The Reality: The Need and the Call

Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
View more →

The Need

“Imagine there’s no heaven. It’s easy if you try. No Hell below us. Above us only sky. Imagine all the people living for today.”--- Imagine by Lennon
Lennon was really wrong about his reasons. But he was surprisingly really right about reality.
Imagine by Lennon
It IS easy if you try.
People try and succeed at avoiding God everyday.
The wicked heart will desire to keep God off of His throne.
Lennon asked us to imagine all the people living for today
Just imagine...
If people didn’t care about the future.
If they put their desires above everything else.
If they were willing to give up good things, just to chase a certain feeling.
If people would betray their families because of their desires
If people would hurt others they should have been protecting
If all the people we know lived for today and at it cost them their eternity.
It isn’t hard to imagine. Because that part is real.
There is a desperate need for the Gospel in the heart of every person you know.
I could give you analogies that would be correct.
Everyone has a illness killing them and you know the only cure- say something?
Everyone’s clock is ticking down and you haven’t said anything
You are watching your family starve but you know where bread is- direct them?
None of these are wrong. And I could use any one of them. But, I will appeal to something more precious: I will ask you to use your new eyes and your new heart.

New Eyes

At the moment you became a child of God new life began
This means that something was there which wasn’t before
And it changes you: at once, and continually.
One thing that the Holy Spirit does in you is allows you to see the truth that surrounds you.
Satan deceives us often. He can tell convince people that good is evil and that evil things are good.
That new life comes with a new eyes to see
We want to see the sin around us in truth
We want to see the people around us in truth
We want to see the choices they make in truth
W
When we see all these things with New, Spirit-given eyes we will see suffering. We will see rebellion. We will see choices leading into unnecessary suffering now and eternal suffering later.

New Heart

That realization of truth should break our new hearts.
The heart that the Spirit turned from sin-loving-rock to God-glorifying-muscle should bleed for those people we see.
The love we have for our family, our friends, our random acquaintances and just people in the human race— it originates from God
Starts from Him, works through this New Heart in us and goes out into the world.
Does you heart feel heavy for those you love that are ignoring Jesus? It should.
Christ died for us when we didn’t desreve it and we know how wonderful that is.
Christ died for them and they don’t deserve it. Tell them how wonderful it is!
There isn’t a greater love than this.
Christ’s love in us should move us to care deeply about the suffering we see
Im not using an analogy because I want you to see a face.
Not a face of someone on the other team
Not a face of someone who is stuck up and annoying and they need Jesus to fix them.
See the face of a child. The face of someone loved.
A child who is helpless on their own.
This loved one has so much potential for good things. But is hurt so badly.
They are lost. They need help. They keep getting hurt. They keep hurting themselves.
They are suffering so much. They are experiencing pain.
It gets worse before it gets better.
Just like any crime, the judge will impose a sentence.
They have been living for today, but tomorrow has come. And with it comes punishment.
The suffering endured in this life from bad choices breaks our hearts, but the the suffering in the next life is unthinkable.
Christian, this is the situation. It isn’t somewhere else, it’s right here with those you know and see walk in front of you at the store. This is you and me and them and God in one place. And we have something to do about it.

The Call

If you believe what we talked about, that suffering is real and we should be moved to action by seeing it because of what Jesus has done for us, then good.
I want to push you further.
I want that to control you.
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.
Controls us
This love that we know should be what moves us to do all the things that we do.
He died and we live, but how?
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
We don’t live for ourselves, or today, or even tomorrow.
We live for Jesus now. That controls what we do. We are His. He owns us.
“…you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God...”
This is the new goal: Glorify God.
How does He ask to do that?
Don’t live for anything else. Live for me.
Believe my message and take it with you everywhere
Every nation, every person, every conversation, every thought.
You will be my people and I will be your God with joy you have never known and love you can’t fully imagine.
When that is the reality of your relationship with God, things make a lot more sense.
Bringing up Jesus isn’t an awkward way to talk about your weekend hobby
You see the need people have, the suffering, you know the sweet taste of fogginess and joy.
You are introducing someone who needs to be saved to their Savior. Your Savior.

Fear

Reviewing these facts are wonderful. But that might not remove the obstacle in the way of you actually sharing with people, starting the convos: Fear.
There is a very real process where we must learn to trust what Jesus promises He will do for us.
Yes, He commands us. But he also gives us a wonderful promise.
“18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Big fact: I have all the power, so you don’t need to have fear.
Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
Command: Go tell it. Go live it.
Big Promise: I am with you always.
Me telling you that Jesus has all the power and that He will be with you doesn’t fight that fear you may have. But believing it does.
Choosing to believe it in the face of fear.
Choosing to live out love when fear of danger, rejection, hatred, or ruining relationships.
“You may say that I am a dreamer. But, I’m not the only one. I hope some day you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.”
Choosing to trust in what Jesus told you over what your fear does.
THAT will fight the fear

Exit

The last line in that song is: “You may say that I am a dreamer. But, I’m not the only one. I hope some day you’ll join us, and the world will live as one.”
Again, Lennon is right about somethnigs. He isn’t the only one.
Many many people have chosen to dream of a different reality. One where they aren’t responsible before God.
Where they are allowed to live for tomorrow and there wont be any eternal consequences for their decisions here on earth.
But, Lennon stops short of the end. He says that he hopes the “world will live as one”
But the world will die as one too. Jesus is coming back. We may see it. We may not. But, there is an end to this life.
And those who reject Jesus’ love for living for today, will die as one.
Heaven is real. Hell is real. Eternity is forever. And love died on the cross for us. Lets share life.
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more