GOOD NEWS: THRIVE

And the good news is we have good news. do just that sometimes we lose sight of it. Sometimes we misunderstand and misinterpret what the good news is. Sometimes we become so. Accustomed to the good news that we take it for granted.

As I've already said I think 2020 is a gift. And that it's reminded us how desperately we need. How good the good news actually is?

Here's my servant. Jesus is good news. We need to be reminded and over the next few weeks that we're going to unpack what that actually mean. What does it mean that Jesus? Is good news? Let's start in Luke Chapter 2. It's beautiful text. that we run to every Advent every Christmas season. We think about the birth of Jesus.

Starting over say there were in the same region Shepherds out in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. Just some ordinary people. Doing an ordinary thing. Out in the middle of nowhere watching some dumb smelly sheep. They didn't wake up that morning thinking that day was going to be anything other than ordinary.

The story of scripture that God meets Us in the ordinary. In one sense there really is no ordinary. when God shows up So here they are in the middle of the 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. Makes sense the middle of the night. You're out the middle of nowhere.

Majestic supernatural being shows up and the glory of the Lord the blinding brilliant glory of God illuminates the night sky and they tremble with fear.

And the angel says to them. fear not If an angel were to just kind of part the skies right here right now this morning and we could peek through the veil and the glory of God would overwhelm us the angel. I think would say the exact same thing that you would say to the Shepherds fear not You're not. Don't be afraid. For behold I bring you good news. I bring you good news of great joy, that will be for everybody. Texas for all y'all Angel says I've got good news. That's going to be a great. Joy for everyone.

Run to you this day is born. In the city of David a savior, who is Christ the lord?

This will be a sign for you. You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a Manger the beautiful irony of this bouncing King. I'm announcing the glory of God. I'm announcing good news and guess where you're going to find him in a Manger. swaddle Not the palace. I don't throw. but in the midst The ordinary stressful messy life there. You'll find the baby. Suddenly because it wasn't bad enough. There was with the angel a multitude of the Heavenly Host praising God.

How much would you pay to see that?

What a moment. One Angel and the glory of God and all the sudden you got the greatest choir ever assembled and they're crazy and crying out and what is it that they say they say glory to God in the highest where on Earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.

And then they disappear. and The Story Goes On

This morning. I want to focus in on a couple of things out of that that little story the first is this the proclamation of the Angels the angel said to them fear not for behold. I bring you good news.

Good news that we've talked about this many times over the last few years here in the Greek the noun is you on Kelly. And this is this is the verb the angel says I'm going to Good News y'all right? I'm proclaiming.

Good new and that word in the Greek and that word every time it shows up in the scriptures.

is always political

I want you to let that sink in for a second not a spiritual term. It's not a religious term. It's it's not I'm bringing you warm and fuzzy information. It's not I'm bringing you good advice, but if you follow these simple steps your life will get a little bit better. It's not that. The word that is used here of proclaiming good news is a political term that describes a victory of a king. in real time

a messenger after a battle was won after King was born would be sent. And it would go from town to town from Village to Village announcing the good news. The political reality of a king that's what the word means. I've been thinking a lot about politics.

Here's

here's what I determine Christians. Get weird about politics. Wanted to say stupid, but I didn't think that was nice. So but I guess I just did anyway Christians get weird about politan. Have you ever noticed that every politician loves the quote the Bible at some point and some way that matter what side of the aisle doesn't have her party? We love to quote the Bible and Christians are always trying to quote the Bible in our political discussions with the way we do it is so bad. Like it's so bad. Like I've I've had to quit Facebook, basically. Because my heart can't handle it. I'm not kidding. Like I can't continue to watch the stupid things Christians post and still love them. I can't do that. So I had to get off Facebook. We get we misuse and abuse the scripture we like to cherry-pick and we pull things out of context and we look at things. We say all see the Bible says it's so free with me, and if you don't now, you're not just not agreeing with me. Now, you're not agreeing with the Bible.

We need to do better than that.

This is an incredibly.

political story in the sense that the birth of Jesus and the announcement of Jesus affects the power structures of this world The Restless For unto you is Born This Day in the city of David. Who is David the greatest King Israel ever had what? What's the city of Dayton? It's the seat of David's power. It's the seat of political power in Israel. That's where he's going to be born. And what is he will he's a savior. He's come to rescue the set free to redeem and who is he he is Christ. The lord again political term Christ is not Jesus's last name. Chris Dawson means anointed one The Lord. Ask me Lord is our political term. The angel has announced a new king a new kingdom a new power system that has entered into the world. That will dramatically change everything.

What we need. Isaac desperately in the church today Is a holistic. biblical theology politics We have to stop starting with our political parties are political ideals, whatever side of the aisle, we find ourselves. We have to stop starting with those things and then using the Bible to buttress and build up our argument. We need to start with the scriptures. Campy cherry-picking a verse here and the verse that we need to think hard and clearly about what does the scripture communicate?

About politics and and I don't know some of your saying we just got through the election and I was hoping for a break this I waited on purpose.

Waited on purpose cuz I want us to think about politics in it in a different way than I think we're accustomed to. If you spend some time get online look up a few dictionaries. Look at the definition of politics. It's a it's a it's a wide-ranging term in the in the way that it gets you. I want us to think about politics in this way because I think this is how the the Bible does it. Politics is the way. Power or authority is used. When I talk about politics, I'm not talking about Ace Ace an individual political system or a party or a platform or any of that. I'm talking about the macro sense of the term the politics at the end of the day is the way that power or authority is used. It is the exercise of power. That's that's what politics is in because that's what politics is. The Bible actually has an incredible amount to say about it. It won't tell you who you should vote for. It won't talk about what type of human invention of political systems is good or bad, but it will talk over and over and over again about the use of power.

Where does politics first show up in the Bible?

page one page one We've actually spent a little bit of time there. Let's review. in the beginning

God you're like

in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth. This is a political statement. God exercises his power and authority in the Act of Creation, but this is how the story begins there is a creator. a generous wise Sovereign loving creator What does he do in the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth the Earth was without form and void. Remember the Hebrew tohu bohu, it's empty and waste its chaotic. And God is there and darkness is over the face of the deep in the spirit of God is hovering over the face of the waters. And God said What does God's got exercises his power and authority by speaking to the chaos and darkness and creating? Like I said, let there be light and there was lights.

And it was good right? It was good. Remember that the functional term? Doesn't mean it was pretty or it was nice it it was good means it worked the light dispels the darkness. The lights brought life. We keep going to that story that separates the water syml and organizes the moon and the stars and the sun got calls forth the vegetation and Scott creates the Platypus. I don't know why he was having fun. The God speaks and he speaks and he speaks and he speaks exercises his authority at the Creator and Sovereign rightful ruler over his creation and he called chaos to order. for the purpose of life is that not what we see in Genesis 1 over and over and over again, and it was good and it was good and it was good at work God exercising his power and authority for the purpose.

bringing order to chaos in facilitating the development of life that's what God does in Genesis chapter one, but then then it gets crazy and weird because we get to verse 26 and God said Let us make man in our image after our likeness let them. Have dominion some your translations say rule, let them rule let them have dominion over the fish of the sea in the birth of the heavens and the livestock and over all the Earth and every creeping thing that creeps on the Earth. What happens here is so profound? From a political point of view the exercise of power God exercises his power and authority by speaking to the chaotic reality of the world and bringing order and life. This is what God does and then God says I'm not going to do this alone. God creates man in his own image Let's make man. If you remember that word for man, there is simply the Hebrew verb a Dom and it's it's it's a play on words for that. The Hebrew word for Adama. Rachel man is just Earth mankind or just Earth wings were made of this dirt. This is an amazing thing God takes out of that which he has created and forms and makes something in his image. But that the word in the Hebrew there's Salon. It's it's the word for Idol. statue the god makes something as an image a statue of himself just fascinating because as we went to the Old Testament, one of the things that God includes in his law for his people is that above all else they should never ever make an idol or statue. They should never take stone or wood and fashion it with human hands into the shape of an idol to represent God why?

To differentiate themselves from The Other Nation. I'm sure that's a part of it but fundamentally, the Reason God commands of people never to make an idle or statue is because God has already done it and every time you look in the mirror you see one of them.

As God's image as God's representative for us to take some wood or stone and fashioned it into a statue or an idle is not only two meanings of God. It's the meaning to us who have been made in God's image.

But I want to see this morning.

Got exercises. His power and authority to bring order out of chaos that life might be facilitated and then he create mankind as his image. To do the same thing. God shares his power and authority. He shares it now with the duck-billed platypus.

Not not not with anything else in creation, but one thing in creation the Earthlings. mankind to them. He says I want you to have dominion over the rest of creation. I want you to rule. This is absolutely political.

Stopping about politics in terms of left or right blue or red Democrat Republican. Stop thinking about that. We think about politics as the rightful use of power life. That's what God does and that's what God creates us for. He shares his authority with us. He makes us as his images that we might. exercise Authority with him over creation

far too long

far too long We have made the good news a spiritual truth. We have disconnected it from the material physical world and we have said something like this. The good news is that Jesus came. Lyptus unless life died on the cross rose again. If you pray a simple prayer when you die, you get to get off this rock. You go to some wonderful place called heaven. Well, there's unbelievable elements of Truth in that that is not the good new. The good news is that God in and through Jesus is bringing restoration and Redemption to the world. That was broken. by his immature the God would not give up on his planet or his people so much so that he would not spare his own son. The good news is that Jesus came to bring healing and hope and Redemption to this world. This place that God has created. God will not give up on his creation.

means the our mandate is not to despise the physical world. It's not to neglect neglect the Earth. It's also obviously not to put our hope in it put our hope in the creation. Our hope is in the Creator, but that does not mean that the creation is not valuable. Are you hearing me this morning search? We love the things. The people we love love. Throwing men how many of you watch the Hallmark movie in the last month.

I know you don't want to admit it. I know you don't want to meet at white white white. Why do we do that? We do that cuz our wives want us too and we love our wives and when we love someone we we we we invest in what they love is just something about that. You cannot say.

The Bible implicitly says this you cannot say that you love God and hate your brother because he's made in God's image. Love of God's Not in you. You can't say that you love God and hate a person made in the image of God. It doesn't work. That way. I want to take it a step further this morning. I think I'm absolutely on solid Biblical ground to say this. You can't say that you love God and hate the world the creation about the world systems that are an act of rebellion against God. I'm talking about the actual physical creation of the universe. You can't say I love God, but I hate the world and I just want to get out of here and Float off to some place called Heaven because God loves the world for God so loved the world.

That he gave his only son. If you listen to most most Evangelical theology, we have to change John 3:16 to something like this for God so hated the world and love some fuzzy place called Heaven that He sent Jesus so that we can all get out of here. That's not the message of the gospel. God so loved the world. God so loved his creation. God doesn't give up. Doesn't give up. Send brings death. God brings life.

the good news

Is it God is continuing to exercise his power and authority in the world for the facilitation of life? Angel says I bring good news of great. Joy for all the peoples what he saying is that once again, just like in Genesis 1 when God acted when God spoke and said let there be light now the word has been made flesh and made his dwelling among us and we beheld his glory the glory of the one and only God is speaking in Jesus chaos and Brokenness and sin of this world and bringing the life and authority and power of God's up there. That's good news. That's good news. My hope is not in a donkey or an elephant.

My hope is not in the philosophy of a man.

Or the power structures of a country My Hope Is In The Sovereign authority of the Creator God who is speaking? life to the world through Jesus the price

that makes them in His image after I like to think about what immediately happens got places them in a garden what happens in a garden? In a garden, do you make things grow?

I mean, how would you do that? I just went to see Danielle at it. God has created the world in such a way that life happens right even here in the desert. That's because you're not looking everywhere everywhere. That's the that's the way God has created Genesis 1 he creates these an organized system where life happens. When you Garden, you're not making life happen. What are you doing? If you're organizing it. Yorkie Priscilla tating it. You're bringing us. Listen, if you just get a patch of Earth and and wait for stuff to grow stuff will happen. It'll grow.

We don't make life happen, but we can facilitate we can Channel we can organize we can direct we can bring order to the chaos so we can pull the weeds. We can give extra water when it's needed. We can provide shade from the Sun if it's too much we can do all sorts of stuff and like You can't make an apple tree make apples. It'll do that. Without even trying it'll do that. But here's what we can do. We can create an orchard. We can. craft and design and develop and increase the production of those apple trees that so that it will feed not just one person or one family, but many It's no mistake that God puts them in a garden. This is an absolute beautiful picture of what it is that humanity is supposed to do.

Don't miss hear me. I'm not saying after the service run to Home Depot and get some gardening tools. When you're free to do that if you want, but the point is we have been made by God in the image of God. To share in the authority and power of God to bring order to chaos. to facilitate and encourage and nurture

thriving of life That's why you're here. That's why you're on this planet. That's why God is letting you breathe his air. He's put you and made you and shaped you informed you to join with him in his were. Bring bring an order out of chaos facilitating the flourishing of life. Not just human life all life. Have dominion over all of it.

You goes on it got traded man in his own image in the image of God. He created them male and female he created them and God blessed them and God said to them be fruitful and multiply fill the Earth. So do it have dominion. Repeat some self-rule. Watch over darts the fish in the sea and the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the Earth.

our mandate is not to use and abuse the Earth. Our mandate is not to escape and get away from the Earth. Our mandate in our very creation, but the reason we exist is that we might join God in his work of sovereign Authority that we might join him in rule.

Not take advantage of rule. Not using abuse rule guard and governor.

With God the beauty and Glory of his creation so that life might flourish.

Life might lyrics that's why we're here, but I think we need to hear this, but I think we need to hear it some of us for the first time some of us need to be reminded like you're not here just to wait out time until you die so that you can float off to heaven.

That white Jesus came and died. James has died and rose again.

at the first fruit of a new creation God and Jesus is speaking. Once again exercising his power and authority over the powers of sin and death. To bring about life. That's why I parked in right if you are in Christ Jesus if anyone is in Christ, Jesus, No matter where you come from this matter what language you speak doesn't matter how much money you have doesn't matter what you did last night. It doesn't matter how sinful you aren't doesn't matter what anybody else thinks about you if anyone is in Christ he or she is what a new creation.

This is the good news of Jesus what man has broken? In God's good creation.

God sent his son Jesus to once again speak. Bring order to chaos. to bring life out of death And he not only does that to us. Not only does that or us. But he then does that with us? Just like in the garden when he creates his imagers to join him in the work of facilitating. The flourishing of Life. Jesus comes rescues us from our sins heals us makes us new puts his Spirit within us adopt such calls us son and daughter which means we're now a part of the family business so he commissions

Going make disciples go and bring order go and Speak Life go and bring light go and B salts go and do what God has done through Jesus. Bring the Hope in the healing.

The Jesus speaks to this world. Wherever you go. have too many

were made to rule.

We were terrible at it.

We're terrible at it. We're going to explore that cuz I think that's one of the major takeaways if you sit down and just read Genesis to revelation. One of the one of the most obvious takeaways will be that man every time human beings try to exercise power on their own. It doesn't work out so well. we're terrible at

the Jesus isn't And in Jesus week we can be redeemed we can be restored and we can join with Jesus as a ambassadors of reconciliation as the aroma of God. We can shine like stars in a world that is dark we can point people not to us.

But to the one who gave us like we can be the statues. I've got the glory and point people.

This is this is so powerful.

Were made to rule.

and some of your

you trying to let yourself off the hook you're saying while I'm I'm not a ruler. I'm not important. I don't have any political office on Netflix. Love story. I don't have.

There's nothing in Genesis 1. There's nothing in there that speaks of an office. There's nothing in there that speaks of a rolled. The only roll is your made in God's image. You're supposed to be like God in that sense brings life and order your Made In His Image. You bring life and order you don't need a position or a title to do that.

And it's it's not limited to one gender right go back one verse 227 God created man in his own image in the image of God. He created him. Singular male and female. He created them plural.

profound verse one of the most important in that opening chapter, which is chock-full of important phrase it but right from the beginning something about the way were made as images of God. is that

God Is best represented?

Not buy one. But my book. Male and female, he makes them who makes him singular. He makes them it's putting them in the same place and other works Authority is not relegated to one gender or another. Authority is to be shared by both genders with God. Let me just say. Why not? I feel like getting some harsh emails. Let me just say this clearly states. That gender is real. It's not a constructive Society. It's based in rooted in biology and the actual Act of Creation. There are only two gender. But have been designed by God. That's really important.

So blatantly obvious. And yet our culture is running like a herd of buffalos over the cliff.

That's all about him. As long as there's more I could say there but here's what I want to do say.

ruling

Imaging God is not simply done. on an individual level

I'm not saying there's no individual responsibility. Of course, there is what we see right here. Is that Imaging God ruling exercising Authority with God? It's shared Authority, right? We don't have any Authority except that which God has granted us. Not myosaurus. Not your Thor gets his authority is Cher. And it's shared. among mankind must be relational and communal.

Let me see. Let me see it again ruling. The act of exercising authority to facilitate life must be relational and communal why because life is absolutely complex and no one human being possesses all the gifts resources intellect and ability to facilitate life on their own. Just an absolutely absurd impossibility. I don't care. How smart you are Stephen Hawkings. Play the smartest person you've ever met. So it's not me you make me blush. No one person.

We're not designed to that's not the way it's supposed to be.

one of the tragedy Of our current cultural reality is that we're looking to one person. fix everything

howitzer Ruling as Gods imagers has to be relational and Camille because that's the way God has designed. It. Couldn't do it what God say, it is not good. For the man to be alone for Adams lonely. That's not what it's saying. I want to say that all Adam is insufficient and enable by himself to share in the exercise of power and authority that God has created him to do. So God makes a helper suitable for him. The helper comes alongside of him. The helper is a rib of beef ripped out of him. It's exactly like him and together. They are able to exercise The Authority that God has asked them to do except be fruitful and multiply is right there in the creation mandate. Adam can't do it by himself.

Ruling over having dominion over the scope of the Earth have one person going to do that.

We need each other.

Let me just say this to many of you. Where's my mirror? too many of us I'm trying to do life on Ro.

We we we say to ourselves. I got Jesus that's enough for me. I got Jesus that's enough for me. I just I'm going to get through this. I'm going to I'm going to make this happen. I'm going to And you wonder why your your spiritually dry you wonder why you're not bearing enough fruit. You wonder why you don't see the power of God movie in your life and be for me. There's nothing to wonder about you are not made to do it by yourself. God has not called or designed you to pull something off on your own. We are made for Community. We are designed to be a family and that is how we image God we image God's when I bring my strength and you bring your strength and we can find them in and your strength will cover up. My weakness is my strength my cover up your weaknesses and you're going to bring a piece of that. We don't have an every time somebody new comes in. Something is added it will Empower and enable us to facilitate life. and encouraged human flourishing we need each other. I I know we pride ourselves especially in America on autonomy and Independence and that is a death wish. It is futile. You are not enough.

You can't do anything you want to? Is a ridiculous lies that our culture has been pushing on us every day. We've been on this planet. That's not how God made us and that's not how we function.

the exercise of power the act of ruling as Gods images can only be done in relationship and community. This is the way God has orchestrated. It must work. They must be functional. For all of mankind and for the rest of creation.

Go back to Hulu.

Lieutenant angel said to them fear not for behold. I good news you

announce the new reality that God is exercising his power.

Through a new word. Really the same word? Then I hope John starts his gospel and beginning was the word was with God. The Word was God is with God in the very beginning all things were created through him the same word that spoke Creation in Genesis chapter 1 is now taking life and the angels are announcing it hears the word. Here's the good news.

It is a great joy. That will be for all the people.

Nobody gets off the hook this morning. That's good news.

It's for everyone. So if you're here. Your heart still beating your breathing gods are there's a reason. purpose you have been called To Rule. And as I said that has nothing to do with titles or offices. It has to do with our identity as the images of God. My wife and I were we walk our dog every night around the park and we were walking and talking. She's a kindergarten teacher. God bless her.

What a nightmare that is to me. Did you see why we got to exercise Authority communally? Cuz it if I'm Forced to be a kindergarten teacher. Someone's going to jail.

Most likely that's that's the best outcome. My wife is amazing at it look amazing. And we're talking it's been a tough year, right? We all know that it's been a tough year for the kids been tough year for the teachers at stop here to do education in this reality. But my wife called to it, I mean she's been doing this for 25 years now. She's it's not a job. It's not a paycheck. It's a vocation. It's a calling and it's from God. We're just talking and and I was asking her questions telling me about how things are going and itchy she shared with me and she's been trying this and try and that and trying to figure out how to help and how to best come alongside and how to be the best teacher she can be writing and she had this moment. With this kid like after a lot of work a lot of work and and and something clicked right something clicked in his kid, and he did something that he hadn't been able to view. Any looked up at her its face just be me. They just shouted I didn't I didn't she's telling me this. I'm getting Goosebumps.

That's what a good tender Garden teachers and they create a classroom environment like a garden right? They make sure there's no weed. They make sure there's good sunlight they make sure there's adequate water. They create a good space for learning to come in and they give each kid what they need. You don't treat corn the same way. You treat watermelon. You don't treat one kid the same way you treat another and you you you you work at it and you develop it and you facilitate life and sometimes it just happens and it's in life happens and you facilitated in this this kid just made by God is also able to do something because another imager of God what happened to be married to by the grace of God rule.

exercise divine power and authority

the facilitate human flourishing

This is what we're designed to. Do. You know who did that for me this morning? the Barista at Starbucks Uh-huh. Huh? write like

it doesn't matter what your job is. It doesn't matter where your paycheck comes from. No matter your age of matter your gender doesn't matter get this city. Doesn't matter. You've been made by God. to exercise Authority

in the Spheres that God has placed you.

To facilitate the flourishing of life. Sometimes that's human life teaching kids how to read Sometimes it's making a really good cup of coffee. sometimes that's growing crops. Literally sometimes that's protecting people in law enforcement sometimes that is fill in the blank

kiwi we've taken the good news announcement. The God and Jesus is changing the world. And we've pulled it it down and minimize it and reduced it into this little spiritual gospel that said Jesus came to get us out of here and take us to heaven and that's not what Jesus came to do.

He came to speak life and order to the world that had rejected him. He came to rescue and redeem his imagers who had stopped exercising Authority with him and tried to exercise Authority on their own. And in spite of their rebellion in spite of our Rebellion, he loved us and came. for us Church you're made the rule. You are made to facilitate life. You are made to see life fleurage. You are here for a reason and a purpose and in Jesus and because of Jesus and with Jesus we can make a difference.

We can push down the darkness. We can push back the chaos. We can organize and orchestrate and channel and facilitate the flourishing of life. Because God has spoken. in Jesus and life

life is flourishing. the only question is will you join Jesus? And your God ordained rule. the rule to bring order to see life flourish Father I thank you that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.

I thank you that you've not called us to create life. To make something happen but to join you.

facilitate the flourishing of your creation I ask that you would speak to each. Heart and mind in this room and watching us on the livestream each one of us. So unique.

Made by you so wondrously diverse and different.

By ourselves, not of much account but together. All together amazing things can happen. together Will the gates of hell don't stand a chance?

together life can happen so God.

Hell by

unify us under the banner of King Jesus and help us. Exercise the power that you get on.

But your kingdom May Come. Your will may be done here on the Earth.

As it is with you. We prayed together in Jesus name. Amen. triplets fan and respond with a sing and pray ask God to continue to speak to us. Let's commit ourselves to a life that is committed to the flourishing of God's kingdom. Let's celebrate the reality that God has spoken. In olden days. He spoke through Prophets. But now he has spoken through his son and the word of Jesus the word is Jesus it changes everything.

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