The Passive, Part 2

Today on Summit my important challenge from Pastor Jamie Greer. Jesus said, he that is not for me, even as all is against Jesus as he says he is and what he says about eternity is more important than anything else in your life. Do not make pilots mistake of taking eternal things to like I'm your host Molly events okay this might seem silly, but have you ever come home and realize that your yards gotten out of control weeds are everywhere and it's like a tribe of gophers had moved in and created a network of tunnels so intricate that they could survive underground for years. Once their yard. That way, but sometimes it's easier to just ignore it and put off mowing until later and then before you know it it's jungle warfare in your backyard will today. Pastor JD explained that a lot of us have a similar state we might be actively rejecting God, but we aren't willing to make a decision to cut down the and follow him yesterday titled this message the passive let's turn to John chapter reading of verse four as the chopper opens Genesis betrayed Jesus and he shows up in the garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus's got a group of armed soldiers with number four. Then Jesus knowing all about what happened to him came forward and said to them, do you see so they answered in verse five we see Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them by the knowing Greek, there is no he so it's just I am, which is of course the Hebrew name for God so verse six when Jesus said to them, I am major back and fell on the ground which was clue number one that this was a bad idea to reach out to help him up or seven and asked him to get him to seek this on this much more meekly on my dad is a matter of Sir not too much trouble. The light of the commitment. Jesus answered, I told you that I was a talk you seek me, let these men go. This was to fulfill the word that Evan spoke of those of you gave me. I'm not lost even one. Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it struck the high priest servant, and cut off his right ear now appears not only to the party because if you remember regarding the 70 he was so he's groggy and he's grumpy. He shows up swinging will. Luckily he missed his hack off his ear. The service name was Balko's Jesus said, appear put your sword and see players on a drink atop the father is given me. Now in Luke's account of this Luke adds that Jesus at that point reached down, picked up the guys here and reattached it, which is clue number two that this is a bad idea so the band of soldiers in the captain or officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him.

Verse 11 to Annas where he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was a high priest that your Caiaphas would advise the Jews, that would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

Now, throughout this chapter, the apostle John noted how Caiaphas accidentally fulfills everything the part of God's plan of prophecy, the high priest in question Jesus about his disciples and his teaching Jesus answered them, I spoke openly to the world. I've always taught publicly in the synagogues and in the temple all the Jews come together. There's nothing that I said in sacred. So what you asked me as though you heard me and asked them what I said to them, when he said these things. One of the officer stated by struck Jesus with his hand saying is that how you answer the high priest Jesus answered him of what I said is wrong.

The bear witness with me about the enrollment of what is right what you strike me verse 28 Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning cells, not the governor's headquarters are that they would not be defiled so they could eat the Passover verse 29 supply when outside of M&A. So what accusation you bring against this man, they answer them. If this man were not doing evil. We would not have delivered them over to you about what's going answer so taken for yourselves and judging by your own wall but you said to him is not lawful for us to put anybody to that which is a lie to pilots in a top-flight sandwiches headquarters again called Jesus and says them. You really the king of the Jews, Jesus answered you say this of your own quarter that other say that you about me pilot answer denies you your own nation and the chief priest of delivered you over to me. What have you done Jesus answered my kingdom is not of this world.

If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would've been fighting but I that I might not be delivered over to the Jews of my kingdom. You see is not from the world. The pilot says it him you are a king Jesus after you set it on the king. For this purpose.

I was born for this purpose are coming to the world what that purpose bear witness to the truth. Everyone who was on the truth listens to my voice pilot says in verse 38 what is truth. After he said this, he went back outside of the Jews and told him I find no guilt in him, but you have a custom that I should release one man for you. The Passover do you want to release three release to you the king of the Jews and they cried out again. No, not this man give us Barabbas never ravish you she was a robber rebel murderer and extortionist that you God chose to play you in this narrative. And that was intentional because he is trying to show you that no matter who you are or what you've done. Jesus death can for you. You want to measure.

You want to measure for how wide, how hi how deep and how broad the love of God is for you.

You want to measure. The cross is the measure of that love. So I repeat use his word to John. I want to give you a few weeks ago the greatest unkindness the greatest insult you could ever get the Jesus is to doubt his love for you the price that he paid there. He paid because of your sin. What he did there needed to save you from your sin.

Thus, you can be sure there is no sin so bad the wickedness so great. No person so lost that the blood of Jesus cannot wash away your sin is great.

It is God's grace is greater still do not insult the blood of Jesus by suggesting that your sin is too great for his forgiveness because the point is no longer the size of your sin point is the magnitude of his grace through things are contrasted in the story, the gravity of Jesus and the levity of pilot gravity means weight levity means weightlessness word levitate from something as weightless in this chapter you see Jesus showing the utmost gravity and pilot dismisses it with what is truth what is truth. Truth is what standing in front of you. Truth is what you build your life on truth is about to be crucified for you dismiss it with what what is truth. I don't have the convenience be able to figure it out yet. I got political matters to deal with anyone. I was convinced of Jesus innocence won't act on it. He defers he washes his hands of the matter say is just too costly to render an opinion right now so I'm just gonna back out and give no opinion really his opinions about Jesus innocence are irrelevant when you think about that because his convictions. Either way on the matter like the gravity to change his course and there is no doubt that Jesus seriousness Jesus gravity throughout this chapter bothered pilot.

I mean really bother pilot tells Apollo was afraid. 719 verse eight he was plagued by few questions. He knew Jesus's power. You know that helping with knocking the soldiers down under your name. You know that I got talk about that and have an everyday guy says they will fill our tent.

We will have a good luck got boisterous, you know that that will bring about my offices are cut off. You know that I got talk about is a guy with seemingly unlimited power now is not using it. He's not even defended himself, and that is bothering pilot.

Why don't you say something to say pilot song get beat so that bloodied heap of a man who could've stopped it with just a word he sees him bear and those wounds were screaming out it pilot you got to decide about me.

You can't just pump this and say what is truth to what is pilot do it just covers it up with some kind of levity. I'm a politician on a blustery is something about this concept. What is truth. What is through the house and my knowing what that's how you know what she's going through what you do it for what is truth. Truth is this thing that is now bloodied heap in front of you said you doing for you by the limiting and read as part of the message from his wife says I had a dream because it him. Do not touch this man.

He is innocent. Pilot has these flashes of these wounds of Jesus scream out for a verdict, but pilot just can't sit away and says I'll decide on this later. What is truth pilot is today who pilot us today. How is that group of you that are here, the refuse to decisively act on the Lordship of Jesus that you pilots know she made a mistake of thinking the pilot is a historical part personage that we read about we put in the story Jesus and we refer to the apostles Creed and that's his purpose pilot is that group of you who come to church against Jesus here, here, many parents always brought you that's why you're here and not against Jesus but you are not fully in Jesus do not see you listening to me, you like him change it if you think one day one day I'll make this decision when they'll get to it when it would have kids when they went over right now. What I'm concerned about now.

I was on about my marriage and heard about my career concerned about my friends. I'm concerned about graduating right Jesus balances you gotta decide if it is not for me is against me, your pilot had a part of this crucifixion washes hands of the matter, but he didn't step in and defend Jesus either. And so that means that those of you who are not fully for Jesus as you are not 100% and in surrender to him as Lord like pilot you are in the camp of those who are against him for. Here's another group of kind of pilot today is a group of people ever heard recently begin to refer themselves things is a new word apathy us fear someone who believes in God if he or somebody loses no diagnostic somebody not sure apathy us is not your dog.

There is an alchemical like how it came about a Costanza guy, traverse God out of the I don't care I don't care.

You realize that right or wrong. This is the most important question you will ever consider ever that has to be considered.

Does it not eternal insanity. When you take the most important question ever you just brush it off and say what is truth. How is first to know that that's something I'll get to later. What is it what is it that's the least logical lease say for the majority of people walking on college campuses are but every once in a while.

Every once in a while something will rattle you like pilot got rattled here, something happened like a funeral Bassett have in their you go to a funeral of a friend who dies when they're young is on a map and you and you stand there in front of their coffin and something is deeply disturbing because it feels unnatural is still surreal.

What if I told you that was begin breaking of eternity. And that's probably the most real feeling you will ever have in your life because you live under the delusion that is nothing really eternal about life and what is happening is in that moment heaven and hell are you going before you, and it scares you to death. You run away from it and you covered over with levity some moment of fear when you realize how fragile life is, or you have a moment of conviction happens every week here I'm preaching on something and the Holy Spirit is put his finger on some of you saying this is wrong. You gotta change this. You gonna walk with me and you get out you go to lunch and by the time lunch is over, you will completely forgot about it and put it aside for there are things about Jesus that intrigue you maybe to come up when you read the Bible to come up in sermons like this one.

Or how about this you see Jesus's power demonstrated in the life of your friends right now, Chris's friend solid in his life, and you like to know what happened to my friends. I don't know what's going on and you have a moment of gravity like pilot had but your sweep away with levity. It was not unbelief that sent pilot. The helmet was a difference.

That's what the philosopher one my favorites. Blaise Pascal said ultimately in our day. Our culture what keeps most people from Jesus is not unbelief, what different than Jesus's indifference, my friend. Do you realize how serious this is not up here because this is my job. I don't do what I do every way because this is how we go to church for a big audience. We do we do what I preach like I do, because I believe that your response to this kind of message your entire eternity hangs on it where people leave here. I know I don't like he's crazy. All I got me a yell about his passion. I noticed last night. She's got Savior, Jesus the shirt you scare me to death. I never did I say never do what you did. It scared me to death.

There's a reason don't talk like this because we believe Jesus is the way the truth and the life that what he was offering was not a self-improvement program that you get from Buddha or Confucius or Mohammed or the latest departure from the day we believe he was doing something here that you could not do, which is living a life you could never live and die together. You were condemned to die so that he could substitute for you without him. Your loss. That's why we do what we do is gravity that is just coming bursting out through the many people can't believe some because they don't give a question of the proper weight now. That thing comes to head in pilot, but it appears all throughout the book of John is her usual quick jump by 44 Jesus is what how can you believe you receive glory from one another and no sycamore that comes from the only God. How can you, how can you believe the message of the word glory in Hebrew the word about which means white you say never transitive for you. How can you believe you care so much about what everybody else thinks about you. We care so little about what God think about you that's what he say you'll never come to believe because you never learn to put the proper weight on God himself.

Jesus repeats at a different form. John 717 I love this verse. If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the future is from God. Whether I'm speaking amount authority. Did you get that what is a prerequisite for knowing that Jesus is the truth for being willing to follow the truth wherever believe that the prerequisite many of you can't know that Jesus is the truth that is on intellectual problems are problems from his you would follow truth wherever it led the proof of that is the fact that you're here not following the truth that you know with all your heart, that's without problem was pilot begins when you know she's innocent to say what is truth what is truth sharing Christ the most liberal onetime who said to me she said was no active believe this is no active believe it because if I did, it would mean that I would have a rift with my family and I might even lose my life and I read her John 717 as he draws coordinate verse. The reason you can't believe it is because you feel that way because you think those things are more important than Jesus because a prerequisite to following Jesus.

A prerequisite to knowing Jesus is that you are committed from the beginning to doing whatever he tells you to do and going wherever he tells you to go until the question has that kind of weight in your heart he will hide himself from you shall not speak every weekend I speak in a least a couple thousand people would fit right in that category you come every week and honestly I'm not please you this charitably.

I'm not sure why you're here you're here because you owe this to your parents raised you this way but you're not all images as you're not fully behind the you're not pursuing him.

Jesus said, he that is not for me, even as all of me is against me. Jesus easily says he is and what he says about eternity is more important than anything else in your life. Do not make pilots mistake of taking eternal things to lightly if you know me well at all.

You know that I'm judging is one of my MySpace heroes.

Johnson was the first American missionary. My only son bears his name. Judson would undergo persecution. In Jesus name.

Like few people in history ever have to be the first Christian to go to Burma going there. He would endure unbelievable persecutions and torturing to lose a wife and several children the sickness while he was there when he left there many years later he would leave over 7000 Burmese believers and a copy of the Bible and there like Judson was raised in a Christian home we went off to college at Brown University. He was lured away from the Christian faith by a fellow student who became a very close friend, an extremely intelligent young man named Jacob deems Eames was a philosophy student who rejected all revealed religion, including the Bible. Eames will kill the God of the Bible and ridiculed at an arm Judson for his faith in Judson's faith, which was already fragile crumbled under Eames intellectual assaults because the loss of faith hidden from his parents until after his graduation went on his 20th birthday, August 9, 1808 Judson announced that he was no longer a Christian, even valedictorian at Brown University and he left for New York for a promising career as a playwright. There while in New York Judson found little fulfillment as a playwright very quickly. The solution, but God was beginning to work at his heart again. One night while traveling to a small village. He stopped the stay at a local hotel. The only available room was next door to a man who was dying all night. The man groaned and cried out in desperation. Judson was so tormented by the despair in the man's cries that he couldn't sleep and as he lay there awake, he began to wonder, is this man prepared for death because that's really all that matters now and then, he thought, and I prepared for death.

She is philosophy taught in the death was nothing that was just a door to an empty pit but that brought him little comfort. Judson said listening to a man who was actually dying, but the same time he's having these these thoughts he could hear the voice of his friend Jacob deems in the back of his mind mocking him really Judson really this week. Are you really the valedictorian of Brown University are spooked by little, superstitious religion, you're screwed by little doubt Judson said. I went back and forth between fear listening to this man and be ashamed of that fear, he said, but still those groans all those groans.

The next morning, he said, a sunlight filled his roommate finally got a little bit of sleep.

He woke up he didn't hear anything else.

Sunlight filled the room. The sense of despair listed that an arm. Judson said I felt ashamed for having given into such weakness. So I got dressed and went downstairs and I asked the clerk at the front desk about the man in the adjoining room is gotten better. The court responded very simply know he's dead. Judson politely asked world. We know we was making contact family is what's going on the cotillion.

We know we was a young man from the college in Providence. His name was Yves.

Jacob deems an arm.

Judson writes that I can hardly move. So I did not leave that him for hours later he would reflect on that moment he would say this lost in death. Jacob deems was lost utterly irrevocably lost lost to his friends lost to the world lost future lost as a puff of smoke is lost in the infinity of air Eames own views were true, either his wife nor his death had any meaning. Why was he crying out as he was suppose Eames was mistaken. Suppose the Scriptures were true and that God was real, that hell should open up in that country cannot snatch. Jacob deems my dearest friend and guide from the next bed over for me that could not simply could not be a coincidence.

Judson would come shortly thereafter, not only to believe the gospel, but the believers are strongly he would pour out the rest of his life for ultimately paying incredible prices to see it go into the places in the world. People had not heard because the gospel of Jesus was not a light thing for him. It was not a light thing in life. It was at a light thing and death. It was not a lightning eternity. It was reality for him.

He couldn't brush aside what is truth – truth that is true that I got to go wherever he tells me to go do whatever he tells me to. So here's my question for you very simply as the gravity of Jesus sunk into your heart. Are you prepared for eternity. Jesus is the whole point. You gotta decide you have to give a verdict. Is he the Lord is Lord, and if so, have you surrendered everything to him. Are you following him acknowledging the floor with your lips, what your life says that your Lord have you decide you believe this message is message which is you are not somebody who needs a little help getting to have in your lost you have no hope of eternity without me because my work is not one of improvement. I'm not a prophet who comes to give to another life coach who comes to help you along, I come as a savior to die in your place to live the life you should've lived a sinless life, died and Debbie were condemned to die, hang on a tree numbers by God for you.

I'm a drink of God's wrath is not a drop left to be taken so that you can go free but you have to receive it as your own is an imitation of an offer you've got to choose to surrender to him as Lord, choose to receive him as Savior. You declare that birding on Jesus Christ never made that decision. I invite you to meet. Now this was a challenging message from Pastor Jamie Greer on Summit life. This series is all about becoming aware of the things that might be holding us back from going all in with Jesus, but even a Christian for decades when you're hearing the gospel for the very first time this message is for you and listening along with you right now. Thousands of others who are learning and growing through this ministry made possible by the generosity of people like you condemning to keep Summit life on the radio and ran given to stomach light. Thank you for your support also invite you to join our team of gospel partners partner commits to regular monthly gaming. Whether it's $25, $50 or hundred dollars you set the amount each month. Your gift is automatically processed see doing to think about it, you can relax, knowing that you are helping keep gospel centered Bible teaching on the radio and in every month you'll receive our featured resources as a token of our thanks currently we are featuring a 20 day devotional Pastor Jamie. I don't like is the gospel is a powerful collection of short readings with prayer prompts and space to teaching devotional when you become a gospel. Today, when you make a generous one-time donation 335866335 easier to give online.com, and Molly events and I'm so glad they don't make tomorrow and discover that even in the midst of our house next Wednesday on Summit life