Squish the Bug
Basics • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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We want to take a moment and honor our veterans and the freedom we have.
The reality is that we do have freedom to assemble and worship and not every country has that. We couldn’t do this in North Korea, some places in the Middle East and China. and we don’t ta ke that for granted.
We also want to thank our veterans, those who have served and are currently serving in the armed forces.
If that is you—whether you have served or are currently serving, would you please stand?
We also want to pray for you in a moment—and if you are near a veteran, would you lay a hand on them as we pray for them.
I also want to pray for our country and our gov’t.
1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—
2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
4 who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
so let’s pray
—thank you that we live in a place where we can freely worship—we pray that that would continue, and that other places in the world where that is not allowed, that that would change—Lord for our persecuted brothers and sisters in Christ, we pray
—for veterans (safety, wisdom, represent Christ ultimately; for those who have fought and still face PTSD and trauma, may you enable them to get the help and healing they need)
—for those who have lost lost ones in the armed forces; those who paid the ultimate price—we thank you for their service, and we grieve and weep with those who are still grieving and weeping—show your comfort.
—for our country, President Biden, congress, House of Rep, Supreme Court Justices, state, county, and local gov’t. we pray for them all. We pray for those who are believers to represent you well. and for those who are not, to become followers of Jesus. we pray that you would be the Lord of this nation.
—we also pray to for other countries—b/c we know that the kingdom of God is not just people from America who have trusted in Jesus—but you are forming a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation—so we also pray for the global body of Christ, knowing that our ultimate hope is not our country or any country—but your kingdom, and the king of kings and lord of lords—Jesus Christ.
We are going to sing a song—America the Beautiful—and we chose this song—not b/c America is perfect—we are not—but as a prayer—that God would shed his grace on us. and guide us.
I want to read Scripture as we begin a new summer sermon series. Please turn to Matthew 22.
Matthew 22:34.
and at the same time, while you are turning there, Justin Caffee and your son Myles can come forward (for an opening illustration)
Today, we begin a new sermon series called “Basics.”
And that may not sound very exciting, but let me tell why this concepts of Basics is exciting and why it’s SO important in the Christian life.
and to do that, let me read Matthew 22:34-40
34 Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together.
35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question:
36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”
37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38 This is the first and greatest commandment.
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Justin and his son are going to help me.
Let me introduce them.
Justin is married to Kalla…they have 3 active boys—Myles, Easton, and Trayce. Justin’s parents are Kelly and Tami Caffee.
And I want to talk about baseball.
Justin and the Caffee family loves baseball—you are passionate about baseball.
Justin, you played baseball when you were in a school — just a few years ago.
and coach minor league baseball.
How many of you have ever tried to hit a baseball?
Justin, I want to talk about hitting a baseball, something most of us have done.
Some questions:
What are some of the basics or fundamentals of hitting a baseball that you teach your own kids or the kids on your team? (how to hold a bat, stance, keep your eye on the ball, squish the bug)
What’s the #1 thing you see most young baseball players do wrong when it comes to hitting?
If a baseball player is struggling to hit the ball, what do you have them do? (for example—practice the basics or fundamentals, don’t overthink it, practice your stance, squishing the bug, keeping your head down and still, hitting off the tee)
Is it possible to over-complicate hitting a baseball?
so just to summarize, if a player is either learning how to hit, or struggling to hit, would it be fair to say that we need to return to practicing the basics, not over-complicating it, emphasizing the fundamentals?
Alright, we have your son up here—Myles, can you demonstrate a baseball swing for us?
Thank you guys for being good sports.
(you can be seated)
I believe this concepts of the basics or fundamentals applies to our life and relationship with Jesus Christ.
We have a tendency in our life to over-think or over-complicate things (I do this) and this carries over to our relationship with Jesus.
We have a tendency in life to be cluttered with so much stuff. Ever since Covid, and then a return to life after the Covid season, there has been a sense of frantic-ness I sometimes feel, and I notice you feel as you go from one thing to the next in your busy lives. We need to get back to basics.
We have a tendency to struggle to grow in our relationship with Jesus...
and just like a baseball hitter who is struggling, over-complicating, cluttering his mind…just like he/she needs to return to the basics…
I believe it is true of us as Christians...
getting back to the main thing…the central things of Christianity.
and what are those basics—we see it in this passage in Matthew.
It’s not complicated.
and in this passage that we read in Matthew 22.
Jesus is and has been under attack by the religious leaders. Different Jewish religious groups have been trying to trap him and trick him with questions. Trying to say, “I gotcha Jesus.”
and in this question—an expert in the law, that is the OT law, asked what is the greatest commandment?
Maybe they wanted Jesus to talk about the 10 commandments.
Maybe they wanted Jesus to isolate 1 of the 613 commands we find in the OT law.
maybe they wanted Jesus to talk about all the extra laws these groups like the Pharisees made. these religious leaders were good at making things complicated, and cluttering what it means to follow God.
maybe they wanted to just start controversy.
and Jesus says famously in verse 37:
37 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
and in verse 39
39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Love God and Love others.
it’s simple...
and yet we complicate it
over the next few weeks we will be unpacking this by returning to the basics
as we look at our core values of Worship, Connect, Serve, Grow, and Reach.
and this idea of loving God and loving others—shows up other places.
We recently saw this in the book of Revelation—Jesus writes to the church at Ephesus in Revelation 2:4—
4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.
being a Christian starts, continues, with loving God and loving others.
Let me try to unpack this idea of loving God and loving others so simply.
How do we love God? With our entire being…(vs. 39)
vs. 39 says…with...
our heart
our soul
our mind
the book of Mark adds “our strength”
and we can separate each of these if we want...
our heart and soul—is getting at the core of our being, our motivations, what we value and treasure—that it’s not just about doing—but being with Jesus…do I love Jesus, do I treasure him more than money, romance, or a job, success. What is my motivation for following Jesus....do I gave on his beauty… (I think of the Martha and Mary story in Luke 10—where these 2 sisters are approaching Jesus differently---Martha working tirelessly to get ready for Jesus, and Mary, sitting at Jesus’ feet.) I feel like the entire book of Psalms is like this.
or we could unpack your mind—loving God with your mind—means...
am I thinking rightly about God...
am I willing to go deep with learning about God and knowing God—theologically and doctrinally
am I willing to be challenged in my views
am I taking every thought captive and making it obedient to Jesus
and then of course strength...
am I serving God
is all this leading to a life where I don’t serve in my own strength but God.
that everything I do—whether changing diapers or fixing toilets or writing sermons is it all to the glory of God?
we could separate all of these—but remember—don’t overcomplicate—is every fiber of my being—every ounce of what I love, think, say, do—is it about God.
we dare not compartmentalize God—do you know what I mean…I have my work life, family life, church life, relationship with Jesus....no…no....no…all I do is to be about loving Him.
If someone were to ask you what is your life about—as a follower of Jesus—you could rightfully say—My goal is to love God. to love Him.
how are you doing at loving God? at being a love relationship with Jesus?
We love God by loving others. in other words, loving God and loving our neighbor goes together. You really cannot separate them. (vs. 39—Jesus says the 2nd is like the first commandment — love your neighbor as yourself)one of
one of Jesus’s disciples talked about this a lot in 1 John
20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.
21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
1 John 3:17-18 (says this should be very practical)
17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?
18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
how can we tell of each other if we are growing in our love relationship with God—we love each other...
1 John mentions brothers and sisters—in Christ—look around—how are you doing at this with one another?
how is our one anothering going?
do you love each other?
it’s not complicated...
but it’s not easy—because we have different generations here...
go through generations?
we have people here that probably annoy you...
you see what they post online—and then you have to see them at church?
how are you doing at loving your neighbor? (swing the bat)
How do we love God? by remembering — God loved us first! In other words, God invites us to love Him. We love in response to God’s love.
isn’t that amazing!?!?
sometimes we think that Christianity is all about do, do, do. It’s do-do. but it’s do—it’s done.
God invites us into a love relationship with Him—b/c He loves us.
19 We love because he first loved us.
and he showed that love on the cross
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
I find this so encouraging—I am a person who loves to do, get things done, check things off, but God invites me into this thrilling love relationship with Him—to love Him, to enjoy Him, to know Him.
He loves me even while I was a sinner and disobeyed Him. Isn’t that amazing? and He showed it on the cross of Jesus Christ. He wants to know me, and He wants me to know Him, to ENJOY HIM...
one of the first steps to growing in love is admitting you fail to love. I regularly fail to love God wholeheartedly. sometimes I do halfheartedly. or half-mindedly—or have strengthedly...
and I fail to love my neighbor...
but praise the Lord there is one who did this amazingly...
Jesus was so amazing at loving His Father
and surprising…sometimes as he was gaining in popularity, healing…Scripture is shocking
15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.
35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
36 Simon and his companions went to look for him,
37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”
Jesus was all about the basic—knowing His Father, listening to the Holy Spirit—Loving His Father and His neighbor—perfectly...
so intentional—and I don’t think it was complicated...
and through Jesus—through admitting we can’t do it---trusting in Him…we actually have the opportunity to do it. you see Jesus went to bat for us… (swing the bat)
One of the reasons I am passionate about this topic of basics and not overcomplicating…is my own personal journey over the last year both personally and as a pastor...
personally....
one year ago, I felt led to make a commitment to getting healthier—it started both physically and spiritually...
I wasn’t always feeling good—physically, mentally, spiritually...
I am getting closer to 40…I often get anxious and lost in my head, worrying about many things…I needed a change of pace.
and I reached out to one of the most disciplined people I know who works out—Armin Nosic (or Nosic).
and I learned that he really is insane...
but He was patient and gracious with me to teach me his workout routine of running and lifting…and it is has been a year of following that routine as much as possible...
and it has made a difference—not just physically—but mentally, emotionally, relationally, spiritually.
It’s not complicated—it’s a ton of moving, running (he does a lot of it) and learning some strength training stuff. It is getting back to the basics of being physically healthy—and I feel a million times better.
and I think Armin is getting afraid because I am gaining on him. I am coming for you Armin…be afraid...
This has also translated to my own spiritual walk…where I have a much better rhythm of being with Jesus, enjoying Jesus, reading His Word, listening to Him; I am not perfect at this, but it has made a difference. (every week I get up here—I want you to know I too struggle to love Jesus every week with my entire being and love my neighbor as myself)
These things I do are not glamorous by any means—but they are ways that I have personally returned to the basics of being healthy—physically and spiritually.
I also recently had the joy of attending a conference with a few men from our church called Basics. It is designed to help pastors and leaders return to the basics of ministry—that is don’t over-complicate it; don’t worry about the latest fad or program—but love God—listen to Him—preach and teach the Word, pray for your people, love them.
This has helped me cut thru the clutter…of life with God and others..
to not overcomplicate it...
I am so desperate for you to love God.
to return to the basics.
don’t over-complicate it.
God invites you to a love relationship with You—the Creator of the universe! wants to know You—so you can know Him, worship Him, grow, connect, service, and reach—all to God’s glory.
He wants you to enjoy loving Him—to be loved by Him.
so—as we are nearing July—for some of us summer is starting b/c baseball is over...
how can you intentionally return to the basics of loving God? how can you love God?
what is He calling you to do?
read His Word?
Download the YouVersion app
read the book of Mark if you are new
or Romans or Hebrews if you want some depth
don’t go it alone—Armin constantly pushes me—
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