The Everlasting Mercy of God

Preach at Northwest Christian Church
David P. Kautt
Sunday Morning, March 7, 2010.

Psalm 136:1-26: Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever: to Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who laid out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever–– the sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever; the moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever. To Him who struck Egypt in their firstborn, for His mercy endures forever; and brought out Israel from among them, for His mercy endures forever; with a strong hand, and with an outstretched arm, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who divided the Red Sea in two, for His mercy endures forever; and made Israel pass through the midst of it, for His mercy endures forever; but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who led His people through the wilderness, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who struck down great kings, for His mercy endures forever; and slew famous kings, for His mercy endures forever–– Sihon king of the Amorites, for His mercy endures forever; and Og king of Bashan, For His mercy endures forever–– and gave their land as a heritage, for His mercy endures forever; a heritage to Israel His servant, for His mercy endures forever. Who remembered us in our lowly state, for His mercy endures forever; and rescued us from our enemies, for His mercy endures forever; who gives food to all flesh, for His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.

I was making a list of the things I can count on the other day, and thought I'd share them with you this morning... Se what you think of my list. First on my list, is the weather – yes, the weather. Here in this part of the country we can count on it, can't we, that it's going to be today, what it was yesterday, and tomorrow what it is today! I can count on the weather, how about you? Secondly, I can count on the gas prices – and the grocery prices – from one week to the next, from one stop off at the station or the store to the next, I can be certain that the prices posted, and the amount I pay, will be the same. Third, I can count on what I read in the paper, and what they tell me on the news report to be the fact – plain and simple - just the facts. And, then, last of all on my list of what I can count on – I can count on the politicians – the folks in Washington, Austin and Downtown McKinney, to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth...

I know all of that was in my notes, but – hey – did someone slip that sheet in on me without me noticing it? And, while I'm asking questions, may I ask you this one, too? The weather – in North Texas, in March – the gas prices, the grocery prices, what you read or hear by way of the news reports – the promises and pronouncements of the politicians, even that old car sitting out in the parking lot – are those things on your list of things you are counting on? Are they?!

I ran across this interesting passage – Psalm 136 – again recently, and a little note I had jotted in the margin of my Bible. Take a moment to think about it, as you reflect on what we just read here. My note to myself, beside Psalm 136, went something like this: “In this world nothing lasts – in THIS world I can't – notice I said, I can't – really count on ANYTHING!

I mean, you just think of it with me this way – sort of make up another list than the one somebody slipped in on me a moment ago. In this world, does a person's beauty last? Ever seen one of those distorted-looking pictures on the cover of a grocery store scandal sheet – a photo of a well-known actor or actress who doesn't look anything like he or she did 40 or 50 years ago, when he or she first went to Hollywood?

Beauty doesn't last – neither does youthful vigor – just ask old Arthur, right? “All flesh is as grass” - the Scripture says, “and the glory of man is like the flowers of grass...” Then, what does that passage say? “All flesh is like grass and all man's glory is like flowers of grass, the grass WITHERS and the flowers FADE and FALL...” Youthful vigor – yes, even with vitamins, exercise, good nutrition and 8 hours of rest each night – youthful vigor doesn't last! Have we looked in the mirror lately? Don't remind me, right?!

Earthly treasures doesn't last. Jesus said that such things are subject to moths, rust and thieves – here today, gone tomorrow!

Things we make – things we give or that are given to us – don't last. Have you noticed how many repair and remodel businesses there are these days?

And, perhaps, most gut-wrenching of all, is the sober fact – the sad reality – that many relationships don't last! Marriages fail, yes, even so-call 'Christian marriages'. And families, seemingly solid families crumble and disintegrate!

In this world – like the note in the margin of my Bible says – in THIS world, nothing lasts... Nothing, that is – except God's mercy! God's mercy! Have you ever thought about it, my friends? Consider with me this morning, will you please? What we think we need – what we're convinced is absolutely essential to our lives – youthful vigor, earthly treasure, a car that starts every morning, even the people to whom we are committed – we think we can count on them! Somehow, someway, we find ourselves believing that these things WILL last – but is that the truth? Are these things really the rock solid foundations upon which we should build our lives?

In this world where – despite the 7-year, 70,000 mile warranty's claims – nothing lasts. In this world of false hopes, and empty promises – yes, in this world where only the mercy, the loving-kindness – the covenant loyalty, the steadfast love of God, lasts - what is it that we really need? Take your Bibles with me, please, and let's allow our infinite God and His eternally, enduring word to instruct was and inform us regarding this matter. Once again, this beautiful psalm beings with these words:

Psalm 136:1-3: Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever.

The enduring mercy of God – His everlasting faithfulness to His promises, His steadfast love – how do we know we can count on it? How can we know for sure? The psalmist – this unnamed vehicle of God's message to us – focuses our attention on 3 or 4 different, but related, certainties to assure us that, yes, we can count on God's enduring mercy. Let's take a quick look at each of them.

First of all, in verses one through three, God's messenger urges us to bank on God's mercy because we can bank on WHO God is. Cultures and people groups, ancient and modern bank on their 'gods', don't they? In the day and time in which this psalm was written, various nations with whom the Israelites mingled, worshiped and trusted fertility gods and goddesses, gods of wind and fire and war – gods they had made images of bulls and goats and stars and trees. In our day and time, folks like us worship their 'gods', too, don't they? “Where your treasure is – where you invest yourself, your time, talents, resources and energy – that's where your heart is,” that's what your banking on and trusting in.

But, let me ask you: do any of those things wear the name, “The Great I-AM?!” Give thanks to the Lord” - the Great I-AM – are the words with which this psalm begins. My children have a book of names – a list of more than 100,000 names folks like you and me wear. But, listen, have you ever met anyone with the name, “I-AM” - the “Great, I-AM”? Or, how about these names? You won't find these names in any other book I know about - “Give thanks to the God of gods – the Lord of lords – the God of heaven” - for His mercy, His loving-kindness endures forever! Baal and Asherah – Elvis and Michael Jackson – some people call them my 'god' or 'my goddess'. But, which of them is the God of gods, the Lord of lords – the Lord, the King – not of fertility or MTV or rock and roll – but the God of heaven??

In this world, nothing lasts. Nothing – that is – except God's mercy. Why? Because it is founded upon Who God is! He is YAHWEH, Jehovah the Great I-AM. And He is NOT a god, a lord, among [along side of, equal to] other gods and lords, but the one true and living God – capital 'G'. And supreme Lord – capital 'L' – of all!

Secondly, please note with me the connection between the certainty of God's mercy and the stability of His creation – verses 4 through 9. The psalmist writes,

[give thanks] to Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who by wisdom made the heavens, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who laid out the earth above the waters, for His mercy endures forever; to Him who made great lights, for His mercy endures forever–– the sun to rule by day, for His mercy endures forever; the moon and stars to rule by night, for His mercy endures forever.

Why should we bank on God's mercy? I mean everything else in this world is so unstable, so uncertain – oh, but listen, did you go outside last night to look at the moon and stars? And did you go outside the night before and the night before and the night before? Oh, I know that there are cycles and patterns that relate to the movements of those heavenly bodies – but, listen, are those patterns random and unpredictable? Or, are they consistent? Something that if you were a sailor or an explorer, you could use as a guide and compass for your journeys? Or, think about it – this morning around 6:30am or so, the sun began to peek above the Northern horizon and yesterday, and came up in the south – and last night it went down in the east... You know I'm wrong, don't you? No, my friends, we can bank on God's mercy – we can count on Him to do what, in His covenant, He said He would do – why? Because morning by morning – winter, spring, summer or fall – in His creation, He shows us, He tells us, “You can count on Me!” “You can trust Me!”

This last week I had a couple of experiences that – humanly speaking – left me feeling a little helpless and frustrated. Twice, the phone rang and on the other end of the line were friends of mine, in dire straits – asking for help, “My car's broke down 30 or 40 miles from here, I need some help – could you possible tow my vehicle back to McKinney for me?”... “I'm sorry, my friend, but I can't... I wish I were a mechanic, I wish I had a tow truck – but I'm not, and I don't!”

Second phone call, “David – I'm up here sitting outside the county jail. I've been here since Valentines Day and finally, I'm getting out – can you help me?” “I'm sorry, my friend, but the best I can do is take you home. I'm not a lawyer – don't know any lawyers – wish I could do more for you, but I can't.” Ever had any phone calls like that? What do you do? Oh, certainly you can pray – but, beyond that sometimes, it seems our hands are tied, doesn't it? Sometimes maybe we ought to say – all of the time – instead of relying on these hands, this mind, these resources – we ought to rely on the nail-pierced hands! Take a look, one more time, at our text – the God we can bank on... the Lord, the GREAT I-AM, whose mercy endures forever. The Creator who not only made the world, but upholds and sustains it by His powerful word – what else is He? Who else is He? Verses 10 through 22 – He is our Redeemer. He is the One who brought us up out of Egypt, out of that wasteland of bondage to sin and death – He is our Deliverer, the One who brought us safely through the Red Sea of adversity and made it so that we no longer have to look back over our shoulders in fear! He is our victory – our victory over death and over the ultimate enemy who holds the power of death, the Devil! And, perhaps best of all – verses 21 and 22 – He is our Shield and very great reward (see Genesis 15:1-21).

In this world – this sin-stained world of failed programs, broken promises, and shattered people – is there anything you and I can count on? Anything that lasts?

Psalm 136:1 - “His mercy endures forever.”

Psalm 136:2 - “His mercy endures forever.”

Psalm 136:3 - “His mercy endures forever.”

Psalm 136:4, same thing in all the verses to the end of the passage.

In this world nothing lasts – nothing, except what we really need: God's mercy – so what?

So, give thanks – verse 1

So, give thanks – verse 2

So, give thanks – verse 3

So, give thanks – verse 26

So, give thanks!

Rival Loves and Our Spiritual Health

Preached at Northwest Christian Church

David P. Kautt

Sunday Morning, February 28, 2010

1 John 2:15-17: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world––the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life––is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

How important is your health? Recently, that question and its answer has hit very close to home for many in this room, hasn't it, as many of us have faced, perhaps still are facing, challenges that pertain to our physical well-being. I know I can speak for my family, and maybe I can speak for yours also – to say that when it comes to our health, the vibrancy and strength of our bodies, there's almost nothing we wouldn't attempt, in order to be strong or regain strength...

But, listen, my loved ones, as important as physical health is – and, believe me, it is important – it's difficult, even very frustrating to want to be actively involved in serving the Lord, if we're regularly having to battle sickness. But, listen, as important as our physical well-being might be, I would suggest to you that there's something even more important for us to consider – something even more vital for us to pursue. What is it? You know what it is, I'm sure... it is our spiritual well-being! Our spiritual health, if you would...

Earlier this month – the month of February – the month we call the month of love, on Valentine's Day we learned again about the great love of God for us and toward us in Jesus Christ!

Romans 5:6-11, read it again with me, would you please? -

For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

The redeeming, justifying, reconciling, saving love of God – demonstrated toward us when He gave His only begotten Son to die in our place and for our benefit – what a huge part of our spiritual health that is, right? There would be no spiritual health – no spiritual life – without it, because otherwise, we are DEAD in our trespasses and sins.

But, listen – as we close out this month of love, as we call it – what I want you to see and realize with me is that there are other loves - what this Book describes as 'RIVAL loves' that are out there competing for our affection, and inviting and even enticing us to be loyal to them.

Now, here's the big question – please focus with me, right now, if you would, on God's love for us, and these other loves, that [like God's love] invite our loyalty and affection - If our spiritual health could be compared to a love relationship between two people, what do you think the effects would be on our spiritual health, if we were to allow ourselves to be enticed by these other loves – these 'rival loves'?

The flip side of the love of God for us, as demonstrated – as manifested in Jesus Christ – is these other loves – yes! But, what impact does joining ourselves to these other loves have on our spiritual well-being – any? A little? Or, maybe a lot more than we want to admit?

While you're contemplating all of that, allow me to take you to two or three other places in Scripture, to begin to unpack an answer to this probing question about the effects of other loves on our spiritual health...

First of all, underlying this entire discussion is one basic premise – one foundational principle – I'm not going to tell you what that premise or principle is right up front, but I trust you'll immediately recognize it, as soon as I read the following verses, so stay with me, if you would, please. What is the underlying principle or premise that is at the heart of this lesson about rival loves? Don try to answer, just hear what the word of God says:

Matthew 4:8-10: Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, "All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’"

What is the underlying principle – what premise lies at the foundation of this lesson? Matthew chapter 6, Jesus' words we call the Sermon on the Mount. What does He say there to those would-be followers of His?

Matthew 6:24: No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

And, while you are there, and thinking about it, notice also what He declares in verse 19 through 21:

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

Don't lay up treasures on earth. DO store up, do invest yourself in heavenly treasures – why? Because where your treasure is, there will you heart be also!

One more passage pertaining to the foundational premise – the underlying principle - we are seeking to understand and build our lives upon. Think about it as we read, this time, from Mark chapter 12. Mark 12:28-34. We're only going to read verses 28-31, but I wanted you to notice the conclusion of that text also -

Mark 12:28-31: Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, "Which is the first commandment of all?" Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. "And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these."

Okay. So, now we've read these 3 passages from Jesus' words in Matthew and in Mark. So, now – what is the underlying principle or premise related to the subject of other loves – rival loves? Two things – first of all, as Jesus indicated in Matthew 6, if you and I are to love – I mean really love the way He's talking about – there can be really, and truly, only ONE object of that love! You cannot - Jesus says, you cannot – it is impossible for you and me to truly love God AND anything, or anyone else! And, then – with that – what's the second aspect of the underlying principle or premise? Listen [to this – in God's way of thinking there is no such thing as love Him AND loving something or someone else – so, what then? Second aspect of the premise: He wants ALL of your love! In fact, my friends, as our Creator, as our Sustainer, as our Savior and King – He DESERVES all of our love! “The Lord your God you shall worship and Him only shall you serve!” Underlying this discussion – this lesson on 'rival loves' - is this foundational principle: you can't truly love more than one; and, God wants to be (in fact, MUST be) that One!

But, then what? Then you and I pick up this Book, and what do we discover? What hard truths do we come fact to face with as we open the Word of God and use it as a mirror? Beloved, we come face to face with the reality that you and I are SINNERS – that though God has said one thing about loving Him and serving Him ONLY – we're going to try to prove Him wrong! We're going to show Him that we can love Him AND something or someone else! And, where does all of that lead? Loving, serving, giving our loyalty to OTHER loves – what effects do such things have on our spiritual health? Do you remember our previous question? Walk along with me through this Book, as we look for some explanations – some illustrations, some answers – to this question.

1 Kings chapter 11 – what does loving a rival love do to one's spiritual well-being? And, is it really that important?

At the height of King Solomon's popularity, prosperity and power – after having looked to God for wisdom to govern – what does Solomon do? What course does he take, and how does it impact him spiritually?

1 Kings 11:1-13: But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites–– from the nations of whom the LORD had said to the children of Israel, "You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods." Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not fully follow the LORD, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

¶ So the LORD became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the LORD God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the LORD had commanded. Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, "Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. "Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. "However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen."

Matthew 19:16-22 – refresh your memory on it just briefly with me:

Now behold, one came and said to Him, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" So He said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." He said to Him, "Which ones?" Jesus said, "‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not bear false witness,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" The young man said to Him, "All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?" Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

The Rich Young Ruler as he is called, when faced with a choice – that's really the key word, isn't it? When faced with a choice of love and loyalty, he chose his possessions – his stuff – rather than Jesus! And, the Scripture says, he went away sorrowful.

Luke 18:9-14: Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. "The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men––extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Jesus' parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, you remember it? Which one of these two men returned to his home justified – in a right relationship with God? The Pharisee – who clung to his pride, his supposed spiritual superiority, or this humble, repentant tax collector? Take a look at verses 13 and 14 and you'll have your answer!

2 Timothy 4:9-10 – What better, or maybe I should say, what more worse illustration can you think of than this one, to show the effects of deciding to love a rival love? 2 Timothy 4:9-10 – facing the end of his life, at the hands of the Roman executioner, in need of comfort and companionship in his final days – Paul urges Timothy to leave Ephesus, and come as quickly as possible to Rome, to be with him – why? Because Demas – a formerly loyal and helpful companion – like Judas Iscariot to Jesus, “Demas has forsaken me because he loves [notice the key word there] this present world”. One of those other loves this Book warns us about – what has he done? He has left Paul in the lurch, and headed off to Thessalonica!

I mentioned Judas Iscariot just a moment ago – this one who for perhaps 3 precious years of his life walked with Jesus, listen to Jesus, watched Jesus as He performed miracles and ministered to the needy – Judas Iscariot, this 'friend' who ate of the Unleavened Bread Jesus described as 'His body' and drunk of the fruit of the vine, His blood – what does the Scripture tell us Judas chose to do? This thief, this traitor, this son of perdition, chose to love himself, and what he could get out of the money bag, over loving and serving the only One Who could save him!

What are the effects – the implications - for one's spiritual health of deciding to love someone or something other than Jesus?

We read at the outset 1 John 2:15-17, let's go back there in just a minute.

The choice to love 'rival loves' is a alluring, enticing choice, for sure! No doubt about it – we look into this mirror at the Solomons and the Demases and the Judases, at the Adams and Eves – and what do we see? We see ourselves – we see or should see, how strong these attractions really are – but, listen – do we also see have fatal these other loves can prove to be to our spiritual health?

1 John 2:15-17: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world––the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life––is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Love for this world – this evil, satanically-oriented system – and love for things of this world, what does it do, what impact does it have on our love for God? Verse 15 – just like Jesus' words, “You cannot serve two masters – you cannot serve God and mammon,” notice how this text puts it. John the Apostle informs us that love for the world and its stuff, AND love for God cannot truly and fully co-exist in our lives. It's either one or the other. And, then – look at what else he shows us, mindful, I'm sure, of the very thing that happened to Judas Iscariot – thinking, I'm certain – of the 1 Kings record of Solomon's infamous spiritual downfall – and, most of all, remembering what Jesus said, and the responses of folks like Thomas after he saw the mark of Jesus' love for him, “You are my Lord, and my God!”

What does the Apostle John teach us about loving God, versus loving any or all of these rivals?

Verse 17 – Like Judas, hanging from that tree of self destruction, John says, “The world and the lust of it, these things are passing away – but, he who does the will of God abides forever!” Forever!

How important is our spiritual health and well-being? Many of us go – or have gone to great lengths to insure or reclaim our physical health – we want to be strong physically, and perhaps for some very good reasons. But, listen – man shall not live by bread alone! Treasures laid up on earth, the moths eat them, rust corrupts them, thieves steal them – the world and its lusts of the eye, the flesh, and the mind – these things don't last! But, loving God, and even more – being loved BY God – such things are eternal! Anything and everything we can do to enhance our spiritual well-being, what can we say about it? It will reap everlasting results!

In that 2 Timothy 4 passage – the Apostle Paul declares that the crown of righteousness is laid up for all who love and long for the appearing of Jesus! Is that what you are loving and longing for? If not, is there anything you can do about it? The Spirit of Jesus speaking through the apostle John to the church at Ephesus has this to say in Revelation 2:4 – If you've left your first love, there is something you can do! Revelation 2:4 – “Remember therefore from where you have fallen!” “Repent – yes, repent – turn your heart and your hands and feet AWAY from that rival love, and return to do the works you did at first!”

Remember – repent and return to God – He's your first love. “Do it!” Jesus says, “or else I will come and remove your lamp-stand from its place!”

The Christian Life

Preached at Northwest Christian Church
David P. Kautt
Sunday Morning, February 21, 2010

Mark 6:30-32 - “ Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.”

What is your view of the Christian life? How would you characterize the life that is lived, truly and fully lived, for Christ?

You know, it's interesting the differences that catch your attention as you read and study scripture... The book of Mark, especially these first 6 chapters of this gospel, but it's interesting to me to think back about the verses, the people, the evens, the ideas and the truths that have jumped off the page to me over the last few weeks, as I've been examining this book. Rehearse some of them again with me just now, will you? The beginning of the gospel, as it is recorded here, in the Bible, and the continuation of the Gospel as it is fleshed out by us out there in the world. Jesus is the Christ, Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus is Lord! Remember the 3 foundational confessions of the Christian faith?

No Change, No Jesus. Know Jesus, Know Change! We must be NEW wine-skins before Jesus, the New Wine, will pour His life into us!

That huge character, Satan – the Devil – our Adversary, who is continually busy trying to steal, kill and destroy the good news and those who believe that good news! He is the strong man! He is the strong man, that's the bad news. But, Mark 1 – Mark 2 – Mark 3, 4, 5, 6 all the way to the end, these 16 chapters declare to us the good, good news... Remember? Jesus is stronger! Jesus is stronger! We know what manner of man He is, don't we?

Now, I'd like for us to turn a corner to take yet another look at the inspired and inspiring words contained right here in the Bible, and consider something else God wants us to think about and know about. I'm talking about the Christian life, the life that is lived – truly and fully lived – for Christ. Remember the questions I laid out for you a moment ago? As I have looked this last week at the Scriptures here, and at my own life in light of them, I've discovered three very important universals. Three very important universal qualities of the life that is lived truly and fully for Jesus Christ, that are true and evident across the board. May I share them with you?

I don't know for sure what your view of the Christian life might be, but I am regularly reminded that there are a lot of people – young and old, rich and poor, well-educated and not-so-well-educated – who think that, well, the Christian life is BORING!

You know, “You're a Christian, huh? That means that you don't do this... And you don't do that... And you'd NEVER do the other... So, guess what? You must not do ANYTHING! You must not have ANY fun! You must sit around praying all day, reading your Bible all day, singing hymns all day. A real 'spiritual' couch potato! BO—RING! That's what the life lived for Jesus Christ must be!” Oh, really?! Is that what the Word of God indicates the Christian life is like?

See if any of these descriptions sound BO-RING to you... “Follow me, and I will make you FISHERS of men...” (Mark 1:17) Serving up fish sandwiches for 5,000 hungry men, not counting the women and children (Mark 6:32 ff). And, while we're talking about fish and fishing, what about it? My Bible says that fishing – in other words, a man making a living to provide for his family – that's a part of what God calls the Christian life! (1 Timothy 5:8) The Christian life, how do you characterize it?

The book of Mark – this wonderful good news book about the life of Jesus, and about those of us then and now who are learning to live as He lived. How does this portion of the Word of God portray the Christian life?
It portrays Jesus' life – the disciples' lives – as those so full of people – needy, hurting people – and opportunities to preach, teach, heal and comfort those people, that they didn't even have time to eat! (Mark 6:31)

The Christian life, godly parents, what is it? Deuteronomy 6 – it is the all-day-long responsibility you and I have to teach our children about the Lord, to talk about Him to them, as the Scripture says there, from the time we awaken in the morning, to the time we go to bed at night – and all in between.

Or, look at the Christian life the way Acts 10 describes Christ's life, “[Everywhere He went] He went about doing good...” He went about adorning the gospel! He went about calming storms, hugging children, healing sick bodies, teaching immature disciples, confronting obstinate Pharisees... and ultimately, He made His way to Calvary!

And why did He do all of that? Because He was trying to show us that the Christian life – the life that is truly and fully lived for Him – ISN'T a sit around and twiddle your thumbs kid of life. And it ISN'T a lay back and watch the grass grow kind of life! Rather, Matthew 28:18-20 – It's an “As you go, make disciples' kind of life. In other words, Beloved, here's the key word – the Christian life is not BO-RING, but BU-SY! It's BU-SY! Which means, secondly, that it is also TIRING. Yes, you heard me right. The Christian life is also tiring! You think about it with me, the images the word pictures that are used in the New Testament to describe the life lived truly and fully for Jesus Christ are what? They are rigorous, energetic pictures like... “I have FOUGHT the good FIGHT, I have finished the RACE...” (2 Timothy 4:7) “GROW up in every way into Him who is the Head, Jesus Christ...” (Ephesians 4:15) “Offer your BODIES – your whole selves – as live SACRIFICES... be transformed by the renewing of your mind...” (Romans 12:1-2) “Stand firm against the devil's schemes... RESIST him, and he will flee from you...” (Ephesians 6:10 ff, James 4:7)

These images, these word pictures that portray for us what it means to live the Christian life... Beloved, this is no 'couch potato' situation! No! When I read words that talk about warfare, Olympic marathons, sacrifice and transformation, holding your ground and growing... Immediately I think of EFFORT. I think of EXERTION, of blood, sweat and tears. I immediately think of how tiring it must be to live, really LIVE for Jesus Christ!

Does that surprise you? It shouldn't! Look back with me, if you would, to Mark 4, verses 35-41. Jesus, the One who shows us what it means to live – really live - this life for God that is anything but BO-RING, where is He, at the end of that busy, grueling day? Verse 38 – He is asleep! He is asleep! Yes, living truly and fully for Christ is NOT boring; rather, it's BUSY. So BU-SY, in fact, that you and I – if that has been our pursuit – like Jesus was that night in the boat, we'll be tired! The GOOD kind of tired, as we call it around our house. But, why is all of this true?

The third important thing to remember about the Christian life – the third universal truth about the life that is truly and fully lived for Jesus Christ – is that it is DEMANDING. The life really lived for Christ is demanding.

Think again with me about what we've seen so far – and what we look forward to seeing in this Book – the gospel of Mark: the Christian life is demanding, Mark chapter one – Peter, Andrew, James and John left everything – they left everything, the boats, the nets, the fish – they left everything to follow Jesus. Or, how about John the Baptist. As we read in this 6th chapter, right here... his “He [Jesus] must increase, and I must decrease” mindset ultimately cost him his life! Or, think back with me to Mark chapter 2 and Mark chapter 4. W want Jesus – the new 'wine' – to be poured into us, to fill us. But what does that require of us? It means that we must become new wine-skins! We want to be fruitful for the kingdom of God? We must break-up the fallow pathway soil, we must deepen and enrich the rocky soil, we must purify the weedy soil of our life's garden. Or else, we will NEVER be fruitful for the Kingdom! The Christian life is DEMANDING... it's no Sunday School picnic! Rather, it calls us, through the gospel, Jesus calls us to let go of deeply-held wrong ideas - “I would never eat lunch with someone like that!” “I would never touch someone with that disease.” Jesus did! He ATE with tax collectors and sinners! He came to bring healing to the sick! And, in doing so, Jesus calls us to make the ultimate commitment ourselves: the commitment He made at Calvary... Mark 8:34ff - “If anyone would come after Me, he must DENY himself, take up his cross and follow Me... for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me and for the gospel, the same will save it!”

Yes, beloved, mark it down, the Christian life – the life really lived for Jesus Christ - is not BO-RING, and it is not EAST, and it is definitely not always comfortable or pleasure oriented. But it is BU-SY, it's TIRING and it's DEMANDING! More demanding than anything else on earth. But you know something else? Jesus knows all of that! He knows all of that! And that's what makes the three verse we read at the outset so meaningful!

Look at those verses again with me, will you? Jesus, the One whose life was unbelievably busy – crowds of needy folks gathered around Him all the time, coming and going, seeking His help from dark thirty AM to dark thirty PM and beyond – Jesus, the One who, everywhere He went, He was helping and healing hurting people. Jesus, the One whose words and whose life made the demands of the gospel call what they were! Jesus, the One who even fell asleep one night out on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus, because He knows that to live – really live – like Him and for Him means that His apostles will be busy, tired and stretched to the limit. What does He do? Jesus, the very One who restored the sick woman's health. Jesus, the one who gave strength to the paralyzed man's legs. Jesus, the very One who fed the 5,000 with the fish and bread – look what He does for those who were His chosen ones: verses 31 and 32. He takes His tired, weak, hungry, 'stressed out' apostles – His 12 closest men – to a solitary place with Him, to get some rest! In other words, Jesus provides for these who were desirous of being like Him what they NEEDED to continue that pursuit: a place - a quiet, solitary get away location. A Person – Himself. And a purpose - to feed them, strengthen them and restore them that they might be ready for the busy, tiring, demanding days ahead!

Now, let's look at our lives... Do we wear the name 'Christian'? If we do – guess what? We're the 'apostles' – the Jesus Christ commissioned 'sent ones' of this day and time! We're the ones who are supposed to be BU-SY – not BO-RED, but busy – busy about our Master's business. Have we check our calendars lately? Is that what they reflect?

And, we're the ones who are supposed to get tired. We're the ones who ought to fall asleep on the boat TIRED, because we are so busy working for the Lord.

And, yes, we're the ones who, hopefully, more than anyone else, understand the demands of the gospel call on our lives. Demands like – seek first the Kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33). Redeem the time because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15ff). Pursue holiness, for without holiness no one will see God (Hebrews 12:14). Hopefully, more than anyone else, we understand the gospel's demands... and, by God's grace, we are seeking to submit to those demands and to meet those requirements.

Brothers and sisters – true confession time – this preacher of yours, sometimes I get so busy, so tired, so stressed out doing the Lord's work – serving Christ and striving to be like Christ, as a husband, father, neighbor, preacher and friend – that like those disciples we read about later in this chapter, straining to row across the lake in the middle of the night, I think “I'm in this thing called the 'Christian life' alone!” And worse yet, I'm backing a 40 mile per hour head wind! Can you relate?

I'm tired and backing that horrible head wind... You're busy, serving Jesus in your sphere of influence, stretched to the limit, because you DO realize and fully grasp the significance of Jesus' call to follow Him to Calvary. We're living – really living for Christ, but somehow, we think Christ has forgotten us... That we might as well give up! And throw in the towel... Beloved, did you know something? That's where the very first readers of this gospel – the Christians at ancient Rome – were, when they opened it to this chapter. And you know something? Are you listening? The words Jesus spoke to those first-century believers at Rome, they are the same words being delivered to you and me: (Mark 6:50) “It is I! Don't be afraid!” and “Come with me – by yourselves – to a quiet place and rest awhile (Mark 6:31).

The Christian life... what is your view of it? How do you characterize the life that is lived – really lived for Jesus Christ?

One of my most favorite verses along those lines is Acts 4:13. It's the verse immediately following that famous verse, where Peter declares that salvation is found in no name under heaven other than the name of Jesus... Acts 4:13 – it describes the vantage point of the unbelieving Jewish council – the Sanhedrin – as the members of that ruling council observed the lives of the Apostles, Peter and John. Take a look at that verse and consider this question: How is the life that lived, really lived for Jesus Christ to be characterized?

Acts 4:13 - “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.”

“They have been with Jesus.” Now think about it with me, will you? What would prompt the Sanhedrin of that day to say that about Peter and John? Answer: number one – those 2 men were busy about the Lord's work... Number two – And at times they grew tired in doing that work... Number three – And, as their courageous declaration to that council makes clear, they understood the DEMANDS of Jesus' calling on their lives.

But, here's the really important question, that may have been on the Sanhedrin's mind, and that wondering about... “What kept them going? What kept them going, all the way to the point of suffering a martyr's death?”

Answer: number one – Jesus was in the boat with them (Mark 6:51)... and, answer number two – they made regular trips to that quiet, solitary place WITH Jesus to be refreshed and restored. They had been, were and would be WITH Jesus! (Mark 6:31-32) Now, how about our lives? We are the Jesus Christ commissioned SENT ones of today. Busy about His business? Tired? That good kind of tired that comes when we're busy serving the King of kings? Stretched to the limit? To be so, and to continue doing so, we must be with Jesus, and Jesus must be with us! I've got good news for you, beloved... Our Master is ready to climb in the boat with us! Our master has already prepared a quiet place for us.

Yes, in His strength you and I can continue to do the busy, tiring, demanding work He call us to do for Him... through Him.