From Unsure to Secure [Part 1]

Pastor, author and Bible teacher Alan Wright. Christianity is not that it is not a form of religion in which you put together a certain strict daily practice of ritual, what Christianity is, is an experience of being in relationship to Christ being with Christ as pastor at light used that will help you see your life in a whole life I've been to Britt excited for you to hear the teaching debate in the series life of Peter is presented at Renova church in North Carolina. If you're not able to stay with us throughout the entire broadcast how to make sure you know how to get our special resource. Right now he can be yours for your donation this month. Alan Wright industries so as you listen to today's message deeper as we send you this special offer available today. Contact us at pastoralan.org that's pastor out.org or call 877-544-4860. More on this later in the program but now let's get started with today's teaching here is Alan Wright you guys ready for some good news. Just as Peter was transformed simply by being with Jesus, you and I have by the presence of the Holy Spirit opportunity to be with Jesus at all times and likewise we are being transformed want to turn you today.

Several miracle stories as we continue in our series on Peter and the first is Mark chapter 5 is remarkable day in the life of Jesus and what you see these two miracles that are clumped together and then I want to show you after that a miracle story through the ministry of Peter.

It was very very similar and following that, a reference that religious leaders made about Peter and own atoll of this together for us to see just how beautiful glorious and transforming it is simply being with Jesus. Mark chapter 5 we pick up reading of verse 21 Jesus across to get in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him and he was beside the sea.

Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue gyrus by name and seeing him. He fell at his feet and implored him earnestly saying my little daughter is at the point of death, and they are hands on her so that she may be made well and live and he went with him in the midst of this, they are in a great crowd to read this text, but in this great, everybody's pressing against him. A woman comes up is been sick for a long time and she is healed because she's touched Jesus his garment. And Jesus insists on knowing who was it touched him. He stops and he compassionately interacts with this woman amazed at her faith and it verse 35 while he was still speaking, there came from the rulers how someone said your daughter is dead. Why trouble. The teacher any further but overhearing what they said. Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue do not fear only believe, and he allowed no one to follow him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James.

They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw commotion people weeping and wailing loudly and when it entered, he said them while you make a commotion and weeping the child is not dead, but sleeping and he laughed at him.

He put them all outside and took the child's father and mother and those are with them and when and where the child was taken by the handy center to Lisa Kumi, which means little girl, I say to you, arise, and immediately the girl got up and began walking, for she was 12 years of age and they were immediately overcome with amazement, a strictly charge them that no one should know this and told him to give her something to eat pasta before turn of the next story is just interesting for whatever reasons is what Jesus did he. He didn't is a huge crowd is all around and this woman had just been healed and touched his garment.

He's getting me to go and raise this girl from the dead. Since everybody away except for Peter and James and John. So here's our our Peter is getting a front row seat to see the Lord raise a little girl back to life goes into the house. Only Peter only James and John are allowed and allow the mother and the father to see this great miracle teaching Peter something is showing something now turn to acts chapter 9 there are two stories of five miracles. Here they come through the ministry of Peter in acts chapter 9 there's another story that's highlighted in acts chapter 4 would gonna look at some afterthought of that many many miracles after Pentecost to begin taking place through the apostles and especially through Peter, so much so that one text says that people would get near Peter, just hoping that his shadow would pass by them because they might get healed, which is so anointed. It was something was just extraordinary that was happening. But here's a story. Want to see is just amazingly how similar this is to the story we just read this is acts chapter 9 is verse 36 brother was in Joppa a disciple named Tabitha, which translated means Dorcas.

She was full of good works in acts of charity. In those days, she became ill and died and then washed her. They later in the upper room since Linda was near Joppa.

The disciples hearing that Peter was there sent to mentor him or urging him please come to us without delay. So Peter rose and went with them and when he arrived they took him to the upper room, all the widows stood beside him, weeping and showing tunics and other garments to Dorcas Mae while she was with let Peter put them all outside and knelt down and prayed and turning to the body.

He said Tabitha arise was so inching a pause here is that even as you see and how this is transliterated here Tabitha. This really is only one little letter difference from the phrase that Jesus use wasted tightly thought girl arise.

But now I think Tabitha arise on the same words Jesus spoke as she opened her eyes and when she saw Peter, she sat up and he gave her his hand and raise her up and calling the saints of the widows who presented her alive and it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord now say one more text on how this together for you.

In acts chapter for another beautiful, it will take time to read this story, but a beautiful miracle story in which there was a lame man who was begging at the gate called beautiful and Peter comes and tells him silver and gold have I none but such as I have give I you and this man is healed well. There is a great uproar about the healing that's taken place and the religious leaders actually arrested Peter and held him overnight and they were bringing them before the Council to answer about this and pick up reading acts chapter 4 verse five on the next day the rulers and elders, and scribes gathered together in Jerusalem with Annas the high priest and Caiaphas and John Alexander all who have a high priestly family. And when they set them in their midst. They inquired by what power or by what name did you do this, then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit send them rulers of the people and elders if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this management healed. Let it be known to all of you and all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well. This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which is become the cornerstone and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved and when they saw this as well want to focus on verse 13 when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished and they recognized that they had been with Jesus. I had planned to just speak more about the healing ministry of Jesus and of Peter and the healing ministry in the body of Christ.

But I was arrested by that one little verse that the religious leaders in their inquiry. Perhaps they just met all of the suddenly dawned on them.

This was Peter was one the ones who had been firsthand what Jesus but when I read it.

It touches something deeper within me that when they saw Peter's boldness and yet they saw he was just a common man. He was an educated something about all of this.

It reminded them of Jesus.

He been with Jesus and so whatever ministry was taking place in Peter's life. It'd been the fruit of him having been with Jesus and that's what I want talk to about when talking about how being with Jesus is so transforming was reading of some of author and musician Michael card's book on the life of Peter beautiful book and he was reflecting how when he was in a monastery, a Russian Orthodox monastery in Romania. He saw a painting that had two figures were holding up a church building and more. He looked at it was clear they were representative of Paul and Peter and he saw that there was Paul, who usually represented as a bald man but fiery and bold is got a book is written most of the other New Testament in and then there was Peter, and I love the reflections that Michael card had about Peter he said Peter looks uncomfortable, but it seems for a different reason in his hand as a simple scroll.

Could it be one of his two letters as he stands there holding up one side of the building.

Peter seems uncertain. I can imagine him saying can someone please come and take this burden away that that's a fitting description of this complex man. Peter, who is like shifting sand but is called a rock who is the one who thousand he will never leave Jesus and really means it for the depth of his heart and yet he's one who denies Jesus three times. You're always asking the question who really is Peter is he this unstable, unpredictable, impetuous and unreliable man or is he the rock upon which God is building his church. Who is Peter and the real answer that question is that Peter is the rock. But what we're seeing is the transformation process by which he is becoming what he was destined to be so really and study in the life of Peter. What were really studying is how transformation takes place in our lives and transformation for the Christian's life takes place as we are with Jesus in the first place.

Transformation by being with Jesus takes place because if you are with Jesus. What we're saying is that you are experiencing Christ himself, and I can't think of anything more important to say over and over and over except that beloved Christianity is not mental assent to doctrinal truths. Although there are important doctrinal truths and getting our theology correct is absolutely essential. But Christianity is not that it is not a form of religion in which you put together a certain strict daily practice of ritual, what Christianity is, is an experience of being in relationship with Christ, being with Christ when I was in college.

As I've mentioned a number of times before I went through a time of intellectual I would say crisis or the faith that I had enjoyed since I was really in fourth grade that had the same very dear to my heart very real to me, went through a rigor of intellectual skepticism in college that made me to feel a tremendous sense of oppression, even to the point I began to lose some sleep.

I was wondering if everything that I've ever really believed was just because my mother had believed it or others around me had believed it. How could it be that it just so happens I'm growing up in a Christian environment where if I hadn't broke all of these all these questions.

All these intellectual questions of so many go through this kind of journey and what it did for me was in the midst of all of that sense of oppressive mental intellectual sort of anguish at the same time that I was experiencing some of the worst downside ever experienced. I was also saying to God if this is all real. II need to know that it's real talent right will have more teaching in a moment from today's important series pressures always find hard to say no way that shall disappoint someone one thing in any relationship in paradise. They were naked and felt no shame entered the world and became anxious within nine question like this painting. There is only one solution in the grace of God that lifts are shown six-week Mastercraft pastor. How unexposed is an exception shows the individual or in a snobbery series is sure to bring healing and hope our ministries. This man singed a digital Mastercraft.

Thanks for your partnership in a world separate shame. It's time to let God's grace to shame. We missed our night ministries, 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website pastor at work in today's teaching now continues here once again is Alan writing what I was asking was to experience firsthand the presence of Jesus and the hunger and the thirst that I had at that time I'm convinced is what God used, to lead me into a transforming experience of his presence in you might call it many different names.

I was already a Christian already had the Holy Spirit you might call it a immersion in the spirit might call it a baptism might call it a release.

You might call it an encounter with God. You might call it experiencing the power of God for the first time, you might call it, knowing your heart you known in your head all whatever you call it. There is in the Christian life and opportunity to actually be with Jesus in a way that you know him and you can talk about Jesus the way you would talk about any other friend because you have actually spent time with him and when these religious leaders saw Peter what they said was, they recognized Ben with Jesus and is so interesting to watch how Peter's life just in front of our eyes as we watch the gospel of the unveiled how his life is being transformed.

It might be in sort of fits and starts. It might be like he's growing and they're always down to know who Alexis had been on that kind of roller coaster spiritually, but it's moving towards this place because you've been with him on the day that we read about in Mark chapter 5 where Peter gets to see these miracles there so much.

Peter must've learned on that day you could just go through a mental checklist when all the things that he learned about Jesus that day.

What he learned the great crowds were always around Jesus. Jesus is popular check he learned that Jesus had compassion upon the six Jesus compassionate writing down, he learned that Jesus cared about women, which was unusual in that culture where women were not very honored and he stopped both these miracle stories were about about women. Okay, good. I learned that about him. He learned that Jesus love faith. He delighted in the woman's faith the touchup limit, you could just go through and start writing that all this list of things like if Peter were taking notes on what he was learning from Jesus but do you think that's what he actually was learning that day.

It was that it wasn't that it was that he was just being with Jesus and then Jesus is going to heal this little girl razor from the dead invites Peter and John just going to come in on what you just come and see this, and experience, and learn by simply being with him so there's a process in which when you're with Jesus, your faith is not something this is intellectual, it's something that is experiential and here's the second thing that's important about being with Jesus is that when you are with someone not just use it but just anyone who ever is that your spending a lot of time with you become more like them and there's almost a mystical quality to this, not just in a relationship with God, but almost with other people. One self-help author has famously declared. You are the sum or the average of the five people that you spend the most time with, that's true, but I do know that we are amazingly since we we amazingly become more more like those that we spent so much of this is no more apparent than in marriage is also been married for a long time is just crazy how you just I mean is weird.

Is this where I sell you a Merry folk you can you test this to site and I will be riding down the road and just be quiet for a long time and then we both open our mouth in exactly the same moment to say something. Nobody said anything for last 20 minutes and also we open our mouth to say something and we bring up the same subject me this is kind of scary. I told you I think that this some years ago in the middle of the night.

I mean like 3 AM in the dead middle of the night.

For whatever reason and I both woke up at exactly the same moment that half waking up just to reposition ourselves in bed and we both woke up exact same moment, the chances of this turned towards the center of the bed and clashed each other's heads right in the middle of the night.

We couldn't sleep for an hour after that for Lafon like the Chancellor headbutting my wife in the middle of the night on his sitting position. What made us get up at the same time. There's just something that begins to happen where you almost like a thinking like each other and you become like each other and it's the incident it's it's extraordinary thing how this happened so weird why this don't know me this week, but my dad was was a bit of an artist and a cartoonist and he had drawn a little cartoon mouse became a little character in their Grimsley high school yearbook and in Greensboro. He drew the pictures that were this high school yearbook Weatherstone me. But I was always it will tinkering with ardent old cartoons and everything and I drew the picture for my junior high yearbook and hours I was asked to remember that every thought about you don't realize the ways that your being like somebody because you don't think about it that much. It's I'm talking about the ways you become like some like you given any thought about it but you becoming like and there's a way in which what you see and you and in Jesus. You see in Peter because it's just been with them to make more sense of this.

Just think about how how you talk. For example, this is unusual course here in the South. I think everybody ought to talk like we do, and then people come the South who are from this out and they think we talk funny and that things I don't understand is that we all I need to explain a few things to y'all is y'all can refer to is that it is the second person plural but it doesn't necessary for to an entire group and that's why sometimes we have to say all y'all see people get confused by this, like if I said to this side of the room.

Now you y'all y'all say hallelujah and y'all say, praise the Lord, but all y'all say amen is safe. So you need to be able to get these nuances right. I was talking one time to waitress and a little breakfast joint down at the beach and that she uses cues could be so southern as he talked about how fun she was fun she had were Northerners, down to the beach and is there one time a man said what is a grit that I love her response, she just said honey they don't come alone good southern shore to secure is today's teaching and the life of Peter is what were learning about now. He Allen's back here in a moment with additional insight on this for your life, and a final word pictures always on, you find it hard to say no very natural despite someone one thing in any relationship in paradise.

They were naked and felt no shame in the world they became anxious and with a nine question like this painting. There is only one solution. The grace of God that lifts our shame seeks meet your master class. Pastor Alan exposes the exception share is an individual or in a snobbery series is sure to bring healing and hope are ministries this man thinking to digital master instead. Thanks for your partnership in a world separate. It's time to let God's grace to shame. We missed our night ministries, 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website Pastor hour and got work and I love the bookmark. We put there but really this is more than just humor. This is really something that we can dig into and say there is a profound difference in our lives when we realize that we are securing Christ, and we look at look at the life of Peter we see one that, as we said before, we could be frustrated by this guy and really that's all of our lives right. We are on shifting sand. We are unsure until we find we can latch on securely to the father while we learned so much from the fact that Jesus will be blessed Peter believed in Peter because Jesus had ultimate faith with Peter's life and soak the life of Peter is so close to her own archangel because Peter is that guy who is unsure about everything. Is anybody could be an moves into being.

This person is so absolutely secure in who he is in Christ, and I just believe God is at work in every list right now opens up his or her heart to hear the blessing of God move you.

Also, from being unsure. Lacking confidence to really come to a place of security in Christ. It is God's work in us, but he's doing today's good news message is a listener supported production Alan Wright Ministries