2 Different Sundays = Some Amazing Results

Greeting PBC Voice readers. I'm sorry for the delay in posting but we had some internet issues in the office. We are back online and hope to be able to keep you up to speed with our goal for this year: Life without Limits!!!

I'm looking forward to looking back over this year to see just how powerfully the Lord impacted the way we think & live. So far this year He has created this seamless transition from Sunday to Sunday. The messages have been building upon one another and allowing us to see through a lot of the junk that has been handed down to us. Whether we are talking about the differences between the Old & New Covenants, or simply trying to understand the nature of God, the Lord is doing some wonderful things.

Two Sundays ago I shared out of 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 and talked about "Winning the Battle of the Mind." Using a boxing illustration, I drew a comparison between spiritual warfare and how a boxer trains for any fight. Some of the crucial elements in boxing are:
Know Your Opponent
Know His Strategy
& Keep Your Focus

I have never been a fan of the way most people handle spiritual warfare because I feel as though they give too much power to the enemy. If you don't understand that He is disarmed & defeated then you will always think that he has the upper hand. Believers need to understand that they fight from a place of victory. Your enemy - the one who roams around like a roaring lion - according to Scripture is the father of lies and the accuser of the brethren. This is vitally important because much of the fighting that we engage in has to do with lies that we are believing or the accusations that are being hurled at us. This is how the enemy works. We are not ignorant of his devices but sometimes we need to be reminded.

The most basic strategy that he uses is to create strongholds in our lives. These strongholds are what I refer to as mindsets. Those things that have a strong hold upon us. The mindsets that we cannot seem to shake free from. Interesting that we are told to capture EVERY thought to the obedience of Christ and that transformation comes through the RENEWAL of the mind. The warfare that we engage in should result in the destruction of these strongholds, as well as the arguments & opinions that are raised against the knowledge of God in our lives. In spiritual warfare you are not fighting people, their accusations, or their opinions. You are fighting against the devices that the enemy would love to use to keep you bound up. When you accept the Truth of what God's Word says about you then you will be able to live in the abundant life of Christ. You will be set free.

Keeping your focus doesn't mean that you have to place all your attention on the enemy. It means that your attention is focused upon Jesus, His Truth, and who you are in Him. Learn how to get rid of the statements that say "you are not good enough", "you are not strong enough", "you are not loved", etc. Anything that will keep you from being all that God says you can be needs to be destroyed. You learn to lean on Jesus and believe His definition of who you are in Him.

This past Sunday I shared out of Romans 14:17 "The Kingdom Within." The lead in was simple. Jesus states that the Kingdom of God is within you (Luke 17:21). This makes perfect sense when you consider that 2 Peter 1:3 BOLDLY DECLARES that you have everything you need for life and godliness through His divine power. The Holy Spirit within you makes sure that there is enough grace, enough peace, enough joy, enough strength, and enough of what you need to carry the Kingdom of God.

This Kingdom is fully resourced. Everything is readily available for use in your life. Your response to these truths will allow you to follow the things that make for peace and learn the joy of building up other believers as well. I have told our congregation that abundant life is "life that is more than necessary." When you know that - really know it - then you know that there is plenty to go around. There is plenty of life for you and plenty to give to others. This Kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. What we are learning is how to live in the reality of this Kingdom. We learn how to spend time in it, become aware of its presence, and access everything that is available. There is no lack here. And because there is no lack, you never have to worry about running out.

I closed our time by talking about the lost "art" within many Christian circles: the art of meditation. We have allowed the New Age philosophies to take this basic discipline and change it to fit their agenda. However, for the believer, meditation is a vital tool. Accessing the peace that is available, the righteousness that is a part of your life, and the joy of the Lord is one of the best ways that I know to fight the good fight. Spiritual warfare looks much different when you fight out of the Kingdom within you. Life looks different as well.

God has ensured that you have everything you need to live life without limits. The Bible teaches us how to destroy every vain imagination that would lift itself up against the knowledge of God. We have within us, through the Holy Spirit, access to the gifts and fruit of this Kingdom. Why would we ever go back to fighting on our own or living a defeated life. Life without Limits is the promise and every promise of God in Christ is YES & AMEN. Enjoy the journey!!!

Do You Love Me?

John 21:15-19 presents for us a beautiful picture of reconciliation. For those of you who know the story, you know that Peter had denied Jesus and you also know that Jesus sought him out. This conversation forces us to recognize the nature of God in a very different light. It's not meant to be a mantra for modern day gospel bearers but was an intimate encounter between Jesus and one of His own. What is often missed in the English translation is the heart of Jesus for Peter.

Most of the believers that I have spoken with have this indescribable connectedness to Peter. In other words, there is so much about him that is appealing, abhorable, and at the same time familiar. I think we connect with Peter's HUGE moments: walking on the water with Jesus, the mountain top experience of the transfiguration, and even the revelation of Jesus as the Christ. However, we also connect with Peter's humanity: sinking into the water, sticking his foot in his mouth, being rebuked by Jesus, and even his denial of knowing Him. It seems as though we have all been there in some form or another. What is remarkable about this story is the unrelenting pursuit of Jesus for Peter. He knows what is in him. He knows the plans that the Father has for him. And He just won't let it go.

Before this scene, Peter makes an announcement: "I'm going fishing."
Sounds like a guy getting ready to throw in the towel doesn't it? Who among us hasn't felt this way? The guilt that he carried, the shame that he experienced...better to go back to fishing than to mess things up one more time. Right?
The good news is that Jesus plans a breakfast meeting on the shore. Isn't it just like Jesus to confront us in our wrong thinking? Isn't it just like Jesus to come to us? It most definitely is!!!

Another wonderful aspect of this part of the story is how Jesus seeks to restore Peter. We all know that Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus even predicted that this would happen. Three times Peter was called out by the people. Three times Peter had an opportunity to go to jail or even die with Jesus. Three times he denied himself that opportunity even though He swore he never would. Three times he denied even knowing Jesus (once with a curse). Jesus in His love for Peter wanted to bring restoration. Which is why we find Jesus asking Peter three times: "Do you love me?" Three times Peter says "Yes." And three times Jesus instructs Peter to take care of the flock. Why is this important? It's important because Peter was to be a rock. He was to be the one who would lead this band of misfits once Jesus left. Peter was the one who heard the divine revelation of who Jesus really was. Peter, with all of his screw-ups, was a perfect fit in the Lord's mind. As long as he carried the guilt and shame of denying Jesus, this would never happen. Jesus will always bring restoration in every area where we have denied Him.

The other point of this story that needs to be stressed is the language of the exchange between Jesus and Peter. Jesus asks Peter, three times, "Do you LOVE me?" Peter answers, three times, "You know that I LOVE you." What is not seen in the English is the striking comparison between them. In the Greek language we know that there are three different words that are translated as "love":
Agápe - a deeper, spiritual, unconditional love
Éros - a physical, passionate, sensual love
Philéō - a kind, affectionate, brotherly love
Jesus asks Peter "Do you Agápe me more than these?" Peter says "You know that I Philéō you."
Jesus asks Peter again "Do you Agápe me? Peter says again "You know that I Philéō you."
Jesus asks Peter a third time "Do you Philéō me?" Peter answers again "You know that I Philéō you."
Every question goes to the heart of the matter. Every answer gets the same response. The change happens in how Jesus asked the question. Twice he asks Peter if he loves him unconditionally. Peter responds that he loves Him with a great brotherly love. The last question is the attention grabber because Jesus changed the word for love. He asks Peter if he loves Him with a brotherly affection. Peter, although grieved, responds affirmatively. Jesus' response? "I can work with that."

I think we often portray our relationship with God as "all or nothing." And in many cases this could be true. However, what we find in the story is Jesus' willingness to accept what Peter is willing to give. Peter's willingness to give the only love he knew was enough for Jesus to show him what he could with that kind of love. How is that possible? I mean, we are told that God will only accept the best. But what I often find in the gospel narrative is a God who is willing to use what we bring to Him. Maybe our faith isn't as big as we would like it - but He uses what we bring Him.
Maybe our love doesn't even come close to His quality of love - but He can do so much with it.
Maybe our strength isn't as strong as we arrogantly believed - His grace is sufficient and is actually made perfect in our weakness. For you and I to live in the abundant life of Christ is to recognize that He comes, He restores, and He receives us just as we are.

What I believe we have discovered in the story, and Peter's honesty, is purity of heart. There is no arrogance in his declaration of love. No presumption as to what he would do. It's real and genuine. Jesus takes it and shows the world what He can do with that kind of love.

Stop beating yourself up over the failures of your past. Find Jesus in the midst of the darkness.
Stop thinking that you could never match up. Hear the voice of Jesus in your frustration.
The absolute beauty of this life is discovering the Lord in the midst of it. Good, bad, or ugly, He is always there and He is for you. He knows more about you than you do. He sees the rock inside you and desperately wants you to see it for yourself. Can you give Him your faith? Can you give Him your love? Can you give Him your weaknesses? He wants it all.

Living in the Finished Work of Christ

Hebrews 10:10-18 provides incredible insight into the finished work of Christ. The greater our realization of this truth, the greater our ability to rest, to enjoy the abundant life of Christ, and to destroy religious mindsets. The less we know about this truth, the more we strive to satisfy a God who has already been satisfied through the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of His Son.

Living a life without limits requires that we fully accept the atonement Jesus provided. This acceptance allows us to fully receive the revelation of God's love for us. I often hear people talk about the wrath of God without realizing the full effect of the Cross. Hear the prophetic voice of Isaiah in chapter 53, "But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities." [verses 10-11]

What we learn about the sacrifice of Jesus is that the REDEMPTION He purchased was universal.
The RECONCILIATION He created was for everyone.
The RESTORATION that was provided has been accomplished.
Apart from this understanding we will see the death of Jesus and the redemption He provides as only for the church or elect. Pay attention to these verses:
1 Timothy 2:6 - For ALL
1 John 2:2 - For the sins of the WHOLE WORLD
Romans 5:6 - For the UNGODLY
Hebrews 2:5 - For EVERY MAN
Matthew 20:28 - For the MANY
Galatians 2:20 - For "ME"
John 3:16 - For the WORLD
John 11:50-51 - For ISRAEL
2 Peter 2:1 - For FALSE TEACHERS
Ephesians 5:25 - For the CHURCH

Hebrews 10:10 tells us that the offering of Jesus was "once and for all" - this is a powerful word.
Once for all is numerically true.
Once for all is conclusively true.
Once for all is true as it relates to the distribution of this reality.

God left no stone un-turned. There wasn't a lost sheep that He did not find, a lost coin that was not recovered, a fish that was not pulled in by this dragnet (He is the answer to these parables). In Jesus, the pearl of great price has been purchased along with the field that contained the treasure that was hidden. Everything that had to be done has been done. Everything that God wanted to accomplish was accomplished. IT IS FINISHED means that it is time for each and everyone of us to REPENT of whatever we think needs to happen for us to be pleasing to God. REPENT of the idea that God is far away. REPENT of the idea that we have to bow down to idols, follow after false notions of God, and BELIEVE in the reality of God that Jesus adequately portrayed.

Abundant life is ours for the taking if we will only believe. In believing, we confess Jesus as Lord. We turn away from all the types and shadows we see in the Old Covenant and turn to the real thing in Jesus. I hope that you can REST in Him today. He is, according to 1 John 2:2, "He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." NOW THAT IS GOOD NEWS!!!

Living a New Covenant Existence

Hebrews 8 provides wonderful insight into the New Covenant that Jesus established through His death, burial & resurrection. For you and I to experience a New Covenant lifestyle, we must first put the Old Covenant in its proper place.

As a child I was taught the 10 Commandments. I memorized them, could recite them, and did my best to keep them. I have no doubt that many of you lived the same way. While I have no problems with sharing the values found in them, we must be careful that we do not approach them in the same manner as the Jews. The Old & New Covenants are very different. We would be well served to know the difference.

First of all, you need to understand that the Old Covenant was established between God & Man (Israel in particular). It was an agreement between two parties. If Israel would walk in all that God commanded them - they would be blessed. However, if Israel failed to follow after God's commands - they would not receive God's blessings. In other words, the Old Covenant was an "If...then..." Covenant.
If Israel would _____________ then God would __________.
If Israel did not __________ then God would withhold ____________.
It's quite simple for us to understand because this is how we see most covenants.

Secondly, you need to know the basis for this covenant which was The Law. The Law consisted of the 10 Commandments and somewhere around 620 other laws. According to Jesus, to fall short in one was the same as breaking them all. The Law was meant as a means to establish righteousness & holiness among the people. The Law consisted of how people handled their relationship with God and others, holy days and practices, and even what to do when you had to go to the bathroom. There was a lot to the Old Covenant but Israel agreed that it would be this way. It was not God imposing a religious system on the people, it was God giving them what they asked for.

Thirdly, you need to understand that the Old Covenant was created (in my opinion) outside of relationship. Adam & Eve chose the Knowledge of Good & Evil as a means to becoming like God rather than live in relationship with Him. As soon as their eyes were opened they began to see themselves through a different lens. No longer (they thought) could God handle their nakedness. No longer could they freely come into the presence of God. No longer was walking with Him enough. They, in essence, sought to establish their own righteousness and all of humanity followed.

The NEW COVENANT on the other hand was enacted on better promises. It is a covenant that was established between God and the Son of Man (Jesus). This is a covenant that is not based upon Law but upon GRACE (the divine enablement of God). This covenant was not created outside of relationship but INSIDE relationship. It's a covenant that isn't about performance but about POSITION. You see, Jesus coming in the flesh became the Last Adam. According to Paul's writings to the early church He took Adam's place. Adam's fall led to the fall of everyone while the Last Adam's obedience lifted us up. The First Adam introduced sin & death while the Last Adam brought us grace & life. Not only that, but according to what God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah this New Covenant that was established would not be like the old one. The NEW COVENANT has been written upon our hearts. It's no longer a set of laws written upon stone or in a scroll. Instead, God chose to establish a covenant through His Son that would be within every human being. That is the beauty of the incarnation. Jesus came into our darkness, into our shame and separation, and took it all upon Himself. He found in His Father in the midst of it and all of humanity was wrapped up in His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. He is now seated at the right hand of His Father as the Son of God & the Son of Man. He is the mediator of this New Covenant - not us. He is the Faithful High Priest who offered Himself on our behalf. It was His purpose to lead many sons into glory, not just followers to a divine rule.

The NEW COVENANT doesn't need our performance because Jesus has done everything that needed to be done. It doesn't need our approval because Jesus has stated that "IT IS FINISHED!!!" The New Covenant doesn't need anything from us except our acceptance of what already is. It is a fulfilled covenant. And in establishing this covenant, according to the writer of Hebrews, the old one became obsolete. In other words, it was no longer needed. Not only has it become obsolete, it has completely vanished away!!! Our acceptance of the New Covenant does not make it true - it just means that we get to experience the reality of it. Much like the million dollars in the account that I shared with you last week, you will never know the benefits of it unless you acknowledge it.

The sad part in all of this is that I see so many believers still living in The Law. They are still living with that "If...then..." mentality. They keep performing thinking that somehow it makes them acceptable to God without the realization that they have been accepted in Christ. The decision of the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit to come into the far country of our lives and rescue us was something they chose to do before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4). It's the absolute beauty of the Gospel: Reconciliation, Redemption, Forgiveness, & Acceptance is all in Jesus. To sum up the Apostle Paul, in the same way that all of humanity suffered because of the first Adam, all of humanity is blessed through the Last Adam. Jesus' death, burial, resurrection, and ascension are so much more powerful than Adam's failure. We died with Him, were raised with Him, and have ascended with Him. The moment we believe this reality is the moment we begin to walk in the wholeness (Sozo) He paid for.

The Spirit of God testifies with our spirits that we are sons of God. Isn't that powerful? Isn't that a greater covenant? Aren't those better promises? In the end, what God gets out of all of this is you...all of you. Not just your service, not just your obedience, not just your sacrifices, but you. And you are who/what He has always wanted. Athanasius, one of the early church fathers, penned it this way: "It was unworthy of the goodness of God that creatures made by Him should be brought to nothing through the deceit wrought upon many by the devil; and it was supremely unfitting that the world of God in mankind should disappear, either through their own negligence or through the deceit of evil spirits. As, then, the creatures whom He created...were in fact perishing, and such noble works were on the road to ruin, what then was God, being good, to do?"

Let me tell you what He did: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..." (John 3:16) What God said He would do in Jeremiah 31:31-34, He has done. If you would only believe, you could experience this New Covenant life for yourself. You will stop seeing yourself as separated from God. You would know the love of your Heavenly Father. You will discover that life is worth living and you will begin to experience LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS.

Hidden

Ephesians 4:17-18, "Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart."

As we seek to embrace a life without limits, we must understand that the two greatest inhibitors of this life are IGNORANCE & UNBELIEF. This is exactly what Paul is talking about in the verses above. The reason why the rest of the Gentile world is "stuck" in the lifestyles that they lead is because they do not know the Gospel or because they do not believe it. The beauty of the good news is that it has the power the change that. That is...if we will allow it.

Contrary to popular belief, what you do not know can hurt you. If you do not know that you are loved - you will love accordingly. If you do not know what Christ has come to accomplish - the same will be true. Regardless of the scenario, IGNORANCE plays a destructive role in our lives. Imagine a homeless man that has suddenly become a millionaire. Someone went to the bank without his knowledge, opened an account in his name, deposited a million dollars, but never told him. The result is that the homeless man remains homeless. He continues to beg for money, food, and shelter. He continues to live the life of a homeless man. However, the reality is that he IS a millionaire. He just simply doesn't know it.

Now take that same scenario (homeless man + million dollars placed into an account in his name) but this time let's say the banker comes to visit him. He tells the homeless man that someone has placed a million dollars into an account and all he has to do is come to the bank to get it. The homeless man is staggered by the possibility but he just cannot bring himself to believe this good news. I mean, who would do such a thing? The homeless man, rather than receive everything that is rightfully his, rejects the good news of the banker and continues to live his homeless lifestyle. That is the power of UNBELIEF. The difference between ignorance and unbelief is knowledge. One has it but the other does not. The one thing that these two forces have in common is that they keep the homeless men from receiving what is actually theirs.

The reality that we need to see is that each of these men are millionaires. What they do not know or do not believe doesn't change the fact that there is a million dollars sitting in an account for each of them. In other words, what they believe or do not believe doesn't change the fact that someone deposited a million dollars in their name. And while this illustration may seem like a feeble attempt to describe all the riches we have in Christ, the beauty of the Gospel is that abundant life of Jesus is ours for the taking. However, if we do not know it or do not believe it, we will never actualize it in our lives. What Jesus did through His incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension has affected all of mankind. Our faith does not make it true but our faith will allow us to appropriate all that He has done.

The point of Paul's letter is that "THIS IS NOT YOU!!!" You don't have to live like the rest of the world because you are not ignorant of what Jesus has done. You believe that He came, died, rose again, and ascended to His Father. You have received the good news of the Gospel and it has profoundly affected your life. Therefore, you do not have to live in darkness. You don't have to give in to the things of the world. You have overcome this lifestyle because of all that Jesus has done.

One of the saddest things that I have seen in the church during my lifetime are believers who are ignorant of all that they possess in Christ or they simply do not believe that these things are true. They have just enough faith to get them "saved" but not enough faith to get victory. They strive through religious ritual, traditions, and keeping the law. They have never experienced the wonder of abundant life in Christ because they still see themselves as outside of the equation.

Several months ago, I preached at a church where I had served as youth pastor. During my sermon, I shared the truth of who we are in Christ. You would have thought that I had introduced a new doctrine to many of them. They staggered in unbelief. It sounded too good to be true. It is for this reason that the church must recapture the beauty of everything that we possess in Christ. We need to understand what the finished work of Jesus is all about. AND we need to see that our lives are hidden with Christ in God:
The beauty that Jesus included us in His incarnation.
The truth that we were included in His crucifixion.
The amazing reality that we were included in His resurrection.
The wonder that we were also included in His ascension.
This is the Gospel. This is the powerful good news that we preach. This is the staggering truth of what was in the heart of God before the foundation of the world.

It's true whether we know it or not. It's true whether we believe it or not. But what we know & believe will make a drastic difference in what we experience in this life and the next. Allow Ephesians 1:4 to sink down deep into your spirit: "Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes." This is the mind-boggling reality, that even before Adam fell He chose us to be His in Christ. Part of your journey in life is discovering this reality along with all of the implication. Abundant life waits for you. Don't miss it!!!