As You Go Series
These are my notes and thoughts on the sermon that my wonderful and Godly Pastor Fred Nelson spoke to us this morning. It was like breathing life into brittle bones. I am so grateful that God led me to Antioch and I'm hoping He blesses you to overflowing abundance by these words. I didn't re-read to edit so it might be choppy or there might be mistakes. I just couldn't take notes fast enough this morning and I'm super exhausted tonight. I'm sure you will overlook it and I know that God will lead you to understand what you need to despite any mistakes.
What goes on inside the person that wants to share Jesus? What the world needs is people who have encountered Jesus and can't help but share what he has done on their life. Hearts alive.
The sobering reality of hell should translate into compassion and heartfelt love for the lost. That compassion should turn into strategy to be in the world but it of it. Living a holy lifestyle that is content cultural so that the world sees the difference. John 17:15-18 we are sanctified. God has made is to be set apart, holy. But he sent us into the world so that we can infiltrate the darkness. We are supposed to engage the world and initiate love and compassion. Not to be judgmental but to reach out to them whee they are and give then the love that has been freely given to us.
There are times when we initiate and it goes so completely wrong. This births fear of men and fear of rejection. This manifests itself in a lot of ways. We don't speak about Jesus because we are afraid of how they are going to respond. We are afraid that they won't like us or will treat us differently or feel pressured. There is a fear of being misunderstood or rejected which makes us question out identity. It makes us look for our validation outside of Jesus.
1 John 4:18. There is no fear in love but perfect love drives out fear. He opposite of fear is love. Fear is inward focus and love is outward focus. We won't have any courage or boldness in life unless we have confidence that there is a bigger picture. We can love someone and be afraid of them at the same time. We equate kindness with love but really it's just a mask to cover up our dear of rejection. We look for the approval of others an stat is fueled by fear of rejection.
We need to detach from them and get our validation on God so that we can be filled to overflow to GIVE love to them.
Luke 19:1-10
Jesus is passing through Jericho. He isn't looking to camp or stay, he is just looking to pass through.
There are so many life transforming moments in the Bible that Jesus ministers to people when he is neon interrupted. It's not when he is camping and preaching, it is when he is on his way to do something else but he stops what he is doing to minister to those around him.
Why do I so when I'm interrupted?
I need to live a life that's able to be interrupted. God has time for me. I need to have time for others. People need to be noticed. This is an awesome opportunity to share Jesus' love to them.
Zacchaeus was a Jew but was a tax collector who was very wealthy. He was lot a well-liked person. The majority of the population didn't like him. He had heard about Jesus and wanted to see what Jesus was all about.
It's easy to put up a facade and pretend to be all together. But there is a burning desire, a cry of the human heart, an emptiness that yearns to see Jesus. Don't be deceived by what is on the exterior because there is a desire for Jesus in every person.
Jesus sees Zac and stops to take notice of him. Revelation is invitation to get involved. The revelation of need is an invitation to get involved. We have to get past the exterior and look at them not as the flesh but as the spirit. We have to see beyond the surface and initiate. Get involved and interject our joy and hope to their situation. We are to identify the need of the heart and bring the gospel to fill that void.
When Jesus agreed to go dine with Zac all of the crowd muttered against him that he was going to the house of a sinner. Jesus was constantly going against public opinion. Jesus was bold and did not let the fear or the public opinion dictate what he did. Boldness is not being brash, arrogant or pushy. The boldness that God is pleased with is fueled by love and reaching out to them without caring of public opinion. Sharing truth in a holy boldness. It's a boldness that cries out in love even if they get rejected. Jesus says that we will be rejected. We can not hold stock in people's opinion but hold in to the truth of God.
Matthew 5 says that there is more reward when we are rejected. We have to have our identity securely anchored in Christ. The fear of man is the exposure of our own lack of self acceptance.
Jesus' act if fearless love so transformed Zac that it released a financial blessing to the people and changed Zac's heart. If we cater to the opinion of others, we are missing a blessing. We are holding on to people's opinion and missing the blessing of God. We are holding on to dirt missing great riches.
God has placed us where we are as ambassadors to seek and save the lost. Everywhere we go the Holy Spirit has an opportunity to share and advance the kingdom of God.
What would God do if we weren't afraid?
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