When Jesus Starts Messin' With You
Notes
Transcript
Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Preaching, Content of
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the word of God except precisely that little point which the world and the Devil are at that point attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is tested. To be steady in all the battlefields besides is mere flight and disgrace, if the soldier flinches at that one point” (Martin Luther).
Rev. Greg Finke, an LCMS pastor, and his wife Susan, have a ministry called Dwelling 1:14, that helps churches to grow in their community presence and ministry. The work that they do often begins with a question: “How has Jesus been messing with you lately?” Pastor Finke says, “It is a question designed to make them stop and think. It might help you to know that the phrase “messing with you” is a phrase we use here in the South where I live. It’s not a phrase that assumes Jesus has been bullying or picking on someone. It’s more along the line of, “How’s Jesus been trying to get your attention lately? What’s he been showing you? What’s he been stirring in you? How has he made you uncomfortable with your status quo?” And do you know what I’m finding out? Jesus is messing with a lot of us.”
As my wife and I travel around the country with Dwelling 1:14, we have the opportunity to meet pastors and people from all types of congregations and communities. And during our initial conversations we often pose the “how’s-Jesus-messing-with-you” question. It is a question designed to make them stop and think. It might help you to know that the phrase “messing with you” is a phrase we use here in the South where I live. It’s not a phrase that assumes Jesus has been bullying or picking on someone. It’s more along the line of, “How’s Jesus been trying to get your attention lately? What’s he been showing you? What’s he been stirring in you? How has he made you uncomfortable with your status quo?” And do you know what I’m finding out? Jesus is messing with a lot of us.
Finke, Greg. Joining Jesus on His Mission: How to Be an Everyday Missionary . Tenth Power Publishing. Kindle Edition.
Lord God, bless Your Word wherever it is proclaimed. Make it a Word of power and peace to convert those not yet Your own and to confirm those who have come to saving faith. May Your Word pass from the ear to the heart, from the heart to the lip, and from the lip to the life that, as You have promised, Your Word may achieve the purpose for which You send it, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Since Jesus is the light of the world, as the Scriptures declare, and the Church is the Body of Christ, it is a valid, albeit Satanic, question that asks, “How can we have all these churches and yet be in this condition?” Light has a quality that is essential to its nature: it shines and dispels darkness. Darkness never overcomes light, only the opposite occurs.
Beyond the literal sense of physical illumination or its absence, both light and darkness have broad figurative applications—often in conceptual oppositions such as light symbolizing knowledge or understanding and darkness symbolizing ignorance or confusion. In the NT, the physical sense of “light” (φῶς, phōs) and “darkness” (σκότος, skotos) is often used in contexts where a spiritual comparison is being made (2 Cor 4:6; Matt 17:2).
Lexham Theological Wordbook Concept Summary
Beyond the literal sense of physical illumination or its absence, both light and darkness have broad figurative applications—often in conceptual oppositions such as light symbolizing knowledge or understanding and darkness symbolizing ignorance or confusion. In the NT, the physical sense of “light” (φῶς, phōs) and “darkness” (σκότος, skotos) is often used in contexts where a spiritual comparison is being made (2 Cor 4:6; Matt 17:2).
The physical opposition of light and darkness provides a versatile template for depicting moral, spiritual, and theological oppositions. This metaphorical versatility resulted in the light/dark duality becoming a major symbolic motif in both OT and NT (and more broadly in the language and literature of many cultures). In the Bible, light frequently indicates people or things are righteous, pure, godly, or good. Darkness indicates the opposite—wickedness, impurity, immorality, and evil.
The physical opposition of light and darkness provides a versatile template for depicting moral, spiritual, and theological oppositions. This metaphorical versatility resulted in the light/dark duality becoming a major symbolic motif in both OT and NT (and more broadly in the language and literature of many cultures). In the Bible, light frequently indicates people or things are righteous, pure, godly, or good. Darkness indicates the opposite—wickedness, impurity, immorality, and evil.
Light and Darkness
Physically, light and darkness exist in metaphysical opposition. Light as an energy source provides illumination, leading to the ability to make visual distinctions among colors and physical objects. Darkness is the absence of light and color, whether as a place or condition, which results in disorientation, distortion, and confusion.
Physically, light and darkness exist in metaphysical opposition. Light as an energy source provides illumination, leading to the ability to make visual distinctions among colors and physical objects. Darkness is the absence of light and color, whether as a place or condition, which results in disorientation, distortion, and confusion.
Beyond the literal sense of physical illumination or its absence, both light and darkness have broad figurative applications—often in conceptual oppositions such as light symbolizing knowledge or understanding and darkness symbolizing ignorance or confusion. In the NT, the physical sense of “light” (φῶς, phōs) and “darkness” (σκότος, skotos) is often used in contexts where a spiritual comparison is being made (; ).
Donald Mills, “Light and Darkness,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).
Lexham Theological Wordbook Concept Summary
Light frequently symbolizes God as an attribute of his glory, essence, and royal splendor
Concept Summary
Lexham Theological Wordbook Concept Summary
Although the night (laylâ) is an occasion for displaying the glory of God (Psa 19:1–2), the Scriptures sometimes portray the state of darkness (ḥōšěk) and the night (laylâ) as opportunities for evil activities (Ezek 8:1; Prov 7:8–9). Darkness is the opposite of everything associated with light. Darkness is often associated with divine judgment (Lam 3:1–3; Matt 8:12; 22:13; 25:30) and disaster (Isa 45:7). The concept describes humanity alienated from God, held in the grip of darkness (Isa 42:7; Psa 107:10, 14), with acute spiritual, intellectual, and moral deficiencies.
The power of darkness ensnares them in sin and self-deception (1 John 1:6; John 12:35; 12:46). Those who are in this condition are utterly ignorant of God and his truth (Eph 4:18; 5:8; Rom 1:21–25). Such people are lost, confused, and disoriented (Prov 4:19; John 11:10). The result is a distorted view of reality where darkness becomes light and light becomes darkness (Isa 5:20).
Beyond the literal sense of physical illumination or its absence, both light and darkness have broad figurative applications—often in conceptual oppositions such as light symbolizing knowledge or understanding and darkness symbolizing ignorance or confusion. In the NT, the physical sense of “light” (φῶς, phōs) and “darkness” (σκότος, skotos) is often used in contexts where a spiritual comparison is being made (; ).
Light operates in the natural world to give us direction, comfort and clarity. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is the ultimate manifestation of Light, As such, He, like the natural light, are most clearly manifested in the impact that He has against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness.
Beyond the literal sense of physical illumination or its absence, both light and darkness have broad figurative applications—often in conceptual oppositions such as light symbolizing knowledge or understanding and darkness symbolizing ignorance or confusion. In the NT, the physical sense of “light” (φῶς, phōs) and “darkness” (σκότος, skotos) is often used in contexts where a spiritual comparison is being made (; ).
The bible says that God’s inheritance - the land of Israel, was in darkness when the Son of God began His Mission. The Sin of the World held the world in captivity, and Jesus came to set the captives free.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .
Donald Mills, “Light and Darkness,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Before Jesus called them, Andrew, Simon, James and John were identified by what they did - they were “fishermen.” Once they responded to His call, they became identified by their connection to Him, regardless of what they did. So powerful was this identification, that even at his worst, the night that he denied Jesus, Peter was still identified, not by what he did, but by his connection to Christ
Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?”
Jesus didn’t only talk about overcoming the darkness, He showed His power to overcome the darkness, both naturally and spiritually. Every word that He taught and preached, and every sign and miracle that He did served the singular purpose of showing that the darkness no longer had control over God’s creation.
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.
Whether they understood it or not, the people were responding to the light. Whether they were Israelites or Gentiles, whether their problems were physical or spiritual, they brought their darkened chains to Jesus, and he broke the chains and set them free. It was the power of the Word that broke those chains as He walked among them in the flesh.
The same thing would happen to the Church after Pentecost.
Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews. But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who on coming to Antioch spoke to the Hellenists also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number who believed turned to the Lord. The report of this came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. When he came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose, for he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord. So Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a great many people. And in Antioch the disciples were first called Christians.
The power of the Word dispelled the darkness as the disciples proclaimed the Word of Christ in every place. They became so identified with Him that the world began calling them Christians. The power of the Word has never lessened, nor has it ever changed. In the Reformation, it was the power of the Word that shook the darkness of the [un]Holy Roman Empire that was neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire. It was the power of the Word that exposed the spiritual bankruptcy of the so-called vicar of Christ who was, in reality, Antichrist.
It is the power of the Word that, even today, puts the forces of spiritual wickedness into disarray, as it shines in the darkness. And yet, when the Word is not rightly handled, when the proper distinction between Law and Gospel is not made, it is made to appear powerless because it does not confront the darkness.
Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Preaching, Content of
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the word of God except precisely that little point which the world and the Devil are at that point attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is tested. To be steady in all the battlefields besides is mere flight and disgrace, if the soldier flinches at that one point” (Martin Luther).
Jesus is not a dispenser of platitudes, He is the Light that shines in the darkness. His servants don’t just proclaim moral aphorisms, they prophecy the unsearchable riches of Christ found in the Gospel. Christians don’t just do good deeds, they show forth the wisdom that the world cannot comprehend:
But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
The wisdom of the world, the good deeds of the world, and the blessings of the world, are temporary. they come and go like the breeze, and when you die, they die with you. Only the light that is Christ shines in the darkness. Our faith might be small, but He is the Almighty power stretches from age to age. We may grow weary, but He neither sleeps nor slumbers. We may give up praying for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done, and close our mouths from declaring His Word of salvation to those who are still bound in sin but He never stops watching over His Word to perform it. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. When the world passes away, He will remain, and He gives eternal life to whomever He wills, to all who believe in the name of the Only-Begotten Son of God.
And the peace of God that passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.