my life? A baseball field named after me. Are my passions so trivial that I am content with green grass and a baseball diamond?

My dream is that when people look back at my life, they will not see the pile of rocks, but will see the power and glory of God shining through because of his miracles. My dream is that each life I come into contact with will be transformed by the power of God. My dream is that Folsom Community Church is the start of a life-giving, life-changing movement of churches in the Sacramento area. My dream is that my heart breaks for what breaks his heart and that my heart celebrates when his heart rejoices.

But I can’t do that. My habits, my attitudes, my heart is too self-centered. I am too worried about my reputation and what people think about me. I am too comfortable with the way things are right now. I need a miracle. Am I the only one who needs a miracle? 

Maybe you’re here this morning, and you aren’t too sure about this whole God thing, or miracles. Maybe it sounds crazy to you. I agree, it certainly sounds a little bit weird. But what if it was true? What if God is real and still in the business of changing peoples’ lives? Work with me here. If God was real and good and powerful, what would it take for you to trust him? Maybe you need to offer up a prayer like this:

God, I am not sure whether you are real or not. And I’m not sure that if you are real, whether I would really like you. But I want to find out the truth, and if find out that you are real and good, I will follow you as best as I can. I will know if you are real and good if xxxx.

That’s a dangerous prayer. Don’t pray it if you aren’t serious, because it’s a dangerous thing to play with God.

Maybe God has spoken to you. You are convinced he is real. But you don’t know what to do next. Here’s a miracle: God sent Jesus, condemned him for what you did wrong, bought your life with his, and wants to re-launch your life. The Bible calls this being “made new” It is a miracle, like the miracle of creating the world. It is a miracle like Jesus coming back to life.

I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead … - Ephesians 1:19-20a

It is a miracle that is offered to each one, if we are willing to follow Jesus with all of our heart. We can ignore God, we can dismiss God, we can claim we don’t need God, OR we can say, “God I don’t deserve it, but I need your miracle to change me.  Thank you for sending Jesus to pay for all of my faults and flaws, so I can have this new life. Today I want to follow you, as much as I know how. Amen.”

Many of you already know what I’m talking about. God has already re-launched your life spiritually. But you wish, just wish to see God move in a miraculous way during our life. My brothers and sisters, how I long to see God move like that. Like he did in the Bible. Like he did in the book of Acts. God doesn’t owe me or you a miracle. But I know the best place to find one: with the people of God, in his church. What does God do with rocks?

And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. - 1 Peter 2:5

He builds them into a holy place, a monument to his glory.

We are the miracle that God is using to change our world.

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[1] “Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Estimated”, July 1, 2009, U.S. Censur Bureau, http://www.census.gov/popest/metro/tables/2009/CBSA-EST2009-01.csv, Retrieved October 26, 2011