Reasons to Believe: Part 3

Reasons to Believe - Part 3

Helping People to Believe

 Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: Jesus came to seek and save the lost - and so should we.  

The Process 

The Problems 

The Perspective that Leads to Jesus 

The Process

Everyone is in process. 

You are part of a line of people helping people to come to faith in Jesus Christ.  

Jesus said that there is spiritual food to eat that you will only taste when you join him in making him known (Philemon 6). 

John‬ ‭4‬:‭32‬-‭38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."

When loving people intentionally with the gospel, you are either doing the hard work or reaping the fruit of the hard work of others - nothing is in vain. 

Without someone doing the hard work, there will be no reaping.  

Engels Scale 

The Problems

When God is in pursuit, he helps address the obstacles that we have keeping us from him with his intentional love, wisdom and grace. 

I had objections to the faith but God was in pursuit. 

Issue #1: 

I had skepticism in a world of options. 

Skepticism works, until it doesn’t. 

“You cannot go on 'seeing through' things for ever. The whole point of seeing through something is to see something through it. It is good that the window should be transparent, because the street or garden beyond it is opaque. How if you saw through the garden too? It is no use trying to 'see through' first principles. If you see through everything, then everything is transparent. But a wholly transparent world is an invisible world. To 'see through' all things is the same as not to see.”

C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man

Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“He entered Jericho and was passing through. And behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich. And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small in stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today." So he hurried and came down and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner." And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold." And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

Intentional friendship matters in helping people meet Jesus.  

It is how Jesus treated Zacchaeus and how we are to treat others. 

Issue #2: 

I had motive for a lack of morality. 

"I had motive for not wanting the world to have a meaning; consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned exclusively with a problem in pure metaphysics, he is also concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to do, or why his friends should not seize political power and govern in the way that they find most advantageous to themselves. … For myself, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation, sexual and political." --Aldous Huxley, Ends and Means (London: Chatto & Windus, 1946), pp. 270, 273

John‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭21‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

Issue #3: 

I had to allow Jesus to cross my intellect and my will. 

Who’s to say?

(In response to my questions following are Timothy Keller quotes):

“If the evolutionary mechanism of natural selection depends on death, destruction, and violence of the strong against the weak, then these things are perfectly natural. On what basis, then, does the atheist judge the natural world to be horribly wrong, unfair, and unjust?”

Would God ever cross me?

“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible’s teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn’t have any views that upset you. Does that belief make sense?”

“If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.”

What about suffering?

“The basic premise of religion—that if you live a good life, things will go well for you—is wrong.  Jesus was the most morally upright person who ever lived, yet he had a life filled with the experience of poverty, rejection, injustice, and even torture.”

-Timothy Keller

The Perspective that Leads to Jesus 

We don’t have to figure out who God is - Jesus is self-revelatory. 

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭ESV

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”

‬‬The blind men and the elephant is a wonderful analogy.

Jesus is self-revelatory truth and was the solution. 

John‬ ‭9‬:‭39‬-‭41‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, "Are we also blind?" Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, 'We see,' your guilt remains.”

At the end of the day, we need to turn from sin and in repentance and faith, turn to Jesus at the cross (Matthew 3; Galatians 5). 

‭‭Jesus is God who became flesh to live the sinless life that we should have lived.  

He performed signs, wonders and miracles demonstrating his compassion for the hurting and to show his authority over creation. 

Jesus went to the cross sacrificially so that as we turn from our rebellion to put our trust in Christ, we might have forgiveness for our sins and be made new creations in him. 

This is a fresh start where literal times of refreshing come from the Lord (Acts 3:19-21). 

As Christ makes us whole through relationship with himself, he then gives us the privilege to offer his same healing to others whom he loves and who will come to believe as we share the truth of his Word.  

Matthew‬ ‭10‬:‭7‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV

“And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay.”

I got baptized at a campus retreat and thereafter in each of the places that I had been searching and contemplating, was in hot pursuit of classmates, friends and family members that they too might know the love of God that had captured me.  

Several of you have been responding to Jesus over the past several weeks.  

Those responding and friends asking what to do next: 

Acts 2:36-47 gives us a picture of what to do thereafter. 

• Get baptized (speak with us)

• Go through the One to One with the friend who brought you, or we can connect you with one of our leaders who will

• Purple Book Class

• Community Group

The ministry team fair is also a practical way that you can serve and help people get exposure to the love and life of God!

Reasons to Believe: Part 2

Reasons to Believe - Part 2

Disciples, Thinkers and Reasons That Helped Me Believe   

 Pastor Rollan Fisher

These are thoughts not my own that helped develop a testimony that I am able to live out today. 

I Peter 3:15 ESV

“but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,”

Focus: We all need reasons to believe and God abounds with both Biblical and extra-Biblical reasons to embrace his hope offered to the world in Jesus.  

I navigated through:

• Philosophies

• Pundits

• Problems with Suffering and supposed

• Promises from God.

I was a pre-med major coming into school, not following God, but open to truth based on where the breadcrumbs lead.  

Thank God that though growing up, I had seen a lot of institutional hypocrisy, I met followers of Jesus as a student who lived like they actually had an authentic faith and relationship with Jesus. 

I determined at university not to have predetermined notions of the world, but allow the facts to lead where they may.  

The facts that I discovered are summarized, not exhaustively, in these categories:

In essence:

(There’s a) Reason  

(For) Suffering (and)

The Bible (tells us)

Our Deepest Need (is)

Christ 

With the short time that we have, I’d like to share with you some of these thoughts. 

1. Reason

There was too much evidence in the arena of physical science for me to think there was not an intelligent catalyst to the material world.  

“We don’t have a single example in the history of science in which information has ever come from anything other than intelligence.  There is no property of physics or chemistry that can account for the information we see in DNA.”

-Cambridge Philosopher of Science, Stephen C. Meyer 

I also found that there are philosophical pitfalls of unbelief. 

“Atheism turns out to be too simple.  If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there were no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be without meaning.”

C. S. Lewis

Logic led me to think that my arguments against absolute truth were faulty.  

“Imagine a person who comes in here tonight and argues 'no air exists' but continues to breathe air while he argues. Now intellectually, atheists continue to breathe - they continue to use reason and draw scientific conclusions [which assumes an orderly universe], to make moral judgments [which assumes absolute values] - but the atheistic view of things would in theory make such 'breathing' impossible. They are breathing God's air all the time they are arguing against him.”

Greg L. Bahnsen

It went further into the idea of epistemology - how do we even know what we know.  

“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?”

C. S. Lewis

1. Suffering 

I acknowledged that much of my and other’s thoughts towards suffering were understandably emotional and not logical. 

“While Western atheists turn from belief in God because a tsunami in another part of the world caused great suffering, many brokenhearted survivors of that same tsunami found faith in God. This is one of the great paradoxes of suffering. Those who don’t suffer much think suffering should keep people from God, while many who suffer a great deal turn to God, not from him.” 

–Randy Alcorn

Pain used to be a puzzle, but the more I heard the good new of Jesus, the more I saw it as providing a new pathway to peace.   

“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

C. S. Lewis

The fact that I found in the Bible a God who suffered for me undercut my oppositions and paved the way to my acceptance.  

1. The Bible

My thoughts towards the trustworthiness of the Bible also began to change. 

First about its authority:

“When someone tells me ‘We can’t trust the Bible because it was written by men,’ I like to gently point out that their conclusion doesn’t follow their premise. Just because something was written by men doesn’t mean it’s not trustworthy. If that were the case, we would have to throw out encyclopedias, dictionaries, automobile manuals, et cetera—all written by men. Men are capable of communicating truthfully, especially when they have God’s help, as the Biblical authors did.” 

–Charlie Campbell

Secondly about its contents:

“Despite the horrors the Canaanites were committing, the new atheists complain that God was immoral for stopping them. Yet on nearly every college campus I visit, an atheist declares, “If there is a good God, He would intervene to stop evil in the world.” Well, here is a case where God does intervene, and the atheists are complaining about it!” 

–Frank Turek

Finally, there was the unparalleled testimony of Jesus:

“The Old Testament contains over 300 references to the Messiah that were fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Computations using the science of probability on just 8 of these prophecies show the chance that someone could have fulfilled all 8 prophecies is 10 (to the 17th power), or 1 in 100 quadrillion.” 

–Fritz Ridenour

But even it were true,

Don’t people dislike others trying to impress their views upon them? 

I found that people sharing Jesus with me who was beginning to revolutionize my life, mind and soul was the most loving thing that anyone could do.  

Certain atheists have agreed: 

“I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me alone and keep your religion to yourself—how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?

“I mean, if I believed, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that a truck was coming at you, and you didn’t believe that truck was bearing down on you, there is a certain point where I tackle you. And this is more important than that.”

- Penn Jillette, self-proclaimed atheist

I was encouraged that even great scientists such as Einstein were impacted by Christ’s life:

In a 2007 Time magazine article, it was reported that in a long ago interview Einstein was asked:

To what extent are you influenced by Christianity? 

“As a child I received instruction both in the Bible and in the Talmud. I am a Jew, but I am enthralled by the luminous figure of the Nazarene.”

You accept the historical existence of Jesus? 

“Unquestionably! No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.”

On top of all of the historic facts of Christ’s sinless life as recorded in the gospels, sacrificial death at the cross and verified resurrection from the dead, the good news of Jesus became supremely personal to me.  

1. Our Deepest Need

“The deepest reality is personal; the deepest need is spiritual.”

~ Ravi Zacharias

I knew because of the way that I was living that if there was a heaven, I would have no personal basis for entry and if there were a hell, I deserved to be there.  

The difficulty of trying to come to God on my own became pronounced to me once I considered it, but this only further validated the veracity of the gospel’s truths. 

“If Christianity was something we were making up, of course we could make it easier. But it is not. We cannot compete, in simplicity, with people who are inventing religions. How could we? We are dealing with Fact. Of course anyone can be simple if he has no facts to bother about.” 

–C. S. Lewis

But because of Jesus, there was hope.  

And through his gospel, I was changed. 

I Was Changed 

John 3:1-7 ESV

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'”

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John‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭37‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." They answered him, "We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, 'You will become free'?" Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you.”

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John‬ ‭14‬:‭6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

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Jesus is the only way because of his identity as the incarnate Son of God - meaning he is God in the flesh - and because of the irreplaceable deed that he accomplished for us on the cross.  

“All religions and philosophies say, ‘This is the way.’ Only Jesus says, ‘I am the Way.’” 

–Tim Keller

1. Christ 

There is a uniqueness and liberating reality in Jesus. 

“There are only two kinds of religion in the world…They all say, “Do, do, do.” Only Christianity says, “Done.” Christ has done it all.” 

–J. Vernon McGee

When I found that I couldn’t force it or be the man that I knew I ought to be on my own, that I fell short of God’s standards and glory, the truth of the Scripture came alive to me. 

Galatians‬ ‭3‬:‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.”

‭‭

God was offering me forgiveness, acceptance and adoption by faith in not my goodness, but Christ’s.  

I was all in but had to deal with the apathy that still permeated my campus, our culture and world.  

People say:

*Religion is for some people, not for others, just like some have an interest in swimming or golfing and others do not. 

The truth is because there is one creator and judge, he makes demands on all of our lives, calling the whole world into a reconciled relationship with himself through Jesus Christ. 

Acts 17:30-31 ESV

“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead."”

‭‭

When I accepted this reality, the world and my understanding of it came alive in a new way - and I felt like I was finally able to experience what was truly life.  

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

C. S. Lewis

No matter where you find yourself this morning, you can respond to Jesus Christ.  

If you have questions, we are here on Sundays to help you, resource you and help you navigate the questions that have life transforming impact of eternal consequence. 

Book Giveaway

Lee Strobel references 

• Second City Church

Reasons to Believe: Part 1

Reasons to Believe - Part 1

Questions I Asked Myself 

Focus: I realized growing up that I was wanton, left wanting but also wanted by Jesus of Nazareth.  

Wanton

Left Wanting 

Wanted by Jesus of Nazareth

We’ll look at these topics through Questions I Asked Myself as I tried to figure out and give purpose to my existence.  

I want to also introduce you to a man named Timothy Keller, who, through Jesus, helped me answer many of these questions. 

Wanton 

I found that because of my experiences and what I saw in the culture as normal, in much of my early development I was wanton.  

Definition:

Wanton

1. (of a cruel or violent action) deliberate and unprovoked

2. DATED : sexually unrestrained or having many casual sexual relationships

I discovered when I came to college that I was searching for something that only God could provide.  

“Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. A baby feels hunger: well, there is such a thing as food. A duckling wants to swim: well, there is such a thing as water. ... If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world. If none of my earthy pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud. Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing. ... I must keep alive in myself the desire for my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that other country and help others to do the same.”

-C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

When I encountered not just church, but Jesus through the Bible, a new world was opened up to me. 

John‬ ‭6‬:‭26‬-‭51‬ ‭ESV‬‬

”Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." 

So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 

They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."“

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Let’s go a little further to see where this wanton life left me and ultimately, leaves us. 

Left Wanting 

Jesus clearly says that we are left wanting in the world without him.  

What do I mean?

What is the common human condition?:

People in the world are searching for positive attention and affirmation. 

TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and selfie culture only affirm this. 

You can see it in the halls of academia where people are determined to prove themselves, you can see it on Greek row, you can see it on the lawn when the weather gets warm and in the bars people frequent with their time and money hoping someone will take them home and make them actually feel alive for a night.  

Everyone is asking the following questions:

Who will tell you that you are desirable, valuable, competent, worthy of love, affection or esteem?

-We all want to feel loved

-We all want to feel valued 

-We all want to feel accepted

-We all want to feel fulfilled 

-We all want to feel desired

-We all want to know we’re not living a lie but are living in what is good and  true - even if it means the pursuit of wanton pleasure. 

What stops us from experiencing this?  

We fear that despite all of our fronts and bold faces that we put on, if people knew how deeply insecure we are, so uncertain about truth, our present or our future, they wouldn’t love or accept us.  

What Jesus said was profound to this point and was echoed by a man named Timothy Keller:

“To be loved but not known is superficial. To be known but not loved is our nightmare. Only Jesus knows us to the bottom and loves us to the sky.”

-Timothy Keller

Yet we try to fill ourselves with superficial love that function as things to prop us up while masking our real condition. 

I found props in the party scene feeling that I was liberated by an unrestrained sexual and philosophical ethic, only to realize that it led me into a greater bondage to sadness, self-loathing, insecurity and fear.  

When I was introduced to the Bible, I found that my props were, against my initial judgment, being turned on their heads for good reason. :

“The Christian sex ethic was understood by the apostles to be a nonnegotiable part of orthodoxy, one of the core beliefs of Christianity. What Christians taught and practiced about sexuality was as much a necessary implication of the gospel and the resurrection as were care for the poor and the equality of the races. This makes it impossible to argue, as many try to do, that what the Bible says about caring for the poor is right but what it says about sex is outmoded and should be discarded.”

-Timothy Keller

This mattered because:

I was hurting and I hurt people along the way. 

I eventually felt guilty about it but couldn’t find a way out.  

“The secular framework . . . has nothing to give the wounded conscience to heal it. It has nothing to say to the self who feels it is unworthy of love and forgiveness. Anyone who has seen the depths of their sin and what they are capable of will never be mollified by the bromide of ‘Be nice to yourself—you deserve it.’”

-Timothy Keller

When Jesus said that he was the bread of life, not only was he making a promise to live the perfect life that we should have lived, die the sacrificial death we should die on the cross, in our place, and rise from the dead, he was also promising to bring us into a life that truly satisfies our souls.  

“[These are] Christianity’s unsurpassed offers—a meaning that suffering cannot remove, a satisfaction not based on circumstances, a freedom that does not hurt but rather enhances love, an identity that does not crush you or exclude others, a moral compass that does not turn you into an oppressor, and a hope that can face anything, even death.”

-Timothy Keller

But is Jesus reliable? 

I found that historically, who I wanted to be had its roots in Jesus. 

“The humanistic moral values of secularism are not the deliverances of scientific reasoning, but have come down to us from older times . . . they have a theological history. And modern people hold them by faith alone.”

-Timothy Keller

“Jesus is one of the very few persons in history who founded a great world religion or who, like Plato or Aristotle, has set the course of human thought and life for centuries. Jesus is in that tiny, select group. On the other hand, there have been a number of persons over the years who have implicitly or explicitly claimed to be divine beings from other worlds. Many of them were demagogues; many more were leaders of small, self-contained sects of true believers. What is unique about Jesus is that he is the only member of the first set of persons who is also a member of the second.”

“Everything in the Hebrew worldview militated against the idea that a human being could be God. Jews would not even pronounce the name ‘Yahweh’ nor spell it. And yet Jesus Christ—by his life, by his claims, and by his resurrection—convinced his closest Jewish followers that he was not just a prophet telling them how to find God, but God himself come to find us.”

-Timothy Keller

Why hadn’t I come to God before?  

It ultimately came down to a lack of developed trust that God intends good for me and for the world.  

“If you want to understand your own behavior, you must understand that all sin against God is grounded in a refusal to believe that God is more dedicated to our good, and more aware of what that is, than we are. We distrust God because we assume he is not truly for us, that if we give him complete control we will be miserable. Adam and Eve did not say, ‘Let’s be evil. Let’s ruin our own lives and everyone else’s too!’ Rather they thought, ‘We just want to be happy. But his commands don’t look like they’ll give us the things we need to thrive. We’ll have to take things into our own hands—we can’t trust him.’”

-Timothy Keller

Wanted by Jesus of Nazareth

The truth is what we are all truly seeking is in Jesus and the good news is that Jesus is seeking us.  

But what if I feel undeserving?

What frees me and encourages my heart in all of this, even when I know that I’ve been undeserving is this? :

Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭6‬-‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

”For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.“

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“The gospel is that I am so sinful that Jesus had to die for me, yet so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. I can’t feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone.”

-Timothy Keller

To experience this fulfillment, we must see Jesus in a new way.  

But what if I’ve already been turned off by what I’ve heard?

“Only if your god can outrage and challenge you will you know that you worship the real God and not a figment of your imagination. . . . If your god never disagrees with you, you might just be worshiping an idealized version of yourself.”

-Timothy Keller

How’s that working for you?

Remember, Jesus said:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." 

We must see him as he is and he must become LORD and SAVIOR of our lives.  

“When you come to Christ, you must drop your conditions. You have to give up the right to say, ‘I will obey you if . . . I will do this if . . .’ As soon as you say, ‘I will obey you if,’ that is not obedience at all. You are saying: ‘You are my adviser, not my Lord. I will be happy to take your recommendations. And I might even do some of them.’ No. If you want Jesus with you, you have to give up the right to self-determination. Self-denial is an act of rebellion against our late-modern culture of self-assertion. But that is what we are called to. Nothing less.”

-Timothy Keller

We invite you this morning to be reconciled to God through the cross of Jesus Christ - turning away from sin and self-determined living that you might find in the Creator the life that is truly life. 

We’d love to walk this out with you in the coming weeks and months as a part of our Community Groups and services!

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity - The Crowd

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity

The Crowd: from Followers to Traitors

Pastor Rollan Fisher

NOTES PREPARED BY PAUL BARKER

Summary Statement:

They followed when the benefits were flowing but abandoned Christ when they saw the cost.

John 6:1–3, 5, 8–12, 14–15, 66–69 (ESV)

1 After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples.

5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?”

8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.”

14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15 Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Introduction: Setting the Scene

When the chapter opens, the crowd is relentless in their pursuit of Jesus, following him around the Sea of Galilee and up a mountain. 

But when the chapter closes, all but the twelve are walking away from him. 

The crowds follow Jesus when the benefits are flowing but abandon him when they see the cost.

The Benefits of Following Jesus

1. Healing for their bodies (6:2).

One notable benefit of following Jesus is physical healing. 

The crowds that flocked to him were driven by his miraculous healings. 

Jesus restored their bodies, providing health and wholeness to those who sought him. 

This power to heal was one of the central reasons the crowd followed him so persistently.

2. Bread for their bellies (6:5–13).

The crowd, originally drawn by the miracles of healing, soon witnessed another astonishing display of Jesus’ power: The feeding of the 5,000 with just five barley loaves and two fish. 

Not only did Jesus provide food for the masses but he also provided it in abundance—so much that they all ate until they were fully satisfied (John 6:12). 

This miracle demonstrated another benefit of following Jesus: he meets the needs of his followers, not just barely, but abundantly.

Isn’t that what we all desire? 

While we want our needs met, we also long for more than mere survival—we desire fullness, a life where we aren’t just scraping by but are thriving. 

We want more than just our hunger to be satisfied; we seek the good life, where our provisions overflow and our hearts are full.

3. Freedom from their oppressors (6:14–15).

As Jesus multiplied the bread, the crowd likely remembered Moses, who provided manna in the wilderness.

Just as Moses led their ancestors out of Egyptian slavery, they hoped Jesus would be the prophet who would free them from Roman oppression. 

They wanted freedom from subjugation and the ability to control their own lives.

When they realized Jesus had gone to Capernaum, they pursued him again, driven by the desire for healing and provision and the hope that he would deliver them from political oppression. 

The Cost of Following Jesus

When the crowd finally caught up to Jesus, he knew their hearts. 

They were still seeking him for the tangible benefits—healing, provision, and the hope of liberation. 

But instead of giving them more miracles, he offered them a profound teaching:

6:32–35: 

Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”  Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”

The crowd still pursued Jesus for the physical benefits, desiring this miraculous “bread” always. 

But Jesus shifted their focus to something far deeper: their spiritual need. 

The manna their ancestors ate only sustained them temporarily, but the bread Jesus offered would bring eternal life.

6:51: “. . . And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

The bread that Jesus will offer is his life, freely given for the life of the world. 

He will die so that we may live.

Jesus goes on to say that to access this new life, you have to eat his flesh and drink his blood—a shocking statement that led many of his disciples to say, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (6:60).

6:66: After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

The crowd that has been so relentless in pursuing Jesus decides that this teaching is too hard for them.

They can’t accept it. 

They can accept Jesus when he is freely healing the sick and providing for their needs.

But who is he to say that he is the bread of life? 

And what does he mean that we need to eat his flesh and drink his blood?

They have been following him for the benefits. 

But when the teaching gets hard, they run away. 

And we see the extent of this betrayal at the crucifixion.

Matthew 27:20–23: 

Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

From a crowd that is relentlessly pursuing him to a crowd calling for his death. 

They follow him when the benefits flow but abandon him when they see the cost.

But before we judge the crowd harshly, if we’re honest with ourselves, we may be more like the crowd than we want to admit.

Application

1. Healing for our bodies (completeness).

We all sense that sickness, disease, and deformity are not how things are meant to be and that if the world were as it should be, we would be whole and complete in our bodies. 

The pursuit of healing, in many ways, is a search for this wholeness or completeness. 

And so we follow Jesus, hoping that in doing so, we will feel whole and complete in our body and mind.

2. Food for our bellies (comfort).

Of course, when we are in want and need, we hope to have our needs met, but the real desire is that we will have more than enough resources to live a comfortable life. 

We want more than our hunger satisfied; we want to be full. 

We want more than the bills paid. 

We want the good life.

3. Freedom from oppression (control).

The crowd hopes that Jesus will free them from the oppression of the Romans so that they can have agency and control over their lives and situations. 

Similarly, we all want to feel like we have agency over our lives and situations. 

We want to be in control.

There isn’t anything inherently wrong with these desires. 

If you are sick, it is good to desire healing. 

If you are hungry, it is good to desire bread; if you are oppressed, it is good to desire liberation. 

The Bible also tells us that these are things that God desires to do for us. 

He desires to heal, provide, and deliver. 

However, these desires can become disordered when we seek them above all other things.

The problem is not with the desires but with their order. 

Like the crowd, we often seek the benefits of following Jesus more than Jesus himself. 

And so, when the benefits dry up, and we realize that following

Jesus will cost us something, we abandon him.

Gospel Reflection

In this sermon series, we’ve discussed all the positive ways that an encounter with the cross has transformed people’s lives. 

We’ve seen the sinner become the evangelist, the curious become a convert, and the bystander becomes the cross-bearer. 

But as we reflect on the trajectory of the crowd—followers to traitors—we see that an encounter with the cross does not always lead to positive transformation. 

And that’s because the cross is offensive.

How is the cross offensive?

1. The cross tells us that we are worse than we want to admit.

The cross tells us that we’re not just sick, hungry, and oppressed but that we’re dead in our sins. 

We need more than a prophet who will heal our bodies, provide for our needs, and free us from oppression. 

We need a Savior.

The cross tells us that we are worse than we want to admit, but it also reveals to us the greatness of God’s provision. 

The bread that Jesus will offer is his life, freely given for the life of the world. 

He will die so that we may live.

2. The cross tells us that we have to die.

To feed on Jesus is to feed on his sacrificial death and, in doing so, to participate in that death.

Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24–25).

3. The cross tells us that we have to die, but it is in this death that we experience resurrection life.

We want the benefits of following Jesus but don’t want it to cost us anything, but that is not the message of the cross. 

Rather, the cross demands a complete reorientation of life.

When Jesus’ external benefits seem to have dried up, and we are faced with the cost, will we respond like the crowd and abandon Jesus? 

Or will we respond like Peter? 

“Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Four Questions

1. How is God glorified in the text?

This text reveals that our God is not only the God who heals, provides, and delivers but he is the God who saves. 

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16–17)

2. How is our heart transformed in the text?

So often, we allow our heart’s desires to become disordered, and we find ourselves chasing after the benefits of following Jesus more than Jesus himself. 

Our hearts are transformed as we remember that Jesus is the Bread of Life, the satisfaction for all our longings and desires.

3. How is the mission accelerated in the text?

In this text, we see two different responses to Jesus’ teaching: those who walk away and those who stay.

As we engage with the text, we must grapple with the question, “How will we respond when faced with the cost of following Jesus?” 

This text is a call to discipleship; a call to count the cost, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus.

4. What is the gospel application of the text?

In this text, we encounter a teaching of the cross of Jesus. The cross tells us that we are worse than we want to admit, but it also reveals to us the greatness of God’s provision. 

Romans 8:32

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”

• Second City Church

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity - Simon of Cyrene

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity

Simon of Cyrene - from Bystander to Cross-Bearer

NOTES PREPARED BY PAUL BARKER 

Text: Mark 15:21 (ESV)

And they compelled a passerby, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.

Focus Statement:

He was a neutral bystander until a face-to-face encounter with Jesus converted him.

The Text in the Story of Redemption

This story reflects the mindset of the Roman Empire: “We can kill, seize, and do whatever we want. We are the final authority, answering to no one. We control the fate of Jesus and the Jews."

While some Jews adjusted to Roman rule, many awaited a Savior to deliver them. 

The Jewish faith has long anticipated a King who would set things right and restore Israel. 

From youth, they were taught that a prophet like Moses would come (Deuteronomy 18:15), from David’s lineage, establishing an eternal throne (2 Samuel 7:12–13). 

He would bear the government (Isaiah 9:6) and baptize in the Holy Spirit (John 1:33).

In Caesarea Philippi, Peter received the revelation that the long-awaited Messiah was finally here and that he was the Christ, the Son of the living God (Mark 8:29).

Yet, after this revelation, Jesus told his disciples he would suffer, die, and rise again—a concept that clashed with their expectation of a victorious king. 

They expected a king with a sword, not a cross. 

Crucifixion symbolized defeat. 

This is why, each time Jesus predicted his death, the disciples resisted and were confused:

• Mark 8:31–33: Peter rebuked Jesus after hearing about the cross, focusing on human concerns rather than God’s plan.

• Mark 9:31–35: After Jesus spoke of his death, the disciples argued about who was the greatest, and Jesus had to reorient their thinking: “Whoever wants to be first must be last.”

•  Mark 10:32–41: Following the third prediction of his death, James and John sought positions of power, which angered the other disciples.

Like us, the disciples had to learn that God’s path to redemption came through the cross. 

At Jesus’ weakest moment, God’s greatest power was revealed. 

This “Path of Sorrow” is also the path of life, hope, and restoration. 

The cross is so central to God’s plan that Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus’ cross, embodies Mark 8:34. He shared in its shame, pain, and death — and thereby shared in its life. 

Simon was forced to carry the cross, but today we must choose to take up our own. 

As Paul wrote in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.”

We live in a time when much of life is spent as spectators. 

We watch the news from a distance, scroll through social media, observe others’ lives, cheer on our favorite sports teams, and, sadly, we may even approach church the same way—merely as spectators. 

It’s easy to understand why: spectating feels safer and more comfortable than the risk of participation. 

But what if simply watching isn’t enough? 

What if the cross demands something more?

Our story today is just one verse. While it is short, it leaves us with intimate details describing Jesus’ journey to the cross. 

This brief passage shows a man changed from a spectator to a cross-carrier.

Luke 23:26 

And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus.

The cross calls us from being spectators to being participators in the life of Christ.

Setup

When reading about the life of Jesus in the Gospels, we might wonder what it would have been like to witness those moments firsthand: to see Jesus open blind eyes, to witness him feeding the multitude, or to hear the Sermon on the Mount. 

But what would it have been like to witness Jesus carrying the cross?

Verse 26 describes the Roman soldiers leading Jesus and two other condemned criminals to their execution.

The soldiers acted under the authority of Pontius Pilate, who had just sentenced Jesus to death after being pressured by the crowd (Luke 23:18–25). 

At this moment, Jesus is fulfilling Isaiah 53:7: “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” 

Despite having the power to escape, Jesus willingly follows the divine plan. 

As he said in Luke 22:22, “For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”

Though Jesus was being led to the cross, his suffering began long before. 

In the first-century Roman empire, criminals typically carried the crossbeam to the site of their crucifixion, which could have been as much as three-quarters of a mile, now known as the Via Dolorosa, or Path of Sorrows. 

By this point, Jesus was likely physically exhausted. 

Luke 22:63 mentions that the soldiers had beaten him while in custody, from Thursday night until his trial before Herod and Pilate the next day. 

This explains why Jesus needed help carrying the cross.

As the soldiers led Jesus away, they seized a man named Simon of Cyrene and forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 

Simon was from Cyrene, a Roman colony in northern Africa with a large Jewish population. 

It is possible that Simon was a Jew in town for the Passover Celebrations. 

Mark provides another detail in his account (15:21). 

He was the father of Alexander and Rufus. 

These were likely disciples in the early church.

More important than all of those details is that he was forced to carry the cross of Christ. 

The soldiers seized him against his will. 

He did not volunteer. 

Luke uses the word epilambonomai, which means to lay hold of, often by force or aggression. 

Simon was carrying a cross as he walked behind Jesus. 

Could you imagine the range of emotions he would have felt: Fear, fatigue, anger, confusion, sadness? 

Simon has gone from spectator to participator. 

He was now sharing this moment with Jesus.

He shared in the shame of Christ. 

Carrying a cross was not a badge of honor but a sign of defeat and ridicule. 

Throughout this chapter, people are mocking Jesus (vv. 11, 36).

As someone who carried the cross for Jesus, he was now open to the same type of verbal abuse.

He shared in Christ’s suffering. 

Carrying the cross would have been considerable pain and difficulty. 

The crossbeam could have weighed 75 to 125 pounds (34 to 57 kilograms), and carrying it for that distance would have been physically taxing.

Luke used the same word in Acts 21:30 when the Ephesians seized Paul in the temple, “Then all the city was provoked, and the people rushed together, and epilambonomai Paul they dragged him out of the temple, and immediately the doors were shut.”

He shared in Christ’s sorrow. 

This path was filled with sorrow. Evidence of this is seen in the following verse, where we see women mourning and lamenting. 

It was a heartbreaking moment for many. 

Not everyone agreed with the chants to crucify Jesus. 

To carry the cross of Christ was to walk amid sorrow.

In some ways, this story leaves us with more questions than answers: What was Simon doing in Jerusalem?

What happened to him after he carried the cross? 

Did he ever come to believe in the message of Jesus?

History has attempted to answer some of these questions. 

In Paul’s closing to his letter to the Romans, he wrote in Romans 16:13, “Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine.” 

It is believed that this was possibly the son of Simon referred to by Mark (15:21). 

In his Tyndale commentary on Luke, Leon Morris writes, “It has been conjectured that he was won that day by the bearing of him whose cross he carried” (page 342). 

Could it be that just as Simon participated in the cross of Christ, he came to experience the life of Christ?

What does this story reveal about the human condition?

While this story is unique to a particular moment in history, many of us live in a world with oppressors and persecutors, the rich and powerful who seemingly do whatever they want with no apparent consequences.

Others—like Simon in this story—are powerless, voiceless victims. 

In response, people often look for a rescuer: a politician, celebrity, or leader to make things right. 

The same hope existed in Jesus’ time.

What does this story reveal about the nature of the kingdom of God?

The lesson the disciples had to learn is that God’s kingdom differs from the world’s ways. 

His way of redeeming the world was a cross. 

In Jesus’ weakest moment, he brought about our rescue—though not in the way anyone expected. 

The Path of Sorrow is also the path of life, hope, and restoration. 

Ultimately, it was not the Romans, religious leaders, or even the crowd who were in control—God sovereignly reigned over all things, even when it didn’t appear that way. 

As Jesus reminded Peter, going to the cross was part of God’s plan, not man’s (Mark 8:33).

What is the gospel application in the text?

The cross is central to God’s plan. 

The same cross that Simon carried would be the cross on which Jesus died, declaring, “It is finished!” 

Simon of Cyrene shared in the shame of the cross; he shared in the suffering of the cross; he shared in the sorrow of the cross, but in doing so, he was also able to share in the power of the cross.

When we follow Jesus as his disciples, we must be prepared to share in the shame of the cross, the suffering of the cross, and the sorrow of the cross. 

Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.” 

Something happens to us when we actively participate in the cross: we no longer see ourselves as victims of shame, suffering, and sorrow; instead, we become overcomers as those who share in the life and power of Christ. 

The power of God’s love on Calvary leads us to the cross.

In our story, Simon was forced to take up the cross. 

In our lives today, we must choose whether or not to do the same. 

Will you take up the cross and follow him?

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity: The Centurion

THE CROSS:  And What It Means for Lost Humanity 

The Centurion:  From Skeptic to Believer

Matthew 27:50–54 (ESV) 

“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Luke 23:44–47 (ESV) 

“It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!”

“Truly this was the Son of God!” 

Leon Morris, in his commentary on Matthew, states, 

“The centurion’s confession, ‘Truly this was the Son of God,’ was the same confession the disciples made earlier (Mt 14:33). The word “Truly” points to certainty; he was not making a tentative suggestion. He understood that the death of Jesus showed him to be the Son of God. (The Greek grammar attests that the centurion’s confession was, “This was the Son of God,” not “This was a son of a god.”) It was clear that there was something in the death of Jesus, together with the attendant phenomena, that showed that he was not just another man. He had a special relationship with God.

How did the Centurion come into the conclusion that Jesus was the son of God?

What did the Centurion witness? 

What does it mean for Jesus to be “the Son of God”? 

THE WITNESS OF JESUS: 

A display of the Son’ obedience and trust to his Father. 

Jesus’ silence speaks loudly of His deep resolve to obey His Father to go all the way to the cross…and that silence reverberated loudly in the heart of the Centurion.

What may seem to us as God’s silence is Him quietly and faithfully accomplishing His will in our lives.

THE WITNESS OF NATURE: A display of God’s power and might. 

Mt 27:51b/54

“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

Luke 23:44-45 ESV

“It was now about the sixth hour,[a] and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.”

THE WITNESS OF GRACE: A display of God’s mercy and love 

Mt 27:51 ESV

“And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”

Hebrews 10:3 ESV

“But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year.”

Hebrews 9:12 ESV

“He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”

Hebrews 10:19–20 ESV

“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh”

The cross transforms the way we approach God because it opens the way for us to know God. 

THE WITNESS OF FORGIVENESS: A display of God’s constant love

Luke 23:34 ESV

“And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”[a] And they cast lots to divide his garments.”

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity : Nicodemus

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity

Nicodemus - from Curious to Convert

NOTES PREPARED BY PAUL BARKER

Focus Statement:

He came at night because he was curious, but it was the revelation of the cross that converted him.

John 3:1–15 (ESV)

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

John 19:39–42 (ESV)

39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Introduction

Have you ever watched a child, just learning to crawl, scoot his way to the other side of the room to pick up an object that caught his attention? 

Or what about a toddler, who hasn’t quite mastered opening doors yet, determinedly twisting and turning a door knob out of curiosity because of what was on the other side?

While parents can get exhausted by this endless curiosity, they still delight in watching their children overcome obstacles as they explore and learn about the world around them. 

Curiosity is beautiful because it often leads to seeking answers to questions, finding solutions to problems, and receiving the satisfaction of a longing. 

But, more often than not, it can end in frustration and tears. 

While curiosity is wonderful, it has limitations.

John 3 recounts an intimate dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, a Pharisee and ruler of the Jews.

What’s interesting is that while the gospel writers almost always portrayed Pharisees as the opponents of Jesus, Nicodemus does not come in an adversarial posture. 

He isn’t trying to confront or catch Jesus with cleverly worded questions. 

Instead, like so many others, Nicodemus sees the signs and wonders Jesus is doing and is curious. 

And so, he comes at night, away from the prying eyes of witnesses, to seek Jesus out.

Nicodemus is curious. 

However, as we examine this dialogue more closely, we discover that Niocdemus’ curiosity has limitations to his following Jesus.

The Limitations of Nicodemus’ Curiosity

He was limited by his reservations.

3:1,2: Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night . . .

What is the significance of Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night? 

Why did John think this detail was essential? 

In one sense, this demonstrates the genuineness of his curiosity. 

If Nicodemus hoped to challenge or trap Jesus, he would have come in the light of day when there would have been as many witnesses as possible. 

But the fact that he comes at night demonstrates that he genuinely and earnestly seeks answers to his curiosity. 

He wants to know, “Who is this man who performs such awesome signs?”

However, while coming at night demonstrates the genuineness of his curiosity, it also shows its limitations.

He comes away from prying eyes at night, most likely because he doesn’t want to be seen. 

Nicodemus isn’t just a Pharisee; he is a ruler of the Jews, meaning he is part of the Sanhedrin, an elite group that advises the high priest. 

Nicodemus is part of the Jewish inner circle. 

He’s an important man with a significant reputation. 

What would people think if they discovered this powerful and learned man seeking out Jesus?

Would they think less of him? 

Would he lose his position of power and influence? 

Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the cover of night, avoiding the onlookers and the crowds. 

He is curious about Jesus, but not to the point that he is willing to risk his reputation or standing among the Jewish people as a teacher and leader.

Nicodemus’ curiosity causes him to seek Jesus, but his reservations limit his seeking.

He was limited by his preconceptions.

3:2: “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus, a learned man at the center of Jewish life, addresses Jesus, a traveling healer with no formal training, as Rabbi, “teacher.” 

Here, we see that Nicodemus has genuine respect for Jesus. 

The signs Jesus performed piqued his curiosity and led him to seek Jesus out and accept him as a “teacher from God.”

However, Nicodemus’ acceptance of Jesus reveals a respectful but partial belief in him. 

As the dialogue continues, we will see that his preconceptions limit his acceptance (and understanding) of Jesus.

The Challenge to Nicodemus’ Curiosity

3:3: Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

At first glance, Jesus’ reply might seem unusual in response to Nicodemus’ statement. 

Why would he answer in this way? 

The answer can be found at the end of John 2, where we are told that many believed in Jesus because of the signs he performed. 

Yet, Jesus did not entrust himself to them, “because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.”

Jesus knew what was in Nicodemus, too. 

He saw Nicodemus’ curiosity but also understood its limits.

Rather than “entrusting himself to him,” Jesus challenged him with a statement that confronted Nicodemus’ reservations and preconceptions.

As a Pharisee, Nicodemus would have believed that being born a Jew ensured entrance into God’s kingdom. 

But Jesus was telling him that to see the kingdom of God, he must be born again. 

There’s a wordplay in the original language. 

The word “again” can also be translated as “from above.” 

When Jesus uses this word, he implies both ideas:

• You need to be born again: Being born a Jew is not enough; a second birth is necessary.

• You need to be born from above: This second birth is not something you can achieve through effort, status, or lineage—it comes from God.

Nicodemus misunderstands Jesus’ double meaning, focusing only on the physical idea of birth. 

He scoffs at the notion of entering his mother’s womb a second time, asking, “How can a man be born when he is old?

Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus then clarifies his point by stating, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” 

Here again, he challenges Nicodemus’ assumptions, indicating that entering God’s kingdom is not about physical birth or status but about something only God can do.

In Nicodemus’ worldview, he believed he already had everything he needed to enter the kingdom of God — his birth, status, and religious life were all in order. 

But Jesus was saying that something deeper was required. 

Confused and unable to reconcile this with his understanding, Nicodemus asks, “How can these things be?”

Jesus concludes their conversation with a striking statement: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

Nicodemus would have been familiar with the story Jesus referenced from Numbers 21:4–9. 

In this account, God’s people were near the end of their forty-year journey in the wilderness when they began complaining once again. 

Unlike previous occasions, when God responded graciously, this time, he sent poisonous serpents among them. 

In desperation, the people cried out for deliverance. 

Instead of simply removing the snakes, God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent. 

Anyone bitten by the snakes would be saved by looking at this image of the serpent, trusting in God’s provision for their healing.

Jesus uses this story to foreshadow his own crucifixion. 

Just as the Israelites were saved by looking at the bronze serpent in faith, so too will people be saved by looking to Jesus in faith, who will be “lifted up” on the cross.

Cross Encounter

The next time we see Nicodemus is in John 7:50. 

The Pharisees and chief priests want to arrest Jesus, but Nicodemus defends him, saying, “Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?” 

Maybe he is still curious and seeking answers, or perhaps he is a secret convert. 

But we see that he’s still limited by his reservations—he’s willing to defend Jesus but not publicly accept him.

But when we see him in John 19, the story is different.

19:38,39: After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.

Nicodemus is no longer hiding. 

Apparently, he’s no longer limited in his seeking by his reservations or limited in his understanding by his preconceptions. 

Rather, he is willing to risk everything by participating in the burial of the one who has just been crucified. 

So, what happened? 

What has changed for Nicodemus?

The Bible doesn’t provide us with the details of Nicodemus’ journey from curious to convert, but something must have happened when he saw Jesus hanging on the cross. 

Maybe he remembered Jesus’ words: “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”

Perhaps the words, so shrouded in mystery since that night when he came to Jesus, now became clear to him.

Just as the Israelites had the venom of poisonous snakes coursing through their veins, Jesus is revealing that Nicodemus—and everyone else—have something far more deadly running through them: the poison of sin. 

It wasn’t enough for Nicodemus to be born a Jew. 

It wasn’t enough for him to be a Pharisee, a teacher of Israel, or a member of the Jewish elite. 

None of these things could save him. 

None of these things could open his eyes to the kingdom. 

None of these things could grant him eternal life. 

The poison of sin could not be cured by anything Nicodemus possessed or achieved; only God’s provision could do that. 

All that was left for him to do was to look to the despised image of the cross and be healed.

Application

The cross reveals the true extent of the problem of sin. 

When we look at the cross and see the extreme measures God did to save us, we can no longer downplay the seriousness of sin. 

Yet, at the same time, the cross also reveals the greatness of God’s provision. 

It shows us that God “did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all.” 

Through the cross, we see both the gravity of our sin and the magnitude of God’s love and sacrifice to redeem us.

Questions to Consider in Your Application:

• In what ways are you limited in your seeking by your reservations? 

• What do you seek to lose if you follow Jesus?

• In what ways are you limited in your acceptance of Jesus by your understanding? 

• What preconceptions are keeping you from following Jesus?

•  How does a revelation of the cross answer these reservations and preconceptions?

Close

Nicodemus thought he had what he needed to enter the kingdom because he didn’t realize the seriousness of the problem—only a revelation of the cross could show him that.

Curiosity can cause you to seek, but your seeking will be limited by your reservations.

Curiosity can cause you to accept, but your acceptance will be limited by your understanding.

But a revelation of the cross reveals to us the seriousness of the problem of sin and the greatness of God’s provision to deal with this problem.

It is a revelation of the cross that turns the curious into a convert.

Four Questions

1. How is God glorified in the text?

In this text, Jesus tells Nicodemus that the way into the kingdom of God is to be born from above. 

We can’t gain entrance into the kingdom through our status or effort. 

But our gracious and generous God has provided a way for us to know him through Jesus; for that, he deserves our praise and worship.

2. How is our heart transformed in the text?

As we look at the provision of God, our hearts respond in praise and worship. 

We may be drawn to Jesus because of our curiosity, but it’s a revelation of the cross that transforms our hearts.

3. How is the mission accelerated in the text?

It is a revelation of the cross that turns the curious into a convert. 

As we share the gospel with others, we should pray for them to have a revelation of the cross that will transform their hearts.

4. What is the gospel application of the text?

The cross reveals to us the seriousness of sin and the greatness of God’s provision to deal with it. 

We are reminded that new birth doesn’t come through our status or effort but through trusting God’s provision to save us.

• Second City Church 

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity : Mary Magdalene

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity

Mary Magdalene - from Sinner to Evangelist

NOTES PREPARED BY PAUL BARKER 

Focus Statement:

Mary Magdalene was the first to testify to Christ’s resurrection.

Luke 8:1–3 (ESV)

1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means.

Mark 15:40–41 (ESV)

40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

John 20:1–3, 11–18 (ESV)

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb.

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stopped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?  Whom are you seeking?”  Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her. 

The Text in the Story of Redemption

Some of the key theological assumptions that come out of the Jewish shaping of the Gospels are assumptions that the God of Israel is now bringing restoration in Jesus. 

So this sense that the story of the Gospels is not just about Jesus but is about what the God of Israel has already been doing and is now doing to bring restoration, to inaugurate the kingdom through Jesus, is an important part of the Gospels. 

So we don’t hear the Gospels as the beginning of a story, but the continuation and the culmination of Israel’s story and the redemption that God has promised Israel.

The Gospels record the next phase of the narrative arc of God’s plan for the redemption of humanity. 

They reveal who Jesus is, detailing his birth, life, death, and resurrection. 

Yet, they do more than present facts about Jesus—they also share the stories of real people whose lives were transformed by encountering him.

The authors address the needs of their communities, especially the call to believe and find life in his name (John 20:31). 

Through these stories, we too can experience that life.

This sermon focuses on one such transformed life: Mary Magdalene. 

Her dramatic testimony showcases the redemption God accomplished through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Scene One: Luke 8:1–3

Most narrative writing consists of various scenes to advance the storyline. 

In this true and dramatic account, Luke 8:1–3 is the first scene. 

It introduces Mary Magdalene and explains her past.

Luke briefly highlights Mary Magdalene among Jesus’ followers in Luke 8:1–3. 

Unlike the others in the text, whom Luke describes by their roles or relationships, he introduces Mary as a woman from whom seven demons were cast out. 

This is a humbling and painful past.

At the start of Mary’s story, her past—marked by shame, regret, and darkness—could have easily defined her. 

Many of us can relate to living with a “backdrop” we wish we could erase.

Though Mary has a background scene that she may have wished was left out of the story, it is merely the backdrop. 

The real story is about Jesus and what happened to Mary as she followed him. 

Her background scene sets the stage for her life-changing deliverance, which is the start of her new story.

Scene Two: Mark 15:40–41

Why do all four Gospel authors write about Mary Magdalene? 

Perhaps her painful beginning helps us see Jesus’ glorious work as her story progresses.

In this text, Mark calls her Mary Magdalene, but there is no mention of the seven demons or her shameful past. 

That part of her story no longer defines Mary. 

But the spotlight isn’t on Mary; it’s on the cross where Jesus was being crucified. 

It’s now Jesus’ shame and pain that the story emphasizes, not hers.

Sometimes, the critical part of a story isn’t about the past but the present. 

Jesus’ pain and shame eclipses Mary’s. 

His dying the death of a criminal on a cross replaces her past. 

She is now simply a follower of Jesus and one who cares for him along with the other disciples.

When we think about our story, what background scene is the most prominent? 

Is it our pain and shame, or is it the cross of Jesus? 

Both scenes significantly impact our lives, but only the cross leads to the power of the resurrection.

Scene Three: John 20:1–3

In scene three, we find Mary at the tomb. 

Jesus has been crucified and buried. 

The other gospel writers provide more details on why Mary is there, but in John’s account, the spotlight is simply on her presence and the stark contrast of Jesus’ absence.

She is still faithfully following but also afraid and anxious because simply following is no longer working.

Jesus had told his disciples he would die and be raised to life, but none understood it (John 20:9). 

Though Jesus’ death on the cross is central to the story, the goal is resurrection life. 

Following Jesus to his death doesn’t finish the story.

Scene Four: John 20:11–18

Scene four is the most important and climactic. 

Mary stayed after the other disciples left the tomb scene, waiting and weeping. 

She has brief conversations with two angels and a man she thinks is the gardener.

When the gardener (Jesus) says her name, she recognizes him and exclaims, “Rabboni!” which means “teacher.” 

She is a follower of Jesus, and he is her teacher.

What Jesus says next in response to her revelation and declaration sets a new background for Mary. 

She is his disciple, and instead of merely clinging to him, she has new work to do. 

The cross and resurrection have transformed her life from clinging to commissioning. 

She is no longer simply a follower; the resurrection life of Jesus commissions her to live as the very first witness to that life. 

She isn’t just meant to follow but also to go and tell. Jesus told her, “Go tell my brothers.”

A background of pain and shame no longer defines Mary Magdalene; she is no longer simply a follower of Jesus; she is a disciple commissioned to tell others about Jesus and his resurrection life.

When you think about your life, what background is behind you? 

Is it a background without Jesus in the picture? 

That background can change.

Is it a background of his cross and your following and loving him? 

That is a great background, but it isn’t the end of the story.

The final background meant for every follower of Jesus is the empty tomb and the life of Jesus commissioning us to go and tell.

Mary Magdalene’s story illustrated how the cross and resurrection are the foundation of our faith and mission. 

Through the cross, we can be forgiven of our sins and healed of our past, walk with other disciples and grow in faith as we follow Jesus, and take that new story and be a messenger of the life and transformative power of Jesus so that others can hear and be delivered as you have been.

Four Questions

1. How is God glorified in the text?

Mary Magdalene’s story glorifies God by demonstrating his power to redeem and transform lives.

Through her journey, we see God’s mercy, grace, and victory over evil on full display. 

The cross and resurrection highlight God’s faithfulness to fulfill his promises of redemption and restoration for humanity. 

The cross and resurrection narrative highlights Mary’s troubled past, which brings attention to God’s ability to transform ordinary, broken people and commission them to live for his purposes.

2. How is our heart transformed in the text?

Our hearts can be transformed when we respond to Jesus and the truth that, like Mary, our past does not define us. 

Christ’s work on the cross and his resurrection define us.

Mary’s journey reflects the hope that no matter the circumstances of our sin, shame, or personal brokenness, Jesus’ sacrifice covers it, and his resurrection empowers us for a new life. 

When we receive this truth, we are set free to live a new identity as redeemed followers of Jesus. 

This truth also brings healing and enables us to live with renewed purpose, moving us from bondage to freedom and despair to hope.

3. How is the mission accelerated in the text?

Mary Magdalene’s transformation from a delivered follower to a faithful messenger accelerates the mission. 

Her commission to “go and tell” about the risen Christ marks the beginning of the spread of the gospel message and the furthering of God’s kingdom coming on earth.

In the commissioning moment, Jesus emphasizes the power of her testimony, which is still powerful today, just as ours is. 

The personal testimony of a disciple of Jesus accelerates the mission by giving others the opportunity to hear and believe in the risen Christ and find life in his name.

4. What is the gospel application of the text?

The cross provides forgiveness of sins and deliverance from our past, and the resurrection gives us new life and power to live for Christ. 

Mary Magdalene’s story illustrates the complete work of salvation: Jesus redeems, restores, and commissions us for his mission.

Just as Jesus called Mary to proclaim the good news of the resurrection, we, too, are commissioned to testify to Christ’s victory over sin and death. 

This means embracing the call to follow Jesus and share his transformative work in our lives with others so they, too, can experience redemption and resurrection life.

- Second City Church

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity : Joseph of Arimathea

The Cross: And What It Means for Lost Humanity:

Joseph of Arimathea - from Passivity to Mission

NOTES PREPARED BY PAUL BARKER

 Focus Statement:

He was a secret disciple and member of the Council, but the cross motivated him to action.

Take faith-filled risks—even if it’s not your responsibility.

Take faith-filled risks—even if it’s costly.

Take faith-filled risks—even when it seems too late.

Text:

Mark 15:42–46 (ESV)

 And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Pilate was surprised to hear that he should have already died. And summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he was already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the corpse to Joseph. And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

Luke 23:50–51 (ESV)

Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action; and he was looking for the kingdom of God.

John 19:38 (ESV)

After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body.

The Text in the Story of Redemption

Though the story of Jesus’ burial by Joseph of Arimathea is short, all four gospel writers include it, underscoring its importance. 

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each record the details of Jesus’ burial because of its narrative, apologetic, prophetic, and instructional importance.

First, from a storytelling perspective, Jesus’ burial is a crucial step in the narrative, bridging the events of the crucifixion on Friday with the empty tomb on Sunday. 

This short account is essential to moving the story toward its climax.

Second, the details of Jesus’ burial provide important historical facts that early Christians used as an apologetic defense against claims that Jesus did not truly die on the cross and, therefore, could not have risen from the dead.

Third, this burial fulfills prophetic scripture, as early interpreters noted. 

Jesus’ burial in Joseph’s tomb fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 53:9, which says, “And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.”

Finally, the story holds instructional significance for all believers. 

Joseph of Arimathea, a relatively obscure disciple, exemplifies a journey of faith and discipleship, moving from passivity to bold action in serving Jesus’ mission.

What does Joseph’s story mean for us?

The short answer is this: If we want to move from passivity to mission, as Joseph did, we must be willing to take faith-filled risks. 

But before exploring this key idea, let’s first understand Joseph of Arimathea and why he initially acted with passivity and secrecy.

Background on Joseph of Arimathea

The gospels provide several insights into Joseph’s character and position.

1. He was a “respected member of the council” (Mark 15:43). 

The council is the Sanhedrin, the first-century Jewish equivalent of the Supreme Court. 

Though the Jews were under Roman rule, the Sanhedrin remained the most powerful and prestigious legal body in the Jewish world. 

This council tried and condemned Jesus (Matthew 26:57–68), though they needed Pilate’s approval to carry out the death sentence (Matthew 27:1-2, 11–26).

2. He was “a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action” (Luke 23:50–51). 

Though the details are unclear, Luke emphasizes that Joseph either protested the council’s decision to condemn Jesus or was absent during the trial. 

Despite his prominence in the Sanhedrin, Joseph did not share the guilt of condemning Jesus.

3. He was “looking for the kingdom of God” (Luke 23:51). 

He was one of those Jews who had not given up hope that the Messiah would come and deliver his people. 

At some point during Jesus’ ministry, Joseph encountered Jesus’ teaching and the claim that he was the Messiah. 

While we don’t know the specifics of Joseph’s encounters with Jesus, we know that the good news reached him.

4. He was a “disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38). 

Although the other gospels imply Joseph’s secrecy, John makes it explicit. 

This is probably because John is interested that many more believed in Jesus than openly followed him (see John 12:42–43), like Nicodemus (John 3:1), another prominent Jewish leader who was a secret disciple of Jesus.

The Surprising Story of Jesus’ Burial

The story of Jesus’ burial by Joseph is simple but full of surprising elements. 

The first surprise is that Joseph, a secret disciple and prominent council member, was the one who asked for Jesus’ body—not a family member or well-known disciple. 

The second surprise is that this secret follower of Jesus suddenly took such a significant risk, choosing to associate himself with someone the Romans had just executed.

Third, Joseph made this bold move at a time when Jesus’ messianic mission appeared to have failed.

From Passivity to Mission

These surprises give us the key to understanding how Joseph went from passivity to mission, from fear to boldness. 

By asking Pilate for Jesus’ body and taking responsibility for burying him, Joseph took a mission-driven, faith-filled risk that changed everything for him.

Let’s examine what we can learn from this short but powerful story.

1. Take mission-driven, faith-filled risks—even if it’s not your responsibility.

The first thing we can learn from Joseph is to take faith-filled risks—even if it’s not your responsibility.

It should surprise readers from any generation that a completely unknown character in the story shows up after Jesus’ death and takes responsibility to bury Jesus. 

Why didn’t his family members or disciples bury Jesus? We don’t know the answer, but we have a few clues.

Jesus’ disciples probably didn’t volunteer to bury Jesus because they were afraid of being associated with him and being executed, too. 

However, more fundamentally, Jesus’ family and close followers probably didn’t volunteer to bury Jesus because people the Romans crucified were usually not granted the honor of a proper burial. Usually, birds and dogs ate their bodies. The only exception was for crucified people who had family members or friends with high status.

Enter, Joseph of Arimathea. As a secret disciple, he was not known as a close associate of Jesus; however, his status as a member of the Sanhedrin enabled him to gain an audience with Pilate and make such a request.

That said, it’s still remarkable that he did this because he was incurring the same risks that the other disciples were terrified of—being associated with someone whom the Romans had condemned of treason and executed.

Joseph could have easily assumed that Jesus’ family or twelve disciples would (or at least should) take responsibility for his burial. 

No one would have thought this was his responsibility, but Joseph took a faith-filled risk to identify with Jesus and provide a proper burial for him.

Application: 

• How often do we avoid taking mission-driven, faith-filled risks and remain passive because we assume someone else will take responsibility? 

We are usually experts at assigning work and responsibility to others and arguing why other people should be in line ahead of us.

2. Take mission-driven, faith-filled risks—even if it’s costly.

The second thing we can learn from Joseph is to take mission-driven, faith-filled risks—even if they’re costly.

None of the gospel writers record the consequences of Joseph’s decision. 

But we can easily imagine the costly risks that Joseph considered before he made the fateful decision to talk to Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body.

First, Joseph knew that burying Jesus could cost him his respected position with the Sanhedrin. 

Less than 24 hours earlier, they had condemned Jesus to death, and now he was identifying with the man whom they condemned as a blasphemer. 

John notes that some of the religious leaders believed in Jesus, “but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue” (John 12:42).

Joseph knew his decision could cost him his status and respect with his people.

Second, Joseph knew that burying Jesus could cost him his civic freedoms under Roman occupation. 

To the Jewish leaders, Jesus was a blasphemer, but to the Romans, Jesus was an insurrectionist, as his death by crucifixion communicated. 

For Joseph to ask Pilate, the Roman governor, for Jesus’ body was to identify with a traitor to the Roman Empire. 

Minimally, this could mark him as a person of suspicion. 

At worst, he could end up with the same fate if Jesus’ movement continued to cause problems for the Romans.

Joseph could have weighed the cost of this risk and decided that it was too risky to bury Jesus. 

But he didn’t. 

He made a bold decision and took a risk to identify with Jesus.

Application: 

• How often do we avoid taking mission-driven, faith-filled risks and remain passive because we think the cost is too high?

3. Take mission-driven, faith-filled risks—even when it seems too late.

The final thing we can learn from Joseph is to take mission-driven, faith-filled risks—even when it seems too late.

Joseph’s stand for Jesus is oddly timed. 

If Joseph thought Jesus was the Messiah, he should have made his belief public sooner—perhaps even appealing to the council not to condemn Jesus to death. 

Making a public stand for Jesus after his death seems like a bold move made too late.

Did Joseph still think Jesus was the Messiah? 

Did he know about Jesus’ predictions of his resurrection? 

Or did Joseph feel like Jesus was simply a good man—a would-be Messiah—who was unjustly executed and therefore deserved a proper burial? 

We simply don’t know. 

However, the fact that Joseph took this radical risk when it seemed too late says something about his faith and his devotion to Jesus.

Furthermore, Joseph’s faith-filled risk was honored when his tomb became the site of the greatest miracle in human history—the resurrection of Jesus.

Application: 

• How often do we avoid taking faith-filled risks and remain passive because we think we’ve missed our chance? 

• How often do we assume the window for bold, mission-driven, faith-filled action has closed and stay passive because the timing seems inopportune?

Conclusion:

If we want to move from passivity to mission, we can follow in Joseph’s footsteps and take faith-filled risks:

—even when it’s not our responsibility.

—even when it’s costly.

—even when it seems too late.

These faith-filled risks will not make sense to most people, and sometimes they won’t even make sense to us, but we can take them in faith because we follow a crucified and resurrected Savior. 

When we consider the risk that Jesus took for us, no risk we make for Jesus is too costly or too late for him.

Four Questions

1. How is God glorified in the text?

God is glorified in the text because acts of faith-filled risk glorify God. 

When disciples take Jesus at his word and do bold things for him, he is glorified in our lives, and we are satisfied, no matter the outcome.

2. How is our heart transformed in the text?

Our hearts are transformed when we know that God can take passive, insignificant disciples and make them integral players in his grand story of redemption. 

Knowing that God sees people who are afraid but have just a little faith and that he gives us opportunities to be bold and take risks for him even when it seems too late should fill us with hope and joy.

3. How is the mission accelerated in the text?

The mission is accelerated in this text when we see how seemingly small human participation (burying Jesus) can have exponentially multiplied significance when God demonstrates his power and intervenes in everyday human affairs. 

Joseph wanted to do something to honor Jesus, but his actions set the stage for something much more significant than a simple (though risky) act of personal devotion.

4. What is the gospel application of the text?

The gospel application is this—no matter how much it costs us to follow Jesus, we can be assured that it cost him more to redeem us. 

And no matter how big of a risk we think we are taking to obey Jesus, we can trust our lives and our decisions to him. 

Joseph probably believed that Jesus really “needed” him to give him a proper burial. 

Still, Joseph had no idea that God was giving him the honor of participating in a greater story that changed not only Joseph’s life but all of human history.

Hope and Healing: Life at the Pace of Jesus

‭Hope and Healing: Life at the Pace of Jesus

Pastor Rollan Fisher

 Focus: The life that we are all looking for is found when we begin to look to and live at the pace of Jesus. 

• Signs

• What You’re Looking For Is…

• Found in Christ

 Signs

We need to be able to discern the natural and spiritual signs that God is giving us to be able to keep in step with God’s plans for us in Jesus.  

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭2‬:‭1‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him." When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: "'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.'" Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him." After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”

Life can seem like it is out of control when we are trying to do things on our own. 

One sign that we might be inadvertently outpacing God is the breakdown of our health - whether physically, emotionally or mentally. 

As we prepare to celebrate the epiphany by remembering Christ’s visit from the wise men, we need to prayerfully reevaluate the pace at which we’ve been running in life.   

God is always working on multiple levels, in multiple ways to save lives.  

The Magi were thought to be astrologers from the East who were influenced by the Jews speaking about the words of the prophets during their exile in Babylon.  

The wise men had a sense of that which (or he who) should rule their lives, but needed the Scripture to illuminate and help bring clarity to the signs that they saw.  

The wise men were looking for the one to be born king of the Jews. 

The wise men were looking for Jesus. 

The fact that God provided a star, a supernatural sign to lead the wise men to the answer of their life searchings demonstrated God’s desire to redeem not only the Jews, but the Gentiles (the rest of the known world) through the Messiah that God would send to be savior of all mankind. 

God had spoken about this through the prophet Isaiah, who ministered approximately 700 years before the arrival of Jesus, before the Babylonian exile:

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭49‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

 “he says: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth." Thus says the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One, to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nation, the servant of rulers: "Kings shall see and arise; princes, and they shall prostrate themselves; because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you."”

In providing the star for the wise men to follow, God would literally move the heavens and earth to get a hold of the souls that he came to save.  

“Consider how precious a soul must be, when both God and the devil are after it.”

-Charles Spurgeon

 What You’re Looking For Is…

We need to discern what it actually is that we’re looking for in life to see whether it’s worth the journey we’re on to obtain it.   

Looking within is not the key.  

“By declaring that man is responsible and must actualize the potential meaning of his life, I wish to stress that the true meaning of life is to be discovered in the world rather than within man or his own psyche, as though it were a closed system. I have termed this constitutive characteristic "the self-transcendence of human existence." It denotes the fact that being human always points, and is directed, to something or someone, other than oneself--be it a meaning to fulfill or another human being to encounter. The more one forgets himself--by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love--the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself. What is called self-actualization is not an attainable aim at all, for the simple reason that the more one would strive for it, the more he would miss it. In other words, self-actualization is possible only as a side-effect of self-transcendence.”

-Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

When looking into the word of God, the chief priests and scribes were able to determine not only that God had spoken about the king for whom the wise men were looking, but where this king was to be born - in Bethlehem of Judea according to the word of the prophet Micah. 

What we saw is that the supernatural signs that God provided the wise men and the word of God spoken by the prophets all led to what the wise men, king Herod and the religious leaders were looking for - the Son of God who came to save the world. 

What the Magi were able to discover is that true life is found outside of their own learning, in the person of Jesus.  

Yet there is a catch. 

Like King Herod and the people of Jerusalem, once we realize that what we are actually looking for requires a new king in our lives, it can be initially troubling to us.  

“Idols control us since we feel like we must have them or life is meaningless.”

-Timothy Keller in Counterfeit Gods

Herod had the history of…

However, once we acknowledge that the things that were previously ruling us were unmerciful taskmasters (like Herod and our idols), then we are glad to let these other rulers go.  

We are saved from both literal and metaphorical hell by turning from our sins to the worship of Jesus. 

How did the wise men respond?

The wise men, once they realized who it was that they were looking for, came with their gold, frankincense and myrrh.  

*Ironically, these are the things to which people often look for the meaning of life ( financial security, the power of self-help and the avoidance of death), trying to find their value, worth and security.  

The wise men understood what Jesus would later speak to, that Christ’s kingdom and the worship of him was worth their all.  

What did the Magi sacrifice to come worship Jesus?:

Time - if starting in Babylon, the wise men, after weeks of preparation getting an envoy and possible royal permission, would travel nearly 1700 miles to make their way to Bethlehem.  

Traveling by camel, who can cover about 25 miles in a day, that would have taken them over two months to get to Jesus.  

The question is:

How are we willing to give of our time to meet with, worship and offer our gifts to Jesus today?

Gold - brought as tribute to a king who would use the gold to advance his Kingdom purposes 

Frankincense and myrrh were consecration and healing agents. 

Frankincense - as well as being a key ingredient in perfumes and essential oils, frankincense was used for worship in the temple, burned as a part of the fragrant offerings that went up to God. 

This is now what God associates with our prayers that God uses to shake Heaven and earth (Revelation 5:8). 

The bringing of frankincense represented a form of worship pointing to Jesus’ divinity and identity as healer. 

While frankincense could be used to treat gastritis and stomach ulcers, myrrh was used to treat wounds, skin conditions, digestive and respiratory issues.  

Myrrh - used to prepare the holy anointing oil for priests, the tabernacle and kings, setting them apart by the power of the Holy Spirit for God’s service. 

Myrrh was also used to prepare dead bodies for burial and foreshadowed Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross. 

Myrrh would foreshadow not only Christ’s identity as the Anointed One, but his role as God’s suffering servant bringing salvation to the world through his death. 

Again, the wise men would come to understand that about which Jesus would later speak:

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭13‬:‭44‬-‭46‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

Here’s the good news when we turn to the worship of Jesus to move at God’s pace:

Time - you can be everything that GOD has designed you to be and achieve all that GOD has called you to do as you live at the pace of his commands 

Gold - you will have all that you need for  necessary provision and contentment when you submit your view of finances to his word and do what he says with it. 

Frankincense - through a committed life of prayer and worship, you can be healed of the wounds received from a fallen world ruled by other kings. 

Myrrh - by living set apart to God for his purposes and joining Christ in his death, you will also live with the joy and freedom of his resurrection life.  

Found in Christ 

Hope and healing can come when you begin to look to and live at the pace of Jesus. 

If you go at God’s pace, you will find full life found only in Christ.  

Hope and healing are found in Jesus alone because eternal life is found in Christ alone. 

Matthew 2:10-12

And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.”

Once the star stopped, it revealed Jesus to the wise men.  

The wise men came from far away to find Jesus with his mother, Mary. 

You can always count on two things if you are trying to find Jesus.  

If you are looking for Jesus, he can always be found seeking the lost and amongst his family, his people - the church.  

When the wise men found Jesus they were able to rejoice exceedingly with great joy because they had finally found what and who they were looking for. 

Make sure that like Herod, once you find out about Jesus, you are not trying to locate him for your own ends.  

Once you find Jesus, repentance from sin and change are an expectation.  

Once they met Jesus, the wise men were led by God’s word, this time in a dream.  

The wise men, after meeting Jesus, went home a different way and avoided the traps that were set for them in life.  

Like the wise men our ultimate goal in life should be to find Jesus, worship him, offer our gifts and live life at his pace. 

What does it mean to walk at the pace of Jesus?

It means, like the wise men, I am taking my time to find King Jesus.  

I know that the sum total of my success in life is being found in relationship with Jesus, serving him as king and loving him by obeying his commands.  

Therefore I will slow down enough to keep in step with him, giving myself to the most meaningful things in life that he prescribes because I have found in his kingdom the pearl of great price and am now giving all that I have to obtain it.  

“Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.”

-C.S. Lewis

Because of Christ’s sinless life, sacrificial death on the cross for our wrongs and resurrection from the dead, we have the ability to be forgiven of our past deeds, turn and find what we’re truly looking for - life lived at the pace of Jesus.  

• Second City Church

Hope and Healing: Clearing Things Up

‭Hope and Healing: Clearing Things Up

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: What I misunderstood, God can make clear, so that I can be redeemed and healed in Jesus Christ. 

• What I Misunderstood

• What God Made Clear Can Be 

• Redeemed and Healed in Christ

 What I Misunderstood 

Though just, Joseph did not perceive everything that God was doing clearly.  

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭1‬:‭18‬-‭25‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means, God with us). When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.”

Joseph was a just man, but sometimes our perception of justice can get in the way of what God is actually doing.  

We can misunderstand God’s plan which is found in the gospel of God’s grace that would be revealed in Jesus. 

*You can have the right intentions but be on the wrong path.  

What are some modern applications of this?

THERE HAVE BEEN MORE THAN A FEW FAMILY DIVISIONS CAUSED BY POLITICAL STRIFE AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS IN OUR CULTURE. 

COULD HAVE BEEN THE CASE WITH JOSEPH AND MARY

WHAT HAS CAUSED FAMILIAL STRIFE AND DIVISION BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE MISUNDERSTANDINGS FOR YOU THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?

Jesus came to bring the pathway to forgiveness and healing, salvation and redemption, even in families. 

What can I do like Joseph to help diffuse and heal situations/relationships like Joseph?

It was not because of actual sin, but Mary’s perceived sin that caused Joseph to almost miss what God was doing.  

In what way have you allowed misunderstandings and hurt to create distance in your marriage, with your family or in God-ordained relationships?  

*Healing comes when you allow for God’s intervention in regard to what you previously believed to be true. 

What God Made Clear Can Be

God can make clear what we previously misunderstood if we have open hearts and minds when looking to Jesus.  

The good news is that when we look to go astray, God steps in and speaks whether by the Holy Spirit or through his messengers. 

God is more committed to his purposes in Christ and us than we are. 

For Joseph, God sent an angel to speak to him in a dream. 

God’s communication may not be as pronounced for you and me - God may speak through a trusted friend, a Bible verse or a donkey 😆, but we need to make sure that we are not being wise in our own eyes when relating to others, so that we can be open to listening to what God has to say.  

You may have closed your ears to hearing God if you are presently exhibiting any one of the following qualities which God abhors:

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭6‬:‭16‬-‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17‬:‭19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction.”

Don’t go dark like Megatron!

You can find your heart and ears open to God again if you take this posture:

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him.”

Joseph needed to change his mind, his heart posture and his plans - Joseph needed to come to repentance.  

*It was the word of God that allowed Joseph to see clearly - to have a proper interpretation of his circumstances allowing him to rise above his feelings and make a decision based on faith. 

Redeemed and Healed in Christ

Because of the cross of Jesus Christ, we all have a second chance for forgiveness and healing. 

*Hope can be restored when you realize that God was in the misunderstanding all along.  

Re-engaging God’s plan would bring healing to both Joseph and Mary’s hearts.

B shared with me a great quote for the Advent season: 

Jesus Christ is our perfect example. 

Though seeing clearly and being completely just, Jesus was the better Joseph that humbled himself to reconcile a world that had been set against him in sin. 

He called us to repentance and faith that we could once again have a hope to be brought back into friendship with God. 

“You can't forgive somebody without absorbing the cost. Either that person pays for it or you do. On the cross, God didn't just forgive us, he paid the cost himself.”

-Timothy Keller

Because Jesus would live sinlessly, die sacrificially at the cross to take the punishment for our mistakes and rise three days later, we have permanent access to this reconciliation with God.  

This advent season, may we find our way back to not only God, but one another, as we allow God to restore hope that our relationships might be redeemed and healed in Christ. 

• Second City Church

Hope and Healing: A New Set of Values

‭Hope and Healing - A New Set of Values

Pastor Rollan Fisher 

Focus: Hope and healing come when we detach from the value system of the world and finally find our joy in the eternal realities of Jesus Christ. 

• Values 

• Our Present Hope 

• Our Future Hope 

Values 

Hope and healing begin its work when we look to what God says will actually provide it.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬-‭32‬ ‭ESV

“And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord") and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons." Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, "Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel."

God the Father’s timetable is not our timetable and his goals are not always congruent with our picture of how our stories should go.  

Remember that in the advent that Elizabeth and Mary were on two ends of the spectrum of life and were able to see this (Luke 1). 

It’s a matter of values.  

A life submitted to God means that I am his servant submitted to the plans that bring glory to Jesus within his redemptive plan. 

My hope and full healing, joy and reward will be found in the eternal life to come. 

This is God’s focus, though it is not always ours.  

And in the meantime, our joys and sorrows are shaped by both our societal and personal values.  

*Just because something is part of your present value system doesn’t mean that it is right or good.  

Why?

Because we know that historical values can and have been shaped by sin to the detriment of individuals, families, societies and nations.  

Think about what the following value systems have produced in the nations:

• Self-actualization and the disintegration of the family unit 

• Greed and materialism 

• Sexual objectification and misogyny 

• Racism and slavery 

• The idea of the uber man and the Holocaust 

Victor Frankl, a respected psychiatrist in Austria before being sent to Auschwitz during the Holocaust expresses things this way:

“But today’s society is characterized by achievement orientation, and consequently it adores people who are successful and happy and, in particular, it adores the young. It virtually ignores the value of all those who are otherwise, and in so doing blurs the decisive difference between being valuable in the sense of dignity and being valuable in the sense of usefulness. If one is not cognizant of this difference and holds that an individual’s value stems only from his present usefulness, then, believe me, one owes it only to personal inconsistency not to plead for euthanasia along the lines of Hitler’s program, that is to say, ‘mercy’ killing of all those who have lost their social usefulness, be it because of old age, incurable illness, mental deterioration, or whatever handicap they may suffer. Confounding the dignity of man with mere usefulness arises from conceptual confusion that in turn may be traced back to the contemporary nihilism transmitted on many an academic campus and many an analytical couch.”

-Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

We need a renewed hope that leads to healing by reorienting ourselves around God’s values and eternal purposes in Christ. 

When we talk about hope and healing, it’s not just societal, it’s personal.  

The questions we have to ask are:

1. Is it possible to have joy and not have everything else that everyone else has?

2. Is it possible to be whole and not have everything that you thought that you wanted or needed?  

The answer is yes when you have Jesus Christ.  

Consider things understood by the apostle James:

‭‭James‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”

‭‭James‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?”

The world offers temporary and imperfect substitutes for what can only be and is only meant to be found in Jesus.  

Simeon and Anna exemplified great joy because in their latter years they were able to receive their reward.  

Some might have thought their lives as having been lacking, full of misery while they waited for the consolation of Israel or bore with the loss of human companionship.  

*Yet their joy was made complete because they learned through loss that these temporary comforts were not the true prize.  

You can only be freed to know true value through the cross. 

If you’ve always had things done for you, you never know true strength.  

The idea that it is a failure to not obtain your Hallmark story can come from the underlying values driven by the idols of our society.  

For example:

“One sign that you’ve made success and idol is the false sense of security it brings.  The poor and marginalized expect suffering.  They know that life on this earth is nasty, brutish, and short. Successful people are more shocked and overwhelmed by troubles.”

-Timothy Keller in Counterfeit Gods 

“I’ve often heard people from the upper echelon say, “Life isn’t supposed to be this way” when they face tragedy.  I have never heard this language among the working class and poor. This false sense of security comes from deifying our achievement and expecting it to keep us safe from the troubles of life when only God can.”

-Timothy Keller in Counterfeit Gods 

It is not bad to desire certain things that bring enjoyment in life.  

Yet we need to identify what value systems are shaping us and what has truly become Lord of our hearts and lives. 

“Whatever controls us is our Lord. The person who seeks power is controlled by power. The person who seeks acceptance is controlled by the people he or she wants to please. We do not control ourselves, we are controlled by the lord of our lives.”  

-Timothy Keller

When Christ has truly become Lord of our values, we have a pathway to hope and healing when like the Psalmist we can say,

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭73‬:‭25‬,26 ‭ESV‬‬

“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.”

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Our Present Hope

There is healing when we begin to identify what is the true lord or our present hopes and dreams. 

‭‭

Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭33‬-‭35‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

Christ’s arrival would cause the rising and falling of many in Israel as Jesus came to challenge their value systems, while offering true hope and healing. 

When the Holy Spirit is working in our lives, he brings his word to be a sword to pierce our souls (our minds, wills and emotions) to reveal what is truly driving us. 

God’s leadership in our lives forces us to ask the questions, if God is authoring my path:

1. What is a good life?

2. For what should we hope?

“If you ask for something that you don’t get…you may become sad and disappointed, then you go on.  Those are not your functional masters.  But when you pray and hope for something and you don’t get it and you respond with explosive anger or deep despair, then you may have found your real god.”

-Timothy Keller in Counterfeit Gods 

There is power and healing when we find that God gives our life meaning when we focus on his eternal hopes and values.  

‭‭Luke‬ ‭2‬:‭36‬-‭38‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.”

Even in loss, Anna’s life found great meaning.  

Her devotion to worship at the temple forged a committed life of fasting and prayer that God would use to shape history. 

At the time of Christ’s arrival, she would be attuned and prepared to speak of Jesus to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. 

In this, Anna was able to experience a present hope and healing. 

Yet what could have pulled her off the path would have been idols which Keller described as: 

 “…anything more important to you than God. Anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God. Anything you seek to give you what only God can give. Anything that is so central and essential to your life, that should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living.” 

-Timothy Keller

Mid-life (or adulting) crises can be eye-opening allowing us to reorient our thinking to resign to what God says is good. 

Aging is good (Romans 8)

Doing without can be good (James 1 - the rich and poor in this world)

Suffering can be good (Romans 5)

When we have these Biblical, God-ordained perspectives, it changes the ability that we have to enter to a present hope and healing.  

Full of faith, we can once again pray like the Psalmist..

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭27‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

In what ways has God been faithful to you and healed your heart as you’ve waited upon him?

Rather than making a list of worst-case scenarios or things that you lack, make a list of things for which you can, like Anna, give thanks to God because he has filled you with hope by fulfilling his good promises to you.  

Our Future Hope

Our eternal hope is that in Jesus, there will be healing for the nations.  

There’s a theme of at least three significant trees throughout the Scripture.  

The first tree was the tree of life (Genesis 2:9) that brought sustenance and vitality to the world in Eden.  

But when Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3) - they assumed moral autonomy while resigning to their own wisdom and fell.  

All of the damage that we see in the world whether rape, murder, familial dysfunction, ethnic strife and relational degradation are a result of this sin entering into the world.  

How do we still in our own wisdom, still eat from the first tree and allow damage to enter our lives, relationships, churches and world?  

The second tree was one of redemption where Jesus Christ not only took the punishment and shame for our sin through his sacrificial death on the cross, but reconciled us to God and one another offering us the hope of healing in all things through his resurrection from the dead.  

The final tree is one that those who repent of their sin, choose to put their faith in Jesus and love the Lord will one day eat from. 

It is the tree of life whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.  

Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭1‬-‭5‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Once again, in this place, we will see clearly, the Lord’s values will be our own, and Jesus will be forever exalted as the fulfillment of our hope - the author of our eternal healing. 

Practically Applying the Realities of the Nativity

Guest Speaker: Benjamin Foote

Section 1: Christmas time is here!

1. It’s the Christmas season so today as part of our Christmas series I want to talk to you about the birth of Jesus Christ and share a perspective that will hopefully enable you to celebrate this season in spirit and in truth.

2. The Christmas season is full of celebration. Namely, we celebrate the nativity – Jesus Christ, God Himself, being born into this earth by the virgin Mary. There is much to celebrate and ponder about this season and my hope is that our celebration of this incredible event spurs us to love and worship God, because that is what Christmas is all about.

Section 2: Teaser – I don’t really like Nativity scenes.

1. So, today I want to focus specifically on the Nativity scene. I think you know the one I’m talking about.Now, I don’t like this. In fact, I don’t really like most any version of this scene that has appeared in our culture.

2. In today’s message I’m going to attempt to explain why, and somehow I’m hoping you are encouraged by it.

   Now, to be clear, I am in no way trying to shame anyone who has a nativity scene set up in their home nor convince you to stop displaying or even enjoying them! Really, they’re fine. I just don’t like them. Rather, my desire is for you to see past what we typically think of and view when we hear the term “nativity scene” and instead begin to comprehend the humbling and extraordinary circumstances that the biblical, historical birth of the God of the Universe, Jesus Christ, took place in

   3. So let’s back up. This is what we typically see as the nativity. There are a few things wrong with this picture. First, the wise men were not there – most scholars agree that the wise men visited Jesus in his 2nd or 3rd year of life. But, that’s not what I want to focus on. Instead, I want to consider the inaccuracies of this scene as it is displaying a quiet, clean, comfortable, warm, peaceful, glorious night. I would submit to you that in reality, it was none of those things save the word “glorious.” It was certainly glorious, just not in the way we usually view that word.

Section 3: Luke 2:1-21

1. So let’s see what the bible says about the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. In Luke 2:1-21 we read Linus’ favorite account of the nativity. It says this:

2. Luke 2:1-21

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,

“Glory to God in the highest,
    and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

1. There is so much that I love about this passage, but what I love the most is that in a quiet, very dark pasture – where the shepherds were – an angel explodes into the scene. This was undoubtedly the most remarkable thing these shepherds had ever seen, yet the angel declares that they will see a sign that night.

2. Think about that. These blue-collar workers are just minding their own business when an angel appears to them, this brilliant heavenly sight, the most incredible amazing thing they’ve ever seen in their entire existence, and essentially says, “tonight you’re going to see something really cool. You’re going to see a sign.

1. The shepherds must have been thinking, “something better than this? What other sign could top this?”

3. But the angel explains. And what this angel describes was certainly something more extraordinary, more glorious than even this angel – exploding out of thin air into the pitch-black sky – was, than even the multitude of angels that appeared shortly afterwards was…

4. What the angel says they will see is this: the Savior of the world, Christ the Lord, the promised messiah, the God of the Universe (!!!), wrapped in swaddling clothes and laying in a manger.

5. I also want to note that shepherds were among the lowest class of working people during this time. They were not in a place of honor, nor did they likely ever think they would receive any kind of great honor. In modern terms this would be like your janitors, your meter maids, your garbage men – hard-working jobs that receive little praise or admiration. But the angel appears to them. The first ones to hear about this awesome occurrence, the pinnacle of human experience up to this point, were shepherds. So, hold that thought…

Section 4: Back to the nativity scene

1. And let’s go back to our perceived image of the nativity. I would argue that if the shepherds were to go and see this image that perhaps it wouldn’t have been so miraculous. This is a beautiful scene, well lit, clean, warm, comfortable, glorious, etcetera. It’s a nice setting for the Savior of the world. Humble, yes, but nice!
   

2. But I don’t think that this is what they were expecting to see nor this is what they saw. The scriptures say that Jesus was laid in a manger. A manger was a feeding trough for animals, a feeding trough that was in a time where hygiene wasn’t really on the top of peoples’ list. Very likely it was not made out of wood as wood was an expensive and precious material during this time, it was probably a porous, stone basin a filthy piece of equipment surrounded by barn animals and soaked in barn animals’ saliva, droppings, etc. I’m sure Mary found some clean hay to place in the manger, but I’m not convinced that there was a high quality selection. Also, Mary had just given birth, and thus the aftermath of that birth could have been present among the floors of the barn, which by the way was probably a limestone cave of some sort – according to Third Hour or– like this . Our three main characters were likely wearing soiled clothes, or at the very least their soiled clothes were tucked away in a corner but ever present. The smell of the scene would have been thick and unpleasant, Mary and Joseph themselves would have been exhausted and not ready for visitors.

3. Yet this pitiful, humble environment was how God incarnate, that is the human form of God Himself – Jesus, decided to enter the world. This is why such a scene would have been a sign to the shepherds, who likely knew a King was coming because of the scriptures and were probably expecting to see Him in a place fit for a king – a palace surrounded by wealth and VIPs, or at the very least an indoor venue – like an inn – but instead they witnessed Him in a dirty, dark barn, with two very poor parents, lying in a vessel marked by animal saliva.

4. In modern terms, this would be like an angel appearing to garbage men and telling them that they would see the God of the Universe, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a dumpster. That would be quite a sign, wouldn’t it? Equivalently, this is what the shepherds experienced and witnessed.

5. I actually tried to input what I believe the nativity scene would have looked like into an AI generator to give you a better picture but this is what I got [Image 4] 

1. The likelihood of the nativity scene is so different than what we commonly reference that even AI won’t imagine it for you.

Section 5: The Least of These

1. Why is this important? Why is it important to have a more accurate view of this scene? Ben, why couldn’t you just leave me alone to enjoy the image of cute baby cows gently nuzzling the porcelain white baby Jesus in the sparkly clean yellow hay that lays upon the conveniently propped-up, wooden manger?

2. To answer that we should consider another passage that strikes at the heart of both the Gospel and the work that God has charged every believer in this room and beyond to do. It is a prophecy told 30-some years after this nativity scene be Jesus Himself. His disciples had just asked him about the end of the world and what it would look like, what would happen. Among other things, Jesus tells them this prophecy:

3. Matthew 25:31-46

4. “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

5. “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

6. So what does this have to do with the Nativity… Jesus was not being entirely figurative when he said that serving the least of these is serving him. He is not an easier-said-than-done Savior, he literally relates to the lowest of all people, more than meeting is where we are at, he has gone through much worse, marked ultimately by the very beginning and end of his life.

7. When we have a more accurate view of the Christmas story, this ever-important scene that we call the Nativity, we realize that God Himself, Jesus, came and was born into the lowest of all circumstances: to parents so poor they had to bring turtledoves to the temple, into a cold, dark, dirty, and smelly cave surrounded not by royalty or religious leaders, but by barn animals and shepherds. When we consider this, we realize that Jesus became the least of these, the least of all of us, on our behalf. Jesus is the least of these.

8. Christmas is a time where we often realign our focus on giving. From December 1 to December 25 there are countless food drives, fundraisers, toy donations, you name it to help those in need. But I would submit to you that we as Christians are called to celebrate Christmas all year round! And how do we do that?

9. For those of you who start playing Christmas music in October, boy do I have good news for you! You all, we all can celebrate early by serving the most disenfranchised in our community, the least of these, every day of the year. When we do that, we serve Jesus, we serve this baby: No, not that baby, this baby, The one I’m not allowed to show you. 

10. When your life is marked by your love of the least of these, your life is marked by your love for Jesus. A life saturated by love for the least of these is a life saturated by love for Jesus. That is the calling that each and every one of us has on our life,

Section 6: The Cross

1. We should all consider this calling, claim this calling, for three reasons.

2. The first is the nativity – we’ve covered that.

3. The second is Imago Dei – the fact that all of humankind was and is made in the image of God. When people are forgotten or cast aside, when they are deemed “less than” it flies directly in the face of God’s creation. Serving these communities is the clear response of the Christian, to see the image of God in everyone, and to treat all with love and respect.

4. The third reason is the cross.

1. It should come as no surprise to you that I am not a fan of crucifixes either.

2. The image that we typically think of when we think of Christ on the cross is hauntingly inaccurate. It is usually of a chiseled dude with a six pack, delicately hanging from a cross with single beads of blood dripping from his forehead, hands, feet, and side with a decency cloth wrapped around his waist.

3. I want you to hear me clearly: that is not what the crucifixion looked like. The scriptures say that Jesus was beaten beyond recognition, that his back was shredded into a bloody pulp by a whip. And I have to tell you, there was no decency cloth. 

4. I didn’t even try to input this into an AI image generator. It was grotesque, humiliating, and explicit.

5. This is the God we serve and celebrate on Christmas. A God who saw it fit to be born into a dirty, smelly, cold barn and a God who saw it fit to die a truly horrific, violent, and dehumanizing death.

6. Why? Because He cared for the least of these. He cared for you. He cared enough that when He saw that we were dead in our trespasses and sin he went on a rescue mission for our sake. In lowly circumstances he lived a sinless life yet died a sinners death, a death that you and I deserve for our rebellion against God, and then rose again three days later thereby defeating death and sin so that anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord, anyone repents from their wicked ways, believes on his saving power on the cross and victory over death, can be saved from eternal death.  That is who we celebrate on Christmas. And don’t you want to serve and worship that God?

Section 7: How?

1. So practically, how do we do this? How do we serve the least of these and thereby serve Jesus?

2. The passage I read in Matthew has Jesus acknowledging true believers by their lifestyle of serving the least of these. It follows that every follower of Jesus should be able to look at their life and clearly define how they are serving the least of these. 

3. So, I want to ask you a straightforward question. It’s rhetorical, don’t worry, but I want you to truly think about this: can you look at your life as it stands right now and clearly identify how your lifestyle serves the least of these?

4. If you are having trouble identifying how you are living this calling out, but your heart yearns for such a lifestyle, I want to encourage you that you are halfway there! I have some suggestions.

5. I’m going to list some programs that help what I think should be considered “the least of these”. These programs I am about to list are by no means a complete or thorough list, but they are a good place to start. I also want to clarify that some of these programs are ones that Second City Church is partnered with, others are not, some aren’t even strictly Christian, but they all serve communities and individuals that are loved by God.

1. Safe Families [Image 5]

1. Safe Families for Children seeks to bring the church and community together to keep children safe and families together. Safe Families for Children is rooted in faith, fueled by radical hospitality, disruptive generosity, and intentional compassion, to build a network of caring and compassionate volunteers to support families facing social isolation. Their goal is to support and strengthen families, prevent child abuse and neglect, and reduce the number of children unnecessarily entering the child welfare system.

2. Safe Families PLUS [Image 6]

1. Safe Families PLUS, in conjunction with the
   Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), provides
   caring mentors to youth ages 14 to 21 as they
   transition to adulthood. Mentors come alongside the
   youth to provide them with support that endures.
   Through consistent, one-on-one contact, mentors help
   youth explore their self-identity, talents, strengths,
   and career interests. These relationships open their
   eyes to new experiences.

3. By the Hand [Image 7]

1. Helping children who live in under-resourced neighborhoods have abundant life. By The Hand is a Christ-centered, after-school program that takes kids by the hand and walks with them from kindergarten through college, loving and nurturing them—mind, body and soul.

4. Exodus World Services [Image 8]

1. Exodus World Service mobilizes the Christian community to welcome and befriend refugees. We do this by educating churches and individuals about the plight of refugees, connecting volunteers with refugees through practical service projects, and empowering people to be champions for refugees.

5. Off the Street Club [Image 9]

1. Off The Street Club, Chicago’s oldest boys and girls club, is a non-profit youth center offering children in Garfield Park a safe place to laugh, dream, and reach their full potential.

6. Big Brother Big Sister [Image 10]

6. It is important to note that when we accurately consider the Nativity and the Cross – we realize that it is ugly. It is uncomfortable. It is painful. It is often without immediate or earthly reward. When we serve the Jesus in that manger and the Jesus on that cross, when we serve the least of these, it may be all of those things – ugly, uncomfortable, painful, thankless. But rest assured that serving Jesus in this way is not overlooked by our Savior, the God of the Universe, the Messiah who we will all meet on judgment day. Who will say, “did you serve me?” I, for one, want to answer, “yes, Lord.”

Section 8: Wrap up

1. So the next time you look at you or your neighbor’s nativity set, the next time you read the Christmas story, think and consider how wonderful a Savior we have to call our own. Think and consider how our God chose to live and die on our behalf. And think and consider how you can serve and worship Him by caring for the least of these.

Hope and Healing: Considerations

Hope and Healing: Considerations

Pastor Rollan

Focus: It does not matter what you have experienced or what you have done, there is the hope of redemption and healing to be found in Jesus. 

• Consider Our Common Need

• Consider the Historic Christ

• Consider Biblical Faith

Consider Our Common Need

We all, to varying degrees, are in need of the hope of redemption and healing. 

For what do we need hope?

Whether now or later, we need the hope that our lives can get better than they are now. 

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭17‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared."

*There was a long period of disappointment and likely discouragement that Zechariah and Elizabeth experienced - the good news is that they would find hope and healing in their latter years.  

Zechariah and Elizabeth had been waiting for decades to bear a child - living under the weight of the emotional questions and with the cultural scorn that accompanied Elizabeth’s barrenness.  

We can miss God and suffer when we interpret our lives simply through chronos rather than kairos moments.  

*There was a kairos moment necessary for all components of God’s plan to arise to bring about the redemption of humanity. 

In Greek, the word kairos meant an appointed time for a special purpose.   

Think about it:

In the New Testament, the word kairos is used 86 times, as opposed to chronos (which refers to a specific amount of time) which was used 56 times.  

The Roman Empire which would facilitate the propagation of the gospel. 

At exactly the right time, God came to deliver a miracle.  

There is hope and healing released to our lives when we understand that in his story of redemption, God is the Lord of our kairos moments.  

God had both the old and the young in mind when he would bring about his redemption. 

Hope and healing would come to Zechariah and Elizabeth’s aged hearts.  

Hope and healing would lay ahead of youthful Mary as she bore Christ in her teenage years. 

It would be the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ that would heal their hearts and fulfill God’s word in which his people had long hoped.  

It does matter where you have been or what you have done, there is the hope of redemption and healing to be found in Jesus. 

This includes redemption for a lifetime of committed sins.  

There is the hope of restoration for wrongs done as you both receive and offer forgiveness. 

From what do we need healing?

Problems arise when throughout our lives, we look for our sense of value, accomplishment, peace and satisfaction outside of God.  

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

-St. Augustine in the first paragraph of his autobiography Confessions 

Hope and healing are available in every stage of life, even later in life.  

Is there a historic justification for this?

Consider the Historic Christ

The historic Jesus of Nazareth lives today, as he did 2000 years ago, to provide that very real hope of redemption and healing to the world.  

How does Jesus provide these things?

‭‭Luke‬ ‭1‬:‭67‬-‭80‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.”

Your latter years can be your best years if you choose the hope and healing found in Jesus.  

We recommend Emotionally Healthy Discipleship as a tool in personal growth and development.  

What I’ve been learning about fear, always readying myself for the challenges to come tomorrow so that it steals my being in the present, enjoying and celebrating today. 

*My posture towards my post-embolism existence (many survivors of medical conditions and their families have to deal with anxiety and distress after injury) is an example of having to learn to live with the hope of serving the Lord without fear. 

Aged professional athletes often wish they had enjoyed the evolving moments of their success rather than always being about “the next thing.”

This is why Jesus exhorts us in his word:

Matthew 6:34 ESV

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

What is it that you’ve experienced that has caused you to look at the future with fear - even in Christ?

Fear of being betrayed?  Being alone? Health challenges?  Not finding your purpose?  Never having enough?

It would be because of the historic Jesus going to the cross to suffer in our place, that he was giving us the confidence that what he was determined to bring his people into was hope and healing.  

Prophesying 700 years before the arrival of John the Baptist and Jesus, Isaiah the prophet would proclaim by the Holy Spirit:

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭40‬:‭3‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." A voice says, “Cry!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.”

In kairos moments, God both lifts us and allows us to be brought low so that we might find our identity and salvation solely in Jesus.  

God raises us up in every valley to lift our eyes to the hope of forgiveness, but makes every mountain and hill low to turn us from our sins to the cross where Jesus paid the price for our rebellion against God that was killing us. 

Could this be your kairos hour to meet Jesus the Christ today?

Consider Biblical Faith

True Biblical faith and hope in the risen Jesus can revolutionize your life by providing the healing that you truly need.  

I changed Prince’s latter two Scriptural references to ESV for clarity and  understanding:

“In Hebrews 11, we find the definition of faith - the only word explicitly defined in the Bible.  “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1).  Here, we see a relationship between faith and hope. Faith is here and now; hope is for the future. Faith is a material thing - something so real that it is called a substance.  It is in our hearts.  On the basis of faith, we can have a legitimate hope for the future.  But hope that is not based on legitimate faith is just wishful thinking.  

‭‭Romans‬ ‭10‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”

In the New Testament, believe is a word of motion. It is not a static thing or an intellectual position.  It is something in your heart that leads you to something new. Faith is a verb of motion: by faith we believe unto righteousness and salvation.  You can have intellectual faith and never be changed.  You can embrace all the doctrines of the Bible with your intellect but remain completely the same. But when you have faith in your heart, it leads to salvation.  

Faith is in the present; hope is in the future.  Biblical faith is in the heart; hope is in the mind.  Paul spoke about both with an interesting picture: ““But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation”

(‭‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭ESV‬‬).  Two items of armor are mentioned in this verse.  Faith is a breastplate, which protects the heart, and hope is the helmet, which protects the head.  Faith is in the heart; hope is in the mind.”

-Derek Prince from his sermon Laying the Foundation, Vol. 1 Through Repentance to Faith

Hope and Healing

Hope and Healing

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: There is hope and healing in Jesus that is found nowhere else in the world.  

• The World in Turmoil

• The God who Allows It 

• Eternal Hope and Healing 

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18‬-‭30‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”

The World in Turmoil

People daily feel the strain of a world that has chosen to be separated from God. 

God did not walk out on us - humanity walked out on God through a lack of trust and obedience, which is the foundation of sin.  

I think that taking life seriously means something such as this: that whatever man does on this planet has to be done in the lived truth of the terror of creation, of the grotesque, of the rumble of panic underneath everything. Otherwise it is false. Whatever is achieved must be achieved with the full exercise of passion, of vision, of pain, of fear, and of sorrow. How do we know, that our part of the meaning of the universe might not be a rhythm in sorrow?

-Ernest Becker 

To deal with the world successfully is to acknowledge our brokenness. 

To learn how to navigate it is to understand why.  

The God who Allows It 

In the midst of the separation, God allows frustration that we might yearn for the solutions that are only found in him. 

There is purpose in the pain. 

In allowing suffering we are driven to a search for justification, sanctification and glorification that can only be found in Christ. 

According to Ernest Becker, the main task of human life is to become heroic:

“Since the main task of human life is to become heroic and transcend death, every culture must provide its members with an intricate symbolic system that is covertly religious…. Making a killing in business or on the battlefield frequently has less to do with economic need or political reality than with the need for assuring ourselves that we have achieved something of lasting worth…. Our heroic projects that are aimed at destroying evil have the paradoxical effect of bringing more evil into the world. Human conflicts are life and death struggles – my gods against your gods, my immortality project against your immortality project. The root of humanly caused evil is not man’s animal nature, not territorial aggression, or innate selfishness, but our need to gain self-esteem, deny our mortality, and achieve a heroic self-image.”

-Ernest Becker in The Denial of Death

In this quest for perfect heroism, we all ultimately fail.  

We find disillusionment a familiar friend and that the most terrible state is as the apostle Paul wrote is to be without God and without hope in the world.  

We find that we are all in need of a savior, a healer who redeems our broken lives full of disappointment and regret. 

The pain of life is to ultimately lead us to Christ’s suffering at the cross and the hope of healing that comes from his resurrection life. 

Eternal Hope and Healing 

Through Jesus Christ, God offers the eternal hope and healing that the world so desperately needs. 

The complete heroism that we need is found in Jesus alone. 

Hurt can lead to hope if we turn from putting confidence in our idols and look to Jesus Christ. 

Hate can turn into healing if we come to the end of ourselves, turning from our sins to find Jesus at the cross where enemies are reconciled through repentance and Christ’s cleansing blood. 

“We can ignore even pleasure. But pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world....No doubt pain as God's megaphone is a terrible instrument; it may lead to final and unrepented rebellion. But it gives the only opportunity the bad man can have for amendment. it removes the veil; it plants the flag of truth within the fortress of the rebel soul.”

-C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain

Through Christ’s sinless life, Jesus provided the hope of being justified before a holy God who will hold us accountable for our sins. 

Through Christ’s cross, Jesus offered the hope of sanctification that these sins could be forgiven through repentance and faith in his atoning work.  

Through Christ’s resurrection, we have the hope of glorification, bringing the eternal healing that we need for our minds, emotions and ultimately bodies. 

This is the reason for the Advent season, why we have so much to be thankful for and why we celebrate the coming of our king.  

• Second City Church

Guest Speaker: Pastor Kore Benedix

Guest Speaker: Pastor Kore Benedix

When life is hard and your soul is heavy, his yoke is easy and his burden is light 

“Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples  and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?”

Matthew 11:2-3

His Yoke. Your Rest.

How to live in two kingdoms simultaneously 

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

“Doubt is natural within faith. It comes because of our human weakness and frailty…Unbelief is the decision to live life as if there is no God. It is a deliberate decision to reject Jesus Christ and all that he stands for. But doubt is something quite different. Doubt arises within the context of faith. It is wistful longing to be sure of the things in which we trust. But it is not and need not to be a problem. “

Alistar McGrath

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

Matthew 7:13-14

“Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.  And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

Matthew 10:37-38

“It wasn't burnout - we still had energy. It wasn’t depression - we didn’t feel hopeless. We just felt somewhat joyless and aimless. It turns out there’s a name for that: languishing. Languishing is a sense of indignation and emptiness. It feels as if you’re muddling through your days, looking at your life through a foggy windshield. And it might be the dominant emotion” 

Adam Grant - NY Times

“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves….” 

Matthew 10:16

“Coming to Jesus for rest doesn’t shield us from affiliations. It transform affiliations from fear-dominating, anxiety-producing, and hopeless to light and momentary” 

John Piper

Prophet, Priest, King, God: Jesus is God

Prophet, Priest, King, God 

Pastor Rollan Fisher

We worship Jesus because he is our great prophet, priest, king and God.  

Last week:

Jesus the King 

How do we know that God anointed Jesus to be the eternal king of the nations?

We know it by Christ’s sinless life, miracles and resurrection from the dead.  

But the importance and uniqueness of Jesus continues.  

Focus: Jesus is God in the flesh who is to be worshiped and adored to the glory of God the Father.  

Jesus is God

"WHATEVER GOD IS, CHRIST IS. THE VERY LIKENESS OF GOD, THE VERY GODHEAD OF GODHEAD, THE VERY DEITY OF DEITY, IS IN CHRIST JESUS."

- Charles H. Spurgeon

What did the prophets say about the Messiah to come?

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

What did Jesus understand about himself and proclaim?

Jesus said things like:

Before Abraham was, I AM (John 8:56-59)

Jesus said that he and the Father are one, for which the Jews considered Jesus to be blaspheming, calling himself God

(John 10:25-33). 

Jesus said that he was the one who had the ability to forgive sins against Almighty God (Mark 2:1-12). 

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28‬:‭16‬-‭20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."”

What did those closest to Jesus understand about him and proclaim?

‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭1‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

It is important here to note several things that were said about Jesus that only pertain to God. 

What did the early church understand about Jesus and proclaim?

‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Colossians 1:15-20

Colossians 2:9-10

What did God the Father validate about Jesus?

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3‬-‭11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

God the Father exalted Jesus through not only his miracles, but through Christ’s resurrection from the dead.  

"Depend upon it, my hearer, you never will go to heaven unless you are prepared to worship Jesus Christ as God." 

~ Charles H. Spurgeon

• Second City Church

Prophet, Priest, King, God: Jesus the King

Prophet, Priest, King, God 

Pastor Rollan Fisher

We worship Jesus because he is our great prophet, priest, king and God.  

Last week:

Jesus the Priest 

Why is there salvation in no one else and why is Jesus the only name by which we must be saved?

Jesus is not just a priest - he is our perfect, merciful and faithful high priest before God. 

But the importance and uniqueness of Jesus continues.  

Focus: God the Father has us submit to Jesus because he is King of Kings and Lord of lords.  

Jesus the King

We serve Jesus because he is our benevolent king. 

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬-‭11 ‭ESV‬‬

“John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, "Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea." 

Jesus is called the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth.  

Jesus is our king which means he is to be the Lord and ruler of every area of our lives.  

Just as our lives were saved by Christ’s perfect obedience to and fulfillment of the law of God, so we are now to express our gratitude and love for God by obedience to his commands.  

There is no area of your life that his rulership leaves untouched, whether it be your time, your relationships, your sexuality, your leisure, your resources or your pursuits. 

How do we know that God anointed Jesus to be the eternal king of the nations?

We know it by Christ’s sinless life, miracles and resurrection from the dead.  

Christ’s sinless life demonstrated that he was a king who could be trusted and should be adored.  

Christ’s miracles demonstrated God’s supernatural backing for he who would be our benevolent ruler. 

‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.”

Christ’s resurrection from the dead and ascension to the right hand of the Father validated his identity as the one who would approach the Ancient of Days and would rule the nations with justice.   

As the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the Almighty, it is said that Jesus is given glory and dominion forever and ever.  

This reflects the words of the prophet Daniel, who ministered in exile in Babylon approximately 530 to 600 years before Christ.  

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭7‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭7‬:‭13‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“"I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

*The point for us is that beyond our personal devotion, God has always shown himself sovereign through ever-changing social and political, domestic and world affairs. 

God’s people were to remain steady, focusing on God as their rock and serve Christ as their king.  

Rulers come and go, governments rise and fall, yet Christ’s kingdom is eternal and remains the same.  

Christ’s kingdom is not only lasting, but historically advances during tumultuous times.  

Why does it matter that we recognize Jesus as king when we see chaos around us?

(ROBINHOOD pictures)

Because we have a king who is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen.

How do we live in God’s peace and purposes?  

You live in God’s peace by understanding that Jesus is the sovereign ruler over the nations whose government will know no end. 

God has used godless men and women throughout history to fulfill his ultimate ends (think King Cyrus and his decree to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem in Ezra 1:1-11 or those who discipline Israel in I Chronicles 5:26; II Chronicles 21:16).    

God remained seated on his throne and it will be no different now.  

We live in God’s purposes by finding our identity in Christ and our activity through Christ’s body, his church - which should be on mission to fulfill his gospel great commission long after the election is over.  

This purpose keeps us from the ditches of identity politics, single issue politics and the tribalism that flows from ideas of government totalitarianism.  

We are looking to the whole counsel of God. 

There is a primacy of identity where I am a child of God, a follower of king Jesus above all else, and a priority of conviction where I will not be boxed into any party or policy that does not submit to his rule. 

Jesus is to be the ruler of the kings on earth. 

Though important, your hope is never to be in a fallible political leader or government.  

All kings will eventually be subject to Christ’s rule as a benevolent creator. 

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭5‬-‭13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. It has been testified somewhere, "What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet." Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering. For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Behold, I and the children God has given me."”

We must be careful to not be driven by mere emotion, but endeavor to have the mind of Christ, parsing out and applying biblical truths at every point and turn. 

Our priority of purpose is to love Jesus and represent the king well in character (common decency towards others) and conviction (standing on Biblical truths). 

*The gospel is the answer to the ills of this fallen world because it changes hearts and not just policies.  

When Jesus is proclaimed as Lord and king, redemption, restoration and reconciliation are the result - between God and humanity as well as humanity and humanity.  

In our political season it is comforting to know that though we bear with temporary rulers, we serve an eternal king. 

“Trials are intended to make us think, to wean us from the world, to send us to

the Bible, to drive us to our knees.”

-JC Ryle

Because of Christ’s sinless life, though he would die on the cross as a sacrifice for humanity’s sins, Jesus would rise to live days without end ruling the nations with an eternal Kingdom.  

The government would forever be on Christ’s shoulders.  

We should come to understand Jesus as king through his church.  

Revelation 1:12-20 ESV

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades. Write therefore the things that you have seen, those that are and those that are to take place after this. As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands, the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

When we turn to hear Jesus, the first thing that we see is his church.  

John turned to hear the voice and saw the seven lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man.  

We need to see Jesus the king, clearly, not as we’ve supposed him to be, before we can be of benefit to the world.  

Jesus stood amongst the lampstands - the churches. 

Jesus held the seven stars in his hand - the messengers.  

From Christ’s mouth comes the double-edged sword - his word by which he deals with our sin to bring both truth and order. 

So we see that as Jesus is king, he rules in and through the lampstands, his church.  

Below is a picture of the work of God bringing his Kingdom on the earth:

Individual to Christ (work out issues in the heart) >

Christian to Church (work out real issues in safe community under Christ’s benevolent rule) > 

Church to the Culture (work out beneficial societal change as we bring Christ’s light to the world)

“God wants you to be planted…to be present and engaged in the Body of Christ.”

-Pastor Jon Owens

Why?

You can not see Christ’s rule fully worked out in your life without being a part of his local church.  

The church is God’s war room for real world redemption and change. 

The beauty of the church of Jesus Christ is that you get to work out real world issues with real people from every tribe, nation, language and tongue - all serving one king and all having equal concern for one another because we are family united by his blood.  

With this display of supernatural love, wisdom and reconciliation, we provide real solutions to a real world without hope and without God.  

Be godly in social posts. 

So our call today is to turn from our sins to the cross, make peace with Jesus the king and fear not, because he holds the keys of death and Hades, the present and the future in his hands!

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of Lords.”

 - Second City Church 

Prophet, Priest, King, God: Jesus the Priest

Prophet, Priest, King, God 

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Last week:

We worship Jesus because he is our great prophet, priest, king and God.  

Jesus the Prophet 

We follow Jesus because he is our great prophet. 

We are told to beware of false prophets and false teachers.  

Why did God glorify his servant Jesus?

Jesus is not just a prophet - he is God’s unique prophet pointing to reconciliation with God through his death on the cross, burial and resurrection from the dead. 

But the importance and uniqueness of Jesus continues.  

Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬-‭12‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders, if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Focus: God the Father has us look to Jesus because he is our merciful and faithful high priest, forever able to sympathize and save.  

Jesus the Priest 

We trust Jesus because he is our merciful and faithful high priest.  

‭‭

Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

A priest was one who stood as an intermediary to minister to God on behalf of the people and to the people on behalf of God.  

The priests were to remind the people of God’s commands, accurately facilitating worship that was pleasing to God. 

The high priest was the intercessor between God and the people, acting as their representative before God.  

The high priest in particular was:

1. Appointed to offer the most important sacrifices of worship. He was the sole individual to enter the Holy of Holies in the temple, particularly on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) where he would offer sacrifices for the people to cleanse the people of their sins.

2. Appointed to direct the practical affairs of our worship - he had authority in temple operations, directing finances and priestly duties.

The problem was that all other high priests prior to Jesus and after him were both fallible and mortal.  

This meant that the high priest was neither a perfect example of the righteousness which he preached or was able to continue in office to make continual sacrifices for the people.  

Jesus was different in that he was a perfect example of God’s righteousness - so his authority was pure and complete. 

Jesus would also live forever to maintain the duties of his office. 

In these ways, Jesus would become our merciful and faithful high priest. 

Because Jesus was made like us in every way, he too suffered when tempted and is merciful towards us, understanding our fight to do what is right.  

His mercy means not only that he cares, but that he is compelled to move and do something about the suffering in which he finds us.  

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭20‬:‭30‬-‭34‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" And stopping, Jesus called them and said, "What do you want me to do for you?" They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.”

Because Jesus understands, he is faithful to show up in our battles as we come to him. 

Jesus offers us the help that we need to overcome.  

Ultimately, Jesus would end our slavery to the fear of death by defeating the devil who tries to not only steal, kill and destroy our lives, but held the power of death.  

John 1:29-32

*It matters that Jesus not only offered sacrifices for our sins as our priest, but as our faithful High Priest offered himself, once for all, as the Passover Lamb to make atonement and take away the sins of the world"

The power of death is now gone and we need to walk out of our slavery into the freedom that Jesus provided!

My days, weeks, months and years are different because I am walking into the abundant life that God planned for me from the beginning.  

“We modern people think of miracles as the suspension of the natural order, but Jesus meant them to be the restoration of the natural order. The Bible tells us that God did not originally make the world to have disease, hunger, and death in it. Jesus has come to redeem where it is wrong and heal the world where it is broken. His miracles are not just proofs that he has power but also wonderful foretastes of what he is going to do with that power. Jesus' miracles are not just a challenge to our minds, but a promise to our hearts, that the world we all want is coming.”

-Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

Why is there salvation in no one else and why is Jesus the only name by which we must be saved?

Jesus is not just a priest - he is our perfect merciful high priest before God. 

*It matters that Jesus was and is perfect when I am not. 

We look to Jesus as our high priest because he was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Jesus is our sympathetic high priest. 

Because Jesus was tempted in every way as we are, he sympathizes with our struggles. 

Because he was without sin, he knows the way out and is ready to give mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.  

Always remember, the grace of God doesn’t just remove the consequences of sin - it empowers us to say no to sin (Titus 2:11,12)!

This means you can win your fight!!!

“Our Lord has many weak children in his family, many dull pupils in his school, many raw soldiers in his army, many lame sheep in his flock. Yet he bears with them all, and casts none away. Happy is that Christian who has learned to do likewise with his brethren.”

-J. C. Ryle (1816-1900)

We’ve all had seasons when we are these people.  

Let us remember this as we love one another and treat one another as our great high priest would. 

We trust in Jesus because he is our high priest forever who is able to save completely those who come to the Father through him since he always lives to intercede for us. 

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭7‬:‭17‬-‭28‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness (for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath. For those who formerly became priests were made such without an oath, but this one was made a priest with an oath by the one who said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, 'You are a priest forever.'" This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.”

Jesus is our perfect high priest who forever lives to save. 

Two things needed to be done for our salvation and reconciliation with God that we could not fulfill.  

The first is perfect obedience to the law of God to receive God’s approval by satisfying his justice.  

The second is paying the price for our sins, as the wages of sin is death. 

Either I will pay the price for my sins in the judgment, or Jesus in his mercy and grace already paid it for me.  

I enter into this grace through repentance from my sin and faith in Christ’s finished work at the cross - his death, burial and resurrection from the dead. 

Since in both of these cases we are left wanting, we need a perfect mediator to satisfy the demands of a relationship with a holy God. 

That perfect, merciful high priest is Jesus who not only perfectly fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law our behalf (Romans 8:4), not only died on the cross to take the penalty for our sins, but now lives forever to intercede for us as we are daily seeking God to be set apart for his pleasure and purposes.  

Why is there salvation in no one else and why is Jesus the only name by which we must be saved?

Jesus is not just a priest - he is our perfect merciful high priest before God. 

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Hebrews‬ ‭7‬:‭25‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."

Jesus was not only the unblemished sacrifice for our sins, but the perfect, merciful priest who lives forever to mediate the benefits of that sacrifice before almighty God.

“Jesus is the “High Priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1). Our confession enlists Jesus as our High Priest, but the opposite, unfortunately, is also true.  If we make no confession, we have no High Priest.  It’s not that Jesus has ceased to be our High Priest, but that we give Him no opportunity to minister as our High Priest.  

He is the High Priest of our confession.  if we say the right things with our mouths in faith, according to Scripture, then Jesus has eternally obligated Himself to see that we will never be put to shame - that we will always experience what we confess   But if we do not say the right things, then, alas, we silence the lips of our High Priest. He has nothing to say in heaven on our behalf.  

Jesus is also called our “Advocate” (I John 2:1).  The word advocate is similar to the modern word attorney.  Jesus is the legal expert who is there to plead our case in heaven.  He has never lost a case.  But if we do not make a confession, he has no case to plead, so the case goes against us by default.  

We can see how important confession is; therefore, it is very important that we give heed to this third “Let us” passage in Hebrews: “Let us hold fast our confession” (Hebrews 4:14).  This principle of right confession has a central place in the gospel, as well as in our experience of salvation. In fact, there is no salvation without right confession.“

-Derek Prince, Declaring God’s Word

Benediction:

“Now may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the eternal high priest himself, the Son of God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and truth and in all gentleness and in all freedom from anger and forbearance and steadfastness and patient endurance and purity.”

-Polycarp

Prophet, Priest, King, God

Prophet, Priest, King, God 

Pastor Rollan Fisher

Focus: We worship Jesus because he is our great prophet, priest, king and God.  

We want to be careful in our time not to proclaim and worship:

“A God without wrath who brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.”

-H. R. Niebuhr

Jesus the Prophet 

We follow Jesus because he is our great prophet. 

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Acts‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬-‭24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's. And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. "And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days.”

Jesus the Priest 

We trust Jesus because he is our great high priest.  

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

Jesus the King 

We serve Jesus because he is our benevolent king. 

‭‭John‬ ‭12‬:‭12‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!" And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!" His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭19‬:‭11‬-‭16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of Lords.”

Jesus is God

We worship Jesus because he is our great God and Savior.  

‭‭Titus‬ ‭2‬:‭11‬-‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

Second City Church