Jesus I love You! But don’t cramp my style
Mark 10
Jesus Counsels the Rich Young Ruler
(C) 17Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
18So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19You know the commandments: "Do not commit adultery,' "Do not murder,' "Do not steal,' "Do not bear false witness,' "Do not defraud,' "Honor your father and your mother."'[c]
20And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."
21Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."
22But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Luke 9
23Then he (Jesus) said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
John14
6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
[Prayer]
Scrabble
You know I was never really into board games until I am taught how to play one and I was exposed to “Scrabble” of a different kind that is and it was called “Snatch” We pick randomly from the pile of words in the middle and we form words…it was really fun and intriguing…until weird words started to come out and I question my playmate,
“you sure this word exist?”
and she said “Of course, didn’t you know…it is a very common word used.”
“Okay” I said
…okay at this point was a kind of recovery I must take to have my ego treated, because guy losing to a girl, isn’t really going the flow of nature…just kidding! But this isn’t the way to play the game. She is forcing me to play by her rules, her range of vocabulary without even an official dictionary to proof the point. This is just one example.
When I was young I really don’t like to play games with certain people. Have you ever encounter people whom you play games with says,
“Okay this is the way we play this game”
And I’ll say, “Excuse me, there are rules”
“No no, this is the way we play this game”
And I say again, “I don’t care how you play but these are the rules of the game, there is a manual to it”
“Nope, we play it our way! We always play it this way, it’s more fun, trust me”
“Maybe you don’t understand the words that are coming out of my mouth, there is a manual and the manual says this is how you play. I don’t play wanna play your way.”
And the person proceeds to say that if I am going to play with him, I have to play by his way. If not, it won’t fun at all.
This example suggests that my participation hinges on that person’s ability to play it his way, just him saying that thing, “you got to play it my way, my rules.”
[How many of you encounter such situations before either you are the person that participates or the person that says, “You have to play it my way!”]
Today, this is the mentality which I want to highlight. It is scares me this sort mentality because I meet young people and this “Play it my way” mentality is sneaky and subtle but detectable, and it gets into their relationship with God. Hence they start relating to God on the basis of their own rules.
And as long as God abide by their rules and their conditions, they will participate in this thing called “Christianity”
Of course this mentality will overflow into their relationship with church or youth ministry, because the same way they relate to God,
They relate it to the Pastor,
They relate it to the cell group leader,
They relate it to their friends.
As long their Pastor likes them and nice to them and gives them what they want, they will stay in church and act like a Christian.
BUT how dare you try to ask them to do something on your terms?
How dare God demand them to do something?
These are very harsh remarks on people who want God to play it their way, but here I am trying to make a point this afternoon.
There is a spirit and I call it the Spirit of Independence.
It sneaks into the lives of young people especially, because “strength” often times finds its expression in independence.
For this rich young ruler, his strength is built around his possessions; hence it is the birthplace of his independent spirit. This spirit has taken root in him to the point, where he cannot depend or recognize that God can be that source of his riches and possessions or rather his “strength” primarily.
[Whisper]
Strength likes to express itself in independence. This spirit sneaky and subtle and it is invading into the
I’m on my knees…but on my own terms
I raise my hands…but on my own terms
I read my bible…but on my own terms
I attend church…but on my own terms
And it is sneaky as it hides itself in different forms in different identities.
Argh! Ian, this spirit of independence, how do we deal with it? First we must identify it.
Three identities of the “Spirit of
17Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
18So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. 19You know the commandments: "Do not commit adultery,' "Do not murder,' "Do not steal,' "Do not bear false witness,' "Do not defraud,' "Honor your father and your mother."'[c]
20And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."
1) First Identity – When you go about your “OWN” kind of worship
Let’s profile this “Rich young Ruler” First of all there is nothing wrong with being rich, because being rich is a blessing from God. [In this instance is a obstacle for him, explain later]
This rich young ruler is a very passionate worshipper most probably like most of us here or like those expressive kinds, when they pray they knitted their brows, when they worship, he jumps the highest, when he sings he sings LOUD. He is probably those kinds of youth which you know will shout exclamations like, “That was the best conference, and I want to bring in 100 friends for Jesus! Or I want this to be done so that church can grow. A lot of I wants”
He is a passionate worshipper. And this passionate rich young person was walking one day and saw Jesus. He recognized Him, ran and knelt down before Jesus. Passionate he is, BUT is it for the correct cause?
Let’s look at what the rich boy says.
"Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
The bible indicates that this young man was thinking in terms of earning righteousness points to merit eternal life, to inherit eternal life.
How many of you felt this way before? I did…if you still do…you are about your “OWN” kind of worship.
It all begins from the starting point.
On what perspective are looking at initially…did you understand that by doing things, going about earning righteousness points does not merit you eternal life. On the flipside, Jesus taught that eternal life is a gift to be received.
[Read Mark10:15] – …like a little child…a child is filled with openness and receptivity, with no questions asked, they just receive it! It is a gift.
There was once I gave gifts out of the sudden because my love language of gifts suddenly kicked in, and I felt like blessing someone. When I gave the gift to a particularly bright youth, she answered,
“What is this for?”
I said “Nothing, just a blessing”
“No…seriously what is for? It isn’t my birthday? Now what did I do to have this?”
I was like “It is just a blessing, I want to give to you”
“Eh…it isn’t because you like me ah I hope”
“huh”
On the flipside, when I give something to a child, they just grab it, no questions asked. For the matter a fact, before I could finish what I have to say, “Lala, this for…Whoosh!” there goes the gift and the person…in a flash.
When you are about your “OWN” kind of worship, it is telling from the speech patterns and daily actions. Let’s go back to the passage.
The young man says
"Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?"
Note: when your worship has a lot of “I” in it…something is wrong*
Jesus recognized it immediately and guides the rich young man that his perspective is wrong.
18So Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God.
The bible indicates that Jesus isn’t denying His own goodness but guiding the young man to understand that his only hope is to rely on God totally who alone
"Do not commit adultery,'
"Do not murder,'
"Do not steal,'
"Do not bear false witness,'
"Do not defraud,'
"Honor your father and your mother."
20And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."
Realize that all this Jesus has mentioned is of external obedience, very of the outside. But Jesus also requires inner obedience which most often the hardest to do. Here again the rich young man proclaim the BIG “I”
"Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."
However we know that here he is indeed teachable because now he calls Jesus “Teacher” but he is missing the point. If we put this scene in today, how would it look? How would your “OWN” worship manifest itself?
Some of you might say
Ian, I pray, I sing in worship, I lift my hands, I kneel, I serve in a ministry, I sign celibacy covenants, which is very popular right now, I always do my dg homework. I mean I earn right to be here with all my friends, as long as I do those, I think God is happy. Are you happy? YES (fake voice) See…so what’s up with your have to give up this and that? Go away.
NO…you are missing the point here, we cannot make God what we want Him to be like. That’s the identity of an independent spirit, your own worship. Worshipping is not a “to do list”, not a CCA called religion, it is a relationship. [Read Php2:12-13] Here it indicates that it is a response to God’s grace in whatever we do. We have to do it in reverence (Fear and trembling) and singleness of purpose in response to His grace. To put it straight forward, you don’t have to do things in order to gain love from those who already love you. It is because of the love they have expressed which causes and motivates you to do the things that show love back.
21Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."
2) Second Identity – When you know you are wearing a “MASK”
There is a town where only ducks live in it. Every Sunday the ducks will waddle [everyone say waddle] out of their houses and waddle down the main street to their church. They waddle into the sanctuary and squat in their proper pews. The Duck choir waddles in and takes its place, and then the Duck pastor comes forward and opens the duck bible. (We have NKJV, NIV, Living translation, they have their own version)
He reads to them: “Ducks! God the almighty has given you wings! With wings you can mount up and soar like eagles. No walls can confine you! No fences can hold you! You have wings. God has given you wings and you can fly like birds!”
All the ducks shouted, “AMEN!” and they all waddled home.
Are you with me?
This is descriptive of some of the young people in youth ministries today. It is the picture of young people wearing mask to church, to do all the right things but after is another thing.
The bible actually talks about “Hypocrisy”
How many of you heard the term “Hypocrite”?
How many of you heard somebody say that there are hypocrites in the church?
The word “Hypocrisy” is not a lifestyle or an action, “Hypocrisy” in its biblical language, in its original language actually falls more closely to a drama or an actor who says his lines behind a mask. In bible times, actors aren’t like today where they put make up as such, they wore Mask
So when the bible uses the term “Hypocrisy” it is actually speaking of actors who wears masks and say lines. The truth is hypocrites are everywhere. People who are behind the mask who say lines that they know they are supposed to say to people who are waiting to hear from them.
The truth is, in religious atmospheres, churches, conferences and youth ministries, where we are most prone to this acting where we wear mask and say lines because it is what we are supposed to say.
20And he answered and said to Him, "Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth."
The fact is Jesus only mention six commandments, He didn’t mention the rest that will deal with this young man’s inner convictions. This young man is wearing a mask! The spirit of independence is strong within him. That’s why he is quick to please Jesus by saying v20.
This mask has cause lines to be part of our culture in church today, lines that ought to be said
“I am seeking Lord”
“I’ll be praying for you”
“How is your walk with God?” “Good never been better”
I meet with young people a lot and I know when they have the mask on!
“How are you?”
“I am doing really good. Honestly Ian, I have been reading the bible and the pages of the word have been supernaturally speaking to me.”
“Really’
“Ya, lately I have been getting into the presence of God and I have gotten lots of rheama from the word of God lately that is”
“Rheama”
And they give me lines because that is what they are supposed to do, because that is what is expected from them. The scary thing today is that we have multiple masks for every situation, so we have to get our lines down: Lines for youth pastor, lines for parents, lines for cell group leaders, lines for friends and so forth. So we need to get our lines down for every person.
However, sometimes there is a breakdown of this mask act and I catch glimpses of it. Because they forgot that they are not speaking to their teachers, they are speaking to me…they are not speaking to their parents, they are speaking to me and sometimes the lines for teachers will come to me. On Saturday, they come to me to say teachers are good and fulfilling, next I see on their msn nick that teachers are gross and f******
We need to understand that behind mask and behind lines, young people are dying. Because behind those lines for people comes acceptance. Where people will like you! You go to your youth pastor and you say those lines because you want him to like you. You want the whole world to like you! So you have lines prepared for everyone!
Aren’t you tired?
You can’t tell anyone what’s really going on in your life because what will they think of me?
What will they say?
I am suppose to be somebody’s son or somebody’s daughter
I am suppose to be part of Brighton Youth Ministry
I am in the worship team
I am…that’s why I need to get my lines down; so that people will think that I am in it.
Today Jesus wants to unmask some of you, because He loves you and he knows that it is hurting, this secret sin behind the mask.
21Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me."
Jesus loves this rich young man hence the breaking of mask comes in the form of those words “One thing you lack” because Jesus knows behind that mask, there is something else. The spirit of independence that worships with our conditions or terms finds comfort behind the mask, do you have that mask?
RECAP
1) First Identity – When you go about your “OWN” kind of worship
2) Second Identity – When you know you are wearing a “MASK”
22But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
3) Third Identity – When you “HOLD BACK” at the altar [This identity is clear, no need much of explanation]
Jesus’ intentions was not to shame him by exposing his failure to understand the spiritual depth of the commandments but was an expression of Jesus’ genuine love. Jesus knows his primary problem that’s why there were the words
“One thing you lack…go, sell everything”
It is because between this rich young ruler and the kingdom of heaven, there is an altar. And on this altar, when it is shown to you, you will need to put something that you love because if you don’t love it God doesn’t want it. For this instance, his riches were the primary problem. It isn’t wrong to be rich, so why is Jesus saying this as the one thing he lacks?
It is because the gift of eternal life or the kingdom of heaven is to be received only by following Jesus. In giving up his wealth and riches, the young man would have removed an obstacle that kept him from trusting in Jesus. He went away, giving clear indication that he had greater love for his riches than eternal life.
[Abraham and Isaac story] Gen22
I know reaching 120 people by the end of this year is the goal and target for this youth ministry. But before that comes to passé. Today I want to highlight something more important which is YOU receiving true fulfillment in your Christian life. But what are you to place at the altar? Something you love.
Perhaps the hold back at the altar is due to the spirit of independence telling you that it is impossible to let go that addiction, that relationship, that comfort or that popularity you have. However, did you ever give that thought that if you put those on the altar and just trust God, instead of independency in whatever you have behind that mask or behind your OWN worship, there is dependency on Him and He will give us much more?
[Worship Team]
As you can see Jesus didn’t run back to the rich young man and tell him that is okay, he can keep his riches, can you please come back and play games with me, we can play by your rules…
John14
6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
RECAP
1) First Identity – When you go about your “OWN” kind of worship
2) Second Identity – When you know you are wearing a “MASK”
3) Third Identity – When you “HOLD BACK” at the altar
These are the identities that the independent spirit takes form.
This youth ministry is going to be tested. Your worship, your position of your knees and your lifting of hands will now have to make a decision. Are we saying Jesus I love you, but on our terms and conditions having that independent spirit within us.
Ian, how we know that we are worshipping Him on my conditions, my terms and my rules?
Like the young rich ruler. You are passionate for God, as long as He doesn’t interfere with your other passion.
Jesus I love you but don’t cramp my style
[End prayer]
No comments:
Post a Comment